I had been sitting on a log for the past half-hour, weighing my options. I could head to Canterlot, and pray that my charade works there. I ruled that out, because I didn't want to pretend any longer. That, and the fact that I was sure that the journey was at least three weeks long, and I would be lucky if my supplies held out for three days.
Maybe Zecora will take me in? I'm sure she knows what it's like to be different. But what if she's afraid of me too? I won't have anywhere left to turn! All I will have left is a mercy bullet...
Suddenly an snapping twig yanked me out of my depressing thoughts. My head snapped up and to the left as the Mane Six ponies rounded a bend and catch sight of me. I expected them to scream or gasp and run away, but only Fluttershy shrank back. Twilight - to my immense surprise - smiled with genuine relief.
"Oh good," she sighed, one hoof over her heart. "I thought you would have gone much farther than this."
"I don't exactly have anywhere else to go." I replied glumly. I wasn't about to let myself feel much hope, lest it be dashed against the jagged rocks of jaggedness.
Pinkie Pie bounced up to me like a rubber ball. "YoucouldgobacktoPonyville!" she buzzed. Applejack shushed her.
Rainbow Dash (Rainbow D'AWW) flew up and held out a hoof. "Or you could stick with us!" She said with her usual confidence. "Name's Rainbow Dash. Your's?"
"Engiminer." I said. "I was going to change it, but I think it suits me too well to get rid of." I grab hold of her hoof to shake it, but she flaps hard a few times and pulls me to me feet.
"Ah figured yah were lying about yer name." Applejack said, crossing her forelegs and giving me a knowing look. "Yah had a bit of a pause before saying it. But Ah fed yah all the same. It wouldn't 'ave been good of me to turn you away because Ah was suspicious."
"So..." I was a bit confused. "...I'm being accepted?" I asked hopefully.
Dash fell to the ground, clutching her sides with laughter. "Wow!" she gasped out between laughs. "THAT'S an epic conversation killer if I've ever heard one. Yes, you are being accepted."
Twilight cut in: "I hope you won't mind an interview with me and Lyra, however." She clapped her hooves with excitement. "This is an EXCELLENT opportunity to learn about another sentient species that knows speech!"
Something occurred to me: "Hey, wait a minute! How are we speaking the same language? I'm from a different planet! Or is it a different dimension? Universe? Ugh, I don't know. Don't care, either. Maybe the ambient magic acts as an automatic translator, or maybe it's just coincidence. It is ambient magic, right? The horn just helps you focus it? Maybe -"
Finally Rainbow threw her forelegs into the air, shouting: "We don't have time for this! All of our introductions to science can be made later! Right now we need to stop Nightmare Moon!" She pointed deeper into the forest.
"Right. O-Of course. If I could have a quick introduction to the other two..?" I asked. I already knew them, of course. But that was going to be my secret. It's not like they would ever find out, anyway.
Rainbow looked to Twilight, who replied "C'mon, everlasting night can wait a couple more minutes." She directed her next instructions to me. "But Rainbow Dash is right. The sooner we stop her, the better it is for everypony," She smiled. "or everyBODY, in this case. You have five minutes, and then we need to move. Rarity! You're up first."
Rarity stepped forward. "That would be me, dear. I'm the tailor in Ponyville, and my specialty is formal attire."
"That's a great mane you've got, Rarity." Call it plot-kissing, call it flattery, call it what you like. I call complimenting her mane self-preservation!
She blushed, then smoothed her mane (though it looked exactly the same afterwards). "Oh, you can't be all bad; you certainly have an eye for fashion."
"Not really. I just know something that looks nice when I see it."
She giggled, then pulled herself together. She looked over her shoulder and called out gently. "Fluttershy, sweetie, come out and introduce yourself."
Fluttershy hesitated, then slowly walked out from behind her friends.
"Um, I'm Flutter..." She refused to make eye contact.
"What was that?"
"I'm Flutt..."
"Come again?"
She *squeaked* and faced her head away.
I knelt down in front of her. "Fluttershy, is it? Well, let me tell you a story, Fluttershy. One day, when I was at a summer camp, I was building a sandcastle on a lake-side beach. A butterfly (a monarch, I think) landed next to me, about a foot and a half away. I stopped building, then, careful not to scare it away, I slowly laid down to face it." Fluttershy looked up. One of her eyes was hidden behind her hair. The other looked me straight in the eye. I gently brushed her mane out her away from her eye before I continued. "Ever so slowly, I reached out towards the butterfly." I mimed the action in mid-air. "I was able to stroke the entire length of the butterfly's wing three times before it flew away of its own accord."
I looked back at Fluttershy, who just stared back in amazement. Then she gave me a great big hug. I sat in stunned silence for a few seconds before returning it. "No one that is able to touch a butterfly without scaring it away is bad!" She exclaimed. I would come to live off of my twice-weekly Flutterhug.
When she let go, I was as good as new. No, I was better than new. I was new in a new place, without corruption, disease, and pollution. I was in a place where everyone ate and ate healthy, common sense was common, and the people were (usually) rational and reasonable. Sure, it had it's fair share of problems, but nothing that couldn't be solved. It wasn't Heaven, but I'm pretty sure Equestria is as close as you could get without dying.
"So... uh, where ya' headed? Maybe I can be of some assistance."
"We are looking for the Ancient Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters." Twilight replied, a look came across her face, one that only a determined leader can make. She's a pretty badass librarian! "The Elements of Harmony are there, and they are the only things that can stop Nightmare Moon."
"Alrighty then! Let's get moving!" I pause. "So, uh, which way is it?"
"Right along this path, actually."
Rainbow Dash impatiently called out: "So let's get MOVING!!! C'mon, we're burnin' moonlight!"