Chapter 3: Going Home
As the discussion went on, Twilight collected more and more sheets of notes on the table. Eventually, she stopped asking, and started thinking about what she knew about the event.
Tyro watched her write and write, occasionally going from simple text into arcane-looking diagrams. She seemed to be recreating the spell she used to get here, which made sense. However, he knew she no longer needed his help, so he left to go make a salad and some beans for lunch.
When he returned with their meals, the table was covered in papers and Twilight looked proud of herself. "I think I've figured it out! The spell is actually designed to make thiks kind of travel possible, but it needs two anchors to work properly, and I only used one! So instead of my destination, it just sent me to a random location, which was right here."
"Uh... what?" Tyro had no idea what she was talking about, apart from there being some thing wrong with the spell. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
Twilight gave him a patient look, then explained, "This spell is designed to allow teleportation between places, even if those places are in sdifferent worlds. The problem is that it needs to have something from each end to anchor the spell. Otherwise, it won't know where to sent the user."
"So it didn't work because you didn't give it the right directions? It should be easy to fix, then, right? You just have to do the spell again to get back!"
"That's the problem. I would need a living focus from Equestria—I can provide that on my own—but I also would need a living focus from this world. The spell transports the one who casts it, but I don't know what would happen to the other focus." I can cast the spell to take me home. I've figured out how it works, but that isn't the problem. The problem is the second focus. I refuse to put somepony else in danger just to get me home."
A long silence passed between the two of them. It was Tyro who finally broke it. "I'm not a pony."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean you said you wouldn't risk putting somepony in danger to get you home. But I'm no pony, and I'm willing to take the chance."
Twilight laughed. "Don't be ridiculous! This spell could kill you, or worse! I won't accept what you're offering. No."
"Twilight. I don't really care what happens to me after this. I've had the chance to meet you, and that's all that matters to me. I'm not waiting for you to ask me. I'm doing this whether you ask me or not."
Twilight looked at him again, bemused. This was something she hadn't expected. But if Tyro was so set on doing this, she might as well let him. It didn't look like she was going to be able to talk him out of it.
She gave him a short checklist of things she would need, and watched as he left the room, already reading it.
"Chalk in several colors, pure water... okay, these make sense... Cookies for Twilight?" Tyro shakes his head, smiling, as he goes to get the supplies—and a bag of cookies.
Returning with the supplies, he sees Twilight looking around at the room, frowning. "I need a bigger area than this to make this work. Tyro brought her out into his empty garage—his car got repossessed last month—and with Twilight's approval, they got to work. Or rather, Twilight got to work and Tyro got to sit on a step watching things flying around his garage. Finally, the activity ceased, and Twilight surveyed her work.
Tyro was startled by Twilight's voice at his side. "Here, have a cookie," she said, relaxed. A cookie floated in front of him, surrounded by a faint purple glow. Chuckling, Tyro took the proferred cookie with a word of thanks.
"Okay. So, we have a number of lines on the floor, but what now?" Tyro suspected he knew what the answer was, but he asked anyway.
Twilight turned to face Tyro, and sighed. "I'm sorry that our friendship has to end today, Tyro, but you know I won't be able to come back. I will never forget what you have done for me in the two days I have known you."
Two days? It felt like a lifetime ago that reality had split around him and brought the unicorn into his life. "I won't forget you either, Twilight Sparkle. You changed my life and brought me happiness."
Twilight led him to the center of a small circle. "I need you to stand here, and try to keep your mind clear." Leaving him, she walked to another circle within the complex diagram. Facing her new friend, Twilight said, at last, "thank you, Tyro. Thank you for everything."
Twilight's horn began to glow, brighter and brighter, magical energy lighting up the lines of chalk, one at a time. When the energy finally reached him, Twilight spoke in some unknown language. Reality twisting around him, he felt a tremendous surge of pain, and everything went black.