//------------------------------// // The Sentiment // Story: Family Tree // by miss-cyan //------------------------------// Pinkie was so proud of her friend. She knew Lottie didn’t like to talk about the things that made her sad, but she was trying her best to do it anyway. And nopony liked to get their shots, she’d remembered how cranky the twins had been after theirs, and they got lollipops and stickers! But the thought of her getting super sick and worse tore Pinkie up inside. There was so much going on. Lottie Dottie was part pony, and she had been looking for her family this whole time without knowing it. And what she had said to herself back in the woods… Pinkie tried not to show that she was thinking about it. It was too hard to bring up, not that she wanted to. But every time there was a quiet moment, it rang in her ears, over and over. “They’re g-gonna think…that I did it again!” She was crying so hard on the ground, close to where she’d almost... “They’re gonna think I…hurt myself…” Pinkie shook her head, trying to push it away. The thought of it made her stomach do sad flips. She’d never known anypony who’d hurt like that, but the thought of it had always put her in a bad way. How could ponies hurt so bad and…do that? What had hurt her friend so bad? She wanted to ask. She wanted to make it all better. But she didn’t know how to help this. She thought back to last night, when they had laid next to each other and talked. How nice her voice was, how warm she’d been to snuggle up to. When she’d given her a hoof to hold so she’d know she’d be there. How she’d smiled and made the same promise. It made her sad thoughts lighten a little, and given her a bad case of the warm fuzzies. Pinkie liked Lottie, whether she looked like a pony or a human, but she had to admit that having a friend that was so different from her was nice in its own way. She was nice and tall, with plenty of room to cuddle up next to. And the digits she had now made all the little pats, strokes and ear scratches just…the best. Her short, stubby claws felt nice on her fur, and she’d always liked getting her mane played with. She’d started thinking about Lottie being around longer, and all the things they could do together while Twilight worked on getting her home. Nightmare Night was coming up soon, she wondered how she’d feel about having fun with her then? She’d need a costume, and Pinkie wondered how she’d look as something silly? Or cute? Or spooky? Or if she even liked spooky nights like that? And as much as she wanted to have Lottie around, she didn’t think she’d be comfy sharing her smaller bed in her room at Sugarcube Corner. And the guest room there had long ago been redone into the twins’ nursery. She hadn’t even asked the Cakes how they’d feel about everything, and they hadn’t even met Lottie instead of Bluey. She hoped they’d be nice to her. She knew they would. She couldn’t stay with Rainbow Dash, cloud house and everything. And Rarity’s guest room was where Sweetie Belle was staying while their parents were away. Fluttershy only had the one bedroom, but she knew Lottie would be uncomfortable making her take the couch. And Fluttershy would never let somepony in Lottie’s condition sleep on it either. That left the library with Twilight, or Sweet Apple Acres. She made a mental note to go over this with Lottie when she got released from the hospital. And she’d try extra hard to do things with her and keep her happy until things got better. She sat with her now, both of them enjoying lollipops from Doctor Horse. Though Lottie sat with a frown around the treat, rubbing at her arm. Pinkie saw everything that Lottie felt as a good sign of the future. When she tried to hold things in, that’s when things seemed to get worse. She’d still do her best to keep her smiling, but helping her feel other things was going to be Pinkie’s goal now too. And she’d keep her promise. Pinkie would be there. Whether for fun, sunshiny days or dark and lonely ones. And she hadn’t felt the need to Pinkie Promise on that one. Twilight sat as Lottie was getting her shots, a bit troubled. She did her best lately to not get obsessive when things bothered her, but this one was sticking. She had already started her reply to a letter she’d received last night, now sure of what she wanted to write. After she had gotten back from the forest, she found Spike sleeping with a letter in his grasp. She gently took it from him, tucking him in and settling on her bed with what turned out to be a letter from Princess Luna. Those were rare, and given the current circumstances, she knew what it was about before she’d started reading. Princess Twilight Sparkle, Please excuse the late hour of this missive, I found myself unable to keep from writing until morning. I have written to you, both to ask about how everything has been proceeding, and to tell you of what I think is important to your current endeavor. I trust that our guest has been in your good care, and my sister and I await what you have learned about her eagerly. I have told Celestia about what I learned from my experiences, without divulging any sensitive information. I learned her true name in my visit, but I am unsure of how it translates to Ponish writing. For the moment I will write about her as Cornflower. I hope all is well with you, and it goes without saying that if you require any resources to accommodate her while she is in Equestria, you only need to ask. I will say, you might have already encountered this, but I found it to be quite a noticeable part of her personality. It seems as though Cornflower is easily upset when overwhelmed by circumstances outside of her control. In her own words, she considers herself “broken”. Twilight’s heart hurt, reading that. The sight they’d come across in the forest just before was still fresh in her memory. She didn’t know what could be done for Lottie, other than just talking with her and being a good friend. She suspected Pinkie would be two steps ahead of her on that. We discussed some of her circumstances while I visited her, and I found myself overwhelmed by her mind and it’s darker corners. But, with some encouragement, they were overcome. She will need your friendship in these times, as well as that of Pinkie Pie and your friends. Though, I suspect you have already reached that particular conclusion. Celestia is eager to hear about our visitor, and I must confess, as much as I did speak with her, there is still much that I do not know. We eagerly await your response, and please let Cornflower know that should she wish to discuss anything with Celestia or myself, be it for personal reasons or as a guest to our kingdom, she is welcome to write to us as well. Awaiting your response, Princess Luna. She hadn’t been awake enough to write a response before bed, but felt that now was the perfect time to get out everything that had been going on. Dear Princesses, I have learned a lot about Cornflower Blue since she woke up, and much has happened since I last wrote. Like you wrote, we have seen first hoof how her moods can be affected, and we are doing our best to comfort and help her however we can. As for our guest herself, here’s what I’ve learned. Although there is no translation for the name of her species, her planet’s name can be written as Earth, at least from how it’s pronounced. She tells us that they are the only sapient species on that planet. Upon spending some time with her, a few things came to our attention. They are omnivorous, though according to Bluey sometimes their diets can vary. They also seem to have some shame towards nudity, she prefers to not be seen without clothes. Their society functions without any kind of magic, as far as I can tell, not even a tiny bit of passive magic. I plan on asking her more, once things settle down, but more pressing matters have come to our attention. There is a lot to tell, but I will try not to let this run on too long. Firstly, it was discovered that one of the missing foals, Sugar Maple, kept a diary that was in Bluey’s possession. It revealed that Sugar was not taken by the forest as I previously feared, but what happened to her is something I almost would not believe were it not proven to me. Sugar Maple traveled to Bluey's world, transformed into Bluey's species as she was a pony. She does not remember how it happened, but she has been alive and well all this time. Her name was changed too, something that also doesn’t translate. Bluey knows her, as a friend of her own grandfather. But that wasn’t all that we learned. Upon finishing the diary, Bluey discovered new information that shocked both her and myself. Sugar Maple, previously unbeknownst to Bluey, is actually her paternal grandmother. She is part pony. This news upset her quite a bit, but things have settled down now. I am trying to understand how magic is affecting her hybrid body, and make sure it doesn’t bring her any harm or unpleasantness, but this is an area I am woefully ignorant about. All this news brings more to deal with, for both her and yourself. Bluey wishes to know if she has any living pony relatives, and I told her I’d go through the proper channels to get her a stipend, seeing as she is the descendant of an Equestrian citizen. Until I can find a way to get her back home, she might be stuck here and I’d like to make sure she is comfortable during her stay. Anything you can do to help these matters would be greatly appreciated. All this aside, it is still unknown what happened to Silver Maple and all the other foals. Bluey says that when she returns to her world, she will try to find out if any other traveled to her world as Sugar did. I want to believe they crossed over as well, all safe and sound, but I won’t be certain until then. And that is where my work lies now. I am going to be devoting my time to reopening the portal and getting Bluey back home, no matter now long it takes. I will need access to any research materials that the Canterlot Library has to offer, should the need arise. It will be hard work, but I will see this through. All the best, Twilight Sparkle. “The Princess want you to know that you can write to them, if you need anything.” Twilight told me, rolling up the scroll she’d been writing in. “If you give me a letter, I can have Spike send it to them instantly.” “That’s a magic thing, I take it.” I took a guess, and Twilight just nodded. “Is that who you’ve been writing?” “I got a letter from Princess Luna last night, and with all these new…developments I figured it was time to write back. I hope that’s okay?” she offered, seeming nervous. Like she thought she was crossing some line. “No that’s okay.” I rubbed at my sore arm. “I still don’t really know…how to feel about all this. But there’s nothing to gain by keeping it a huge secret.” “Would you like to talk about it?” Twilight offered. She looked hopeful, like she wanted to help me. “It’s not a subject I’m completely familiar with, but I’ll do my best.” All of this really was crazy. As much as it explained certain things, so many more questions were swimming around in my head. I could…more or less accept this, like I had everything else, but I felt…different. “What…” I finally said, and everyone was listening. “What does being a hybrid…mean? Being part pony? I’ve never been anything other than a human before.” “Well…it’s hard to say.” She admitted. “Sugar Maple was a human when she had your father but looking at you and your magic suggests that she was still a pony, deep down. Carried to your father and then onto you. You aren’t a traditional hybrid, it’s more…deep down inside, I would guess.” “And that means?” “I suspect that if you were born a pony, you’d look as you did when you were Cornflower Blue.” She tapped at her chin with the feather tip of her quill. “I’m guessing your transformation…tapped into that part of you, somehow. But even with your pony heritage…Well, when I undid the spells and changed you back, the magic knew what you were supposed to be.” She looked at me, trying to be reassuring. “You are a human, Lottie. Just, with some extra features.” I had lived my whole life under the impression I was just a human, I guessed if something were “up”, I would have noticed by now, or something would have come up during a doctor’s visit. Not that they’d know what to look for, but I wasn’t dying, and I didn’t have like an extra heart or something. I would be fine. I hoped. “Yeah, okay.” I nodded, feeling a little bit better. “I’m still me.” “Of course you are.” She smiled, and Pinkie hummed in agreement, her fluffy hair bouncing as she nodded. Doctor Horse said he’d like to do another checkup, and Twilight excused herself to go send her scroll to the princesses and get a start on her research. It was the same set of things as the last time, and everything seemed pretty much the same. “Well, I’m happy to say that you seem to be in fine health.” He noted, putting my chart back. “If…well if you’re certain that last night’s episode is something manageable, you could leave the hospital as soon as this afternoon.” I didn’t expect to be discharged so soon after my little freak out. But I wasn’t going to be told twice. “I appreciate it Doctor.” I sighed, my fondness for this room suddenly wearing very thin. “If I feel like things aren’t going so well, I’ll make an appointment. I’m…not sure what can be done about some things I’ve got going on, but I’ll still keep in touch.” “That’s all I can ask.” He smiled. “And if you start to feel ill, definitely come by. I’ve protected you from the worst of it, but I’d rather not take any chances.” “Yeah, alright.” He left, and it was just Pinkie and me again. She seemed to be thinking about something. “What’s up?” I nudged her gently. She blinked, looking up at me. “Oh! I was just thinking about…Well, Nightmare Night is coming up soon and…well, we all get dressed up and have fun, except for Fluttershy, and I don’t know what kind of costume you’d wear or if you’d go out and get candy with me or-wait.” She froze mid-speech. “Oh! You probably don’t even know about Nightmare Night!” I processed what she’d said, making the obvious connections. “So…It’s a fall celebration, where you dress up and get candy?” she nodded, and I wondered just how much these worlds had in common. “Yeah, we got something like that back home. I used to go out for it when I was a kid.” “Oh neat! Do you wanna have a fun Nightmare Night with me and my friends?” I nodded, glad for any plans right now besides sitting around waiting for Twilight’s solution to my problem. “Yay! Oh, we gotta find you a costume that’ll fit! Do you wanna be spooky? Or funny? Or cute? Oh, I’ve got so many ideas!!” I felt a little lost in all of this, not holiday planning but just adrift in general. So Pinkie helping ground me in something made all the difference. She was sharing her own costume plans when it seemed I had another guest at the door. Pinkie let Applejack and her little sister in, and I remembered her request from the day before. “Hi!” Pinkie waved at them from the bed, happy to see them. Apple Bloom was staring intensely, her eyes wide and pointed right at me. I know it was a silly reaction but I felt like I’d start sweating under the microscope as I was. Applejack caught her gawking and nudged her side. There was an indignant “what?” from the smaller pony before she realized how flustered I looked. “Hey there Lottie.” Applejack greeted me with a comforting smile. “Hope you don’t mind me and Apple Bloom stopping by like I said.” “It’s alright.” I sighed, tired but offering a smile back. Apple Bloom’s surprise returned as the words left my mouth. “It is you!” she trotted up to the bed, her eyes on me the whole way. It was a reaction I hadn’t expected, but she put her front hooves up on the mattress, her ears standing at attention. “Well I’ll be! Cornflower, how’d ya change like that?” “Apple Bloom, I told you, Twilight used her magic. And that’s not her name.” she sounded worn down, like she’d been through this too many times. “I know!” she called back, a little annoyed. “It’s just...well ponies don’t go changing shape like this every day! I’m curious is all!” “Her name is Lottie!” Pinkie told the smaller pony, offering a smile. She looked up with wider eyes, her curiosity even more piqued. “I never heard an odd name like that.” She said, and I could feel the embarrassment rolling off of Applejack at her sister’s bluntness. “So, were you a pony who changed into that, or the other way around?” “This is me.” I smirked at the lack of tact. Kind of refreshing after every other pony had been walking on eggshells around me. “Although, I’ve learned some stuff recently that makes it a little more complicated.” Applejack paid attention to that, her head tilting a little. “You remember those ponies I came around to ask about at your farm?” Apple Bloom nodded. “Well, turns out one of them, Sugar Maple, is my grandma. I’m part pony, on my dad’s side.” They both looked surprised on that one. “Huh. I know you looked like a pony not too long ago, but you don’t look anything like one now.” The younger sister finally said. “What part of you is the pony part?” “It’s a long story.” I sighed. “But Twilight thinks I have pony magic, deep down. But I don’t have a horn, or wings or hooves. So, no way to get it out like you guys do. But my Grandma looked like me when she had my dad, same way I looked like a pony before. So, the pony part’s on the inside, I guess.” “Huh. That makes sense.” Apple Bloom nodded. She had probably understood it faster than most ponies had. “Well, how ‘bout that.” Applejack sighed, adjusting her hat. “So, Sugar Maple…crossed over like you did? She’s okay?” “Yeah, she’s fine. Didn’t know she was my grandma, but I’ve known her since I was a baby.” I assured her. “Can’t say for certain about the other ones, but…I’ll fill you in later.” I nodded my head slightly to Apple Bloom, guessing she hadn’t given the hard details to the child in the room. “That’d be fine.” She smiled, appreciating the gesture. “So…Some of that magic stuff…was why you didn’t have a cutie mark?” Apple Bloom guessed, looking up at me hopefully. Applejack groaned under her breath. “Yep. I was…really a pony, mostly. But we don’t have cutie marks. Guess I never earned one like you guys do.” “So, you never found out your special talent?” she asked, eyed wide. Then, they suddenly narrowed. “Wait…how old are you? Just ‘cause you’re tall don’t mean you’re a grown up.” “Oh, I’m an adult.” I shrugged. “I grew up as a human though. No magic or all of that. Not even here in Equestria. I come from really far away.” No need to find out if she’d be the first one to get panicked over an “alien visitor”. “Never had a reason to appear.” “But what are you good at?” she was stuck on it. “What are you meant to do?” I sat. And Pinkie took notice of how I stayed quiet, putting a hoof on my arm with a comforting smile. I almost went in for a grateful touch to her mane but stopped myself again. I settled for a pat to her hoof, returning her gesture. This wasn’t something I put on my mental list of deep insecurities. But when I first found out what cutie marks were, I remember mulling over the reason I was bare being that my life didn’t have that kind of certainty. So, it would fall into that general lack of purpose that I found myself feeling from time to time. Just often enough to bother me. “Well…” I searched for the words. “I don’t really know. I have some things I’ve worked on over the years, but nothing that I could see making a living off of. I have my hobbies, I can cook and I know my tools, I have a part-time job in my uncle’s hardware store. But I don’t like it enough to make a career out of it. There are lots of things I like, but…I wouldn’t call any of them what I’m meant to do. Maybe humans don’t work like that. Or at least, I don’t.” Apple Bloom shrugged, pulling her hooves back down to the floor. “Okay, so you just don’t know. You’re like me!” she nodded, hopping over into one of the chairs. “You may be a grown pony-er…human, but you got room to grow and figure it out. You just haven’t come across the thing that makes you special. I know, it’s a big pain, but if I gotta be patient about it, then I guess you do too.” As simple an overview it seemed, it was a genuine comment and it did make me feel better. Mark or no mark, I still had time in my life to figure it all out. Hearing from a kid rather than an adult somehow made it seem much more sincere. “Huh, you’re right.” I shrugged with a small, appreciative smile. “Thanks Apple Bloom. I feel better.” “You’re welcome!” She seemed happy to have helped. “Oh! So, Applejack said that you told her you got family waitin’ for you back home. Are you gonna stay in town a bit longer or are you gonna be on your way soon?” “Wha-…Wait a second.” Applejack jumped in before I could answer. “I never told you-Were you eavesdroppin’!?” “Nuh-uh! I-I was just waitin’ for you outside the barn and I happened to hear your conversation.” She was trying to sound very grown-up to back up her defense. “Then I went back to the house before I got caught-uh…I mean-” “Apple Bloom…” she was stewing, ears down and annoyed. “If’n I told you once, I told you a million times! It’s rude to snoop on ponies!” “What about part ponies?” Pinkie chimed in. “You’re not helping.” I nudged her. “Granny Smith and her knittin’ circle gossip all day while I sit there holdin’ yarn.” Apple Bloom shot back. “And you don’t tell them it’s rude!” “Th-…that’s different!” but she didn’t sound certain. “Nuh-uh! Why’s it fair for some ponies but not for me? S’not like I went spreadin’ what I heard around.” She stood on her flimsy moral high ground. “Ooh!” Applejack stewed harder, fighting her words. “If we weren’t…But I-” “If if’s and but’s were candies and nuts~” she sang. “That tears it! C’mere!” Applejack leapt for her sister, putting her in a play headlock, Apple Bloom shrieking at a frequency only dogs could hear. Pinkie stifled her giggles watching them as Applejack vented her frustrations with a tickle assault, but I felt…off. My chest felt deep and empty watching the siblings, and my face felt hot. Pinkie turned to me and stopped laughing. “Lottie? What’s wrong?” she touched a hoof softly to my cheek. “Why are you crying?” Her hoof came back wet. I reached up to my cheek, and sure enough she was right. The sisters stopped their play-fight but my tears didn’t. “H-hey now…” Applejack soothed. “We weren’t really fightin’. Don’t get upset, Lottie.” “Yeah…I was just puttin’ her on.” She escaped her sisters grip and put her hooves on the bed again. “Don’t cry.” I looked down at her and wiped at my eyes. And looking into hers I realized what had upset me like that. “Sorry…” It started up again as the words struggled to get out. “…You’re right. I do have family waiting for me. And…I don’t know when I’ll get back home.” I knew being open about how I was feeling was good for me right now, but it was still embarrassing be so vulnerable in front of them. All the fresh feelings from last night were bubbling over again. I just had to have faith in Twilight. “Don't worry, I’m just homesick. I got a little brother and you two…we used to get on each other’s nerves like that…I miss him. I would die for that little smart-mouthed bugger but I…I don’t know if he knows that…I don’t even know if my family knows I’m gone yet, but I…I wish I could tell them I’m okay.” “It’s okay Lottie Dottie…” Pinkie soothed. “I’m sure they know. Twilight will get you back.” “Yeah.” Applejack stepped closer, looking down. “You don’t worry ‘bout nothin’ Lottie. We’re gonna be here for ya.” Pinkie looked like she was thinking, then she smiled wide. She hopped off the bed, leaning to whisper something to Applejack behind her hoof. After a beat, Applejack smiled too. “In fact, since you’re gonna be in town a bit longer, I think there’s somethin’ me and mine can help you out with.” “Now, if you’re gonna stay at my family’s farm, you’ll have to live the way we do. Gettin’ up early, chorin’, helping out with meals. You’re a guest so you won’t be expected to do any of the hard stuff, but keepin’ busy will make the days here a little shorter. Plus, free room and board ain’t so bad. You’ll have the guest room to yourself, and as long as you tidy up after yourself, everything’ll be peachy.” At first, I didn’t know how I felt about staying with the Apple family. I never was much of an early riser. And as neat as I kept things wherever I lived, the thought of screwing up on their chores and setting them back made me want to run. But, in all honesty, with my situation, I really couldn’t ask for a better deal. Plus, with my meds out of reach, staying on a strict routine and getting regular sleep would help me not to slip into bad habits. If I was keeping busy, I’d be too tired to get stuck in my own head like I tended to do. I’d feel like less of a helpless freeloader with work to do, and I’d be out of the way of town, so I wouldn’t have to think about seeing unfamiliar ponies all the time. Speaking of which. “I really appreciate it, Applejack. Thank you.” And I meant it. Apple Bloom seemed excited to have company over. Pinkie was over the moon that I’d accepted without any fuss. “Uh, small side note…what uh-what do I do when I get released? I don’t think it’s a good idea to just walk through town just yet…” “Lottie!” Pinkie smiled at me, hopefully. “Ponies will be nice to you, give them a chance.” “Even so, I feel really out of place just…going out there in broad daylight where all of them can see me. Until recently, I was a monster, remember? And I’m pretty sure you guys haven’t told anyone otherwise, for my privacy.” “Shoot, she’s right.” And she put a hoof up before Pinkie could protest. “Now, I know you want to expect the best outta everypony Pinkie Pie, but ponies in this town are right skittish, especially with creatures they ain’t never seen before. Especially with the tall tales that got spread around, ponies thinking they were in danger.” “They’ll have to see me eventually, but I’d like to do that on my own terms.” I knew it was true. “I don’t want to surprise anyone and cause any misunderstandings.” “Ooh!” Apple Bloom chimed in, raising a hoof like she was in class. “I got an idea!” The Apples had taken off to execute their plan, and Pinkie was helping me get ready to leave the hospital. She offered to carry my makeshift saddlebags too, since they weren’t a good fit for me anymore. Doctor Horse helped with the discharge papers, telling me what things said and where to sign. The nurses seemed a lot less skittish around me, and they said their goodbyes too, even complimenting my skirt. There weren’t any other patients around, whether that was for my privacy, their safety, or a coincidence I wasn’t sure. I hoped I’d stay well enough to not have to come back here, even if my time wasn’t too bad, coma nightmares and slight breakdowns aside. I also made sure to apologize again for sneaking out in the middle of the night again, but they all seemed very understanding. We went to the back of the hospital where it was harder to see from the main road through town. Pinkie was playing lookout while I stayed tucked away inside the drop off area where the hospital got it’s supplies. “I’m glad I have a place to stay.” I told her. “Hopefully it won’t be for too long, but it’s a load off my mind.” “Yeah!” she smiled, she squeezed my side quickly before going back to her post. “And I can come and see you whenever! And once everypony gets to know you, we can go anyplace you want! You’re gonna love Apple Family dinners! Apple Family any meals, really! And they’ve got lots of farm animals you can pet!” I listened to more of the perks of being a guest on the farm, thinking it could maybe be nice, when Pinkie stopped mid-sentence. Her ears perked up and she looked out to the main road. “Ooh! Here they come!” Coming down the road was Applejack, followed by a cart being pulled by the strongest-looking pony I’d seen yet. He was taller than Applejack, and he had one of those big horse collars around his neck. Bright red, with a short, light orange mane. Apple Bloom was perched a top the cart, looking ahead to us and waving. I didn’t come out all the way, still nervous of new faces. But when they got closer, I stepped out into view, prepared for whatever. “Wasn’t sure if you’d changed your mind.” Applejack laughed. “Lottie, this here’s my brother Big McIntosh, but you can call him Big Mac, if’n you prefer. Big Mac, this here’s Lottie, our house guest.” “Hi.” I said, quieter than I meant to. I cleared my throat. “Nice to meet you Big Mac.” His expression was subtle, his eyes widened for a split second before he nodded his head at me. I blinked, not quite getting the gesture. “C’mon now Big Mac.” Applejack nudged his side. “I know you’re not much for talkin’, but she’s the skittish type. You keep quiet, and she’s gonna think you don’t like her.” He sighed under his breath, and I quickly got the atmosphere I was feeling. I held up a hand, shaking my head slightly. “That’s okay Applejack.” I assured her, with a gentle smile. “If he doesn’t want to talk, I understand. No harm done.” And I meant it. I wasn’t much of a talker either, and I’d been talking to everybody I’d met so far and it was kind of exhausting. Big Mac smiled, grateful. He hummed, nodding again. Apple Bloom waved again from the cart. “You just hop up here, Lottie. Oh!” She hopped down, and the back of the cart fell down. She stepped off, with a bunch of apples in a wooden basket. “Right after these get delivered a few days ahead o’ schedule.” The Apples unloaded the baskets, the bigger the family member, the more baskets loaded on their back. It only took a couple of trips, and they were done before I even thought to ask if they needed help. All that was left in the back was a big heap of hay, just big enough for me to cover myself for the ride back to the farm. “Now, let’s get goin’ y’all!” Apple Bloom seemed excited, like we were doing something fun rather than going from point A to point B. Maybe because it was her idea. I climbed into the back, settling in before getting covered head to toe in hay by an enthusiastic pink pony. Like I was being buried in the sand at the beach. “Now, we’ll try to make it a smooth ride Lottie.” Applejack called to me. “You just sit tight.” “I’ll be fine. This is actually my second ride in a pony-pulled cart.” I laughed weakly. There wasn’t much to the ride on my end, besides the sounds of the town around us. That, and occasional worried gasps from Pinkie with a “Watch out for that rock!” or a “Watch out for that hole!” Considerate, yes. But from how smooth the ride was, it seemed like Big Mac had it under control. The hay was stiff and kind of itchy, and it poked at me a bit through the skirt, but I was the one who asked for a way across town unseen. I was in no place to whine about it, and after a thankfully uneventful trip, we pulled up to a faint farm atmosphere. I heard chickens and pigs in the distance, and Apple Bloom hopping from the cart to the ground. “You can come out Lottie.” Applejack called. I dug my way out of the hay, poking up into the fresh air. I looked out onto my guest lodgings for my stay in this world. “Welcome back to Sweet Apple Acres!” Apple Bloom announced with a little bit of flourish. “Eyyup.” Came a deep voice from Big Mac. I put my legs over the end of the cart, stepping onto the dirt road. Well, here goes nothing. Luna had retired for the morning after writing their letter to Twilight. Celestia was sitting in the dining hall, enjoying the brief lull in her schedule since she’d had woken up early. She had thought about what to do about the situation at hoof. She still mourned for the foals lost to this evil, and her mind wandered back to the creature in the hospital in Ponyville, healed by her precious former student. Luna had gone back and protected her, coming back to the waking world with a story of a young mare she called Lottie. One who was filled with doubt and self-loathing, who faced terrible horrors in her dreams and still stood strong. In a way, she reminded Celestia of her sister, even though she had never met her. She would admit to being fascinated at the idea of another universe tied to her own, and her curiosity helped numb the pain of the lost foals. She wondered if Lottie would accept their offer of sending letters, and what the mare from another world would have to say. She sighed, preparing to put on a regal façade and make here way to the throne room, when the familiar wisp of dragonfire made its way to her. Twilight had responded. She read the letter, reminding herself to leave it where Luna could see when she awoke, and with every new sentence she experienced a wave of emotion. Curiosity, relief, shock, determination, she found herself exhausted by the end, and so much new information to this winding maze of mystery. A pony, one of her dear subjects, was not only safe and sound from the horrible fate they had all feared, but had done something extraordinary. She had made a home away from everything she knew, hopefully finding the love and acceptance Celestia dearly wished she had. And their guest Lottie…she was not some foreign presence as they first thought, but something of a wayward subject who unwittingly traveled to the land of her ancestry. It felt as if a piece of Celestia herself had returned, one that she didn’t even know was missing. She would waste no time. “Your Highness.” Her trusted aide Raven popped her head into the private dining room, stepping in when she was certain she was not interrupting anything. “Your first appointment of the day is coming up shortly. Do you need anything before the day begins?” “As a matter of fact…” she rolled the scroll up in her magic, carrying it with her as she walked. “I have a bit of a personal assignment for you. If you are willing.” “Of course.” Raven smiled, eager as always to do her duty. “You only need to ask, Princess.” “It is a very important assignment. Nopony is to know but you.” Raven stood a little straighter, already understanding how weighty this task must be. Celestia didn't want word of this getting out before everything was well under control. Stars forbid if some bureaucrat or social-climber saw this as their opportunity to cause a bit of fear-mongering. “You should be receiving some paperwork from Princess Twilight Sparkle soon, and it is to be handled very discreetly. And I’ll need you to look up some familial records, also discreetly. Should you run into any red tape, you have my full authority on the matter. Use my royal seal if you must.” It was much more important that Raven had guessed. She nodded, ready to commit her instructions to memory, as not to leave a paper trail. “Very good. I need you to find certain ponies for me.” Twilight had wasted no time beginning her new research. Only days ago, she had been consumed with identifying a creature in the woods. Then with the fates of all the missing foals. Now she would be looking for a way to open a portal, one that she knew nothing of it’s origins or how it worked. It was hard to believe the subjects were all connected by a common thread. She was going to pull every known theory on interdimensional travel known to pony kind, and beyond. Theories through they may be, if any one of them held the clue to getting Lottie home, she would exhaust every lead. She’d also need to continue her research into wild plant magic. It would be one overwhelmingly great coincidence if what she knew was in those woods had nothing to do with this, especially after it had threatened her new friend’s life. And if all else failed, she’d need to find any magical route known to find out how the original passage of Sugar Maple had transpired, if only to recreate the results. She hoped to create a more stable gateway, one that would allow for safer, open travel between the worlds. It would be hard, but Twilight could not fail. Lottie had to go back to her own world, to her own kind. If she couldn’t figure it out, she didn’t know if she could face her, if she could tell the human that she’d be stuck here for the rest of her life. It would be horrible… She thought, her heart heavy with the image. If that were to happen, I’d do everything in my power to make sure Lottie was safe and happy here. She’d almost be better off if she- She shook her head, banishing the thought. She was not going too fail. She couldn’t fail. If it took years of study and magical theory, she’d find a way to get Lottie home. And even if she did spend longer than she expected here in Equestria, she would thrive as herself, ponies would get to know her and welcome her with open hooves. But… The same desperate thought crawled back from the corners of her mind. Being stuck here would be easier as Cornflower Blue. It worked for Sugar Maple. She shook her head free of it again. Spike saw how frustrated she was feeling. “It’s okay Twilight!” he piped up, a sympathetic smile and a comforting claw resting on her back. “Lottie’s in the most capable hooves in Equestria. You got this!” She nodded, determined. She pulled the books she knew she had from the library shelves and started the catalog list for books and scrolls she knew to be off in the Canterlot archives. She couldn’t fail her.