//------------------------------//
// The Signal 
// Story: One Stranded Human 
// by sbloom85 
//------------------------------//

	Greg woke up early the next morning and was accompanied by Twilight to the shuttle. Shining Armor and Cadance told the group about their upcoming wedding during dinner. Needless to say...

"I'm so excited for my brother!" She squeals. "I wish you could be there for the wedding."

The news seemed to make the purple Unicorn way too excited for Greg, but he manages to crack a smile anyway. "Me too, Twilight." He says before they enter the shuttle. He asked Celestia to move it outside of the castle, preferably somewhere nopony is likely to see it.

Twilight looks around in amazement. "This is what you brought Applejack and the others back with? I can't believe it can fly."

Greg chuckles as he sits in the pilot's seat. "Not every flying machine needs wings, Twilight." He says, powering up the shuttle. Satisfied that it's still operational, he activates the distress signal.

Twilight trots up beside him. "How long do you suppose it's going to take them to check it out?"

Greg shrugs. "Hard to say." He says. "It could be as short as a few hours, or even as long as a few years. I just want to get this over with."

And with that, the two exit the shuttle and head back to the castle. "Have you spoken to Apple Bloom lately?"

Greg nods. "Yeah. 'Ah can't thank ya enough for dealin' with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon' she says every time I see her." He says, doing his best to imitate Apple Bloom's voice.

Twilight giggles. "Yeah, their parents aren't normally the easiest to deal with, but you caught Diamond Tiara's father at a good time."

"I'm just glad to know that those two stopped spreading those ridiculous rumors." He says. "Them picking on her and her friends about not having a cutie mark is terrible and all, but it's way worse to spread a lie about someone you know nothing about."

Twilight nods. "Yeah. We learned that lesson when we properly met Zecora."

The two approach the castle's side entrance and Greg holds the door open "Thank you, sir." Twilight says, entering the castle.





It had been two months since Greg activated the shuttle's distress signal. He figured that it wouldn't take more than a week, but he was proven wrong. Since then, Greg had taken up some odd jobs: help keep Ponyville's streets clean; help the Apple family harvest both Zap Apples and the normal ones; play mannequin for Rarity; deliver baked goods for the Cakes and so on.

Today was his day off and he spent a good portion of the morning at the park, taking in vitamin K... that is until the air around him gets cooler due to something blotting out the sun. He opens his eyes and sees a large cloud above him, courtesy of Flitter and Cloudchaser.

"We don't want ya to get a sunburn, do we?" Flitter asks.

"That's very considerate of you girls." Greg says, getting up from off the ground.

The two Pegasi had been stalking him since the mayor introduced him. He knew every pony was curious about him, but these two took that curiosity to a creepy level. They land next to him.

"What was it like?" Flitter asks.

Greg raises an eyebrow. "Come again?"

"Don't be coy, Greg." Cloudchaser says. "We read about your time in space and how they-"

Greg raises his arms. "Whoa! Hold it right there!" He interrupts. "First off, they were looking for the two species that could save their allies." He continues, lowering one arm. "Second, any time I did, it was be purely consensual." He finishes, lowering his other arm.

"Aww..." The two say in unison.

"Sweet, handsome and a gentleperson." Flitter says with a smile.

"Yeah!" Cloudchaser adds with a giggle. "Not to mention single."

Greg chuckles nervously as he backs away from the two. "Now's not the best time, ladies." He says. "I do have my own problems to take care of."

The two start hovering, maintaining their distance from him. "That's okay." Cloudchaser says. "We'll be here when you get things sorted out." She continues, blowing a kiss to him.





Greg enters the library, closes the door behind and leans against the door. Twilight trots into the main room and sees him wide-eyed. "Are you okay, Greg?" She asks.

Greg takes a couple of deep breaths. "I think I need to get back to Canterlot."

Twilight narrows her eyes. "Flitter and Cloudchaser were bothering you again, weren't they?"

Greg walks over to the table, sits down and rests his face in his hands. "They came onto me this time, Twilight." He groans. "After a year and a half, I am okay with non-humans finding me attractive, but..."

Twilight trots up to him and lays a foreleg on his shoulder. "You miss her."

Greg slowly nods. "I do." He says weakly. "I know there's nothing I can do about it, though."

Twilight nudges him. "Then let's head to Canterlot."

Before he could stand up, they see an aura surrounding Greg. Twilight grabs a hold of him and the two vanish.





They find themselves somewhere else. Greg groans and shakes his head. "We're on one of their vessels." He says.

Twilight swallows hard, scanning the room around her, seeing one of them at a control station. "Will we be okay?"

Greg stands up. "You have nothing to worry about, Twilight. It's me they're after, remember?"

Another of the aliens enters the room. The two others stiffen up. It must be a soldier, since it doesn't have a gem in its hand.

"You are the human from Ceres, aren't you?" The masculine sounding psychic voice said directly to Greg, who nods. "You were the one who destroyed Ziabok's science vessel."

Greg slowly nods. "Yes, sir." He says. "I was blinded with rage at the time and had no idea about 'Project Storm'. None of us did."

Twilight looks up to Greg. "What is he saying?"

The alien shakes his head. "Ziabok was wise, but sometimes he had a hard time letting others in on his plans." He says. "It's a tragedy we lost him like that. What do you know of the project?"

Greg, his eyes still focused in front of him, lets out a sigh. "It's an effort to save the Galtran race." He answers. "You needed compatible DNA from two different species to begin building a cure for them."

The alien looks over to Twilight, then back at Greg. "How long have you been away from your kind?" He asks.

Twilight swallows hard. "Greg... what are you two talking about?"

"Best guess... eighteen months." Greg says, forcing back a tear. "Your friend Ziabok did find those DNA chains." He continues.

Hearing this surprised the alien. "Where are these compatible races?" He asks.

Greg looks directly into the alien's eyes. "They're standing right in front of you."

If he had a mouth, he'd be grinning like an idiot, but he looks over to Twilight. "Forgive me for not including you in the conversation." He says to her before looking back to Greg, this time extending the psychic connection to Twilight as well. "Would you two mind allowing us to take a sample of your respective DNA?" He asks.

Twilight looked mortified. "Wait, what?!"

Greg looks over to Twilight and chuckles. "It's okay, Twilight, they just want to draw some of our blood." He explains. "It'll be quick and painless." He adds.





Greg and Twilight follow the alien captain to the medical bay. Greg was quite familiar with this place as he hops onto a table. The medic uses its gem to lift Twilight onto another table, quietly shrieking the whole time.

"Who goes first?" Twilight asks.

"I will." Greg answers, rolling up a sleeve.

Twilight watches as the medic approaches Greg with what looks like a syringe, drawing a vial of his blood. She looks at Greg who returns her look with a wink.

Greg looks to the captain. "So what are you guys going to do with me...?" He asks. "Am I going to be tried for murder?"

The captain shakes his head. "No, don't even think that." He says, surprising Greg. "I went over it with my superiors and you have two choices: We take you back to your world so you can your friends and family again, or we leave you on this world. Either way, you will never see us again."

Twilight, who just had a sample of her blood taken, looks over to Greg, who had been accepted in Equestria faster than either of them imagined. "If you go, we'll never see you again."

Greg nods. "If I stay here, I'll never see my own kind again." He says.

"It's a double edged sword." The captain adds. "But ultimately it is your decision, Greg."

Greg takes a few moments to make the decision, glancing back and forth between Twilight and the ship's captain. Finally, he shakes his head. "I'd like to go home." He says. "I need to let my friends and family know that I'm alright." He continues, looking at a downtrodden Twilight.

The decision was made. Greg, Twilight and the captain return to the transport room. Twilight stands on one of the pads after giving Greg a hug. "Everypony is going to miss you." She says.

The two separate and Greg wipes a tear from her eye. "I know." He says. "If and when I can find a way to return, don't think that I won't."





Twilight finds herself back in the library, as witnessed by a slack-jawed Spike.

"Oh Greg..." She says quietly to herself.

Spike picks up a broom he dropped. "What's going on, Twi? Where is he?"

Twilight shakes her head. "He's going back home."

Spike scratches his head. "Isn't that a good thing?"

Twilight trots to the door. "Yeah, but I gotta let Applejack and the others know."

Spike lets out a low groan. "That's right. She had a thing for him, didn't she?"

Twilight giggles. "Yeah, like you for Rarity. Only she's more subtle."

As Twilight exits the library, Spike remembers that Greg left her a letter. "Twi!" He yells, picking the letter up off the table and chasing after her.





Twilight teleports herself to Sweet Apple Acres and Apple Bloom gallops toward her. "Mornin' Twilight!" The filly greets, galloping past her.

Twilight teleports Apple Bloom in front of her. "I'm sorry about that, Apple Bloom, but could you get AJ and Mac?"

Apple Bloom falls onto her haunches and looks up at the Unicorn. "Twi? What's wrong?" She asks.

"Bring your brother and sister here, I want them to hear this."





Apple Bloom brought AJ and Mac to the barn where Twilight was waiting.

"What's goin' on, Twilight?" AJ asks.

"Greg is on his way home." Twilight says plainly.

"What?!" AJ asks, stomping her hoof on the ground. "And he didn't bother to say good bye?!"

Twilight hangs her head. "I know. It happened so suddenly and I think they were in a hurry."

Apple Bloom's eyes start welling up. "That's not fair!"

Twilight looks upward. "Life sometimes isn't fair, Apple Bloom..."

Applejack digs at the ground with her hoof. "Think we'll ever see him again?"

Twilight shakes her head. "There was something he said to me, 'hope for the best, expect the worst'." She says before a smile creeps onto her face. "He also said that should he leave, he'd want us to go on with our lives."

Big Macintosh nods. "Yup."

AJ looks over to her brother, first angrily, then calmly. "Then we will."

Apple Bloom trots away from the three. "Ah'm gonna look for Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle and tell them about this."

Twilight nods. "Go ahead. I've got a lot of ponies to inform." She says, looking up once more. "Good luck, Greg!"