//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: At the End of the Road // by Ghost Note Pony //------------------------------// This can't be happening..this can't be happening.. It had been a few years since he had had a panic attack, but what was left of his rational mind could tell he was in the middle of one. He slipped off the counter and fell to the bathroom floor on his hooves, though he barely felt it. How could this happen..my life is over..it's all over..this is impossible..how could this happen... He curled up on the floor, hyperventilating, weeping, and screaming repeatedly. In between his desperate cries, he heard movement in the bedroom. There was a muttered expletive along with a loud, disgusted snort. "What in the world is going on?! Daniel, is that you? I was having a nice dream for once..where are you, anyway?" said a loud voice, only slightly muffled by the door. Daniel stopped screaming for a moment while still breathing rapidly. There's no other way around it now.. "I'm..I'm in here." There was a short pause. "Daniel..I don't know what it's like to lose a parent, especially when your mother was the only family you had," Criosa said calmly. "I know you're absolutely terrified right now, but you have to pull yourself together..if just so we can get some sleep. Now..take a deep breath. Let it out. It's going to be okay." I don't know if it's going to be..I don't know how to fix this. Still, he took a few deep breaths and let them out slowly. "Okay..I'm glad you've stopped for now. Daniel, you can come out and we'll talk it over in the morning," she said. "Though I don't know why I can't turn the light on..my hand feels really weird. Was there something in those leftovers?" Oh boy... "I'll..I'll be right out." His breathing hadn't slowed down all that much, but he was feeling slightly more lucid. It took a few tries, but he managed to get enough of his hoof on the doorknob to turn it and give it a slight nudge. He then pushed it open and walked slowly into the bedroom. "Daniel? Where are you? I thought we got rid of that creepy animatronic horse toy a long time ago..what is it doing in here?" she said, still sounding half-asleep. He could faintly see her equine-like form in the light from the bathroom as she continued flailing at the switch for her bedside lamp. He blinked several times and took a few deep breaths. He wasn't close to being completely calm, but this was likely the best he could manage at the moment. "Criosa, sweetheart..I know you're not going to believe this..but it's me. I'm the..ah, little horse-like thing." "Very funny," she said derisively. "Can you see what's wrong with my hand? I can't feel my fingers at all..I can't get a grip on this dumb chain." "I'll..give it a try," he said. This is not going to go well. He trotted into the shadows and to the other side of the bed. He could see Criosa somewhat more clearly now and she appeared to have been similarly converted into an equine version of herself, albeit with more vibrant tones of red in her mane and green in her eyes. "Great, I'm hallucinating as well..that toy is moving around by itself. I thought that dream with that crazy 'Doctor' lady and her nightmarish blue box was bad enough," she said as Daniel reached the lamp. "Okay, I'm going to try now," he said, a bit unsteadily. He thought for a moment and crooked a hoof around the end of the chain. If I can get enough of a grip between the bulb and the fetlock.. He was able to do so and turn the lamp on. They both flinched at the light and Daniel turned his head to the right, towards the wall. When he turned back, his wife was staring at her hooves in sheer terror. She was shaking violently and tears were running down her face. As Daniel tried to climb onto the bed, she made incoherent noises while gasping loudly; he had never seen her in such a state. After a few attempts, he was able to get on top of the covers and then slide over to his wife. He put a hoof around her shoulders and held her, noting in passing how surprisingly muscular she was. Just being next to her was helping to improve his own frantic state; he could feel her beginning to calm as well. "Daniel.." she said unsteadily after a few minutes. "I..don't even know what's real anymore. This..this is all wrong.." She wrapped her nearest hoof around him tightly and sighed heavily as more of her tears stained the covers. "I know..our anatomy right now isn't even close to being right," he said with a hint of levity. She gave him a sideways glance and snorted. "Well yeah, I noticed that, too..but that's not the point! The Doctor..the TARDIS..your father..is any of this really happening?! How could it be?!" she said, waving her free hoof about. "I think it's real..all of it. I..tried splashing myself in the bathroom earlier when I discovered..what had happened to me." She shook her head and looked away. "That only works in fiction..I don't know where that idea came from..but even if this isn't real..there doesn't seem to be any way out of it," she said glumly. She turned back to look at him with fear in her eyes. He looked back, trying to show resolve even if he didn't truly feel it. He could feel himself blushing slightly as he gazed into her eyes. "Well..whatever form you happen to be in..you're still quite beautiful," he said softly with a wan smile. Her expression hardened instantly and she swiftly turned away, letting go of him. "Stop it," she said coldly. "We're both hideous monstrosities now and you know it." "Criosa, I told you not to be so cruel to yourself. I think you both look rather lovely, actually," said a voice from the door. They both turned to see the equine form of the Doctor trotting into the bedroom. Much like Daniel and his wife, her hair had been turned into a corresponding, more lively mane, though her eyes looked much the same. Aside from a set of elaborate earrings, she wore no other clothing or accessories. "Ah, good, you're both awake. Right, Daniel, we've got a lot of work to do before we'll be ready to go and find your father." He heard a sharp intake of breath from his wife and instinctively moved away from her. "You...you...was this your plan all along?! Is this your true form and you've turned us into one of you?! I demand you make us human again immediately!" Criosa yelled, pointing a hoof at the Doctor and shaking it violently. She shrugged and continued towards the bed. Daniel noted in passing that she had an emblem of an hourglass on her hindquarters as she reached Criosa's bedside, seemingly indifferent to the invective being hurled her way. "Dr. Sheridan, I'm not responsible for this..not directly, anyway. This is what happens to anyone who is not native to this planet..a very interesting effect to which even I'm not immune," she said evenly, looking intently at Criosa. "As soon as we return to Earth, you will revert to your..original forms." Daniel wasn't sure if it was those words or something else the Doctor was doing that he couldn't perceive, but his wife calmed down at once, though her expression was still rather offended. "What is this planet, then, Doctor?" he said, moving a bit closer to the two mares. I suppose they are, now..and I'm a stallion. Who would've thought.. "This planet is in the galaxy that you know as NGC 4622, close to 200 million light-years from Earth. It is in the constellation Centaurus, which appears in your southern hemisphere. In many aspects, it is similar to Earth, but there are many significant differences and you need to learn them." "What do the locals call this planet?" said Daniel, his mind reeling at the distance that they had traveled seemingly overnight. "Translated into English..it's also known as Earth. However, we should only need to concern ourselves with the nation we're currently in, which is called Equestria," the Doctor said with a smile. Criosa snorted and shook her head. "Seems fitting, if a bit on the nose," she said, grimacing. "Is that what we are now..Equestrians?" "No, ponies," the Doctor said quickly. "You and I, Dr. Sheridan, are what are known as earth ponies. Physically strong and wise in the ways of the earth itself..they also help change the seasons. Daniel here is a unicorn; his horn allows him to manipulate his environment with his mind..the most powerful unicorns can be quite formidable." "Ponies.." said Daniel thoughtfully. "Well, we do seem to be rather small equine-like creatures." Criosa's eyes widened as if she had just realized something. "Zoe..where's Zoe?!" she said desperately. "I've got to..gah!" She fell from the bed but the Doctor caught her and gently set her down in one swift motion. She then helped her up back onto her hooves. "Zoe's quite all right," said the Doctor soothingly. "She's in the control room." "Cri, are you okay?" said Daniel as he slowly slid off the bed next to her. She shook her head as she reared up and tried to take a few steps on her back legs. She couldn't maintain her balance, though, and put her front hooves out to break the fall. "Walk like a horse, Criosa," said the Doctor. "That's the first thing to master." She glared back, looking quite embarrassed at the thought. "Fine..oh, this isn't so bad," she said. "So, this is what it feels like for them.." she said, her voice trailing off. The Doctor and Daniel followed closely as she left the bedroom and headed back towards the TARDIS's control room. "Ah good, Daniel..you've figured it out as well." "I..had a little practice beforehand," he said, chuckling slightly. "Beforehoof," said the Doctor. "You can't use any metaphors or similes that relate to hands or feet here. Also, use anypony instead of anyone." Daniel blinked and snorted lightly. "I..see. We've got a lot to learn, as you said." He tilted his head slightly as a thought came to him. "Doctor, you seem rather blasé about being a pony now. I think I'm still completely terrified about this..just hasn't hit me yet," he said with a tense grin. The Doctor shrugged as they passed through the darkness and back into the control room. "I transform all the time, actually..I've gotten rather accustomed to it. I've never been a mare before, though..this is fascinating," she said cheerfully. Daniel contemplated this as they caught up with Criosa. Her expression was worried as she looked all about. "Doctor, you said she'd be here.." The Doctor smiled and pointed upwards. "Zoe, dear, your parents are down here," she said, calling to the ceiling. Daniel heard a sharp, excited gasp from above along with what sounded like the beating of..wings? "Mom! Dad! Look at me! I can fly!" He looked up to see his daughter, now a light blue-winged pony, gliding far above them. She's..what..100 feet up?! he thought. "Zoe, come down here!" Criosa said frantically. "I can barely see you!" "I'm fine, Mom!" Zoe said, flapping her wings. "This is the best thing ever!" "Doctor! Does she know what she's doing?!" said Criosa. The Doctor nodded and smiled, looking at the little pegasus with pride. "She's doing smashingly, as you can see..she came out here earlier, actually. All I had to do was give her some tips..and she did the rest." "I've never seen her so happy, my dear," said Daniel, putting his hoof around his wife's shoulder. She continued watching her daughter swoop and soar, a wide mixture of emotions playing out on her face. "Me..either," she said after a time. "This is too much..it really is." "Zoe, time to come down," said the Doctor. "Your mum and dad want to see you up close." "Aww..ok!" said Zoe. She started descending, beating her wings in a steady rhythm until she landed softly several feet in front of her parents. Her mane and tail were slightly tangled arrangements of her usual strawberry blond hair, while her eyes were an even deeper shade of blue than their human counterparts. When she saw the other ponies, she gasped and galloped towards them. "You got turned into ponies too?!" she said as she reached her father and wrapped her hooves around his neck. "Aww..you're so fluffy, Dad!" Daniel chuckled and returned her hug. For a moment, he felt absolutely wonderful. "Zoe..please don't do that again. I almost had a heart attack," said Criosa as she walked over and embraced her daughter. Zoe turned her head towards her mother and pouted, which somehow looked even cuter as a pony. "Aww, Mom..you're fluffy and adorable too, why are you being so grumpy?" she said, still pouting. "Yes, Dr. Sheridan, I happen to agree with that assessment of your adorableness," said the Doctor playfully. "Right. Now that we're all here, here's the plan. For the next four days, you are all going to immerse yourselves in Equestrian history, culture, customs, geography, common expressions, pony anatomy, and anything else we will need. Then, we will go to Ponyville, which is the closest town, and begin our search." "Well, that's the most generic name ever," said Criosa. Zoe was now standing next to Daniel, wagging her tail rapidly. The Doctor smiled and waved her hoof gently at the filly. "First lesson, Zoe..you're not a dog. Ponies don't usually move their tails all that much, as doing so is considered immodest." "Oh..I'm sorry," she said as she looked at the floor and folded her ears down. "It's quite all right, my dear..you'll figure it out. Right. We are currently in what is known as the Everfree Forest. It's a completely untamed region where ponies fear to tread..the fact that the weather here is natural unnerves them." "What, they control the weather otherwise?" Daniel said. "They possess that level of technology?" The Doctor shook her head. "That is the main job of the pegasus ponies..not only can they fly and walk on clouds without falling through, they also can manipulate the weather according to the needs of the local populace." Daniel's eyes widened and he shook his head and mane. "Very interesting.." "Quite. Now, while no one can enter the TARDIS without my permission, it would be rather inconvenient to find a regiment of troops waiting for us when we step outside," said the Doctor, with no trace of humor. "And..why would there theoretically be troops waiting for us?" said Criosa with a hint of scorn. "Is there something you're not telling us?" "Oh, there are many, many things I'm not telling you," said the Doctor with a droll expression. "In this case, it's that, the last time I was here, Princess Celestia said she would be..quite displeased if I returned." "Princess Celestia? Who's the king, then?" said Daniel, rubbing his muzzle. "There's no king..she is the monarch of Equestria, but she delegates her power equitably and has ruled for close to one thousand years as of now. And yes, years here are roughly equivalent to Earth's." There was a silence as Daniel and his family tried to process that statement. "I'm glad she's not a dictator," said Criosa. "They're bad enough as they are, but an immortal one?" She shuddered. "Immortal, probably not..very long-lived, yes. Even in the worst case, I'm sure I could persuade her to allow us to find your father, Daniel. After all, you are half Equestrian..and Zoe is a quarter." "So Zoe," said Daniel with a wry smirk, "does that make you a quarter horse?" She tilted her head at him, then snorted and nickered. "Dad..." she said, rolling her eyes. "Not funny.." "Unfortunately for you..and fortunately for her, 'dad jokes' are not part of Equestrian culture," said the Doctor, waving a hoof back and forth. "Right. The first thing we're going to do is create your pony names..and we have to get used to calling each other by them. Until we return to Earth, I will be Dr. Time Turner..you can still call me Doctor, just don't make a habit of it. Now then, shift to your right and line up so I can see your cutie marks." "Cutie marks," Criosa said flatly. "What a stupid name..is that what's on your hindquarters?" she said as she and her family turned and moved as directed. Time Turner nodded. "Yes, every pony has a unique one appear when they come of age..according to the ponies, they 'denote one's special talent and/or destiny' and the acquisition of one is a cause for celebration." "Wait..so this 'cutie mark' is what determines what a pony does with their life?" said Daniel, his brow furrowing. "That's basically right, yes." "Bah..Mein Schicksal ist mein allein! I will determine my own destiny and not be subject to the whims of an arbitrary mark!" Daniel said grandiosely. He heard snickering from the other ponies and snorted. "Well, we'll be back on Earth soon enough, so it's just an irrelevant decoration." Still..I am half Equestrian.. he thought, starting to feel worried. "That's a..reasonable way of putting it," said Time Turner. "Now then..your mark is a clock ringed by scythes..the hands point to 7:07..your name shall be Chronos, after the personification of time," she said somberly. "Very odd that you would have that mark..and be a unicorn." "Why's that, Doc..Time Turner?" said Chronos, trying to wrap his mind around his new name. "Your father's name is Rambling Wind; he's an earth pony. Your mother was also one and her pony name was Flowing Stream. Still, Equestrian genetics are rather unpredictable, given how often over the centuries the three types of ponies have had offspring together." Rambling Wind.. he thought, trying to picture his father. Nothing clear came to his mind, though. "Like how..Chronos..and I had a pegasus, apparently?" said Criosa. "Indeed so," said Time Turner, nodding. "As for you..your mark is a fireball colliding with a wall of ice..your name shall be Frostfire." "Frostfire," she said softly. She thought for several moments then shrugged. "I can live with it." Time Turner nodded. "And finally..well, you don't have a cutie mark and you might not get one before we return, so.." "Doctor Turner, can I pick my name? Please?" said Zoe, her eyes wide with anticipation. "Of course you can," said Time Turner. "What do you have in mind?" "I want to be Storm Chaser!" she said, hovering about a foot above the ground in her excitement. "Dad, when we get back, can we start storm chasing next year like you said we could? I think I'm old enough now and if I can handle turning into a pony and exploring an alien planet, I could handle anything, right? Right?" "I said we'd think about it..Storm," said Chronos, holding up a hoof and smiling. "Yay!" said Storm Chaser. She jumped and flew around for a bit before her mother's disapproving glare brought her back down. "That's settled, then," said Time Turner. "Let's have some breakfast..and then begin your studies." She pointed to three separate stacks of books to her left, one shorter than the rest. There was a wooden table nearby filled with a wide assortment of fruits, vegetables, and what looked like bottles of juice. Chronos chuckled ruefully and started trotting over, his family following. On the evening of the third day since his arrival in Equestria, Chronos was sitting in a recreation of his study at home..a small, intimate room with his collection of books and curiosities along with a set of comfortable chairs. The TARDIS had adapted them into pony-sized versions and he was curled up in one, reading a text about Equestrian holidays. The Doctor mentioned that it's spring right now, so the next one should be the Summer Sun Celebration, if I remember correctly, he thought as he looked over a list of the major festivals. His eyes were starting to grow weary, though, despite the reading glasses he was wearing. He sighed and closed the book with a hoof. Time for some more practice.. He concentrated hard on channeling his will and he began to feel an increasingly familiar tingle in his horn. The book became enveloped in a light blue, sparkling tint and began to slowly rise. He then focused on moving it horizontally, towards a neatly stacked assortment of volumes. He managed to levitate it to the stack, but instead of sliding it neatly on top, he lost his focus and the book fell with a thump on top of the others, slightly askew. He snorted and got up to adjust it. Almost there..maybe I'm just tired. And still overwhelmed. After he did so, there was a knock on the door. "Come in," he said. It opened to reveal his wife, looking rather dour. "This room creeps me out..for a moment, I think I'm home and then I remember.." she said with a sigh. "We can't deny where we are..and tomorrow morning, it'll be time to go out into this world..strangers in a strange land, yes?" He motioned towards the opposite chair. "Let's talk..we haven't really had a chat since we arrived." She sighed and flopped into the chair. "At least this is just as comfortable as the real one," she said under her breath. "Oh, check this out," he said excitedly. He turned his head and looked at a button on the wall. His horn lit up and, while it took a few seconds, he was able to push it, igniting the fireplace. "Pretty neat, eh?" She snorted and tossed her mane. "Must be nice..I've had to learn how to do everything with either my hooves..or my mouth. Still, learning how to 'buck' trees has been surprisingly satisfying..not that I'll likely need to use that particular 'skill', but the Doctor wants to be prepared, it seems." She stared at the flickering flames, holding her hooves out. "Indeed..it's just like cramming for exams back at State..though hopefully, we'll retain it as long as we need to." He paused and used his horn to carefully lift his reading glasses off of his nose and onto the table between the chairs. "I'm getting better..but I'm so slow at this. Every..pony is going to wonder what's wrong with me..but, if the Doctor thinks I'm ready, I'll trust her judgment." "I don't trust her," Frostfire said, bitterly. "After a few days with her, I honestly think she's making everything up as she goes along..but she's so frickin' intelligent, wise, and observant that it just looks like she planned everything all along." She leaned forward slightly. "Our lives could all depend on her ability to improvise." "I don't know if I entirely agree with everything you're saying..but we'll see what happens when we get out into this world," said Chronos. He leaned back and took a deep breath. "I'm really nervous..but very excited about what we might see. Think about it, Cr..Frost. We're going to go where..well, only my mother has gone before," he said wistfully. "Well, Equestria seems far too good to be true," his wife said with a frown. "There's got to be something going on that's not in their history books..how does their society have nearly one thousand years of peace and prosperity and not stagnate as a culture or technologically? Everything I read about Princess Celestia was like a hagiography..she can't be that flawless." She looked down, lightly tapping a hoof on the cushion. "I don't trust these ponies, period." "I hope we can trust my father, at least." He looked at the fire, grateful for its warmth even as his mind started to race; it hadn't stopped for all that long during the last few days. "I keep thinking about all of the different possibilities..about what kind of pony he is. All the Doctor would tell me is that he's an itinerant, a vagabond who has a principle of never staying in one place for more than a few days." "I think the Doctor is much the same..she's gotten increasingly eager to get moving. In this case, I feel the same way." She looked up and peered intently at her husband. "By the way, we still need to have that discussion we've been putting off when this is all said and done," she said grimly. "All of this insanity isn't going to change anything." He looked back at her with a mournful expression. "I..didn't expect anything different." "Well, I'm glad you're being realistic even in this nonsensical world." She stood up and headed for the door. "Good night. I'll see you in the morning," she said as she left. Chronos could only gaze forlornly into the fire. The next morning, he felt energized and enthusiastic. Every other pony was as well, except for Frostfire. "Why do we have to wear saddlebags?" she said grumpily to Time Turner. "I'm not some pack animal." "We don't need to carry terribly much," said Time Turner, unperturbed. "Just camping supplies, some food and water, brollies and slickers, our personal supplies, and a few other things. It's completely normal for ponies to use them. I think they look lovely on us, actually." Frostfire shook her head and frowned, but said nothing else. "Right. Let's be off." She walked towards the entrance of the TARDIS and pushed it open with a hoof. Chronos and Storm Chaser were behind her, with Frostfire in the back. The door opened to reveal a tranquil, deep forest, the verdant floor illuminated by the sunshine filtering through the canopy. It was silent, aside from a few birdcalls echoing through the thick, tall trees. It's..absolutely beautiful, Chronos thought. And brighter than I thought it would be.. Time Turner seemed lost in thought as she left the TARDIS, looking about rapidly. Chronos took a short breath and stepped onto Equestrian soil for the first time, feeling his hooves sink slightly into the moss. "This is so cool!" said Storm Chaser, bouncing on the ground. Her mother emerged, looking awestruck. "It feels..and smells..so..undisturbed. Like we're in a..Bob Ross painting..doesn't seem real," she said, her tone subdued. "I know, I know..no references to anything from Earth," she said before anypony else could respond. "Hey Mom..is it okay if I fly above the trees?" said Storm. "I want to see what's up there!" She didn't wait for an answer before she started her wings and ascended, but Time Turner held a hoof up and she descended just as quickly, looking slightly abashed. "This is different now..when I was here 40 years ago from now, it was a lot darker," she said, her eyes darting all around. "Let's find the road and get going to Ponyville..there's still a lot of dangerous creatures here. Stay alert." She pulled an irregularly shaped metal rod from a side pocket on her saddlebag and pointed it at the TARDIS; the doors instantly shut. She then put it away, turned to her right, pointed, and started trotting in that direction. I know she said that Celestia herself couldn't break into the TARDIS..but it still seems odd to just leave her out here like this, Chronos thought as he walked up a slight incline. He was already missing the feeling of absolute safety he had experienced when inside the Doctor's domicile. Overall, the path wasn't all that clear and involved a bit of climbing over rocks, exposed roots, and fallen trunks as they wound their way through the undergrowth. Fortunately, Storm was able to fly herself over or around any of the minor obstacles they encountered. As they hiked, Chronos glanced at the mechanical wristwatch Time Turner had given him; it closely resembled his cutie mark. Surprisingly, the ponies also divided their days into hours, minutes and seconds; their planet also took 24 hours to rotate. However, their year was slightly shorter; it lasted 360 days and the seasons were 90 days each, divided into 30 day months. According to his watch, it was 8:47 on the 27th day of the first month of spring. The equivalent of mid-April, I think..seems warmer than I'm used to that time of year. They continued in silence. Chronos didn't mind, though, as he tried to take everything in. Some birds, a few indeterminate tracks, but we haven't seen anything else. Did my father ever travel through here? After about half an hour, they encountered a large bank of thick brambles. "Storm, I need you to fly up and see if you can find a way around this," said Time Turner said quickly. The pegasus nodded and took off for a nearby tree. She settled on a thick limb and started looking around. After a few moments, she pointed eagerly to her left. "I see a path..and I think I see the road, too! Go..directly left..and there's a narrow gap in the thorns. I hope we can fit.." She flew back down, making a clean landing. Good to see all that practicing paid off, thought Chronos. Frostfire, at least, had stopped looking so worried every time her daughter left the ground. "Well done, Stormy!" said Time Turner with a wide smile. "Right, let's be careful here..don't want to catch these on your coat." The other ponies nodded and stepped down the path, quickly arriving at the gap Storm had indicated. It did look rather narrow but passable. Without a word, Turner started walking slowly through it, Chronos and his family following closely. It was hard for him to see anything other than the brambles as he tried to concentrate on putting one hoof in front of the other..it made him feel anxious. He could hear his wife grumbling behind him and was about to hazard a remark when Time Turner suddenly put her hoof up. "Don't move," she said in a low voice. They instantly stopped, Chronos straining his ears to try to hear anything at all. He could faintly hear someone..or thing..approaching. He then heard voices..some high pitched, some low, but the overall tone was warm and friendly. They were getting louder though he couldn't quite make out what they were saying. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears..it sounded like they were right in front of him. Keep moving..keep moving.. he thought, doing everything he could not to panic. This wasn't anything the Doctor couldn't handle..right?! Fortunately, their voices and hooffalls started to fade away and Time Turner lowered her hoof. "That was very odd," she said as she resumed walking. Soon enough, they emerged and saw what appeared to be a well-traveled and maintained road. "What's very odd, Doctor Turner?" said Storm Chaser as they walked onto the road. Turner thought for a brief moment, then pointed to her left. "North to Ponyville. Now then, my dear, it was odd that there was a group of ponies that came through here without any fear at all," she said as she started walking in that direction. "More curiously, there were nonponies with them.." "What?" said Chronos, startled. "Everything I read indicated that nonponies in Equestria usually keep to themselves..and are rather rare." "There are exceptions to every rule, Chronos," said Frostfire, sneering at him. "Remember that and you won't be so limited in your thinking." "I never said it was a rule.." he said, his tone slightly offended. "How am I supposed to know anything about this land other than what I've read?" Frostfire had started to reply when her daughter cut in. "Doctor, what were those nonponies you mentioned?" she said loudly, using her wings to help her jump in between her parents. "A kirin and a dragon," Time Turner said nonchalantly. "Indeed, they're both usually quite reclusive.." Chronos felt his blood run cold..they had almost encountered an actual dragon?! He had learned that this world somehow was one where many mythological creatures from Earth existed alongside sapient equines but to actually see one..and a kirin? He vaguely remembered that they were from East Asian mythology, but knew little else about them; there had been limited material about their Equestrian counterparts. "Whatever," said Frostfire. "Let's just get to Ponyville." "Quite right. Remember, just smile and wave if we encounter anypony else on the road..or anything else," said Time Turner. They continued quietly, the forest becoming brighter and less dense as they did so. Chronos could start to see the forest's edge and he could feel his excitement building. Maybe all they had to do was get to Ponyville, ask around, find his father there, have a reunion, and then go back to Earth. When they reached the edge, they all stopped and looked around at the landscape that had opened before them. The road wound down a hill and over a sturdy bridge that spanned a wide river; it partially circled Ponyville and flowed to the west, past the horizon. Far to the northeast, Chronos saw a tall, jagged peak with what appeared to be a large castle on its western side. That must be Canterlot.. he thought before he turned his gaze to Ponyville itself. It was much larger than he had imagined..a small city rather than a sleepy provincial hamlet. He saw several ponies in the nearby streets and buildings, both on the ground and flying about, along with a wide assortment of other creatures. He looked up slightly and gasped, noticing a large crystalline structure on the far side of the town. It vaguely resembled a tree, though as he looked more closely he could see balconies and spires trimmed in gold. A purple banner with a star-like emblem hung on a pole on its left side; a much larger version of the star dominated the top of the castle. Finally, he noticed various colorful beaded strands hanging from various points. He looked at his companions and saw that they had apparently been staring at it for significantly longer than he had. "Doctor.." he said. "What is that?" For the first time since he had met her, she appeared to be speechless. Chronos watched her carefully as, while her expression was passive, she was likely thinking at a speed and a level far beyond his comprehension. After a long pause, she nodded, her face resolute. "Almost everything we knew about Equestria..was wrong."