//------------------------------//
// Chapter 31 - Interview With a Satyr Part 2 (Edited by JBL 29.11.2017) 
// Story: The Last Descendant 
// by Cup of Coffee 
//------------------------------//

She started with asking me to describe humans, which I started off by describing my original appearance. I also detailed the differences between men and women, as well as the diverse hair and skin colours humans possessed, to which Luna remarked that humans sounded a bit colourless. Seeing as she probably didn’t mean any offense, I didn’t respond. Given the startling variety of colours the ponies I had encountered had been, I suppose there was some truth to her statement.

Moving on, Scoop then asked me to talk a bit about human society. I began with how countries were led. I started off with the monarchy and named a few examples. I did not take into account that names such as ‘Belgium’ and ‘Norway’ sounded so foreign and had no proper way of being written in Equish, thus I had to spell it for Scoop, phonetically of course. I then continued on to the democratic system, citing a few examples. As expected, neither Scoop nor Sharp Lens knew what democracy really was, thus I explained it to them.

By now, Scoop already had a sizeable stack of papers sitting on the table before her. Looking at me, she rolled the quill back and forth in her mouth. “How many countries are there on Earth?”

I rubbed my chin in thought. “I can’t remember the exact number, but I think it’s somewhere around two hundred and fifty.”

Scoop’s quill fell an inch when her jaw dropped slightly. “That’s… quite a number. Astonishing!” She hurriedly jotted down my reply. “On a side note, do you know how many humans there are?”

“More than seven billion.”

Scoop’s jaw clenched so hastily that she bit her quill in half, spilling ink on her teeth. “S-S-Seven b-billion?” she stuttered.

It turned out that seven billion was a difficult number to imagine in sheer people, or in this case, ponies. The population of Equestria only ranged in a few million, after all, and the grand total population of Equus was unknown. My reply beget the question on how humanity could produce enough food to feed so many, which led to me explaining how technology and inventions had helped humanity plough fields, harvest crops and modify them to increase their yield, and farm in otherwise challenging locations. I also explained that humans were omnivores, placing emphasis on the fish and meat we eat and trying to avoid naming any animals that could hold a conversation with me. Luna came to the rescue, mentioning that a human’s diet was quite similar to that of the griffons. She also explained to me that griffons had fish farms and raised pigs for food, and they even set aside large forests for wild boars, turkey, and other game. That was not to say that they exclusively ate meat. There were many farms dotting the Griffonian landscape which produced various crops such as grains, vegetables, and fruit.

Hearing Luna describe Griffonia made it sound like a place I could fit right in. Perhaps one day I could visit.

Scoop centred in on how humanity had machines that aided us, and wanted to know how technologically advanced we were. I expected her question and was about to answer when I suddenly found myself hesitating. I asked for a break and excused myself to the back of the room. I didn’t know why, but I felt as though I needed to ponder this question carefully.

While standing there, I noticed some guards patrolling the grounds outside. They wore metal armour, carried spears made of wood and steel, the spearhead polished to a mirror sheen that glinted in the sunlight. Their weaponry and armour might be suitable for ponies, but humanity had long rendered them obsolete. Any rifle or pistol could easily penetrate it, not to mention how exposed their legs and bellies were.

Once again, the pace at which their development had developed struck me. With their own hooves, intellect, and the sweat of their brows, they had adapted to their own environment. I could potentially advance the technology of this world by centuries, maybe even a thousand years. Even my cell phone could be labelled as the greatest invention existing on this planet.

But would it be morally just? Could ponykind adjust to the sudden changes so rapidly? I thought back to humanity’s own industrial progress. People who had practised a certain trade had gone out of business due to mass production and automation. Would the same happen here if I gave the world access to the technology of mankind? I didn’t even know if they had factories, and most of what I had seen produced in this world, from food to books to medicine, was the product of skilled ponies. That meant that everything was made by hand or hoof, or grown and cared for. They didn’t have machines to help them; their steam trains were a fairly new invention, having been around for only a few decades.

I glanced outside at the blue skies and inhaled deeply. I had never breathed air as clean as this, not even when I had travelled as far away from cities and people back home as I could. Factories, cars, and combustion engines hadn’t had a chance to touch this world yet. Could I contaminate this world by technology alone? Was the knowledge in my head enough to pollute this world? Even if I could offer them help, others would probably not see it the same way.

The worse thing was, if I told them about my world and what humanity had invented, there was bound to be someone who’d want the scant knowledge I possessed in order to get rich. I’d probably never get another moment of peace again.

While I pondered what to say, Luna approached me with a concerned expression on her face. “I can see the conflict within you,” she said as she stood next to me. “Why does this question bother you so?”

I chewed on the inside of my cheek, mulling over how to explain it to her. Why was this so hard?

“Not all technology humanity has created is beneficial. Some of the things we have created were at the expense of others, some inventions even created by-products that poisoned the air, the water, and the earth. I really don’t want to give the wrong impression to ponies, to the world in general, in case they already see me as a threat.”

“I… believe I understand your dilemma,” Luna replied hesitantly. She sighed heavily, a certain longing look in her eyes. “The world I left a thousand years ago was… different than this era.” Her voice was little more than a whisper. “There were no plumbing, nor were there indoor toilets. If one had to relieve oneself, there were outhouses. Water was fetched from the well, and if I desired a warm bath, I had to wait for the water to boil. Now there are so many new things filling the world. Every day brings some new invention I hadn’t been aware of to the fore.”

“Nice to have indoor plumbing, right?”

She chuckled. “One of my many favourites. During winter in the olden days, the servants had to break the thick ice in the wells twice a day.” Smiling warmly, Luna turned to me. “Celestia and I are aware of the knowledge you have. You are intelligent, knowledgeable, and observant. A thousand years ago, you would have been hailed as a masterful sage, wise beyond years, and I am confident both Sister and I would make you our advisor in certain matters. You are more enticing than you think with the knowledge you possess.”

Never thought I would hear a pony tell me I was enticing. “Thanks,” I replied with a grateful nod.

Luna’s smile faded slightly. “However, the conflict you face is one I cannot resolve for you. All I can say is to do what you believe is right, for both you and for Equestria. Think matters over clearly before deciding.”

With those words, Luna turned around and left me alone with my thoughts. It felt like a millstone around my neck, such a heavy burden it was. I didn’t want to carry it, just wanted to throw it away.

“Luna.” I heard her hoof steps ceased, then approach closer. With a soundless sigh, I turned and looked down at the alicorn. “I don’t want complicated things, Luna. I hate complicated. If I give one hint concerning what I know, there is bound to be complications, not just for me, but for others as well.”

She kept her expression neutral. “Is this your decision?”

I nodded. “I don’t want to change the world, Luna. I just want to live in it. Peacefully, I may add.” Placing my hands on my back, I took a deep breath and stared deep into her eyes. “I’ve made up my mind. Human inventions belong to humans, not here.”

The pleasant smile that spread on Luna’s face told me I made the right decision.

“As I said, wise beyond years,” she complimented me.

Without another word, I strode back to the chair and sat down, Luna joining me shortly after. She kept her eyes on me, more now than before, but the slight worry in them had faded.

Scoop joined us with her notepad, grinning widely. “Had some time to think, I guess? Long interviews may require a break now and then.”

“They do.” I poured myself some water and gulped it down. “Some questions require heavy thinking.”

Scoop coughed politely. “Now then, where were we? Oh, yes, technology. Do you remember the question?”

I nodded, attempting to maintain a neutral façade despite the conflict churning in my mind. “Yes. I’d say our level of technology is perhaps similar to what you have, from what I’ve observed. That’s all I have to say.”

“Curious, isn’t it, that we are so similar? But what about other things?” Scoop pressed on. I could almost see the curiosity in her eyes.

“My answer remains the same; that’s all I have to say,” I maintained with a sense of finality.

Luckily for me, Scoop didn’t ask press further. I did catch Luna shooting Scoop a stern gaze just after I answered, which might have helped deter her.

Instead, Scoop ventured into a different direction, namely art. There were a lot of things that could be labelled as art, but I just named a few famous artists and the things they were best known for and left it at that. Art had never been my thing, thus my limited knowledge.

Then came another question, one that I hadn’t expected. “Who raises the sun and the moon on Earth?”

“No one—the celestial bodies do it on their own.”

With another quill bit in half, Scoop was lucky she had packed extras today. When she wiped some of the ink clean from her mouth, she asked, sounding distressed. “What? How?”

I wrung my mind, trying to cast my mind back to my school days. I had probably been staring out of the windows, daydreaming about wizards and warlocks. As usual.

“I’m not an astronomer, but I remember it has something to do with gravity. Basically, the planet spins on its own axis and completes one revolution in 24 hours, and in that timeframe the sun shines on one half of the planet and the other half is in darkness which is nighttime. If you wonder why the planet spins it's because the sun, Earth’s sun, is huge, about one million times larger than Earth, thus it possesses enormous mass, and in turn, gravitational pull which draws other objects towards it and causes it to go into an slight oval orbit around the larger object. This is the basics of my home planet's solar system.”

The room went so silent, I could hear a mosquito let one rip. Scoop and Sharp Lens stared at me like I was a madman. Luna was the only one that seemed composed, but I could see that she was interested even though I had previously told her about it.

“T-That’s not possible.” Sharp Lens shook his head in denial. “No, no, that can’t be. Planets just don’t move around willy-nilly.”

“I can believe and agree on some things you’ve explained so far, but this is just too much. This defies everything we know. All rules of nature are governed by magic in some way,” Scoop added.

“Not where I come from. We have rules of nature and physics. Apparently, magic is so weak on Earth that it really doesn’t affect humans, not by a huge degree anyway.” I looked at the stack of blank paper in front of Scoop. “If I can borrow some paper, I’ll draw you a model of the solar system Earth belongs to.”

Scoop practically threw the stack at me, along with an unused quill and unopened ink bottle. Putting the tip of the quill on paper, I managed to spill ink all over it.

“Got a pencil?”

I began sketching, all while Luna, Scoop, and Sharp Lens peered over my shoulders. Somehow, I felt like I was an artist painting a masterpiece, and the ponies were enthusiasts or appraisers judging my work. When I was finished with the sun and the planets, I added several small dots to represent the asteroid belt outside of Mars’ orbit. I even filled in the names for each planet, in a… somewhat correct order. The names made no sense to the ponies, and translating them was impossible.

After completing my drawing, the ponies stared at it in awe, Luna less so. Scoop carefully put the drawing away, making sure it was free of wrinkles and handled with absolute care, saying that the drawing would absolutely be in tomorrow's newspaper.

“You seem to know a lot about your world and how it works,” Scoop mentioned while getting her quill and paper ready again. “What type of education do you have? You seem to be a teacher, or perhaps a scholar with your knowledge.”

I laughed at that. “Oh no, I was neither. My education is quite simple for a person from my country. I had twelve years of basic education, then I went almost one year to… Oh, your language doesn’t have a word for that type of school. Anyway, I went to school for almost thirteen years, but I dropped out during the last year. I was employed at a bowling alley, and I’ve also worked as a farmhand and at a company chopping firewood. It wasn’t a lucrative business, but I was able to pay my bills and afford a few luxuries at times.”

I went on for a while in this vein. It wasn’t terribly exciting stuff, but Scoop asked and I was happy to answer.

Then I went on to explain that Earth didn’t have magic, and that humans believed magic to be fictional since there was no proof of it ever existing. Of course, now I knew better, but it seemed a bit surreal from my current point of view. The ponies also found it strange, but didn’t prod any further.

At that point, Luna suggested we break for lunch, which we agreed to. During the meal, Scoop light-heartedly commented on how I might have a problem buying food in the future, seeing that I was taller than any of them and ate more. I agreed that she had a point, and asked if Canterlot was expensive to live in. According to her, houses were expensive to buy, but renting was affordable. You couldn’t rent a mansion, but there were small apartments available if you searched. Sharp Lens suggested that, what with my height and such, I should look for a minotaur-sized apartment when the time came. Luna also revealed that haggling was normal for ponies concerning certain things. The prices of fresh groceries could be haggled, but items such as furniture and wares had a set price.

I made a mental note for the future. I had to start searching for a job, and when I had scraped together enough money, I’d want a place of my own. I know Celestia and Luna told me that I could stay for as long as I desired, but I’d grow lazy and fat if I remained in the castle. Room and board was free, and my laundry was taken care of. I didn’t want to be a freeloader for long, as it wasn’t my style.

While we were on the subject, I asked what type of currency Equestria used. With her magic, Luna teleported a coin into my hand. It was about the width of my thumbnail, and thicker than most coins. It had a very pale golden sheen to it, but was too light to be real gold. On both sides, it had the markings of the sun and the moon with two alicorns flying around them, who I instantly recognized.

“This is a bit,” Luna explained, blowing on her steaming-hot coffee. “It comes in values of one, five, ten, fifty, hundred, and one thousand bits. Introduced shortly after the unification of the three tribes, it has been our standard currency for almost five millennia.”

“It's not gold, is it? It’s too light.” I weighed the coin in my hand.

“It is a mixture of gold and silver that we call it electrum. Many kingdoms use electrum in their coins, but coins made of purely gold or silver is still very much in use. Equestria is the only kingdom that uses nothing but electrum for our coins. If one is in possession of gold or silver coins, they can exchange them at a bank. If you happen to be in possession of gems, you can often sell them to a craftspony who might have use for them, such as a jeweller.”

I flipped the coin, sending in spinning in the air. It landed quicker than I expected due to being heavier than a normal coin. I passed it back to Luna. “We use coins too, but most of our money is printed on paper.”

Scoop and Sharp snickered. They probably thought the value of the coins was decided by the material it is made of, instead of the financial market. In that regard, paper money would seem crazy.

After lunch, we got right back to the interview. Seeing that the time was nearing one in the afternoon, we figured we’d hurry.

Tapping the quill on her nose, Scoop hummed in contemplation. “How many races live on Earth?”

“You mean sapient races?” Scoop nodded. “Only humans.”

“Only one? There are no earth humans, flying humans, or any other variety?”

“Nope, only us ~homo sapiens~.” The term had come out in Latin. I felt that there was another equine language that would have been appropriate, but instead I went with the old familiar one. “However, there have been a variety of predecessors to modern humans in the past. There were probably also different races related to humans that existed some tens of thousands of years ago. They are long extinct though,” I added.

Scoop once more let her quill fly over the paper. May a deity of ponies have mercy on whosoever had to edit the sizeable stack. And she wasn’t done just yet.

“A question came to mind earlier,” she said. “You said that humans are the only intelligent beings on Earth, right? How did you react when you woke up in Equestria and came face to face with ponies?”

At first I laughed, not expecting the question. “Ehh, well, I was shocked, to say the least. First, I should probably explain something about a certain animal native to Earth called a horse.”

“Please, go on,” Scoop eagerly urged.

“As I said, a horse is an animal from my world. They look a little bit like you, but they are much taller, heavier, more muscular, and not as colourful as you are. Also, they cannot speak and think like you do. Horses only possess basic instincts, but humans and horses have been companions for thousands of years. We rode them into combat, they helped us do heavy work on farms, and we used them to transport goods across great distances. Earth ponies are the ponies who most resemble Earth horses.”

“Aha… So, you thought that the first ponies you saw were animals?”

“I did, until one of them spoke. I first thought someone was playing a practical joke on me, but when I realized it was a guard speaking, I nearly panicked. Of course, the spear levelled at me turned the panic to fear. It took some time for me to understand that the ponies were not horses as I knew them, but another race completely. Now that I’ve grown a bit accustomed to you guys, I’m not that afraid anymore, though I try to keep my calm at all times. I’ve seen things that shouldn’t be possible and acted out of fear because of it, but I hope that as time goes by, I’ll get used to what this world throws at me.”

Scoop eagerly scribbled down my response. “Can you give me a few examples of something that has frightened you?”

Three events instantly came to mind. “The first one is Princess Celestia raising the sun,” I said. “I panicked the first time she demonstrated her abilities. I was even afraid to stand in sunlight because of it.”

Scoop giggled in reply. “I think that may be valid since you come from a place where the sun and moon move on their own. But what are the other two?”

I glanced at Luna. “No offense, Princess Luna, but your dream-walking ability is the other one.”

“I take no offense, Magnus,” Luna assured me.

“How can that cause you fear?” a confused Scoop asked. “Do humans have nopony to watch over their dreams?”

I shook my head. “No, we don’t have any immortal goddesses watching over us in the night-time. If Princess Luna came to my dream it would mean—at least to me—that she violated my privacy. Dreams can be something like a… a private, personal space. It might be difficult to understand from your point of view, but to me, it makes perfect sense.”

I made little more mention of my earlier fear of Luna and her dream-walking ability. If I suggested that she could perhaps control me through my dreams, it could cause further trouble for both of us. I remember Luna telling me that there were still ponies who feared her when she came knocking on their dream’s door.

“I think I understand.” Scoop flipped over to a new page. “Different worlds, different customs and traditions. Your Highness, what do you have to say to Magnus’ statement? Do you feel personally insulted by his opinion?”

“Not at all,” Luna replied calmly. “I understand that our ways are different to what Magnus is comfortable with. I have already promised to leave his dreams alone. Perhaps in the future, Magnus will allow me to watch over his dreams. After all, he is a citizen of Equestria and under the protection of me and my sister. We would not want to treat him differently.”

At the last part, Luna looked to me with a comforting smile. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that the day I allowed her into my mind was the day hell froze over.

“Well, I hope your dreams will be pleasant then, Mr Powell. Sometimes we all need a little help chasing away the boogeymare under the bed.” Scoop’s light-hearted statement elicited a round of laughter.

“Those are two examples of something that has frightened you. What is the third?”

My tongue refused to move. This one hadn’t been on my mind for quite some time now. Who knew what he was up to? Was he here, perhaps planning something for me? I couldn’t tell.

“If you don't mind, I’d rather not answer that.” I averted my eyes and coughed into my hands.

Discord, the Spirit of Chaos. Out of all the overpowered entities of this world, he was the one guy that truly made cold sweat run down my neck. From what I’d read, he could do anything he wanted with the snap of a finger. Worst of all, I just knew that one day I’d meet him face to face. Hopefully, he was as reformed as Celestia and Luna claimed.

“Well, okay, I won’t ask again.” Scoop shot me a weird look, yet continued on with the interview.

The conversation moved on to the weather, where I explained that humanity could not control ours despite all our technology. The fact that weather on Earth acted on its own appeared to slightly upset the ponies. Luna revealed that Equestria controlled most of the weather within its borders, aside from a few areas such as the Everfree Forest. Griffons could also control the weather, but the other nations did not, although they would hire weather teams.

After the interview, Luna told me that most pegasi regarded uncontrolled weather as a danger since they had controlled and manipulated it for so long. This belief had then spread to earth ponies and unicorns due to them living so close together for so long.

On the subject of weather, I explained some of the destructive weather phenomena we experienced on Earth, and the places they occurred. Scoop, Sharp, and Luna were shocked that humanity kept rebuilding in such places known for these extreme events. I ended up explaining human stubbornness to her, to which Luna elegantly countered that stubbornness and madness appeared to possess blurred lines to the human eye.

Honestly, that made me laugh. If only she knew how right she really was. While madness and brilliance went hand in hand, stubbornness might be their best pal.

By the time another hour had passed by, we’d gone through numerous subjects, such as early history of humanity and even ventured into the myths and legends of mankind. It was during the explanation of certain myths that I revealed something that garnered an interesting reaction from Scoop.

“We are what? Myths?” Scoop asked, not quite believing what she heard.

“Myths, stories, and fairy tales,” I explained. “Pegasi, unicorns, griffons, minotaurs, and dragons are all mythological creatures from various human cultures. They have been portrayed in a variety of ways, both good and bad, throughout history.”

Shaking her head in apparent disbelief, Scoop still wrote down what I said. “These are very strange coincidences indeed. Princess Luna, do you believe that ponies from our world might have travelled to the human world sometime in the past?”

Luna nodded. “From what Magnus has told us of his world, yes, I do. Our worlds appear to have much in common. I do not find it unlikely that one unfortunate pony, griffon, dragon, or otherwise might have stumbled into the human world, thus becoming the origin of their mythical beings.”

I nodded in agreement. It sounded likely that some pegasus had ended up in ancient Greece around 3000 BC, becoming the origin of the pegasus legend. The same could be said for all the others as well. If a fully grown winged dragon came to Earth, it could fly around the world. Maybe that was why almost every culture had dragons in their legends.


***


The clock finally read five in the afternoon. For the last eight hours, we’d been cooped up in this room. To say that I had grown tired of all the questions was putting it mildly, but I felt better about it since I only had to give one interview. I did, however, doubt that the media would willingly leave me alone. To them, I must seem like such a prize. I was willing to accept it for now. One day, they would give up. Hopefully.

Scoop stared at the stack of papers that was the record of the interview. She only had one quill left, and less than a quarter bottle of ink. There was no paper remaining. I could see that she was tired; more than a few times, she had to take a break due to a cramp in her jaw. I supposed that was a major drawback of using your mouth to move a writing instrument.

Looking through her papers, Scoop mumbled silently to herself, “I swear I didn’t ask that…” only to follow that with, “Oh, I did ask that.”

It was obvious that Scoop didn’t want the interview to end, but she’d run out of things to ask about. I’d given her enough information that she could write a short encyclopaedia about the human race, with plenty of general information but lacking in details.

“Sadly enough, this is my last question. If only we had more time…”

“I’d say eight hours is more than enough,” I commented dryly.

Clearing her throat, Scoop set her eyes on me, with a smile borne of the professionalism of her trade. “Mr Powell. Magnus. We’ve been told plenty about humans and about Earth. Now I would like to ask you about your own thoughts. Where do you see yourself in one year or maybe even ten years? What do you hope for?”

“That’s… a tough question.” I leaned back in the chair while crossing my legs. I had dreams once, plenty of them. None of them would ever come to pass now, but perhaps I could create new goals for myself.

“A house.” I kept my voice low and my eyes wandering. I had done this a few times during the interview, and I always found my eyes glancing at the windows, to the outside world. “Maybe with a garden, in a nice and quiet neighbourhood. Perhaps someplace secluded, with a good view, maybe with some fruit trees. As for a job… not an office job. Maybe someplace I can work with my hands, like… I can’t come up with a job right now. I don’t even know what kind of jobs there are out there. I’ll just have to find out.”

I drummed my fingers on the armrest before taking out my practice pebble from my pocket. Without effort, I levitated it into the air. Earlier, I had demonstrated to Scoop and Sharp that my horn wasn’t just for show. Of course, I had been asked about the dual colours of my magic, and I had replied that it was residual magic from the magical construct that had led me here.

“I like magic. I want to know more about it, maybe learn more spells. That would be awesome. See, I was really curious about magic when I was a child. I learned card tricks, simple sleight of hand, easy illusions. Stuff like that, you know?” I made the stone circle around my chair before landing in my open palm. “Now I have a chance to learn real magic, and I don’t plan to waste it.

“As for the rest of my future…” I trailed off for a moment, trying to find the words. “I hope to find acceptance. I’ve scared ponies here at the castle. Some of it was part of me not knowing any better while another part had to do with a pretty brutal culture clash, I guess. I hope that… when the day comes, when I leave the castle to find a place of my own in this world, I can walk down the street without frightening ponies, and without them stopping to stare at me. I hope to be able to buy food and not be treated differently from others. I hope that…” I paused, meeting the eyes of the three ponies who were absorbed by my words. “I hope to be treated normally, not just confined to the label of an ‘alien’. I want to be treated like an ordinary individual instead of an extraordinary creature that you know little of. That’s all.”

My words hung in the air for several seconds after I finished my statement. Scoop did nothing but stare at me while she rolled the quill to the corner of her mouth. The steadfast clicks coming from Sharp’s camera also ceased momentarily.

Scoop nodded slowly in acknowledgment of my words. “You just want to be treated normally.”

“I never wanted fame, just a peaceful life. I still want it, despite my situation. Perhaps I want it even more now.”

“I can’t say how easy or difficult your wish is,” Scoop said, elegantly moving the quill with her lips. “But I can say that it is ambitious, considering your situation.”

I afforded myself a smile, acknowledging the truth of her statement. Famous people were rarely left alone. Movie stars, musicians, and athletes were hounded everywhere they went. It was no wonder they lost their shit once in a while. Still, I might be lucky enough that the media here was more considerate than those on Earth. Stranger things have happened.

With a single dot at the end of the sentence, Scoop finished writing my reply. Checking over her work, she nodded firmly before placing the sheet of paper on top of the already completed stack. She then leaned over to grab a new sheet, but her hoof only grasped air.

Scoop heaved a disappointed sigh as she picked up the bundle that by tomorrow would be in every newspaper in Equestria. “I had so many questions to ask, and time passed by so fast.” She gently placed the papers onto the table with a dejected expression on her face. “If only I had more time, I could have done this properly.”

I glanced at the thick stack. It must easily have been a hundred pages or so, at least. Not done properly? Horseshit.

“Honestly, I think you did great.” I picked up the stack, flipping through the first pages. In the margins, she’d scribbled down additional notes, chief amongst them a description of my face. I supposed my face would be difficult for them to grasp.

I then added, “Your questions were honest and inquisitive. You asked for additional information, never tried to derail the subject, and acted professionally.”

The saddened expression faded, replaced by a hopeful look in her eyes. “Really? I did good?” she asked, smiling ever so slightly. “Never thought I would hear an alien tell me that I’m a good journalist.”

“You performed admirably, even with no time to prepare, Ms Scoop. As did you, Sharp Lens.” Luna stood up and flexed her wings after many hours of inactivity. “I am confident that the many photos you have taken today will surely slake the reader's curiosity.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Standing up, I stretched my arms and legs, feeling my joints pop. Scoop also got up and began packing away her things. “So, are we done then?” I asked, hoping that there was a chance a meal would be available soon.

“Actually,” Sharp piped up, having placed a fresh roll of film into his camera and closing the lid, “I got plenty of pictures from all around the room, but I never got any of the three of you that I liked.”

Scoop nodded. “Good thinking, Sharp. We gotta have a few last photos, something for the papers, you know? Something with Mr Powell standing alone, or posing with ponies. Yeah, that’ll be great.” Scoop eagerly tapped her hooves together at the prospect.

“I don’t mind posing for a few photos.” If the public saw me with someone famous such as Luna, but also with an ordinary pony, then perhaps that would help settle a few nerves.

“Neither do I,” Luna added.

“Fantastic. I’ve got a few poses that I think would be great.”

Under Sharp Lens’ trained eye, Scoop, Luna, and I ended up doing several poses together. We did one where Scoop pretended to interview me while Luna sat next to us, almost looking like a babysitter of sorts. Sharp also took several photos of me either sitting in a chair or standing in a relaxed posture. We then moved on to me standing next to Luna and Scoop. Seeing that Scoop was around the average height of a mare and Luna stood taller than most mares and stallions, a photo of all three of us gave a nice indication of my height. However, there was one series of photos that I personally liked best. One of them was me crouching in front of Luna, shaking her hoof and both of us giving each other a friendly smile. I liked it because it symbolized friendship and tolerance between different races. I hoped the rest of Equestria would feel the same. Another was my hand, palm open, gently holding Scoop’s hoof. I didn’t want to be portrayed as some kind of gigantic brute.

The photo shoot lasted less than thirty minutes, and not long after, Scoop and Sharp had packed their things, ready to leave. Luna had summoned someone to escort the two ponies to a different part of the castle where they could develop the photos and also rewrite the complete interview in peace. The princesses also had several ponies ready to assist Scoop with copying the interview as well as pegasi couriers to fly to various parts of Equestria to deliver the interview to local newspapers. It seemed Luna had the entire process planned out smoothly.

With a single nudge and swing of her head, Scoop’s saddlebags slid onto her back. They were lighter now than earlier today, but there was still a slight sag to them. Sharp had also packed away his camera and films, and as they were ready to depart, they both turned to me.

“When I woke up today, I expected to write another story of how Princess Twilight Sparkle had saved Equestria, or maybe that Prince Blueblood had finally found a mare to marry, or even a royal declaration stating Princess Cadenza is pregnant.” She shook her head and chuckled. “I was so, so wrong. Today has been interesting, enlightening, and educational.”

“Glad I could make your day interesting,” I replied with a nod. “Also, thank you for conducting the interview with a high level of professionalism. I admit I expected someone of lesser integrity.”

“Oh, stop it, you flatterer you.” Scoop waved a dismissive hoof at me, her cheeks gaining a slightly red tint. “I’m still glad to be the one to interview you. I went into this interview not knowing what to expect, and I was positively surprised. You are a very polite and nice human. I don’t know if this is what all humans are like or if it’s only you, but I’m happy to have met you.”

“Likewise, Ms Scoop.”

Sharp Lens stepped next to Scoop and held out his hoof to me. I made a fist and lightly bumped his hoof. I had seen ponies perform this particular gesture before. Sometimes it looked like a brofist, while other times it appeared to be akin to a handshake.

“Good luck out there, Mr Magnus. Equestria’s a big place, and the world is even bigger. Hopefully, you’ll find a place for yourself out there.” I could almost see the sincerity written on his face.

“Thanks, Sharp Lens. It feels good to hear ponies have faith in me,” I replied, giving him an appreciative nod.

The doors opened and a unicorn stallion walked in silently, stopping just behind Scoop and Sharp. I thought I’d seen him before around the castle.

“Ah, Kibitz, you have arrived just in time. We have finished the interview; will you see to it that Ms Scoop and Mr Sharp Lens are paid the agreed amount for services rendered? Also, have a guard escort them to their assigned rooms. There is much to do before the day is over.”

The moustachioed unicorn bowed to Luna. “Of course, Your Highness, I’ll see to it immediately. Miss Scoop, Mister Sharp, if you will follow me, please.”

Scoop and Sharp nodded to him. “Magnus, Princess Luna, goodbye. It was a pleasure.” She bowed to Luna, gave me a smile, then turned around and began to walk.

Next came Sharp. Hefting his bags onto his back, he grinned widely as he walked up to me. “Mr Magnus, today I was one of the first ponies in Equestria to meet and actually exchange a words with somepony from another world. When I tell my marefriend, she’ll never believe me. I wish you good luck in Equestria. Princess Luna, thank you for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have plenty of photos to develop.”

With those last words, he turned around and quickly caught up to Scoop, who was waiting for him at the door. They waved goodbye to us as the doors shut behind them. Being courteous, I waved back to them, but the moment the doors closed, I almost slumped down into the chair. Taking a calming breath, I felt my muscles relax, letting the tension ease away slowly.

The interview was finally over. Now it was up to the world to decide how they would see me.


***


With the interview over, Luna and I went to one of the castle’s common rooms. Most of the time, they served as places where the princesses could relax, entertain guests, and do whatever they fancied. When we arrived, Celestia, Twilight, and the girls were waiting for us. I was curious as to how the press conference went and asked them.

Long story short, the ponies lost their shit to begin with, but eventually calmed down when Celestia and Twilight explained my origins and journey to Equestria. According to Celestia, the various races that attended the conference weren’t exactly afraid, but perhaps slightly concerned as well as quite inquisitive. That came as no surprise. She and Twilight had spent nearly four hours answering as many questions, both reasonable and ludicrous, as they could. One of the craziest was concerning if foals should be allowed to roam outside anymore. Somehow, a few ponies had the idea that I was a flesh-eating monster that stalked the streets of Canterlot. Celestia’s reassurance that I was harmless put some of their fears to rest. Some even asked to see me, as if I was a zoo exhibit on display. Both Twilight and Celestia admitted to becoming slightly irritated when those questions came up. Still, they couldn’t blame them—ponies were curious about me, so that was understandable.

Overall, the conference went better than expected, although there were ponies camping out at the castle’s gate waiting for a glimpse of me. Some had even tried to sneak in, but those that tried were gently, but firmly, escorted off the premises by the guards and given a stern warning. The increased security was paying off.

What concerned me was that not a single ambassador had requested an audience with the princesses. I had been certain they would have swarmed all over the castle like flies over shit. If aliens landed outside the White House and the entire world knew, every ambassador would be calling the president nonstop. Still, I was in probably the most secure place on this planet, so I wasn’t too worried about anything they might be planning.

I then explained how the interview went and delved into the kind of questions I was asked. They seemed pleased to hear that everything went well. Even though they knew a fair bit about me already, they all wanted to read the interview tomorrow, Twilight especially. I thought that her thirst for knowledge had been sated when I told her about Earth before she had left on the expedition. That was apparently not the case. How much did she write about me back then? Probably more than the interview itself.

With nothing pressing on the agenda, we eventually all settled down for dinner. We discussed what tomorrow would bring, possible outcomes of the conference, and my upcoming journey to Ponyville.

Honestly, I had started to feel excited about the prospect. Seeing as two ponies who’d never met me before had warmed up to me so quickly, I hoped that staying in a town full of ponies would go just as easy. I was probably wrong, seeing as ponies probably had something similar to Murphy's Law. Still, it was progress for me.

My only worry was Discord, but I never mentioned it. He was an unknown element in my equation, capable of anything that came to his mind. My only solace was that a diminutive yellow pegasus mare could probably handle him.

That in turn made me wonder what kind of power she had at her command.


***


Sleep eluded me, resulting in me tossing and turning in bed for the better part of an hour. The temperature of the room was perfect, the bed soft, the comforter warm, and the room was silent. By all accounts, I should be slumbering like a baby, but all I found was restlessness.

With an angry shove, I pushed the comforter away and got up. Getting dressed, I walked into the living room and practically fell into a chair. I looked at the clock on the wall, noting that it was only ten past eleven in the night. Damn.

Though I could blame a wide variety of things for not being able to sleep, only one was true; I was nervous. Again. All the excitement from earlier had dissipated, and though I tried my best to stay positive, now that the moment was close, I had cold feet. Or hooves. Whatever.

Troubling thoughts invaded my mind. What if some ponies decided that I was dangerous and evil, and began spreading propaganda? What if I became the target of racism? It had happened already, long ago, but I’d gotten over that. After all, we were stupid kids who believed wrestling was real and that you became a ninja by owning a homemade nunchuck. All that had ever gotten me was a solid bump on my head.


I needed to get my mind on something else. I needed air. Maybe an evening walk could help me clear my head from these unwanted thoughts. Yeah, definitely a walk.

I went back to my room and found a thicker shirt that could endure the crisp night’s air. After putting it on, I noticed my cell phone sitting on the nightstand, still in pieces. I hadn’t tried turning it on for weeks, having almost forgotten about it. Maybe I should bring it with me, see if it worked. I quickly assembled the phone, put it in my pocket, and left the room.

In the hallway, I found the guards guarding the door. As usual. I wasn’t royalty or a foreign dignitary, so I didn’t expect a bow from them.

“Mr Powell, what are you doing up at this hour?” one of them asked.

I chose a direction and began walking, the guards quickly falling in behind me. “I can’t sleep. Figured I’d go for a walk or something.”

Wandering through the halls, I spotted night guards patrolling, but the usual train of maids and butlers were noticeably absent. My feet eventually led me close to the entrance hall where the guards stopped me.

“Mr Powell, there may be petitioners waiting for Her Highness, Princess Luna. Are you sure you want to be seen by them?”

I only needed a moment to think. “No, it would cause a scene. Is there a way we can go outside from here?”

“Of course, follow us.”

We backtracked and walked through another hallway. Signs on the doors indicated various storage rooms and the kitchen. Judging by the sounds, the kitchen staff was still on the clock. Traversing through a couple more hallways to circle around the throne room, we entered a large ballroom. A glass door led us outside.

Upon reaching the garden, I was met by the various aspects the night: chirping crickets, a rustling of faint breeze passing through, crisp mountain air, and a silvery moon casting its light down upon this world. Walking across the lawn was like balm on my hooves. Why did it feel so pleasant? Was it perhaps some sort of natural instinct within me that was now awakened? So much had changed in recent weeks that the possibility no longer seemed absurd.

I had walked the garden several times and decided upon a different path this time. I followed the wall of the castle for a while until a group of willow trees standing at the far end of the garden caught my attention. It looked somewhat out of place, so I decided to take a closer look.

Upon reaching the trees, I saw that they encircled a pond roughly thirty meters across. Fireflies flitted over the pond, darting and blinking softly. A cobblestone pathway ran around the pond, and to the side was an elegant wooden bench. Sitting down, I realized that the pond was fed by a small stream coming from someplace up on the mountainside, and at the other end, the water flowed silently to the edge of the cliff and fell down. A low wall prevented anyone from going near.

The guards, perhaps thinking I needed some time alone, had halted by the trees, easily keeping their eyes on me. Feeling a bit comfortable now that I was alone, I leaned back and filled my lungs with fresh air, feeling the stress of the day melt away. I preferred a slower route, both in my work and in my life. What the next few days brought me, I just had to handle, one way or the other.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out my cell phone. It would be a shock if it still worked, seeing as saltwater and sensitive electronics never blended well. After holding down the power button, I was pleasantly surprised when the screen lit up with the familiar sound of it powering on. Punching in my password, the phone booted and the old familiar menu popped up with all my favourite apps displayed. The battery was at roughly seventy-five percent, but as expected, there was no signal though I instinctively raised my hand in the air to try to get one.

After reading some of my old messages, I went into the gallery and began browsing. There were less than fifty pictures saved, as I had transferred most of them to my computer a few months back. There was one photo that stood out from the randomness; the one of me and my friends taken on our last evening together, the day before I left Montana.

We all sat around a table with a half-eaten pizza on it, each of us with a bottle of beer raised, posing for the photographer. The owner of the pizzeria, James, had taken the photo. He had always been a nice and polite guy.

Just a bunch of friends hanging out, enjoying a pizza and a few beers, and having fun in each other's company. It felt like such a long time ago.

A smile formed on my face as I looked at the photo, the memory of the dream flashing across my mind. My finger gently touched the screen, zooming in on all of us.

“Well, here I am, guys. Not exactly how I wanted it to be, but alive at least. Wish I could tell you in person, instead of talking to figments of my dreams.” I stared at the photo, nodding slowly with pursed lips. “I’ll be okay. Don’t worry about me. I got… I don’t know if they are friends or allies, but I have someone, somepony, looking after me. It’ll work out. Somehow. I know it. Everything will work out in the end.”

I pressed the home button on the phone, exiting the gallery. Pocketing my phone, I exhaled slowly. For several long minutes, I just sat there, staring at the pond and the stars and moon reflecting off its surface. I felt calm and at peace, but there was one thing that was missing, and I knew what it was.

Bringing out my phone again, I opened the music library to find one of my favourite artists.


***


“Truly? He really said so?”

Luna nodded. “I speak the truth. He appeared to be distressed because of Miss Scoop’s question, and when I finally asked him what bothered him, he revealed that while the technology and inventions of mankind may be beneficent, there are also significant disadvantages to them.”

“What kind of disadvantages?” Celestia asked, her curiosity piqued. Luna had just regaled her of a few parts of the interview that not been broached at dinner, subjects that needed to be discussed.

“According to him, by-products of these inventions can poison the air, land, and water. I may be wrong, but I believe he subtly meant to imply that his people suffered for them. Perhaps they too became poisoned because of these inventions,” Luna answered.

Celestia poured her tea, added sugar, and then slowly stirred the beverage with a silver spoon, a thoughtful expression on her face. Luna mirrored her sister's actions, but substituted coffee instead of tea. Noticing Celestia’s contemplation, she asked, “What is on your mind, Tia?”

Lifting her cup up to her muzzle, Celestia took a dainty sip, smiling as she lowered the cup. “I expected Magnus to introduce something of his world to us, perhaps as a way to make his life easier, or maybe even to hold his homesickness at bay. From what he had described, they could have been beneficial to our ponies as well.”

“Ah, yes. They do sound incredible. These chariots that move on their own, for example, with no need for rails.”

“Those too. I was thinking more in the way of inventions to ensure that nopony would never have to starve, magnificent advances in medicine, perhaps a cure for all ailments… So much that I wish for.”

She suddenly shook her head, and in one quick motion, the large alicorn was on her hooves, walking towards the balcony door. Using her magic, the door swung wide open and she headed towards the marble railing. Gazing over her moonlit kingdom, Celestia once again sipped her tea. Movement below caught her eye, and when she looked down, she spotted Magnus going for a walk, two night guards following him.

“But not if it means destroying what we have.”

Luna walked to stand next to her sister, a steaming cup of coffee in her magic. “In that, we fully agree.” She followed her sister’s gaze and spied Magnus. Where was he going?

With a sigh, Celestia’s eyes trailed the human as he slowly ambled along. Such a strange creature, yet with a good heart and, now she knew, a bright mind. “I expected him to introduce inventions to our world without thinking of the consequences. I was ready to encourage him, if need be. Now I see that I did not think far enough ahead. We may be wise, but even we can learn from one far younger than us.”

“We are not goddesses, Sister. Our subjects may see us as divine beings, but we are not. We are flawed. You are flawed.” Luna sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. “I am flawed the most. While I was trapped on the moon as punishment for my misdeeds, you kept Equestria together. In this great kingdom’s most dire hour, you kept a vigilant eye, defended our ponies, safeguarded the borders, and built a solid foundation for diplomacy, good relations, and trade with the other kingdoms. You worked for peace.” Drawing breath, Luna straightened and smiled at her sister. “You have done so much; do not let a small error in judgement weigh so heavily on your back, especially when the error never came to be.”

Celestia turned and bent down to nuzzle her sister, touching cheek to cheek. “Thank you. The pedestal our ponies has put me on is lofty, and sometimes I lose sight of the ground.”

“Then you need me to fly you down so that you can see the ground,” Luna replied with a chuckle. “After all, I have always been the strongest flier and you the strongest in magic.”

“Now now, let’s not argue again. We are no longer ten year old fillies,” Celestia warned light-heartedly.

In return, Luna flank-bumped her sister playfully. “True, we are millennia-old fillies.”

Both alicorns broke into a playful fit of laughter, a welcome reprieve from the stress the day had brought. Laughter reminded both of their younger days, and even though those were long consigned to the distant past, the sisters would always remember and cherish them.

Suddenly, unfamiliar sounds reached their ears. Their ears swivelled to the direction of the sound, and to their surprise, it came from the far end of the garden

“Do you hear that?” Celestia asked.

“I do; it is music.”

Curiosity overtook them, and after setting their cups down on the railing, they spread their wings and took off, determined to find the source of the music. Their search brought them to the willowed pond. Soundlessly, they landed at the closest tree. Further away, they encountered two guards vigilantly guarding Magnus. The willow pond was a special place that the princesses would sometimes visit to think and contemplate. The guards knew of this and thus kept their distance.

Magnus himself was seated on a bench. With his head leaning back and his arms and legs crossed, he had an odd, yet relaxed expression on his face. On the seat next to him was the human-made communication device from whence the music originated.

It was a steady, yet playful tune created by some unknown instrument, accompanied by the voice of a woman and a man. The music was so unfamiliar and otherworldly that the two sisters couldn’t help but listen. The music was clearly meant to be uplifting, judging by the light-hearted feel of the melody.

Slow at first, Celestia began bobbing her head in tune with the music, but soon she picked up the pace and Luna followed. It was clear to them that this music was not meant to dance to, only to listen, but they didn’t care. First it was just a simple step to the side, then back again, but when they became familiar with the tune, they grew a bit bolder. Moving their flanks from side to side, they spread their wings, swaying them rhythmically from side to side.

The magic of music was a well-known phenomenon of the world. No matter one’s age or species, all could feel music overtake them from time to time. However, this was different from the music phenomenon they were accustomed to. It had no rhyme or reason; it just existed. This did not deter Celestia and Luna as they swayed along with the music.

The song eventually wound down, the melody fading into the sound of the night. As the two sisters folded their wings back to their bodies, they witnessed a calm man staring out over a silent pond that reflected the stars, the moon, and a thousand fireflies dancing into the night. What they didn’t see was his smile.