“What’s a Sophie?” A mysterious voice asked me.
Why is it that every time I’d like a moment to myself something always happens to make it come to a screeching halt. I should stop myself before I begin to ramble. My initial reaction to this voice was a tad extreme. I threw the covers off of me and pointed my sword at the source of the noise. My second reaction: garble flarble. My mind went completely blank when I saw what I was threatening: a pink horse with curly pink hair and enormous blue eyes. I didn’t have enough time to articulate any thoughts as I was almost immediately rendered immobile. A strange pink light surrounded me and no matter how hard I struggled I couldn’t free myself.
“Relax, we only want to talk.” I was able turn my head to see five other horses each a different color. One actually had rainbow colored hair. Right down to indigo, the most obscure of the seven colors of the light spectrum. There I go rambling again I really need to focus. The one that had spoken seemed to be a purple one with the same colored light surrounding a horn on her head. It took me a lot of getting my head on straight but I was able to sort myself enough to make a somewhat witty retort.
“Right because I should listen to the thing that’s restraining me.” Okay a not so very witty retort.
“If you calm down I’ll put you down.”
“No thanks. I’ll get myself out.”
“That won’t happen. I’ve tweaked this spell so that it will adjust its strength to match the output of the one caught in it.”
“Thanks for the tidbit. I’m going to prove you wrong now.” I concentrated for a moment and used the Rift to cause my muscles to go limp. My entire body slumped and the horses gave me a confused look. I ignored then and noticed that the field was slowly adjusting to my new level of strength. When it was done I used the Rift to increase my strength. The field shuddered and broke as I struggled out, unable to adjust to my new level of strength fast enough. I deftly landed on the floor and shot the horses a playful grin.
“Well, now that I’m in a position of superiority I’ll answer your questions, after you answer mine.”
“Fine, what do you want to know?” The purple one asked, rubbing the horn on her head with one of her hooves.
“First, I’d like to… wait, weren’t there six of you?”
“You’re right, where’s Fluttershy?” The white one said after scanning the room for a moment.
I started to look for the missing horse and eventually found her underneath the bed. I was impressed that she was able to make it there without me noticing. That feeling disappeared as soon as I saw the look on her face. She looked absolutely terrified; it was almost like she expected me to eat her or something.
‘Oh man, I feel like I just kicked a puppy, a sentient, pink haired puppy.’
‘And for some reason I feel like you’ve earned a lot of hatred from a large group of adult males.’ Gabriel replied.
I let out a short sigh and allowed my sword to dissipate and stretched my hand toward the horse. “Hey,
Fluttershy was it? I’m sorry if I scared you. I overreacted there, but everything’s fine now.” The look on her face softened and she tilted her head slightly, causing her hair to cover an eye.
“Its okay, is your back alright?”
“Please, I’ve had worse and could still run a marathon. In fact I can fix this right now.” She wiggled her way from underneath the bed and gave me a confused look.
“How do you plan on doing that? I used everything I know to help the healing process.”
“Everything you know and everything I know are two completely different things.” I replied with the best grin I had.
I slipped the bandages off of my body and concentrated on the wound. As soon as I did I could feel my cells start to slowly divide. As always I made sure I was careful to avoid accidentally making the cells divide too quickly which could give me cancer. It hasn’t happened yet and that’s how I’d like to keep it. After a few minutes the wounds were healed with only a small trace left behind. I looked at the six ponies, with the same open mouth expression on their faces.
“How did you do that?” The one with the rainbow hair asked.
“I believe it was my turn to ask the questions. The first thing I’d like to know is: where is my shirt?”
“I have it right here.” The white one answered, using a similar glow that the purple one had to bring it over to me. “Although the hydra did quite a number on it, if you like I could fix it for you.”
“That won’t be necessary,” I said slipping on my uniform. “I doubt you have what I need to fix it anyway.”
“Oh, I was only trying to help, Darling.”
“Thank you, but at this point I’ll need some new clothing for however long I’ll be staying. Which could be anywhere from a few days to the remainder of my life.”
“How do you not know how long you’ll be staying?” The pink one asked.
“I’ll get to that when I answer your questions. For now, allow me to introduce myself. I am Grant Walker and it’s a pleasure to meet all of you, even though the circumstances have been a bit strange.” I said with a slight bow for dramatic effect.
“Hi, I’m Twilight Sparkle, librarian for the town of Ponyville and personal student of Princess Celestia.”
“I’m Rainbow Dash, fastest flier in Equestria and future member of the Wonderbolts.” The rainbow haired one said with a tight loop.
“I am Rarity, and if its clothing you need then, I insist that you allow me to design you some new ones. I would love to have a model with such a striking form as yours.”
“Ahm, Applejack thanks for what ya did back in the forest. Ah thought I was a goner.”
“Hi! I’m Pinkie Pie! Wow I thought you were going to be a big mean meanie pants when you pointed that sword at me. But when you got Fluttershy oh that’s the yellow Pegasus over there but you knew that already out from under the bed you were really nice. And…”
“Ah think he gets the point Sugarcube.” Applejack said, placing a hoof firmly into Pinkie Pie’s motor-mouth.
It was at that moment that I reacted with the utmost respect towards the information I was just given. I started to laugh my arse off. “Those are some of the most ridiculous names I have ever heard. I… I need a moment.” I said, taking a second or two to straighten up. “I’m sorry I don’t normally do that.”
“What makes our names so funny to ya?”
“A few reasons, nothing you need to worry about. Anyway, you’ve answered most of my questions. The country is named…*snort* Equestria, the town we’re in is Ponyville and I’m obviously the only member of my species that you’ve met.”
“That’s correct. You’re a lot more perceptive than I had thought you’d be.” Twilight said with a slight grin.
“Well I have to…” All of a sudden Pinkie Pie made an ear-shattering gasping noise and in a cloud of dust she was suddenly gone. “What just happened there?”
“Don’t worry, that was just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie.” Twilight said with a knowing smile.
“She’s planning me a surprise party isn’t she?”
“How the hay did you figure that out?”
“Simple, each of you has a marking on your sides. That couldn’t be a coincidence seeing as none of you have any other markings on your bodies. So the mark has to symbolize something important about each of you. Pinkie Pie’s mark is of three balloons. That could mean she likes to decorate for parties, throw parties, or just enjoys parties in general. Add all that up with the sporadic behavior we just witnessed and the fact that you seem to be hiding something and that seems to be the best explanation.”
“Ah don’t know what just happened, but mah head hurts a little.”
“I have to say that I’m impressed. Do you have any other questions?” Twilight asked.
“Yes, could I see a mirror?” Rarity gave me a small hand mirror and what I saw was a little odd. “Sweet Jesus! I look like the offspring of one of those Japanese cartoons and Disney!”
“What’s wrong, Grant?”
“Where I’m from I don’t normally look like this. My shape and coloration is still the same but that’s about it. Just ask your questions before my mind… I like a moo cow!”
“Are you okay?”
“Sorry my brain just, never mind, just ask your questions.”
“Um okay, where are you from?”
“Another universe I suppose.”
“Other universes exist! This is a groundbreaking discovery!” Twilight squealed. “What’s it like there? Do ponies exist there? What’s your magic like? What about technology?”
“Come again?”
“Sorry ‘bout that.” Applejack said. “She gets a little excitable ‘bout things like this. But I’d like to know what ya are exactly?”
“That’s a fun one to answer.” I said with a slight grin. “As far as occupations go you could say I’m a soldier and student. I could also say I’m a sixteen year old boy. But my species is half Human and half Angel.”
`“Angel? That’s the name of my bunny! Are you half bunny? Oh do you have a tail? Do you like carrots?” Fluttershy asked, getting in my face and forgetting the last part of her name.
“What just happened to Fluttershy? “
“Fluttershy really loves animals. I’m surprised you didn’t figure that out Mr. Perceptive.” Rainbow Dash laughed.
“Huh, I thought the butterflies meant she was an Entomologist or something but the animal lover makes sense too. And no I am not half bunny. Angel is the name of a species where I’m from.”
“So you’re not related to Angel Bunny?”
“No, but I still like carrots.” I said hoping to make her feel better.
“Excuse me,” Twilight said. “You keep saying you’re only half of one species, but as far as I can tell your structure seems to be of one cohesive whole.”
“That’s correct. Right now I’m in my Human form. The Angel part of my body I keep under wraps but I can let it out at any time I want.”
‘Grant why are you being so open with these ponies?’
‘You remember that position of superiority I said I have?’
‘Yeah’
‘My actual position is so ambiguous that a mouse could squeeze me out if it wanted to. So instead of lying I’ll tell them what they want to know, unless I don’t want to. But for now they seem to have magic and some of that magic could help us get back home, so i won't lie. Our only other option would be for us to reverse the process of drawing the Rift into our body and instead draw ourselves into the Rift, which would be dangerous, incredibly stupid, and most likely impossible.’
‘Just like everything else we do.’
‘Good point’
“Grant, what exactly happens when you let out your Angel half?”
“Hmm, oh yes my Angel half. Well my skin takes on a marble like quality to it, my body gets a certain glow to it, I sprout large wings, and my strength grows exponentially.”
“You grow wings!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “Does that mean you can fly?”
“Yes I can. When I feel like it.”
“Wait, when you were fightin’ the hydra, ya could’ve gotten even stronger?”
“Yes, I just didn’t see the need. I only use my Angel form as a sort of last resort. A sort of, in case of emergency break psyche kind of thing.” This garnered a few looks but none of them seemed to know how to respond.
All of a sudden Pinkie Pie returned to the room with an odd look on her face. “Pinkie Pie, what are you doing here? Isn’t there something important you have to do?” Twilight asked.
“I was going to, but when I got to town I noticed that everypony was acting weird. So I checked it out and saw that Trixie’s back.”
“Ugh not Trixie,” Twilight groaned. “Come on girls. Let’s go see what she’s doing back in town.”
“I’ll come too.” I said.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’d be bored out of my mind just sitting here. Besides, I want to know what this Trixie character is like to earn such a reaction from all of you.”