//------------------------------// // All in Theory // Story: A Small Drop // by Glitch Hooves //------------------------------// They reached the statue in the school court yard in time. It was definitely dark, that's for sure, and none of them brought a flashlight this time. They were standing by the portal, waiting.Sunset had informed Sonata of why they were waiting here. None of them spoke after that, and Squirt had fallen asleep. They were just waiting for the signal that someone, or somepony, was coming through the portal. Then it started to light up the dark with an almost ethereal light. Well, it technically was ethereal... At first they saw nothing but the ripples in the mirror, looking like rippling water in an infinite void. It was beautiful in a way. Then they a foot step out, more ripples being made as it disrupted the surface. And with the grace of a diving rock, something stumbled out of it. If it weren't for Sunset, that being would've landed face first into the concrete, and would've most likely broken its nose. It let out an embarrassed chuckle as it tried to find support on Sunsets arms, managing to just barely stand on two legs again. "Heh... thanks for that, I can never get used to these darn things," it said. "It's all about balance... and it's good to see you again, Twilight," Sunset welcomed. "You too," she said with a friendly smile. She only then noticed the figure standing beside Shimmer, a good few feet away. "Oh! And you too... uh... Sonata, was it?" she said sheepishly. Sonata nodded. She felt unsure. She felt like she made a mistake. The two stared at each other uncomfortably. Twilight was awkwardly shifting from leg to leg. Sonata just stared. Sunset came up to Sonata's side. "Okay then... how about we show our friend here the whole reason she crossed a dimension to come here?" she nudged. Sonata bolted up with realization. She began to carefully fish around her hair before she got a hold of something. She pulled out something that looked like a curved teardrop. Her hands just slightly below its fins, its eyes were closed, and its tail dangled in the wind. She did this in utter silence. Twilight looked taken back at first. She had an extended knowledge off all the creatures in Equestria, maybe a few that slipped by the cracks here and there, but nothing like this. She knew it wasn't from the human world either, judging by how even Sunset was acting about the whole situation. She was even surprised to realize it was exactly how Sunset had drew it in the Cell Book. Orange spot on the head, bright blue tail, and tiny fins. The skin even glimmered slightly, like it was just in water. It appeared amphibious, yet entirely marine. Reptilian? No... definitely not mammalian either. It was definitely not avian. She was very eager to finally have a chance to document something. She decided to start with it's primary food source. "So... what can you tell me about its dietary habits?" she asked. Sonata answered quickly. "He likes to eat metal," she answered. The creature stirred pleasantly at her voice. Twilight was taken back by this. She knew of creatures that ate metal back in Equestria, but most of them were large in size. And most of the creatures that ate metal back there were reptilian, evolved to digest it without worry. She moved on. "How does it behave?" "He really likes to follow me and my sisters, and when he's sleepy, he likes to sleep on the heater, or by the window" she explained. "Ehh?" Sunset chimed in. "It's a machine that heats the room your in," she explained. Now she was becoming bewildered. It continues to show mixed signs of just about every species except for avian. Slimy skin suggests amphibian, but some reptiles eat stones to help digestion. But it thinks like a mammal to follow a mother figure. But it eats metal! Something found only in the creatures of Equestria. That, and it apparently lives off heat. Maybe that's why he was in her hair, a means of insulation. Perhaps it's to sustain its natural body temperature... whatever that is. But it appeared to have no functions of breathing on the outside, meaning it breaths through its skin, or perhaps those spots on its head acted as a respiratory gland of sorts. She turned to Sunset. "How did it behave when he first saw you and the girls?" "He was scared, he was always pressing himself against Sonata," "And how do you know it's male?" she asked, turning back to the creature, it looked like it's eyes were fluttering from the noise. "Uh... we actually don't know," Sunset said, placing a hand behind her back. Hermaphrodite? or maybe it reproduces asexually, most likely the latter. The creature was fully awake now, and being woken up to a face he had never seen before, didn't really help with the matter. He showed first hand what Sunset had described. It actively tried to get as close to Sonata as physically possible. If it could, it would probably try to merge with her. Sonata held it tightly against her. Most like to help reassure it. "And how does it move without any visible limbs?" "He just... floats," Sonata said. "Can I see?" Twilight asked. She wanted to see this first hand. "Uh, I don't think that's a good idea..." Sonata suggested. "Why not?" she asked. "Sunset, you said that he's practically harmless, right?" "I thought so.. what's wrong, Sonata?" "Back when you guys met him, he turned hard, like really hard!" "Interesting... that must be a defense mechanism, and perhaps how they also get the metal they eat. They turn it into tiny chunks by slamming into it... I guess that's how his species fends off predators too." she nodded as this theory came together. She moved slightly closer to him. His eyes were becoming less terrified and more... determined. "Fascinating! It's even capable of facial expression! Without any form of speech, they probably use facial recognition to find one another. I wonder if-" *CRACK* Before she even knew what hit her. The little fella had just broken out of Sonata's arm, nearly sending her flying with him. And slammed right into her forehead. "OH MY GOD!" Sunset exclaimed, running to Twilight's side. She was watching her eyes drift about. "Twilight, are you okay?!" Twilight continued to stumble around, seemingly drowsy. "I'm gonna pass out now if you don't mind," she said. Then she fell right on backwards. Sadly, Sunset wasn't able to catch her in time, her head slamming against the concrete floor. "Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!" Sunset started to circle around Twilight's unconscious body. "I didn't mean it!" Sonata exclaimed. She picked up Squirt off the ground and was darn near contemplating running. "It's alright! It wasn't your fault, I'll just... carry her to my home, and we'll settle this in the morning," Sunset wasn't even facing Sonata, she looked as if she were talking to herself. "Tell her I'm sorry," Sonata said. "You didn't mean it, Squirt was scared. You couldn't control him, that's all." Sunset assured. She had her arms raised in a calming manner. "Just don't worry about it, I'll explain it to her." "O-Okay..." she turned her attention to Squirt, and gave him a disapproving glare. He stared at her guiltily. Like a child who didn't know what they did wrong. "Alright just, help me get her up," Sunset said. Putting an arm under Twilight's. Sonata joined along, setting Squirt down. She joined along in getting the limp princesses body upright. "Is she bleeding?" Sonata asked. "No, I don't think so," she said, wrapping her other arm around Twilight's side. "Thanks for the help, by the way, I can take from here." Sonata let go of her, and turned her attention to the mirror. Home... "Is it alright if I?" she raised an arm and let a hand rest on the surface. "I don't know, we need you here right now. Maybe another time..." Sunset advised, slowly walking away. Sonata wasn't focusing on her words. All she heard was no. 'Maybe I can just... test the waters?' she thought. She put pressure on the one hand and watched as it sunk into the mirror. Seemingly disapearing from existence. It felt like static. Then she felt something she thought she wouldn't feel in a long time. Her fingers... they felt joined together, like something was connecting them. Fins. She was home... or at least partly. But she couldn't help but smile. She just felt... so happy. Her chance to go home, and she can go at any time now. She felt as if she could cry. And then it started to hurt.