//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: World's Shortest Tour // Story: Echoes of Another Realm // by Bossypants //------------------------------// A flicker of light momentarily brightened the dimly lit chamber, revealing the imposing figures of two Alicorn sisters. The room remained silent, save for the sisters' contemplative whispers. As Celestia brooded over the recent events, Luna observed with a furrowed brow. After several moments, she spoke, her voice laced with uncertainty. "Sister, did you see the way he wielded magic?" Celestia turned to her sister, confusion clouding her features. "Yes, Luna. It was... unusual. But familiar somehow." Luna nodded, her expression troubled. "It reminded me of something from long ago, but I cannot recall what." Celestia's gaze drifted, lost in thought. "It was powerful, yet raw. Not like anything we've encountered before." Luna's eyes squinted as she pawed at the ground. A look of brief understanding passed over her, and she glanced to her sister to see if she was thinking the same thing. "Could it be...?" Celestia's brow furrowed in concentration. "Perhaps. But the connection still slightly eludes me." Silence descended once more as the sisters pondered the implications of the human's mysterious display of magic. Though the memory remained elusive, its significance lingered, casting a shadow of uncertainty over them as they tried to decipher just what they had seen. "Sister, the flash, the power behind the human's voice. Surely it's not--" "It isn't. It can't be the one." Celestia snapped, cutting Luna off. She growled as she turned to face the Lunar Princess, a scowl dominating her muzzle. "It was merely a thought, sister. The last time a Human was on this world, it led to untold amounts of chaos. Had we arrived sooner, before harmony went dormant, then we surely would have been destroyed!" Luna walked over to a small chest sitting at the end of the room. She gazed at it before turning her attention to her sister. "You are certain he is not the one?" Celestia shook her head and sighed. For some reason, the words of the prophecy were eluding her. She could not remember, but for some reason she recalled the Griffon's having something to do with it. Everything before that was a blurry mess. However, there was only one thing she could remember from the prophecy of old. "Lightbringer." She whispered, causing her sister's head to tilt slightly. Celestia's eyes scrunched. She tried to remember more, but she couldn't. It was of little concern. Her plans were slowly coming to fruition, and with Luna once more by her side, they would surely come to light. "Enough of this. If the Human is as you say, then he is not a threat. It is obvious the tree is trying something, but it matters not. We will corrupt him, and if this cannot be done, then we will destroy him. Simple as that. The Tree once more made a gamble, and it has made another mistake." Celestia looked to her sister, and a sinister smile creeped up her mouth. For a brief moment, needle-like fangs appeared, but they were gone in an instant. A moment later, the two sisters disappeared with a flash, leaving the room once more in silence. ***** "So, I know the names of most of you, but who are the rest?" I look at the group of ponies at my sides as we walked out into a large garden. Birds chirped and a cool breeze swept past my ears. My eyes roamed around, catching every movement, and following every sound. I felt tense, surprisingly, but I dumbed it down to the fact that everything was still so unfamiliar. Taking a shallow breath, and after some searching of my memory, I finally recalled the rest of the Mane Six's names. However, asking anyway would prevent any slip-ups on my part. My gaze flicked to Pinkie, who was bouncing up and down as she turned to face me. "I'm Pinkie Pie, the number one party pony in Equestria!" She beamed up at me, and I merely nodded in affirmation. "I'm Rainbow Dash, the fastest flyer in Equestria, and the coolest mare you'll ever meet!" She did a few loops in the air in front of me, and I couldn't help but be a bit impressed. The ponies were quite small compared to me, and for her to move like that should have been impossible. I won't question it, for I knew magic was at hand--er, hoof...whatever. I smirked as I gazed at the prismatic pony with an appraising eye. I then faked a yawn. "I dunno, I've met some pretty cool people. Sidney Crosby, Pope Francis, and Donald Trump to name a few." I was pulling names out of my ass, but I wanted to see her reaction. I wasn't surprised when she flew within a few inches of my face, her eyes narrowed with a smug grin on her muzzle. "Oh yeah? Well, can any of them do a Sonic Rainboom?? 'Cause I sure can!" Rainbow tensed and looked ready to take to the sky, but Sergeant Stopper quickly called to her. "Mrs. Dash, there will be no stunts in castle airspace. Especially not without notifying Captain Spitfire first!" His voice was gruff and astute, but I heard Dusk snort and saw her shake her head from the corner of my eye. I rolled my eyes and brought a hand to my chin, rubbing a nonexistent beard. "Sounds to me like you can't actually do it, Dashie," she scowled at the name, "don't worry, just let the guards cover for ya." Rainbow's face goes bright red, and steam seemingly billows from her ears. I smirk as I see Applejack role her eyes and nudge Rainbow's side. Rainbow turns to her friend with a scowl, but upon seeing hers, and my face, she realizes I was pulling her leg. She gives a huff and smacks me in the shin, causing me to stumble. I wince from the solid feel of the hoof, but play it off. I did sort of deserve it. Hearing a chuckle from Dusk, I rolled my eyes and faced the last member of the group, Fluttershy. One of her eyes was hidden behind her mane, and the other was wide as she stared up at me. She turned slightly to the side, and mumbled something incoherent. Frankly, she is downright adorable. "What was that?" I ask gently as I sit down in front of her. The group watches in interest as I slowly hold out a hand, palm facing up. "My name is Tyler, what's yours?" I let an easy going smile appear on my face, and I can see the little pony physically relax upon seeing me at her height. "I-I'm Fluttershy." She whispered adorably as she reached a hoof up and placed it in my palm. I curled my fingers around the outstretched limb and felt the soft fur surrounding her leg. It was mesmerizing, but I couldn't afford to get caught up in my fascinations at the moment. "It's a pleasure to meet you Fluttershy." I gently shake her hoof before letting go. I can see Twilight staring at my hand in fascination, but I quickly place it behind me in order to push myself up. My eyes wander around the group of assorted mares, all of whom still sported their necklaces (and the single tiara). I raised an eyebrow when Twilight followed my eyes, her own widening as she noticed what I was analyzing. A forced smile appeared on her face as she quickly cleared her throat. "Right, well, as you can tell, this is the royal garden. Usually, it is reserved by nobles or the Princesses for parties, get togethers, and other such events." As Twilight began talking, our group began to move again. However, even as I took in the downright beautiful surroundings, I couldn't help but stare at the back of Twilight's head in suspicion. Why did she react such a way to me looking at the necklaces? It was then that I remembered that they didn't know I understood what those very necklaces could do. It clicked into place then, and I nearly slapped myself for my own stupidity. They were the Elements of Harmony, and the Elements of Harmony are a superweapon of some kind. Obviously, the don't realize I know this, and so the Princess stuck me with them in case I tried something. They were just as much my guardians as my actual guards were! "Ugh." I shook my head at the sudden headache. Ever since meeting the Princess, I felt a sense of wrongness about the air. It was crisp, and it was fresh, but it was also laced with tension and power. It felt tingly, and the answer was on the tip of my tongue. Perhaps magic had something to do with this, or I am still feeling the aftershock of being magically uprooted from my home and into a new world? That same wrongness just seemed to surround Twilight as she led our tour out into a space filled with statues. I felt like I could see an outline, like my own eyes were lowering the brightness everywhere except around her short frame. I blinked, and spots danced in my eyes. Everything immediately snapped back into focus, and I found myself standing stock still. The girls and my two guards each stood facing me, and their looks of concern caused a questioning look to enter my features. I watched as Dusk stepped forward and cocked her head to the side. "Mr. Mackenzie, are you alright?" Her soft voice, brimming with concern, made the lightness in my head evaporate. I quickly nodded as I looked at my surroundings. We stood on a path leading towards towering hedges, and along the path sat large stone statues. My eyes traveled along the various ornaments, before landing on a particularly interesting one. A strange being, made of many different types of body parts from different animals stood, it's mouth agape as it seemingly sang into the air. A sense of familiarity washed over me, causing me to shiver. Quickly averting my gaze from the strange being, I forced a smile onto my face. "Sorry about that everyone, I kinda zoned out there. What were you talking about Twilight?" I gestured to the purple unicorn in an attempt to continue where we left off, but a quick shake of the head from both my guards caused my confidence to falter. "I think that was more than just zoning out." Stopper narrowed his eyes at me as he shook his head. "You look as pale as a ghost, and that's saying something with you already being super pale to begin with." "I think we should put this tour on hold for now," Dusk added, her tone gentle yet firm as she glanced up at my face. "Mr. Mackenzie needs to rest and recover. We can resume later." I frowned, feeling a mixture of gratitude and frustration. Gratitude because I could definitely use a break, and frustration because I couldn't shake the feeling that something was deeply wrong here. It was frightening, and I could feel my mental capacity draining. I needed to think, but at the same time, I could not. I just need to lay in a bed, or sit under a tree. I just need to do...something. Twilight frowned but nodded in agreement. "Of course, we can continue later. Your well-being is our top priority." The other girls waved goodbye as I turned and followed my guards. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Twilight and Applejack whispering, the former having narrowed her eyes at me. As we made our way back to the castle, my mind raced with questions and suspicions. What was going on with me? What were those strange sensations I felt, and why did I seem to recognize that statue? And most importantly, what were the true intentions of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna? I wasn't an idiot, I could see they wanted me contained. I saw the brief fear in Luna's eyes when I began to yell at lunch. I had felt something then, but I can't place my finger on what it is. I stumbled, and the world seemed to turn sideways. A groan reached my lips as I noticed a rather large tree off to my left. Lurching towards the tree, I heard my two guards cry out in surprise as I clutched my stomach. I feel like I'm about to be sick again, and I can feel the bile rising in my throat. Was I sick? Did I catch a flu of some kind? What is happening to me? I can feel panic trying to creep in, along with a sense of claustrophobia. Being around all these ponies is suffocating. This world wasn't mine, it would never be mine. I sat against the tree, my breathing laboured as I stared out across a pond sitting before me. Cattails sway gently in the breeze, and I can hear frogs (toads?) going about their usual clamour of odd ribbits and croaks. I see a few ducks, and their ducklings as they swim idly in the crystal clear water of the pond, and the sight causes my stomach to cease its rebellion. I can hear someone talking, but there is a small ringing in my ears. After a moment, I began to see things. I saw my brother and I as we skied down a large mountain, him laughing as I smashed through a snowdrift and tumbled down the mountain. I saw my father as we built a shed on our farm back home. I was petting a cat, my cat, as I made my way to get some more tools. Next, I saw my mother. We sat on a bench in town, each holding an ice-cream. It was a week before I left for school, and I could see the proud look on her face as we sat there, enjoying the frosty delight. The images flashed through my head at a rapid pace, and I didn't notice I was crying until something touched my shoulder. I jumped and turned my head to find Dusk and Stopper sitting beside me. Stopper still held his look of neutrality, but his spear was put away, and his ears were flopped down. Dusk was sitting right beside me. Her weapon was also gone, and she to had her ears folded back. However, there was a look of pity and sadness as she slowly removed her hoof from my shoulder. I noticed her look of concern, and then felt the tears slowly drying on my cheeks. I quickly tried to wipe them away and make myself presentable. 'Damn you, getting emotional in front of the ponies! You're acting like a child!' My mental beration ceased when Dusk leaned in and hugged me. I felt my muscles go stiff as my breath caught. Was it normal for my guard, a soldier, to give me a hug out of the blue? Was this something that ponies did? It wasn't exactly comfortable with her armour, but I could still feel the sentiment behind it. After a brief moment, Dusk disengaged from the hug and backed away. I noticed a small tinge of red on her cheeks, but she still held that look of concern. Giving a sigh, I turned away from the two and got comfortable. My left leg came up in an arch, and my right leg stretched out slightly. I breeze ruffled my hair, and I took a deep breath at the freshness. It was a reminder of how lost I was. How alone. This wasn't my air, like this wasn't my world. I wasn't in some kind of dream. I was alone, as far as I knew, and there was no telling when I would get back. Seeing as my room was ripped away to this world as well, the school would certainly take notice. There would be a search for me, and then I would be declared dead. My parents would have to go to my funeral, and my younger brother would be without someone to look up to. 'How depressing.' "Tyler, look at me." Dusks soft voice caused me to glance to the side, where the little pegasus was sitting at attention. I immediately noticed the look of determination on her face, which looked quite cute in all honesty. Her sharp eyes stared into mine, and she scooted slightly closer. "I know you must feel overwhelmed. You are in a new world, with new rules, and you aren't sure if you can get home. I want you to know that Sergeant Stopper and I are here to help you. I know you don't fully trust us, and the Princesses even less, but we, and they, are working on a solution." She must have been paying closer attention to me than I thought, for her words caused my eyebrows to raise. Was I really showing suspicion so outwardly? Maybe that was why Twilight seemed so jumpy, especially when I was gazing at the Elements of Harmony. I wasn't being very convincing that I wasn't a threat it seems. Even so, it is true. I am suspicious. The Princesses are very aloof, and they seem to be doing things secretly. I am aware I don't have any right to know what they do anyhow, seeing as I am not a citizen of their country, but that uneasy feeling just wont go away! Looking at the two ponies beside me, I gave a sigh and leaned my head back against the tree. As Dusk's words sank in, a wave of gratitude washed over me. Despite my reservations and suspicions, her genuine concern and reassurance were a comfort in the midst of my turmoil. "Thank you, Dusk," I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper. "I... I appreciate it." Dusk nodded, her expression softening even further. "You're welcome, Tyler. Remember, you're not alone in this. We'll figure things out together." Sergeant Stopper remained silent, but his presence was reassuring in its own way. His steady gaze and unwavering support reminded me that I had allies in this unfamiliar world, even if I didn't fully understand their intentions. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and focused on regulating my breathing. Inhale... exhale... I repeated the mantra silently, willing the tension in my muscles to ease. After a few moments, the panic began to subside, leaving behind a lingering sense of exhaustion. I opened my eyes to find Dusk watching me with a gentle smile, while Sergeant Stopper stood nearby, ever vigilant. "Feeling better?" Dusk asked softly. I nodded, offering a weak smile in return. "Yeah, I think so. Thanks again, both of you." Dusk patted my shoulder lightly before standing up. "Anytime, Tyler. Now, why don't we head back to the castle? You could use some rest." I nodded in agreement, grateful for the suggestion. As we made our way back, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that still lingered in the back of my mind. But for now, I pushed those thoughts aside, focusing instead on putting one foot in front of the other and trusting in the support of my newfound acquaintances. As we reached the castle gates, I glanced back at the serene garden, the memories of my moment of vulnerability still fresh in my mind. But amidst the uncertainty, one thing was clear: I wasn't alone, and with the help of Dusk, Sergeant Stopper, and perhaps even the princesses, I would find a way to navigate this strange new world while they worked to send me home. And with that thought in mind, I followed my guards back into the castle, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. After a quick nap that is.