It’s a regular warm, autumn day in Montreal, Canada. People are going on their day to day activities, from buying clothing downtown, or visiting the Old Port, a popular tourist destination. It’s also the first day of the new school year at Concordia University, where a student named Noah Weiser is about to begin his second year of his BA in Political Science. Noah has always had an interest in geopolitics from a young age. He reads the newspaper every day, and keeps his eyes on what is happening at home in Canada, and around the world.
Noah’s first day of class goes by smoothly. He purchases his textbooks at the Concordia bookstore, located at the entrance of the metro tunnel. A lot of stuff about international relations this year. This particular subject is one of Noah’s favorites within the realm of political science, as diplomacy has far reaching consequences for both domestic and global issues. It’s often overlooked, but sorely needed.
After an annoying commute in Montreal’s metro system, he finally makes his way home after forty minutes. Noah places his backpack on the sofa, and just before he was to grab a granola bar from his kitchen’s snack cabinet, a voice jolts Noah to attention:
“Noah! Max is on his way. You’re on babysitting duty tonight!”
The twenty year old sighs. Even though it was the first day of class, Noah was given plenty of coursework to review. As much as he loves his five year old cousin Max, he’d much rather be productive in his academic career. Nevertheless, Noah takes a deep breath, and replies:
“Got it, mom. I’m more than happy to help!”
Max Weiser is Noah’s maternal cousin, through his uncle. The five year old boy is like a brother to Noah, and is an extremely bright, bubbly young boy. While Noah is waiting for his cousin to arrive at his place, his hourglass necklace that he wears around his neck begins to buzz. The cyan blue necklace is one of Noah’s most treasured items. It is his direct connection to an alien world far beyond the confines of Earth. A world where he’s not just a university student, but something far greater.
“Huh? What the hell’s going on?” Noah thinks to himself, as he taps the hourglass necklace with his right index finger. Almost immediately, a telepathic voice begins to speak in his mind; a voice that Noah knows extremely well, and is the most comforting voice in the world to him. The voice belongs to that of a famous alicorn princess, one who’s proclivities lie in the domain of the night.
“Hello, my sweet boy.” the voice says.
“Hey, Luna.” Noah replies. The young man smiles. It’s been a good while since he’s heard from his beloved alicorn guardian. Just hearing her voice puts Noah at ease.
“Just checking in on my favorite human colt. Is everything going well with your studies? I’m quite lonely on the moon, and I’d love to see you again…or should I say, I’d love to see Clockwork again.” Luna says, with a hint of mirth.
Noah groans with slight annoyance. Clockwork is the form Noah takes when he’s in the alien land of Equestria. Clockwork is a cyan blue unicorn stallion with a navy mane and tail. Luna granted Noah this form, along with Clockwork’s powers, as a young boy, back when the My Little Pony TV show was in its heyday.
“Luna, it’s been four years since I’ve been to Equestria. I’m super busy. I have school, I have my cousin to babysit, and I have a job at an AI startup accelerator, and-”
Luna gently interrupts her human charge with a chuckle. “You forget, Time Prince. Our two universes do not run on the same flow of time. You’ve been gone for four thousand years, not just four. Remember, you’ve spent many years in our land, but mere hours pass on Earth. Equestria’s magic is a fickle thing.”
Noah takes a minute to process this statement from his favorite pony. Four thousand years? That’s crazy! If this is true, most of the ponies he knew as a child are long gone, remnants of the past!
“Wait…does that mean-”
“Yes, my child. Your old flame is one with the stars. I’m sorry. I know how much you loved Starlight. She wanted to come home with you to Earth, live as a human, but she couldn’t.”
Noah takes a good minute to process this. The damn COVID pandemic took everything from him. He left Equestria to return to Earth, and now his old girlfriend is dead? The unicorn who made him smile. He’s too taken aback to grieve properly. Luna’s voice shushes him, and is soothing.
“Noah, she lived a good life. She loved you, too. However, the only ponies that are left from your time with us are myself, Auntie Tia, Queen Twilight, the young Flurry Heart, and Cadence. Everypony else is long gone.” Luna says, quite lucidly. She takes a deep breath and continues.
“A lot has changed since you’ve been gone. There’s new magic, new ponies, and new friendships to be made. You’re more than welcome to come back. I miss you, my boy.” Luna says, trying to coax him to return, even for a short visit.
“Luna, I haven’t even used my powers on Earth in four years. I don’t even-”
“It’s as you humans say, my child, ‘like riding a bike’. Unicorn magic is innate to a pony’s soul. You haven’t forgotten a thing. Now, did you say you have a cousin you foalsit for?” Luna asks, genuinely intrigued.
“I do, in fact. His name is Max.” Noah replies. Luna chuckles, in her signature manner.
“Bring him with. I want to meet the youngster. Perhaps young Max will find ponies to befriend, as you did when you were his age. I recall that you were around six when I found you, and gave you your powers.” Luna suggests.
The very idea of bringing Max to Equestria both terrifies and excites Noah. He takes a good minute or two to think about it.
“Luna, if what you say is true, and it’s been four thousand years, I don’t know anypony anymore. I don’t have my studio apartment in Canterlot, I don’t have my girlfriend, I don’t have-”
“Noah. Calm thyself. You’ll figure it out. You’re my charge. A true son of the night. Bring Max with you to Equestria. Let him make friends. I’ll see you shortly.”
And with that, the telepathic connection breaks, and Noah’s hourglass necklace stops buzzing. Noah sits down at the kitchen table, and takes a few deep breaths.
“F….four thousand years…my…my girlfriend.” Noah whimpers. He opens his phone and looks at his homescreen. It’s a picture of himself with a young woman wearing a purple beanie who had magical purple eyes. They went to see “Avengers: Endgame” together that day. Starlight only came to visit Earth a few times, but she was the only person, no, the only pony who ever truly understood him. He didn’t want to break up with her. COVID made that choice for him.
Just as Noah finally was about to grieve properly for his girlfriend, he hears a loud knock on the door. It’s Max! Noah quickly composes himself and goes to let his adorable cousin inside.
“Cousin Noah! I’m so happy to see you!” Max says, his bubbly voice filled with excitement. “Are we going to the park today?”
Noah smiles, and pats Max on the shoulder. “Actually, we’re going somewhere a lot cooler today. You’ll be home before dinner, I promise.” He says, hugging his cousin.
“Where are we going, Noah?” Max asks, genuinely curious. Noah takes a deep breath, and for the first time in four years, his hands glow with a pale, blue magical aura.
“We’re going to Equestria.” Noah says with determination. With a snap of his fingers, a quantum tunnel opens in Noah’s living room, and Noah and Max walk through it. As Noah and Max travel across the multiverse, the university student begins to transform. His human body morphs into the majestic unicorn stallion Clockwork Relativity. His navy mane and tail match his cyan coat perfectly, and his cutie mark of a golden hourglass glistens in the tunnel.
“Woah…a unicorn as a cousin! That’s so cool!” Max says, quickly climbing up Clock’s back. By the time Max is done with making himself comfortable astride the unicorn, the tunnel spits Clock and Max out in a pristine coastal town, where ponies are going about their day-to-day business. It’s mostly Earth Ponies.
“Welcome to Maretime Bay”, the sign says at the town entrance. Clock and Max are in for something new, that’s for sure!