"Oh this is Marcus. He's a human and I think he's a little lost." Marcus nodded at this from behind Twilight. "So I'm going to ask him some questions and hopefully we can get this whole mess sorted out." Twilight's chipper attitude was not shared by anyone in the room. Even the ever bubbly Pinkie Pie found herself slightly unnerved by the new arrival. It wasn’t a Pinkie Sense it was just a general feeling that something terrible was in the room with her. Something that even her tried and true method of laughing at it wouldn’t make any less... wrong.
"Uh, 'Sup?" Marcus waved at the new ponies. although after the greeting he got from the blue one he was still a little tense. "Sparkle is right, I went to bed and then I woke up here. Or a thousand meters above here would be more accurate." Marcus tilted his head towards the hole and chuckled nervously trying to ease the tension in the room as all but one pony in the room were still looking at him with a mixture of fear and aggression.
"Marcus," Twilight whispered from his side “I think it’s the helmet again. It’s not exactly friendly looking." He looked at her and then very pointedly turned to look at Rainbow Dash then back to Twilight who chuckled uneasily. Her gaze darted from Marcus to her friends trying to think of another way to calm everypony down. "Spike, how about you take the girls downstairs and make some hot coco for everypony. I'll be there in a few minutes, okay?" Twilight guided everyone towards the door, levitating Fluttershy from her hiding spot, and after numerous reassurances that she would be fine managed to send them towards the kitchen.
"So, that went better than your rainbow friend. I still get the distinct impression they don’t like me much."
"I’m really sorry about that. They usually aren’t like this; they are the friendliest ponies I know. Maybe if you didn’t have the armor on?"
"I’ve only been here an hour tops, Sparkle and you’re trying to get me undressed? For shame." Marcus grinned as he pulled off his helmet and began to nurse his aching skull. The throbbing had started to get worse.
"What? I. No, that’s not what I meant at all. I mean that stuff is pretty scary looking, though I would like to see you without the armor on. TO STUDY! I want to study you without your armor in the way and I’m going to stop talking now because everything just comes out wrong." Twilight too slumped down to the floor though she kept her face towards the floor to hide her rapidly reddening face.
"Relax, it was a joke. It’s a coping mechanism to being dropped into a strange world filled with mythical creatures. Sorry."
"Oh, it’s okay. Um, I know I told the girls I was going to ask some more questions but are you sure you’re okay? You were bleeding. I could go get my first aid kit." Twilight eyed the small cut above his ear but made no move to tend it without his permission.
"I'll be fine. The implants will get it patched up soon enough. If you have questions ask 'em. I'll tell you what I can."
"Thank you. So you said mythological creatures, what did you mean by that?"
"Well where I’m from unicorns and pegasi are myths created millennium ago by ancient cultures back on Earth. It’s a little weird talking to one. No offense, but you freak me out as much as I probably do you."
"That’s strange that we would be your myths. See humans are considered mythical creatures here." Twilight’s parchment and quill had once again floated up in front of her as she resumed her note taking. "What did you do where you came from? You mentioned basic; did you mean basic training like in the military?"
"Yeah. I was a soldier for a while, I... decided not to reenlist after my second tour," Twilight's ears perked up but Marcus cut off her next question "for reasons I don’t want to talk about" His tone left no room for argument. "After that I signed on with a company to works as a bodyguard. Paid pretty well but I couldn't stand some of the clients. Used the money I made to get a bounty hunter license and kit. After that I just worked hard hopping around the galaxy.
"WHAT!? Around the... but galaxies are massive! They're hundreds of thousands of light years across. There's no way anyone could cross them." Twilight's mind boggled at the idea of crossing a galaxy. She knew of them from her star gazing and questioning Princess Luna about certain topics but even Luna had agreed that space travel was not something even magic was capable of.
"Well yeah moving through normal space it would take centuries just to get to Earth's nearest star. That’s why we use warp drives. It allows us to move from point to point with massively reduced travel time."
Twilight's eyes light up at Marcus' explanation. "So your species has developed a way to travel between the stars? How does it work can you replicate it? Do you have a warp drive with you I could study?"
The armored human sighed at his new role of teacher, grateful that throughout his life he had picked up an impressive amount of knowledge about various subjects. "Well it all started based on a phenomenon called an Einstein-Rosen bridge, most people just call it a wormhole. It was just theoretical until we figured out a way to stabilize it after that..."
* * *
Meanwhile, gathered around the large table in the middle of the kitchen, Twilight's friends discussed the unexpected arrival.
"He's a big 'un but he seemed like a right enough type, even after Rainbow had a go at him."
"Hey! It looked like he was attacking Twilight how would you have reacted?"
"Well, if anything his wardrobe has made me worried. Who needs that much armor?"
"It is pretty scary looking. Especially with the d-dragon helmet."
"He scares me too."
The conversation ground to a halt at Pinkie Pie's statement.
"Uhhh care to explain that to us, sug'? Cause I seem to recall you suggesting that nasty King Sombra just needed a hug, but this guy has you worried." Applejack sat looking at Pinkie just like the others, all waiting for clarification.
"It's just all the other meanies we've had to deal with just captured us or knocked us out of the fight. The changelings put us in pods, Discord made us act all topsy turvy, even Tirek just locked us up. But he doesn’t feel like the kind of pony who does that. Something about his seems a lot more... final." Pinkie Pie's mane deflated a little as she noticed her friends worried expressions and she felt terrible for making them worry.
"Pinkie, darling, he’s not our enemy though. Even after Rainbow assaulted him and knocked him out he didn’t seem to hold any ill will towards her." Rarity wrapped a comforting hoof around her pink friends shoulder, none of them had ever seen Pinkie so worried.
"Besides I already proved I can take him so what’s to worry?" Rainbow added. Her comforting, though arrogant, words had some effect on her best friend a bit of her manes usual bounce returned.
Even Fluttershy offered reassuring words "Maybe he’s a lot like Henry. Everypony is always afraid of him when they first meet him because of his claws and teeth, but he’s just a big softy."
"I'll trust Twilight's judgment." Spike joined them, setting down a tray with eight mugs of cocoa on the table. He then curled his long body on the floor but staying at eye level with his friends, "And so what if he has a dragon on his armor, I AM a dragon. Besides, the poor guy seems as confused as to how he got here as we do."
"Yes, I suppose even I would be a little irritable if I found myself in completely foreign surroundings. I suppose we should get to know him before we jump to conclusions." Rarity nudged Pinkie gently in an attempt to bring her back into the conversation.
"I guess." Her pink mane had re-inflated some but was still far from its natural puffiness.
"Besides who's gonna throw the first alien in Equestria a welcome party if it’s not the most awesome party pony ever?" Rainbow put as much energy into her words as she could, hoping to lighten her friend’s mood. She had seen this side of Pinkie before and didn’t want her to stay this way too long.
"You're right Rainbow. I’m going to throw him a party he'll never forget. And I can see how he reacts, you can always tell a pony’s character by how they act at a party. “Pinkie’s mane re-inflated as she spoke.”I just hope Twilight asks him the really important questions like what his favourite kind of cake is or what kind of frosting he wants. She always forgets to ask new ponies the really important stuff."
Everyone at the table smiled a little seeing their friend back to her normal self and went back to their cocoa, awaiting the pair upstairs and Twilights verdict on their new visitor.
* * *
"So after that first contact event we played up the whole humans are monsters thing for a bit as a way to keep the rest of the galaxy off balance till we could figure out where we stood on the field. Eventually, we dropped the act and mingled with the rest of the galaxy but it was a rough start." Marcus sat across from Twilight on the floor of the library. Several stacks of parchment were neatly piled around the young alicorn each page full of notes with another gripped in her magic.
"So your race fooled an entire galaxy into thinking you were some sort of demon from Tartarus? That's, well that’s kind of crazy to even try."
"Yeah but that’s what made it so fun to pull off." Marcus smirked at Twilight's confused expression before a thought occurred to him. "Are your friends still downstairs? Are they going to be worried that we’ve been up here so long?"
"What do you mean it’s only been," Twilight glanced at the clock "an HOUR! Oh no they are probably worried sick not to mention it’s four in the morning and they probably want to be in bed." Twilight jumped to her hooves, being careful of the notes around her before darting to the door. "Come on. We should go talk to them so they can get home."
Marcus rose and gathered his helmet, leaving it under his arm so he didn’t frighten anyone else, slung the bag Rainbow had been carrying over his shoulder, and followed Twilight through the winding halls to the kitchen where the other ponies awaited them.
* * *
Marcus let Twilight lead him to the kitchen while he tried to process his situation. Stranded on an unknown planet, possibly a different dimension, no way to get home, not much in the way of supplies, and of the seven natives he had met so far six of them were terrified of him and one viewed him as a science project. He had been in worse situations, but this was going to be tricky no matter how he played things. Oh, and he could apparently survive landing at terminal velocity. That part needed investigation.
Marcus as pulled from his thoughts when they stopped a short distance from an open doorway. The light spilling from it when every other room had been dark as well as the smell of warm cocoa meant they had arrived. Twilight Sparkle stood in front of him looking up from barely more than waist height and wearing a nervous smile.
"Remember they are just a scared of you as you are of them. So be nice and try not to be too insulted by what they say. Please? Some of my friends can be a little... open about what they're thinking."
"I wont. I'm used to people being scared of humans, fallout from pulling the biggest practical joke in history on an entire galaxy. I'll be on my best behavior." He gave Twilight a wide smile, which made her flinch for some reason, before adjusting the helmet and bag he carried. "Lets get this over with."
Inside the kitchen the rest of Twilight's friends sat around a large circular table, empty or partial mugs of hot cocoa sat in front of five colorful ponies and a large, purple dragon. Everyone's attention focused on the door as Twilight and Marcus entered. Twilight settled herself into a seat and motioned for Marcus to do the same. A quick look at the chair told him that it would never support his weight so he set it off to the side and knelt on the floor leaving him at nearly eye level with the others at the table.
"Alright girls, I've talked to Marcus about his situation and from what he's told me he came here by accident and is now stranded. I would like to offer him a room here and try and find a way for him to return home. Anything you girls would like to say?"
"So wait is this like the first Friendship Court or something? Shouldn't we be on our seats so its all official?" Everypony looked around the table at Rainbow's words noticing that it was already set up almost exactly like court would be.
"I think we can keep this informal, especially considering what time it is."
"We were talking among ourselves earlier while you two were up in the library and we've reached a decision of sorts." Rarity looked around the table at her friends, all of whom nodded for her to continue. "We have decided that Marcus should be allowed to stay in Ponyville if that's what he wants. While first impressions were a little... rough, I'm sure we can all look past them and be friends." Everyone at the table nodded in agreement.
Marcus had noticed several worried glances pass around the table as the white unicorn spoke even if Twilight hadn't. Clearing his throat, he decided to try and put everyone at ease as much as he could.
"I appreciate your trust and I'm grateful for you all giving me this chance." Mostly because he really had no idea what he would do if the natives were hostile while he was stranded here. "Hopefully I won't be here too long and things can get back to normal pretty quickly." He smiled again but made sure not to show any teeth this time remembering Twilight's reaction earlier.
"Well shoot, you seem like a pleasant enough feller and it would be down right unneighborly of us to turn ya'll away without getting ta know ya. An' don't worry too much about causing a stir, we've plenty of weirdness in these here parts."
For the next half hour or so Marcus, Spike, and the girls sat at the table with the human answering as numerous questions about himself, his species, where he came from and what his favourite cake flavor was. Eventually the excitement of an alien arrival wore off and everyone began feeling the effect of the early hour and decided to return to their respective homes for the night with the light of dawn just peeking over the horizon.
"Well I'm glad they like you now. I think even Pinkie was a little apprehensive around you at first." Twilight smiled and added between yawns "Now i think its time for bed. Its already been an exciting day and the sun isn't even up yet. If you want I can have Spike show you to a room for the night. we can figure out something more permanent after everypony has had some sleep."
"Your hospitality is appreciated Miss Sparkle. I would love to have a bed for the night."
"Excellent! Spike could you show Marcus to his room, I need to write a letter."
* * *
"Tada!" Spike threw open the door to one of the largest guest rooms and allowed his companion to take in the sight. A large four post bed with a nightstand on either side dominated the far wall with a dresser and closet on the left wall and a bookshelf and stand mirror on the right. the floor was layered with a plush carpeting and a pair of windows on either side of the bed allowed a wonderful view of a sleeping Ponyville.
"This is magnificent. You didn't have to give me a room this nice." While Marcus appreciated the generous hospitality his aversion to what he saw as 'soft living' railed against the room before him.
"We kinda did," Spike chuckled "it's the only room with a bed big enough for you."
"Oh, well I guess that makes sense." Marcus entered the room and set his bag next to the bed. He then shed his gauntlets and proceed to begin unlatching many of the plates on his armor.
"Look, now that Twilight isn't here I want to make something clear." The dragons tone of voice suddenly changed from his normal cheeriness to a serious tone that seemed almost threatening. "I saw your teeth downstairs. I don't know if any of the girls noticed but I know what having canine teeth means." He flashed something that only a blind man would be able to call a grin, showing off rows of sharp fangs. "I don't know if you told Twilight about your diet but teeth like that mean meat is a part of it. If you try to hurt anypony while you're here I will be coming after you and I can literally eat steel. Got that?"
"Don't worry, I'm not going to eat something I can hold a conversation with. Besides, humans are omnivores. It's actually possible for us to survive on plants alone." While he doubted the dragons claim to be able to eat his armor, it was still a dragon, and one does not meddle in the affairs of dragons.
"Well that's good to hear." Spike once again wore his usual smile "I guess I'll let you get some sleep.
Bathroom is just down the hall on the right if you need it." The adolescent dragon turned and left the room, pulling the door closed with his tail as he went.
After Spike left Marcus sat on the edge of the large bed and picked up the chest piece of his armor. He reached into a small pocket in the lining and withdrew a thin plastic sleeve. Gently he opened it and took out the single picture that lay inside. It was of a woman in military BDU's, her form tall and lithe with well honed muscles, she wore her red hair long and pulled into a loose ponytail and eyes were the color of fine emeralds. She was standing with her arm around the waist a much younger Marcus. His hair was still clipped close to the skull and he had far fewer scars but the biggest difference was the massive smile plastered across his face, a smile that light up his entire face. The picture was slightly faded and tattered at the corners but not enough to betray its age of almost three hundred years old. Marcus gingerly replaced the picture in its home before lying on the bed and attempting to find sleep.
* * *
Deep within a castle not so very far from Ponyville, a midnight colored alicorn sat in a special chamber warded from prying eyes. She sat scowling at the large circle in the center of the room. It was two meters across and made of a solid gold ring inlaid into the black granite of the room's floor. A multitude of arcane sigils surrounded its outside edge; they too were gleaming gold and set into the floor. Each rune was carefully cut and placed to focus the power of a spell as the caster desired. In all it was an expensive and impressive set up, and it had failed spectacularly. Her spell should have pulled the Seven Spirits from their prisons and forced them into the hosts she had chosen. But something went wrong and the most dangerous of the spirits had been lost. The dark alicorn paced around the circle looking for any clue that could help explain what had happened. As her eyes swept over the circle for what felt like the hundredth time she noticed something. One small rune was misshapen causing it to take on an entirely different meaning. One small painstakingly crafted and triple checked rune was wrong. The implications of this did not sit well with her but at least now she had a lead on where to find her missing Spirit. Her ears perked up as she heard hoof falls far above through her through a magical monitor. If her sister was up she would have to wait at least another day before she could begin her search unnoticed. She sighed and, with a flare of her magic, shifted her form back to her daily disguise. Soon enough she wouldn't need it but until then hiding a little longer wouldn’t hurt. She was immortal; she could afford patience.