That afternoon, Ember, Smolder, and I were on the train bound for Ponyville. We weren't going to be able to stay long, though. We'd only be there long enough to give out gifts, find the two ponies we would need to find to ask about translation devices, and leave to meet Star.
It was a bit of a celebration on the train. Apparently, Silver Spoon, who was a friend of the Crusaders, has started learning about summoning a pokemon of her own.
I was kinda surprised, considering she and Diamond Tiara apparently had summoned a fire type that burned down Sugarcube Corner, got both of them in legal trouble, and ended their friendship.
I would have thought she would have wanted to stay as far from summoning as possible. Apparently it was part of her parole. The courts felt she wouldn't botch a summon so badly if she actually learned how.
That, and Ember’s and my egg had everyone in good spirits. Pinkie was rambling on about throwing a party, though she was sad when we said we wouldn't be able to stay for it.
Still, we were all in a good mood, so I decided that it would be a good time to ask to talk to Eros in private.
"Sweetie Belle, may I speak to you?" I asked.
She looked up at me and smiled. "Sure."
"I was wondering if I could speak to Eros for a moment?" I asked. "I would like to ask her for her help with something."
Sweetie looked back at her little ralts, thoughtfully. "I guess you can ask her, but if she says no, don't push her. She's very shy around creatures she doesn't know."
"Of course," I said with a friendly smile.
Sweetie looked back to the ralts and called, "Eros, could you come here, please?"
In a flash, the little pokemon teleported to Sweetie's side, radiating caution and wariness toward me, and love and protectiveness toward Sweetie.
"Eros, this is Luke," Sweetie introduced. "He's one of Leo's friends, and he was hoping you could help him with something."
As soon as Sweetie mentioned that I was Leo's friend, a touch of anger and fear tainted her aura.
"Please, I mean no harm to any pony or pokemon," I said to Eros, alone.
"We'll see," she said in my head. "What do you want?"
"Leo told me you didn't like her or the other eevees, even though you got along with the other Crusaders' summons. May I ask why? I feel it may be important."
Eros studied me for several seconds. Her mistrust was thick. It made me wonder where it came from. Did someone hurt her? I couldn't imagine someone harboring that much mistrust without a reason.
Eros recoiled, suddenly, as if something shocked her. In a bright flash, we were in the luggage car, me pinned to one wall while she stood on a shelf near the other end.
"Who are you?! Why are you different?!" she demanded.
After a second to get my bearings, I asked, "How am I different?"
"When I listened to those 'eevees'' thoughts, what I heard wasn't theirs. It was as if another creature was speaking in their head, sometimes singing, sometimes talking of weather forcasts and something called a 'traffic report'."
I blinked in confusion. Did they have a radio in their heads?
"But with you," Eros continued. "With you, it's just... noise. Noise like... like millions of tiny leaves rustling. Beneath that sound, though, I could hear something. It was too hard to make anything out, but it was there."
I nodded. "I was afraid of that. How much do you know about us?"
"I know you aren't what you seem," Eros said. "You're from a world separate from both this one and my own and that you were something other than what you are now."
I nodded. "Yes, but something I think you should know is that we were likely sent here on purpose."
I paced a bit, trying to gather the words I needed. "You know how their eggs refuse to hatch? They were laid in early spring."
I felt Eros' surprise. "If they were laid in spring, they should have hatched by now."
I nodded. "Yeah, but something's keeping them from hatching, even while keeping them alive. Whatever it is, I think it brought us here and transformed us into what we are."
"That doesn't explain why you're different," Eros stated.
"I think I'm different because I wasn't supposed to be here," I said. "Not only am I the only one that isn't an eevee, but I wasn't even brought to the same place as them. Then there's the fact that I told Ember about who I really am not long after we met. However, they are uncharacteristically resistant to the idea of telling the ponies, even Yomega who would have told them the moment an opportunity presented itself when they could properly communicate.
"I think that whatever brought us here doesn't want us to tell, but since I wasn't supposed to be included, I wasn't as affected. But, even then, I can't really bring myself to tell the ponies, either. I was able to talk to Princess Celestia about it, but that was only because she figured out most of it herself."
"What are you getting at? Are you saying you were brought here for a reason?" Eros asked.
"Yes, and I don't know why," I admitted.
I sighed. "Just, do me a favor. Keep an eye on them. They're good people, but I'm afraid someone or something might be using them, and I don't know if they have everyone's best interests in mind."
It wasn't a long trip before we arrived in Ponyville. It was only a couple hours by train.
We stepped off and were immediately greeted by a group of ponies. Or, rather, those we were accompanying had a group waiting.
I waited for the reunion to die down before telling the pack I had a couple ponies to see before joining up with them.
"So, Leo says you need help finding a couple ponies?" Rainbow asked as she and Leo approached,
"Yes, two experts that may be able to help with something. The first is Lyra. Apparently she's an expert in linguistics. The second is one of the top arcane engineers in Equestria, Doctor Vinyl Scratch."
"Doctor?!" Leo and Rainbow echoed the other.
"Vinyl's a doctor?" Rainbow asked.
"That's what I was told."
Leo shook her head. <<"Yeah, I'm going to go check the eggs. I've had enough crazy for now.">>
Rainbow laughed. "Too bad. This is Ponyville."
Leo chuckled. <<"True, but I can at least put it off for a little bit. I'll see you at the library after you finish.">>
"Alright, Lyra's place is closer, and you probably met her in Canterlot already, so let's go see her first," Rainbow offered.
It didn't take long before Rainbow pointed out a nice little cottage. "That's Lyra's place. Why don't you knock and say hi while I go get Vinyl."
"Sounds like a plan," I said.
So, as Rainbow sped off, I walked over and knocked on the door.
It wasn't long before the door was opened by a cream coated mare with a blue and pink mane.
She looked at me suspiciously and asked, "Can I help you?"
"Forgive the intrusion, but I need to speak to Miss Heartstrings about a project," I said.
"Luke, hi," I heard Lyra say from behind the mare. "Bons, that's Luke. Let him in."
The suspicion vanished as she smiled. "Oh, right. I should have known. Come on in. It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Bonbon."
"Luke, as you've already heard." I accepted the invitation and the offered hoofshake. "I hope you don't mind, Rainbow Dash is fetching the other pony I need to speak to. Would it be okay to invite her inside as well? It's a mare named Vinyl Scratch."
"So," Bonbon said, giving me a mischievous grin. "A project that requires both Lyra and Vinyl... Let me guess, a translation device for your friends so they can speak to ponies?"
I laughed. "You're good. That's right on the money."
The conversation between Lyra, Vinyl and I went smoothly. I explained what I was wanting, gave them a letter Celestia gave me with compensation details, and they agreed to help.
Apparently, Lyra was already studying the eevee 'language', so she was already on the right path.
With the details hashed out, I made my way to the library. I entered to find Ember and Twilight talking.
"Are you sure it's safe?" Twilight asked, nervously.
Ember rolled her eyes. "I already said it is. Don't worry."
She noticed me and smiled. "So, how'd it go?"
"They agreed," I said. "With any luck, we'll see a prototype by spring."
Twilight perked up at 'prototype'. "Oh, are you working on something?"
I chuckled. "Oh, just a translator for the eevees... and possibly our child."
"You're worried they'll inherit your inability to speak Equish but not your aura ability," she realized.
I just nodded. "Anyway, there's one more thing we have to do before we leave. Is Spike here or is he out, somewhere?"
Twilight grimaced. "He's outside, somewhere."
I nodded and closed my eyes. I concentrated on the pack and Spike, focusing my aura as I projected my voice. "Come to the library. I have something for everyone."
"Uh... what was that?" Twilight asked. "I felt... something."
I just smiled, knowingly.
A few minutes later the door opened to admit Spike, Yomega, Lulu, and Zann.
"Did... did you call us?" Spike asked.
I smiled, smugly. "I did. Pretty nifty, huh?"
About fifteen minutes later, the pack was all gathered, along with Twilight, Spike, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity. The latter two came mostly out of curiosity.
"Alright," I started, "So, while I was in Canterlot, taking in the culture and sophistication of Equestria's snob society, I decided to get everyone presents... well, everyone with the tendency to spontaneously transform. Sorry ponies."
That got a few chuckles and an, "Oh, you needn't worry about us, darling."
"Alright, first up, Leo," I said, pulling a small shoebox shaped present. "I know you dream about flying with Rainbow Dash, and, while I make no promises that it'll work, I think I may have found a stone that might help you evolve into a form that will allow just that."
Leo's eyes widened in surprise and excitement. She tore into the package with reckless abandon.
And pulled out a nice, new red brick.
Leo gave me a flat look. <<"You're an asshole, Luke.">>
Most of the pack laughed, while Spike just shrugged and said, "I don't get it."
"It's something of an inside joke," I explained before looking back at Leo and tossing her another box, this one much smaller. "Seriously, though, this might help."
Leo caught it in the air and gave a sceptical look before opening it to find a pair of beautiful, pale blue gemstone earrings.
"Oh, my!" Rarity gasped. "Is that sky quartz?"
"Yes. I understand they are similar in nature to fire rubies and water sapphires, but infused with air magic," I explained. "Since those two can help eevee evolve, I figured this might help Leo evolve into a flying type. Even if it doesn't, I would assume it would have some effect."
<<"Like held items,">> Zann said.
"Exactly," I said. "Zann, your turn. Don't worry, the brick was the only gag gift."
I tossed Zann his gift which was opened even faster than Leo's first.
<<"Holy cow, a JoyBoy! I didn't even know they were real!">> he exclaimed as he gaped at the little handheld... hoofheld... pawheld... the little portable game.
"I got a couple games I thought you might like, but there's dozens more on the market," I said.
"Why don't I get you some batteries," Twilight offered. "I should have the right size."
"Next, Lulu." She was far cleaner with her unwrapping, even though her box was much bigger. "I know you haven't had a lot of opportunity to paint, and I remember you were amazing with it. Kind of funny how you used watercolor, and now..."
<<"Oh, Luke. Thank you. I'll paint something just for you first, and have it sent to you right away,">> Lulu said.
Next was Yomega. "You read my mind, yet?"
He grinned, <<"I'm trying to keep it under control.">>
"Well, these might help," I tossed him a small long box that he quickly opened. "Those are special practice balls. They're similar to the ones unicorns use to practice magic, but they're made of a magic resistant metal. That way a psychic practicing telekinesis can't cheat using magic."
<<"Practice balls meant especially for psychics? I like it. Thanks.">>
Then came Villhiem. He was just as delicate as Lulu with opening his. "This one is as much for everyone as it is for you. It's an Abyssinian tea set."
<<"Oh, this is really nice,">> he said. <<"It reminds me of a Japanese style set.">>
"Next is a pair of gifts everyone's going to hate me for, Cy and Vincent,"
The duo tore into their gifts, but it was Rainbow that seemed the most excited. "No way! That’s the Super Mischievous Prankster Workshop XXL! That's the greatest prank kit ever made, banned in four cities."
The glares I got were delicious.
"And now, for Conner," I handed him an envelope. "Tickets for the upcoming celestial butterfly migration. Two of them. One for you, and one for a... special someone."
Conner blushed. <<"Oh... well, seeing as I don't exactly have a special someone, I guess I could take Fluttershy. She would like it.">>
Even the ponies and dragons that couldn't understand him gave him a knowing smirk. He was worse than Spike.
Then it was Ember's turn to offer a gift. "I have a gift to give, too, as long as it's wanted."
She turned to Spike. "Spike, how would you like to have magic?"
Everyone but me, Smolder, and Twilight gasped.
Spike looked around as the faces turned from surprise to encouragement.
He looked to Twilight, wordlessly seeking her advice. She gave him a proud smile and a nod.
Spike turned back to Ember and stood proud as he declared, "I accept."
Smolder chuckled. "You better hold on tight. It's a hell of a rush."
"Wha-" he couldn't even finish a single word before he was enveloped in a blinding glow. Wind swirled around us as the very air filled with power.
When the stars in our eyes faded, Spike was standing in the same place, looking around in confusion.
"Did... did it work?" he asked.
Ember smiled. "Let's find out. Try willing your fire into your claw. Don't breathe it, just will it to appear. Don't ask it, command it."
Spike nodded and held his claw out, palm up. In a flash, his claw burst into flame, making him yelp and jump back.
"Woah, dude!" Rainbow Dash cheered, swooping down. "You got magic! Do something awesome with it!"
"Hold on, now," Twilight said. "Magic can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing with it. That means no unsupervised magic use until you learn how to control it."
"Aww," Rainbow Dash pouted. "Come on, Twi, let him cut loose."
"Nah, she's right," Ember said. "I live in a cave, so when I messed up, it just made my place bigger. Unless you want to blow up a wall, you're gonna want to be careful."
"When a dragon tells you to be careful, you should probably listen," I said.
"Anyway, there is one last gift I have, though it isn't so much for any individual as much as for the library, itself," I continued. "Not only is it first edition, but it isn't even going on sale for another week. Though I did change a few things around to better fit in with the local cultures, the story remained mostly the same."
I could practically feel lust pouring off Twilight.
I pulled out a book from my bag. On the cover was me, or at least I was the model. At 'my' feet was another lucario, but with more feminine features while 'I' held aloft a sword of glowing light.
"I present to you a story of our homeland; part one of the greatest trilogy of all time; Star Wars!"