“Well that was an interesting way to get me here,” Rarity looked at Izumi as she tried to dry herself off, the two ponies and the farmer were completely soaked, “but I think water manipulation might be a bit out of your league for now.”
“M-m-miss Rarity!” Izumi stuttered, “I...I’m so sorry, I only wanted to do what the Princess asked!”
“Well it’s quite fine, all the more reason to get this done fast so I can go get my mane redone.” Rarity took off the jewelry and handed it Izumi. “No sense in wasting time over wet manes, we’ve got work to do.”
“That... that’s the Element of Generosity!” Izumi had seen a few fan-made works online but none of them (even the ones made by actually crafters) could compare to this. The gold sparkled in the morning sun and the blue gem in the center seemed to glow on its own as well. She also felt a slight twinge in her head. It wasn’t like the buzzing she felt in the city, but she could feel this relic in front of her was a great source of energy.“It’s even more beautiful than it was on the show.”
“Oh,” Rarity seemed a little touched by Izumi’s insight, “well it’s yours now, I can’t really use it here.”
“But...but you’re the Element of Generosity, I...I just like you and your friends. I...I can’t take this.” Izumi lightly pushed Rarity’s hoof and the Element away.
“My dear,” Rarity pushed the Element back, “I insist, I may be Equestria’s Element, but you’re Earth’s. I know all this is a little sudden, but if I’ve arrived here then that means you must be quite the generous mare.”
“I...” Izumi levitated the necklace up and put it on, “I don’t know what to say.”
“Well for one, you can say you’re quite the skilled unicorn to be levitating stuff so carefully. When were you last human?”
“Sunday.”
“Oh I see, hmm, why your Element isn’t Magic I don’t know. But we haven’t got a lot of time to waste, um, can you teleport yet?”
“I did once... but I was desperate then.”
“I see,” Rarity’s horn lit up, “this might take a bit out of me, but we’ve got to move.”
“No! If it hurts you then I-”
Rarity and Izumi were gone. That left a very confused farmer alone in his field. “Amaterasu has very strange messengers.”
~~~
“Bloody Hell!” David exclaimed as two unicorns instantly appeared in his living room.
“Ugh,” Izumi felt a little sick from the teleportation, “the show never said anything about that.”
“Um,” David looked over at Pinkie, “do ponies speak different languages?”
“What are you talking abou-... oh yeah, the princess said humans had some weird language thingy. Rarity? Do you think you could pull of a “know-it-all spell?”
“Pinkie,” Rarity brought a hoof to her forehead,“give me a minute. Teleportation was always Twilight’s thing not mine.”
“Okey-Dokey!” Pinkie smiled, “Hey your mane and coat look a little different.”
“What?” Rarity seemed absolutely appalled that something had happened to her mane and coat. She looked back and saw their slightly discolored states, “Oh darn, the princess warned about this. Pinkie, the spell might have to wait, using magic is dangerous now.”
“Oh, it’s that scary, not-enough-magic-so-you-disappear thing! Ok, I pinkie promise I won’t ask for any more magic.” Pinkie then proceeded to stick a hoof in her eye.
“Hmm, well the Princess said that the Elements could help decrease the drain.” Rarity turned back to Izumi, “Izumi, right? Do you think I could have that back for a little?”
“Of course!” Izumi hastily took off the necklace and gave it back to Rarity. Then she looked at Pinkie Pie and an unfamiliar red pony. “Oh um, hello Miss Pinkie Pie... it’s ok to call you that right?”
“Sure, silly it is my name after all!” Pinkie smiled.
“And you are?” Izumi asked the stallion.
“Sorry Miss, I don’t speak whatever it is you’re speaking.” Izumi then switched to a slower English.
“Sorry, I had thought all ponies were able to speak to each other.” Izumi bowed her head in greetings, “I’m Izumi Taka, nice to meet you.”
“David Muller... where may I ask are you from?”
“Japan,” Izumi bluntly replied.
“Japan?!” David looked in shock at the trio of mares around him. “That’s a continent and a half away!”
“Well my good sir, teleportation has quite-” Rarity coughed a little, “advantageous, although it’s a little taxing here. Oh where are my manners, I’m Rarity, pleasure to meet you.” Rarity held out a hoof for David to shake. He awkwardly returned the hoofshake with his own.
“Nice to meet you Rarity, gotta say, seeing you isn’t a much of a shock as Pinkie though.”
“Yes, she can be a little crazy.”
“But it’s fun to be crazy, imagine if I was just like, blah,” Pinkie made an exaggerated sad face, “I’m Pinkie Pie and I think parties are boring.”
Izumi giggled a little. “Miss Pinkie you really are just like the show.”
“Well kinda... hey is anypony else having deja vu? Cause I’m totally having it right now.”
“Er,” David awkwardly explained, “the show kinda got stuff right, but it wasn’t exact.”
“Wait,” Izumi looked at David, “you’re a fan too? Oh I always wanted to talk to a fan in real life. Then again I aways wanted to be a pony in real life too.”
“You wanted this?” David wiggled a hoof to emphasize the point.
“Well I didn’t want the end of the world stuff, but didn’t you want to go on adventures with ponies?”
“I was perfectly fine watching the show with my mates. Getting hooves in an entierly different matter.”
“Well I guess some ponies just aren’t as big a fan of the show.”
“Speaking of which,” David looked at both Rarity and Pinkie now, “when this is all over, can I just go back to having hands and going to school and stuff.”
“Oh,” Rarity frowned a little, “sorry, but we had to make some sacrifices. I think the princess mentioned it but your planet has to be replaced by Equestria. Bringing it here will stop the entropy, but only full conversion will erase it. But... Equestria is a very nice place and the Princess said the expansion will make it even better.”
“Yeah,” Pinkie chimed in, “she said there was something about energy to mass conversion and it’ll make new Equestrai super hu-” Pinkie was interupted by a brick crashing through the window.
“Christ!” David exclaimed. Then he heard the shouting outside. “Oh hell.” He bucked open his door to see the streets awash in a sea of chaos. People were carrying food supplies and weapons and they all had looks a panic on their faces.
“Is this how humans party?” Pinkie looked outside, “Cause it doesn’t look very fun.”
“Pinkie, it’s not a party, it’s a riot.” David’s had a look of sheer horror on his face. “Rarity! Can you teleport us out of the city?”
Rarity’s horn lit up in response, but it’s glow fizzled out. “I...I can’t, not now at least... in a day maybe, but I was saving that for the big leap.”
“Cover? Can you give us any cover?” David asked as he galloped over to the kitchen. He chucked the Element of Laughter onto his neck and checked on his mom. By now his mum was ponified, but in the dream portion of the transformation. She was now a magenta pegasus with a black mane. David tried to put her on his back, but was unable to. “Could one of you help?”
Rarity stepped forward to assist, but Izumi stopped her. “No, please Miss Rarity, don’t use any more magic. I can handle it. This was the first time Izumi had manipulated a living thing. But it’s to help the ponies, so I’ve got to do it. Her horn lit up and a blue aura covered the pegasus on the floor. She slowly levitated up and plopped down on David’s back. “*Huff* that ok?”
“Yes, thank you Miss Izumi. Now let’s get out of... cover! Shoot, we’ll probably be swarmed if anypony outside sees us.”
“I... I think I’ve got that covered to,” Izumi responded. Her head had been hurting since she’d arrived in wherever she was now. Her horn flashed again and then the lights on the block went out. The ponies could still see fine though. “That work?”
“Wonderfully,” Rarity replied, “that buzzing was getting annoying.”
“That happened to you too?” Izumi asked.
“What are you talking about?” David asked.
“It must be a thing unicorns have to deal with here,” Rarity replied, “Pony magic must not mix will with Earth magic.
“Earth magic?” David asked.
“Yes, don’t humans use magic to make big cities like this bright even though it’s night?”
“Um, that’s electricity.”
“Oh, so is it something pegasi hu-” the sound of another shattering window interrupted Rarity.
“We’ll talk later, for now we’ve got to move.” David galloped out of the house and into the streets. He took a quick glance back at his house and then galloped into an alley.
“Um, where are we going?” Pinkie asked. “Oh wait, is it a surprise? Cause if it is don’t tell me.”
“It’s a place I go to with my mates when we want to cool off. Plus it’s seen rough days before, so it’s probably safer than here.” They galloped through London’s streets. But even in the darkness, they could see some buildings aflame. They all kept silent out of fear.
But then they galloped out of the darkened section of town and into a bright street. “Izumi, can you give us some more co-” David turned around, but stopped when he saw Rarity wasn’t among them, “oh crap, where’s Rarity?!”
“She... oh no!” Izumi exclaimed, “Her coat, I should have known!”
“What?!”
“She looked just like she did when Discord tricked her.”
“But the princesses said he wasn’t real!” David was scared now.
“Oh no... what’s a Discord?” Pinkie asked.
“He was this guy on the show who made you all act opposite of your Elements.”
“What a meany! But you said he’s not real? So what do we-”
“Look a pony!” Someone cried out, “they must know where we can get potion!”
“You fool!” cried out another voice, “They’re abominations, you’ll really go with them rather than god!?”
“You’re the fool!” came another voice, “The world is ending and we’ve got one way out, take it!”
“Heathens, all of you!” A gunshot then rang out. The group of ponies tried to locate the shot, but the streets were too chaotic with people either running towards them or somewhere else.
But an officer in riot gear made it to them first. “You three! Why aren’t you at Buckingham?”
“What?” David asked in concern as the officer batted away a flying bottle with a batton.
“You new ponies are completely disobeying her Majesty’s orders! Hell I can’t believe I’m even sa-” A bullet hit the officer in the arm. The shot didn’t get past his kevlar though, but it still knocked him on the ground. The pony trio ran back into the darkness.
“What do we do now?” Pinkie nervously asked, she had lost the smile that had been on her face this whole time.
“We find Rarity first. Izumi! Do have any way of finding her.”
“I... I don’t know!” She was speaking in Japanese again, “Damn it! I failed again, oh, I’m a terrible po-” She stopped. There was something different in the air now, like when Rarity had handed her the Ele- “There!” Her horn glowed as she tried to lock onto the Element’s source. She raced to the head of the group. They darted in and out of the darkened streets. “We’re almost there we just have to- oof!” Izumi bumped into somethings.
“Stay back!” Rarity called out, “It’s my Element why should I have to give it to somepony else.”
“Rarity,” Pinkie pleaded, “don’t say that, you know what the Princess said we had to do.”
“Well the Princess is stupid! I was perfectly fine in Ponyville making my clothes.”
“Rarity, that’s not true, I saw how sore your hooves were getting.” Pinkie started to cry. “You could never make it my parties because you had to make everypony else blankets for the winter. Then Applejack couldn’t make because she had to feed the ponies and and... please just come with us.”
“Never!” Rarity’s horn began to glow. “It’s those other ponies' faults I couldn’t make it to your parties. If I had just been caring about myself I- eee!” Rarity was stunned by all the lights going back on. Izumi’s horn was blazing even more than Rarity’s.
“I’m sorry Miss Rarity, but I can’t let you use any more magic!” Izumi pushed even more of her power into anything electronic. But the electricity was pounding in her brain, yet she knew what had to be done. “Get... her.”
Pinkie was upon the stunned unicorn in a second. David tried to join but he didn’t want to jostle his mother. There was a brief scuffle and the Element of Generosity went flying. “NO!” Rarity screamed as she leapt for the trinket. Izumi did the same. The city went dark again just as the both got within inches of the Element.
There was a bright flash and then a brief moment of tense silence.“Is...Is everypony alright?” Izumi asked as she lit up the ally with her horn. Rarity was unconscious now and the element was on Izumi’s neck.
“Is she ok?” Pinkie nervously asked.
“I hope,” Izumi said in a nervous tone
“Well let’s not doddle, we’ve got a pu-” David stopped as he saw a man with a gun now in ally.
“You bloody monsters!” He exclaimed, “Causing this mess, I aught to get rid of you and stop this madness!”
“Oh, um, look mister,” Pinkie pleaded, “we’re kinda having a rough night so-” Pinkie was cut of by the man firing his gun into the air.
“Shut up ya monster!” The man aimed his gun at the ponies, but his aim was wobbly.
“Oh hell!” David exclaimed, “the bastard’s drunk!” Just as he said this, the man locked his sights on Rarity’s unconscious form. His finger squeezed on the trigger.
“NO!” Izumi jumped in front of the bullet. There was another bright flash. Izumi expected pain, but none came. The bullet had stopped just in front of Izumi and was held in place by faint blue aura.
“Really dear...” Rarity’s horn was ablaze as she spoke, “you really should be more careful.” The man ran off screaming.
“Miss Rarity? Are you ok?” Izumi nervously asked.
“More than ok, you really did get that element to blaze.” Izumi looked down at the Element to see it glowing blue in the moonlight.
“Guess generosity is a bit easier than laughter,” David commented.
“Aw, don’t get beat up about it,” Pinkie patted David’s shoulder, “I’m sure we’ll figure out how to get it to work.” She then turned over to Izumi. “Nice work with the Element though and on getting your cutie mark.”
“I... I what?!” As Izumi talked the lights began to flicker back on. Two hoof-like lightning bolts could also be seen on Izumi’s flank. They looked like they were shaking each other. But people could also see them now.
“We’ll talk about it later!”
“Right, can you walk?” Izumi asked Rarity.
“I think running would be a better option right now.” Rarity quickly got up and followed David. This time they were able to reach their location in one piece.
“Um, what is it?” Rarity looked up at the sign it read: George and Dragon.
“It’s a pub,” David answered
“What’s a pub?” Pinkie asked.
“It’s a place you can go and get a drink.”
“That sound safe to you?” Izumi asked.
“Hey this place has survived god knows how many world cups, plus it’s the only place where I didn’t get a black eye during New Years.”
“Well I’m thirsty so a drink sounds really good right now!”
David gave Pinkie an odd stare as they approached the door, “Do ponies drink?”
“Of course we do? Doesn’t everything have to drink?”
“No, I meant drink alcho-”
“Ah, my first pony customers!” A cheery voice exclaimed. The pub was dark and filled with people. They were all looking at the new customers now. The voice’s owner had been a slightly rotund man behind the bar.
“Um, hi Don,” David awkwardly waved a hoof in greeting. “Um, you got enough room for a few more?”
“David? Is that you? Blimey! Didn’t expect to see you tonight... then again, I’m guessing school’s canceled with this mess. Well, whatever, of course there’s plenty of room for ya and your friends. Sorry if ya don’t mind me asking, but who is everybody now? Little hard to tell without ya talking.”
“Um, actually two of them are from Equestria and one of them’s from Japan... and,” David looked at the still unconscious mare on his back, “this is my mum.”
“Christ!” Don exclaimed, “My first pony customers and my first native Equestrians!” He poured himself a shot of something and downed it. “Alright everybody, another free round... aw screw it, free drinks for the rest of the night!” The rest of the crowd raised their glasses in cheer and then swarmed on the ponies. Don had to break them up though to give the ponies some room to breathe. “For god’s sakes, have a little decency, you heard her Majesty. Now you treat these ponies with respect, or I’ll throw ya out into the street with the rest of the trash!” Don then turned to David, “Now what can I do for you my boy?”
David had been a little shaken by the crowd’s advancement, but he tried to regain his composure. “T-thanks Don... it’s been a rough couple of days.”
“Don’t need to tell me that. I’ve already had to throw out a bunch of blokes, kept saying ponies were to blame for this whole mess. Idiots, can’t even listen to her Majesty.” Don then turned to Pinkie and Rarity, “Mams, if you don’t mind me asking, this Luna of yours, if she’s a princess than who’s your queen?”
“I don’t think we have one of those,” Pinkie raised a hoof to her muzzle, “Do we have a ‘queen’ Rarity?”
“Perhaps it’s a miscommunication,” Rarity postulated and then looked over at Don, “my good sir, we don’t have a ‘queen’ just our Princesses, maybe our royalty functions a little different than yours.”
“Ya don’t say? Well I’m probably gonna go get my own shot of the juice once I’ve sold out here.”
“What are you going to do then Don?” David asked.
“Well... can’t really pour drinks with hooves, but I’m sure I’ll find something in Equestria.”
“Actually Mr. Don,” Pinkie interrupted, “ponies are pretty good at grabbing things.”
“What do you mean?” Don twiddled his mustache as he asked the question.
“Well... maybe I could show you with a drink. I am kinda thirsty.”
“Sure,” Don poured Pinkie a beer, “as I said they’re on the house.”
“Thanks,” Pinkie said as she somehow clasped the glass of beer, “See, easy as pie.”
“How...” Izumi looked quizzically at Pinkie holding the glass, “how is she doing that?”
“It’s Pinkie,” David replied, “what do you expect?” Then he remembered how he’d reacted to simple food. “Wait! Pinkie I don’t think you sh-” Too late, Pinkie had already downed the beer.
“Whoa... *hiccup* not even AJ’s cider is like that. But it makes you dizzy... ug, you humans have weird dri-” Pinkie passed out on the ground.
“Yep... I’ll definitely need to find something new to do in Equestria.” Don looked down at the passed out pink pony and sighed, “I’m guessing ya won’t be drinking anything hard tonight then?”
“I think some water will do just f-” David stopped his request when he heard his mum mumble in him back. He turned around to look at her. “Mum? You up?”
“David?” she asked softly.
“You ok?” David bent down and let her slide of his back.
“Yes, yes I ha... why are we in a pub?” She looked around at the dark room with the smell of alcohol in the air.
“The house wasn’t safe anymore.”
“Heh,” Don chuckled, “streets aren’t safe anymore either, I’ll probably get into a few fights getting to my drink.”
“About that,” David looked up at Don, “do ya think we could stay here for a bit?”
“Sure, you and your mates have been good customers all the years, except for the Mercury incide-”
“Not in front of my mum!”
“Why? What was this Mercury incident?” Even as a pegasus, David’s mum still carried the same ‘what did you do’ tone that every child feared his parents using.
“It...it’s nothing... um, why don’t you have a drink mum? Being a pony must have made you thirsty.” David looked at Don who passed him another drink. David wrapped his tail around the glass’s handle and gave it to his mum.
“Ok, as soon as I have a drink you’re explaining this to me.” She grabbed the glass with her mouth and downed what she could of it, although a good portion of the beer went on the ground. “*Hiccup* now what is all this Mer... heh, David I got wings now.” David’s mum than hit the floor. The rest of the pub erupted in laughter.
“Now that was a brilliant move,” Don laughed, “you’ve always been good at getting a laugh out of us!”
“I... I gu- holy crap!” David noticed his flank glowing then two glasses clanking together were on them. “Wh-what?”
“Well not the most cultured cutie mark, but a cutie mark none-the-less.” Rarity inspected David’s new mark.
“I... I mean, I just liked coming here to have drink with my mates is all, maybe have a good laugh about silly things we did.” David felt the necklace he was wearing pulsate a bit.
“Well, why don’t I show ya to your rooms? Heh, and people said I was stupid for living in the same place that I worked. I’ll be back in a sec gents.” Don stepped out from behind the bar and pulled out a set a keys from his pocket. “It might be a little cramped.”
“I don’t think we’ll be staying for too long,” David said as he followed Don upstairs. Izumi was levitating both his mum and Pinkie. They all entered a small living room.
“Will this work for ya?”
“I think so Don, I don’t know how, but I’ll pay ya back for this.”
“Oh no problem... just,” he looked over at Rarity, “give me a little help when I get the hooves ok?”
“Certainly,” Rarity replied.
“Well, I get the feeling it’s going to be a long night downstairs, so I’ll see ya when I see ya again.” With that, Don left the ponies alone in his living room.
“Nice fellow,” Rarity commented.
“Yeah,” David said, “there’s a reason this is my favorite pub.” His eyes felt heavy now that he knew he was in a safe spot. He seated himself next to a couch and yawned.
“Streets are certainly a lot more scary than I thought,” Izumi said as she also sat down, using magic had exhausted her as well.
“Eh, they’re a little scary, but that’s just part of the fun.”
“I suppose, but I’m still just getting use to th-” David had passed out. “Ugh, stallions.”
“Now, now,” Rarity chided, “I know it’s not proper gentlecoltery, but we’ve all had a long ni-” Izumi was now asleep as well. “Oh irony, you always have your way with me don’t you?” Rarity looked up at the light in the middle of the room and tried to turn it off, but only succeeded in blowing the light’s bulb. “Oh... um, I think I’ll just take at that as a sign to go to sleep.” She looked over at all the other ponies. “Good night everypony... and thank you Miss Izumi,” She nuzzled the other unicorn a little, “I guess we can all get a little selfish sometimes.” Then all the ponies in the room were out for the night.