//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1: A Whole New World 
// Story: Star Walker 
// by kingfish 
//------------------------------//

	On a quiet summer's night beneath a full moon, in a small rural community not far from its country's capital, ponies slept soundly, their sleep punctuated only by the occasional venture into dreamland. Out on the streets, the world was nearly silent. But that silence was broken suddenly by a light sound of swirling wind.
In the darkness of a back alleyway, a small aperture opened in the air. It started out small, but grew to become a vertically oriented vortex of blue light large enough to fit a pony through, if they were so inclined. When the portal stopped growing, it allowed through a tall, slender mare wrapped in a black cloak. She stepped through and the vortex closed behind her.
The only parts of her body that were visible were her snout and hooves, which were a dark blue, like the deepest depths of the ocean. Her eyes gazed out from under the cloak in fascination at the world around her.
"Well, now," she said in a quiet, silky voice, "it seems this world is quite beautiful at night." She started forward, and was immediately lost in the darkness.

Princess Twilight Sparkle sat bolt upright in her bed with a gasp. Her mane was raggedy from not having yet been combed. She panted, trying to regain her breath. A small reptile raised his head from his smaller but still quite large bed next to hers.
"Twilight?" said Spike. "What's wrong?"
"I don't know, Spike. I... I had a... nightmare of some sort... I think."
"How can you not know whether you had a nightmare or not?" he asked tiredly.
"I just... I felt something. I felt... dread." Twilight scrunched her face, trying to discern what exactly had caused the feeling, but Spike could not have cared less.
"Twilight, the clock says it's 2:00 in the morning, and you have that meeting with the mayor tomorrow about the library. You need your sleep. And so do I." He turned around in his bed, pulling the covers tight around his body. "Now go back to sleep," he grumbled. Twilight laid back down and tried to let sleep find her again.

Celestia's sun beat down on Applejack's back, and on the cart full of apples she was rolling behind her. She entered town at a slow trot, trusting the momentum already built up to do most of the work in moving the cart. She rounded a corner and noticed a tall form walking along the street, hugging the shadows. When she looked closer, she could see a dark blue snout poking out from under the pony's cloak. She suddenly realized who it must be.
"Your Highness!" she said when she was close enough to avoid being overheard. "What're ya doin' here in Ponyville this time o' day?" The tall, cloaked mare turned to see who was addressing whom, and realized someone was speaking to her. She politely stopped to speak with the orange farm mare as she passed by.
"I beg your pardon?" came the reply, coated in the silky smoothness of a voice honed over many years for clarity. Applejack stopped, the apples jiggling in the cart behind her.
"Wait a minute," she said slowly. "Yer not Princess Luna."
"Indeed. I do not suppose you could forgive me for having a coincidental resemblance to your royalty."
"I suppose," she said, turning away. Then she abruptly turned back. "Wait. My royalty?"
"'Your,' as in plural," said the mare, a barely noticeable smile poking out from under her hood. Her mouth then returned to a neutral line. "I am afraid I do not hail from this area. Please forgive me of any ignorance."
"No," said Applejack quickly, "yer fine. It's jus' we don't normally see anypony with yer... stature 'round here."
"Yes, I have realized that most of the inhabitants are slightly shorter than I. I also notice that you have a cart of apples, and assume you are making a delivery, so we should walk if you wish to continue speaking with me and deliver your payload on time."
"Naw, I got plenty o' time. These here apples are goin' to Sugarcube Corner, right up yonder." She pointed with a hoof toward the large building down the street, looking for all the world like an enormous gingerbread house.
"Alright," said the other mare. There was an awkward stretch of time where nothing was said. Or at least it was awkward for Applejack; the tall stranger seemed perfectly content to stare at her new acquaintance for as long as the orange pony kept eye contact.
"Oo-kay," said Applejack. "So, where ya from? Ya don't look like any pony Ah've seen 'round these parts."
"That is a private matter which I would not like to discuss," she evaded.
"Alright, then," Applejack said, beginning to get slightly annoyed. "What's yer name?"
"Name?" She appeared confused, as if not understanding the concept.
"Yeah, my name's Applejack. Ah live up at Sweet Apple Acres. That's my farm just outside o' town, by the way. So what's yers?"
"I suppose," said the mare after a brief pause, "you could call me... Star Walker."
"Well, it's mighty nice t' meet ya, Star Walker." Applejack stuck out a hoof in formal greeting. Star Walker hesitantly stuck out her own hoof and touched it to Applejack's, who then proceeded to shake it quite vigorously. Surprisingly, when Applejack's hoof came away, she saw no expression on the mare's face other than the same stony neutrality from before. "So what brings ya here t' Ponyville, miss?"
"Just passing through," said Star Walker.
"Where ya stayin', if ya don't mind me askin'?"
"I have not yet made arrangements; I only came through this morning. And I do not have any currency to rent a room."
"Well, that jus' won't do," said Applejack. "I say you should stay with me up at my farm. No sense in lettin' a nice mare like you sleep on the street."
"That is alright. I can make my own shelter if needed." She turned to leave Applejack's side, but was stopped by an orange hoof on her shoulder.
"Nonsense! You deserve t' be shown some genuine Ponyville hospitality. And that's not a request," she finished good-naturedly.
"I suppose if it is not too much trouble," said the tall mare.
"Course not! We got a nice guest bedroom on the second floor, complete with closet and a panoramic view of the orchards. Just follow me an' let me drop off these apples, and I'll take ya right there." She started back on her path toward Sugarcube Corner, followed by Star Walker, but stopped after a moment. She turned to look at the mare on her left.
"By the way, when we get there, watch out for Pinkie Pie. She's more'n a little rambunctious, and likes t' overwhelm any new arrivals with cake and parties." Just then, before Star Walker could reply, the aforementioned pink mare leapt out from behind a trash can, apparently aiming to tackle the new pony in town.
"Gotcha!" she screamed, hurtling toward the cloaked mare. But before she could reach her target, a glowing blue wall of energy wrapped itself around Star Walker's frame, protecting her from the onslaught of pink. Pinkie Pie impacted the magical shield with a dull thunk and bounced off, landing on her back at Applejack's hooves.
"Ow!" she said, rubbing her head with a hoof. They both looked to see that the mare's hood had come down, revealing a long, dark blue horn, glowing with magic.
Star Walker sported a thin, petite snout, on which she wore a neutral expression. Above the snout were a pair of vibrant cobalt-blue eyes, fringed by long, luxurious lashes. Her mane flowed down her neck and was animated by an imperceptible breeze, appearing similar to her royal doppelganger's own flowing locks, though much less pronounced. The shield evaporated into thin air, as did the glow around her horn. It then reappeared to pull the hood back up over her head.
"Please do not assault me," she said to Pinkie Pie with an almost imperceptible note of anger. Her voice conveyed power, and seemed to bore straight through Pinkie's many layers of energy to the little filly underneath. "One does not attempt to tackle a stranger without probable cause."
"I wanted to throw you a party," said Pinkie Pie, trying to maintain her trademark smile under the verbal assault. "Is that cause enough?" she asked uncertainly.
"For all you knew, I could have been an escaped felon. If you had tackled the wrong pony, you may have gotten a knife to the gut for your troubles." Pinkie Pie sniffled, then broke down sobbing. She got up and ran away, streaming tears, even making puddles on the ground as she ran. Applejack turned to the perpetrator.
"Now, hold on, there!" she said angrily. "Just where're you from that you c'n say sonethin' like that to a pony?"
"I was simply advising her to be careful."
"All she wanted was t' be friendly! That's what she does!" She groaned and took a moment to calm herself. "You jus' can't be sayin' stuff like that, alright?"
"I fail to see the problem," said Star Walker.
"Yeah, well, maybe where you come from, ponies say things like that, but here in Equestria, it's not normal conversation."
"Understood."
"Good," said Applejack. "Now you stay here while I drop these off. Then I'll take ya back t' my place. I'll even let ya ride in the cart if ya want, jus' t' show I forgive ya."
"I would rather walk."
"Alrighty, then. Don't move, and I'll be right back." Applejack moved away to finish her delivery, leaving Star Walker standing on the side of the road. Applejack was originally going to take her to meet the Cakes, but now she did not quite trust that she would be a good influence on the twins.
Sure enough, Star Walker did not appear to have moved from her spot when Applejack returned. As she trotted over with the cart in tow, she even saw a bluejay leave its perch on the unicorn's shoulder. She trotted up next to the mare.
"You ready?" she asked.
"Yes," Star Walker replied. They then set off in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres.


***


"That there's my brother, Big Macintosh," said Applejack as she introduced her family. She gestured to the tall red stallion in the back of the room, wearing the brown yoke with which he went everywhere.
"Eeyup," replied Big Mac with his characteristic stoicism.
"Charmed," said Star Walker.
"That's Granny Smith in the rockin' chair." Applejack's hoof moved to indicate a green mare, old and gnarled with a stark white mane, taking a nap in her favorite piece of furniture.
"Whuzzat?" the old mare said, half asleep.
"We got a house guest, Granny. Be polite an' say howdy."
"Howdy," she mumbled before resuming her snoring.
"Howdy," said Star Walker, the word clearly alien to her tongue.
"And this here's Apple Bloom," said Applejack. She indicated the yellow filly with a red mane and tail standing next to her.
"Hey there, Miss Walker!" Apple Bloom said excitedly. "Where'd ya come from? Why ya wearin' that coat? Ain't ya hot or anythin'?" Star Walker reached up with her front hooves and retracted the hood to reveal her face, her stony expression stopping Apple Bloom's standard tirade of questions in its tracks. But then it softened.
"I wear it to avoid attracting attention," she said. "I am a mostly solitary pony, and have a general dislike of socialization."
"Wow!" said the awestruck Apple Bloom, the words flying miles over her head. "You look jus' like Princess Luna!" Star Walker let out a short sound of mirth.
"Hm. Yes, so I have heard. I believe it to be a simple coincidence."
"What's yer cutie mark? Can I see it?" The blank-flank filly made a move to peek under Star Walker's cloak and her hoof managed to graze the fabric before it was thrown off by a blue aura.
"No!" the mare shouted, backing away, her expression losing any hint of friendliness. Apple Bloom looked up with mild terror at the mare. Applejack gently cuffed her younger sister on the back of the head.
"Apple Bloom! What've I told ya 'bout personal space? You apologize right now!" Apple Bloom looked at her front hooves.
"Sorry, Miss Walker," she said quietly to the floorboards.
"No," said Star Walker, having regained her composure, "I am sorry. I should not have thrown you off. But your sister is correct. I strongly value my personal space, and I would appreciate it being kept my own."
"Yes, ma'am," said Apple Bloom, still attempting to shake her fear. Her older sister stepped forward.
"Alright, now that ya've met the family, I'll take ya to yer room." She led Star Walker up the stairs to the second floor. "That's the bathroom." She pointed to an open door on her right, leading to a tiled room with a toilet and tub. "We're close enough t' Ponyville t' get runnin' water, so if ya wanna take a bath, just get in an' turn the knob." They moved slightly further down the hall, and Applejack showed her guest another door on the left, this one shut tightly.
"That's Big Mac's room. He keeps the door shut, normally. Keeps to himself, even at home."
"I noticed," Star Walker replied. Applejack proceeded down the hall and showcased the rooms of herself and her sister. Finally, they reached the final door on their left.
"And this here is yer room," Applejack said, sweeping her hoof in front of her. "It's not much, just a bed and closet. But the view's to die for." True to her word, Applejack had given Star Walker what was certainly the best room in the house. The window ran along the entire length of the wall, giving the occupant the exact panoramic view that Applejack had promised.
The plentiful fields of Sweet Apple Acres stretched out below, covered in endless rows of apple trees. Their branches sagged with the weight of the bright red fruit for which they were being grown. Harvest time was only a month away, and as such they were nearing full ripeness.
"It is quite beautiful," said Star Walker. Her voice did not give it away, but she was completely in awe. In all her traveling, she had never seen anything quite so beautiful. Nothing she had seen in her travels could compete with the pure beauty of the apple orchards, grown over a lifetime of hard work and dedication.
"So, were ya plannin' on gettin' a job anytime soon?"
"Oddly enough, I was just recently considering that. Is there anywhere I can work that would allow me to learn? A library, perhaps?"
"Y'know," said Applejack, rubbing the back of her head nervously, "it's funny ya should ask that..."

Out near the edge of the Everfree Forest, Lily Valley tended a flower bed around the back of a client's house. Her gardening business had been booming lately, but even though she was under a lot of stress, she still loved it all the same. The client just so happened to be Fluttershy, who was currently out at the marketplace buying food for her animals. She was a long-time friend of Lily's, and a faithful customer of her gardening business.
As she was planting one of her namesake flowers in the soil, she heard in the distance a quiet whooshing noise. She went to investigate, leaving her work unfinished. She peeked around the side of the house to see a swirling green vortex seeming to have opened in the air, hovering next to an oak tree.
A tall brown pegasus stood with his head down next to the closing vortex, and he seemed to be sampling the grass. A moment after the vortex winked out of existence, his head reared up, and Lily gasped. A long horn protruded from his forehead, poking out of his dark red mane. But that was impossible! There were only four alicorns in Equestria. Unless there was a new prince Lily had not yet heard about.
"Well, now," came a female voice from behind her, startling her out of her thoughts, "what do we have here?" Lily turned around to see a female alicorn alighting on the grass behind her. Her coat and mane colors were an inverse of the stallion's. But most notable were her eyes, which were green with slitted, catlike pupils. Another one? she thought. She looked closer to see that the mare's cutie mark was a spear. Not a good sign. She offered her hoof in greeting.
"Hi," she said nervously. "I-I'm Lily."
"Hello, Lily," said the alicorn mare menacingly. "We're new here."
"Yes," came a male voice. Lily turned to see that the other alicorn had walked up behind her. His eyes were the same as the mare's, green with slit pupils. The two began circling the earth pony like sharks, and the stallion revealed his cutie mark to be a long, skinny axe. "We came from quite a long way away, and we're feeling rather hungry after our trip."
"And you know what hungry ponies do with lilies, don't you?" Lily shrunk down in terror, hugging the ground. She whimpered slightly, wishing the soil would swallow her up.
"Oh, don't worry," said the stallion with an evil grin. "You'll get your wish in a moment. The dirt is feeling a little hungry too, after all." Lily's eyes widened, her fear increasing further.
"That's right," the mare said. "We heard that. And we can hear your rapid heartbeat, and smell the fear on your skin." She closed her eyes and took a long sniff, then let out a sigh of satisfaction. "Smells like wood smoke."
"Your fear smells delicious," said the stallion, tensing to pounce. The earth mare did not even have the time to scream.