The wise who feared the coming dark strove hard to make their world an ark. But then the dark had grace to give: they couldn't flee, but could yet live.

Winner of the category "BEST WRITER WITH <500 FOLLOWERS" in the 2021 April Friendship is Optimal Writing Contest.

Many thanks to Admiral Biscuit for prereading.

Temporary note: minor edits to a few sentences to make them easier to understand correctly are planned, but in the interest of fair judging no changes will be made to the published version of this story until after the contest results are announced. EDIT: to be made once opportunity permits.

Magic and technology may have pierced the void and blazed a path between the realms, but that was the simple part. Adjusting to the changes that follow can be far more daunting.

Yet despite the complexities involved even in basic communication, Serendipity has found friends to talk to among humankind who can cheer her up when she's down. And occasionally inspire her to bursts of ingenuity unhindered by such trifles as foresight.

A trimmed-down version of this story placed in the 2019 Autumn Pony to Human TF contest, under the stopgap title A Minor Bout Of Lunacy.

Many thanks to Admiral Biscuit for prereading and editing, and to Syke Jr for helping with the short and long descriptions.