//------------------------------// // Things Change // Story: On to a New Plane // by random reader //------------------------------// Twilight Sparkle looked past Celestia to the figure who had emerged from the four wheeled machine. It was similar to the one they had seen earlier, but the vague lines on the face and the greying hair suggested an older age. He was rapidly talking into an object in his claw, and never took its eyes off of the group. “So these people,” Twilight began, “haven’t tried to harm you since you got here?” “No Twilight. So far, I have given them no reason to fear me, so why should they?” replied Celestia. Suddenly, one of the night guards stepped forwards, and gave a low bow towards Celestia. “Princess Celestia, if I may, your sister is worried about you, and would like you to return home at once.” “Yes, I suppose I have been gone much longer than I said I would be.” replied Celestia. “Very well then, let us be off. I assume you all came this way on hoof?” “Yeah, it kinda stank not being able to fly,” interjected Rainbow Dash, “I’m ready to be back home now.” “What about the native?” asked Twilight, pointing at the ‘Donavan’ creature, who now had his back partially turned and was still talking into that black rectangle he held. “I’m sure we will meet him again, and if not, I’m sure he can take care of himself.” said Celestia. ”He thought it best that I be with the rest of you when he was informed of your arrival.” “Alright then,” said Twilight to the group, “I guess it’s time we got going.” One of the night guards scrapped up a hooful of dirt, and smothered the camp fire, and began packing up everything at the makeshift campsite. Allen wasn’t feeling very well as he opened the door to his apartment. “It’s fine,” he kept telling himself, “The authorities have everything under control, they won’t let this be the end of the world, or anything like that.” Allen unpacked his groceries, then sat down at his couch and turned on the news channel of his television. “We are still receiving videos from over YouTube that are all remarkably consistent in quality, and they all seem to have been shot from inside a car.” said the reporter to the camera. “Tell us Jonny,” said a woman in a red coat sitting next to the reporter, “what exactly are these videos showing?” “Well, they all appear to be footage of what looks like a large white unicorn being led by police into a cruiser. They are all of amateur quality, and taken from many different perspectives.” said the reporter to his colleague. “Jonny, is there any chance that these videos are fake?” “Well Suzie, I think there is always a chance that any content uploaded to YouTube is fake, but considering the consistency of detail from these many different angles taken, I think that the chance these are all hoaxes is quite slim.” “Wow, so, you heard it here first everybody,” said Suzie, looking into the camera, “creatures of myth spotted on the interstate highway. I’m Suzie Lawrence here with Jonny Chad, and this has been CNN evening news.” Allen turned off the TV, feeling a little dizzy. He heard the telephone ring in the kitchen, and shakily stood up to go answer it. Upon picking up the receiver, Allen had to hold the phone away from his head, as a familiar voice practically shouted into his ear. “Hey! Allen! Did you catch that news segment that was just on?” Of course, it was his friend Spencer. He would be home now, and no doubt that the news of mystical looking aliens would be on many different news stations. “Yes Spencer, I just got back from my weekly grocery shopping, and managed to catch the end of the segment. I guess the whole world knows now.” “Yeah, I know. Hey, you don’t sound too good. Are you feeling alright?” asked Spencer with concern. “Yeah, I’m fine,” replied Allen, “It’s just, this is really happening, isn’t it? I mean, I caught a glimpse of one of them on my way to work this afternoon, but I’ve been trying not to think too hard about it.” “Holy smokes, dude! You actually saw that thing on the news?” asked Spencer, sounded ecstatic. “Hang on, one of them? You mean you saw another one while on the road?” Allen sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose before replying, “Well, sort of, the one I saw before was little, and purple, and I only saw its head, nothing else, and it was just for a few seconds anyways.” “Okay, so, real unicorns, huh? Think this is something that’s going to change the world forever?” asked Spencer, sounding, for some reason, almost hopeful. “I don’t know,” replied Allen, “Maybe we’ll turn on the news tomorrow and this will all be revealed to have been some secret project made by the government which got out of hand.” “You sound like you don’t think this is going to lead to something really exciting.” said Spencer. “Well, to be honest, I kinda like the way things are now. Changes this big just complicate things. I mean, I know that in as little as three decades, half of Florida could be underwater, but the beliefs of almost an entire planet being shifted in just the span of a few days would shake up things quite a bit.” There was a long pause before Spencer replied. “I get that you have a routine that works for you, and you are comfortable with your life, but don’t you ever wonder if there could be more out there?” “I know that this is a vast and strange universe, but I don’t think I want that strangeness so close to me, especially in my current state of affairs. I’m always at least a month behind with the mortgage, I need to repaint this house, and I have to find my mother a birthday present.” “So you just aren’t ready for this to happen? You have too much else going on?” asked Spencer. “Yeah, but if you are right, then ready or not, change is coming.” “Yeah, I guess so, Allen.” Spencer paused for a seconds before saying, “Look, I have to go now, tell your mother happy birthday from me.” “Alright Spencer, bye then.” “Yeah, bye.” Allen heard a click as his friend hung up. Still feeling a bit light headed, and not hungry at all, he went up to his room, intent on turning in early. A mint green unicorn lay on her back on her sofa in the small living room, staring out the window at the night sky. “Lyra, dinner is almost ready!” called a voice from the kitchen. “I’ll be right there, Bonbon.” said Lyra, getting off of the sofa. “There it is again,” thought Lyra, as she saw a faint flash from the window in the general direction of Whitetail Woods, “what could be causing that?”