Back at the crash site, the inspector was getting impatient. "Where is that worker?" he fumed. "I sent him to go and find that missing man several hours ago. Now where is he?"
A few moments later, the question answered itself quite conveniently, as a worker wandered out of the swamp and into the late evening sun. He had a number of items in his hands, and he looked exhausted.
"Did you find him?" the inspector asked.
"No, I'm afraid," the member of the breakdown gang replied, beads of sweat clinging to his face due to the humidity. "However, we did find some items of interest in there." With that, he put them down on a box, as a loud squelching noise announced that Coach C had finally been pulled out of the mud. The coach exterior was most certainly not stainless steel. Indeed, muddy steel would be a more accurate description.
The inspector looked over them. "An iPad, a smartphone, two halves of a pair of red glasses with the bridge missing, and a black hair tie. What are these things?"
Another worker walked over, this time with a datapad showing AMTRAK passenger data. "Sir, these items all belong to the missing passenger. Passenger 20240, James T. Hook, or known by his friends and family by his nickname: Jimmy."
The inspector snorted. "What a ridiculous name," he scoffed, as he looked at a scan of this man's passport. "Is he from Holland? And look at that sorry excuse for hair. He needs to visit the barber someday!"
"The DoD sent some useful info about him," the worker continued, bringing up some more data. "Born out in Ashland, Oregon-"
"No wonder he looks like a hippie," the inspector laughed.
"Well sir, his hair used to be short and straight. But then he went through puberty and his hair became what it is nowadays. Anyways, he was born out in Ashland, Oregon on July 18th, 1996. He lived with his family in that state from 1996 to 2000. Then in August 2000, he and his family moved from Oregon to Alabama to a neighborhood district near a small town called Pike Road. After that, in August of 2012, he and his family moved from the neighborhood district near Pike Road, Alabama to Manteo, North Carolina. Since that time in 2012, he and his family have resided in Manteo, North Carolina ever since."
"And this is important HOW?"
Another worker began speaking. "According to DoD records, in September 2016 he entered a clubroom in a school somewhere, but never left. Sunset Shimmer did, and there was no sign of Jimmy afterward."
The inspector looked puzzled. "What's 'Sunset Shimmer'?"
"A character from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic."
The inspector burst into fits of laughter. "MY LITTLE PONY?" he snorted, his words distorted by his laughter. "Don't be preposterous! A man cannot turn into a horse!"
"But since then, beginning at the end of 2017 to be exact." said the first worker, "several more have occured, including that Egyptian pony I mentioned earlier, and the seapony one that was shown on live TV. This is just a selection, however, as a group of internet archivists have kept record of each and every one, which is as follows: Starlight Glimmer's human form from Equestria Girls Mirror Magic, Princess Luna's Season 1 design, a bat pony of the same name, Mystery Mint (an Equestria Girls background character), Coloratura, Suri Polomare, EG Photo Finish, Sunset Shimmer once again, Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess Skystar (Her Seapony form to be exact), Princess Luna's Season 1 design once again, Queen Chrysalis, Clawdeen Wolf (Monster High), Cleo De Nile (Monster High), Lagoona Blue (Monster High), Pixel Pizazz, Violet Blurr (EG humans that debuted in Equestria Girls Rainbow Rocks), Valley Glamour (recorded by a friend of mine by the name of D.I.Scord), EG Sweetie Belle, EG Lyra Heartstrings (albeit of her winter attire instead of her normal clothing), Equestria Girls Friendship Power Rarity, Queen Chrysalis once again, EG Silver Spoon, Princess Luna's Season 1 design yet again, EG Diamond Tiara, Sapphire Shores, Cayenne, Pony Cheerilee, EG Cheerilee, Somnambula, Moonlight Raven, Sunshine Smiles, Citrus Blush, North Point, Lily Love, Equestria Girls Friendship Power Fluttershy, Cherry Jubilee, Watermelody (Equestria Girls), Queen Novo (like Princess Skystar from last year, it was also her Seapony form to be exact.), Juniper Montage, Reformed Queen Chrysalis, Equestria Girls Friendship Power Sci-Twi, Rosette Nebula, Supernova Zap (Su-Z), Vignette Valencia, EG Fiddlesticks, EG Fleetfoot, EG G4 Megan Williams, Mane-iac Mayhem, Season 1 Grand Galloping Gala Rarity, Kiwi Lollipop (K-Lo), EG Kerfuffle, EG Autumn Blaze, Reformed Sunset Shimmer (aka Sunset Shimmer's 2nd Main outfit), Equestria Girls Friendship Power Sunset Shimmer, Adagio Dazzle, Sonata Dusk, Aria Blaze (those three that also debuted in Equestria Girls Rainbow Rocks), 1950 Cinderella (Disney Princess), 2015 Cinderella (Disney Princess), EG Zecora, Giselle (Disney Princess), Equestria Girls Friendship Power Pinkie Pie, Jasmine (Disney Princess), Cozy Glow (In this case.... a Alternate Universe Cozy Glow that was never evil at all.), Ariel (Mermaid and Disney Princess), Aurora (Disney Princess), Equestria Girls Friendship Power Applejack, Filly Starlight Glimmer, Snow White (Disney Princess and the first one that began it all for Disney Princesses), and lastly (before the last Monday of this month that is.) Belle (Disney Princess). And some of them aren't even My Little Pony! It's what the Navy found when scanning both Queen Novo and Princess Skystar when swimming off that was most interesting."
"And that is?" the inspector asked, clearly irritated by the quantity of infomation being imparted upon him. Truth be told, it was a lot to take on.
"His DNA was irreversibly altered by Equestrian magic from his first transformation into Sunset Shimmer back in September 2016," the second man said, picking up where the first had left off. "As a direct consequence of this, he transforms into a different fictional character every single week. Some say he is cursed because of that, while others hear him say that it is his gift. Combine those two words together and a majority of the people call it for him as.... The Cursed Gift."
The inspector sighed. "Talk about an identity crisis." He then looked back to the first man. "So, you're telling me we may have a horse trekking across the country, and the only traces of him are these items?"
The men opened the phone, which miraculously was unlocked, and noticed that the recording function was running. They stopped the recording, set it to the beginning of the track, and hit play.
"OW! MAKE IT STOP! PLEASE!!!"
A few minutes passed on the recording, with groans and cries of pain, all the while rising in audio pitch.
"Well, Ah'll be! Ah can't go anywhere like this, can Ah?"
There was another pause, before the voice, a Cajun voice, spoke again.
"Well, this is better! Well, Ah'll suppose Ah'll head there!"
The second man spoke up. "I found hoofprints in the mud near where I found these items, sir. Need any more convincing?"
The inspector's face said it all.
Mage Meadowbrook walked down the hill from the swamp and into the town, a gentle breeze blowing her way as she proceeded down a sidewalk. As she made her way into town, many people looked over and stopped in their tracks.
"Has she got lost?" asked one man, leaning next to a gas pump and nursing a beer in his left. "She must be from another state!"
"Or another time!" his friend laughed. "Hey, are you a friend of Elvis?"
Meadowbrook only had a slightly faint idea of who this Elvis was, but continued on her way, ignoring the two men, who would probably forget the entire thing and pass it off as drunkenness anyway.
As she got closer to the center of the town, the wind blowing down long, straight streets, she suddenly saw the town hall, and thought asking about there would be sensible. She crossed over the road, after waiting for the lights to change, a motorist calling out to her, "Hey! Are you in the cast of Grease or somethin'?"
She walked inside the town hall, and over to a desk where an older woman was handling some paperwork. Once she had arranged them into a neat pile, she looked up. "Good evenin', ma'am. How may Ah help ya today?"
Meadowbrook smiled nervously. "Ya see, Ah've been travellin' a long way today, and was wonderin' if there were any vacancies anywhere?"
The woman on the desk quickly did some typing, and came to an answer within a few minutes. "There's a private motel, Harrison's on 27th Street, that has a few rooms. Do ya want us ta send a request through ta them ta hold a room for y'all?"
"Yes please, if not at all inconvenient," Meadowbrook replied.
"What name should I give?"
Meadowbrook thought for a moment. "Mary Meadowbrook." She'd used it before when she'd found herself in a similar situation, and if it ain't broke, don't fix it!
The woman on the desk nodded. "Mary Meadowbrook. Rings a bell." She took out a town map and highlighted where the motel was with a big red ring. "It ain't far from here."
"Thanks," Meadowbrook replied, but before she was about to go, the woman on the desk spoke again.
"Ya know, it's nice ta see young ladies like you dressin' properly," she said. "Ah honestly don't get what passes for clothes these days, but yer lookin' good and modest."
"Thanks ma'am," Meadowbrook replied.
"Take it as a compliment!" the woman called. Meadowbrook smiled to herself as she left the town hall. Maybe she could do a good job of being human after all.
The motel itself was a respectable structure, built in an L shape around a courtyard with rooms and doors coming off of it at regular intervals, spread over two stories of 40 rooms each. The place had a warm, gentle, caring air to it, as if the owner took great pride in keeping it maintained and respectable. The wind blew in from the street, air rushing over Mage Meadowbrook's feet as she walked into the office. Or rather, walked into the office after making sure the door was open first. Entering a room whilst the door was shut was not only painful, it was expensive, as either somebody needed to be hired to fix the door, or in the worst cases somebody needed to be hired to fit a new door entirely.
A ceiling fan was whirring around at the speed of an airplane propellor, alongside the constant hum of the air conditioning plant pushing hot air out of the room. The owner, currently standing behind the desk, was an old fellow with white, neatly trimmed hair and a well kept moustache. He smiled as Meadowbrook walked in.
"Evenin' ma'am!" he called, his voice the very model of Southern hospitality. "Mary Meadowbrook?"
Meadowbrook nodded. "Yes sir. City hall contact you?"
The man laughed. "They sure did. You're on the second floor, Room 203. There's a complimentary bottle of Swamp Pop in there, and seeing you've traveled a long ways today, I added some food to the fridge."
Meadowbrook smiled happily as the keys were handed over. "Checkout is by 11 tomorrow morning. Have a nice night," the owner continued.
"Thank ya sir," Meadowbrook replied, as she turned to go. It was then she thought of something, and turned back. "When do Ah pay ya, s'il vous plait?"
The owner laughed. "Cajun?" he asked. "Ah suppose we mostly are around here. You can pay in cash or card, when you check out. Have a nice night!"
Meadowbrook waved, and walked out of the door into the cold air. The motel owner smiled. "Been a long time since Ah last heard French being spoken. That girl's keepin' the traditions alive in more than one way Ah suppose." Her fashion choice had not been lost on him, but he pushed those thoughts aside as he retired to his office for the evening, going over the daily accounts and noting who had been in before. But that name, Mary Meadowbrook... there was something oddly familiar about it. What could it be? Such thoughts were expunged as the tones of Frank Sinatra filled the cold night air.
Mage Meadowbrook went up the stairs and walked to room 203, and took out her key. She then pushed it into the lock. There was a brief bit of resistance as she turned it, but sure enough the tumbler engaged and released the bolt. Hearing the familiar 'clunk' of a lock disengaging, she pushed down on the handle. Sure enough, the door opened, and she stepped inside, closing the door behind her and locking said door with her key. The last thing she needed was unwanted visitors of any pursuations, not least burglers. Given the human form wasn't her preferred body, she was somewhat limited in her abilities there, and had to be wary. She put her bag down on her bed, and looked around. The room was nicely furnished, with two beds, a TV, a lampshade with attached lamp, and most important, a desk with attached fridge. Seeing the fridge reminded her: she was hungry and thirsty. She pulled the fridge door open, removing a bottle of Swamp Pop (rasperry) and a wrapped food item. She looked at the label closely. "Four cheeses Po'boy? Spunds good ta me!"
After having finished her food, which was delicious (one of the benefits of being Cajun was that there was good vegetarian food), Mage Meadowbrook picked the bottle of Swamp Pop up, as it was about half-full, and stepped through the door onto the outer balcony, which overlooked the bayou she called home. It may be a while before she saw this place again, so she soaked it up as best she could.
"Hello there!" called a friendly Scottish voice from a neighboring balcony. Mage Meadowbrook looked over and did a double take.
"Geez Louise!" she cried, Jimmy briefly reasserting himself before vanishing into the background of her mind. The man looking over had blue skin and wild orange hair, with a truly astonishing moustache and beard. He wore a white vest over a chequered shirt, with a pair of blue jeans and heavy black boots.
"This is the last place I expected to see yoo, Mage Meadowbrook!" the man smiled. "I've been on the road for a while noo, and it's good ta see a friendly face aboot here."
Mage Meadowbrook smiled, and laughed. "Well, Ah'd say the same about encounterin' you here, Rockhoof! Ya look like a sailor!"
"Fisherman, actually," Rockhoof replied. "I was in the Highlands and Islands of this place called Scotland for a while, and blended in by catching fish off the coast of Skye. But what about yoo? How does the best healer in Equestria end up in this place, a complete nowhere?"
Meadowbrook smiled again, as was her custom. "Yer too kind, Rockhoof. And Ah think this place is actually pretty nice, even if some of the men are less than desirable. Last thin' Ah recall, Ah was in Twilight's school helpin' ta teach healin' potions. Then suddenly, there's a great big gap in mah memory, and next Ah recall, Ah'm in a bayou like the ones Ah knew back in Hayseed Swamp, with recollection of a place called Manteo, and mah potions all in a saddlebag next ta me, as well as a map tellin' me where ta go. It was all a bit odd, but Ah made it most of the way there, helpin' out a poor alligator with a sore tongue, and then arrivin' here, temporarily changin' mahself into a human ta blend in a bit. Then Ah came here, and found you here. How about you?"
Rockhoof laughed. "Yoo make it sound so easy, Meadowbrook!" he guffawed. Mage Meadowbrook knew this was just part of his personality, and he meant no harm. "I was fixing a hole where the rain gets in at Twilight's Castle, when suddenly there was an incredible bright light, like a volcanic eruption, or Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds! Anywhoo, afterwords, when my vision had at last cleared, I was in a fishing village called Ferness, dressed like this, and had to blend in as best I could. After a long, long time of fishing, mending, and making friends, I decided to make my way across the Atlantic to where I was meant to be. It's interesting you mentioned Manteo, North Carolina?"
"Why is that?" Meadowbrook asked, surprised that Rockhoof knew of this place. She had little time to consider this fact, as Rockhoof began speaking again, his words rolling out into the cool autumn air of Louisiana.
"I'm going to complete a job in Florida, and there's a place called Augusta in Georgia that's partway along that route before our paths would split. I can give you a lift, if you want."
Mage Meadowbrook smiled. "Why, Rockhoof, that'd be wonderful! Thanks fer the offer: Ah'll take it up."
Rockhoof smiled as well. "Anything to help an old friend of mine. I'd rather not get stuck in limbo this time, however: having to get those four, or was it six, ponies to break us out wasn't much fun, thinking aboot it."
Mage Meadowbrook could only nod at Rockhoof's words. She could recall being stuck in that realm for a long time, and being utterly baffled at how much Equestria had changed in the intervening years. Not to mention how this place was utterly perplexing as well, given that it had all sorts of strange things she didn't entirely understand, but that was getting away from the point. She pushed such thoughts aside and sat down at the table that was provided on the balcony, relaxing in the cool air. The stress of travel could wait until tomorrow. She could rest now, and enjoy herself, the cool air washing over her like a good shower. Speaking of which, she could do with taking one tomorrow. That would be nice, as she still had a long way to go, if her map was at all accurate.
After a further chat about the events that had transpired during their adventures here, Mage Meadowbrook thought it was only fair to beat a retreat and call it goodnight. "See ya tommorra, Rockhoof!" she said, as she went back indoors.
"Ah, so you're turnin' in for the night, are you?" Rockhoof asked, his hand on the balcony and the other holding a bottle of some inderterminate liquid, probably Swamp Pop. "Well, I suppose I'd better think aboot doin' the same, or even better, actually doin' it and getting some shut eye. After all, we've got a long journey tomorrow, and it will in all likelihood take most, if not all, of the day. Nevertheless, have a good night, Meadowbrook!"
"You too!" Meadowbrook called back, closing her door behind her. The moon continued to hover in the sky, casting glorious beams on the ground, and not rendering a certain American citizen unable to move until he had morphed into some sort of wolflike creature. Sorry, wrong story, not to mention wrong website.
After miraculously discovering her kit did survive, it contained such useful items such as toothpaste and a toothbrush, Mage Meadowbrook popped into the bathroom and brushed her teeth, including those that weren't normally there, before rinsing her mouth out and spitting it into the basin. Then, she went over to the window, shut the curtains, and gently dimmed the lights, the gentle whirr of the air conditioning helping her to doze off. She lacked any appropriate human nightwear, so using the bed wasn't an option, and as a result she lay back in a chair and wished the day goodbye, and the world a very nice night indeed.