‘Why would she hug me like that?’ I wondered, ‘I’m an alien to her, besides, she just met me!’ I looked over to her, ‘She’s just standing there like nothing happened!’ ‘Dammit Mike, you’re an idiot. They are an alien race, who knows what their culture is like!’ I thought, ‘Maybe a hug for them is like a high five for us.’
“Hey Mike, you ok?” she said a little awkwardly, “You’ve been staring at me for the past couple minutes.”
“Fine, I’m fine.” I replied quickly, “Sorry about that.”
“It’s ok hehe, well, we’d better get down there.” she said.
Feeling a little awkward after that, I started to climb down the ladder. So far all I had seen was a rusty trapdoor, leading to a ladder with worn metal rungs. Darkness quickly enveloped us as we climbed further and further into the mountain.
“How much longer Twilight?” I say, a little exasperated.
“Not much, you should be seeing the light soon.”
Just as she said that, I began to see more and more of myself, darkness fleeting at the
sight of light. Soon after, we descended into a large cavernous room. We step off the ladder, as I got a chance to look around.
“Wow, this is… quite the place.” I say, unsure of myself. It looked more like a refugee
camp than anything.
“We work with what we’ve got.” she said, “ As of now, we simply don’t have the resources to stage a full-on attack. This is where I think you could help.”
I saw a group of black ponies with... holes in them. Not sure what that’s about, but I’m sure I’ll find out later. To my left a few strange machines along with a couple workbenches along the wall, but no pony nearby. Twilight took me over to a gap in the wall leading to a smaller room. Inside, it seemed like a conference room. A long wooden desk sat in the middle. Along the right side sat a cyan pony with rainbow hair, a depressed pink pony with a straight pink mane, and a yellow pony who shied away at my gaze. On the other side sat a farm pony bearing a tan Stetson and a white pony with purple curls. The third seat sat empty. At the head of the table sat another horned Pegasus. She looked much more serious than the five seated at the table. Her mane bore purple, violet, and yellow stripes. I was slow to notice her face, but a large gash ran across the side with multiple scars. This pony had obviously been through a lot. I looked over to see Twilight walk over to the empty chair I saw earlier.
“Greetings, my name is Cadence” the pony at the end of the table said, grabbing my attention. “I heard much from Twilight, I think that you could be a big help to us.”
I saw Twilight smiling apologetically.
“Letters are sent faster here than in your world, sorry.” she said
“Wo wo, wait up.” The rainbow maned one said, “What do you mean ‘your world’?”
“What I mean by your world Rainbow Dash, is the world that the human was originally from.” Cadence said.
Something’s not quite adding up here. Twilight not being surprised at making first contact, and Cadence knowing my species? Definitely going to ask once all is said and done.
“You’re an alien?” ‘Rainbow Dash’ said loudly. All of a sudden she was in my face, peering into my eyes.
“Yes, I suppose I am.” I said.
“Wow! That’s so cool!” she exclaimed, “ Where’s your ship?”
“Well, that’s the…” I started to say.
“Ok Rainbow, let’s not get too excited.” Twilight said, “He’s here on official business.”
“I’ll talk to you later.” Rainbow said, imitating a tough guy.
“Alright girls, let’s get to the main agenda for the meeting.” Cadence said, “Mike, you are probably full of questions right now. I will answer them all to the best of my ability after I have a chance to speak.”
“Ok,” I said “Here’s your chance.”
She sat forward a bit, her gaze lightening a little.
“This is not the first time our species have met.” she said, “Many years ago when I was but a little filly, news came to my home of a monumental finding. Celestia, my aunt, had uncovered a mirror.” she explained, “This mirror was much more than meets the eye, however, and Celestia soon found out it was a portal to another world.”
“How did she just find out it was a portal?” Twilight questioned.
“She fell through it.” Cadence said.
I looked around to see everypony there completely engaged in Cadence speaking.
“There was pandemonium afterwards. The leader of a country just disappearing.” Cadence said, “Luna had not succumbed to the hate yet, so she took over in Celestia’s place for the time that she was gone. It was 2 weeks until she was found in the middle of a field, sobbing.” “She wouldn’t stop saying that she had to get back to Dave Harris. Who Dave Harris was, we’ll never know.”
“What else did she say?” I said slowly.
“Nothing.” Cadence replied, “After a couple years of counseling, she was fine, but Celestia never spoke of it again.”
‘What should I tell them?’ I pondered, ‘Twilight already knows my last name, maybe she’ll be quiet about it if I talk to her.’ ‘This is big enough of a shock to me as it is, Dave was my grandfather.’
“Regardless, from what we figured out, that portal led to a Human world.” Cadence started again, “Is it your world, we’re not sure.” “We’ve been expecting a signal from Celestia for quite a while now, but given her current state of imprisonment it’s understandable that it would take a while.” She explained, “This is a bit of a stretch, but I think that you are that signal. I think that she brought you here to help us.”
“In the little time that I’ve been here, I have seen the repercussions of Nightmare Moon.” I said, “Her cruelty is so obvious that it’s almost laughable.”
I hear a couple ponies gasp.
“You must understand that I’ve seen a lot of things in my world. Things that still terrify me.” I say, shuddering a bit “Being equipped physically to fight a war isn’t everything.” “You need to be in the correct mindset so that nothing will faze you in battle.” I explain, “If you hesitate for even a second, that second could be the difference between life and death.”
“Your world sounds truly corrupt.” Cadence said, “But this only reinforces my theory. If you accept, we would love it if you would train our troops and run missions for the rebellion.”
“As much as I would love to refuse, this does seem like a cause worth fighting for.” I said, “I’m in.”
Cadence dropped her harsh demeanor, showing an extremely stressed and broken pony.
“Running the rebellion is taxing on anypony.” she sighed, “Running a military in addition to a pseudo government wears on me.” “I am eternally grateful that you are willing to help out on the military end of things.” she said, “I walk past families struggling to survive every day. Families that look up to me to make everything better.” “I worry that I will eventually slip up.” she lowered her eyes, “One door left unlocked, and the night guard slip in.”
I walk over to her, and look her in the eye.
“Mark my words Cadence, this situation will improve.” I promise, “As long as I am here, things will change.”
“I hope you can live up to that promise Mike.” Cadence said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Twilight and I were walking out of the conference room discussing what had gone on inside.
“About what Cadence said about Dave Harris Twilight, I want you to keep it on the down-low.” I told her.
“If you’re sure Mike, I’m not sure what to make of it.” she said.
“Well anyways, do you have any advice about my new job?” I asked her.
“Sure do!” she said, seeming to have forgotten the conversation only a moment earlier “We have a militia of untrained civilians currently, they do a good enough job but no where near what we need to take back Canterlot.”
“What’s Canterlot?” I asked, unsure of myself.
“Our capitol, and Nightmare’s headquarters.” she explained, “Taking the city will come much later. What we need now is proper training, tactics, and gear.”
“I believe I can help with all of those things.” I said, “Do you have a tinkerer I could talk to a bit later?”
“Yes we do!” she exclaimed, “Remember the workbenches on the walk here?”
“I was kind of wondering about that myself.” I say.
“A pony works there that can help you, that I’m sure of.” she said, sure of herself “Oh, we have a place to store your jet as well.”
We walked past the holed ponies again.
“Hey Twilight, what’s up with them?” I inquire
“Oh Changelings?” she asked, “Their species came to us soon after Nightmare set the eternal night. They are fierce warriors if trained, but sadly we lacked the resources, until now, to do so.”
“Sounds interesting.” I said
We got to the ladder, and started to climb out of the mountain. Rung by rung, as grueling as before. Finally, we got to the top. I unlatched the iron hatch, bathing the vertical tunnel in light. Stepping out, I look over to see my plane in all its glory. I hear Twilight stepping out.
“Pretty.” she said
“Yeah.”
I opened the canopy and handed the helmet down to Twilight, putting mine on soon after. We stepped in the plane, closing the canopy and starting the engines. I grasped the joystick to control vertical flight, and slowly increased the throttle. I felt the landing gear leave the ground. Once we were high enough, I switched it back to the conventional flight mode and rose the gear up into the plane. The nose dipped down a bit, but an elevator correction soon fixed it.
~~~”Where is this Twilight?”~~~ I ask over the radio.
~~~”To the west halfway down the mountain, there’s a hanger for the Pegasi halfway in the mountain.”~~~ Twilight said.
I do a circle around the mountain, spotting it halfway from where we took off.
~~~”I’m gonna circle around again, and land”~~~ I tell Twilight.
I fly around again like I told her, lowering my altitude once I spot the landing spot. I switch to vtol mode once again and ease the joystick to maneuver the plane directly above it. Easing the throttle down, we began to lower down to the plot. I saw a couple big ponies carrying ropes looking up at us through the front surveillance camera. I lowered the landing gear, and throttled down as we landed next to the hangar. Raising the canopy, I looked back to Twilight.
“How’s my flying?” I asked her, “Think I’m fit for the job?”
“There’s always room for improvement,” she said smugly, “We’ll see how you match up to Rainbow.”
“Twilight,” I start, “I highly doubt she can keep up with this thing.”
“We’ll just have to see now won’t we.” she said.
Just as she finished that, the muscular ponies walked over.
“Where can we hook up these ropes?” one said.
“Right here.” I point to where a small plane tug would hook up.
“Alrighty General.” he said.
“General?” I ask Twilight.
“General.” she said, “You are rather high up in the military now, and they are privates.”
I watch as they attach the rope, and tow it over to the hangar. Twilight and I are behind them as they lower the door.
“I’ll show you to your barracks.” Twilight said.
I look around the hangar. It looks strikingly similar to the ones back home. A couple carriages to the left, and pallet stacks filled with supplies on the right. We walk to a pair of double doors towards the back of the floor. The hallway beyond the doors reminds me of a cold war style nuclear bunker. Lots of beige. Regardless, I can’t complain. These ponies have been nothing but nice to me ever since I arrived.
“Here we are!” Twilight told me, “Right through these doors are your personal quarters.”
“Thanks, Twilight!” I say, “The kindness you ponies have given to me really shows no bounds, I can’t wait until I can repay you.”
“Think nothing of it, you’re doing a huge favor to us.” she said. “Have a good night.”
“You too.”
I enter my room, amazed at what they had given me. I suppose a general gets the best, but this was really something. An 11ft/15ft room with a queen sized bed, a desk, bookshelves, and amenities you would never find in a normal bunkhouse. I look in the wardrobe to find a number of outfits fitted to my body. Not going to ask how they got those, maybe it was the posh white pony eyeing me at the meeting. Thinking nothing of it, I strip down and get into bed wondering what the next day will bring me.