The Pink Haired Woman

by Seran

Good byes part 1

With two guards at her side, Fluttershy was escorted down the path. Her nervousness radiated to the men around her, showing the uneasy feeling she had. The building they were entering was strange to her. It was one she had not seen from the outside. The location was strange, since it was hidden in the mountains near where she came through.

“Um, sir?” She asked the guard. “What are we doing here?”

The guard looked at her from over his shoulder for a second and turned back. Fluttershy felt frightened.

“We just need to debrief you on some new plans.” He said as they walked down the hall. “Don’t be scared.”

Eyes focused on her as she began to notice the numerous people around her. With her shoulders touching her ears, she tried to hide in her own chest from their judgement. As she entered, she grew frightened with the strangers who occupied the room.

“John.” She shouted as she leaped over to his seat. The group looked at them in disbelief as the couple met in an embrace.

“I see those rumors were true.” Hank, the man sitting across from them noted.

Upon hearing the remark, Fluttershy fell silent and took a step back from John.

“So who are you?” John asked the man.

“Agent Hank Samson, CIA.” He replied, “I was sent to make arrangements for the portal’s opening Monday.”

“Oh, right, it’s a big day for you guys as well.” John said sarcastically.

“According to the agency we need to,” he lifted his assignment sheet, “‘create a non-hostile environment for the visitors to feel welcome and secure any unauthorized migration through the portal.’” He glared at the Mexican man across the table from him. “And it seems you have stirred the pot.”

John looked at Fluttershy as Hank pointed between the two of them. Suddenly, he could see what he meant.

“We have been getting reports of groups headed towards Dewford in protest of your relationship, and Fluttershy as well.” He continued. “Republicans and Democrats have been arguing nonstop since the word of the portal got out and it hasn’t been pretty in Washington as this topic had become acid for anyone who touched it.”

“Why are they so angry about this? We did nothing wrong.” Fluttershy felt confused over the situation.

“Immigration is a hot topic for Americans. Aliens, even more. The two together makes it so volatile that anything could set it off. We have to be careful about this.”

“But Equestria is no threat to your world. Why are we seen as one?” Fluttershy continued.

“It’s not your fault,” an agent called out. “It’s the xenophobic public that makes this hard. They are so afraid of what is beyond their borders that they refuse to see them as friendly.”

“Yes,” Hank added “And that is why we have to make this simpler. So can we get started before the news crews catch wind?” He pulled out a sheet of paper with a copy for John. “Tomorrow you two will be headed to town hall to talk in before the press alongside the President, and talk about your world and your plans after you return. After that we will meet with the ambassador at the portal and wait for past dusk where the portal will open as the full moon appears over the earth. People will watch you leave along with our ambassador.”

“I thought the full moon was Monday?” John was confused over that last detail.

“The full moon is on Monday, but the moon has to be at ninety percent visibility for the stone to activate. Sunday night is ninety-three percent. We had to shift schedule after realizing that last Tuesday. The President will be in town tomorrow.”

He looked John who had been reading the sheet along with Fluttershy. “Yeah,” John said. “Have you seen what happened last time we met the President?”

“It was awkward for him as well.” Hank replied, “but at least you didn’t attack him.”

“Is there more?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yes there is.” The captain stated. “We know your Princess is coming to visit us on that night.”

Fluttershy felt shock over his knowledge. “H-how do you know that?”

“Your Princess came to my dream and explained that, one: there are no hard feelings, and, two: we had to explain our future plans now that the portal I open knowledge.” He continued. “She seemed very eager to patch things up between us.”

John looked around the room to see that none of them seemed to be in disbelief. Fluttershy came to the conclusion that Luna was trying to help them before they even realized it.

“Is that all?”

“We need to practice your answers for the press before they get here.” Hank gave his final answer, “so let’s get started.”

_______________________________________

A news crew stood at the gates of the former THPA office awaiting the response from the people inside. Shortly afterwards another news van came, and then another as they all got word of who was inside. As they prepared for the stream, the reporters looked at the teleprompters waiting for the writer to prepare the opener.

They spoke into the camera as they reported on the President’s statement on the matter. The crowd murmured as the famed pink haired woman emerged from the front door and walked to the car. The crowd hounded the entryway as soldiers made their way to open the gate. Captain Gutierrez stood in the center of the curb as the doors swung open. As the crowd barked its questions, Gutierrez attempted to calm the group down.

“People, please, if I may have your attention” He looked down at the people as the group settled. “We are going to give you five minutes to interview the woman, but we will only allow two cameras to interview them behind this van.”

“How are you going to choose?” A reporter asked.

“We are going to ask a question to you and we will pick the one with the best answer.” He replied as he readied his question. “Here it is: what is our nation’s policy on immigration?”

_______________________________________

Fluttershy sat in the car with her head buried into John’s shoulder. John was irritated over the aggressive behavior the press had been going towards with the recent news he gave. His mind though worried over the wellbeing of his girlfriend, and grew irritated by the spectacle his life had become once again, but with a new reason.

He watched as the group outside settled down to a near halt as two groups made their way towards them.

“How long is this going to take?” Fluttershy softly whimpered. “I want to go home.”

“Don’t worry.” John assured her, “this won’t take long.”

As the group got closer the guards opened the door opposite from the gate and led the couple out towards a set of chairs. John held Fluttershy tight as he worried of what was going to happen.

After the cameras were being set up, the reporter sat down to look at the subject of this interview. In her mind she was disappointed by the look of them. One seemed like an ordinary mexican to her and the other like a frightened girl with dyed hair.

“You two are the ones we have been hearing so much about.” The reporter said with a feigned smile. “The people would love to hear about you.”

“We have been deleting all the messages for that reason.” John answered with a sarcastic look.

“Why is that?”

“We want to be left alone.” He said bluntly.

The agents came to the reporter and whispered in her ear. The reporter didn’t seem too pleased with what he had to say as she prepared herself for the cameras. The cameraman came out with a count of his fingers. First three fingers, then two fingers, then his last finger he waved it towards the reporter.

“Hello,” she said into one of the cameras. “I am Patricia Simms. Today I got an exclusive interview with our famous immigrant from another world, Fluttershy and her newly found lover, John Alvarez.” She turned to the couple as she tried to create a non-threatening atmosphere. “So tell us Fluttershy, you are going back home tomorrow night. How do you feel?”

Fluttershy looked at John, who had been reassuring her that it was safe. As she turned back she responded. “Umm, it feels nice going back home to my friends. I missed them a lot.”

“And in your time here, what was it like for you?” She continued.

“It was fun,” she slowly began to answer. “There were a lot of things I could not find back home, like television, and cartoons, and DVDs. Those things would be wonders on a rainy day. The internet was scary when John explained it to me.”

“I can see why.” The reporter joked. “Now, the people want to know, is there something you will miss after you go back?”

“The cartoons.” She softly aid as she played with her fingers.

Patricia then turned to John, who had both hands to his sides. “And you John, you are going to be the first American to move to another world, is that correct? How does it feel?”

“Listen, Patricia,” John said sternly. “I am moving away, but not for the reasons you believe. I am not doing this for fame or recognition, and I am not doing this for anti-American reasons. I just want to be left alone, and I can’t have that here now that I am known for being with her. I want to be with her. But I don't want to be hounded on the streets by people for any reason. I love her, and I want to be with her. But I want peace and quiet. Your news crews didn’t make that easy as every other news was about me or her.”

The reporter was dumbfounded by the speech John gave her.

“In short, I feel glad that the hounding would stop and I will be with the one I now love.” John finalized.

The group was silent as the reporter tried to come up with a question. She reverted to the standard question. “I- is there something you will miss?”

“I had friends and family here, and the meat was the biggest part of my life. But I have made my farewells and now am ready for tomorrow. I know it will be hard, But technically I won’t be too far from them. Just one border between us.” John thought heavily on the words he said as the reporter continued to ask question.

One question he began to ask himself was, ‘am I ready for this?’