//------------------------------// // 2. My Pants // Story: Finding Home, Discovering Life // by That Colt //------------------------------// “Denial exists when three beliefs intersect: 1. It cannot happen. 2. It cannot happen to you. 3. It cannot happen to you now.” ― Johnnie Dent Jr. “Twilight?” “Mmm?” Twilight pulled her eyes from the papers before her to look into the azure orbs of Ponyville’s resident fashion designer. A smile was gently laid across Rarity’s immaculate features, her clothing and mane perfect as always despite the morning’s averted disaster. Twilight would have been hard pressed to believe this was the same pony that had been hurled skywards only hours before, had she not witnessed it herself. As always though, Rarity handled world ending disaster far better than most. Now if anything happened to damage either her immaculate white blouse or her black ankle length skirt, the prissy pony would most likely have a meltdown to rival Twilight’s own infamous mental breaks. In this moment, Rarity looked stunning. The dim light was cast by both the setting sun and the soft lamps of the recovery suite at Ponyville General. The waifish mare appeared to be cast from solid marble, devoid of any imperfections. Like an angel, Twilight mused. Twilight’s muzzle twitched at a familiar scent, two paper cups steaming in her friend’s hands before her. Like an angel, bringing coffee. Precious coffee. Twilight’s caffeine bestowing angel moved, practically gliding to take a seat next to Twilight’s side on the plush sofa with one smooth motion before offering one of the vaporous cups of magnificent fluid to the Element of Magic. “Coffee?” Rarity offered as a semi-apologetic peace offering for her interruption as Twilight sat up wincing at the sudden awareness of the soreness in her back, a protest to the position she had been sitting in. She had been bent over the coffee table going over a host of medical texts and papers for the past several hours, studying anything and everything she could get her hands on to deduce who, as well as what, the hospital’s newest patient was. “Yes, thank Celestia for you Rarity.” Twilight smiled, stretching her wings, savoring the smell of the offered beverage and the warmth it conferred to her hands as she accepted her friend’s gift. “Oh think nothing of it darling. After all, you’ve been in here all day since that dreadful event earlier.” Rarity set her own coffee down on what was possibly the only free area of the table before pulling a compact from her purse. “How you managed to still have the energy to perform research is beyond me, my dear.” Rarity spoke from the corner of her mouth while her eyes focused on the small mirror in front of her. She corrected a slight smudge of her eye liner with an expert flick of a finger. If she only knew. Twilight reveled in the sensation of the sweet, scalding liquid gently flowing down her throat. She was running on fumes in reality. She had hastily cast an inverted sleep spell shortly after deflecting the debris hurled out by the trans-dimensional high energy matter exchange or the hole-in-the-sky as other ponies had begun to call it, much to her annoyance. Was it really that difficult to call something by its proper name? Twilight fumed as she enjoyed another visit to her lips from the caffeinated beverage in her hands. “Perks of being a princess I guess. Beats the normal smile and wave.” She relaxed again, ire fading as the heat in her belly deemed it no longer important compared to the caffeine that would soon begin its particular brand of chemical magic. A dainty giggle escaped Rarity’s lips as she retrieved her own beverage, blowing on it few times before taking a tentative sip. “You should demand that coffee peddlers be present at every street corner. Now that would be a perk worthy of a princess.” Rarity’s response elicited a chuckle from Twilight. The fashionista reclined into the plush back of the sofa, her half-lidded eyes falling onto the lovely sight in the sectional parallel to them. Pinkie Pie was quietly snoozing, her head hanging off the edge of the cushion towards the ground. Her thigh high wrapped legs draped over the well-toned, torn denim short topped thighs of Applejack. The farm mare herself had been caught at market during the whole dreadful affair, which broke Rarity’s heart. The farmer was one of the sweetest, bravest ponies she knew. Aerodynamic however was not a word often attributed to the larger mare by anypony. Not that she was belittling her dear friend. Rarity scolded herself for the cruelty implied by the thought. Rarity remembered what joy she took in the challenge her friend’s impressive physique had presented in the few select times the farmer came seeking formal attire. Applejack was easily the tallest of their little group as well as one of the largest mares she had ever met, along with one of the largest hearts Rarity had ever known. Though she had one of the smallest tolerances for high fashion despite the fact that she had,, “cleaned up somethin’ fierce.” Eloquent quite really, Rarity’s eyebrow twitched in time with minds inner sarcasm. She cocked her head, mind conceptualizing clothing that would complement her friend. Her muscular physique was the envy of many athletes, hoofball players especially. Yet Applejack retained just enough femininity that it was clear, as much as Rarity was loathe to admit, even when not properly dressed or clean, her friend was quite the jewel. Rarity took another sip from her beverage, wincing at the heat, having forgotten to blow on it, before she returned her eyes to her friends. Applejack, now surveyed by Rarity’s eye, was sprawled out in the center of the sectional. Arms flung wide over the back cushions to rest on the frame, her long golden locks spilled free of their normal red binding from beneath her late father’s Stetson. The hat lay perched blissfully on her muzzle shielding her face from any stimulus reckless enough to wake her, as Rainbow Dash was equally blissful, resting her head on Applejack’s chest. “Oh dear, and here I am without my camera.” There was little Rarity could to hide her amusement at the sight of Rainbow Dash fast asleep, drooling atop Applejack’s flannel covered chest. No doubt Rainbow Dash had started her slumber propped up against the blonde pony’s prodigious shoulder, but had since slid down at some point during their shared slumber. “Somehow I don’t think a photo would make the situation better when they wake up.” Twilight’s dry wit was accompanied by a chuckle as she returned to her coffee. “Plus, I’m pretty sure that’s Applejack’s favorite shirt.” Rarity shook her head in amusement as she returned her compact to her purse. “All too true darling. I must admit I find these moments priceless. Not just for the comedy mind you.” Rarity returned her compact to her purse with one hand before she started fishing for yet another object. “I treasure these moments, when all of us can just be together. It’s dreadful how such moments only come when the fate of the world is at stake.” Twilight nodded, nursing her coffee now that she had managed to drink most of it in a few greedy gulps. “I know, I can’t tell you how much I want to leap over this table and curl up with them.” Her eyes moistened for a moment as her voice became drenched in emotion. “I just want to forget about this day...” Rarity took another sip of her coffee, noting Twilight’s change in tone as she finally felt her hand settle around her work glasses. “I assume Fluttershy is with our guest?” she nodded her horn towards the collapsing divider that shielded the recovery suites resting area from the sleeping area, silently hoping a change of topic would distract Twilight from whatever feelings were currently struggling to escape. Twilight nodded scowling to into the now empty depths of her cup. Her demeanor was not showing any signs of improvement to Rarity’s disappointment. “Yeah, she’s in there with the giant dog that came with him too. The animal throws a fit every-time we separate them, regardless of what she says to it.” “I see, Learn anything yet?” Rarity inched closer drawing a pair of red rimmed glasses to her face. Twilight relaxed visibly before perking up at her question. Success! Rarity smiled. The Alicorn did love to lecture. This was the perfect way to lift her spirits. “No, at first I thought he…and it is a he. The doctors confirmed that when they cut off his pants. I thought he was from the other world that Celestia’s mirror connects too. But his skin tone is wrong and the proportions are off.” Her horn glowed faintly, levitating as well as illuminating X-rays of the creatures bone structure. “He’s also been though a lot.” Rarity squinted, she was no doctor by far. Years, however of spending time with Aloe and Lotus at their spa having the art of massage explained to her, as well working with dozens of models who in essence where little more than walking hangers for her fashions had left her with a cursory understanding of the skeletal structure. To her untrained eyes the creature by the looks of it was just under two meters tall, barely bigger than a filly or young colt. He had a broad chest with wide set shoulders. Proportions that struck her as odd caused her to labor over the ideal fitting. But she didn’t see anything denoting damage to her untrained eyes other than an odd black blots on the bones in the creature’s right arm. “Why, I’m afraid I don’t see what you mean darling.” Rarity inched closer to get a better look at the flimsy X-rays currently levitating mid-air. Twilight’s mood despite the macabre subject, was improving. especially when offered with the chance to present her findings to anypony, as it always did. She gestured to a few points on the X-rays “The X-Ray spells found dozens of Micro-fractures as well as deposits of dense scar tissue around joints and organs. What the doctors and I can do are a series of metal plates in his right arm. All evidence of extreme physical punishment over a long period of time, which is a relief really.”Twilight froze. Her eyes growing wide at her own words. Her own callous, cruel words that expressed relief at another’s suffering. How could she be feeling relief at this creature’s suffering? What was she thinking? Twilight’s mind was beginning to race out of control forcing her mouth to try and keep up. “I, ah, um, um, I mean, it is a relief, but not in a good way. I mean it’s good that that the worst of it didn't come from me blasting him. No, that’s not much better is it?” Twilight’s ears fell flat against her lavender mane, chest heaving, manic tears tumbling down her guilt ridden face. Her body began to shake as her emotional state broke down. Earning a look of concern from behind Rarity’s red frames. “Darling, you had no way of knowing that our guest was in that, that…. whatever it is that came flying at you. You mustn’t blame yourself.” Rarity pulled Twilight close hoping to bring an end to the self-inflicted mental torture. “You did what you thought was right.” Twilight was still shaking in her friends embrace, taking in Rarity’s words. Part of Twilight Sparkle, the part that clung to logic and facts over emotional concerns knew that Rarity was right. It had been a gut reaction to save herself. Any other capable creature would have reacted in much the same way to defend themselves. The other part of Twilight Sparkle, the part that had blossomed in Ponyville on the eve of a summer sun celebration all those years ago however, just didn’t care. All she could see was the creature she had put into the hospital, who now lay unmoving a few hoof-steps away. “But…” Twilight’s voice cracked. She turned her head first to her friend, then to the divider that separated them from her latest victim. “Did I? What if … what if there was another way? What if I had started with the levitation spell? Maybe I could’ve—“ “Princess Twilight Sparkle!” Rarity gripped her friend’s shoulders with her thin fingers with as much strength as she summoned into her voice. “You must stop this nonsense at once! This is most unbecoming of a Princess! You acted on your instincts, you saved me, you saved Pinkie, you saved Applejack and you saved the whole town. Yes, you saved that creature…” Rarity paused for but a moment to collect her thoughts. “It is unfortunate that he was hurt in the process. But that, darling, was not nor will it ever be your fault.” She gave Twilight, who thankfully had stopped shaking, one more squeeze before gesturing back to the amassed research. “Now then, I’m sure you have much more to tell about our guest, Hmm?” Twilight’s tremors subsided with a smile. “Th-thank you Rarity. I don’t know what I would do without you.” Rarity gave a coy smile complete with a demure chuckle. “Few ponies do, darling.” Twilight wiped her eyes dry before clearing her throat, preparing to resume her diagnostic analysis when the divider between the living and resting areas was abruptly flung open by Fluttershy. “Um, girls? … He’s waking up. I mean, if you’re not too busy that is…” Fluttershy’s declaration could not have come out any louder than her normal half whisper. Yet once said, it started a chain reaction among her slumbering friends. That chain reaction, which started as always, with Pinkie Pie. Pinkie’s big, bright blue eyes shot open the moment Fluttershy had ceased speaking. A wild grin slowly played across her cherubic features as she slithered down off the sofa like a snake, leaving Applejack and Rainbow Dash undisturbed. She vanish for but a moment beneath the coffee table before popping out from under the opposite side. Her head resting between Twilight’s hooves a large grin playing across her features, no less than six party kazoos held tightly between her lips. “Pinkie please…don’t.” Twilight’s plea as always with Pinkie, was futile. Ψ There was nothing. No light, No sound, No sensation. There was nothing, not even pain. He liked it. Oblivion. Sweet, amazing, non-being. “What in tarnation?” A voice lanced through his awareness like a branding iron. “Pinkie did you really need to do that?” Another voice was added to the crumbling walls of his non-awareness. Fragments of his mind protested both at once and in disjunction with one another as he struggled to form a coherent train of thought: Fear. Where the hell was he? Anger. what went wrong? Confusion. Who did those voices belong too? Hatred, at the voices who stirred him from this nothingness. He was waking up. He wanted to stay. he wanted to stay in nothingness. He wanted to stay away from what he knew was coming, if he awoke. “Applejack, darling… your blouse?” The voices continued, only to be temporarily drowned out by the sound of his own desperate gasping. He was waking up. He knew the sensations all too well even in his disjointed state, halfway between his precious void and tortuous reality that always awaited with awareness. “Consarn it Rainbow Dash! Mah favorite shirt too!” The first voice returned, clearly irate. He gasped again, contending against his own body for every mote of air. He wanted so desperately to retreat back into the nothingness from which he was waking. The mental fragments which had achieved a partial coherency resembling awareness reminded him that this torment was one of the many reasons that he rarely slept. How waking, at least for him, was often worse than the restless sleep that preceded it. He arched his back as if locked in combat with some unseen assailant placing an invisible weight on his chest. Bile filled his throat as he struggled to breathe, which combined with his gasping created a sickening gurgle that clearly drew the attention of the voices. “Girls? Um, girls I think he’s…” He didn’t hear the concerned inquiry over the sound of his own painful hacking cough. Waking up was never a pleasant experience, even without the voices fighting of who knows what dragging his attention away from attempting to expedite the process. Thus the torture continued unabated. Enhanced all too soon by arrival of a familiar phantom tightness around his neck, drawing forth another sickening plash which failed to escape his throat. “Hey Twi, should we call the doctor?” This voice was just now curious about summoning a doctor? The brief distraction of sarcasm was subsumed almost immediately by the agony of asphyxiation. Each desperate inhalation falling to fill his lungs with precious oxygen. He focused on the miserable experience, the agony, the desperation all served to bring sobering unification to the bickering fragments of his mind. “No!” he snapped, or rather he croaked. His voice was coarse, alien to his own ears. Strained as it was in the fight to form words during its body’s desperate attempt to respire. On the cusp of consciousness he clung to sensation of strangulation like a lifeline from the comforting abyss. It was a memory, a scar on his mind, a souvenir from the last night he spent in his father’s house nearly a decade before. “No…. no doctor.” His voice was recognizable now. Made stronger by the rage that always followed the detested memory, rage that filled his lungs with the sickeningly sterile air around him. Rage which pulled him from purgatory into a sitting position, legs drawn crossed beneath thin green sheets, head cradled in his arms as his chin resting against his bare heaving chest. “I need... water.” He demanded. Where was he? What happened? Most importantly, why was he naked? The sound of water being decanted into a smaller vessel eased his nerves even as his chest began to calm. “Here you go. Are…are you sure you don’t want the doctor?” What appeared to be a purple gloved hand intruded into his vision offering a glass of the life giving nectar. The voice that accompanied it was lyrical and warm, but had notes of nervousness woven between each spoken word. “No, not yet at least.” He greedily accepted the glass, quickly imbibing the substance within. Where was he exactly? The question returned as the water soothed his throat and snuffed the last of the anger he had used to pull himself together. “Thank you.” He added. No reason to be rude. The implied presence of a doctor nearby indicated medical treatment, which could be expected if the experiment had gone south. The sterility of the air, tinged with disinfectant of some kind. The coarseness of the thin sheets, designed more for absorbency than comfort. His nudity, exposing the pallid labyrinth of scars, flesh divots and discolored patches covered the majority of his body. This left only one conclusion. “I’m in a hospital” He lowered the empty glass to rest upon the covers in the cusp of his crossed legs. Not speaking to anyone in particular nor bothering to raise his head. His bearded face was locked in thought thus assuming its most relaxed position, a scowl. “Um, are you…I mean are you ok?” it was the concerned voice from earlier, the one his hacking had almost drowned out. He didn’t answer immediately, eyes darting back and forth unseeing as he internally extrapolated details beyond his knowing into a logical map of the events leading up to his current nude predicament. “Yes.” He answered in a half tone, still caught up in his mental tracing to create a more detailed answer. It was safe to assume he was in a hospital of some kind, his assumption, while undirected, had not been contradicted. His memories prior to his average struggle to regain awareness ended with the execution of the experiment, which had clearly gone south. He sensed movement to his left. There had obviously been an explosion of some sort. He knew from cradling his head that his beard and hair were still in place, thus it must have been a pressure explosion. His house would likely still be mostly intact. Good, it wouldn't be as expensive to rebuild just the lab. The issue of explaining the more exotic residues in there— which would no doubt be found in the arson investigation—a large cold nose jabbed him in the side, breaking his train of thought. “Atlas!” His scowl contorted into a wide smile as the large animal tossed its forelegs up off the ground and around his midsection. He embraced the large animal, ashamed that his first thoughts had been about the property damage to his home rather than his only friend. “He was guarding you when we found you.” The melodious voice finally drew his attention enough to raise his head in thanks for the safety of his furry friend. “I can’t thank you enough, Atlas is all…I…” Could his eyes grow any wider, despite the knowledge that they could not roll out of his skull, he would have sworn his ocular organs would do just that. Standing, and sitting in one case, at the end of what was indeed was a hospital bed. Where six pastel colored creatures. The order he had so desperately imposed on his mind evaporated. Leaving a deluge of questions and exasperated observations in the wake of its collapse. What exactly was he looking at? They were large creatures, larger than him anyway. What the hell was he looking at? The question repeated without answer in the confines of his mind. Unless the basic laws of biology he took for granted were very different when applied to them, he felt fairly safe to assume the six before him were female based on appearances. Had the explosion struck him hard enough to result in brain damage? Was he doomed to spend the rest of his life haunted by these colorful hallucinations? His eyes darted around the room, searching for another person in vain. All he found was indeed a normal hospital room. A bit austere in terms of medical equipment, but a hospital bed none the less. His wide eyes once again fell upon the creatures currently staring at him. They creatures looked to be an almost seamless blend of equine and human. What the hell where they? Why did they look so worried? The blue one had wings, the white and purple ones had horns, and the orange one was wearing a cowboy hat. Oh, wait, the light yellow colored one had wings too. That made perfect sense. Clearly, wings, horns, horse heads, cowboy hats…perfectly reasonable. What the hell was going on? Such questions and observations were the best he could demand of his mind trapped in the state of shock as it were, until the purple one with the horn deigned? to speak again, identifying her as owner of the lyrical, melodious voice had heard prior, putting an end to the absurd loop of questioning observations. Ψ Twilight didn’t know what to think. She hated not knowing what to think. The creature had awoken, not pleasantly by the sound of it. How Fluttershy had identified his stirring as the precursors to the clearly agonizing effort to wake was beyond her. They had all been worried once their attention had been caught by the terrible sounds. What was currently confusing her was his behavior after sitting up. He had seemed so angry. Angry until he had managed to pull himself up into sitting position, holding his head like he had just been caught on the wrong side of a stampede. He had in that state, snapped at Rainbow Dash’s question, demanded a glass of water, and barely answered Fluttershy’s obviously concerned question. Then it all turned around once his dog, his giant dog, hugged him. He had seemed like a separate individual for the few moments he had been in contact with the large animal. The anger that he had seemingly brought with him out of his resting state had settled briefly into a scowl, which in turn had become a relieved smile when he realized that his pet was intact. He seemed happy. He seemed calm. That would make this easier. Until he finally decided to look up. That had been a mistake. Gone, thankfully, was the angry creature who demanded water. Unfortunately, so was the happy individual who had been reunited with his pet. Present... presently,Twilight corrected herself, there was a slack jawed, bug eyed individual of indeterminate pedigree whose mind had clearly taken leave upon looking at her friends and herself. “You’re safe!” she blurted out a bit too enthusiastically, flashes of memory of her own time in a new world surfaced. She especially remembered how odd it all seemed. She had been lucky in comparison she realized. She had entered the new world willingly, had time to adjust to the differences, and even found familiarity to help her cope. What she had not had was: one, a pony shouting at her while she lay in a hospital bed in a hospital bed claiming that she was safe. Two, she had not been immediately surrounded by no less than six ponies all staring intently at her. And third, just to be safe, she had not once again, had one pony shouting at her that she was safe. Trying to ignore the sudden heat in her cheeks she spoke again, this time in what she hoped was a less enthusiastic tone. “I mean… You were hurt, so we brought you here to be safe and now we’re not going to hurt you.” Brilliant Twilight, bucking brilliant. And said with a grin too. Even Rainbow Dash was staring at her like she was crazy. “Ah think what she means to say is, ya’ll shouldn’t fret none. Yer in good hands here. Speak’n of which.” Applejack pulled her hat off in a single flourish pointed it at Fluttershy who had taken a seat at the end of the bed, who almost immediately retreated behind her long pink locks. “This here is Fluttershy, she’s our resident veterinarian. She fixed up yer critter there Ahn’ was the pony who found you in the rubble.” Thank Celestia for you Applejack. Twilight thought in sudden relief. The creature was at least following the gestures. Even if he was doing so with his face stuck in the same shocked expression as Applejack continued on to Rainbow Dash. “This here is Rainbow Dash. She’s weather manager round these parts. Not tah mention one of fastest flyers ya’ll will ever meet.” Rainbow Dash glowed at the introduction, spreading her wings up and out to touch the ceiling in what must have been truly impressive display for their visitor as it finally got him to close his mouth. Now if only we could get him to ease off those eyes. “This here is Pinkie Pie; she’s a chef, baker, and party planner.” The tall mare held her hat over the unceasingly energetic pony. Who thankfully, at least from Twilight’s point of view was doing her best to remain sedate. Which for Pinkie Pie meant bouncing in place like a filly who snuck their first taste of caffeine. “Oh my gosh! You’re awake! We have to throw a party! Do you like parties? I love parties! I bet you love parties too! Do they have parties where you come from? I bet they are amazing!” The hyperactive poof ball paused halfway through her interruption, or verbal assault depending on one’s opinion, to catch her breath. “But enough about me! Tell us about you! What’s your name! What kind of dog is that! Does he like parties too? Urmph!” For the second time, Twilight was thankful Applejack’s down to earth, no nonsense nature was in command of the situation. As she promptly jammed her hat over the diminutive terror that was Pinkie’s muzzle. “Hush up, ya’ll can terrorize him later.” That at least got a set of rapid blinks out of their guest. “Sorry ‘bout that. Pinkie is um, hmm…well shucks, she’s just bein’ Pinkie.” Applejack smiled sheepishly. She had clearly been caught off guard as much as the rest of them by Pinkie’s outburst and was trying to salvage what had been until that point, a comforting introduction. “Ahem...” Rarity nudged Applejack in the ribs playfully. “What Applejack means dear is that Pinkie is simply a unique character.” Rarity laid a dainty hand on Applejacks defined bicep. Signaling her to pull her hat off Pinkie’s muzzle before she started to sound like their guest had prior to sitting up. “This kind mare is Applejack. She’s the current matron of Sweet Apple Acres. A simply divine establishment that feeds most of the surrounding area.” Rarity to the rescue. Twilight pulled her hand down from her face. Not remembering she had driven it with no small amount of force into her own forehead when Pinkie had successfully derailed Applejack’s introductions. Not that her own attempt had started on anything resembling the rails. Rarity spun on her hooves showing her profile to their guest, who sure enough was now tracing her movements with his not as wide eyes. “I of course, am Rarity. Fashion designer, philanthropist and tailor for our quaint little town.” Twilight stiffened as the willowy unicorn practically glided behind her, before playfully leaning over her shoulder with the reassuring feeling of a single lithe hand resting gently on her back. “And this lovely darling, is Princess Twilight Sparkle. She was the one who worked with our simply amazing doctors to put you back together, tout suite!” Twilight felt a little pat on her posterior that could only have come from Rarity’s other hand. The contact returned the flush to her face in embarrassment as her wings unfurled in surprise. The creature was looking at her now. The shocked expression was gone, though she wasn’t exactly sure what replaced it as preferable. His face was now resting in a half scowl, but what was most unnerving was the way he looked at her. His eyes were blank, lifeless orbs now devoid of any emotion. With over dilated pupils his gaze unnervingly did not appear to be direct at her, but rather at some unseen point a thousand yards past her…through her. That’s not creepy at all. “Uh, um.” Sweet Celestia that look was creepy. Twilight found herself at a loss for words as she wilted under the creatures blank, unblinking gaze. “You’re safe here.” She repeated for the third time. Nothing. Just that creepy stare and several moments of incredibly awkward silence. “I know.” He spoke! Twilight lit up a smile slowly returning to her face. “You know?” she asked gently, doing her best to reign in the building desire to bombard the visitor with questions of his origin. “How?” “You have brought me to a hospital, tended to my dog, and clearly…”he paused gesturing to the seating area a short distance away. “Watched over my recovery. I assume I am safe. Unless the word has a very different meaning here.” Alright, she wasn’t expecting such a clinical dissection of the situation from anypony. Much less anypony that had been through what he had been through earlier that day. “I…see, that… makes sense actually.” She pulled her wings back into a resting position. “Um, can you tell us your name? I mean, if it’s not too much trouble that is…” The tip of Fluttershy’s muzzle was just peaking out from behind the safety of her mane as she asked the question. “Vasili Anatolyevich Maksimov.” He responded directly, sending the shy pegasus back into the safety of her own hair. He seemed, if only for a moment, to soften his expression at Fluttershy’s reaction, entertaining only the briefest sign of… Was it guilt? Twilight wondered. “Vas, most people call me Vas.” His tone was much softer this time, even if his features remained stoic. “I see. Well Vas, do you have any questions for us?” Twilight did her best to sound inviting. “Several.” His voice was a rich baritone with a slight strain to it that reminded her of somepony trying to mask an accent. “Where would you like to start?” She inquired, hoping that his first question would give her some clue as to his origins. “Where are my pants?” It was Twilight’s turn to have her brain vacate the premises. “Excuse me?” She wasn’t sure if she heard the creature correctly. This creature who...Who had come not only a great distance violently. But across dimensions, from an entirely different reality. Was asking about his pants? “Where are my pants?” He repeated, completely unfazed.