//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: If I Lose Myself // by Commander Joe //------------------------------// "Holy crap..." Milo sat stunned after Starlight explained where exactly they were. And who could blame him? He was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that not only were aliens real. But his sister and him had been transported to a completely different planet! "So let me get this straight...you're part of a species known as ponies, which not only look nothing like the ponies of my world, but can also use freaking magic! And on top of all that there are even more sentient species that you share your world with!?" "That's the short version, yes...Also what's fricking?" A curious Starlight asked. Milo said nothing for a few moments. "...I need to sit down..." He finally spoke with a near breathless tone. Starlight let a small smirk show and nodded. "Understandable, the whole 'other worlds' thing suprised me too at first. It's actually pretty neat once you get used to it!" "Yea...sure...just give me a bit. I need to process this..." Milo said as he sat putting his face in his hands. Starlight gave yet another nod. "Sure, take all the time you need. I'm gonna...set up a fire while you do your thing...yea." With that the pink pony left Milo to his thoughts. "So...not the way I pictured my day going." Milo stared at the long stalactites on the roof of the cave. Trying to think about all the questions he'd ask Starlight (which was a lot!). He'd never been the greatest critical thinker in his youth, but he liked to think he had gotten a little better since then. It was then that Milo caught sight of Starlight doing...something with her horn. It was glowing cyan, some of the glow moving towards the ground and forming a puddle. While this happened there was a strange sound coming from the point on the ponies head. He couldn't quite explain it but it kind of sounded like something...winding up. Then without warning the pool burst into a shower of light! leaving behind... Somehow, there was now a small fire pit (complete with an open flame) where the light had once been. "How did you do that?" Milo pointed the the open flame now crackling in the pit that had been solid ground not a moment before. Starlight looked up upon hearing his question. "Hmm? Oh! It's magic, like what you saw back on your homeworld." She smiled. "Except it's not gonna explode us all into dust right?" Milo deadpanned. Starlight gave a small snort. "It wasn't like I meant to break anything..." She was about to say something but seemed to think better of it. "Still, I am really sorry about that. I only intended to find some humans." She finished. "Speaking of which. Why were you looking for humans in the first place? Your story won't mean much to the police that are probably at my house...that I'll probably have to deal with at some point..." Milo shook away the thought. "But it would give me some peace of mind at least." "Yea I wanted to talk to you about that. See, I actually need your help." Starlight grinned sheepishly...or at least Milo thought it looked sheepish, something was kinda off about it. "My help? The magic unicorn needs my help?" "Pfft please! What you've seen me do so far is nothing compared to the feats I've pulled before!" Starlight shouted. "Someones a little defensive." Milo thought before the pony continued. "Unfortunately a group of ponies managed to get their hooves on magic thats really really powerful. As much as I hate to say it, stronger then anything I can come up with." Starlight tilted her head to the side, glaring at seemingly nothing. It didn't take long for Milo to catch on to what she wanted. "Wait. I don't like where this is going..." "I was hoping to get your help in defeating them, thus saving my village." Milo didn't say anything for a moment, locking eyes with Starlight, trying to discern if she was serious. "Holy crap your actually serious... I mean don't get me wrong it's awful these peo-ponies attacked your village but...why get a human? Why not just get some of your pony villager buddies and kick em out?" "Alright first off, humans can absorb magic! Whatever they could throw at you would be useless! Just take a look at the wall behind you." Starlight pointed a hoof at the cave. There Milo saw hundreds of drawings scratched onto the surface of the cave. Most of them involving what looked like...people! Actual honest-to-goodness people! Some of them looked to be grabbing ponies by their horns, the magic glow now surrounding both characters. It was kinda disturbing actually, it looked like humans used the ponies as slaves or something! "Why not just go to whatever counts as the authorities in this world?" Starlight sighed and nearly banged her head on the cold stone floor. "They are the authorities! Princess Celestia gives them free reign to do pretty much whatever they want!" "Princess?" Milo thought. "Do these ponies live in a medieval society or something? Wait..." "Uh...are you talking like...beheadings and torture and stuff?" Milo nervously asked. Starlight looked surprised for a second...then closed her eyes and nodded. "Uhhhhh well that's not terrifying at all" A terrified Milo thought. "So...what's stopping them from coming at me with more physical weapons, assuming you use those?" He asked. "Of course, not everypony is a unicorn after all! But honestly the royal guard is a joke! They couldn't hurt a brezzie if they tried. Their incompetence is why our villiage lasted this long on it's own! The only real threats are the princess and her lackeys. But they all specialize in magic whiiiiiiich." "Which won't work on me, I get it." Milo nodded. "Right. As for the other thing." Starlight continued "The other villagers were kinda...brainwashed into helping the attackers. They kicked me out, so I don't really have anywhere else to go..." Milo could hear a change in Starlights voice the more she spoke. She sounded hurt. But it was an angry kind of hurt. If what she said was true Milo could understand that. She had lost everything she cared about. The more Milo thought about it the more he realized that she was even worse off then Milo was was when his parents died. Assuming she was telling the truth. sigh "Look Starlight. I'm sorry all that happened...but I only just met you. And as much as I wanna believe you, I know nothing about this place. I wouldn't know the first thing about how to deal with these people. I just need some time to think it over. That and I need to get home and deal with the police that are probably there now." Starlight looked down sadly and nodded. "Alright. Fair enough. Please think about it though. I'm...not sure I could do it without you..." Milo hesitated before responding. "...Sure...I'll think on it. I don't suppose you could take us home in the meantime?" He looked over at his (still unconscious) sibling. "I really hope it's nothing serious." "Sure. Just as soon as your sister wakes up." Starlight replied and turned back to the fire. Milo decided to take a look outside the cave, just to see what the outside world looked like. There was a decent chance he would never get another chance after all. He had no idea if he wanted to help her or not. Before Milo could think on it anymore he reached the mouth of the cave, holding his hand over his eyes until they acclimated to the bright light of the mid-day sun. "Woah..." Once his eyes had adjusted to the sunlight Milo found himself standing over a cliff face. He was quite lucky hights didn't affect him too much because that was a long drop! But that was nothing compared to what he saw in the distance. Looking straight ahead were rolling hills as far as the eye could see. To the west tall mountains could be seen looking over a small village of strewn about buildings. On the the side of the tallest mountain stood what looked like a grand palace. However the more Milo looked the more he realized that it wasn't just a palace. It was an entire city! On the side of a mountain! But even that was tame compared to the sight the east greeted him with. There, overlooking even the tallest mountains, was quite literally a cloud city! An actual cloud platform holding buildings that seemed to take inspiration from Greek architecture, thanks to the iconic pillars that Greece was so well known for back home. On top of that there were several minor platforms overlapping the main one. They way they all fit together it was hard to tell the layers apart. Running off the side of the main platform were many waterfalls almost remindinh him strings dangling from balloons. One of them even looked like it was made from a rainbow waterfall! Milo just assumed it was the water reflecting off the sunlight. Finally there was the evening sun hanging vigilant over him to complete the painting that was this amazing landscape! Milo already knew that he was on another world. After seeing a talking unicorn make am explosion in his living room how could he deny it? But despite that it was that moment when everything came down on him. He really was on another planet. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!" Milo heard a familiar screem inside the cave. "Belle!" Without another world Milo dashed back into the darkness.