Albert Sollers felt jaded. The brony convention was packed with activity and more vigorous with fan devotion than he expected. Exhaling softly, he treaded down the stairs at the venue’s front entrance, and continued walking along its side. A fervent turmoil of the conference continued into the late night hours.
These were the streets of Los Angeles, California. Ever since his encounter with Bush Beat, he kept involuntarily comparing the sights of the human world with what vague, blurred memories he had left of a long relinquished past in Equestria. The last nine years left him more or less acculturated to life as a human, albeit as one that really only pretended being one of them.
A quiet gasp left his mouth as he turned his head to take a look around the back of the building. There was a small parking lot, one row adjacent to the building, the other a few more yards off to the side. Albert stopped and settled at a corner of the building. From here, he could easily oversee most of the place.
Hardly a minute later, someone came marching out the building’s rear exit. Albert’s gaze followed the woman as she walked across the lot towards a car parked on its far side. A keychain in her hand, she pushed a button, causing one car’s lights to flash up, accompanied by a beeping sound. She then opened the door to get in.
As the car started, its lights illuminating the area, Albert carefully crouched down behind another one fairly close to the first. As the car pulled out of its slot and drove past, he quickly turned his head to look left and right of himself, then covered the horn on his forehead with both hands before it turned from invisible to fully lit. Seconds later, he disappeared in a brief flash of light. The car steered onto the main road and drove away.
After a half-hour drive, the car pulled into a private driveway and came to a halt. The engine stopped, its lights went out, and the driver-side door opened allowing the woman to step out and close the door behind her.
Knock! Knock!
The woman stopped in her tracks as she was about to walk around the back of her car. Anxious, she listened closely.
Knock! Knock!
As she realized the noise was coming from the trunk of her car, she suddenly heard a voice coming from inside.
“Hello? Anyone there?”
She quickly turned around and rushed back to the driver-side door of the car. Opening the door, she reached for a lever beside the steering wheel. Within moments, the trunk’s lid jerked ajar with a clank sound.
She walked back to the trunk and stared bewildered as the lid of the trunk opened and a man clumsily climbed out. As he returned himself onto firm ground, carefully closing the lid behind him, she opened her mouth to speak.
“How did you get in there?”
Albert scratched the back of his head. “Long story. I‘m sorry for startling you, Miss...?”
“Well, I’m glad I could help,” the woman told him before starting to walk towards her home. “Goodbye.” She pushed the button on her keychain to lock the car.
“Are you Miss Lauren Faust?” Albert asked.
“I really think you should leave,” she proclaimed without turning to face him.
“Actually,” Albert insisted, “I think we need to have a talk about Equestria.”
“Oh, I see!” she blurted out while turning around. “You’re a brony, eh? And you thought you could just hitch a ride in my car, follow me to my home and then expect to get a private interview? Really?”
Albert raised his hands in an attempt to signal peaceful intentions. “No. I’m not a brony. I’m not here for an... interview.” He motioned his fingers to form air quotes. “I’m here to find out what’s behind all this. And I think you know something. Something about... the real Equestria.”
He could see Lauren’s eyes widen. She appeared momentarily disconcerted, but then she chuckled. “Yeah, very funny. Listen, I don’t have time for this.” She turned back around and continued to walk towards the front door.
Albert decided to wait. He watched as she turned a key in the lock, opened the door, and disappeared inside. The sound of the door closing shut seemed to communicate a hint of relief.
He walked back to the car and scanned the surroundings. There wasn’t a soul on the street, but there were other houses in the neighborhood. Albert carefully selected a spot where the car would shield him from any curious onlookers who might be looking through any of the multitude of windows. He crouched, covered his horn with his hands as before, and cast another spell.
One plop and a flash of light later, he was inside the house. The first thing he noticed was the high-pitched shriek suddenly cried out by Lauren Faust as she threw her hands in the air.
Alarmed, Albert lost his balance. The keys previously in Lauren’s hand flew across the room and landed on the floor with a clunk.
For a long while, the two looked at each other. Lauren was breathing heavily while she slowly lowered her hands again. Albert sighed, giving her an apologetic look. Her eyes seemed to express some kind of realization.
Albert calmly got back onto his feet. Then he turned his head to find the dropped keys. He activated his magic to levitate the keys towards them and in front of Lauren. “I’m sorry,” he emphasized, “but I really need to know.”
Lauren opened her hand just underneath the hovering bunch of keys. “What... are you?...” she stuttered, looking at the glowing horn now visible on Albert’s forehead. “A... human unicorn?” Her face was distorted with confusion. Albert let go of the keys, allowing them to fall into Lauren’s hand.
“Not quite.” He took a step backwards to give her some space, preparing a more complicated spell. His horn started glowing fervently now, radiating with energy. A whirling bright ambience formed around him, twisting in a circular motion. Through all of it, he visibly transformed. Mere seconds later, the magic had evaporated and Albert had turned back to his pony from.
“The name is Brightside.” The blue unicorn bowed his head. “Pleased to make your acquaintance.”
Lauren remained speechless. Brightside waited, watching as she collected her thoughts. After a while, he said, “Please, tell me how you know about Equestria.”