Everypony turned his or her head as he or she noticed a familiar purple pony walk in with a n unfamiliar, taller, slender, bipedal figure. It had skin on it's arms rather than fur, and wore faded blue jeans and a dark cloth shirt to compliment it, along with a pair of red/white running shoes.
Although Alexander hardly met any of the ponies, he has already become a notorious image to the population, from the previous mornings' fiasco. None of them seemed to fear him, which was good, but they did have quite the aversion of him.
One of the waiters worked up the courage to be the two guest's server. He was a lime-green Pegasus, with dark green hair, wearing an upscale casual vest, which ended right before the cutie mark, consisting of a hoof holding a large plate with food on it.
He approached the two. “How many?”
“Just the two of us.”
He snatched a duo of menus as walked. “Right this way.” They followed.
Alexander still wasn't sure why Twilight invited him to eat lunch with her. Perhaps she was just being friendly, and introducing him to some places around town.
“Here you go.” The ever-so-slightly Italian accented pony set the pair of pamphlets on the table, and pulled out the chairs. The guest took their seat of rest.
“Thanks”
“Thank you”
“I'll be back in a moment with your complimentary tea.” The waiter simply walks away, secretly hiding his anxiety of this new object of the people's eyes.
“So, Alexander, how do you like Ponyville so far?”
“Well, mind you, I’ve hardly met anybody, and of the few I have, half were either the silent type, or didn't feel like talking to me.”
“Well nopony has ever seen a human, I believe. However, there are a few stories in books every few hundred years that describe a bipedal creature like yourself. In an case, it should be expected. Also, my friends will get more talkative as you get to know them, especially Pinkie.”
There were quite a few questions going about in Twilight's mind. She had sent Owlicious out to check on Fluttershy last night, but she was fine, and from she can understand of the owl, nothing was stolen, destroyed or even moved. What could have happened that would keep him from seeing Fluttershy? She would have to ease into it, instead of her usual, more direct approach. Perhaps she can learn a great deal about him today.
“So if you're a 'traveler of worlds', what are some of the other worlds like?”
He drew his eyes from the parchment he was studying intensely.
“In a word, different. Some of them are more advanced in technology, others in magic, religion, some aren't advanced at all, or are stuck on one time in history, repeating the same way to take things over and over. In some worlds things are resolved by fighting, not by law. There are millions of other worlds out there, and I can guarantee if you imagine something impossible for this world, it exists in another.”
Twilight just stared at him with a blank stare. She never felt like she learned so much, yet so little at the same time. So, you're saying that, specifically, everything is possible? She wanted to sarcastically add.
“In fact...” Alex pulled out what seemed to be a piece of glass with a rounded metal edge from his backpack without looking. He tapped his finger on device a few times and placed it on the center of the table. Beams of light hit the air, and she made out an incomplete ring shape to be in front of her.
“In case you don't know what this is, it's called a hologram. Light bounces off air particles to present an object that isn't really there.”
“Well, technologically, this is very new, but I know what it is nonetheless since magic here has much larger advancements.” She took a second glance at the broken band of light in front of her. “But what is it showing?”
“What it's depicting right now is a map of the universes I’ve traveled to, exempt of the ones that are no longer existing, which is only about ten.” He points his index finger to the empty space between the ends. “This represents all the other universes that have yet to be reached and/or passed. Relatively infinite to be honest, it's impossible to tell how many there will be until I come back to the start.”
Alexander shut down the device as the green pegasus came out of nowhere and set large glasses of tea in front of both of them. “Are you two ready to order?”
Alex gave a 'yes' look to Twilight.
“Oh, yes, I'll have the dandelion sandwich and a house salad please.” She said
“And you sir?”
“I'll have a small spinach-mushroom pizza.” Said Alex.
“Your food will be ready in fifteen minutes.”
The winged green pony grabbed the menus and walked into the double doors with a sign that read 'Kitchen'. Twilight turned back to Alex.
“As you were saying?” Asked she.
Alexander took the small piece of glass and placed it in his bag again.
“Theoretically, all universes are connected into a large ring pattern, and the only way to travel between them is to offset some energy.” He said.
“Just, any kind of energy?” She queried.
“Well no, it's a specific kind, I’ve never known it to have a name. It would be easier to call it dark matter, but it's not the same thing. Whatever it is, it's undetectable, intangible, and otherwise, unusable. It's just something that exists, and all I know about it, really, is how it reacts to make portals.”
“Speaking of which, just out of curiosity, does a rift close on it's own?” She asked.
“No actually, it doesn't. Why do you ask?” He responded.
“Then is the rift you came in still open?” She asked.
“No, I closed it as soon as I can, it's dangerous to keep those open for long.” Alexander noted.
“How did you..oh, that's right, I already forgot you can do magic.... can I ask a question?”
I can tell she's going back to the discussion from yesterday. “ Fire away.”
“If you don't need a horn, then how does magic work for you? What's the driving force?”
I should have expected this one. “In many worlds, there is another type of energy that creates and stores itself everywhere, called 'mana'. It is only released when interacted with by living organisms. Some worlds require special tools life wands or staffs to interact with, or even attain said energy. There are many worlds however that don't have magic at all, they don't need it.”
“Interesting. Here, only unicorns can actively manipulate things with magic. Earth ponies are only able to do it passively, to have better charisma, although most don't realize they even have said passive magic. I suppose you could say that Pegasai have it passively too, since they are the only ones that can naturally use clouds as a ground barrier.”
Alexander stared at her quizzically, obviously contemplating on what she had just said. Without removing his questioning gaze, he said. “Twilight?”
“Y...yes?”
“Does this have to do with your sudden interest in transformation magic you asked of yesterday?”
She gave a nervous smile. He read me like a book! “Yeeaaahh, it does.” Said she.
“Does this have to do with changing a pony from one thing to another?” He pursued.
What the..? How does he know where I’m going with this? “If by 'thing' you mean a unicorn, pegasus, or earth pony, then yeah, it does...” she said.
Alexander set his face into the palm of his hand silently.
“Well,” she continued, “I know how to do it essentially, but I have to stay near them, relatively speaking, or it dissipates, and it's very weak to start with.”
“Not that it matters.”
Twilight turned her head and offered a very curious face. “Huh?”
“Look, the only spell I know that can change people, or ponies, permanently, is a very dangerous one, and requires a huge sacrifice from the one being changed.”
“What kind of a sacrifice?”
Alexander gave a deadened look as the question seemed to burn into his mind.
“Is it...their home?”
Alexander shook his head.
“Their money?”
Again, he shook.
“Do they have to take on some kind of mark or a new way of life?”
For a third time, his head motioned left and right.
“Is it...” she leaned real close to whisper into his ear, “a...blood sacrifice?”
“What??” he felt appalled she would suggest such a thing. She MUST be reading a lot of fantasy books, those don't even work for magic, that's more for religion than anything. “No.”
She leaned back again, eyes drooping a bit in boredom. “Well then, what is it?”
He searched himself for an answer, and found one. A riddle ought to get her off my back about this. “Something no living thing should have to give up more than once, and I’ll just leave it at that.”
'Something no living thing should have to give up more than once'... So everypony gives it up at one point in their life, but for some, it's given multiple times. She tried to comprehend what he was trying to get at, but resulted without an answer.
They both looked into the others' eyes, waiting for something to be said by the other, until a lime-green pegasus pony popped up next to the table with a plate on each wing. The skilled waiter swiped his wings swiftly over the empty spot in front of each of them, leaving a plate for the two. “Would you like anything else? Some ranch, or Alfredo?”
“No, thanks.” she replied.
As the waiter left them, Twilight dug into her sandwich immediately, while Alex was slightly more hesitant to do so. He was trying to recall exactly the conversation they had before, it was something important. What was it?... Ah,Yes! The armour! She was Curious about the armour. He had felt bad about the fact that he couldn't tell her about the transformation spell, and caused her so much disappointment. She did save me, so she could at least be trusted with one of my lesser master spells, right?
Alexander pulled out a book from the bag on his back, and set it on the table next to Twilight's plate. It was an old book, worn on the pages and more so on the cover, which presented a picture of a skull. One side of it was covered in a silver plate armour, and had a small, white, faint glow of a flame for an eye.
Twilight looked up at it, then to Alex, with the subtle look of disappointment gone. She grabbed it with her magic.
“What's this?” She said. Twilight opened to the contents, but closed it when she realized she can't read 'human'.
“You were interested in the armour I had on yesterday, right? This is the spellbook.” he said.
“That's nice, but I can't read human.”
“It's Czech, and I’ll get that.”
Alexander opened up the front of the vest-like set of tags he was wearing, and pulled out a clear bottle filled with an opaque liquid. He pulled out the cork and poured out a little on the cover of the book. The thin fluid was soaked into the book almost immediately. “That should do the trick.”
Twilight took the book again, and opened it up. Each page she turned revealed last bits of words being translated. “What kind of potion is that?” she asked.
“Mind reading fluid. It translates any parchment to the language of the closest being to it.”
Alexander started cutting up his pizza and masticating the delicious pieces. Twilight nearly asked about how to make it, seeing it's usefulness, but something else caught her attention. Why did it seem like he was so ready with that stuff in his backpack? Did he see this coming? Did he even plan this? She had to find out, it could mean a lot of differences for the near future.
“Alex?”
He looked up from his half eaten mini-pizza. “Yes?”
“What's in your bag, if you don't mind me asking?”
Alexander answered without mission a beat. “Everything I’ve ever earned and owned.”
Twilight contemplated, then asked confusingly. “So all you own is a book, swords, two sets of clothing, and some gold?”
He smiled. “So you really think that's all I can fit in there? ...Of course you do, else you wouldn't ask. Long story short, a very good friend I made once had shown me how to cram an entire dimension into here, and I enchanted it so that when you reach in, just think of something you want and, if it's there, you'll feel it in reach.”
Twilight was half stunned at the idea. “Who in Equestria could have shown you something like that?”
Alexander spoke between bites. “As I said, a very good friend, the only one I know that has more ability than me. Always took good care of his friends he did. He's an old man too.”
Twilight contemplated furiously. Who is this guy? He survives hitting the ground at terminal velocity, takes down the best royal guards, travels throughout universes, knows powerful magic, and can now apparently break laws of physics. Able to do all that, and he wants to be normal? Something is wrong here. Something is very wrong here. I have to investigate this.
She and Alex nearly finished their food at the same time. Both had also emptied their large glasses of tea. Alex became a bit less talkative, as he became distracted by a pony he saw down the street.
The pony was huddled next to a brick wall, with a young foal unicorn laying up the mother's side. Beside them both was a sign that read 'Will work for food'.
He felt pity for the two, not being able to even eat. While Twilight tried intensely to find the apparently entrancing object, she had no avail.
“Did you two have a good lunch?” The green pegasus came out without warning.
“Yes, it was delicious.” Said Twilight.
Her and Alexander both pulled out a sack of coins.
“Don't worry Alex, you don't have to pay.” She insisted.
“Well it wouldn't be very gentleman like to let a lady buy her own meal.” He retorted.
“But you're my guest, and I’m treating you to lunch.” She reinforced.
He sighed. “All right then.” He turned to the waiter and handed him the sack anyways. “I'll take a salad and bread sticks to go please, this should cover it.”
“Yes sir, just a second.” The server quickly went to the kitchen and assembled said order himself. He came back out and set it on the table. “Anything else?”
Twilight replied, “No, I believe that's it. Thank you.” She got up and, followed by Alex, retreated to the outside.
“Thank you for coming!”
The two stood a bit off the entrance. Alexander turned to Twilight. “Well, this has been fun, but if you wouldn't mind, I think I’m going to go explore a bit around town, meet new people and such.”
“All right then, if you need me, I’ll be in the library studying. See you later.” She replied.
“Good day to you.”
Twilight watched as Alexander walked away, until she decided to go the other way to home, in the opposite direction.
As Alexander strolled his way down the street, he took a deep breath, letting the fresh air overtake him, and closed his eyes, feeling the calm wind push against his skin.
He took back his concentration, and opened his eyes, searching for the poor damsel. He found her, and moved his way to her at the bricked wall.
As Alex came close, the mare picked up her head and open her left eye to look at him. The smaller pony she was mother to squirmed a bit when his parent shifted her body. She took in his image, and said nothing as he set the bowl of dressed salad and warm bread in front of her.
She gave him a thankful smile and shed tears as if this had been the only food they've had in weeks. Words could not describe the gratitude that the mare felt towards him. She pressed her cheek against her sons and nuzzled him a little to wake him up.
He picked himself up and opened his eyes to see the food. His heart raced as he grabbed a piece of bread, laid on his back, and ate away in content.
The mother looked at Alexander, and all she could muster up was to mouth the words 'thank you'. She dropped her attention from Alex to her son.
Alexander could only smile at such happiness. But it was short lived. He turned around, dropping his smile as he saw something odd.
There was a pony staring at him, not just any pony, a familiar one. He had a white coat, a horn to match, light gray hooves, and dark brown hair, combed just to keep it out of his eyes. He also had deep blue eyes, and a smile on his face, that gave an approving look.
Alexander made eye contact for a second before a wagon full of merchant supplies was driven between the two. When the carriage fully passes there was just an empty space there. He looked towards the wagon. No sign he ran. Whoever he was, he's gone.
He quickly dismissed the pony from his mind, as he began walking down the street again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alexander spent the next few hours going around town, meeting ponies that were wanting to meet “The strange creature” that “no-pony” has ever seen before, were vending anything that he needed, or otherwise, were scolding him for information on “how in Equestria” he managed to nearly break a royal guard's neck via pie.
To Alexander's surprise, some ponies were actually quite eager to meet him. It were almost as if he were some hero from a battle from long ago, just returning to the people he defended.
He was able to personally meet some of Twilight's friends that he had only formally met before hand. Such as Rarity, whom informed him she would gladly make him some nicer clothing. It took him about 15 'no thank you' 's before she gave up and moved back to her tasks. Rainbow Dash, whom Alexander already seemed to be on bad terms with, was nowhere to be found, and Applejack was far too busy at the time for conversation. Pinkie Pie had invited him to a party tonight, which he hadn't much choice but to accept since she gave the smallest of hints that it was for him.
He met a nice mint-green unicorn named Lyra at the park. She talked about how she had always wondered what it would be life to have hands, because she had seen dragons, minotaurs, monkeys, and other creatures with said appendage. Mainly she wanted them for the simple fact that the sound of her magic makes it harder to play her lyre, since it throws off the pitch a bit. The cream colored earth-pony next to her, dubbed Bon-Bon, challenged her mare-friends words and insisted it was an obsession growing out of proportion. But before the two got into the heated argument, Alex had left on the account that neither were even talking to him anymore.
The only pony who seemed completely un-phased by him appearance was the gray furred, blonde haired pegasus named “Ditzy Doo”. Alex was confounded that, in spite of her condition, she is able to fly rather well, and is able to do her job with relative ease. Only after a couple minutes of conversation, did she take her leave in response to hearing some electronic type sounds coming from a nearby alley.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alexander was casually walking through the southern residential district. It was near dusk, and with that, most ponies were already in their homes, resting from a hard days' work.
He passed by an abandoned house, or at least, it was ill-kept, and stood out quite a bit from the other houses that looked considerably nicer. It was made of aged wood, lacked any proof of new paint in the last several years, had broken glass window panes, and had uncontrolled vines creeping up and in the cracks.
“AAHhh..!!!” Alexander stopped. The pained yelp came from the building, before falling silent again. Muffled conversation was then contained on the inside. He dampened his footsteps as he began to approach the low-quality home, and when he reached the entrance he place his ear against the door.
“Just tell me where you keep your spare key and I promise nothing bad will happen.”
Alex pushed the door open ajar and stepped halfway in, without a creek, to look. There were two stallions. One of them was tied from the waist to some heavy weighted furniture, and had a potato sack over his head. He had brown fur with almost bleach blonde hair. The other was a dark blue pegasus, with burn marks on the back and side of his left back leg.
“I already told you, I won't allow a thief to tell me what to do!”
With lighter feet than ever, Alexander tip-toed his way up behind the blue pony, nearly stepping on random objects, such as boxes of empty food supplies, that would have given him away immediately. He stopped just out of eyesight.
“Then I’ll find another way in, your wife will know, all I have to do is get a bat and-”
“Surprise her?” Alex said with perfect calmness. He took his first two fingers and jabbed the blue pony on the flank with them, striking a nerve.
The pegasus nearly had a heart attack, as he spun around to face Alexander; wings expanded in a responsive attack stance. The right wing had crude metal plating, a petty attempt to make a weapon. The left wing, however, was cut, tattered, and a bit bald. The pony lowered his voice and hardened it with anger. “Who are you?!”
“Me? Oh, no-one really. I’m no-one of importance. But you, however, seem to be doing something of relevance.” Alex said without a hint of sarcasm.
“Get to the point.” He stated emotionless-like.
“Cut to the chase 'eh? Alright then. Why do you have this poor stallion all tied up? Are you looking for his money? Valuables?” Said Alex in an almost 'I’ve figured you out'-esq tone.
“No shit Sherlock.”
“So you admit to extortion?” He said triumphantly.
“What do you care?!”
Alexander slowly walked over to the window and leaned on the edge of the wall. He picked up a shard of glass and observed it's cracks, points, curves, warps and pores.
“Tell me, how did you nearly lose your wing? Or burn your leg for that matter?” He asked concernedly.
“I think a better question would be 'How long until you slice me'.”
“You weren't always like this, were you?” All the evidence ties together. I just hope I’m right.
The blue pony lowered his wings, but narrowed his eyes in focus and anger on the stranger.
Alexander dropped his focus from the glass to the sky outside. “No, you weren't. Let me guess, war vet? Police officer? Maybe even a Royal Guard? Something that you could help people as, but also something dangerous, something that might compromise your life one day. But that changed when an incident happened. An explosion left you impaired. Brittle and Broken, you had no use to your employers. You were discharged, too early at that. You couldn't get a job, and couldn't afford a house. So you found this place, with nopony that ever claimed ownership; made it your home. One thing led to another and before you knew it you were robbing ponies blind.”
Alexander looked at the pegasus, and saw his head held low.
“But that's not all. No. Being a soldier of sorts gave you willpower, and not mere poverty would have set you over the edge like that. You lost something else that day. You lost something important. More important than your wing.” He walked up to the blue pegasus and lowered himself to his low eye-level. “You lost a friend...didn't you?”
The pony sighed as a tear formed at his eyelid. “...21st pony brigade. We were marching towards Diamond Dog camps, when they came out of nowhere. The first thing they did was through a volley of grenades. One of them was coming directly at my face, so I dodged instinctively. When I looked back to see where it had gone, I nearly died. The grenade flew directly on my friend and jammed in the joint of his wing armour. He froze, then panicked as he tried to get it out. The last thing I remember was the pain, but not from the explosion. It was from the only expression on his face, the fear of dying, and at such fortune.” He looked directly into Alex's eyes. “If I had done anything different, my best friend would still be alive today.”
He searched into the bipedal creature even more. “But why should you care?
“Because understanding is the first step to everything.” He placed a hand on the shoulder of the pegasus. “Tell you what, if you let this pony go right now, and promise to lead an honest life, I’ll walk to the police station with you and pay off every coin of your bounty. What do you say?”
The ocean blue pony had a moment of suspicion, but was replaced by guilt. “I'd call you a liar, but you have the charisma of an honest....thing. Sure.”
He walked over to the tied stallion, and pulled one end of the rope; it came undone. He then bit the edge of the potato sack and pulled it off.
The brown pony, whom had a black eye on the left, simply looked at Alexander, said “Thank you” and ran out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The wind grew quiet as dusk had long since set the sun past the horizon. Celestia stood on her balcony; her majestic hair nearly set down, but moved every few seconds from the breeze. She stood there, waiting for the silence to be broken.
It was.
“Hello princess, I’m back.” The Black stallion closed the door behind him and walked up next to Celestia.
“How did it go?” She questioned calmly.
“Rather well, he gave the “homeless mare and son” a free meal, and saved the “kidnapped stallion” from a hired criminal of mine. Even paid off his bounty, and that wasn't part of your plan! I do believe he passed these trials of yours.”
Celestia breathed a heavy sigh as she watched over her city. “No, he's not done, yet. But you are.” They looked at each other. “You lived up to your end of the bargain, you can have your freedom.”
He looked out over the lighted city, thinking for a moment. “Since I don't exactly have a job, perhaps I could continue for pay?” He asked in a slightly raspy voice.
“Make an honest living from doing dishonest things? It would be a good choice, had I the need for it. If you live long enough for the next time around, then we can talk.”
The black unicorn said nothing as he walked to the door, opened it, and left.
Princess Luna, whom was waiting just outside the entrance, walked in and stood by her sister. They faced each other in meaningful conversation.
“Sister, is it true?” Luna asked delightedly.
“Yes, Sister, it is.” Celestia smiled happily.
Luna returned the smile. “Oh, how long it's been! I can't wait to see what happens this time.” The two giggled to themselves a bit.
“Yes, he does seem to have trouble always following in his wake.”
The pair sat together, watching the beautiful night sky. Time seemed an eternity, as Celestia felt for once in a long time that she, aside from her sister, wasn't alone anymore.