They watched the man pass quietly. He didn't react more than a casual wave on the way past. Once he was gone, Starlight let out a breath. "People are going to think I'm strange."
Laud wondered how untruthful such thoughts would be, in the end. "Let us complete our walk." He stepped forward, drawing Starlight along by the bar attached to him. There was a small but real satisfaction in leading the way. For the moment, she was his people, and he would see her safely through unknown issues, to emerge whole and well.
His thoughts went back to home, to the castle he was raised in and his family. He had not gained a demesne of his own. If he had, he wouldn't have been flying risky exploration missions. The very idea of a landed noble daring such a thing? Beyond madness.
The rewards for such a thing would have to be immediately clear, which the broken gateway promised no such thing. There had been no assurances he'd find anything beyond it but more space. He was a young would-be lord. It had been a foolish risk, perhaps, hoping to find something that would earn him his land and proper responsibility.
He marched stoically even as he fought the urge to chuckle at the twists of fate. He would throw caution to the wind for the chance to be responsible. It was not right, and yet it had worked. He was becoming something important, to his house, and to the people that were starting to invest faith in him. It would be no easy task. He could see future attacks coming. The church... They would not rest knowing an alien species used magic casually.
His thoughts came back to the current situation as he heard something loud. He tilted his head left and right, swiveling his ears to try to track the seemingly ephemeral sound.
"What is that?" asked Starlight.
Laud looked back at her, then followed her gaze upwards. There was something in the sky. It was small, but also the source of the low roar. Was it small? No. He assembled the pieces swiftly as he studied its shape. It was a ship! A spacefaring one? It wasn't high enough to be in space, or he wouldn't see it at all. An atmospheric ship. A chill ran down his spine watching it crawl across the sky. "This world is quite advanced." It was truth and lie, depending on the perspective. If they could not manage more than an atmospheric ship, his people would laugh at their limitations. Still, the sheer volume and casualness of it...
"You know what it is?" Starlight crouched a little to be closer to him. "It sure is loud, whatever it is."
"It is a ship, like the one I arrived in. I imagine it is not capable of leaving the atmosphere." He tugged forward and they resumed their walk. "I only wonder at its purpose. Does it carry cargo, or people? Is it for observation?"
Starlight hiked a brow. "I couldn't tell you. Remember to ask the girls when we see them. They should have a clue." She drummed her fingers along the bar in her right hand. "At least I don't think there's anything to be worried about."
In that, Laud silently agreed. Such a craft was no threat to them, unless it came far closer. It had no interest in them, soaring away. He hastened his steps, as if that could make time itself march faster. He wanted to meet the actual natives of the world that confused and fascinated him. There was too much he didn't know.
They completed their circuit of the block to find students disgorging from the school in a great cloud. Starlight slowed in her approach. "Did we take that long?"
Laud kept his reply silent. There were too many people to risk speaking. He guided Starlight to the side, off the sidewalk. The students pushed past in a thronging crowd.
A younger student emerged from the mass with a big smile. "That's the cutest thing I ever did see!" exclaimed the ribboned girl. "I didn't know they made horses so small."
Starlight took notice of the girl's color, accent, and ribbon. "Apple Bloom?"
Apple Bloom blinked softly. "Have we met?"
Another girl popped free of the crowd, off-white of skin. "She's the one our sisters mentioned, remember?"
"Oh yeah." Apple Bloom nodded, seemingly put at ease. "Well any friend of mah sister's a friend ah mine." She offered a hand towards Starlight as she came around so there wasn't a small horse between them. "Is this your pet?"
"Wait up for me!" came the cry of a third girl to appear with red-purple hair and brown skin. "Woah, awesome." She grinned at Laud. "Aren't you a little thing?"
Laud remained still, at least until the girl walked right up to him and reached for him. He shied away, but his hint was not taken. She took ahold of his head and began to stroke him. "You are just super cute," she cooed.
"Aw, I wanted first dibs, Scoots," complained the off-white girl.
Starlight pulled back on the bar she held. "He's a guide pony, and on duty. You're making him nervous."
"Oh, sorry." Scoots released Laud's head instantly. "They make guide ponies? I thought only dogs did that."
The off-white one shook her head. "I heard of it. They're pretty good at it."
Apple Bloom thrust a thumb at herself. "Ah ain't giving up Winona for nothin', no matter what kinda little ponies ya try and bribe me with."
Starlight smiled at the three youths. "I don't suppose any of you three know where your big sisters are? We're supposed to meet them."
All three pointed in almost eerie unison towards the front of the school. Scoots was the first to speak, "They're hanging out by the statue, practically their favorite spot in the whole world! Come on, girls, we have work to do!"
The other two nodded in agreement and they moved off in a congenial mob towards whatever it was that had their attention. The off-white one waved in parting. "Good luck!"
The press of the departing students had dimmed with time, allowing them to proceed confidently. They could see their targets. Sunset and the girls were in a half-circle near the statue in plain sight. Starlight let out a soft sigh of relief on spotting them and, without words, they both agreed to hurry towards them.
Twilight saw them first, adjusting her glasses as she watched them approach. "Is that them?"
The rest of the girls looked over and were soon coming closer. Sunset took the lead, marching directly for Starlight. "What were you thinking?!"
Applejack glanced left and right as she came in. "Much as I wanna know the same thin', perhaps this should be saved fer a better place."
Laud examined the fiery-haired girl in front of him. There was something about her, and her tone. She had seen more years than the other girls that came to examine him and Starlight. Was she their leader? He kept his words to himself for the moment.
Starlight held up her free hand placatingly. "I'm with Applejack. Let's go somewhere out of the way and we'll get caught up, promise."
"Right." Sunset turned. "My house is pretty close, let's go." She began her walk, with the others not arguing the plan. "By the way, hey. You don't have to reply until we're not in plain view."
A dog approached Laud from the side. That one had purple fur and was much smaller than the first. It also seemed happier and didn't bark at Laud, which was a plus. "Hey," it whispered. "Welcome to the talking animals club."
Laud jumped with surprise. Talking ponies he had learned to accept, but that didn't make talking dogs suddenly acceptable. Not to mention that the canine was whickering and carrying on as a horse would. That voice sounded male.
"Woah, easy," whispered the dog as he walked alongside Laud. "I'm Spike. What's your name?"
"Laud Mountbatten, of the Hawkwoods." He had both his ears turned on the dog. "You are... familiar with magic, I gather?"
"Oh man, you wouldn't believe." Spike rolled his eyes. "But hey, it let me talk. It's been a big plus for me. Me and Twilight have never been closer."
Laud's pace wavered a moment. Spike. That Spike. That Spike's reflection was the dog? He was a servant, less than that. A servant served a clear purpose. He was a companion, a pet. Laud was a servant. He was ready to serve his people unwaveringly.
"What's with that look?" Spike cocked a brow as no canine he had seen before. "That one's Twilight." He pointed to the girl wearing glasses with Princess Twilight's hair coloring. "She's pretty nice, if a little nerdy."
"We should not speak, it will draw attention."
Spike waved a paw as if to dismiss the idea even as he walked. "Nobody pays attention to me, besides, I'm not being loud." He stepped in a little closer. "So are you from Equestria? Why didn't you turn into a human like the others?" He glanced back. "Don't ponies have pictures on their butts?"
Laud said a silent thanks for not having to endure that extra little degradation. What mark would such forces claim portrayed him in its entirety? He was quite happy making up his own mind as to his purpose. "I am not a pony."
"Oh? What were you then?" Spike's question was cut off at the end as hands came down and scooped him up. Twilight had him.
"Stop bothering him, Spike. We'll all have questions later, when we can all sit and listen."
An off-white hand came down towards his sword, a pointer extending and tapping the hilt. "A bold accessory," spoke not-Rarity. "I should imagine most will believe it to be little more than an adorable prop, but I doubt that's true."
Starlight laughed nervously. "It's what he came with, literally. He's protective of it, so I wouldn't mess with it."
Rarity withdrew her hand. "Simply admiring, darling. I wasn't speaking in jest when I said it was a bold accent. An interesting clash with the rest of him being so small and cute. Can he use it? He hasn't even hands to grasp it."
Sunset swept a hand she did have towards a small house. "Here we are." She had a key fished out quickly. "Everyone in. It's long past time for some answers."
They had formed a circle in the living room. Rainbow Dash was sitting on the couch and pointed down at Laud, who was seated beside Starlight. "So, you're not a pony, right? What are you then? Some kinda crazy monster? That'd be pretty cool."
Laud shook his head at the notion. "I am a human, similar to you all."
Starlight wriggled her fingers. "He had these before going through the portal. He has a funny language though."
Twilight leaned in a little from the wooden chair she had settled in, Spike in her lap. "May I hear it?"
Laud considered that before speaking English, slurred as it was coming out of the snout of a small horse and across the tongue of the same. "It falls on a noble to not focus on the luxuries of his position, but to those that rely on them for prosperity. Their happiness becomes yours."
Twilight slowly shook her head. "Fascinating... Your name is Laud, right? Are you comfortable?"
Laud felt an ear raising at the question. "I am not myself, quite literally," he spoke in the pony's tongue. "It is strange and unusual, but not painful. I will manage." He turned to Sunset. "Miss Shimmer, thank you for allowing me into your home and for your hospitality." He dipped his little head towards her.
Sunset cracked into a smirk. "Well, someone's polite at least. Welcome. My house is your house, as they say. What's with the getup?" She waved a hand at Laud vaguely. "Did you come with that harness and bar?"
Starlight raised a hand to her eyes, covering them. "They're just the thing for a guide pony to have, and he's not bad at it."
Fluttershy sank down beside Laud, looking him over with intense curiosity. "Is something wrong? You don't normally visit without a reason."