“Are you sure you don’t want the showerhead to be able to cut steel?” El was offering upgrades to my cave to comply with Miss Sweetheart’s complaints about the substandard nature of my cave. I did not know what to say to her suggestions, especially with the fact that she was, I hope unintentionally, talking about cutting through my scales with a cleaning device.
“Eleanor, that would be a problematic feature,” Trace said, digging through his bags.
Miss Sweetheart picked up her jaw, which had been dropped in shocked horror for several minutes. “Yes, he only needs a simple, low pressure shower. It should only be good for washing ponies and needs to be unable to hurt a colt.”
El looked disappointed, but agreed. I was ready to call this meeting done and find a way of making a home for Steelskin just outside Ponyville after the first suggestion of a fusion powered automatic front door and a quantum black hole for waste disposal.
“Okay, so you want everything underpowered,” El said with a frown.
"Yes!" Miss Sweetheart’s outburst was an interesting mix of relief and exasperation.
I took a deep, calming breath and collected my thoughts..
“I wish to have as few alterations to my cave as necessary. I do not feel comfortable around human technology.” This was not completely accurate. The truth was that it was only the mad scientist style technology that El was pushing that reminded me too much of some of the... interesting humans that had hassled me. “Let us keep it to a simple shower, drinking water, and waste disposal. I also demand that whatever is powering them not be able to create more than a pony length blast radius in the event that it overloads and explodes.”
El appeared to be about to object to the implication that her inventions could break when Miss Sweetheart cut in. “We also need a door to this cave so that the weather is kept out.”
“I could set up an enchantment that would allow Tallic and Steelskin to simply create a wall of magical ice around the entrance that would be strong enough to stop a cannonball. All I’d need to do is add a form of switch that both of them could use to activate it when needed. Along with some materia to alter the temperature inside. That should cover your complaints over my previous work,” Trace said in an annoyed tone, giving Miss Sweetheart a half-hearted glare.
“I would rather a physical door,” Miss Sweetheart replied.
“I, too, would prefer a purely physical door. Magic has an odor, and while I like the smell of your current barrier, elemental manifestations can be irritating. I would prefer something along the lines of a ‘garage door’. I believe that Alex and Matt are both familiar with the device,” I interjected, forestalling Trace’s offended reaction.
“Well, can we at least put a teleport pad outside so that Steelskin can get to school quickly?” El was apparently trying to get something that would require at least a little bit of a challenge to create.
Trace pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “I’ll look into the ideas for a door with the others, but I suggested the previous option because it would be the simplest. Unless placed right, a physical door could cause problems with the barrier, and I’d have to go through the trouble of modifying it to work properly, which could take some time.”
I glanced to the back of the cave and wondered aloud. “What if we built a small house for Steelskin in the back of the cave? Something with a large enough opening that I could stick my head inside would be more than big enough for him. You could even put in some sort of kitchen where he could learn to prepare his own food.”
I felt kinda bad ditching my friends, but I was still real worried about Tallic. He still winced when he changed positions, so I knew he wasn’t healed yet.
“Hey Steely!” Pinkie came bouncing up behind me, carrying a weird box. “I’d better get the bounciness out of my system before I say goodbye to Tallic.”
That gave me a bit of worry, but I was still kinda scared of going insane from talking to Pinkie for too long, so I didn’t ask.
“I’ve got some superawesome stuff to show you two.”
I stared at her nervously. “Uhm...”
“Oh, don’t worry your little head about it, your Auntie Pinkie has a going away present for you two.”
“Uhm...”
“Thank you, Tallic. This was most informative.” Miss Introspective had come by after the rest had left, saying she needed to ask me some questions for an official report on my fitness to adopt Steelskin. I was thankful for the distractions that were taking my mind off my restlessness.
I gave a low chuckle as Miss Introspective was heading towards the mouth of my cave. She, of course, jumped at the noise.
“I apologize, I was just amused by the thought that I would normally be irritated by all the visitors I have had today.” She looked a little confused by my statement, but shrugged it off.
As she exited my cave, she got ready to toss the key rune back to me.
“No. Keep it.” I smiled at her look of surprise. “You have earned the right to visit me and, hopefully Steelskin, any time you wish. Miss Sweetheart told me about how you spoke in defense of letting Steelskin have contact with me while these proceedings are underway. I assume from her discomfort that it is an extremely rare allowance that was potentially dangerous to your career.”
“Well, not really. I had very good grounds for pushing for the exemption due to Steelskin’s trauma from his own losses as well as his witnessing your own injury. I am actually surprised at his resilience. I would expect him to be skittish at the very least.” Miss Introspective had a distant look in her eyes as if she were remembering something.
“Yes, he does suffer from some serious nightmares and needs me to settle him down at least three times a night,” I responded.
“Well, that is to be expected, but he is remarkably calm during the day and even went to school today. It is much more common for a pony, even an adult, to be catatonic for several days after such an event. I can only assume that seeing the death of his parents prepared him for witnessing the violence perpetrated against you. We fully expected him to be unresponsive for at least a week, if not permanently afflicted with debilitating ITS.” Tears welled up in her eyes before she murmured quietly “I was so relieved when he woke up after the second day.”
“Still, you seem to be a nation of rules and paperwork. To go against the standard procedure has been quite dangerous in the other lawful-aligned realities I have been in.”
“I cannot abide putting rules above the welfare of a seriously traumatized colt.” She sniffed in anger before muttering under her breath “Unlike some on that board.”
“Good evening, Miss Introspective. Good morning, Tallic.” The Pink One was standing outside my cave along with Steelskin.
Miss Introspective gave a rather rushed farewell to me before greeting her nervously. I had the distinct impression that she was trying her hardest to give Steelskin a prolonged and attentive greeting before she trotted off quickly. I briefly wondered if she might feel the way I do about this impossible pony.
“May I come in, Tallic? I have something to show you for a going away present.” Pinkie Pie was speaking remarkably calmly and that comment about ‘going away’ made me curious.
“Yes, you may,” I said, tossing her a key rune, sure that I would regret it.
Upon entering she placed what I recognized to be a portable computer on the floor and plugged another device into it. She then used her hooves on the keyboard that was five sizes too small for her hooves and got a display to pop up in midair.
“Well, this series actually follows Natsu, Igneel’s son, but later in the series, Gajeel joins up.”
“Are you telling me that the portals between worlds can follow individuals?” I had heard of stories that mimicked the settings and physical laws of other realities. I had even been in a few that I had seen some of these stories depict, but I had never heard of actual people being the topic of these cross-world stories.
“Well, most of these muse leaks end up taking a bit of dramatic license, but I get a good feeling of accuracy with the ‘anime’ ones. I think the neighponese are much more interested in accuracy...”
I looked down at Steelskin and he shook his head at me, silently telling me not to think too hard about it if I wished to retain my sanity.
She got a twinkle in her eye. “Don’t let him know, but there’s even someone writing a story about Alex.”
I sat there in total disbelief as Pinkie said that somepony was writing Mister Roberts’ life. The crusaders had said something about the the bearers of the Elements having some sort of following where he came from, but I thought they were just making up a strange, twisted ponytale. Now Pinkie was telling us that Mister Roberts was being watched by some sort of inter-dimensional spy? It was right out of my magic fiction books.
Luckily for his sanity, Tallic didn’t ask any more questions and Pinkie made the screen show these cool moving pictures. Some of the fights I saw made me want to curl up and hug my tail, but I still saw some pretty cool moves.
I should try eating fire like Natsu ate the other stuff... nevermind, don’t want to get that sick.
I looked up to see Tallic smiling and looking like he was gonna cry when the three dragon slayers (ugh) teamed up and fought side by side. Sadly, the language switched to neighponese and there were these strange almost-runes at the bottom.
“That’s how they write,” Was Pinkie’s response when I asked. “Their writing is really different from ours.”
I guess Tallic could read them just fine, because he was totally into it and was even muttering to himself about it. I was glad he sounded more happy than angry.
Even though I couldn’t understand it anymore, I still watched, hoping I could keep myself from remembering that spear...
Pinkie Pie showed us multiple episodes, detailing the adventures of Igneel’s son. The brash, reckless, yet loyal to a fault kid was definitely the disciple of Igneel.
I noticed Steelskin shudder at a few of the violent points, but he was entranced by it and kept asking me “Can I do that?”
When we finished, as she closed down the programs, a picture of Twilight Sparkle’s face grinning maniacally popped up.
“Oops, didn’t mean for you to see that,” She said with an unconvincing grin.
She trotted out after packing up her devices.
“Hope you come back soon,” She said enigmatically before disappearing from sight.
I couldn’t decide whether to be relieved or disappointed when Pinkie Pie finally turned off her box and left with a disturbing goodbye. It was like she was expecting us to leave, but nopony was saying anything about us going anywhere.
“Steelskin, I apologize. I truly wanted to spend more time with you and was hoping to complete the adoption and spend at least a decade with you.” Tallic’s sudden statement got me seriously scared.
Where is he going? Why is he leaving me?
“I am a ‘jumper’ as Alex and the others call it. I feel the start of a jump coming.”
Moments after Pinkie Pie left, I felt the pull of a jump in my belly. There was no reason to pretend that I was not leaving this reality in just over a week, so I began to say my goodbyes to Steelskin. He, of course, did not take it well and started to beg me not to leave.
“I wish there was a way to keep from jumping, for I truly wish to spend multiple lifetimes in this gentle and peaceful reality,” I said in a broken hearted rumble as I held his chin up with a talon. “But-”
No!
This is progressing much too quickly!
“Steelskin! Get away quickly!” I almost screamed.
In a matter of minutes, the pull of the jump grew in intensity like a full week had passed. I tried to push him outside the radius of my pull, but he held on to my talon so firmly, I would have to hurt him to get him off.
”I’m not leaving you!” He screamed at me in desperation.
Before I could muster the determination to throw him from my cave, everything turned the familiar, burning white.
“Tallic?” I called out to my surroundings.
I was blind and felt like I had puked all over myself... and did other things.
“I am here.” His voice calmed me and I tried to get to my hooves. Before I could, he had wrapped his talons around me and pulled me close. “Do not worry, the effects of the jump will fade quickly.”
He was right. Soon, I started seeing blobs of grey and red, and soon after was able to see again. When he could see I had recovered, he got angry with me.
Well, I did disobey him, so I guess I’m in for a lecture. I flattened my ears back and tucked in my tail to let him know I was already sorry. But not so sorry that I wouldn’t do it again if it means staying with him.
“You do not realize the dangers that await you. Those videos we watched were nothing compared to most realities that I have experienced. I demand that you listen and listen carefully.”
He was scary in his anger, but it was a lot like when dad had pulled me out of the way of a carriage when I was crossing the street once.
“I did not want to lay this guilt on you, but now it is vital that you understand and obey without question when I tell you something.” His voice got a little more gentle as he continued. “You were the cause of both my injuries when the donkey attacked. I had to land in an indefensible way to keep you from getting killed by that lance of his. Then, if I had dodged the thunder pearl, you and your fellow ponies could have been killed by it.”
He, again, forced my muzzle up so I had to look him in the eyes. “When I tell you to do something, you must do it immediately, no matter how much danger I am in. If you disobey, one of us will probably die.”
I wilted under his fierce gaze and wouldn’t have been able to relax my ears even if I wanted to.
“And I refuse to let it be you.” I was overwhelmed by the pain and determination in his voice.
I mumbled an ‘okay’ as my eyes blurred with tears.
He moved his talon to gently run it down my mane as his voice grew soft and gentle. “I am the bigger and tougher one, so I need to protect you. Someday there will be someone weaker that you will get to protect, but for now, I am your armor.” He touched my breastplate. “Remember what that is made from and know that you are the most precious piece in my hoard.”
Pinkie heard the snap-crack of a large teleportation and frowned. She turned around and went back to the cave to find a large sphere missing from the inside of the cave and a large circle of polished steel where the floor used to be.
“Well, at least they’ll have plenty to eat,” She whispered quietly to herself. “Now to tell everypony the sad news.”
With that, she trotted back down the mountain with a sad smile on her face and a tear in her eye.
“At least they’re together.”