It was midday by the time they reached the King’s encampment. For a King’s entourage, the number of tents sure was small: only four were set up at the edge of the wood, looking out over a rolling plain dotted with colorful flowers. The tents themselves were white with red and gold lion markings spread everywhere. A few human men were talking around in full armor, but they made up the minority of the King’s forces—which also held dwarves, dryads, treefolk, a female faun, and even a graceful white unicorn with eyes much smaller than Twilight’s. Most of these creatures occupied the tents. The majority of the force did not: mice, badgers, beavers, doves, hawks, a parrot, and even a few armored wolves prowled around with no need for artificial shelter. The animals, all of which Twilight was sure could talk, needed no tent, for they were one with nature.
Two wolves and an armored dwarf were waiting for them at the edge of the camp.
“What’s your business?” the dwarf asked.
Nikrin bowed slightly to his fellow dwarf. “I am Nikrin. The Hag has stolen my nephew. I’m here to report his disappearance… and offer my troop’s support in the ending of this vile beast.”
The wolves nodded. “Hope you brought your own tents,” one said, chuckling.
“Are all of you with him?” The other wolf asked.
Twilight shook her head. “I am Princess Twilight Sparkle.” As she spoke the wolves and the dwarf looked at her in fascination—they had just barely realized she wasn’t quite normal. “My friends and I are from another world. We wish to speak with your King.”
“Another world, eh?” The armored dwarf walked forward. “You sure seem sparkly, I’ll give you that, but how do we know you really are?”
Twilight encased herself in a magic shield, Toph lifted a boulder out of the ground twice as large as herself, and Cosmo jumped into the air and floated down gracefully. Data turned to them, confused for a moment. “What are yo—ah, yes, demonstrations.” Data tapped his communicator. “Data to Enterprise.”
“Little busy, Data,” Picard said.
“I simply needed a demonstration, nothing major to report.” He turned to the dwarf. “That voice is of a man currently sitting in another universe.”
“A bunch of clever tricks,” the dwarf said. “Never heard of any otherworlders that weren’t the Witch or a bunch of kids.”
“But what a—” one of the wolves began.
“I don’t wanna hear it.”
Twilight took a few steps forward. “Even if we are not from other worlds, we are unusual creatures from another land. Does that not merit an audience with the King?”
The dwarf grunted in dissatisfaction but waved them along. Twilight’s group broke away from Turmeric and Nikrin’s troop, walking right for the largest tent in the encampment. It was a circular construction made out of a white material that was somehow both rugged and silky. Above the main tent flap was an intricate printed design of a gold-and-red lion standing proud.
A depiction of Aslan, Twilight mused. Just like Celestia and Luna on Equestria’s flag.
The wolves and dwarf led them in, the dwarf introducing them. “Your Highness, these visitors claim to be from another world and demanded to see you. Supposed otherworlders, meet King Caspian the Tenth.”
Caspian was a young, tall man with a fair, almost boyish face. He dressed in full chainmail armor rather than some kind of royal robe; the only sign of his office was a small circlet on his head that was almost hidden in his hair. He sat not on a throne, but on the foot of a folding bed, one that looked recently slept in at that.
Still, he smiled when they came in. “Do not doubt them, Trumpkin.” He stood up, twirling his sword in his off hand as he strode forward. “Allow me to welcome you to Narnia, my otherworldly visitors. In the name of Aslan, I bid you good cheer.”
Toph groaned. “Oh for th—”
Twilight put a hoof over Toph’s mouth. “Y-you’ll have to forgive her, she’s been hearing a lot about Aslan lately and is feeling a bit… disrespectful.”
Caspian chuckled. “I once knew a man who felt that way when he first arrived. His name was Eustace Clarence Scrubb. He almost deserved it.” Caspian leaned in toward Toph, gingerly taking Twilight’s hoof off her mouth. “Eustace had to go through… several ordeals before he came around. I hope Aslan will be nicer to you, but you never know with him. He is not a tame lion.”
Toph glared at him. “Do you have any idea how many times I’ve heard that over the last day?”
“A lot?” Caspian guessed.
“Twenty-six,” Data offered. “Unless you heard some while I was out of earshot, which is unlikely.”
Toph and Caspian stared at him blankly. Data simply stared back.
Caspian recovered his wits first. “I am afraid I cannot apologize for the frequency of the utterance, for it is a truth. Though, by being spoken so often, it tends to lose meaning.”
“Whatever,” Toph said. “Still, you guys are obsessed.”
“How can we not be? He has done so much for us. Now...” He turned away from them and adjusted his boots. “You’ve been introduced to me, but I do not know who you are. Pray tell, what are the names of these beautiful creatures before me?”
Twilight flushed slightly at the compliment. “I am Princess Twilight Sparkle. This is Commander Data, Cosmo, and Toph Beifong. We each come from different worlds.”
“Different?” Caspian raised an eyebrow. “All the legends come from one place… Earth, I believe it’s called?”
“None of us are from Earth,” Cosmo said. “I’m from Mobius, Data’s Hume, Toph’s Diqiu, and Twilight’s Equis. At least, we don’t think so… There is some confusion on the whole ‘Earth’ thing.”
“Then I bid you good cheer and a welcome introduction of your worlds to Narnia!” Caspian bowed slightly. “What can I do for you today?”
“We had a fifth member,” Twilight’s smile faltered. “Her name was Tippi. She looked like a butterfly constructed from rainbows—a bit like a pixie or fairy, if you have those here.”
Caspian slowly sat back down at the foot of his bed. “The Hag.”
“I’m afraid so.”
Caspian sighed. “I’m doing all I can. I have my animals prowling the entire lantern wastes, searching for any sign of her. I’ve come myself in attempts to lure her to try to take me. But she’s too smart for that. She has no interest in humans, so far as I can tell, only taking Narnians more in tune with the fantastic nature of our world.” Caspian looked to them with a quiet despondency. “I should be the one asking you for help in finding all my lost subjects.”
Twilight shook her head. “I’m sorry. We already tried to track her with both magic and technology.” Seeing Caspian’s confusion, she continued. “Mechanical things—machines—that people invent to do things for them.”
“Ah, my old friends used to talk of things like that,” Caspian admitted. “I even saw a torch, once.”
Data cocked his head. “I do not believe torches qualify as technology in the common sense, for they are just flames on a stick.”
“It was a stick with a button on it. Made light when you pressed it.”
“Ah. A flashlight.” Data nodded. “Common around Earth in the 1900s. Though… I do not know if they came from our Earth or another. Do you have any names you can give us, Caspian?”
“Eustace, Peter, Susan, Edmund, Lucy. The latter four were all Penvensies.”
“Thank you. I will search our records at the earliest opportunity.”
“Are there any plans to find the Hag?” Toph asked. “Any?”
Caspian sighed. “I’m trying to contact the good wizards and Aslan himself, but if you are as good at magic as I think you are, the former isn’t going to be of much help.”
“The latter?” Twilight pushed.
“Well, Aslan has been seen, but not by me. Then again, he rarely comes exactly in the way you expect. He always has to mix it up.”
“Do you not know where he resides?” Data asked.
“Aslan’s Country is beyond the edge of the world, past the stars. Simply reaching the edge takes months, and the one time I was there…” A wistful look came over his eyes. “I was not permitted to continue.”
“Beyond the stars?” Data blinked. “We might actually be able to help, then.”
“Hmm?”
“We have ships that can travel the stars and are currently working on transporting one to this world as we speak.”
Caspian’s eyes widened. “I would very much like to see this craft the moment it arrives. Though I warn you—I do not think Aslan will let himself be found so simply.”
“The Enterprise is very resourceful.”
“A fascinating name for a ship… You are welcome to try,” Caspian said. “Do tell me what you find.”
Twilight continued. “The Enterprise can go look for Aslan, we’re staying here, to find Tippi.”
“Of that, I have no doubt. But… I have a question.” Caspian pushed the blade of his sword into the ground and rested his hands on the hilt. “Is there another reason you have come to Narnia?”
Twilight paused, nodding slowly. “Yes. But… it’s not pleasant news.”
“Leave us,” Caspian ordered Trumpkin and the wolves.
“But Your Highness!” Trumpkin objected.
“These people have been guided here for a reason. I trust them as I trust in Aslan. Leave us.”
The three obeyed, leaving Caspian alone in the tent with the heroes.
“You’ve seen the Void outside?” Twilight asked.
“That purple swirl over to the East? Yes. It is deeply concerning and is preventing my astrologists from communing with the stars effectively. It has my wife deeply upset—her father is a star, you understand.”
Data blinked. “Are stars no—”
Caspian held up a hand. “No, they are not flaming balls of gas. Eustace went on about that last time.”
“Ah.”
Twilight continued. “The Void does not come from your world. It comes from outside—the dream of a terrible, terrible man to destroy all worlds.”
Caspian looked deep into Twilight’s eyes. He wanted to disbelieve her, to discredit her, to think her mad. But Twilight knew he couldn’t. He saw too much sincerity and intelligence in her gaze.
Sitting back down on the bed, Caspian folded his hands together and let out a terse breath. “Everything seems so small.”
Cosmo put a hand on his shoulder. “It is small. But it isn’t hopeless. We’re going to stop him.”
Caspian nodded. “What is your plan?”
“Every one of the worlds has an artifact within it called the Pure Heart,” Twilight explained. “We’ve gathered Hearts from four worlds so far, and need Hearts from four more. Caspian, have you ever heard of a stylized heart-shaped crystal that floats and is connected to the fabric of your reality and responds to the power of love?”
“I know of no artifact like that…” Caspian grimaced. “I have seen great love, but never one of these Pure Hearts.”
“Tippi can detect them,” Data said.
“Then we must find your friend with all expediency!” Caspian declared, jumping to his feet. “If these Hearts hold the secret to saving all worlds, I must assist you however I can.”
“Weren’t you already doing that?” Toph asked.
“In my power as a King, yes. But now that I understand the true danger of the situation… I am coming with you. Will you accept my sword?”
Toph snorted. “You don’t get to just become one of the heroes.”
“A ‘ruler to clever beasts but servant of one,’ “ Data quoted. “I do believe he fits the prophecy’s description.”
Twilight’s eyes widened. “That’s right! You are the King of many talking animals… but you serve Aslan, don’t you?”
Caspian smiled coyly. “I am hardly an effective servant… but on my good days, I strive to be nothing less.”
“Then you were destined to become one of our heroes.” She extended a hoof to him. “We’ll know for sure if you’re one of us if the Heart accepts you when we find it.”
“Your acceptance humbles me.” Caspian nodded respectfully to Twilight. “I would very much like to read this prophecy of yours, at a later date. Right now, there is a Hag to find. Our searches so far have turned up nothing… but that does not mean she is impossible to find! We will do everything in our power to find your friend, to save her from the clutches of the evil Hag!”
Toph, Cosmo, and Twilight let out cheers. Data did nothing.
“Picard to Commander Data.”
Data answered. “Yes?”
“We’re coming in. Prepare for a rendezvous shortly.”
“Acknowledged.” Data turned to Caspian. “The Enterprise will arrive shortly.”
Caspian grinned. “Now this I’ve got to see. A ship from another world…”
~~~
“Tails? LaForge?” Picard asked, sitting down in his chair and bracing himself. “Is your checklist complete?”
“Ready!” Tails reported from Engineering. “Everything checks out!”
“Ready as I’ll ever be, Captain,” LaForge said, standing in front of the pulsing blue lights of the warp core. Several massive cables were chained to the bottom of the core, trailing out into main Engineering where a console had been outfitted with a circular pedestal that held the Master Emerald. Knuckles stood in front of it, rubbing his hands together—eager despite his objections to using the Master Emerald at all.
“Engage,” Picard ordered.
“Oh, Great Master Emerald!” Knuckles declared, linking with the artifact. “You have the mind of a wanderer, a connection to other worlds! Grant us a glimpse into that brilliant mind of yours, so we may bring safety to all realms!”
The Master Emerald responded instantly, pumping a massive amount of energy into the cables surrounding it. The green aura traveled all the way into the pulsating warp core, tinting its interior green.
“Warp field within acceptable parameters,” LaForge reported. “All systems holding.”
“Preparing to run through the transporter buffer,” Tails said, pressing several buttons with both his fingers and his tails. “Ready… initiating dimensional shift!”
The Enterprise floated in its home universe, alone among the stars. The damage it had taken in the battle a couple days prior had all been repaired by Dr. Eggman, including the sealing up of Ten Forward, though the outer wall was now a slightly different color and had Eggman’s symbol all over it. It was annoying, but Picard couldn’t bring himself to complain—it meant the Enterprise was fit for exploration.
Fit for going where no ship had gone before.
The blue warp nacelles began pulsating with green light, a light that soon surrounded the entire ship, feeding off the energy of the warp bubble. The transporter activated, disassembling every molecule of the starship. Almost no computer would be able to handle this much information, but the Master Emerald wasn’t even a computer. It retained the entire pattern within its chaotic energy, forcing it through the yellow door and out the green.
A flash of emerald light lit up the sky of Narnia as the Enterprise was reassembled in the skies above. A rush of air was sent into the forest around the lamp post, strong enough to uproot a few trees but causing only minor damage otherwise.
“Successful transfer,” LaForge reported. “All systems reading normal… we did it, Captain. We’re in another universe.”
“Yeah!” Tails cheered.
On the bridge, Picard smiled. “Begin scans of the world. Helm, take us to Commander Data’s position, thrusters only. Engage.”
The Enterprise pushed through the atmosphere, easily gliding through the air faster than most airplanes ever could. It may have been designed for space travel, but it was capable of dealing with an atmosphere. That said, it couldn’t land.
As it approached Caspian’s camp, Data was already pointing it out to the King. Caspian’s jaw dropped when the nearly city-sized ship came to a stop directly over the camp. “By Aslan’s mane…”
“...It really is more impressive from the outside,” Cosmo realized. “Wow… I think I was too caught up in the chaos to ever really look at it.”
Data tapped his communicator. “Welcome to Narnia, Captain.”