//------------------------------// // An Outing // Story: Welcome to Batstralia // by Damaged //------------------------------// Language check. Anything wrapped in < > in this chapter is spoken English (there isn't much at all, one line I think), everything else is in Equish. Dear Michael Robertson. It is with great delight that I send this invitation to visit Canterlot Castle, and I eagerly look forward to meeting you. Of particular interest is finding out how you traveled to Equestria, and how you plan to get back. Yours Expectantly Princess Celestia of Equestria Mike was sitting in his living room, reading the document again, and then once more to be sure. Folding the formal letter closed, he looked up with a smile that was from ear to ear. "I can't believe I'm finally going!" "Are we going now or what?" Limestone wore a more-sour-than-usual frown, and everypony knew she was just annoyed at having to leave the farm for a week. Pulling out a pair of coconuts, Maud dutifully passed them to Mike. "Here, you have hands." She managed to keep her expression neutral for a good thirty seconds before one corner of her mouth pulled up in a little grin. The grin was the signal Mike had been waiting for. "Yeah, yeah. How long did you say it was again? A day to walk to Ghastly Gorge?" Mike stood up, hefted his backpack on, and spent a moment getting the straps just right. On the back of his pack, a newer acoustic guitar was strapped. "Candela said it took her and Misty two days." "That's why we aren't bringing Marble or Pinkie." Limestone had to duck her head as a screeching Tufts winged his way over her head and grabbed hold of one of the straps on Mike's shoulder. "Hey buddy." Mike's hand lifted right away to rub the bat around the neck. "Hold on, if I get him some grapes he'll leave us alone." He turned and carried his little passenger into the kitchen. Limestone let loose the ever-suffering sigh of a pony who really wanted to be leaving. "I thought you were giving him man—" She blinked as Maud's hoof pressed to her snout. "You don't say the 'M' word around him." Maud was back to her monotone voice. "It makes him get worked up." Drawing her hoof back slowly, Maud looked her sister right in the eyes. "Mango." Limestone smiled widely. When Tufts screeched and launched himself from Mike's front, she started laughing, watching the bat do tight circles of the kitchen. "Now you've done it." Mike lifted out the bunch of grapes and popped one free. "Hey, Tufts, you hungry or what?" He tossed the first grape into his mouth, and sure enough Tufts zoomed around and landed on him again with an angry little screech. "Thought so, here you go." Plucking another grape free, Mike held it out to the bat. Limestone Pie stopped her laughter when Maud poked her in the shoulder. "Oh come on, that was pretty funny!" Feeding Tufts another grape, Mike glared at Limestone. "Okay, it might have been, but keep the M word under wraps, okay?" He reached up and offered his wrist to Tufts, slowly transferring the bat across to that, then to his usual perch in the kitchen. "If I leave you the bunch, will you keep the noise down and not make a mess?" Mike was no longer surprised when the bat replied to such questions with a little kreee sound, and so he broke off a third of the bunch and clipped it to the end of his perch. "Wait," Limestone tilted her head a little, causing her bangs to swing from covering one side of her face to the other, "how does he know Equestrian for Ma—" Maud was now batting two for three, having gotten her hoof up to stop Limestone from finishing the word. "Pinkamena." Maud rolled her eyes, and slowly drew her hoof back. "And it isn't like we're the only ponies here who speak Equish." "Hi." Mike grinned, taking the pass-off joke from Maud. "Why, Mister Ed down the road speaks English and Equish just fine." Realizing his mistake too late, Mike tried to cover for having never shown either Maud or Limestone the Mister Ed show. "Uh…" He pulled out the coconuts. "Come, Patsy!" Maud's face broke into a big grin. "Let us ride…" She trailed off dramatically. Limestone stomped out of the house. "You're both idiots." "To Canterlot!" Mike and Maud both chorused the words together, and following Maud, Mike started clopping the coconuts together to make horse-sounds. "Oh, we're Knights of the Round Table, we dance whenever we're able." Maud was in fine voice, trotting out of the house to the sound of coconuts striking. "We do routines and chorus sce—" "No! No, no, no!" Limestone glared at her sister. "No singing. None. This trip's long enough already without you two singing all those silly songs!" Maud closed her mouth and turned to Mike. "On second thought, let's not go to Canterlot. 'Tis a silly place." "I'm regretting this already, and we haven't even properly started." Limestone gave an exasperated sigh. "I'll let you sing if you stop with the coconuts." Mike pretended to think about the deal, his hands working the coconuts as he did. "Very well, we will face the peril without our hoof-clopping noises." He passed the two half-shells back to Maud, who put them in her own pack. ~~~~~+++++~~~~~ "Wonderment" would be the word Mike would use to describe his state. They had spent a full day keeping a brisk pace going, and camped under the stars and an odd-looking moon. The next morning had them tracing the last bit of a huge gorge, finally reaching a low railway platform that seemed somewhat in the middle of nowhere. Blocking his vision of the huge mountain to the north was a vast forest. "Everfree?" Mike had his pack resting beside him on the low platform, and gazed off into the thick forest. "Let me guess, full of cute elves who skip around and hug trees?" He lifted the guitar that was strapped to the back of his pack off and started to tune it. "Timber wolves, jackalopes, and worse." Limestone walked up beside Mike and sat down. Looking at Mike hopefully, the desire she showed for some music was unmistakable. Raising a single eyebrow, Mike started to strum. "I hope you like this one." The tune was slow, but he noticed the normally angry mare smiling as she bobbed her head along to the tune. "And I promise I won't sing." "Good." Limestone closed her eyes and let the music play on. Maud found her own seat beside her sister, and leaned against her side. "What is it called?" "Wild Horses." Mike couldn't stop his grin from widening at the name of it. "By the Rolling Stones." Both mares were gaping at him now, but Mike ignored them and kept playing. "How often does the train come past?" "No idea." Limestone grinned at Mike's stumbled strumming. "What, you think I know everything? Gorge is as far as I have ever been. This trip is a first for me too." She shrugged a little. "You didn't tell me that!" Mike abandoned the slow music, speeding up his pace and starting in on something with nearly double the beat. "Has Pinkie or Marble been there?" Maud's hoof was tapping to the upbeat song. "No." "Now I feel bad that we didn't bring them." Mike struck a flourish down the neck, fingers sliding along the strings. "But I guess that just means we get to come again. This one is Tainted Love." His fingers kept doing their thing, until a whistle bid him stop. Turning his head, he saw the oddest looking train he had ever seen. It looked almost cartoonishly simple, but nonetheless it was barreling along the tracks towards the station. Limestone stood up and rolled her eyes. "Well I guess it could've been worse." She glared between Mike and Maud. "You could've been singing as well." Watching the train slow down as it rolled into the station from her right, Mike slung his guitar back over his pack and hefted the thing onto his back again. "Wait, do we have to pay a fare?" "Ma and Pa gave me some bits." Limestone smirked. "So be nice or I won't pay for you." She stepped up onto the first step of the train, and was followed by Mike and Maud. Straightening up inside the train, Mike was a little surprised at how much room there was. "Wow, this is pretty spacious. Why is there so much head-room?" He lifted his arms, only barely touching the roof of the train car. "Pegasi love flying. The cars are built so tall to accommodate them stretching their wings on long trips." Mike turned to see the train Conductor standing behind them. An older-looking pony, with brown hair in his mane and tail, and a yellow coat of fur. "Oh, thank you!" Mike smiled and started to take a step when the train gave a shunt to start moving again. "Ahhhh!" But rather than the expected—and likely painful—fall, he found himself literally being held up in mid air in a green glowing aura. "Whoa now, careful there." The Conductor's horn was glowing brightly with its own green. "At a regular station they take it a bit easier. My name's Stamped Mark. Tickets please?" He set Mike down on one of the low benches. With his heart thumping fast, Mike almost bounced back off the bench seat. "That was amazing!" He looked from the two Pie sisters and back to Stamped. "But I guess it is a lot less so for you. Sorry, I haven't really met many unicorns." He held out his hand—palm out—for a moment, before turning his hand into a fist. "A visitor to Equestria? Welcome!" Stamped's eyes slid to Maud and Limestone. "Are you showing him around? Taking him to Canterlot?" "I wrote a letter and all!" Mike lifted off his pack and started rifling through the front pouch of it. "Here." He held it out, feeling so excited to be on the final leg of the trip. Stamped floated the letter up so he could see the royal seal and the contents, then returned it to Mike. "Well, a letter from Princess Celestia herself. As royal guests, I can't really charge you for tickets. You have a good day now——?" "Mike," Mike pointed to the letter addressed to him, "Mike Robertson. And thank you!" He watched the conductor walk down to the end of the car and headed to the next one. "Did you see that? Wow! Magic is amazing. It-It's magic!" He knew full well he was bouncing in place, but didn't care. "And just like that he let us ride for free? This place is amazing!" His vocabulary had shrunk with the rush of happiness. "Ugh!" Limestone let out her cry of inarticulate rage as calmly as she could. "If this is how you're at just getting on the train, how are you going to be when you meet the Princess?" She stabbed a hoof in Mike's direction. Limestone's words failed to bring Mike down from his high. He was staring out the window at the fantastic world that passed him by. "If I squee like a little girl you have full permission to thump me." The train went over a bridge, a river passing underneath. Appreciation for trains and other vehicles really set in after having walked a full day, just to get somewhere. "I'll hold you to that." Limestone smirked. A crackling voice came over the PA system in the train. "Ponyville station next stop." It sounded like Stamped Mark was in a tiny little room with the worst microphone in existence, but it was clearly him. "Next stop is Ponyville." "There is an actual city called 'Ponyville'?" Mike turned his head a little to try to catch a glimpse of the town, but it wasn't until they passed the last of the forest that most of Ponyville became visible. "Oh wow…" His voice gave out, on the streets-that-weren't-real-streets were dozens of ponies. Unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies. He watched a few pegasi zoom through the sky, one in particular hammering their way into a low cloud. "Uh, Mike?" Maud poked Mike's ribs. "Mike? You're drooling on the window…" She poked him again. "If this is how he is now, what will he do in a big city?" She turned and looked at Limestone. "This is going to be awesome." Limestone rubbed her forehooves together with a sinister grin set on her snout. Staring out the window, Mike's eyes grew massive as he stared at each detail. His brain just couldn't take in the entirety of the town—it was too fantastic. The train gave a shunt, and started to tear the sight away from him. He was dead silent, watching the town slowly fade from view. When it was gone, he turned back to Maud and Limestone. "With us again?" Limestone reached up and poked Mike's nose. "Good. I thought it was funny at first, but you seriously lost it there." She gestured to the town they had passed, just as the train clattered its way into a tunnel. In his distraction, Mike had failed to notice the carriage had gained a few more occupants. "Sorry, but I just can't get over how… how cool this is." "It's cold?" Maud blinked slowly at Mike. "Did you bring a scarf?" Mike froze for a moment (movement, not thermally). Opening his mouth, he was about to say something, when Maud giggled and waved her forehooves at him. "You're getting better at that." Rolling his eyes, Mike gave a groan. "You're teaching my sisters bad habits." Limestone bopped Maud on the shoulder, and then pointed her hoof at Mike. "Corrupting the fillies of Equestria…" "St-Stop!" Maud was giggling like a loon now, her sides heaving with all her laughter. As she struggled against the laughing fit, Maud looked at Mike who was laughing as well. "Ni!" Schooling his features as best he could, Mike almost lost it when Maud repeated her exclamation again, but he focused on Limestone. "She got better…" He clamped his mouth closed, and even put up with an eye-roll from the older of the two siblings. Their verbal sparring was put on hold as the conductor came through, checking the tickets of ponies who had boarded at Ponyville, and no sooner did he leave than his voice came over whatever the train had for a PA system. "Canterlot Station is the next stop. The train will soon arrive and terminate at Canterlot station. All change please." Mike spun to look out the window again, and his heart skipped a beat. The train crested the last of the switchbacks, and Canterlot was visible. The huge castle was the nearest part of the city, but it sprawled out into the distance. Words failed him completely at how amazing it was, how huge it was, and how very real it was. "Wow…" "It's just a model…" Maud giggled again, and this time ended up with a finger pressed to her snout, a shushing gesture. "You have seen where I'm from, you have seen pictures." Mike pulled his hand back and pointed at Canterlot. "Nothing on Earth is like this. Nothing is anywhere near this amazing." He fell back onto the seat, not even realizing that he had been standing. The train gave a little sigh as it stopped, and the conductor walked down the train to find Mike still staring out the window. "Quite the city, isn't it?" Stamped beamed in pride at the amazement shown by Mike. "I hate to be pushy, but you really need to hop off the train." Reality plunged back into Mike, and he shook his head a little to clear it of the remaining pink clouds of stunned wonder. "Oh, sorry!" Reaching for his pack, Mike hoisted it up to his back and shouldered it. "Come on Maud, Limest…" "Your friends are waiting outside for you. I told them I'd get you moving." Stamped followed Mike to the end of the car. "Enjoy your time here!" Mike felt a hard shove as he stepped off the train, and looked at a grinning Limestone. "What was that for?" He rubbed his hip and started walking down the steps from the platform. "You told me I totally could." Limestone grinned up at Mike. "And I'll be watching to see if you do that again." "I'm pretty sure I didn't 'Squee like a schoolgirl.' " Mike reached over and ruffled Limestone's mane as payback. "You probably shouldn't have done that." Stepping between the two, Maud looked from Mike to Limestone. "You started it, sis. We're here now, so let's agree to have fun." Her eyes practically bored into one, then the other. "Fine!" Mike and Limestone both said at the same time, then each cracked a giggle. Mike pulled out his invitation and started leading the way towards the castle. With his eyes darting to every pony they passed, Mike barely even picked up on the conversations, but then a voice raised above the others, and got his attention. "Come and see as I, Trixie, perform magic feats unlike any seen before!" A showmare, looking barely older than Maud herself, was standing on her back hooves and waving her forelimbs in the air. The young blue unicorn scanned the crowd that wasn't gathering at all, until she spied Mike—pointing at him. "A monstrous beast!" Blinking, Mike looked around for the monster before he lifted a hand up to point to his chest. "Me?" The question and gesture got a laugh from those around Mike, and the flow of traffic halted to see what would happen. "It talks!" Trixie Lulamoon's eyes widened. "But watch as the Amazing Trixie tames the savage beast!" Mike watched as the young mare's horn lit, and suddenly he was trapped in a cage made of magic, or so it seemed. "You're all safe, I have captured the monster!" Trixie struck a pose, closing her eyes and gesturing to her own chest. Rather than the applause she expected, she got a lot of laughter from the crowd. Glaring at Mike, she watched him wave his hand through the bars of the cage. "This is pretty cool. Is it like an illusion?" Mike stepped out of the cage, then back inside it. More laughs rang out, and when he turned he saw that ponies were dropping coins into the performer's hat, where it lay on the ground. "Oh, sorry, I'm meant to be captured, right?" He grinned and huddled in the cage, hands miming a grip on the fake bars. More laughter, and more bits rained into Trixie's hat. She froze as the sound of her hat filling up. "Oh, uh… YES! Trixie the Amazing—" "I thought you were Amazing Trixie?" Maud walked from one side of the cage, through the illusion, and out the other. "Mike isn't a monster, either; he's my friend." "Uh, roar?" Mike stepped out of the cage and leaned down to Maud, cupping his hand as if to whisper, but talking loudly. "It's all an act, I'm not really a monster, and the cage isn't real." He quickly ducked back into the cage and pretended he hadn't broken character. Trixie's mouth worked, but she had no hope of getting control of her own show back. She took a step towards Maud, but her hoof bumped her hat—her full hat. Full of bits. "Y-Yes!" Trixie's voice managed to cut through the crowd's laughter. "I'm not only the Amazing Trixie, but I'm Trixie the Amazing!" "But—" Maud tried to cut in, but found a blue hoof in her mouth. The crowd started laughing even more. On a roll, Trixie would not have her speech interfered with. "Fear not, ponies of Canterlot! The Amazing Trixie will—" "Amazing Trixie the Amazing, you mean?" Maud barely got the hoof dislodged long enough to get another line out, then it returned. By now the crowd were collapsing with laughter, and Trixie's hat was actually covered with bits. Mike leaned out of the cage, making sure his torso passed through one of the illusory bars. "Uh, which way is the castle? Us monsters need to keep up appearances, and I have been invited to attack today." He waved the official invite slowly enough that the gathered ponies could see the official seal, but fast enough that none could actually read it. The laughter intensified yet further, with the pony Mike asked barely able to point at the castle, that was not even a block away. Suddenly the cage was gone, and one showmare had slumped to the ground. "I give up," Trixie shook her head as more bits landed beside her, "I just can't do this. Who are you two?" "Mike." Mike held out his hand in a fist, offering a bump to Trixie that was only weakly returned. "Maud." Maud offered her hoof to Mike instead, and got a sound thunk against his fist. A few members of the crowd had thought the show was over, but they turned back to see Mike and Maud introduce each other. "Pleased to meet you, Maud. Say… You look almost exactly like a friend of mine who grew up on a rock farm. Do you know Maud?" Mike wore the picture of innocence on his face, and found that having a crowd made being silly a lot more fun. "Can't say as I have heard of a Maud who grew up on a rock farm, but then I don't get out much." Maud turned to the crowd and gave them a wink. "You see, I grew up on a rock farm, and—" "No!" Limestone stomped into the middle of their little act. "Stop this, stop this right now. Look, you're meant to be the funny-pony," she pointed at Mike, "and you're meant to be playing it straight." "But—" Mike tried to cut in, but Limestone was firm. Limestone glared at Mike, giving it her best—which was pretty good all things considered. "You're not even a proper pony!" "It's a fair cop." Mike shrugged. "Wait a minute, where did you hear that one?" He narrowed his eyes at Limestone. "You haven't even seen Flying Circus!" "Pinkie." Maud and Limestone said together, then giggled. The crowd realized things had finally finished, and started to break up and move on. All three of the travelers turned towards Trixie at the same time. "Sorry about that." Mike walked up and tried to help the unicorn to stand. "Trixie, is it?" When she nodded sadly, he sat down on the ground beside her. "Hey, what's wrong? Sorry for breaking up your busking, but you made some bits out of this, right?" "I have never made so many bits in my life." Trixie scooted her forelegs under herself, pushing her body up into a sitting position. "And for the life of my I can't work out how you managed to do… that thing!" She waved a hoof in the direction where they had been doing their Python-esque comedy gag. "That?" Mike blinked. "We were just having some fun, and rolled with what you were doing. Sorry if it offended." He felt Maud lean against his side, her head not quite at the same level as his own. "You bring in a hundred times more bits than me in ten minutes, and you're sorry?" Trixie's eyes were wide. "I just… I'm never going to be a magician!" She started to turn and storm off, but was pulled into a hug. Mike felt the first sob against his chest as he hugged Trixie. A moment latter she was crying and hugging back, clinging to him like a blue limpet. "Hey… uh… why don't you show us some of your magic tricks then? He looked at the castle, then back to Trixie, and hid the sigh he felt he wanted to give. "What about if you show us while we have lunch?" "You're paying." Maud was quick to put in, gesturing at the big pile of bits on the ground where a blue hat used to be. Trixie gave a bark of laughter and pulled back from Mike. "I guess I will…" She looked over her shoulder at the pile of coins and shook her head. "What traveling act are you with? Are they looking for a magician?" "Uh…" Mike looked to Maud and Limestone for help. "Not quite…" "Well?" Trixie looked between the two ponies and the human. "We aren't with any traveling act. He," Limestone used bluntness as her weapon, and wielded it well, "sent a letter to Princess Celestia, and she invited him to visit." "Princess Celestia?" Trixie puffed out a little and brought a hoof up to her chest. "I'm going to study at her school… I just need some more bits…" Her voice dropped to a soft whine as she finished. "Not cheap, huh? How many more do you need?" Mike pointed at the pile of bits on the ground. "We aren't going to be in town for more than a few days, but maybe we could help you out a bit with your act?" "Mike, this was your holiday…" Maud turned to look directly at Mike. Giving a laugh, Mike waved off the concern. "And I'm still going to have a ton of fun. I'll get to meet a princess, I'll get to help a new friend, and there should still be time to see the city." "Then I'll be your guide!" Trixie's face exploded into a huge grin. "Naturally I know everything there is to know of Canterlot." "Perfect! That means we can still do everything we want and help Trixie." Mike stood up to the sound of his belly grumbling. "So…" He blushed with embarrassment. "Trixie will find us somewhere to eat, first." Limestone glared at Trixie and gave her most angry grin she had. "And Trixie will be paying, too." "Psst." Mike leaned in to Trixie. "She will also tell you to stay off Holder's Boulder," he almost couldn't finish when Maud started giggling, "when… when she does… just ignore her…" Able to hold his laughter back no longer, Mike stared to giggle. ~~~~~+++++~~~~~ "Mike Robertson." Celestia's visible eye twinkled as she found herself looking up at the human—but only just. "I received your letter with much excitement. Please, be welcome to Canterlot and Equestria both." For just a moment Mike panicked as to what he should do, and in the end he opted for a bow. "Thank you… Your Highness." He almost forgot the title. "It is a unique experience to be able to visit and explore your country." "I am greatly pleased to hear that. You seem to have met no few of my ponies already; who are your friends?" Looking just past Mike, Celestia's gaze settled on Maud, Limestone, and Trixie. "This is Maud and Limestone Pie, I have been going to school with Maud, and Limestone offered to accompany us both here. And the other is Trixie Lulamoon, a wonderful unicorn who is showing us around your wonderful city." Mike was leaning on every nicety he knew, struggling to keep his tone formal and respectful. "It is very pleasing to me to see such wonderful ponies ready to lend a hoof to help a new friend." Celestia's gaze swept the three ponies, but settled back on Mike. "You mentioned schooling, what are you studying?" Mike blushed. "A little of everything, but I really like music, and I'm getting help with the things I'm not so good at." For a moment he was waiting for her to talk, but decided he had to ask something for his new friend. "I hear you have your own school here?" Celestia visibly perked up, seeming to unwind herself from a tense stance. "I do!" Genuine warmth filled her voice, and it was easy for everypony present to tell that Mike had called up one of her favorite topics. "It is a school for unicorns primarily, but I am sure they could benefit from some diversity. Were you thinking of applying?" "N-Not me." Mike turned and looked at Trixie, and urged her forward. "My friend Trixie was telling me how much she would like to join." When he looked back to Celestia, she was looking past him at Trixie. "She's raising funds to apply…" "Funds are not normally needed." Princess Celestia narrowed her eye a little. "If a foal passes the entry requirements, they need not pay at all." "I… I…" Trixie was lost for words, faced with Princess Celestia's focus. "I'm the best illusionist you have ever seen!" Stepping forward, so she stood beside Mike, Trixie looked up at Princess Celestia. "And I deserve a place there!" Celestia looked intently at Trixie Lulamoon for a full minute, with no one daring to say anything before her. At last the Princess opened her mouth. "Maybe those tests are a little outdated. I am sure there is room for a truly amazing illusionist." Trixie's eyes were wide as she stared at Princess Celestia. "Th-Th-Thank you!" She bounced from hoof to hoof in excitement. "Trixie will be the best student ever!" Mike blinked at the odd choice of words. "That gives me a great idea for your shows." Everypony stared at him, and he felt a sense of having gotten a little too carried away. "S-Sorry, Your Hi—" He never got to finish. "Nonsense. What is this about shows?" Princess Celestia tone suggested she was in a happy mood now, Trixie's enthusiasm and excitement having apparently rubbed off. "Trixie does magic shows." Mike crouched down beside Trixie. "When we arrived she was doing great and… and we kinda crashed it." Still feeling a little bad about derailing her show, Mike pushed on. "But I just had the best idea for it, a way to make the shows much more grand and mysterious." Caught up in the moment, Trixie and Celestia's complete attention was on Mike. "Introduce yourself as 'Trixie the Magnificent,' and make sure that whenever anyone's attention wavers, you come back twice as amazing." Princess Celestia smiled wider with excitement. "You're a performer? Then that will do to pay for your school entry, put on a show for the castle." "Hear that? A royal performance!" Mike reached out and hugged Trixie, getting a squeeze back from her. ~~~~~+++++~~~~~ A near-constant state of wonder had surrounded Mike like a bubble, while he explored Canterlot. Equestria just seemed brighter to him than Earth, and not just color wise. The ponies Mike met were all wonderful, welcoming, and he had to struggle not to spend a full day talking with each and every one. Stretching and climbing out of the "minotaur sized" bed, Mike found his pack and grabbed out his penultimate change of clean clothes and pulled them on. Stuffing the rest of his stinky clothing back into the pack, he closed it up. "Home today…" There was obvious reluctance in his voice, but Mike knew he couldn't stay here forever. "Yeah… home." Quickly slinging his bag over his shoulder, Mike grabbed his guitar at last and headed out. Of course Maud and Limestone were already awake, it was after dawn. "Good morning." He approached them, finding the pair talking to Trixie. "… and if you ever need to just get away from everything, come to our farm, alright?" Limestone lifted a hoof, and got a reluctant clop in return from Trixie. "Just stay—" "She knows." Maud turned and waved a hoof at Mike. "Hey." Her tone was perfectly even, not a hint of excitement, sadness, or any emotion at all. Mike raised an eyebrow at Maud's tone. "Are we ready to face the peril?" Studying Maud's face, Mike knew he had a lot more work ahead of him, her features were still and passive. "No, it's too perilous." Maud kept her mask in place, her voice even. "Are you ready to go?" She kept her eyelids only half open, showing neither interest nor excitement. "No more Monty Python from either of you." Limestone turned away from the row of hotel apartments and stalked off in the direction of the railway. "Hi Trixie, ready for your first day?" Mike crouched down and took the ready hug that was already coming his way. The more he hugged just to show friendship, the more natural it felt. "I don't think I ever will be, but I'm going anyway." Trixie squeezed Mike tightly. "And I'll never forget this, Mike." She was fighting off tears. "Go before the Great and Powerful Trixie makes too much of a scene!" Mike gave one last little squeeze before letting go. "I'll probably come back sooner rather than later. Equestria is so cool." Standing up, he saw Limestone was out into the street and walking off. "I have said goodbye to too many friends because of how mum moves around, but there is no way I'm saying goodbye here. So… until we meet again." He offered his fist to Trixie, and got a thump from her hoof against it. Maud waved to Trixie and trotted off at Mike's side. "You're a good pony, Mike Robertson." Accepting the compliment with the tone it was given, Mike smiled and couldn't help but agree. ~~~~~+++++~~~~~ The trip back to Ghastly Gorge included another stop at Ponyville. Mike was a little less spellbound by all the ponies, but there was still a lot higher ratio of pegasi than Canterlot had contained. The walk back from Ghastly Gorge to the Pie's rock farm took the rest of the day and almost the entirety of the next one too. Late afternoon threatened the three travelers with the cool evening as they approached the farm. In the field nearby, Pinkamena was sorting rocks. While the filly worked, Mike started his farewells. "I'll go say hi to Pinkie, then I'll head back home. It has been great traveling with you two." He made sure to include Limestone, who he had gotten to know a bit better. "Whatever. Just stay off Holder's Boulder." Limestone grinned at Mike, and waved as she turned towards the homestead. "Hey, want me to come around tomorrow?" Maud's mask—that she had been kept tightly in place for the whole trip back—broke as a touch of sorrow and anticipation colored her expression. "Sure. I'm going to sleep in though, so you might want to make it around midday my time." Mike crouched and offered Maud his fist, and of course got a return from her hoof. As Maud walked off, Mike turned his attention to Pinkamena, and walked slowly out to the field she was diligently working. "Hey Pinkie." Mike closed in on the filly, giving her a wave. Pinkamena blinked and looked up to Mike, but instead of looking at him she looked past him. "What's that?" She lifted a hoof. Mike turned to see what she pointed at, and saw a rainbow burst of light expanding from the north. "Oh wow…" Mike's eyes widened, and he felt renewed, revitalized, and nothing short of amazing. He watched as the colors played out across the sky, and for the first time in his life felt real magic. It wasn't like the magic the conductor had used to catch him, this was inside him, and it was way stronger. Turning his head, Mike couldn't stop a giggle from bubbling up. "Pinkie… your mane and tail are…" Pinkamena spread a huge smile across her face and nodded. "I know, isn't it great!" "Your cutie mark!" Mike pointed in shock at the three party balloons on Pinkie's flank. "Pinkie, you just got your cutie mark!" "This is the best day ever!" Pinkie bounced around on all fours. "Just wait until I tell ma and pa, and Maud and Marble and Limestone and… It's amazing!" She bounced off towards her house without another thought. Alone again, Mike slowly made his way back home. The lights in the mine were on—as always—but coming out of the tunnel on the Earth side reminded him about the time difference. The moon was up in the sky, and gave him enough light to reach his house safely. "." With no answer, Mike made his way inside and dumped his bag in the laundry to worry about in the morning, and trudged to his bedroom. No matter how late it apparently was, he just couldn't settle down enough for bed. "Something smooth should do…" He put one of his favorite CD's in his player, plugged in his long-leaded headphones and slumped on his bed. The CD played all the way through before he marshaled a yawn. Mike lifted the headphones off, and reached over to turn off the player. "Ouch, guess I haven't worn these in a while…" He rubbed at his sore ears while he got ready for bed. Turning the light off, he kicked off his pants and slipped under the covers in the dark.