``Maria! What happening?! respond!`` Cloudy Night was the first to scream. North Arrow was just frozen in place as the scene unfold before her. Celestia wored a disturb frown.
``Princess! What happened to her?! One second everything seem fine and the other she’s out cold on the floor!`` The Destral cried in panic.
``I through she was protected. I through Free Dreamer would have made in sort she could live here.`` The ruler of the day whispered quietly to herself.
``What are you talking about Princess?!`` North Arrow finally snap at the Princess.
Celestia only sigh. ``The magic of Equis isn’t compatible for humans. Her body is slowy shutting down and if we do nothing she will die.``
``But this make no sense she lived there for almost a year! Wouldn’t her body have shut down sooner?`` Cadence ask more than confused.
``No, since humans does not rely on magic as much as ponies to survive their body can last a lot longer when they are in an unknown world with a different type of magic and in certain rare cases can even adapt on their own. But Maria seem to not be so lucky.``
``Isn’t there something we can do to save her?`` Cloudy Night almost beg.
``There are two ways we can prevent her from dying but I must ask her what she want. Girls could you place her on a bed? This will make the process easier.`` The three of them nod before Cadence envelope her in a magical aura and transport the human to her room.
Celestia followed them without a sound. When they arrive in front of the bed, Maria was placed on the bed. Immediatly a golden aura encircled her. Celestia close her eyes before she exited the concious world.
- - - - - -
I look around me and was surprised at what I saw. I was standing on clouds, how amazing is that? The clouds where scretching endlessly with no end. In the sky I could see thousand if not millions of stars. Even the greatest artist of human history wouldn’t be able to picture this beauty.
I spun around in surprise when I heard the beating of two majestic wings. My adoptive mother Princess Celestia stood before me with a gentle smile. But behind this mask I could see some distress and worry. To anypony else it would seem like nothing but I became close of the princess in the year I’ve been with her and I knew when she was hiding something.
``Celestia where are we?`` My eyes got wide as I heard my voice, how could I talk? This is imposible!
``This is the main dreamscape created by my younger sister long ago. That is why you can talk, you are not limited to the limits of your body in your dreams.`` She said once again reading my expression. ``This is where every dreams and memories of my little ponies are gathered.``
``I will cut the conversation short short Maria. Since you’re human it’s very difficult for me to maintain a connection with your mind. The magic you’ve been exposed through the year you’ve been here is the only thing I can use to connect with you.`` I wanted to ask all about this dreamscape but it’s seem there was something important at stake here so I simply nod.
``I through Free Dreamer had protected you from the exposure of magic when he sent you here. But I was wrong. Maria you’re human soul is not made to be exposed to Equestrian magic. If we don’t do something your body will slowly shut down t’ill you’are completely paralized and then when your last vital organs will shut down, you will die.`` At the end of her explanation my eyes got wide as a dinner plate.
``There must be something we can do!`` I cried in panic.
``Yes there is something we can do. It’s exactly why I came here. You can either be transformed into a ponies and live in harmony with the magic of our world. Or I can wake you up forcibly with my magic for you to teleport yourself back home with the book Free Dreamer gave you. It’s entirely your choice but you must hurry to chose.``
The book! I had completely forgot about it! If I can return home a few months before my families death I can find a way to save them! ``I chose to return home with the book.`` Celestia tried to hide her sadness at losing her only daughter since she losed Epona. But decided to completely respect my choice.
``I will not be able to let you awake more than one full minute so make it quick once you are awake.`` I quickly nod before the dreamscape began to fade around me.
- - - - - -
Celestia gasp as she regain conciousness in the real world.Celestia look sadly at the three young fillies who looked expectanly at her. ``Maria made her choice, she will return to her homeworld where she belong.`` Cadence took a solemn look at this. Cloudy Night and North Arrow gasp in shock.
``She can’t do this! She belong with us! Why would she chose to go home where her family is gone?`` Cloudy Night shout trying to hide her tears.
``It’s her choice to go home we have to respect that no matter how we feel. Now I will wake her up make your goodbye quickly she will not last long once she’s awake.`` Celestia horn glowed brightly before her golden magic enveloped me.
I open my eyes quickly the first thing to assault me where two pairs of hooves. Cadence and Cloudy gave me a fierce hug. North Arrow just looked at me as if I had betrayed her. Without a word Celestia quickly levitated the familiar book in front of me. Before I could use it Cloudy gave me a strong kiss on the lips before she stood back with a weak smile.
I wave my hand at them, if only I could give them a better goodbye than simple gestures. But I guess my message got through. I close my eyes and made connection with the magic from the book. I look a last time at my friends- no my family before I let the magic engulfed me.
Before I could completely teleported through a coffee brown blur shot through the room and tackle me. The last thing I saw before I fad from Equestria was a pair of magenta eyes looking directly into my soul.
- - - - - -
Canada, city of Montreal, year 2018 after J.C
Ow my head... Did I made it back home? I was responded by a bright light in my eyes and a loud obnoxious beeping sound. I noticed a few people around me pointing a rectangular device at me. I was confused as to what was so interesting about me that could attracted so much attention.
I got my response when a feminine voice groaned beside me. I turn my head only for my eyes to widden in shock when I saw North Arrow laying there beside me. She was sprawled in the streets from the teleportation.
The loud noise returned and I jumped in shock I looked behind me and saw a man in a strange metalic box giving me an impatient glare since I was blocking his way. I assumed he didn’t saw the mythologic creature in face of his vehicule because I’m sure he wouldn’t be so annoyed at my presence if he did.
I quickly grabbed my feathered friend before I sprinted out of the large crowd looking at us in awe, wonder and above all confusion.
- - - - - -
Solana was enjoying a relaxing nap. Thing had been calmed lately, sure there was attacks from random monsters there and there. But as an angel her job wasn’t to go hunt simple beast. That was the job of the knights. Her last missions was months ago so she was hoping something might show up soon.
As if Author himself had heard her wish. She heard a alarm sound rising from her computer. She slowly rose from her comfy bed before she looked at her scaner she had implanted in the device.
The Rito’s feature changed to a grim expression as she saw that two living being had crossed the Gaia branch. But she couldn’t help but fell a spark of excitement in the pit of her stomach. It’s was time to hunt some criminal scum.
- - - - - -
This was definetly the wrong world. I tried to tell to myself. Some things pointed that I was just in a different timeline. But it’s was hard to believe that my world could have changed at this point. Some of the batiment where gigantic. People where rolling in strange boxes without any horses and there where lights everywhere in the windows without any sign of fire.
And to say I through Equestria was a strange world. At least they had a technology I could understand!... Most of the time anyway. ``Are you okay Maria?`` My friend North Arrow ask worriedly. I glare daggers at her. It’s was her fault that I was in this strange place instead of in my home saving my family!
``Look I’m sorry for making you miss your travel to where you wanted to go. But you tried to leave us without even saying goodbye.`` I glare fatly at her before pointing my mouth. ``Oh yeah you’re mute... But that don’t excuse the fact that you leave us!``
Yeah because I’m sure you would transform yourself into another species just to stay with a friend. I through sarcastically to myself. I ignore North Arrow and focused into finding a place to stay for my new life whatever life I could make in this mess up world. It wasn’t long t’ill I heard whispering voices.
``C’est quoi cette affaire la? Sa l’air d’un chevale but ont dirait que c’est animée come un cartoon!`` An old man said, he seem to talk french but his accent was something I never heard before.
``Is that Daring Do? Oh my god it is! Guys look a pony from Equestria!`` As soon as a younger man said those words a small crowd formed around us whispering excitedly. I noticed that one of them was wearing a black shirt with a Pegasus draw on it. The word ‘brony’ was written in majuscule above the Pegasus. What the hay was a brony? I didn’t knew. I was about to run from the scene. But I saw that my friends was bragging to the humans instead of following me.
``I see that my popularity is so great that I have fans in another world! I knew I was destined to greatness!`` Several people took some small devices in their hand and some light came out of them. I assumed these device could take picture like these camera in Equestria.
I sigh in exasperaton before I took my friend by the hoof and ran with her. ``Hey I was talking to my fans!`` She cried indignantly.
``This girl just captured a pony, catch her!`` And just like that we had a mob of angry fans chassing after us. I expected to be pursued by an angry mob when I came here with North Arrow. But I through it would be to chase my alien friend away. Not a group of fans who wanted more time with the pony.
We made a turn to a back alley . The fans didn’t notice it and simply continued to run in the street. I through I could finaly let a sigh of relief but of course life had some surprises for us. My Pegasus friend was out cold on the floor. I panicked and tried to wake her up by shaking her body but she didn’t gave any response.
``Your friend is on the verge of dying. You should know that ponies can’t survive for long without a strong magic always present around them. This world hold a magic of level D a level that can only support magicless races like your. But don’t worry you will son join your little friend in death. Criminal scum.``
I spun around in surprise at the new voice and was even more surprise at the appearance of the woman before me. She looked almost human at first glance but she had some different features about her. Firstly at the place of her nose was the beak of a bird, instead of human feet she had a pair of claws and she had two feathery wings on her back.
Mom- I mean Celestia had talk about these creatures just once. She was a Rito a human/bird hybrid from the Great Sea. The strangest thing was that they obtain their wings after they were born by talking to a dragon. How did that work? I had no idea whatsoever.
The Rito pointed a small thing right at me. My eyes widden when I recognise it as a gun. I never saw one myself but they talked of it in school back in Equestria. I jumped away just in time to get away from her bullet. Unfortunately she had anticipated this and charge her magic to created a large gust of wind in my direction.
The wind was enough to send me and North Arrow crashing in a wall at the end of the back alley. The body of my Pegasus friend was laying lifelessly beside me. The Rito smirk at the scene before she lift her gun once more and shoot another bullet in my direction.
In a panic I grab my magical book and teleport myself and North Arrow to the first place I could think of. Which was Canterlot castle. Just before the telportation could be complet the bullet caught into the last bit of magic and was send with us through the multiverse.
As soon as we appear in the halls of the castle a piercing pain shoot in my stomach accompanied to a burning sensation. I look down and saw blood pouring through my body. And for the second time this day I collapsed on the ground just before my Pegasus friend could regain conciousness with the healty dose of magic she received.
- - - - - -
Beep, Beep, Beep.
What an annoying sound. I tried to open my eyes and all I could see was colorful blobs in front of me. And the sounds I heard weren’t clear either.
``...Alright?``
``...Just woke... Bullet... Almost died...`` That was the only bits of conversation I understood before I fell back asleep.
I woke up later when the moon was up in the sky. I noticed Celestia’s head was at the end of my bed. I noticed that some drool escaped her mouth. She must have wait here all day. I felt bad woking her up but I really wanted to know how long I was out and what exactly happened. I was about to poke her with my hand but instead of my beloved appendage. I saw a beige furry limb. I did the first thing any sane human would do in my situation.
``AHHHHHHHH! WHAT HAPPENED TO ME?! AND HOW CAN I TALK?!`` The scream of course woked up Celestia a lot more faster than any of my poking could have done.
She relax slightly when she saw why I was panicking for. ``Maria I’m sorry to say this but you are a pony.`` You don’t say! ``A bullet traveled with you through your teleportation you would have died if we didn’t change you of body.``
``But why didn’t you simply let me die? I could have choose what I wanted to become if I did with the elder gods and all that. Didn’t you said that?`` God know it felt good to finaly be able to talk. I just wished my first words since I lost were lost wasn’t used for arguing.
``Yes I did but travelling between the Gaia and the Kira branch is frown upon by the coucil in fact it is illegal for every inhabitant of the Kira branch.``
``And you couldn’t have said that? That insane Rito almost kill me and North Arrow back there because she through we were ‘criminal scum’!`` Celestia face became grim at this new.
``Rito... You mean Solana, Kira’s student? She had no right to attack you. You were still a inhabitant of the Gaia branch when you travel back to your homeworld!`` Celestia exclaimed angrily.
``Were?`` She wince as soon as I ask that.
``Well when I changed you to a pony I had no choice to make evolve your soul to fit your new body. In doing so cutting your connection to the Gaia branch. You are officially a pony of Equestria.``
``Why didn’t you ask me if I wanted to be a pony! Maybe I don’t want to be stuck as a fingerless herbivore for the rest of eternity!``
``I was afraid that somepony of the coucil through you had broke the laws and sent you to the Wasteland. Look Maria I’m sorry it is not in my power to change you in anything else than a pony. But I promised as soon as things are cleared up with the coucil I will let you chose what you want to be.`` Celestia tried to reassured me.
``What the point anyway? My magical book lost all it’s power now that I travelled three times. I will never save my family.`` I respond dejectly.
``Look at the bright side young Maria. You have your voice back and I made sure you where a Unicorn so you could grab things more easily like when you where human.`` I didn’t respond, now I admit that she really did everything she could to make me safe but at that time I was angry at her, at North Arrow, at the world and above all I was angry at the Rito who almost killed me.
A book was now forever close. The story of Maria the mute human was over. But a story is never fully over and the story of Maria the famous Unicorn author had begun.