‘Wait right here’, she says. OK … hope this won’t take too long.
Fun little town we walked through on the way here. So much for everyone living in trees. Gotta wonder how all those structure ever got built without opposable thumbs; I guess it’s mostly done with ‘pony magic’ or something.
And that burned-out husk that used to be a library? Probably best to ask about that some other time. Must be one heck of a story there.
And then there’s this. So this castle was just created out of … thin air? Too weird.
And that’s just the architecture! To say nothing about the residents of this place! Not like every wolf or bear or giraffe looks the same, but GEEZ … for a while I thought I was gonna go into epileptic shock.
So. Many. Colors.
And what’s with the tattoos on all these ponies? Some sort of coming-of-age ritual?
So many questions … but right now, I got one thing on my mind: getting back home.
The door opens and a creature half the size of the ponies beckons: “You can come in now.”
“Huh? YOU’RE not a pony!”
The small, purple dragon rolls his eyes. “What tipped you off?”
“Sorry, didn’t mean to … I just wasn’t expecting a non-pony in here. Who are you?”
“No problem. Name’s Spike. Come on in.”
This must be some sort of war-room. Weird; I wouldn’t think there to be any such need in this universe. But what else TO believe, what with a map of their world in the center of a table with six thrones … oh wait, seven … around it. And I see the two ponies who brought me here. And four others. All just standing there … well, except the blue one, who’s hovering. Be respectful, Tek.
The coyote bows. “Ladies? Your Highness?”
The six ponies look at each other, then five of them start laughing. The white pony is not amused by their spectacle.
“Really now, is it such a joke to show respect.
“Aw, come on Rarity,” Rainbow Dash retorts. “ ‘Your Highness’? That’s hilarious!”
The coyote picks his head up. “I … don’t understand. You are a princess, am I right?”
“It’s mostly a title,” the purple alicorn replies. “None of my friends refer to me as a princess.”
“I see … but what about strangers.”
“Well you’re stranger than most that we see ‘round here,” the orange pony answers. “Rainbow Dash tells us that you’re from … another world?”
“Uh, yes. I believe I am.”
Rainbow Dash addresses the orange pony’s question: “I didn’t believe it myself, at first. But unless this guy’s been living under a rock for so many years, he really knows nothing about this world.”
“How could anyone live under a rock? Well, bugs I guess, since they’re so tiny and creepy-crawly, but a big-ol’ dog? Unless it was a really big rock. And I’ve seen some really big rocks. Of course, I’m sure Maud has seen even bigger rocks. Maybe rocks that a whole TOWN could live under.”
…
Uh … what?
“Maybe some introductions are in order,” the alicorn continues. “I’m Twilight Sparkle, and I know you’ve already met Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. And these three are Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie. And this is my assistant, Spike. These are my closest friends.”
“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Coyotek, and I’m a … that is, I used to be … well, right now I’m just a coyote.”
“Well, as long as you’re here, you’re welcome to experience all that our little town has to offer.”
“I appreciate the offer … but I was told that perhaps you could help me return to my home world.”
“I don’t know if I can. The truth is, we’ve never had anyone come to our world from another dimension before.”
“What about the thousands of stories that—“
*Pinkie … ixnay on the ory-stays,* Dash whispers to Pinkie.
Huh?
Twilight continues: “Do you remember anything about how you got here?”
“No more than I’ve already told Zecora and Rainbow Dash. I was running in a field … I forget why … and a tear in my world just opened up in front of me. I ran in, lost consciousness, and woke up in that forest.”
“There is probably much regarding the Everfree Forest that we do not know,” Rarity states. “Nothing would surprise me in there.”
“But even for that place, this sounds unnatural,” Applejack adds. “If you ask me, I think it was someone who caused this.”
Applejack turns to Fluttershy; the other ponies follow suit, while the coyote just stands there confused.
Her?
“M … me?”
“Not you,” Rainbow Dash states, “your ‘correspondent’.”
“Oh, no … Discord wouldn’t just open up new worlds like that.”
“He opened a rift during the last Gala just to separate you from Tree Hugger,” Twilight reminds Fluttershy.
“Well yes, but he learned his lesson from that. He wouldn’t do that again.”
“And just what do you base that statement on?” Rarity inquires. “Past experience?”
“I know he still makes mistakes, but he’s getting better. And I don’t think he’s the type to do that anymore.”
Twilight persists: “But even you must admit that he’s at least capable of something like this. At the least, could you bring this up to him the next time you see him?”
“I’ll see him again in a few days. Oh, I hope he doesn’t take this the wrong way. You know how he gets when he feels insulted.”
The coyote finally speaks: “Uh, forgive me for asking but … who, or what, is ‘Discord’.”
Twilight answers: “Discord is the living embodiment of chaos, a draconequus who has incredible powers and is capable of much … including, perhaps, opening a rift into your world.”
“Wait, he’s capable of opening up pathways to new dimensions?”
“AND chocolate rain.” Pinkie sighs. “We haven’t had chocolate rain in so long.”
…
Twilight continues: “Well, I’ll look through my spells and see if I can find anything that might get you back home … but for now, I think you’re stuck here. At least for a few days.”
“I appreciate any help you can give. Thank you again.”
“We made a new friend,” Pinkie happily asserts. “You know what this calls for … a PARTY!”
What is she … HIT THE DECK!!!
The coyote hits the floor, eyes closed and paws over his ears. A large explosion makes him shutter for a moment, then dead calm.
…
After a few seconds, the coyote removes his paws from his ears and opens his eyes. Confetti and streamers are strewn around the room.
“WHAT WAS THAT???”
“Oh nothing,” Rarity answers. “Just Pinkie’s party cannon.”
The coyote stammers to ask: “You got … you got a CANNON? That shoots confetti?”
“Well, duh! What kind of party planner would I be if I didn’t have the right tools?”
“Don’t mind Pinkie,” Dash consoles the coyote. “You’ll get used to her.”
“Uh, yeah, sure. To be honest … I actually feel like I owe you all for your hospitality and generosity. While I’m here, is there anything I can do to help out?”
Applejack replies: “Well shoot, if you’re lookin’ for stuff to do, I could always use some help around the farm.”
“So you’re a farmer?”
“Indeed. Me and my family run Sweet Apple Acres. There’s four of us here full-time, but we get the job done. We don’t usually seek out help, but in your case we’ll make an exception. At least for a little bit.”
Fresh, country air? Wide-open spaces? Sign me up!
“That sounds great.”
“Then it’s a deal. Glad to have ya aboard. Oh, and Fluttershy, can you come back with us too? I got something that you need to see.”
“Oh? What is it?”
“There’s a bird on our property now that’s been eating our apples. The scarecrow keeps most of ‘em away, but this one don’t seem to care about that.”
“Oh dear, I hope this isn’t like that vampire fruit bat problem.”
“Nah, nothin’ like that. I just want your expertise on the subject. I never knew vultures to eat fresh fruit before.”
Vulture?
“I never knew vultures to even be around this part of Equestria. Are you sure it wasn’t a crow or something else?”
“Surer than sure. This bird flew in last night and is just hangin’ around the apple trees. I ain’t worried ‘bout the harvest, at least not yet, but this fella don’t seem natural.”
During the conversation between Applejack and Fluttershy, Rarity notices that the coyote is now lost in thought. “Is everything all right, dear?”
The ponies (and dragon) all turn to the coyote. Spike tries to get his attention: “Hello? Equestria to Coyotek!”
“Huh?” The coyote shakes his head violently, as if to get his bearings.
“You checked out on us for a minute,” Dash states. “What’s wrong?”
“Applejack, you said a bird flew in last night. A vulture? That’s not natural to this part of Equestria?”
“Yeah, so?”
“I know that vulture.”
* * * *
“Here we are. Home sweet home.”
“This does look very idyllic,” the coyote responds to Applejack. “You say this farm was the start of the whole town.”
“Yes, indeed-y.”
“I still don’t know why we all had to come,” Dash grouses.
“Oh, I don’t mind,” Fluttershy retorts. “It’s always so nice here.”
“So, how do you know this bird?” Twilight asks the coyote. Immediately, Rainbow Dash starts in again.
“And that’s another thing; why didn’t he tell us about that bird back at the castle? Why wait until right before he meets that bird?”
“Hel-LO??? What kind of drama or tension would be had from going through that backstory there? Don’t you ever read—“
*Hey-hey, Pinkie, cut it out! What’d I tell you ‘bout doing that?*
*Oh. Sorry.* Pinkie grins. The coyote takes brief notice, then turns back to Twilight to answer her question.
“He’s a vulture. And he was chasing me … in my world. That’s why I was running; I broke out of the preda- … uh, the bad guys’ stronghold, and he was pursuing me. I remember now: I was sprinting back to my base while he was blasting at me … oh wait, you probably don’t know what I mean by ‘blasting’.”
“If you mean firing shots of pure energy, you clearly haven’t seen Twilight in battle,” Applejack counters.
Really? Wow, unicorn magic is more powerful than I thought.
“Anyway, that’s my last recollection. And he’s probably just as confused as I am. I need to speak with him … alone.”
“But darling, you don’t want to get … ‘blasted’, by him, do you?”
“If he’s like me, Rarity, he’s just a vulture now. I should be safe.”
“Well, do what you can. And thanks for the help.”
The coyote nods his head at Applejack and the others, then heads through an opening in the fence and into the patch of apple trees, heading to the rear as the barn’s sight becomes obscured by all the trees. He eventually comes to a particular tree where a vulture is perched on a high branch, finishing off eating an apple. The vulture notices the coyote approaching and addresses him
“Ah, so you finally woke up! Tell me, how was your night in the forest?”
“What’re you doing here?”
“If you mean ‘in the tree’, I’m having lunch. If you mean ‘in this world’, I’d ask the same about you.”
“Let’s stay with the latter thought for a sec. What do you remember?”
The vulture scratches below his beak with a wing. “Well lesse … flying after you, shooting at you, seeing a rift in space, following you into the great unknown, flailing, falling … and waking up in a tree in that forest. As a bird. Not a predacon. Not a robot. Just an normal, everyday vulture … or at least, as ‘normal’ as one could get in this world. Oh, and with a taste for stuff other than carrion.”
“… That doesn’t make any sense.”
“Hey, these apples are too good pass up.”
“That’s not what I meant!”
“Oh, but it really is, isn’t it.” The vulture’s demeanor turns serious. “Have you seen what you look like?”
“I’ve looked at a few mirrors here.”
“No, I mean ‘have you really seen what you look like?’ You think that’s normal?”
The coyote thinks for a moment. “For a coyote? … Yeah, sure, why not.”
“Pfft! You must be visually impaired, but whatever. OK then, how about this: have you had a taste for mice or other small creatures?”
Come to think of it … “Well … no.”
“All part of a coyote’s diet, right. But not yours.”
“Fine, so we both have a new-found appreciation for fresh fruit. So what?”
“And how about this,” the vulture continues, “do YOU know how that town got built?”
“Well … that question did cross my mind while walking through the town.”
“You got no answers for that, do you.”
“Well of course not. I’ve only been here a day.”
“EXACTLY!” the vulture asserts triumphantly. “Face it: we’re strangers in a foreign land now, my friend. And we’re not going back. It’s time to acclimate and adapt.”
“Friend? You were trying to vaporize me!”
“Of course I was. You and all your comrades were my enemies. But look now. There’s no ‘good’ or ‘evil’ between us anymore. We’re not on opposite sides of some ‘Great Cause’. We’ve hit the reset button, and it’s time to start over. And I, for one, plan on enjoying this.”
“But what about getting back to our world?”
The vulture’s response is cold and emotionless, catching the coyote off guard: “Go back for what, war? Dissention? Battles? One skirmish after another? Maybe you’re interested in that, but me? I’m done with it.”
“We don’t belong here!”
“So what? We’re here now, aren’t we? I say, make the most of it. And besides … what do YOU have to look forward to upon returning?”
Again, the coyote is taken aback. “Well … I … …”
“I thought so. Look: the past is done. Whether we ‘belong’ here or not doesn’t matter. We’re here. Get used to the idea.” The vulture softens his tone. “Now then, if you’ll excuse me, I intend to see what else this world has to offer.”
“WAIT … what if I do find a way back?”
“You find a way back, you take that trip alone. Don’t bother looking for me. Enjoy yourself; I know I will.”
The vulture takes to the sky and flies away, disappearing into the horizon. The coyote is left alone in the apple patch to contemplate the conversation.