SteelEagle

Twilight Sparkle noticed Brandon's nervousness and immediately tried to put him at ease. "Of course, Brandon, I'd love to get to know you better and teach you about friendship. It's one of my favorite subjects," she replied warmly. "Who says the two can't happen at the same time? We'll be spending a lot of time together. First, we must do some experiments. Then I need to find out just how you can fit in around Ponyville for however long you are. And during all that time, it would be my pleasure to get you well-educated in the arts and ways of friendship and the many splendours that come with it," Twilight said as she finished her breakfast. Twilight Sparkle extended a hoof to Brandon as she trotted over. "Should we start by taking a tour of Ponyville? I can show you some of my favorite spots and introduce you to some of my friends. The experiments are planned for later, anyhow."

Twilight waved a hoof dismissively as she ate. "Oh, no, not like that! It is all very, very safe," she said as she ate some more, the pregnant pause being more than a little dramatic. "You won't have to hold your breath that long, certainly. And lightning...okay well if we get that far, lets just say you," she said, pointing at him with a fork in her magical grasp, "are in no real danger," she thought about it, "well, no danger of getting seriously hurt, anyway. But don't worry! You'll be fine, probably, I think," she smiled bright and wide, trying to put him at ease. "And there are so many other experiments I gotta run as well! DNA samples, RNA testing, aetheric rescoping of the triambalyic nerve center-!" She got up and clapped her hooves together. "Oh, I love aetheric rescoping of triambalyic nerve centers!" Spike looked at Brandon. "Thinking of running right about now?" He asked sarcastically. Twilight sat back down and rolled her eyes. "Oh psssshhh. Everything is fine. Perfect, even!"

Twilight Sparkle smiled at the compliment. Spike was always a great cook, and his pancakes were particularly delicious. "Thank you, Spike," Twilight said, turning back to Brandon. "I'm glad you like them. Now, let's get down to business. Today, we're going to conduct some experiments to try to understand your connection with Equestrian magic." Realizing some of it certainly sounded dangerous, Twilight held a hoof up to reassure him. "Don't worry," she said. "These tests may sound dangerous, but they're completely safe. We just need to collect some data to better understand how your mind interacts with magic." Spike chimed in, "yeah, nothing to worry about, just a little test where we see how long you can hold your breath while submerged in water. And then there's the one where we see how high you can jump off a tall building, but we'll have a trampoline ready just in case. Oh, and the one where we'll need you to stand in the middle of a lightning storm and see how much electricity you can absorb before getting fried. It's all in the name of science!" Twilight quickly stepped in to clarify. "Spike is just joking, of course," she said with a reassuring smile. Then a pause. "The building isn't even that tall, really. In any case, our experiments will be completely safe and non-invasive. We just need to monitor your brain waves and see how they respond to different types of magic.

"It's okay," Twilight said with a reassuring smile. "Everyone has dreams and fantasies, and there's nothing to be ashamed of," Twilight said as she gently led the human towards the hallway. Once out there, she led him down the hallway towards a small dining room. Along the way, they would run into some of the castle staff. Most were polite, but Brandon was the recipient of a few odd glances or looks. None of them were rude, just curious- and then quickly they would move on. Twilight brought many new strange creatures into the castle, and Brandon was no exception. "Here, sit down and eat," Twilight said as they entered. Spike had prepared a small breakfast of pancakes and fruit- well Spike and the castle staff. He did help, or at least claimed he did. "You need your energy for a big day of scientific experimentation," she said as she took a seat across from the human and began to chat. The topics were designed to ease him in I would try to keep the conversation light and focused on the exciting experiments we were about to conduct, rather than dwelling on the awkward moment that had just passed. "Oh, and friendship, of course."

Twilight sat patiently with the youngest Apple family member, her horn having been dipped in a small bowl of water. Twilight had used her magic to help Ambrosia's curl remain dry, and now looked at the filly's horn. It was covered in enough water to make the visualization easier, an important part of early unicorn development. She smiled reassuringly at Ambrosia, who was clearly eager to learn. "To boil water, you need to focus your magic on the water molecules and increase their energy until they start to boil," she said before thinking that may have been a bit much. "It will be easy to do, so let's go over it, shall we?" She lit her own horn. "First, let's try to feel the water with our magic. Feel the droplets and the rivulets as it goes down your horn. Close your eyes and concentrate on the water on your horn. Can you feel it?" She asked. "Once you do that, get a good look at the teapot and think of the water inside." Twilight did as she said. She wasn't going to do much to boil the water, but was going to act as an atheric guide for the filly's magic to follow. "Now, Imagine the water getting warmer and warmer until it starts to boil. You can do it, Ambrosia."

Apple Bloom was a determined filly, and as she looked out at the small farming settlement below her, she knew that she had to do something to help the ponies there. The tornados were touching down dangerously close to the town, and she could see the fear in the ponies' eyes. What had started bad but scary had turned into something far worese and far deadlier, and she was afraid. But she saw a Diamond Dog running around down there doing his part, so they should too. Despite the rocking of the ship she galloped until she found the first mate. "We have to stay and help them ponies below! They're in trouble, and we're the only ones who can help 'em." The first mate looked out at the town and the tornados and sighed. "It's too dangerous, Apple Bloom. We have to get out of here before we're caught in one of those tornados." "But we can't just leave them there!" Apple Bloom protested. "We're Equestrians, dangit, and ponies need our help!" The first mate hesitated but then looked at Apple Bloom and nodded. "Alright, we'll stay and see what we can do. But we have to be careful and make sure we don't put ourselves in too much danger." Apple Bloom grinned, feeling a surge of excitement and determination. She knew that they could make a difference and help the ponies below. They just had to be brave and smart about it. The airship turned over the town, dipping even further as it tried to orient itself. Inside, the crew who had kept themselves nice and safely tucked away were jolted by the alarm, whose tone indicated they were on Weather Beater duty. Dangerous, but at least they were prepared for it. Apple Bloom found herself following the Lead Engineer to the bowels of the ship. It had been equipped with several anti-weather magical mines and other pieces of equipment designed to tame the weather when needed. The long deployment had seen much of it used, but the good ship and crew well-seasoned (mostly) were not about to let that get in the way. Apple Bloom followed instructions. Her job was the easiest- while one unicorn was programming it and a pegasus was getting the weather current out of the deployment chute just right to entice the tornado, her job (and that of the older, stronger, and probably there to pick up her slack Earth Pony) was to help launch it by pulling it along a rail. The Lead Engineer did his job, his magic subtly changing the internal conditional modulator to the right weather pattern to be disrupted. The pegasus did his part, flapping his wing and eying some gauges to get the wing power and magic just right. When both did their job, a bright green light flashed on the rail, and Apple Bloom got to pulling. It was heavier than sin and twice as ornery, but after a few moments of no progress she started to move it a little, then the momentum picked up and soon with the older stallion's help the mine was launched. There was no time to be excited however- mines came in magazines of three, and by the time the first mine was launched the second one was nearly programmed. By the time she got back to her start position, the light was green again and the process repeated. By the time all three were launched, Apple Bloom's legs felt like jelly. At least with the first magazine empty they could see the first trio of mines at work. The mines glowed with a bright blue light as they approached the tornado, and then exploded in a burst of magical energy as all three wre sucked up. The tornado shuddered and began to break apart, the winds slowing and the funnel dissipating into the air. "Good job, everypony!" the first mate called out over the ship's intercom. "We're making a difference down here." Then the second magazine was loaded.

Oh my goodness, that's quite the dream Brandon was having there! Clearly she would need to speak with Luna about making sure he at the very least was less vocal about it. Twilight lightly tapped his shoulder, waking Brandon up. "Hey there! Just so you know, you talk in your sleep," she laughed and leaned in, "as much as I appreciate your admiration, I'm afraid I have to wake you up now so we can get started on our magical experiments for the day. Time to wake up and get ready for an exciting day of magical research and discovery! And don't worry, we'll stick to the science and leave the romantic fantasies for another time. After all, science is all about objective observation and analysis, and I wouldn't want any personal biases to cloud our results," she said with a friendly wink.

As Twilight sat at her desk in the library of her castle, she couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation for the experiments she had planned for tomorrow. The human resting in one of the guest rooms had displayed some truly unique magical properties, and she was eager to learn more about them. Before she could begin my research, however, she would ensure that everything is in order. She spent a few hours of the night after he went to bed poring over books on human physiology and magic, trying to gain a better understanding of how the two interact. Soon, it would be time to put that knowledge into practice. She would need to prepare the laboratory. She needed to ensure that the space is clean, organized, and free from any potential hazards. She would also need to gather all of the necessary equipment and supplies, including spell books, crystals, and various magical instruments. Next, she will need to check on Brandon and make sure that he is comfortable. She didn't want him to feel anxious or uneasy about the experiments they would be conducting tomorrow, so she would take some time to explain the process and answer any questions he may have. Before that, she would need to get a good night's sleep. She needed to be well-rested and focused for tomorrow's activities, as she knew that even the slightest mistake could have serious consequences. Well, mostly awkward ones. She would spend some time reviewing her notes and preparing mentally for the experiments to come. As she finished up her preparations for the following day, she couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and curiosity. She was confident that tomorrow's experiments would yield valuable insights into the unusual nature of Brandon!

Twilight smiled, barely able to contain herself at Ambrosia's overwhelming enthusiasm. "Oh, I think some butterflies would be great," she asked as she lazily looked around the room. Despite the room's attempt to completely filter out the outside world, she could sense the smallest of cracks. She cast her magic out of the room and pulled in through the smallest of cracks two very small worms. She held them aloft and in a flash, they were transformed into a small collection of butterflies whose wings left imprints on the decorations and flew around. One of them landed on Twilight's nose, and she blew it off with a giggle. Then a small flash rolled over the table, giving it all the decorations the filly had asked for. "This might be a bit much for you now, but magic is capable of truly incredible things!" She raised the teapot up and opened it up. She then dipped her horn in it, getting it wet. "Dip your horn in the water, at least a little," Twilight asked gently. Twilight didn't need to do it herself but she found it a useful first guide to get the sensation of water around your horn before starting to play around with the elemental water magic. "I am going to show you how to start boiling the water with magic."

Twilight gave a small chuckle at the human's comment, feeling a bit flattered but also slightly amused. "Thank you for the compliment," she said with a smile, "but don't worry about your intelligence. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses." As they walked down the hallway, Twilight pointed out various rooms and decorations, giving the human a small tour of the castle. "This is one of the smaller guest rooms we have available," she said, opening the door to a cozy room with a small single-sized bed, a dresser, and a small desk. "I hope this will be comfortable for you." She turned back to the human, "If you need anything else, just let me or Spike- his room is next to yours- know. We want you to feel welcome here in Equestria." Twilight then gave a friendly smile and left the room, closing the door behind her.

For her part, Twilight was too excited about the prospect of science to notice at the moment. Not that she would process much more at this time- and judging by him, same for him. "Oh, you must be exhausted! Don't worry. I have a place you can stay for tonight," she said as she started leading him away from Luna's room. "Let's get you settled in for the night," she said, placing a reassuring hand on the human's shoulder. "You must be tired from your journey here." Twilight turned to Princess Luna as she left the room. "If it's alright with you, Your Highness, I will show our guest to one of the guest rooms in my castle." Princess Luna nodded in agreement, "yes, that would be suitable, Twilight." Twilight then turned back to the human, "follow me, I'll show you to your room for the night." She started walking, expecting the human to follow. "We can talk more about our plans for tomorrow and what we hope to learn about your magical abilities."

Twilight noticed Brandon's nervousness and immediately realized that her choice of words may have been a bit too scientific for him. "Oh, don't worry," she quickly reassured him, "I didn't mean anything harmful or painful. I simply want to understand more about your magical abilities and learn about your species. Your human species is unique!" She walked closer to the human, trying to ease his fears. "As a student of magic, I am constantly looking for new opportunities to learn and grow. Your presence here in Equestria presents a unique chance for me to study a new form of magic and learn more about your kind." Twilight then smiled warmly at the human. "But of course, any experimentation we do will be with your consent, and we will take every precaution to ensure your safety and comfort. We are not here to cause you any harm, only to learn more about the fascinating magic you possess. I've got a whole lab for it. Oh, don't worry. It won't hurt. And if it would hurt, I would just make sure you're asleep for it!"

Princess Luna greeted the human with a small nod of her head, observing him with a watchful eye. "Yes, We have brought you to Equestria for a reason," she said, her tone serious but not unkind. "We have detected magical abilities within you, and We wish to understand more about them." She paused, considering the human before her. "However, We must admit that We are cautious when it comes to those who possess magic. We have seen firsthand the destruction and chaos that can be caused when magic is not used responsibly." Luna took a step forward, her eyes still fixed on the human. "So while We welcome you to Equestria, We must also warn you that magic can be very dangerous. We will be watching you closely, and any sign of danger will be dealt with swiftly." She paused once more, then softened her tone slightly. "But We hope that you will prove yourself to be a responsible and trustworthy individual. I do not believe you to be unkind or cruel, though the nature of magic makes the threat serious." Twilight had slipped by Luna to get some distance for herself, though when Luna was finished she turned around. "That's fascinating. We need to understand just how Brandon got his magic. The only way Luna could detect you is-" "If you already possess the magic, yes. We can only see the dreams of those with the touch of Equestrian Magic. You are not the first human to have it, though..." her head tilted, "perhaps the smallest." "I know!" Twilight said excitedly as she paced around, "this human variant is the smallest we've ever found. Most human species are significantly larger than ponies. I'll have to compare samples!" She clapped her hooves together with a dangerous glint in her eyes before realizing how it came off. "Ahh, sorry. Don't mean to alarm you. I just enjoy learning!" She turned back to Luna. "So, did you need to do anything tonight?" "No, not truly. We would suggest arcane binding to help the aetheric flow until he can understand it better. We'd save your...experiments until the human has rest."

Princess Sparkle smiled warmly at the little filly as she thought about all the wonderful friends Ambrosia would make over tea time. "I'm glad to hear that you are having tea with your family, even if older brothers can sometimes be a little messy. And it's wonderful that you're planning to invite your classmates over for tea too!" she said. "Now, let me teach you a little bit about using magic to set up a tea party," Twilight continued. "The first thing you'll need is a table to put your tea set on. So, let's start by using your magic to levitate a table into position." The Princess demonstrated by closing her eyes and concentrating, her horn glowing with a soft purple light. A table in the corner slowly lifted into the air, and she guided it to a spot where it would be convenient for the tea party. "Next, let's use our magic to set the table," she said, gesturing to the tea set and the various dishes and utensils that would be needed. "You can use your magic to lift each item and place it on the table. Just be sure to use your magic gently so you don't break anything," Twilight said, as she set her own utensils and cup so Ambrosia could follow her. "Now, let's add some decorations to make the tea party extra special," Princess Twilight Sparkle said. "You can use your magic to create some flowers or balloons, or even some streamers if you like. What would you like? I can help you make them if you wish."

Brandon could not help but speak himself into corners. Was it common for humans of his world to speak in such a manner? Or was he a little young? She couldn't place her hoof on it. Usually, young stallions didn't consistently mention an attraction so much it became awkward! Well, he was going through a lot, least of all was any interaction with her. She hoped he would start to settle some. "No need to be embarrassed. It's perfectly natural to have interests and preferences. I'm glad to learn a little more about you. I appreciate the compliment, but let's keep our conversations respectful and focused on the task at hoof, okay?" Twilight smiled gently as they slowed down. "We're going to see Princess Luna, who resides in her chambers on the upper levels of the castle. I'll introduce you to her and we can get down to business. She is the one who teleported you from your home to Equestria, and then told me to go find you. She has yet to tell me why, and I bet you are rather interested yourself, no?" Twilight asked as they arrived, the younger mare knocking briskly. The door flew open, revealing the Princess of the Night in her darkened glory. She looked at Brandon and her gaze remained even, betraying little of her thoughts.

Questions about candy, her favorite questions, came up. Where did she want the candy sent? Her stomach, mostly. "Oh! We are staying at the, umm, Jackpot Cahsino and Hotel. Room, umm, room 3-3-6. Oh! And code is, umm, 6-5-6-4, on that magical lock. So you can go right in!" She said with a trusting smile. She knew that anypony who offered or sold candy was instantly trustworthy and she was also sure her parents would love a visit from the candymares and stallions of this shop! Her ear caught that Sky was on track. She liked this musical pegasus! She heard that pegasi wings made music, whistles in the sky. She'd have to find out! "Yes, it is like the running roses! Not same, but similar yes! You have good ear!" She said as she reached up and tapped his ear playfully before hurrying into the wing as the music began. It wasn't perfect but she didn't need it to perfectly match. She allowed him to play before she started singing. She normally backed vocals for her parents, but her voice was well-trained and experienced. "Uwanda na mawe, mahali pa kale, Hakuna kitu, hakuna kitu kulala, Hakuna nafsi, hakuna moyo, Kila mtu, kila mtu yuko peke yake," she started, her voice slow but powerful, tinted with a somber tone. Then she perked up, as did her voice. "And this is, umm, the chorus! Lakini kwa upendo na ufahamu, Mkuu mkubwa, mkuu mkubwa, Uwanda na mawe, ilibadilika, Kutoka utupu, kuwa taifa lenye nguvu," she said, the chorus nearly matching "Run for the Roses" in tempo before it slowed again. "Alileta pamoja, tofauti zote, Kwa moyo wake, na ujasiri wake, Akaweka mawe, kama nguzo, Kwenye uwanda, kama ishara ya umoja," she continued, her voice's rising hopefulness and happiness telling the story that the words themselves may not in Equestrian. She looked at Sky. "Okay, now you join in on the chorus with!" She took a breath. Lakini kwa upendo..."

"I see..." Twilight intoned lightly as she considered the many possibilities inherent in this situation. Equestrian magic was unique and highly centralized to their plane of existence, but some of it was leaked out through various forms. It was not impossible, just nearly so, for it to have found a natural outlet into his reality. With considerable effort one could reach an understanding of the nature of arcanic transdimensional evolutions and aetheric leakage. Still, it was something that would prove a little much for the mini-sized human boy right now. "Well we'll have to investigate this further. So Brandon, what can you tell me about yourself?" Twilight asked, giving him the time to talk while they walked. It would take some time for them to reach the top, whether it was a natural distance or not. They reached a small hallway with three days, with the sun, the moon, and a heart on each one. These were the private guest quarters of the other Princesses when they were visiting her on official business, somewhat less palatial than her extended guest quarters below. Right now, only the room of the Moon glowed with any lived-in light. "Ready?"

Twilight Sparkle's ears shot straight up as she saw the magic in use, and it was clear concern in her expression as she received the bouquet. "Oh my, these roses are beautiful, thank you," she says, looking at them with the gentle cadence of a mare who had received far too many. "But I'm worried about this magic that seems to be coming from you. It's not safe for humans to use Equestrian Magic. It's important that we understand the nature of this magic and how to control it before it causes any harm. Are you feeling okay? Have you experienced any other unusual occurrences lately? Well, beyond being magically teleported across realities," Twilight said with a gentle tone, trying to put the human at ease while conveying her concern. "Perhaps we should investigate this further. Hmm, this may be what Princess Luna brought you here for. Indeed, if your human-variant world has some unusual Equestrian magic running about, that could be problematic," Twilight continued as they started walking up a long circular staircase in one of the innermost towers of the castle.

Twilight Sparkle listened patiently as the human spoke, taking in his nervousness and stammering words. She could sense his anxiety and the crush he had on her, but she remained calm and friendly. She hoped he would calm down. Most creatures, Twilight included, weren't fully enamored with the idea of being subject to such stares, feelings, and emotions unbidden from others. "Of course, I'd be happy to help you learn about friendship!" She replied with a warm smile. "But let's take things slow, okay? I don't want you to feel overwhelmed or pressured. It's important to remember that friendship is about mutual respect and understanding, and it takes time to build those connections." She took a step back to create a bit of space between them, hoping it would ease the human's nerves. "For now though, let us focus on the task at hoof. I believe we have a meeting with Princess Luna. She is the one responsible for pulling you here, and she has yet to tell me why. Do you feel up for a walk, or would you rather have me teleport you?"

He was flattering. It was more than a little awkward for her, considering he was saying so around her guards and was a decidedly different species than her. Not that she was against cross-species affections mind you, but it was always weird having another creature speak breathlessly about your attractiveness. ever since she became a Princess she had been getting a lot of fan mail, is what she's saying, and Cadance seemed endlessly entertained when she read some of it out loud to her during visits. The fact it mortified her made Cadance all the happier with it. "No need to be flustered. Relax," Twilight suggested as they moved into town. Ponyville was quiet at night and outside of a few night owls, literal and otherwise, there was little happening as the four made their way to her castle. Two more guards stood at attention and saluted Twilight and opened the castle doors. They were professional and didn't ask questions about the unusual creature she was dragging along. They stopped asking that a while ago. They were now in the Castle of Friendship, and what staff were there at night were far off and busy with their own work. "So, welcome to my home. I assume you are familiar with it, Brandon?" Twilight asked as she started to shed the company of the guards.

Gallus inwardly chuckled at what he could feel coming off of Sky Beak at that moment. He was good at reading creatures, save that incident the day before. Sky didn't really believe him. It wasn't the first time he had faced such reactions from non-griffon creatures. He understood that it was difficult for them to comprehend the pride and honor that griffons held in their hearts, and how that same pride that could see them sink so low could see them fly so high. "Well, I guess it wasn't easy to convince them per se," Gallus said with a half-grin, shaken by the older hippogriff. "But when we saw that our only option was to fight alongside each other or perish, we put our differences aside and fought together. Sad that it took all that, but we did. We're a noble people, even the anxious nest-makers," he replied with a wink. Hopefully that term meant what it meant in Griffonstone. "I would love to see the sky-dancing," Gallus said with enthusiasm. "I'm not any good at water dancing or ground dancing or swamp dancing or whatever it is that Twilight does, but I like the sound of Skydancing! And I can't wait to explore your home more, Silverstream." As Sky Beak mentioned Mrs. Featherflit's battered mackerel fillets, Gallus's stomach growled in anticipation. He had never heard of the delicious dish before and couldn't wait to try it. "Mackerel filets...that does sound good," Gallus replied. he looked back at Silver as he started hovering up. "But I have a feeling that we won't be disappointed with whatever snacks we find along the way to finding this elusive Mrs. Featherfilt. Which way is the sky-dancing, Silver?"

Twilight shook her head as Brandon bowed. "You aren't one of my subjects. Potential subjects. Future subjects?" Twilight pondered. She could taste the changing winds and didn't have to be a fortune-scryer to see what was in her future, but that didn't mean she was in any hurry to embrace it. "Besides, it looks strange when a human bows. Doesn't it hurt your back?" She asked as the four made their way through the forest. When a pony bowed it still supported its body weight on its four hooves. When a human bowed it looked like it was designed to damage their back. Was pain important for supplication in certain human cultures? She'd have to investigate this further. After a few minutes, they found the edge of the forest. His transport had not been entirely too far off, it seemed. While dropping him in the Everfree had not been the aimed intention, at least this method of inter-reality transdimensional transport hadn't proved too entirely inaccurate. Twilight wasn't entirely sure she could have saved him had he been teleported into the heart of the forest, which would have been a tragedy on many fronts. As they started to pierce the edge, the humble skyline of Ponyville took shape in the quiet stillness of the night.

The song came to an end with a flourish, as the backup musicians jammed out through the outro and then just for fun. Rara could barely contain her smile, and then that barely became impossible as she saw Applejack finish the song with the sort of love and panache that only came when you started to lose yourself to the music and performance. For all of her pretense to start the day, it looked as if Applejack still had a lot of that old performer in her just screaming to get out. Rara didn't know just how strong that voice inside her really was, but she was very much willing to delve deep and find out. But for today, it would be enough. No need to push too far. She put her own violin away and eventually motioned for the others to stop. At the end of the session, everypony was pleased, with a round of clapping all around. Stagehands went to inspect props and equipment and musicians either simply moved out for their other jobs or stayed to the side, gently playing their instruments for fun. Rara bounded up to her favorite Apple and put a hoof on the side of her neck. "Applejack, you were fantastic up there! Why, if I didn't know any better I would say you haven't missed a beat. You haven't been playing any secret concerts I should know about, right?" She asked with a chuckle. "Well, what do you wanna do now? We have time for now."

"Apple Cinnamon? Well, that is delightfully on brand, now isn't it," Twilight said with a lilting giggle as she got comfortable in preparation for a tea party. She wondered just how many tea parties were happening at this very moment across this varied land of theirs. How many cups were brewing, kettles calling, and friendly smiles exchanged at this very moment? They say you never really understood your friends until you sat down with them to share some tea. She didn't know if she fully bought into that idea from a philosophical sense as it seemed trite to suggest every mundane activity had to great import to be imparted with value as opposed to possessing it intrinsically. What she did know was that she liked some gentle earl grey and was happy that the young Apple filly already had a favorite. "Do you have tea parties with your friends often?" She asked, having to eventually cross that barrier. She would be a poor Princess of Friendship if she didn't ask about the friendship status of a student, wouldn't she? Besides, tea parties were best served with friends. Stuffed animals could substitute, but they were often very lethargic guests for the afternoon.

Now that the immediate danger was clear, Twilight gave this human a once-over. He was indeed a rather small human. She wondered how this variant of the species judged height. What version of 'feet'? Her delving into many human worlds had revealed that in comparison to most human breeds, Equestrians were considered 'little'. This one appeared mature, or mature enough, and was smaller. Not that she could know for certain. The information she had been given was at best fragmentary. "Brandon is...Brandon, Close Watch," Twilight said with a smile as she finally drew near. "And I am sure that Brandon could do with some help more so than a questioning Guardsmen," Twilight said, leaving the Guard to finish the thought. He quickly offered the human a gentle hoof up, though the older pegasi seemed tense still. "Your Highness, we shouldn't be out so late. This fog is unnatural." "Only as unnatural as the Princess of the Night, Guard Up. We are fine," she smiled at Brandon again. "Aren't we? Well, I suppose you may not be. I have it on good authority you have travelled quite far, quite quickly, and quite unexpectedly. As for how I know your name? Well, all things with time. First, we should get you out of the Everfree forest. Unusual species and an unusual forest go together far better in myth than reality out here!"