//------------------------------// // A Strange Encounter // Story: The Word Became Ponified // by ArthemistheSwordsman //------------------------------// Night had fallen across Equestria. Luna’s full moon shone a bleached white radiance through the skies; the skies over Ponyville were no exception. With the cool breeze blowing, three ponies and a baby dragon met on the outskirts of town. The equines wore brown hooded robes to conceal their appearances, and unmarked saddlebags contained their provisions. Their departure was unknown and their feelings unmoved. “Goodbye, Ponyville. I will return to you, I promise.” Twilight lamented upon looking back at her home. The group continued their excursion. “So, our plan is to reach Defte by morning, find safe lodgings, and then plan for our trip to Canterlot from there?” Spike asked, reaffirming his idea of the plan. “Correct.” Twilight replied. “And also find a guide at the adventurer’s guild. That’s our top priority.” Spike nodded in agreement. “Well, how much longer ‘til we reach Defte, anyway?” Rainbow asked. “According to my calculations, a few hours.” The unicorn responded. “Um, Twilight?” Fluttershy piped up. “Why are we leaving this late again?” “Don’t you remember? We’re criminals!” Rainbow claimed. “If we get seen, we’re busted if they search us!” “But…” The timid pegasus explained, “…isn’t departing at night suspicious? Wouldn’t we look less criminal-like if we left in broad daylight?” “I thought that too.” Twilight reasoned. “But no matter when we left, if we were seen, we’d still be checked and caught. It doesn’t matter when we get caught or how; just that we don’t. But good reasoning thought.” Spike chuckled. “Who’d have thought Fluttershy would know how to be a good criminal!” The ponies laughed a hushed laugh. Fluttershy blushed and hid her head under her hood. This brief bit of humor brought a speck of joy back to all. The sullenness of their quest had been reduced by good spirits. Maybe, Twilight thought, maybe we can do this after all! “So, say we get to Celestia, lose the Bible, and lose our bounty.” Rainbow thought aloud. “What happens next?” “Well, I’m going to come back to Ponyville and have a day of relaxation.” Twilight said cheerfully. “After all this talk of God and eternal life and flooding, and then being a criminal, I’m going to look forward to being free and safe again!” “I’m going to get back to work on my present!” Spike declared, but then quieted down out of embarrassment. After all, only Twilight knew about it. “Present? For who?” Rainbow asked. Twilight giggled. “Nopony.” She said, smiling at her assistant. “Nopony whatsoever.” In reality, Spike was spending most of his thoughts convincing himself that, when he returns and presents Rarity with his sculpted effigy, he would confess his feelings for her. What better time to reveal the greatest feeling of life than after you realize the true glory of being a living creature? But, of course, he told nopony. “Hey Twilight, I just realized. Why should we be afraid of capture if your brother is captain of the royal guard?” Spike supposed. “I took heed of that detail as well.” The bookworm answered back proudly. “You see, considering he got married recently, he’s probably on leave. So, he would have a replacement that probably wouldn’t show us any grace. Besides, even if Shining was there, duty to the crown should come before personal wishes. He was always like that.” “So, Rainbow, you’ve been to Defte.” Fluttershy said. “What’s it like?” “It’s not like Ponyville, Cloudsdale, or Canterlot.” The speedster explained. “It’s filled with dirt roads, cheap huts, and rogues. There were mainly cider shops, theatres not for the fillies, and help centers for ponies with severe problems. I could barely find a single hospital, school, or police station.” “I assumed such.” Twilight said. “I remember when I read about it that it pays no tribute to Celestia. It’s not even technically a city. It doesn’t have a mayor, or law enforcement, or military.” “If the kingdom doesn’t support it, how does it stay around?” Spike wondered. “It survives off the profits of treachery and its bargains with criminals and thieves.” The unicorn reasoned. “Then why are we going to a guild there?” Fluttershy requested. “I read about the guild specifically.” Twilight continued. “You see, the founder was a great adventuring pony. He was loyal, courageous, and honorable. He stationed his guild in the worst place he could find, hoping it could bring order to the city.” “Yeah, I remember seeing the guild when I went there.” Rainbow claimed. “It was the only proper-looking building. The structure was sound, and the paint wasn’t falling apart.” “I guess it worked to a point.” The lavender mare resumed. “After all, the city hasn’t collapsed under its own corruption.” As this conversation continued, something had caught the corner of Twilight’s eye. There was a light in the thicket to their right, a far ways off. As they trotted on their course, she could’ve sworn it was a stable source; something sentient made it and was sustaining it. “Hey guys,” she finally inquired, “do any of you see the light up ahead?” “Good, I’m not the only one.” Spike sighed. “What do you suppose it is?” “I think it’s a fire. Probably a campfire or something.” Rainbow claimed with a shrug. “Wait, did you see that?” Fluttershy snapped, causing the group to pause. A shadow just crossed the light, affirming Twilight’s suspicions. Something was there, and had a fire prepared. “Should we check it out?” Spike asked, surprising Twilight. “Spike! We’re wanted ponies! We can’t be very social, to put it lightly. Besides, what logic is there in checking out random bonfires even if we weren’t criminals!” She fumed. ‘Well, if we still have nothing to lose, what problem is there in being adventurous?” Rainbow inquired. “It might be helpful to us. I dunno, I’m with Spike on this.” Twilight slapped her forehead. “Ugh! Fine, whatever. Let’s check it out.” They began approaching the fire. As they got closer, they began to hear a muffled voice and scattered steps. The voice was male, and the steps were frantic. As they advanced, the voice became understandable. “Dang it, I’ve got the fire, the markings in the dirt, and the wood. Where am I going to get a charge in this primitive rainbow hell-hole of a world though?” The voice ranted. “Hello! Who’s that? Who are you?” Rainbow called before Twilight hushed her with her hoof. “Huh? Somebody else? My Lord, is that you Bruce? You sound awful.” The voice continued. “Well, I should’ve expected that, seeing as you’ve done the travel.” “Bruce? Who’s Bruce?” Spike asked Twilight, who shushed the dragon immediately. “Wait, that’s not Bruce. Dear, you’re not Jauffre, are you? I’m leaving, Jauffre! There’s nothing you can do to- wait, you’re not a man!” The voice muttered. Twilight took heed of these words as cue that they were spotted, and motioned for them to duck in cover. Wait a second. Did he say ‘man’? Is this creature a human? Could he know about the Bible? “No need to be shy! I assure you, I will not harm you. What beast would harm another world’s denizens? I’m sure that Christ’s laws still apply in other worlds for my morals.” “Twilight! Christ?” Fluttershy gasped. “I heard. I think he can help us. I’ll go talk to him; you guys stay here.” The unicorn answered. She then pulled her head out of her cover, and trotted towards the fire. The voice was right; there was a stable fire burning, water nearby, odd markings in the dirt, and a wooden pole right in the middle. “Ah! A creature of this world? Pray tell, can you speak?” The voice spoke, resonating from the shadow of a peculiar creature. It was a bipedal primate, with no hair save on top of its head. It spoke, and wore tattered garments. No doubt about it; it was a human. “Are-Are you a human?” Twilight asked as she approached. The human had a face of shock. “Dear God, they know who I am, and I’m clueless to them! Maybe they aren’t as primitive as I thought.” The man muttered. “Yes, dear equine, I am a human. My name is Charles. Do you have a name?” “My name?” The unicorn stopped and sat in the dirt, looking in the eyes of the man. His eyes glowed with a sort of hope, as if he had none before she showed up. Beneath this hope laid a look of panic and desperation on his face. “My name is Twilight Sparkle.” The human chuckled. “What a peculiar name! Pray tell, Sparkle, are you male or female? I can’t tell, I’m a bit unfamiliar with this realm…” “Can’t you tell I’m a mare?” Twilight retorted, offended. “Oh dear, I’m sorry, Miss Sparkle. You’re the first intelligent creature of this world I’ve seen, you see.” The man said, seating himself beside his fire. “As you can guess by my awkwardness, I am not from this world.” “”So, are you,” she stuttered with fear, “an alien?” The man broke into laughter. “Different kind of world, dear! Come, seat yourself by the fire.” He motioned towards more dirt, and Twilight obeyed. “So, why are you here?” The mauve mare asked. “Well, it’s a bit of a tall tale.” Charles sighed before he spoke, and scratched his head. “Let’s see, it started with me and my friend Bruce investigating a strange abandoned house. We had seen flashes in through the window, and thought it could be filled with something interesting. Oh, blast it, how I wish I had never entered that house! For inside it was the source of my strife, the fiendish sorcerer who sent me here, Jauffre!” “What happened?” Twilight inquired, engrossed in the strange being’s story. “Jauffre was in their practicing some sort of hex for teleporting or whatever he called it.” Charles explained. “He spoke so friendly, and asked us if we wanted to become famous. He motioned towards a circle just like this one, and told us that it was going to grant us our wishes. He looked so friendly, with his gray beard and black suit. But no! He’s a fiend through and through! For as we stood in it, he cackled a dark laugh, applied power to the rod, and in a flash of light, here I am! In this blasted realm! Right out of my own world!” “So, you came from another world, through that portal?” Twilight affirmed, trying to reason. “Oh! So you’re using this one to try and get home!” “Correct!” Charles exclaimed. “But where am I going to get electricity in this blasted primitive world? I don’t suppose you can generate power, can you?” Twilight looked at her horn. “Well…” “Wait a second, I never noticed that. Are you a…” the man stuttered, “a unicorn?” Twilight nodded. “So, you’re magical, aren’t you?” He spoke excitedly. He was growing more energetic by the second. “Uh, well, I can do some magic, but…” The unicorn began to explain before the man cut her off. “Do you think, maybe, you can charge that rod with magical energy?” He said, pointing frantically at his makeshift gate. “I think I can. But I have one question.” Twilight responded firmly. “Do you know what the Bible is?” The man laughed. “Oh! You found it!? I thought Jauffre destroyed it! Fool said it could ruin other worlds, but I know better. If you have it, you know of Jesus Christ, right? How he died for our eternal life?” At how casually he said this, Twilight was appalled. How could this creature be so used to the concept of eternal life? “It’s true?! We have eternal life?” Twilight stated, awestruck. “Only through Jesus, and in that life is fullness of joy.” Charles clarified. “And you must share that knowledge with everyone. That is the Great Commission, given to us by Jesus himself! Now then, send me off!” “Wait, don’t you want the Bible back?” The unicorn requested. “Nah, plenty more at home. Now then, homeward bound!” Charles exclaimed before standing on his dirt circle. Twilight nodded, and began charging a magical blast. With precise aim, she shot a beam of purple energy into the rod. The rod and dirt began to glow, and, in a flash of purple light, the rod, markings, and Charles, were gone. Twilight sat in awe of what she heard. Was this the Bible’s purpose? To teach everypony about eternal life through God? If everypony was immortal, then it wouldn’t be unbalanced still. “Guys, you’ve gotta hear what I just learned!” Twilight called to her friends as she ran back to their hiding spot. They had never seen Twilight so ecstatic.