A human has arrived in Equestria, but not just any human; a traveler from worlds beyond. Who is he? What are his intentions? What is his story? How will this affect the world?
Step into the enchanting world of Equestria as a mysterious traveler from distant realms emerges. With questions abound, who is this enigmatic figure? What secrets do they hold? Join us on a journey of discovery, where the fate of Equestria hangs in the balance. A tale of magic, mystery, and the unknown awaits.
Somewhere within Equestria, a greenish glow was observed, within which a bipedal, humanoid figure was barely visible amidst the speckles of light surrounding it. With eyes closed, the figure remained until the green glimmers fell to the ground and vanished. His first reaction wasn't to open his eyes but to reach for a curious accessory hanging from his belt — akin to an egg but dark. Within this object, a crackling sound could be heard, a characteristic signal informing its owner that the journey was a success.
The human opened his eyes with a smile and looked around, but soon his expression changed to one of surprise and confusion.
Very colorful he thought, raising an eyebrow. Almost too colorful, like a cake.
With short steps, the person walked aimlessly in search of something that caught his attention. He didn't go far. Just a few meters away, he saw what appeared to be a trio of very diminutive horses. As if the overly sweet atmosphere wasn't enough, these creatures seemed to be plucked from the dreams of magical worlds and fantastic creatures that every person must have dreamed of as a child at least once — large and expressive eyes, fur that seemed soft and fluffy at first glance, jovial and tender laughter.
The human approached the scene slowly, enough for these beings to notice his presence, but not so much as to scare them away immediately. If I approach too abruptly, they'll surely flee is what he had in his mind, so his movements were relaxed and slow.
The miniature horses had finished their game and looked with curiosity at their singular spectator. Finally, much to the human's surprise, they approached, albeit timidly, yet with determined steps.
"Ar... are you a human?" stammered a clearly feminine and childish voice, a filly, then. The human felt a sense of bewilderment not because he could understand her — that was to be expected — but because of what the question implied. He decided to remain silent. The girl, receiving no response, uttered more words, "Oh, right! Miss Cheerilee says that the best way to start a conversation with a stranger is by introducing yourself first. She's Applebloom," she gestured towards one of her friends. The human didn't take his eyes off her. "She's Scootaloo," he noticed the weak greeting from the mentioned one. "And I'm Sweetie Belle," all three of them took comically long breaths. "And we are the Cutie Mark Crusaders!"
That action coming from such adorable creatures was more than enough to draw a chuckle from the rugged human, undoubtedly lightening the mood, but it lasted very briefly. There were only two things on his mind at that moment. First, I'm really in a fairy tale! he thought with excitement as he realized he was talking to a unicorn and a pegasus. Second, Is this a reality where other humans also exist, or have I encountered another traveler? Whatever the reason, he needed to find out. The girls smiled nervously at his lack of response, so Scootaloo nudged Sweetie Belle in his direction. At this, she shot Scootaloo a disgruntled look and turned her attention to the human, trying to get his attention.
"And... What about you?" Of course, a name the human said to himself. As protocol demanded, it was time to find a name fitting for the world he found himself in. If he remembered correctly, their names were a combination of an object and a characteristic. "Hmm... mister...?"
"Green Mist," he responded quickly. It seemed the most appropriate given the circumstances of his arrival in this world. "You can call me Green, if you like."
The girls looked at him strangely, and Scootaloo spoke quietly to her friends. "Aren't humans supposed to have long and difficult-to-pronounce names?"
"That's true," Green quickly said in the kindest tone possible. "What I told you is my pseudonym. I never liked my real name, so I avoid using it whenever I can. Anyway, why do you know so much about humans?"
"Twilight" the foals said in unison. "Ever since he trotted into town, she's been nosin' around a heap 'bout humans. Well, truth be told, mostly just about the human," Applebloom made the comment, the others nodded in agreement.
"He?" If there was only one, then it only made sense to Green that he was another traveler.
"Another human, but we're forbidden to talk about it... but I think you should know since you're also human!" Scootaloo chirped, convincing herself, but still received disapproving looks from her friends.
"Ya come lookin' for him?" The possibility seemed to sadden Applebloom. Green shaked his head. "Ya came to do him harm?" Applebloom said with a hint of suspicion.
"Of course not," Green couldn't hide a certain indignation in his voice. "I didn't even know there was another human here."
"Then why did you come?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"I think he got lost," Scootaloo added.
"I'm a traveler," the girls listened attentively to Green's words. "But not just any kind of traveler. My destinations aren't other countries or cities, but other worlds," he said, making an exaggerated gesture with his hands to add more drama.
As soon as the human finished speaking, the faces of the fillies lit up with excitement, and they started hopping around him, bombarding him with all sorts of questions.
"That's enough girls," Green raised his hands to calm them. While the gesture was adorable at first, the high-pitched voices overlapping each other in unison was more than the traveler could bear. "You can interrogate me later. Right now, I need to find this Twilight. Do you know where she is?" His only response was laughter, and the human raised an eyebrow. "Was it something I said?"
"It's just that if you don't want to be interrogated, Twilight is the last pony you'll want to encounter," Scootaloo said amidst laughter.
" Pony? So, Twilight is like her?" The human pointed to Applebloom with a finger.
"Well, shoot, we're all ponies 'round here," she spoke. "But if you're talkin' 'bout types, Sweetie Belle's a unicorn, Scootaloo's a Pegasus, and I'm an earth pony. Now, Twilight, she's a whole 'nother story... reckon you'll get it when ya meet her."
"Alright, can you tell me where to find her?"
"Sure thing, c'mon along!" says Applebloom. "We'll show ya the way," gesturing for the human to follow her.
Green walked behind the fillies as they chattered animatedly among themselves. To pass the time, he observed the landscape, eventually his gaze settled on a town whose center held a majestic castle. Its imposing walls reflected the sunlight in such a way that it was impossible to tell at first glance what material they were made of. The town was evidently the destination of their guides, yet he asks.
"Where are we going?"
"To Twilight's house," cootaloo said sarcastically. Before the human could protest, Sweetie Belle added.
“Actually, it's a castle."
"We're headin' straight for Ponyville," Applebloom finally said.
Green suddenly felt uneasy, but he didn't know if the reason was realizing that these ponies had a terrible imagination for naming things or that the much-mentioned Twilight seemed to be someone very important who had her own castle.
Green couldn't shake certain ideas from his head. If there was a castle, there could be royalty, hierarchy, monarchies — everything pointed to this being a rather primitive land. That, or this Twilight character has enough to buy castles for fun, was the less serious alternative Green considered. But the most logical thing would be to ask his companions.
"Girls? what function does this Twilight serve?"
"Function?" one of them said, puzzled.
"That's right. It seems I'm going to meet pony aristocracy. Not the most ridiculous thing I've ever had to encounter. I just want to know who she is."
"Ah," the girls erupted in understanding. "She's a princess," they declared after a while.
Green came to a sudden stop. Is she one of the rulers? But it's too soon! That thought was natural, as whenever Green interacted with any ruler of the worlds he visited, things eventually became... difficult.
"Is something wrong?" Scootaloo asked.
"It's nothing," the traveler responded kindly. "Shall we continue, then?" Green thought it wouldn't make sense to share his tribulations.
"Hold yer horses!" Applebloom said alarmed, cutting off their path with her hoof. "Ya think it's smart just strollin' into Ponyville with a human like it ain't no big deal?”
"And what did the human who was here before do?"
"Well, he never just waltzed into town, that's for sure. He told Twilight he had some mission out on the outskirts, all solo-like."
"Do you know what kind of mission that could be?" she just shrugged. It seemed Green wouldn't meet another human anytime soon. He couldn't help but feel disappointed.
"Hm... for now, all I understood is that he's like an outcast."
"Outcast?" Scootaloo asked, confused.
"It means somepony who is isolated by others or isolates themselves," Sweetie Belle replied.
"What are you, a dictionary?" Scootaloo retorted mockingly. Sweetie gave her an annoyed look.
"Alright, hold up, y'all! We gotta put our heads together and come up with a plan. Scootaloo, you zip off and find Twilight pronto, you're the speediest of us three. Sweetie, you stick around here with Green," Applebloom's face reflected some anxiety. "As for me, I gotta go. Applejack starts fretting if I'm not back by now, and let me tell ya, she can be a real pain in the flank when she's fretting."
True to her words, Applebloom disappeared shortly after uttering them. Sweetie Belle seemed uneasy, possibly because she had to stay alone with the stranger. Contrary to what Green expected, Scootaloo, instead of spreading her wings and fly — something Green definitely wanted to see — simply took her scooter and sped off to Ponyville. Sweetie Belle must have noticed his disappointed expression because she plucked up the courage to ask.
"What's wrong?" she asked with her melodic tone.
"Um, it's just... Why doesn't Scootaloo fly? I mean, she'd get there faster, right?" Green responded, still watching Scootaloo as if expecting her to take off into the sky and disappear.
"Oh, that," Sweetie Belle lowered her gaze sadly. "We could say she hasn't developed her wings enough to fly."
"So, foals can't fly or do magic? Do they have to grow up for that?" Green asked, but Sweetie's look told him enough to understand the situation.
"Her wings are too small to fly," she sighed heavily, then turned to Green with a determined look. "But I know she'll be able to fly someday, right?" she asked almost pleadingly.
"Of course," the traveler responded quickly, though deep down he had no idea, it just seemed like the right thing to say. "So... Can you do magic?"
"Of course, watch this," she said eagerly as her horn is surrounded by a green aura, the same aura visible on a rock that subsequently rises about 20 inches before plummeting abruptly to the ground.
At first, the human wasn't too impressed, but he did admire the effort of the filly, who was panting and had beads of sweat on her forehead. She must have given her all for this trick. I don't know the standard of magic in this world, maybe for her age she's a prodigy, he finally reflected.
"That was amazing," Green indicated with a smile. "You must be really good at magic." At this, she gifted him with a genuine smile.
"Aw, thank you! Although, to be honest, I'm just learning. I bet you're better than me!" She finished with an even bigger smile, though it faded when she saw the abrupt change in Green's expression.
"Excuse me?" There's only one reason she'd think humans have magic, he thought. "What do you mean?"
"That your magic is stronger than mine," she said this time, not looking as confident. "I mean, if you can travel through worlds..."
"That's not magic, it's science. I use this object to travel," Green finished, presenting his egg-shaped artifact to Sweetie Belle. She looked at it with detached interest. And how do you even board that thing in the first place? were some of the questions passing through her mind, but there was also a detail that bothered her.
"The other human didn't use any object to do magic... in fact, his magic is similar to ours."
That did catch the human off guard, but just before he could bombard Sweetie with questions, the accessory on his belt swayed violently, emitting occasional bursts of verdigris sparks. That was the prelude to what would later be a true spectacle of purple lights manifesting in front of them; the light disappeared abruptly, and in its place stood Scootaloo, accompanied by another pony, much larger, with glistening violet fur, and a mane of blue with purple and pink streaks cascading from her forehead like an interrupted waterfall. But the most striking feature, undoubtedly, was that she had both wings and a horn.
She locked eyes with the human, smiled, and trotted over to him.
"So..." Twilight began, observing Green from head to toe, pausing for a few seconds at the accessory. "You're the human Scootaloo told me about?"
"It's an honor to meet you, Your Majesty. I'm Green Mist, just a traveler," Green bowed respectfully, but Twilight gestures with her hoof for him to rise.
"You don't need to be so formal," her words seem sincere and her face is friendly. Despite being a princess, her attitude is very... approachable, green thought. "I'm Twilight Sparkle, and it's a pleasure to meet you, Green Mist," she emphasized these last words. "Scootaloo told me about you, she said you're a traveler of worlds," at that moment, Green could notice in her large and expressive purple eyes a subtle sparkle that he didn't quite know how to interpret. "Is it true?"
"It's true, I..." Green was interrupted by a sharp feminine squeal. Twilight had broken all appearances and was now jumping with excitement around the human with an attitude even more childish than the girls before.
Twilight comes to a sudden stop after seeing the amused looks from the others. Disguising her embarrassment, she regains her composure and addresses the girls with an authoritative tone.
"Alright girls, it's late and your sisters will start worrying. It's time to go home." The girls clearly expressed their disappointment, but eventually they left, saying goodbye cheerfully. Twilight turned her attention to the traveler.
"Do you have somewhere to stay?"
"No, but the weather doesn't bother me. Besides, you can sleep anywhere, can’t you?" Green responded hesitantly, already sensing Twilight's intention.
"Nonsense, it's not safe to wander in a world you don't know," Twilight looked directly into his eyes and then gave a smile. "Let me be your host; after all, there are many things I want to ask you, and I'm sure you have many questions too. What do you say?"
I'm definitely curious about the other human, thought Green, but his brow furrowed as he recalled that huge, flashy castle in the center of town. His first days in any world were always spent outdoors, interacting with the flora and fauna, but above all, away from those considered important in their respective worlds. "This is a good opportunity, and getting to know her will be a good start to understanding this world, but still..."
"Princess, I don't mean to be ungrateful. The girls explained to me that the other human never approached the town, and I want to be in a similar situation, at least in the first days of my arrival. I want to be away from the public eye, and it's most likely that the huge castle visible from here is yours. Unless you have a more subtle place for me to stay, I'm afraid I'll have to decline your offer."
Twilight's ears drooped in clear disappointment. "Poor Spike, he'll be disappointed. I even told him to prepare something special." The situation is complex; it hadn't crossed Twilight's mind that the human might reject her invitation, and she clearly couldn't let him go unsupervised, considering the current complex situation of the kingdom. Her face lit up with what seemed to be an idea. "I know the perfect place..."
"We're going to teleport to a place that's just how you want it," Green tightly gripped the accessory in his hands as a reflex. "Are you ready?"
"Uh, yeah?" Barely had Green uttered these words when he felt himself being dragged by an immense force, his vision blurred, and he felt a pressure inside his chest. Everything happened so fast that before he could scream, he fell to the ground violently.
The trick left him temporarily deafened and spitting out some dirt that had been in his mouth, when he looked up, he saw Twilight repeating "sorry" several times as she approached and offered him her hoof to help him up. Contrary to what he initially thought, when he took her hoof, she lifted him up quite easily.
"No worries," Green said, brushing the dirt off his clothes and looking ahead. They are surrounded by a forest that looks dark and foreboding, with tall, thick trees that block out even the slightest hint of light.
"This is the place," Twilight still looks somewhat distressed. "It might be intimidating, but this part is safe. A friend of mine lives here."
Both walked until they found what must have previously been a solitary, large tree. Now it's hollowed out and transformed into a house decorated with jars hanging from the branches and rather disturbing masks.
Twilight knocks on the door and then turns her attention to Green.
"First of all, you need to know that Zecora has already seen a human."
"So you brought the other human here too?"
"That's right," said Twilight, giving him a look that's hard to decipher.
The sound of a door opening caught the attention of both, and in the doorway stands what is undeniably a zebra to Green, only smaller. She looks at them silently before smiling and addressing Twilight.
"What a surprise, oh my dear, did Twilight come with a friend sincere?"
"Hello, Zecora!" They shared a friendly hug. "Sorry for not letting you know before, but I need your help with something," Twilight cleared her throat. "Zecora, let me introduce you to Green Mist," she gestured towards him. "Green, let me introduce you to Zecora," she said, making the same gesture, this time pointing at Zecora.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Green said, leaning slightly and smiling at her. She smiles back.
"The pleasure is mine, Green Mist, no doubt, but why choose a name so odd, if I may ask about?" Green directs an expectant gaze at Twilight, but she isn't sure if it's due to Zecora's curious way of speaking or if it's a silent comment to emphasize that question
"That's not my name, it's my nickname..."
"Zecora, we could talk more comfortably later," Twilight interrupted, "But I came to ask if the human can stay here for a while."
"For me, there's no issue with the human's stay," she directed her gaze at Green, "as long as this idea meets his way."
"Of course, no problem," he responded quickly. After this, Zecora fully opens her door and invites them in with a gesture of her hoof.
"Welcome to one of my lairs so sweet," Twilight was the first to enter, the traveler followed her, "Ideal for days and nights, a cozy retreat."
"... cozy," Green said with an awkward smile as he observed the decorations. Twilight let out an adorable laugh at his words.
"You remind me of a friend," she said as she sits on a sofa, the human remains standing.
"For now, make yourself at home," Zecora added, referring to Green. "I'll prepare everything while you roam."
Zecora withdraws to the kitchen, leaving her guests to themselves. Silence prevailed for a few seconds until the human gathered the courage to ask.
"So, does Zecora improvise everything or is it some kind of vocal magic or something?" Twilight gave a pensive look.
"I've never really thought about it like that. I doubt it's magic, so it must be just her culture. After all, everypony adapts to their environment," Green noticed the growing interest of the pony; he knew where she was heading.
"Well, one always takes something from the place they're in, whether it's an impression, experiences, emotions..." the traveler lightly stroked the accessory. Twilight was about to add something, but she was interrupted.
"It seems you've settled in just right," Zecora asserted, looking at them with a smile. "So, how about dining with me tonight?" she asked as she sets a series of quaint sandwiches and cookies on the table in front of them.
"Of course," Twilight turned to Green and levitated one of the appetizers with her magic, "I imagine you must be hungry, right?"
"Actually, I don't feel hunger," the traveler picked up one of the sandwiches and carefully inspected its contents. "I don't need to eat either. Are these flowers inside?" His train of thought was interrupted by a loud gasp.
"What?!" Twilight exclaimed forcefully, "But... how... they too..." She repeated fruitlessly, trying to gather her thoughts.
"But that doesn't mean I can't enjoy food!" The traveler said cheerfully, taking a bite of his sandwich. It tasted like literal bread with flowers, so he struggled to swallow the contents. "Although that doesn't mean I can eat or enjoy everything." He directed his gaze at the purple alicorn, who still looked incredulous.
"How is that possible?" Twilight asked in a low voice. "It's impossible for a living being to survive without feeding on something!" She didn't even know where to begin with her questions.
"Are you okay?" Her gaze made Green a little nervous, so he looked away, seeking help from Zecora, but she seemed to be in a playful mood. When she noticed the human's gaze, she let out a laugh.
"You..." said Twilight, drawing the attention of those present. "How do you sustain yourself?! Do you need to drink?! Why can you eat if you don't need to?! Are all of your kind like this?!"
"Twilight, I suggest you calm down, my dear friend," said the zebra, silencing her with a hoof gesture. "Let's start with simple questions, that's how research should tend"
"You're right, Zecora. I think I lost control a bit," the alicorn sighed heavily and focused her attention on the traveler. "Well, let's start with your real name."
"My name... well, I..." Green is interrupted by Twilight's shout.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Twilight repeated as she pulled out a quill along with a stack of notes and scrolls seemingly out of nowhere. This action was done with such desperation that one of the scrolls fell to the ground and unfurled until it reached the feet of the human.
"Wow," was all that dared to escape his mouth as he looked at the scroll between his feet. Blushing, Twilight rolled up the scroll again, tapping it with her nose in a rather adorable manner.
"Sorry about that, it's just that the situation calls for it," Twilight said with all those papers in her hooves and a quill in the air ready to jot down notes. "Anyway, let's start with the basics. Why do you prefer to go by your nickname instead of your real name? And what is your true name?"
The human reflected, searching for the right words for what he would say next. "Well, I have to admit I lied to you a little," Twilight's quill wrote furiously on one of the scrolls. "Hey, but there's no need to jot that down!" The quill stopped in its tracks, and Green lets out a sigh that seemed to have been pent up for a long time. "This is difficult to explain. The truth is, I don't remember my real name." Twilight's quill mobilized again, but this time in a more subdued manner. A question seemed to form on her face, but she decided to stay silent for the moment.
"Please continue," she said as she took a sip of the tea that Zecora was distributing at that moment, and the human thanked her with a smile.
"I'll try to explain. In my world, when we trained for traveling, we were instructed to choose a name that suited the world we arrived in. I've done this so many times that eventually, being named in so many different ways, I forgot what my original name was."
"Wow! But why?" Twilight asked with excitement in her eyes.
"It's partly about depersonalizing the individual and being able to form and break bonds with ease. I don't recall it, it's been a very long time, you know?" The human finally took a sip of his tea and smiled contentedly.
"But if your true name you can't recall with ease," Zecora interrupted. "I presume from your past world, your nickname you seize."
"Yes, my last name was Luhan."
"And what was that world like?" Twilight interjected excitedly.
"The truth is... quite hostile. I'd rather not talk about that place," the disappointment was palpable on Twilight's face. But the human had already thought of a way to cheer her up. "But if you want, I can tell you the reason why I don't need to eat," Twilight's eyes lit up at this, and she nodded vigorously with a smile. "First, you have to understand that all humans of my time have this quality. We were born with it through centuries of genetic and biological intervention." The traveler saw Twilight take a deep breath, a prelude to the barrage of questions that raced through her mind after this revelation. The human stopped her in her tracks before the storm unleashed. "Before you can ask anything, I don't know any technical details, I'm not a scientist or a doctor."
"I think I understand what you're saying. If you were born this way and the process took centuries, it must mean that right now it's as natural as breathing..." Twilight's eyes blanked out, and her pupils started to dilate slowly in understanding. "I can't believe I didn't realize it before. Your race ended hunger!"
The traveler smiled with satisfaction. "Humanity achieved harmony between survival and happiness. That's why all humans can eat, even though it's not necessary." He picked up one of the chocolate cookies from the table and took a slow bite, savoring every moment of it. "Simply because eating is one of the things that gives us the most pleasure. This is the kind of thing we manage to do, turning a necessity into a luxury."
Both Twilight and Zecora were clearly shocked, with the alicorn even having her wings slightly loose and raised, occasionally fluttering. "You have to let me examine you, please. If I can decipher even the basics of your organism, it could be the most important discovery of the century!"
"I don't know, maybe someday," the human huffed roughly. For some reason, the atmosphere in the room was becoming increasingly heavy, and the occupants began to feel a sense of unease, but Twilight planned to do something about it.
"How do you travel, pray tell. I saw no ship nor strong magic spell," Twilight said, poorly imitating Zecora's tone.
"Are you serious, Twilight?" Green asked amusedly.
"I guess Zecora's rubbing off on me over time," they all chuckled at that comment.
"I travel with this," Green said, exhibiting the accessory. Quickly, Twilight took it from his hands and stepped back a few paces, stopping only due to the tension created by the strap connecting it to the human's belt.
"Wow! It looks like one of those egg-shaped timers someponies use for cooking," she said, observing that the object is separated halfway by a horizontal line that spins on its own axis. With her hooves, she tried to turn it, but it doesn't budge an inch. "It's really tough!" The alicorn, exerting more force, tilted her head slightly and, thanks to this, managed to see Green, who now had a look of astonishment with his mouth wide open. "Sorry!" she said, embarrassed, with her ears drooping.
"Don't worry, you couldn't move it," the traveler said, tense as a rope. "And you're right, it's like a timer. It indicates the amount of time I'll stay in a world because traveling between worlds takes a lot of energy. What it shows me is the amount of time it will take to recharge."
"And how much time is left?"
"I don't know, I haven't calculated it yet. It's a bit of a lengthy process. I'll answer one more question and then ask one myself, okay?"
"Of course," Twilight pondered for a moment. "I've got it! Why did you choose to come to this world? Or how did you find out about this world?"
"Those were two questions, but that's okay," the human finished the contents of the cup with one last sip. "I didn't choose this world, and I never knew of its existence."
"What, but how...?"
"When the countdown on the accessory ends, it sends me to another world randomly, and so on with the next. Now it's my turn to ask, right?"
"Well then..." Before he could ask his question, Twilight interrupted the traveler.
"Aren't you going to jot down the answers?" she asked.
"Sorry?" Green was already accustomed to Twilight's random interruptions.
"I mean, since I see you don't have anything to write with," the human shook his head. Twilight looked contemplatively at her own materials. "I've got it!"
"I don't think it's necessary," Green interrupted. "I don't keep records of the worlds I visit. Understanding the basics is enough for me." As he finished this sentence, Twilight began to write fervently with her quill, leaving the human perplexed. "Are you seriously writing that down?"
"It's just that what you just said is very important for understanding you," the alicorn replied with a semi-embarrassed smile.
"And I was supposed to be the one learning from you now," Green said with a smile. His priority at the moment was to learn about the other human, but for now, he would start with simpler questions. "So... and I hope this time someone doesn't interrupt me," he explained, looking at Twilight with humor. She nodded in understanding. "Where am I?"
The alicorn pondered the response for a moment.
"Now that I think about it, I haven't formally welcomed you," she rose and cleared her throat. "I, Princess Twilight Sparkle, formally welcome you to the nation of Equestria." During that moment, her voice was firm yet friendly, her wings extended, and her confident face exuded an air of grandeur. Admirable, thought the traveler.
"Well, now you really look like a princess," I must be more respectful! Green thought quickly, silencing himself.
"What do you mean?" Twilight's tone of voice didn't betray any signs of anger, yet the human chose to be more careful from now on.
"It's not to be rude, it's just that you don't act with the standard of princess that I know, at least," Green replied cautiously.
"Well, I'm still somewhat new to this whole princess thing," that comment prompted the human to make some conjectures. I assume Twilight was imposed the role of being a princess, she wasn't born into it, and this means that in 'Equestria', power isn't inherited, he concluded.
"So, this brought me to the world of Equestria," Green said, changing the subject.
"Not exactly... Equestria is just our kingdom, it's rare for you to call it a world," she stood up, heading towards Zecora's library. Upon returning, she placed a book on the table, showing a double-page spread of a world map. "If you're referring to the planet, this would be Pangea, and it's comprised of 76 kingdoms and 23 independent colonies."
"I am an example, plain to see," Zecora spoke, who had remained on the sidelines for the moment. "Crossing borders, other realms we can decree. But if you wish to learn with glee, Certain ponies you must meet, agree?"
"Yes, but first let me clarify any doubts you have," Twilight explained, then drawing a cross with a marker on one of the locations on the world map. "This is exactly where we are."
"Ponyville?" Green asked.
"I suppose the girls explained a couple of things to you, didn't they?" The human nodded, turning his attention to the map. ‘Equestria’ is one of the largest countries shown, and it seems to be close to several resources, so this kingdom must be very powerful in that world. "And what would be the capital of the country, if it has one?"
"Our capital is Canterlot," Twilight explained as she made another mark on the map. Ponyville wasn't far from that mark. "That's where the main princesses reside..."
"More princesses? How many are there?" Green interrupted.
"We are 4 princesses," she said, then frowned slightly. "Well, and one prince, although he doesn't matter."
"And the kings?" At the question, the alicorn simply shook her head.
"We don't have kings, Equestria is more of a principality than a kingdom."
"And what do you mean by the main princesses living in Canterlot?"
"I mean they are the closest thing to kings we have, they are in charge of governing," her expression changed to one of admiration as she spoke proudly. "Princess Celestia and Luna have been the ponies who guided Equestria since its birth. We, on the other hand, have more of a role as symbols and protectors for now."
"We? Who else?"
"Princess Cadance. She is in charge of the Crystal Empire."
"What do you mean by Crystal?" Green interrupted.
"Well, obviously it's called that because the place is made of crystals."
"Crystals? Really?" I expected that, this world is truly the most fantastic,"Green thought.
"Yes."
"Wow, this place is difficult to understand, you know?" She looked at him somewhat puzzled.
"Can I tell you something curious? The other human..." She hesitated for a moment, but continued. "Tofi didn't have trouble understanding our kingdom. In fact, it's as if he knew our world from before."
I guess he was luckier than me then, Green thought, relieved that Twilight finally mentioned him. "Wait a moment, Tofi isn't a strange or difficult name," Green indicated with an inquisitive tone.
"Just as you hid your true name," Zecora said. "He also introduced himself with a nickname."
"Did you just cheat with the rhyme?" Green asked playfully, chuckling to himself. "Anyway, so what's his name then?"
"Tobias Othello Faust Isaac," Twilight added hastily. "Tofi is his nickname."
"What?!" the traveler exclaimed in a tone louder than he would have liked. "But what kind of name is that?" Twilight and Zecora exchanged confused glances. "And why did you memorize his full name?"
"Hmm... science?" Twilight still looked puzzled by Green's reaction.
Is that name German? If that's the case...well, it makes sense that some have survived. "Have you noticed a different tone of voice from mine?" the traveler asked fruitlessly. Twilight turned her head, trying to grasp the question.
"Well... they do have something different, but I couldn't tell you exactly," she replied.
"I see... if I recall correctly, Sweetie Belle mentioned that he does magic similar to yours," he said, gazing at the ceiling.
"It's not similar, it's the same," she said, tilting her head and resting it on one of her hooves. "I confirmed it myself... although I haven't been able to understand how."
Did he want to hide his own accessory? I can understand that; it's certainly prudent. the human thought as he raised the accessory in front of her. "Are you absolutely sure he didn't have anything like this?" She shook her head.
"His magic came from within him, not from an external source," she said, looking at the accessory with renewed curiosity. "Why do you ask?"
"These accessories can mimic some abilities of beings from different worlds, perhaps magic works the same way," the human inferred what Twilight would want to ask next, so he decided to anticipate. "But it's a complex and lengthy process; it would require spending a lot of time in this world for this to happen."
"That wouldn't be possible with Tofi," Twilight looked at Zecora for a moment until she nodded. "During his arrival, all magical beings could feel... some sort of irregularity in their magic, so we found him as soon as he arrived in our world." Twilight looked uneasy; Tofi was indeed a mystery to all present. "It's strange that your arrival didn't cause any anomaly either."
That's certainly strange. The accessories are almost undetectable. Maybe his malfunctioned, Green speculated. "And where is he now?"
"I only know he's traveling through Equestria looking for something," she quickly closed the book, as if fearing the traveler would know the location if he kept looking. "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you where; we promised him we wouldn't tell anyone." Her face clearly indicated that she no longer wished to discuss the matter.
"Alright, don't worry. What's he like? Besides being mysterious."
Twilight pondered her response for a moment.
"He's a good pon... person. He has a knack for making friends; if you knew him, you'd surely like him," Twilight said with a smile. "I think you two would be good friends."
"If doubts arise and his nature you can't see, I urge you to understand, for he's stayed near us, so free," Zecora added.
"Then he has become your friend," Green affirmed, and the girls nodded. "Still, I find it hard to understand what kind of person he would be."
"Twilight wasn't lying when she said he's a good friend, I'll do my best to explain, though it's hard to comprehend," Zecora placed her hoof on her snout. "He's someone I've admired, with traits of daring and flair, yet words alone can't capture his essence, I declare. For he's left his past behind, a tale of sorrow and care."
"Well, yes, he's somewhat melancholic about leaving his world, but my friends and I support him as much as we can," said Twilight determinedly.
The rest of the time, the traveler spent talking about more superficial topics. At one point, Twilight told him about her group of friends, which, as he understood, consisted of a party-loving mare, a fashion enthusiast, a workaholic, a competitive spirit, and a pony who was overwhelmingly adorable or something like that. She also mentioned some details about the castle and that she shared it with a dragon, of which Green didn't understand if it was her brother or some sort of servant.
"Well, I think it's time for me to go," Twilight said, getting up from the table. "But before that," she turned to the human, "I hope you don't mind, but today I'll have to inform the princesses of your presence through a letter. I'll mention a bit of what you told me, and they'll probably want to meet you tomorrow." Twilight noticed the apparent discomfort of the human, so she added, "Don't worry, I'll accompany you tomorrow so you won't feel so uncomfortable, and if you want, I can also introduce you to my friends. Would you like that?"
"Sure, no problem."
She nodded with a smile and headed for the exit. "Goodbye, Zecora, goodbye Green Mist," she bid farewell with a wave of her hooves, and both of them waved back.
After that, Zecora led the human to the guest room. "This humble chamber is yours for the night, I hope the bed suits you, everything's right," she said before leaving, giving him one last glance. "Rest well, till morning light, we'll meet again, with dawn's first sight."
After she left the room, the traveler ran his hands over the bed and realized it was filled with hay. Nonetheless, he lay down and, contrary to his expectations, found it quite comfortable.
Next to his bed was a bedside table with a gas lamp. The traveler picked up the handle and, with its light, carefully examined the symbols and rotation speed indicated by the horizontal line of the device. He did this for five long minutes.
Eighty days, he repeated in his mind. If he remembered correctly, there was a very popular book in his dimension whose protagonists had to travel around the world in that amount of time. The human didn't have to aspire to such a feat. It's enough time, he thought relievedly as he closed his eyes and prepared to sleep.
The human woke up violently in the middle of the night, his face covered in sweat. One of his trembling hands reached for the bedside table, and as soon as he opened his palm, the artifact flew towards him as if it had a magnet, the intense heat inside causing the human to drop it. As it hit the floor, it shook violently, emitting green and yellow sparks.
Green closed his eyes and pondered, his heart pounding forcefully against his chest. What could have disturbed you so much? he questioned himself, looking suspiciously at the accessory. This question made more sense than one might expect. While the artifact wasn't alive, it did possess a small consciousness; it could interpret what was happening around it and transmit to the traveler, as if they were his own, its emotions. And fear was what it transmitted at that moment.
Knowing he wouldn't be able to sleep feeling so vulnerable, he left the guest room, trying to be as careful as possible not to wake Zecora. He traversed the hallways, his eyes landing on that bookshelf from which Twilight had previously taken a book to show him a map of her world. Somewhere in that wall, there was something that filled him with unease.
His eyes scanned the spine of each book in line until he felt a lump in his throat upon seeing one of them in particular. He picked up that book with its blue cover and incomprehensible golden letters, and the first thing he noticed was that its weight was abnormal compared to its size. Furthermore, its structure was not cardboard or even paper. It wasn't a book but a case.
The human cautiously opens it and sees its contents: inside lies a dark pony-shaped necklace with a red crystal embedded in the middle. His attention is broken when the accessory begins to sway rapidly and emit green and black sparks. That's the same reaction it had with Twilight, Green thought, looking curiously at the amulet until he noticed a rather important detail he had overlooked: it possessed both wings and a horn.
"their magic must have something," he said quietly, only to be interrupted by a familiar voice.
"So, the human in solitude has found something to delight," said Zecora, dressed in pajamas and wearing a serious expression. "Of course, I don't mean to intrude, but what keeps you standing upright?"
"Oh, hi Zecora... you see, I couldn't sleep," the human said without moving a muscle. "So I thought maybe if I looked at your books, it would help me sleep, even just by looking at the pictures, after all, they're incomprehensible to me."
"Well, there lies the doubt that I have spun, for that book by coincidence, you haven't come upon," Zecora pointed with her hooves to the book he was holding.
"Well, I..." the human began, clearly uneasy.
"Do not worry, I am not vexed," she said with a comforting smile. "I simply want to know how you came to this text. You can trust me, for as far as I can see, what you have done is not amiss to me... I just want you to tell me the truth..." The human didn't quite understand why it had such an impact on him that Zecora didn't end that sentence with a rhyme. He looked into her eyes, which seemed to plead with him, and even within that, he sensed empathy.
The human sighed bitterly before responding, searching for the right words in his mind before speaking.
"Sorry for lying to you, Zecora. It's just that sometimes they can't quite understand my accessory, and I prefer to omit some details. In fact, the more I tell them about it, the weirder they find it," he said, pointing to the accessory. "Actually, it was that which couldn't sleep, not me. You see, I have a connection with it... I wouldn't be able to explain it, but what I can explain is that it protects me, and I protect it," Green observed the artifact with a weary expression, as if such a conversation were a common practice. "I woke up because it warned me that there's something particularly dangerous in your home, and that somehow frightened my accessory, and therefore me too."
"The truth, if I must be sincere," she chuckled, "Your object now seems stranger, I fear. No need to divulge more of your culture's lore, some things I'm certain I'll never fully explore."
"Thank you, Zecora, for your calm disposition, in your world, I'm sure you're known for your vision," Green attempted a poor imitation of her voice, and they both laughed at the result. Though deep down, the human was pleasantly surprised and relieved that Zecora was so open-minded, as Green still had memories of thousands of situations where such misunderstandings escalated into very unpleasant situations.
"Well then, if you'll allow me..." She approached, extending her hoof. Green understood instantly and handed over the ‘book’. "Don't worry about any ill feeling that may ensue, in my room, I'll keep it safe, that's my cue," she said. The human nodded, and Zecora, satisfied with his response, headed to her room. Before closing the door, she gave him one last look. "See you in the morning, or what's left before we part ways anew."
The next morning, the human woke up peacefully as the sun's rays gently caressed his eyes.
"Damn it!" Green exclaimed, shielding his eyes with his forearm, tired of the sun's accuracy. Defeated, he decided to sit up on the bed. At that moment, the image of an opaque blue alicorn came to his mind. Green was never very good at remembering dreams, but he recalled the words she had dedicated to him: "So you're the human that Tia's student wrote to us about. Let me warn you that from now on, we'll be watching you." It wasn't difficult to figure out that she must be one of those princesses Twilight mentioned.
The human, unsure of how to feel after the unexpected nocturnal visit, made his way to the main hall. There he found Zecora reading what appeared to be a newspaper, holding a cup of tea with her hoof and taking small sips. Green noticed her deep in thought, which caught his attention.
"Good morning, Zecora the zebra," he greeted her. She reacted with surprise to his words, apparently too absorbed in what she was reading.
"Good day, Green Mist, the human," she replied, regaining her characteristic smile. "Awake with the sun's first ray, I had no idea you rose so early to start your day," she added, quickly getting up to fetch another cup. "I know it might sound foolish, given your nature, but would you care to join me for breakfast, a pleasant venture?”
"Of course, Zecora," he replied. She poured him a cup of tea, and the human took a small sip, noticing its smooth aroma. His enjoyment was evident on his face, a fact that didn't escape Zecora's notice.
"I'm glad you like what I've prepared, the joy on your face is clear, it seems the taste has delighted you, my dear," she remarked before returning her attention to the newspaper.
"Is that like a newspaper?" Green asked after a moment, gesturing to the papers she held with her hooves.
“I agree with you, my friend. Having tea with the paper is what I recommend, it’s relaxing after a day that's tough, a moment of peace, that's enough”
"May I see it?" the human asked, and upon Zecora's affirmative response, he looked at the newspaper. It depicted what seemed to be... a pony guard? The context suggested that he was being interviewed at that moment, and although the writing was incomprehensible, like all the writing in this world, the headline indicated a sense of urgency. "What happened?"
Zecora gave it a quick glance.
"Persistent searches around Equestria, guard tracks, disenchanted hysteria," Zecora explained.
"So, disappearances?" Green's eyebrows rose in concern.
"Intruders enter houses, rumors propagate, suspicion inflates, fear exacerbates," Zecora elaborated. Her words had a curious effect on Green. It was a complete dichotomy that this colorful and fantastic world was not immune to tragedies like kidnapping or disappearances. To shake off this feeling, the human decided to spend the rest of the morning discussing with Zecora how he should behave with the princesses.
After breakfast, Green was tidying up the table when he was interrupted by the sound of someone knocking on Zecora's door.
"It's Twilight and her friends, I'm fairly certain, off to see the princesses, they seem quite certain," Zecora said, heading to open the door with the human by her side.
Twilight was the first to greet him. "Zecora, Green Mist, hi!" she said, looking quite anxious. "The princesses are waiting for you. Ready?" Green let out a deep sigh before responding.
"Yeah, let's go," he said, turning to Zecora and gesturing with his hand, which she interpreted as a goodbye. "See you later, Zecora."
On the way, Twilight was the first to break the silence. "Before that, I'll introduce you to my friends. I told them a bit about you, and they're eager to meet you."
"Alright," the human replied. He had completely forgotten about that detail, but he didn't see any problem with it.
They ventured further into the eerie forest and spotted a group of five ponies and what appeared to be a baby dragon gathered under one of the trees, chatting animatedly among themselves.
"Hey, girls!" Twilight called out, catching their attention and causing them to turn in her direction.
Green observed them approaching in silence, and as they drew nearer, he could identify them based on the description Twilight had given him the night before. The dragon was unmistakable, while the white unicorn, the only one wearing a dress with highly feminine features, must be the ‘the fashion lover’. It wasn't difficult to suppose that the pink-maned pegasus behind her was the ‘overwhelmingly adorable’ pony. Green had a bit more trouble differentiating between the pair who eyed each other challengingly. However, recalling that one loved work and the other sports, he deduced that the orange-hatted, serene-looking pony must be the ‘work enthusiast’, contrasting with the confident, more haughty attitude of the blue pegasus, who radiated self-assurance, making her the ‘competition enthusiast’. Supposedly, there should have been a wild party lover, but Green couldn't spot anyone else.
"Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie! Twilight told me a lot about you. She says you're a dimension traveler! Is it true? Is it true? Is it true?!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed at an astonishing speed, bouncing around him in an extravagant manner that left the human wondering where she had come from.
"Uh... well..." The human tried to respond, struggling to grasp what was happening.
"And you're here to see the princesses, right? That's awesome! You must be somepony really important for the princesses to come see you so quickly. Although, I can tell you're a bit tense," Pinkie said, touching his arm. "Is it because you're going to see the princesses? Don't worry, they're super duper mega ultra incredibly awesome. I know a hairless monkey like you will get along just fine with them."
Uh... did she just call me a hairless monkey? The human barely had time to process Pinkie's words before the others chimed in.
"Pinkie!" they all exclaimed in unison, causing her to stop in her tracks.
"Oops! Sorry!" Pinkie added, then swiftly darted away from the bewildered human.
"Sorry about that," Twilight said, looking a bit embarrassed. "When she meets new ponies, well, in your case, humans, she just can't help herself."
"Don't worry about it. So, she's the party lover then?" Green asked, to which Twilight nodded. Now that Green had shaken off the initial surprise, he realized that what he felt towards Pinkie now was more like curiosity. "So, I guess Twilight already told you a bit about me, right?" he asked, addressing the rest of the girls, who nodded. "Anyway, nice to meet you all. I'm Green Mist, a traveler of worlds." They responded to his greeting and then introduced themselves. As expected, their names were mostly a combination of names and an adjective, and at the moment, Green didn't bother to remember them.
They walked through the forest, with Green and Twilight leading the way in a single file. Behind them were the ‘fashion lover’ and ‘the adorable one,’ engaged in a conversation seemingly led by the unicorn, and Green thought she caught something like, "I find it outrageous that I'm the only pony who's going to present herself to the princesses with a decent appearance."
Further back, the two ‘competitive’ ones were engaged in a staring contest, with the orange one emerging victorious, leading the blue one to start protesting.
At the very end of the line was the small purple dragon, alone, more concerned with looking around and making occasional jokes.
And pinkie? Well…
“And that's why you should label the salt and sugar for making cupcakes!" Pinkie finished telling her curious story of how one day, mistaking salt for sugar, she nearly destroyed the bakery where she works and bankrupted its owners. After saying this, she disappeared to go bother one of Twilight's other friends.
"You do have... peculiar friends," Green remarked, mainly referring to Pinkie, the only one whose name he remembered after such an unusual introduction.
"I have to admit that my friends are quite special," Twilight said with a smile. "But they're very nice. You should get to know them better; after all, you're a bit reserved."
“You're right, sorry, I was just lost in thought," Green is still nervous about the princesses.
"Understood, if you want, I can accompany you..."
"It's not necessary," the human interrupted, then turned to the unicorn and Pegasus. "Can I ask you something?" Twilight also approached, that will make things easier anyway, Green thought.
"Of course you can, dear," the unicorn spoke quite pompously, while the Pegasus hid behind her. "What's the matter?"
"Well, you see, yesterday I met some fillies, and you both remind me of them. Also, Twilight mentioned that they had older sisters. Are you by any chance them?" he asked. This time, the timid Pegasus found her voice.
"I... in my case... you... are you talking about Scootaloo... right?" the Pegasus stammered quietly. This prompted Green to step closer. "But I'm not, um, her relative. However, Rarity, on the other hoof..."
"My Sweetie Belle mentioned you to me!” the white unicorn exclaimed with quite a bit of excitement, interrupting the Pegasus. " Oh... I'm terribly sorry, dear..." she said, turning to the interrupted one.
"Oh. Don't worry, Rarity," she replied, hiding behind her mane.
"I'm Sweetie Belle's sister. Do you remember her? That adorable little one you said had fascinating magic?" the traveler knew she would be her sister, but with the Pegasus, there was reasonable doubt.
"Yes. I ask because you look a lot like her, although the other fillies..." He's interrupted by another voice.
"One of 'em oughta be my sister," the farm pony interrupted. The others, seeing that the human had become more comfortable, began to approach. "I'm Applebloom's big sister," Green thought that, recognizing the pony's accent.
"And you could say Scootaloo's like my sister, even though we're not blood-related, but ya catch my drift, right?" the blue Pegasus spoke this time, looking a bit embarrassed for some reason.
Now all of Twilight's friends were asking the traveler various questions, some quite creative, like "What do dimensional travels smell like?" (It's not necessary to say who asked this). But there was still one being who, despite getting a bit closer, still kept their distance. Green approached the small purple dragon with subtle movements.
"And you are... Spike, right?" The young dragon didn't seem too surprised that the human approached him.
"That's right. And you're the reason I had to have dinner alone yesterday, aren't you?" Ouch, now I understand why this being is called that Green thought, although Spike spoke these words with a playful smile.
"I'm sorry, I just thought it would be prudent not to show myself too much. It was a somewhat selfish decision on my part."
"Don't worry, after all, thanks to you, yesterday I was able to eat all the gems I wanted without Twilight saying anything, so I'll let you off the hook this time," he said with a friendly face and a teasing smile.
"If you want, I could repeat that anytime you want. I think just telling Twilight that I'll answer all her questions will make her follow me through thick and thin," the comment elicited a small laugh from Spike.
"Then I guess it would be convenient for us to be partners," he said, extending his claws in a greeting. The human accepted, noticing his resistant yet smooth scales, a very odd sensation to feel indeed. "One question: What was your name? I don't remember."
"Call me Green Mist."
"You know? You're nicer than you seem at first glance. No offense."
"Oh, thank you. I think," Green replied. "And no offense neither, but I almost thought you didn't speak," the young dragon just chuckled at this remark.
"I understand. It's just that sometimes I feel like the girls forget how dangerous this forest can be. It's best to have somepony keeping watch so that nothing strange approaches."
The human felt more and more comfortable in Spike's company. On the way, Spike told him that he was Twilight's number one assistant, that he loved eating gems, and that he hung out with a pony named Big Mac and "something" called Discord. He even invited Green to one of "his games," but the human politely declined, not knowing much about what he meant.
The rest of the journey proceeded without complications for about twenty minutes until they reached the edge of what once was a castle, now nothing more than ruins. However, that wasn't a reason to not loom majestically like a sinister shadow as they approached. Two guards in dark golden armor stood watch at the entrance of that relic.
"We have received orders from the princesses to escort you to the castle," one of the guards spoke to the group. "Please follow us."
"Just in case you're wondering, this isn't the real castle of the princesses; they just wanted to keep your arrival a secret for now," Twilight said, walking alongside them.
They advanced until they arrived at a grand hall which, unlike the exterior, didn't seem to be falling apart at first sight. At the back, two thrones held two beings that could only be described as goddess.
The younger had an elegant and serene presence, her blue coat speckled with stars matching the array of banners behind her. Her mane was a cascade of shooting stars, flowing with a life of its own. Adorning her chest and hooves was a majestic armor with lunar motifs and platinum reflections.
With just one glance, Green knew that the alicorn was the most important creature not only in the room, but in that world. He rose with a delicate movement as everyone under her presence hurried to bow their heads in respect, except for the goddess of the night.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Green Mist the traveler," her voice was sweet and melodic, like that of a mother cradling her child. Her alabaster, shining coat seemed to capture the sunlight, emanating a warm and radiant aura as if it were a piece of the sky. Her mane of colors was a cascade that flowed freely and eternally.
The human chose to kneel before such an image, so absorbed in the majesty that he forgot about his surroundings, which played a mean trick on him.
"It is an honor to meet you, princesses," just after uttering those words, the accessory began to sway frantically, interrupting the comfortable silence and leaving behind an almost ridiculous situation. His face paled, and he remained petrified with a poker face.
Around him, those present were shocked, spears aimed at him from every possible angle, his guards were ready to attack, as was the princess of the night.
"Forgive me, princesses!" he exclaimed while shaking the accessory from its chain. "It's not very normal for it to do this," he explained to both alicorns. "Come on, stop it. Damn it," he muttered, and after five agonizing seconds, the accessory halted.
Seeing that there was no danger, the guards lowered their spears, and the princess of the night relaxed her posture. Just before the silence became awkward, the elder princess attempted to resume the conversation.
"Well, that's not exactly the introduction I was expecting... Alright, let's start over. I ask everypony else present to leave the room and leave Luna and me with the human," the ruler said. At first, the others seemed a bit surprised, but they obeyed the order without fail. Twilight was the last to leave, casting a concerned glance before closing the door.
"First, let me introduce myself. I am Princess Celestia, ruler of all Equestria and keeper of the day. It's not necessary for you to introduce yourself; we already have a general idea of who you are," said the princess, spreading her wings, giving off an inspiring aura.
"And I am Princess Luna, sister to Celestia and guardian of the night. Moreover, this is not the first time we have met. I know not if thou dost remember, but I did visit thee in..."
"My dreams," Green finished the sentence, suspecting it was the work of magic. However, he had a hunch that not just anyone could do such a thing. "How is that possible?" he questioned.
"We, as the highest representatives of Equestria, possess faculties beyond the average. Indeed, at this very moment, my sister endeavours to make an incursion upon thee," Luna said, and as soon as she uttered those words, Green felt a sudden pang of pain that swiftly faded away.
"I'm not able..." said Celestia, bringing her hooves to her face with a grimace of pain. The traveler immediately understood the situation; she had tried to enter his mind and the accessory intervened to help him, yet that didn't explain why it didn't do the same when Luna entered his dreams.
"Sister, are you alright?!" Luna asked, concerned. Celestia nodded with her eyes closed, then after a few seconds, she focused her gaze on the human.
"Did you know what I was going to do?"
"I suppose you were going to read my mind," the human simply shrugged. "I'm sorry, Princess, but such actions against me are unconsciously halted by the accessory," he showed her the object, and as it had happened countless times, they regarded it with curiosity and suspicion. "It's like having a sort of armor."
"So, that's the object you use for traveling that Twilight mentioned. And you can't take it off?"
"Taking it off is an ambiguous term in this case. It's bound only to me, and only I can use it. Even if it falls off or I lose it, it will eventually return to me."
"And how does that work?"
"Let's say it's its security system. If I separate from it, then it will act on its own, but only to find me."
"Was its security system also what prevented me from entering your mind?" the human nodded. "Then why could Luna enter your dreams?"
"Truthfully, I don't know. It may be that the accessory interprets this differently."
As Luna didn't attempt the same as her sister, Green inferred they didn't have the same capabilities, and therefore, Celestia wouldn't be able to enter his dreams. Of course, the human had to be cautious not to assume too readily; after all, they themselves had mentioned having abilities unlike anything in this realm.
"Well, not being able to enter your mind complicates things a little bit, so I ask that you be completely honest with your answers, agreed?" Celestia said.
"Of course," Green was relieved they couldn't read his mind, as there were several things that would be quite uncomfortable to explain and would make his stay in this world much more difficult.
"Twilight mentioned that your accessory has a timer that measures your stay here, but you didn't tell her because calculating it takes time. Have you measured it?"
"Yes, Princess, right now there are about seventy-nine days left before the accessory takes me to another world," Green replied, noticing Celestia had fixed her beautiful violet eyes examining him for several moments before moving on to the next question.
"Do you have a choice in that?"
"No, not really. Once the time is up, I'm obliged to leave," Green explained. For the second time, the princess scrutinized his face, searching for any hint of deception, but found none.
"Twas surely a hardship for thee to forsake certain worlds..." Luna remarked, looking solemn.
"Yeah... but in some worlds, it's a relief to leave," Green responded. Luna nodded in understanding.
"What do you plan to do during your stay here?" Celestia inquired.
"To be honest, I don't have anything specific planned for my time in the worlds. The reason we started traveling is because our dimension became saturated, so the human race decided to spread out. My intention is simply to explore," Green explained. It was the only time Celestia subtly noticed, precisely when he mentioned others of his kind, that he grimaced, but she couldn't interpret if it was from pain or resentment. This made her raise an eyebrow.
"So, you're just a tourist?" the princess of the day asked. The human nodded. "Then we grant you permission to stay in this country for seventy-nine days. I suppose you didn't bring your passport, did you?" she added with a mischievous smile, eliciting a small laugh from Green.
"Thank you, princesses," he said, offering another bow.
"But ere, we must warn thee of something," Princess Luna said solemnly. "Truly, knowest thou not of Tofi?"
"No, Princess. Why?" Green inquired.
The princesses didn't respond immediately. Instead, they exchanged glances, and in a matter of seconds, without uttering a word, they had reached a tacit agreement.
"Firstly, we would express our gratitude for allowing thyself to be shown upon thy arrival and for coming to visit us, for truth be told, Equestria is not in its finest hour," Luna began. It was precisely the last thing the traveler wanted to hear, but instead of feeling guilt with her words, he felt curiosity. "Thou seest, there have been a series of disappearances throughout the land, and we have a theory that whosoever perpetrates these deeds is connected to Tofi."
"Why do you believe that?" Green inquired.
"Because there exists a prophecy that Luna received in her dreams. A great evil will come to Equestria, which will not only pose a danger to this country but to the entire world. Then, a being from another world will come forth and confront it, being the only one capable of defeating it," princess Celestia concluded.
"I see," Green said, what would a fantasy world be without its respective prophecy of destiny? he wondered with amusement.
"We hold the theory that such evil hath already entered Equestria and seeks out Tofi for destruction. And that is not all, for when Tofi arrived, he was already aware of the prophecy and his duty to protect this realm," Luna explained.
"So that's why Tofi left? He's searching for the source of this evil?"
"Indeed so. Didst thou wish to acquaint thyself with him?"
"Well, it's been a long time since I've seen another human. I would like to."
"Thou mayst meet him. I shall contact him within his dreams, for I am certain he wouldst also wish to meet thee. After all, he is poised to return," Princess Luna spoke.
"Alright, thank you," Green replied sincerely.
"For the rest, we will keep your identity and location a secret. If this evil finds out about your existence, it will likely come for you," this was good news for the human; the last thing he wanted was to be involved in conflicts in this world, especially if he didn't know any concrete details about it. "You will stay in the forest with Zecora, and every night you will give a report to Luna in your dreams," Princess Celestia concluded.
"Furthermore, thou shalt only be able to converse with Zecora and the friends of Tia's pupil," Luna added, but Celestia interjected.
"Sister, I already told you that Twilight is no longer a student..." Before Celestia could continue, Luna interrupted her.
"She continues to learn from thee, sister. She remains thy pupil," Celestia just covered her face with a hoof as if to say 'not now.'
"Anyway," Princess Celestia said with a weary expression, then turned to Green. "If you need to tell me something, let Twilight or Spike know, or you can wait until nightfall and tell Luna. Understood?"
"Yes, princess."
"Alright, I consider this visit concluded," she rose from her throne and walked until she stood right beside the human, her gaze meeting his eyes. They shared the same height, excluding her horn—a sharp ivory spiral that soared into the air like a lance. It was intriguing to know that a large part of these beings had a dagger on their foreheads with which they could possibly impale you if you were close or set you ablaze if you were far away. It's a relief that they're peaceful, the human thought. "Let's go," Celestia said, and the human followed her in silence, leaving Luna sitting quietly on her throne, watching them depart.
They both exited the room, and Celestia approached the others who were in some sort of lounge. Green sat on a bench and observed as the princess explained to the girls what they had discussed during the audience. After several minutes, the traveler, along with the girls, found themselves outside the ruins of the castle, surrounded by guards escorting them back to Zecora's home.
The journey was long and silent, the presence of the guards somewhat inhibiting the atmosphere of trust. Only after arriving at their destination and knocking on Zecora's door did the guards withdraw.
The girls stayed for dinner at Zecora's house, unaware that the day had passed too quickly. Before nightfall, they decided to leave.
"I'm glad today went well, your visit with the princesses went smoothly, well, if we don't count the beginning..." Twilight's words caused the human to close his eyes in embarrassment. "We have to go, don't worry, we'll come every day if possible," she turned to her group of friends. "Right, girls?"
"Yes!" they all shouted in unison.
"Alright, see you tomorrow," said the human, bidding farewell to everyone.
"See you tomorrow," said Twilight.
"Goodbye," murmured a yellow Pegasus softly.
"Until we meet again, dear," bid a refined white unicorn.
"See ya later, sugarcube," yelled an orange-furred country pony.
"See you around, buddy," spoke the confident cyan Pegasus.
"Goodbye, Mr. Hairless Monkey!" exclaimed Pinkie, waving her hoof enthusiastically.
"Goodbye, partner," declared Spike with his fist raised, Green bumped his fist in return.
After everyone had left, the human bid farewell to Zecora and headed to his room. Several hours later, having managed to fall asleep, Green woke up in the middle of the night for the second consecutive time. His first reaction was to reach for the accessory with his hands, and upon making contact, he felt hostile presences within the house. That was enough to dispel any signs of drowsiness he might have had.
With swift movement, he jumped into the closet and closed the door with a barely audible motion. With the accessory in one sweaty hand, he could track the movement of the intruders. Unpleasant was his surprise when he realized their target was his room. As they got close enough, he could hear their hooves echoing in the hallway. The human couldn't understand how a horse could act so stealthily when they practically had a cinder block on each hoof.
After a couple of seconds, he heard the creak of his door opening and saw some motionless shadows extend from the frame into the room. He could hear their voices.
"Are you sure he's here?" whispered someone who didn't dare to enter, speaking in a low voice, an action futile in the dead silence of the night and Green's sharp senses.
"Of course, our contact wouldn't lie to us," said a female voice. Green tried to concentrate on remembering if he had heard those voices before, but it was futile. I've barely finished my first day, and I'm already being betrayed, he thought bitterly. He forced himself to regain his composure; it was important to know who had betrayed him, but his real problem was in front of his room, just a few meters away.
"Go in and look for him," the female voice continued. Green clenched his accessory tightly.
"But what if he's setting up an ambush? What if he's as strong as Tofi?" Maybe he wasn't a legendary hero from a prophecy, but Green was definitely not defenseless.
"Ugh, as you wish," said the female voice with annoyance. "Then we'll force him out. Follow me." When Green heard the sound of their hooves moving away from the door, he cautiously peeked his head out. He only caught a glimpse of a horn protruding from one of the hooded figures as they turned the corner.
With violence and precision, the unknown intruders burst into Zecora's room, and before the zebra's senses could adapt to the abrupt change, she was already subdued with ropes and a muzzle.
"We know you're here, human!" shouted a male voice. "If you don't want anything to happen to your friend, you'd better show yourself." That's playing dirty, thought the human as he emerged from the closet and headed towards the direction of the voices with determined steps. Zecora was almost a stranger to him, but after her help, he couldn't just abandon her. The human was annoyed; while he had a feeling he would eventually get involved in the kingdom's conflict, he had hoped it wouldn't be immediately after finding out about it. At this point, he felt like he was already involved to a point of no return. So be it.
"I'll go with you," said Green, and everyone jumped in surprise as they noticed how quickly the human had entered the room. "Leave Zecora here, and then I'll go wherever you want." The human considered it a good option; at least he could learn more about Tofi and whoever else was after him.
After hearing his words, the hooded intruders gathered in a circle, murmuring among themselves. One of the figures approached Zecora and addressed the traveler. "We accept your conditions." A horn protruded from their hood, which they brought dangerously close to Zecora's forehead. "But first, you must let us tie you up, for our safety."
Green saw no issue with it; he extended his arms, and one of the intruders hastily tied them with a rope. "Satisfied?" After these words, he saw the unicorn's horn glow, and a moment later, Zecora was unconscious.
“Don't get agited, she's just asleep," she said, noticing Green's gaze. The only features he could discern from under the hood were her silver fur and dark blue eyes. "There's no need to do anything rash now, right? So you're Green Mist, aren't you?" The human didn't respond. The pony approached cautiously, her horn maintaining its glow throughout. "You seem too tense. Do you get grumpy when you're woken up in the middle of the night? Don't worry; now you can go back to sleep."
Her horn intensified in brightness, but the human stood firm, a mocking smile on his face. You'd better try harder than that, he thought, observing Eclipse concentrating with closed eyes and her forehead beading with sweat. The room was now fully illuminated by the powerful glow of her horn. The human couldn't help but suppress a laugh. Does she really think her magic would be able to...?
