[Medulla's POV]
The parade was nice, I'm it's not often you have a celebration of any kind thrown in your honor. But it was obviously slapped together quickly. It was mostly the same marching band just doing different songs. "You know, Ridge, why don't we move this celebration to the pub. We both know this isn't your best work. I haven't had any good booze in a long time, and I can wait for the Princesses there." I told him, with a knowing smile.
"How did you-?" The Mayor started to protest.
I interrupted him, "I communicate through thought, you'll have to try pretty hard to block surface thoughts from me."
[One Hour Later]
Ridge slumped over the table after his tenth drink, "H-How are you still.." He paused for a second to swallow, "stillll upff?"
Sipping my winning round I told him, "It takes significantly more alcohol than that to effect me, or at least noticeably effect me.... SO WHO'S NEXT?" I raised my arms in defiance, and levitated Ridge to the corner and placed him on his side.
The largest stallion in town, Long Haul, he was off-white, with a dark brown main, his Cutie Mark was a wooden cart carrying stone. He smirked at me and he slammed down twenty bits, he thought I was on my last leg. "Bar keep! Make this one the house special please."
The bar pony brought out a barrel labeled, "Bubbling Crude" there was also a "Warning: Extremely Flammable!" Stamp on it. She was about to pour it into shot glasses when I interrupted her, "Not to be rude, but would it be alright if we use the ail mugs." I gave her a mischievous smile.
Everpony, that I hadn't drunk under the table yet, let out the classic "oooohh".
My arms on the table, staring straight into his eyes, I levitated my drink to my mouth and drank half of it contemplatively, "Not bad, interesting flavor and very strong. My compliments to the brewer." I downed the rest almost instantly and without any dribble.
Haul, obviously took this as a challenge and tried to drink the entire mug in one gulp, the last tenth of the mug splash him in the face. He smiled like he just had an overwhelming success. I ignored this, because he was going to be embarrassed enough without me being a jerk to him. We turned our mugs over, and the bar pony poured our second drinks. Long Haul was already showing signs of cracking. After we downed our second drinks, he started giggling like little filly, it was cute. He began to poking me in the chest, "You know... if you were a po-pony, you'd be kinda purdy." He then began smiling like he just saw the most beautiful mare imaginable.
The third round was poured and I said to him, "See you on the other side!" We toasted and threw back our head guzzling down the drink. As Long Haul finished the he fell back and would have hit his head on the floor, if I hadn't been prepare to catch him, I placed him somewhere out of the way and on his side. I drank my fourth round securing the win. " Alright now I'm feel a bit tipsy, I should stop now." There was a uproar of laughter. Turning the the owner I said, "Oh, since about a quarter of the town's legal drinking population is utterly plastered and almost unconscious, and you're out about... a tenth your stock just from my drinking contests. I feel that is should give you my winnings plus a gift."
At that moment Celestia and a rather tired looking Luna walked into the tavern. Seeing twenty-three passed-out ponies, and me standing in the same room may not have been the best way for them to see me again. They flared their horns ready to blast me to pieces. Even though I was only slightly buzzed by this point I knew exactly how to defuse the situation, "Hay you two, want a drink." I made sure I had the dopiest grin possible, "It's on me!"
As intended they were very confused. I looked back to the tavern owner, "As I was saying before, a gift." With a flourish, I presented a Large Nugget, about the size of a grapefruit. She had obviously never seen that much gold in her life. I knocked on it to show her that it was in fact not hollow. “This is fairly raw gold, so find a reputable blacksmith to refine it for you.”
Turning back to the pony princesses, "Tia, Lulu, you still haven't answered my question, do you want a drink or not?"
They were still staring at the chunk of gold, as was every other pony still conscious in the room. I snapped my fingers to get their attention, it may have worked to well on the princesses because they flinched. "Drinks or no?"
Celestia spoke up, "What happened here?"
"Well, you know how situations like this get. You get enough beings drunk and packed into a tight space during a celebration, it either devolves into a brawl then a riot, or a series of increasingly ridiculous drinking contests. So I made sure it was the latter." I made sure my thoughts held as little emotion as possible.
Luna looked around the room, "How art- are you still conscious?"
I chuckled a bit at that one, "My brain functions much faster than almost anything, so the amount of alcohol needed to alter my cognition to a noticeable degree far exceeds that of normal beings. This body on the other hand would likely start dieing immediately if I drank a single ounce more. Thus my offer 'Would you like a drink?’ still stands even though I won't have any."
Celestia finally answered, "No thank you Medulla, we’ve came here to take you to Canterlot."
"I see no reason to go back there yet, but I did promise an explanation provided you would listen." I smiled wryly and floated towards the door. “You should know I hate sitting in one place when having conversations I prefer to walk- well float, movement always seems to stimulate me best. If you know what I mean.” I wink at Celestia as I said that last part, making her blush. As I floated past I used my tail to slap her flank playfully.
Celestia stood shocked for a moment, while steam seemed to pour out of Luna’s ears. When they turned to chase me down I had only floated about ten feet into the middle of the road. I was doubled over holding back laughter. They walked up to me thinking I might be injured. “What’s the mat-” Celestia started.
I couldn’t hold it any longer, “AAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!” laughter: one of the few ways I could still actually vocalize. Celestia was very confused, and Luna was enraged.
“You think assaulting a princess is HUMOROUS?!” Luna roared.
“Sorry, its just when I’m tipsy like this I get a little less… cautious.” I was still chuckling a bit.
Celestia finally spoke up, “Why would you toy with somepony like that, and .. for lack of a better word, assault them?”
“Let me explain something to you about this body. It is utterly genderless, and has no method of reproduction. Unless something copies me completely, I am and will be the only of my kind. I don't have any sexual feelings anymore, so I get some amusement out of arousing other and experiencing those feelings through them." I said somewhat more lightheartedly than they would have expected, then my tone shifted to a more serious one. "Even still my actions were inappropriate and unwanted, I hope that you can forgive me and we can have a healthy relationship here on out.” .
“How were you born then? And you’ve said ‘this body’ as if it is something separate from you, this isn’t the first time you’ve referred to it this way either.” Luna noted.
“Keen observations, that is because I, or at least the entity I perceive myself to be, was born as a creature called a human in an entirely different universe.” I said while looking into the sky.
“This is nonsense other universes? Do you expect us to believe this?” Luna said incredulously.
“Ask Tia about Starswirl’s Mirror. Some discoveries have occurred since our imprisonments.” I declared.
“How did you know about that?” Celestia asked somewhat shocked.
“...I could have read your mind. But I did come from a very different universe. After buying an item from a unscrupulous vendor I was torn from my birth world and brought here. I was serious about the walk.” I motioned for them to walk with me while I floated.
“What was your name back in your home world, unless it was Medulla?” Luna asked still not sure about me story.
“Honestly I have almost no idea. Most everything about my personal life before the day I was torn from my world is one big blur. Heck I even have an Identification card but I know the name on it isn’t mine.” With a flick of my wrist my trainer card appeared in my hand. “Here look, at least it will give you an idea of what my species looks like.”
I knew every centimeter of that card, Name: Gold, I knew that wasn’t right. On the card was a 3D version of the male protagonist from the gen 2 Pokemon games. They looked at me confused as if that picture being me made the most sense. “It’s not me. In the world I’m from this body and everything on that card are from a video game. One that I’ve played since childhood. The only part of my life I remember is the entertainment I had.”
“How is that possible, you can’t even remember your family or friends?” Luna’s voice actually held a note of concern.
“My current working theory is that it has to do with the psychic trauma I experienced just before I was transported here. See the merchant I purchased the item from, was actually a malicious being that lives in the Void outside of any universe. As he pulled me from my world, I saw into his mind. An author from my birth world wrote about creatures like the merchant, one theme throughout his writing is that just looking upon the true forms these beings would drive most to gibbering insanity. The fact that for a moment I saw into one of those creatures minds and can speak coherently at all is a miracle.” There was no emotion in my voice as I said this.
Both princesses stopped in their tracks, not sure whether to believe me or how to feel. "I haven't told you all of this so that you'll pity me, but so you'll understand what I mean when I saw this: Equestria is my home now. Not counting my years in prison, I've lived on this world for 123 years! That's longer than I could have hoped to live on my world. I've seen more of this world first hand than I ever saw of the one I was born in. I feel bad for the family I felt behind, but I wouldn’t recognize them and I’m probably not the person I was on that world. I'll defend this place to my last breath. I can understand if you don't believe me, I wouldn't if I hadn't lived it. So if you'd like to stay cautious, send me to stay in Ponyville, all the Elements would be there if I were act out of line and Twilight could study me." I knew this was the right decision.
Luna spoke, still somewhat flustered by the possible revelations about me, "I'm unsure of the wisdom of this, the fact he knows of young Twilight and where the Bearers are speaks to him possibly have a nefarious plan."
Celestia looked at me, and seemed to see something she didn't before, she looked to Luna before saying, "I'll allow it, and before you try to argue, Luna. Medulla, by your own admission, saved this town. I also have faith that Twilight can handle him." She looked back to me, "Will you need transportation?"
"It be for the best, my fastest form of travel take a lot out of me, and besides there’s the fact that me appearing out of a hole in space in the middle of town will likely cause significant chaos. Being escorted by you and royal guards will likely help ease them to my presence." Luna shot daggers at me with her stair, she only block her glare to yawn. I then gave Luna a very serious look and used a very patronization voice, "Lulu, you should get back to bed, you know how you get when you stay up this late."
She got really angry at that and slipped into the Royal Canterlot Voice, "THOU ART NOT MY MOTHER!!!" With that she teleported away in a huff.
I couldn’t help but to snicker a little.
Celestia gave me a look that reminded me of some older sisters in some tv shows I watched, "You just kicked a hornet's nest."
"Tia, I've been doing that for years." I said maybe a little too smugly.
"We'll take the carriage Luna and I arrived in." She said motioning to the other end of town. "I assume you don't need to pack."
"Got everything right up here." I declared tapping my head."... Oh before I forget, some advice, keep an eye to the north."
"What?" Celestia was stunned.
"Just trust me on this/"
Maybe I was a little optimistic, but while walking to the carriage I felt like everything was going to be just fine.
[Somewhere in another universe]
Palkia awoke with a splitting headache only match by the pain in his chest. He groaned as he lifted himself up, slowly becoming aware of his surroundings, he was at the original Spear Pillar. He heard a familiar voice that filled him with rage, “The failure wakens!”
Palkia roared, “YOU DARE SPEAK OF ME AS SU-”
“But you have failed! You let your guard down around a treat even though you KNEW YOU WERE IN A WEAKENED STATE!!! You essence was spread too thin from nearly 1000 years of dragging this world. Not only that but you let petty jealousies control you, removing that city was idiotic since it weakened you further. You lost because you were fighting on two fronts. With that Mewtwo and against the world itself for dominance.” His masters voice echoed through the mountains
“Lord, if I were to return-” Palkia began
“You would fail again, he could use your desperation and anger to make you off balance.”
“Master, send me to deal with this upstart.” Palkia’s rival requested.
“NO! I have already set another plan in motion. As we speak the Renegade is linking the two worlds with his, and he will draw them together from the outside. And this nuisance will be dealt will by him.” With that the discussion was over.
[Medulla, in Ponyville]
Only fifteen seconds, I thought they were going to scatter faster. I thought as I walking next to the parked carriage.
Four of the Elements and a baby dragon walked cautiously towards me, the yellow pegasus was being dragged by her tail by the orange earth pony. “Where’s the Sixth?” my question was answered by the sound of something speeding through the air. Out of instinct I used Gravity to ground her. She slowed, obviously straining to stay in the air, eventually she couldn’t even hover and hit the ground.
“What’d you do to me?” the rainbow mare growled, struggling to her feet.
“It’ll wear off, don’t worry. All I did was increase how strongly gravity affected you.” I said completely nonchalantly.
“Twilight.” Celestia said looking at her student, “This is Medulla, he was the one who escaped, that I told you about. But he has decided to help out, you are too keep an eye on him, and study him if you’d like.” Twilight's eyes lite up at the thought of studying something she'd never seen before.
“I’ll be staying at your place, in the basement. But you won’t have to deal with me for a few days at least ‘cause I need to eat this Pecha Berry,” I said as I pulled out a hot pink berry that slightly resembled a strawberry and began to devour it, “drink a literal gallon of water, and then sleep off enough alcohol to down a adult manticore.”
“What?” the purple unicorn asked as the cheer faded from her face.
“I’ll answer your questions after my body has purged this delicious poison from it. Okay? Now please take me to your house.” Not my best first impression, but I was starting to feel very dehydrated.