//------------------------------// // Chapter 24 - A Cold Sanctuary (Edited by JBL 07.13.2017) // Story: The Last Descendant // by Cup of Coffee //------------------------------// After stepping through the door and passing through the thin veil of darkness, Celestia and Luna found themselves in Magnus’ dream. A bright flash of light momentarily blinded Celestia, causing her to cover her eyes instinctively with her wings, before she lowered them to gauge her surroundings. They stood in an open clearing in a dark and ominous-looking forest. A dirt road snaked its way up a hill, ending in the clearing they were in. All around them stood trees of varying heights and types, though they were all barren, not a single leaf or needle on them, giving them the appearance of looking dead or dying. The same went for whatever grew on the ground. Grass, shrubs, and moss seemed to have frozen to death. The icy wind howling through the forest only added to the gloomy atmosphere. Even the skies were hidden from view, a thick blanket of dark clouds making it impossible to see even a hint of blue or tell if it was day or night. In the distance, a large mountain range could be seen, the many peaks covered by snow and clouds. All around them were numerous mountains, though in one direction was a flat plain as far as the eye could see. Behind them stood an old decrepit log house. The front door was torn off its hinges, windows were cracked, the walls were rotted, and the roof had caved in. In its prime, this house would have been considered homely and cosy, but now it only seemed foreboding. “It is not supposed to look like this,” said Luna, causing Celestia to nearly jump, so preoccupied she had been with their surroundings. “This dwelling is influenced by Magnus’ emotions, namely his sorrow. The same can be said for this entire dream.” Celestia looked around, absorbing the details of the dream. She didn’t doubt Luna in the slightest. This dream appeared harsh and oppressive, a twisted image of a person's depression. Looking towards the forest, Luna promptly trotted towards its edge, finding a narrow trail leading into the depths of the forest. “He is this way,” Luna said as she stared at the trail. Tilting her head ever so slightly, she picked up on something else. “I believe we are trespassing.” “How so?” asked Celestia, not surprised by how easily Luna could discern something like that in her domain. “Perhaps not trespassing, but intruding,” Luna clarified. “What lies at the end of this trail is a sanctuary. This clearing, the house, this forest—it is where Magnus feels at peace. However, that is something he currently cannot find. He is at the end of this trail, deep in contemplation.” Luna wasted no time and immediately stepped onto the dirt trail, Celestia following her. Passing by towering dead trees withered into depressing shades of brown, and dark grey grass and wilted plants that disintegrated when stepped on, Celestia took the opportunity to get a feel for this unknown forest. She had walked through many in her time, but somehow this forest, though just a dream, felt similar to the dreaded Everfree. The way the trees and plants grew wild reminded her of the ancient woodlands. Continuing their walk in silence, the two sisters noted the unnatural silence of the forest. There were no birds or forest animals, only the cold wind howling through barren treetops that penetrated their coats and tossed their ethereal manes around. It felt so unnatural, as if winter was nearly upon them. Even thin dead branches scraped against them, as if trying to stop them, though it was ultimately a useless endeavour. It did not take long before the forest opened up, revealing a much larger clearing with a pond in the middle. A small stream fed into the right of the pond, not even disturbing the water. Many types of aquatic plants were near the water’s edge, though they too seemed to have lost their vitality. All around the pond, the remains of what must have once been colourful flowers were visible, now withered into brown stalks. “This place must have been beautiful before,” Celestia murmured as she approached the water’s edge. “I can understand why he would like this particular spot.” “So do I. It is rare to find untamed, yet beautiful places in Equestria these days.” She searched around the perimeter of the pond and sighed before she spotted something. “Sister, over there!” Celestia turned to Luna and saw her pointing at an outcropping of land poking into the water. Under a withered old oak sat Magnus, staring into the calm pond with an expressionless face, save for the longing in his eyes. *** I glowered at the water, exhaling in frustration. Why was everything like this? I couldn’t understand any of it. This pond had always been a serene place, one where I could find answers to things that bothered or confused me. At this very place years ago, leaning against this oak, I came to realize that Lisa and I were too different to make our relationship work, thus I decided to talk to her about it. She agreed with me. It was at this location where I decided to drop out of college. My grades had grown worse every month, I was unable to focus on my schoolwork, I daydreamt of silly things that didn’t exist, and my headaches constantly interfered. I took a lot of menial jobs around town for a couple of years until I found steady employment at the bowling alley. I wasn’t getting rich, but it paid my bills. Perhaps the best decision I had made. It was also here that I came to accept that my grandfather was actually gone. He had been one of the cornerstones in my life, one that I could rely on, one that had always been there. Death was a fact of life, as certain as taxes. It had taken weeks, but I was able to work through it and came out mostly intact. Now though? I couldn’t understand why I was here, or even how I reached here. How long had I been here? Did I really have important issues to contemplate? I didn’t think so. Even this place had somehow changed. Spring was just around the corner, but it felt like winter was in the air. The wind was biting, the plants and grass had withered, and when I looked up, it seemed as though a mother of a storm was approaching from the Rockies even though it didn’t look like a typical storm. It resembled a foreboding blanket covering the sky, blotting out the sun and casting my surroundings in shadows. It made me realize how eerily quiet the forest was, with the ever-present chirping of the birds silenced. I shivered, the awareness of how alone I was rapidly increasing. Something was wrong. The sudden crunch of leaves underfoot caused me to whirl around, and I instantly spotted two alicorns standing a few meters behind me, both of them staring at me. “Princess Luna? Princess Celestia? What? How did you get here?” Standing up, I approached them while looking around, wondering what path they had taken. “How did you… wait! Did you find a way to Earth?” I exclaimed hopefully, even managing a smile. “I knew it! Twilight figured it out! She found a way back to Earth!” “No, Magnus.” Just the sound of Luna’s cheerless voice was enough to put a serious dampener on my enthusiasm. “You are not on Earth. We are not on Earth.” “What? Then… where are we?” How did I get here in the first place then? I felt a streaking pain in my head as that thought crossed my mind, startling me with its abruptness. “We, all of this,” she said with a wave of her hoof, “is in your dreamscape.” “My dream?” I swivelled around, taking in the twisted familiar surroundings. “You entered my dream without asking me?” She nodded solemnly. “Yes, I knowingly broke my promise to you.” I thought I could handle it if Luna suddenly showed up in my dreams, that I would be able to keep my cool. I was wrong. “No, no, this isn’t true…” I clutched my head, my breathing becoming erratic. “Get out… Get out! GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT!” I screamed, my voice reaching a crescendo. “GET OUT!” The wind increased in intensity until it whipped around me in a frenzy, biting into my exposed skin. The rain began pouring down, stinging like a thousand needles piercing into me. That in turn made me more terrified, even as the temperature steadily began to decrease. I huddled together and attempted to seek shelter at the base of the oak. However, the bare tree provided scant protection as the rain struck me from all sides, leaving behind a burning numbness across my entire body. “STOP! PLEASE STOP!” The air stilled in an instant, dying out like snuffed candlelight. The freezing rain also subsided to a light drizzle, leaving my clothes soggy and cold, with water dripping from my hair and into my eyes. Not waiting for a second assault, I slowly lowered my hands. The immediate surroundings were frozen solid! A thick layer of ice covered the ground, the trees containing long icicles hanging from the branches, with a slick sheen on the pond’s surface. The air was still frigid, worse than any winter I had ever experienced. Every time I exhaled, a puff of frosty breath burst out of my nose and mouth. I turned towards the alicorns. Their wings were tucked close to their sides, with rain dripping from their bodies. Small icicles had formed on the tip of their feathers as well. Luna’s horn was glowing, which I assumed was the reason why the rain had ceased. Pointing a trembling hand, I asked, “Why? Why did you do that?” She and Celestia splayed out their wings in one quick motion, freeing them from the formed ice and residual water. A quick whip of their tails and manes left them mostly dry. Aside from that, the cold didn’t seem to bother them. Luna gazed at me expressionlessly. “This was not my doing, but yours.” Before I could open my mouth, she went on, “This is your dream. Without realizing it, you released your fears into the dreamscape, which resulted in that storm. I stopped the rain when I saw how it frightened and harmed you.” Mouth hanging open, my eyes darted around at the frozen forest “I-I did this?” “Yes. In dreams, fear can manifest in coldness. You fear us, and that fear manifested itself.” I turn back to the alicorns, both of them approaching closer. Gazing down at my huddled body, she began to extend a hoof before retracting it. “Are we so frightening to you?” I could only nod slowly, looking from her to Luna. “Is it why you sought refuge here?” Luna asked, shifting her attention to the now ruined landscape around us. “Yes... and no. This place… I used to come here a lot when I was younger. It was my sanctuary, where I could come and think. Now…” I sighed bitterly. “It’s all wrong.” Luna closed in the short distance and loomed above me. Though I wanted to get some distance between us, I knew that there was nowhere to run at all. They had their wings and magic, and I only possessed a pair of weird legs. I didn’t stand much of a chance. Luna glanced up to the skies, at the dark clouds rolling overhead. “Your grief has also manifested itself in your dream. The clouds, the forest, the dying vegetation are all symbols of the sorrow that has consumed you.” There was some sense to what she said. It was like the world was in black and white, no joy to be found anywhere. I had always loved this clearing, but now it was like an empty hollow. One thing was clear, however. They were intruders! “You broke your promise.” I pointed an accusing finger at Luna, who turned at the sound of my voice. “Why?” She met my words with an impassive gaze. “Because we want to help you.” “May we sit with you?” Celestia interrupted with a pleasant smile. Not seeing any alternative, I scooted over. “Thank you.” They both took a seat at the base of the tree, although I still tried to keep some separation between us. “How do you think you can help me?” I asked bitterly, drawing my legs close to my chest in an effort to keep warm. “You invaded my dream. That’s not helping.” “It was all we could think of.” I looked over at Luna, staring reprovingly at her. She didn’t even flinch. “Understand that we possess scant knowledge regarding you and your bodily functions. Star Swirl told nothing of how long a human can go without food and water before perishing.” “You showed signs of dehydration after two days. Doctor Silverheart recommended intravenous hydration after examining you,” Celestia added quietly. “Three to five days without water, several weeks without food.” Sighing, I turned to Celestia. “How come you’re here too?” Luna answered for her sister. “As I can go into your dreams, so too can I draw other ponies into them. Celestia desired to help, thus her presence.” “It’s getting awfully crowded in here.” I scoffed. “Besides, what do you think you can do to help? You can’t, and that’s a fact. Neither of you, with all of your magical powers, can send me home to Earth.” “No, we cannot send you home, but we also refuse to let you die,” Celestia said firmly. “We owe much to Star Swirl; the least we can do is help take care of you. You may believe that everything is over, that this is the end, that starving yourself to death is the answer, that refusing to speak to us is helping. Did you really think we would sit idly by while you withered away?” I was so taken aback by Celestia’s scolding that I didn’t immediately answer. It wasn’t often that someone took that tone with me. Sure, Grandfather had gotten pretty mad at me a few times, but there was a difference between a scolding grandfather and an upset mare, especially when said mare was centuries old. Once more, I scoffed at her. Turning away, I rubbed my arms in an attempt to gain some heat into my body. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Celestia still staring, with Luna looking much more sympathetic. Stupid alicorns, invading my dreams. An awkward silence fell over us as we sat under the tree. Why couldn’t they leave me alone? Occasionally, I caught a glimpse of them looking at my direction; otherwise; they merely took in the scenery of the frozen forest. “I am sorry.” I barely turned my head, faintly seeing Luna’s mane flowing in the corner of my eye. She sighed, her voice laced with guilt. “I made a promise to you, to not enter your dreams without your permission. When you refused to answer, I asked your permission and said that if you chose silence, I would take it as consent. You did not respond.” She glanced over her shoulder at me. “I am truly sorry, but I chose to act instead of being a helpless witness to your further decline into depression.” So she had asked first? I could barely remember the last time I saw her. I had been so engrossed in my memories that I barely registered anything happening around me. I did remember some kind of bird, though. Perhaps it was my fault for not paying attention? No, I was in the right. It still didn’t absolve her of guilt. Even if her motives were genuine, she had broken her vow. I made the mistake of looking over to her. A crestfallen expression dominated her face before she hung her head. Her wings and ears drooped, and she actually seemed miserable about the entire situation. “I should have said something. Maybe you would have left me alone then. I didn’t ask for your help,” I said, evoking a wince from Luna. “Wasn’t silence a big enough clue?” “You did not ask for help, that is true,” Celestia interjected gently. “However, what else should we have done?” She sighed deeply. “We know you have suffered a great loss—” “Understatement of the century!” “But do you truly want to die?” That quickly shut me up. I hadn’t actively tried to kill myself, but I had made no attempts to keep myself alive either. Now that I thought about it, I had no idea what I really wanted, other than to go home. “Well?” Celestia asked impatiently, narrowing her eyes. I briefly stared at her before averting my eyes to the frozen lake. “I… I don’t know… I don’t know what I want. I want to go home, but I can’t. I don’t want to be here, but I’m stuck here anyway. I want to be where I belong, but it feels like I don’t belong anywhere now. I’m too… weird for ponies, an abomination for humans.” Celestia’s hard stare softened and she hummed understandingly, though I doubted she truly could. Leaning forward, I placed my forehead on my arms. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to say or feel. I’m just… completely lost...” They didn’t respond, thankfully. Their interference in my dream was disturbing enough. Maybe if I refused to talk to them, they would leave. I doubted it, seeing as they had already broken their promise in order to ‘help’ me. The silence lasted for minutes, giving me time to contemplate my future. No matter how I thought of my options, however, they all seemed bleak. “I don’t know what to do.” I felt cold tears running down my cheeks, though I paid them scant attention. A warm wing covered my back, and I saw it was Luna’s when I peeked up. Somehow, she had moved over to my right without me noticing. “On Earth, what would you do if you suddenly found yourself in a situation and did not know what to do?” Until recently, that would have been a simple question with an easy answer. I would have turned to the one constant in my life, the one who had seen and experienced so much. But… he was no longer here. “I’d ask my grandfather,” I reply, quickly wiping away the tears. Luna nodded, smiling knowingly. “Ask for the wisdom of an elder—a wise choice.” She stood and flexed her wings. “Can we go for a walk? The air is cold and moving will provide us with some precious warmth.” Celestia also stood and joined her sister. The cold’s bite had certainly gotten more deadly, as I constantly shivered now. I would rather sit here as I had done for what felt like days, but I had no idea what Luna was capable of here, so I decided it was best to keep an eye on her in case she decided upon a trip down memory lane. Literally. I got up on my hooves, the icy ground stinging the soft part of my hooves. With a wave of my arm, Luna led the way with Celestia at her side. She whispered to her sister, though I couldn’t discern their conversation. I was certain they were plotting something. I trailed a few meters behind them, several times slipping on the ice and landing on either my back or my ass. Hooves provided nearly zero traction on slippery surfaces. Winter must be hell for ponies. I kept my eyes on the ground, ensuring I took steady footholds. I was so preoccupied with my task that I didn’t realize where Luna had led us. The mossy ground quickly gave way to gravel as we stepped out of the forest and into the clearing. Straightening, I realized that we now stood before my grandfather’s cabin. The mere sight was depressing. The house had been destroyed, rotting down to its foundation. It certainly reflected my current mood: dead on the inside. I quickly ran up to the ruin, brushing my hand against the decaying logs that once constituted my home. “Why did you lead us here?” The anger was evident in my voice. After Star Swirl haunted me here, I would rather they leave this place before they tainted it further. Luna chose a question of her own. “This is your grandfather’s house, is it not?” “It is. Why?” “You are aware that it is not supposed to look like this?” “I know! What are you playing at?” “This is your dream, Magnus.” Luna walked past me, eyes scanning the decaying corpse of a house. “Dreams can play tricks on us. Sometimes we cannot tell the difference between the real world and dreams, but if you know that you are dreaming, you can change the world to your liking.” She turned back to Celestia and me. “Your sadness has turned your dream of home and familiarity into a cold and inhospitable version of what it truly is. Can you show us what this house truly looks like?” I crossed my arms defiantly over my chest. “Why? And how?” “Please, just try,” she pleaded. “Close your eyes and think of how it appeared when your grandfather lived here.” I hesitated for a moment, not wanting to give her what she wanted. Still, some small part of me, namely my curiosity, was curious to see if I could actually manipulate my dreams. My dreams usually weren’t so clear, and I almost never remembered any of them. The only exception was the one I had where I spoke with Star Swirl. My curiosity finally won and I closed my eyes, picturing the cabin: a dark brown log house on a concrete foundation, with six steps leading up to the small porch. There were four windows on the front of the house, the light grey slate roof and stone chimney protruding from the centre of the structure. The totem pole Grandfather had carved standing outside like a sentry. Aside from the layout of the rooms, nothing else came to mind, except the smell. “Well done! Behold what you have brought forth,” Luna proclaimed, sounding pleased for some reason. I slowly cracked open my eyes before they widened in disbelief. The log house was just as I remembered, nothing out of place or extra added. I gawked for a moment before running up onto the porch and placing my hand on the door. I could feel the smooth wood under my hand. Even the tiny scratch on the bottom of the door was there, a result of me kicking the door once. Even the welcome mat was in place. “How?” I asked, turning to meet their smiling faces. “Just… how did I do it?” “In dreams, anything is possible,” Luna declared proudly as she and Celestia stopped at the bottom of the stairs. “Perhaps we can go inside? It is quite cold out here and this house looks rather inviting.” I turned to the door and hesitated. I could probably try chasing them away, seeing as they were intruders, but I doubted it would work, especially Luna. I remembered her telling me what she could do in dreams, and considering she had thousands of years’ worth of experience in dreams, her knowledge of how this place worked had to be extensive. No matter how much I disliked it, she was the real person in charge here. I huffed in irritation. “Okay, fine.” I rubbed my hooves on the mat, pushing open the door and stepping inside. “And wipe your hooves before entering!” After entering the small hallway, I glanced over my shoulder and saw that they were actually complying. Although they could have just walked inside, I felt as if this was a small victory for me. I was willing to take what I could at this point. I noticed the shoes on the rack and the jackets on the coat hanger. Though it seemed as though someone was here, I knew better. It was depressing to think about, so I wandered into the living room. Every piece of furniture was here, just as I remembered. I made my way towards one of the armchairs by the coffee table and plopped down in it, placing my hooves on the footrest. A familiar odour of wood and dust, combined with the smell of cold ash coming from the hearth, embraced me. The marshmallow sticks sat next to the log basket, awaiting use. The furniture appeared and felt the same, though a thin layer of dust was visible on the coffee table. Grandfather was never eager when it came to cleaning, said it added character to a house and not seem like an Ikea catalogue. I missed this place so damn much. I wished I could have kept it. Celestia and Luna entered the living room, looking around at what had to be alien artefacts to them. The TV, the radio, and electric lights were just some of the things I wasn’t sure they had in Equestria. I couldn’t help but be amused at how misplaced they seemed in a human’s house. “Pray tell, what is this? A window?” Luna asked, staring in puzzlement at the TV. “A television.” If she asked me to turn in on, I swore to God I was going to imagine playing A Nightmare on Elm Street on it. Luckily, she lost interest and wandered over to the bookshelf, inspecting the books my grandfather had read. Meanwhile, Celestia was studying the pictures on the northern wall. There were numerous images of my grandparents along with several pictures of my parents. There were also pictures of Grandfather, my friends, myself, and varying combinations of all three. What was noticeable was that there weren’t any of my parents and me together. “There is much love, and many memories on this wall.” She was currently at the one of me sitting on Grandfather’s knee. I was about five in that one. She wandered over to another section of framed photos, finding one of my grandparents and my mom, who was about two years old when it had been taken. Next to it was a photo of my mom and dad. She alternated her gaze between my parents and myself. “Human resemblance is difficult to interpret, and I am unable to say which of your parents you resemble most, but I can see that you have your mother’s eyes and your father’s build.” She had sharp eyes, I had to give her that. My eyes were the only thing I got from my mother, that and another ‘family trait’. The rest came my father, his single contribution to my life. “What was your grandfather’s profession?” I turned to the west wall where Luna stood at the old worktable, inspecting the different tools that lay there, the tools of a craftsman, a craft that required skill, a delicate touch, and a sense of beauty. On a small double horn anvil was a half-finished silver leaf, with a completed silver chain next to it. He had never finished this necklace. “He was a silversmith as well as an artist. He started making contemporary silver jewellery, but in recent years turned to nature for inspiration,” I explained while opening a drawer where he kept some of his finest work. Rings, necklaces, and other treasured pieces rested on velvet cushions, those which had held great value for him. Luna peered into the drawer and used her magic to levitate a silver filigree ring with a square, deep red garnet centred in the middle. It was Grandfather's most precious work of art he ever made: my grandmother’s wedding ring. And Luna didn’t even ask for permission to touch it. After all, she was a princess. Who would say no to her? I would. I quickly snatched it away from her magical grasp, placing it back on the velvet pillow and slamming the drawer shut with a resounding thud. I then turned to Luna and leaned dangerously close to her muzzle, staring daggers at her. “Don’t. Touch,” I managed through gritted teeth. Though not even slightly startled, Luna slowly backed away, understanding that she had messed up. “My apologies,” she said contritely. “I should have asked for permission.” Celestia had noticed our altercation, and when I turned to her, I saw the photo she held in her magic before she quickly placed it back in position and shifted away. My eyes followed the photo until it rested safely on the shelf, and when her magic faded, I stared directly at her, ensuring she received the same message as her sister. My shoulders slumped and I trudged back to the chair, falling into it. Resting my head on my hand, I looked back at them. “Why won’t you just leave?” I muttered, sounding more weary than angry. “You make me imagine this house, ask me to invite you in when you could just teleport inside, then start touching everything because you haven’t seen them before.” Just as Luna opened her mouth, I interrupted her. “And don’t say you want to help, because you know what I want. This place, this dream, is as close to home as I can get.” I leaned back in the chair and closed my eyes, enjoying the silence and the scent of home. “If you can, place me in an artificial coma. Maybe I can dream forever. Maybe I can be happy.” The silence was broken by a set of hooves on hardwood floor, coming to a halt in front of me. “As the Guardian of Dreams, I cannot in good conscience force you to live a lie, even if it makes you happy.” I opened my eyes to find Luna gazing down at me, not unsympathetically. “Life is meant to be lived, not spent deceiving yourself.” Celestia gave me a warm smile. “We will never give up on you, Magnus, because we believe you can make a life for yourself in Equestria. You can be happy, you can rebuild your life, find new friends—all you need to do is try.” I slowly shook my head in weary disbelief. Hadn’t they said all this before? Maybe in passing conversation once or twice? I couldn’t remember. I stood and walked over to the photos on the wall. Looking at them gave me a sense of belonging somewhere else, partly in this dream, mostly home on Earth. “I wish Grandfather was here,” I muttered. He would know what to do and what to say. “He can be.” I blinked once, then twice before turning back to the alicorns. Luna smiled knowingly. “If you wish to speak to him, then I can assist you.” “W-What?” I stuttered incredulously. “How?” “If we may sit, I will explain how you can do it.” My hands nearly started trembling at the prospect. To actually speak with Grandfather again! There was so much I wanted to say to him, things forgotten, things never mentioned. I couldn’t allow this chance to pass unclaimed. “If you can do this, I… Please, sit wherever you want.” I gestured to the couches while I took the armchair. Luna easily fit onto one seat, sitting on it like a cat. Celestia seemed too large for the sofa, but managed to sit the same way her sister did, though her hind legs stuck out comically. I could barely stop my hands from trembling, so eager was I, but I still managed to keep a straight face. Even though it might be a lie or wishful thinking, I was willing to see this one through. Luna cleared her throat and set her eyes on me. “Sometimes, we are not aware that we are dreaming. We recognize familiar faces and locations, but we remain oblivious that we are asleep. We experience situations that should be impossible, but act as if they are real. Your reaction to Celestia and myself at the pond was appropriate—you believed yourself to be on Earth and thought that Twilight had opened a portal. However, if you are aware that you are dreaming, you can shape the dream to your liking. You masterfully recreated this house with your mind because you know it so well. Every detail of the house, even the scent and feel of it, was your doing. Even still, your grief shines through. I asked if we could stay inside to seek shelter from the cold, yet we find no warmth at all.” Luna was right; even here, the frigid air nipped at my exposed skin. My breath came out as frosty smoke, even on the alicorns. “Do you understand what I am trying to convey?” I nodded. “I think you’re trying to say that I can make my grandfather appear.” “Precisely,” she replied with an approving nod. “However, he will not be real. As with everything else in this dream, he will be a creation of your mind.” “Oh.” My heart sank. “I was hoping that he would be… you know, real. Like, alive.” Luna’s smile immediately faltered. “We shall not delve into the darkest arts of necromancy. Tis an abomination towards life!” she proclaimed, her old dialect seeping through. It took a matter of seconds before she regained her composure. What actually shook me was the hint towards necromancy being a real thing here. “Now then, allow me to explain how to conjure your grandfather. First, empty your mind of all thoughts, except those of him. Remember his face, his body, his voice. Allow all of his habits and his mannerisms to come to your mind, as many as you can remember. However, one thing you must not do,” Luna said with a warning wave of her hoof. “Do not let your own influence enter the thoughts of your grandfather. In doing so, he will speak and act as he did in life.” I nodded eagerly. “Okay, anything else I should do and not do?” I asked, anxious to get started. She nodded. “You must also let him know that he has passed away, and that you need his guidance. Otherwise, he will be very confused.” “Okay then.” I took a deep breath, preparing for the shock of a lifetime. “Here goes!” My hands shook with anticipation as I closed my eyes and thought of my grandfather. Immediately, his visage came to mind. He was shorter than me, with a stocky build and a bit of a paunch, though nowhere near fat. His head was slightly squared with a pair of old but still sharp eyes and a well-defined nose. He had some wrinkles, especially around his eyes. He was always cleanly shaved—although our native ancestry didn’t provide much growth of a beard at all, I was luckier in that department. His skin was lightly tanned, as if he’d spent some time in the sun. His hair, almost completely grey, reached down to his shoulders and was well-maintained. Sometimes he wore it in a single ponytail. He preferred simple clothes. His usual attire was a faded red chequered shirt, a pair of durable and well-worn brown khakis, dark brown walking shoes, and he never went anywhere without his suede leather coat with fur lining. Satisfied with how he appeared in my head, I went on to ponder what type of person he was. This proved to be much trickier. What first came to mind was his patience, of which he had vast quantities. He almost never lost his temper—I could count on just one of my hands how many times he had truly been genuinely angry with me. He was also accepting towards all he met and never judged a person solely by their appearance. He strongly believed in second chances, saying that everybody deserved an opportunity to correct their mistakes. One of his greatest traits was his way of accepting things. No matter what, he called it either fate or destiny and just rolled with it. When I decided to drop out of college, he didn’t argue. He was hospitable and approachable, which made him a popular character in town. People would often take time out of their day to have a chat with him about all manner of things, as Grandfather had many interests and kept up with current events. There were numerous small details about him that I could easily recall: his bad leg and how he would support himself on his staff, how he always added a teaspoon of sugar to his coffee. Lastly, I included the most important detail; he was my grandfather. He raised me, provided for me, taught me life lessons, and was always there for me. Just thinking about him made my heart swell with pride and love. “I think I’m ready,” I said with a smile. “What now?” “Now, let him come into being. Imagine him appearing close to us, and he will surely find us,” I heard Luna say. I nodded and contemplated how I would tell Grandfather that he had died. “Grandpa. It was a Tuesday morning it happened. Alfred came to visit you early one morning when he found you lifeless in the living room. He called for an ambulance, but it was too late. You had passed away hours earlier. Your heart stopped while you watched TV. The doctor said you probably never knew what hit you. I’d like to think you’re at peace, wherever you are. I miss you. “But now I want to talk with you. I need you, need your help, now more than ever. Please, I know you must be here somewhere. Maybe you’ve gone for a walk and are about to come home, but please hurry. If you exist in here, in my mind, then you must exist in this dream.” I constantly repeated the words in my head. I knew I could do it. He’d been gone for two years now, but today I could see him again. It was all the motivation I needed. After nearly a minute spent in silence, I opened my eyes. Luna and Celestia were still on the couch, observing me. None of us moved, nor did we say anything. And nothing happened. I sighed in disappointment, slumping even further into the chair. “It didn’t work.” “Oh, it did.” Luna shot me a cryptic smile. She barely had time to finish her sentence when we all heard it. Someone was walking up the six steps onto the porch. One heavy step, one lighter, and finally the sound of a wooden staff on the porch deck. The sounds repeated itself in a pattern, namely that of a person with a limp supporting himself on a staff. “It would seem somepony is at the door,” Celestia mentioned as both she and Luna glanced towards the door to the hallway. My mouth slowly opened as I stared towards the entry hall. I dared not blink, dared not move, dared not speak. I knew those footsteps! The steps came to a halt at the door before the sound of the door knob being turned was heard. The hinges squeaked lightly as the door opened and the footsteps approached. A slight grunt came from the hallway as the person removed his shoes first and then his jacket. Then the footsteps picked up again, and within seconds, he stood there in the middle of the doorway, looking down at his pants and trying to straighten them out, oblivious to us watching him. I couldn’t believe it… Grandfather! He looked alive and well, just as I remembered from the last time before he passed away. I slowly stood up as not to scare him, feeling both nervous and excited, but most of all excited. My throat was dry and my hands trembled as I took a careful step forward. “G-Grandpa?” I carefully called with a shaky voice, feeling tears starting to form in my eyes. He looked up and his eyes landed on me. From where he stood, he couldn’t see Celestia and Luna, but I was in plain sight for him. His brow creased slightly as he stared at me, his mouth slowly opening in surprise. Straightening up, he tilted his head in confusion. “Magnus?” Hearing his voice was what broke me. I closed the distance between us and warmly embraced him, catching him completely off-guard. With my forehead resting on his shoulder, I hugged him as tightly as I could, tears of joy streaming down my face. For a second, he seemed confused, but soon I felt one of his hands patting my back. Even his scent was there, telling me that it was really him, or as close to him as possible. I didn’t care that I was crying, or that the alicorns were watching, only that this moment lasted as long as possible. “There, there,” he murmured, pouring all his familiar and comforting warmth into his voice. I relished the sensation, feeling like a child again, free of worries and troubles. Eventually, he placed his hands on my shoulders and took a step back. His eyebrows furrowed as he stared at my horn. It didn’t take him long as he lifted the staff so that the horn on the staff and my horn were next to each other. He scrutinized both before lowering the staff. Then he took in my arms, the copper fur and thicker hands sticking out. Finally, his eyes went to my legs and down to my hooves. His eyes lingered there until he lifted his eyes to meet my own. I could clearly see the questions in them. “Son, I… I don’t understand. What happened to you?” I wiped the tears from my eyes, a tremulous smile on my face. “It’s a long story, Grandpa. I don’t even know where to begin.” He nodded slowly. “Okay then, let’s… let’s sit down and then you can tell me all about it.” I smile and turned around to head back into the living room. He placed his hand on my shoulder, and I savoured the warmth of his touch. As we stepped into the living room, he noticed the two alicorns on the couch. He paused in the doorway, staring at the two smiling princesses. They did look rather funny when they sat like that. “Well now, I’m not sure what to make of this.” He eyed them before turning to me. “Did Adam talk you into this? It’s an improvement over the fox kit you once brought home.” I chuckled, recalling how fond of animals he had been. “No, Grandpa, this is what we need to talk about. I should probably introduce you to them first.” At hearing this, Celestia and Luna stood and walked over to us. “Grandpa, this is Princess Celestia of Equestria.” She inclined her head slightly. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Mister Powell. You may call me Celestia, if you wish.” Grandpa recoiled, his eyes nearly popping out of his head. “It… talked? She… talked?” he stuttered. I placed a hand on his shoulder. “Yeah, it’s… complicated. See, they’re aliens.” He turned to me, gaping at me as if I had grown a second head. “It’s true.” Celestia nodded. “Indeed, Mister Powell, your grandson speaks the truth. Although I believe the term inter-dimensional beings would hold far more truth.” Grandpa turned back to Celestia, and it was as though I could hear the gears in his mind churning. Slowly, he extended his arm to her. “It is… a pleasure, I think… Celestia, was it?” Celestia nodded, lifting her hoof and gently placing it in his palm. I then pointed to Luna. “This is Princess Luna, Princess Celestia’s younger sister.” Luna stepped forward and proceeded to give him a dignified nod. “Tis a pleasure to meet thee, Elder Powell. We hath heard many kind words spoken of thee by thy grandson. We are pleased to make thine acquaintance!” she exclaimed, reverting back to her olden speech. Grandfather just seemed puzzled by the entire thing. “What did she say?” “She said hi.” “Oh.” He knelt slightly so that he could shake her hoof as well. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Princess Luna.” “You may call me Luna, Elder Powell.” Grandpa nodded and smiled nervously. Had I reacted the same way when I first met them? “In that case, you may call me Joe, or Joseph, whatever you prefer, although most people call me Joe.” With the initial introductions completed, we all sat down; the princesses on the couch while Grandpa and I took an armchair each. “So, I expect you have an explanation for all this,” he began, then glanced at the princesses. “Oh, where are my manners. Are you hungry? I think I have something lying about.” “No thank you, Joseph, I think we can manage,” Celestia replied. “Nonsense.” Grandpa stood and hobbled his way to the kitchen. “You’re guests, no matter how strange you look,” he mumbled as he opened various cabinets, searching for something to offer the princesses. “I think I have something here. Magnus, get a fire going. It’s almost as cold in here as it was outside.” “No no, we insist, Joseph, we do not require food.” “Yeah, Grandpa, we have to talk about—” “Apapap! Fire and food.” “Yes, Grandpa.” I sighed as I made my way over to the hearth and started to stack dry twigs into a fire. “He is very hospitable,” Luna noted as she peeked over to the kitchen where Grandpa was already hard at work fixing something to eat. “No one has ever left this house hungry,” I warned them, much to their amusement. I lit a match and held it against the dry bark at the bottom of the stack. It quickly caught fire, and within a minute, the crackling of burning wood could be heard throughout the living room as a comfortable heat spread. Not long after, Grandpa returned from the kitchen with a plate with bread, butter, a variety of jam and cheese, along with a large bowl of fruit. He also brought a water boiler and a glass flask containing blackcurrant syrup, his favourite. “Now then, maybe you can all tell me what all of this is about?” He sat down and poured some of the syrup into a cup, then added hot water into it. He blew gently as steam rose. “Who are you two and why do you look like that, Magnus?” I stalled for a moment, a more urgent question that I had to ask. “Grandpa, you know that… you died, right?” “Mhm, I know,” he murmured as he sipped his brew. “To tell you the truth, it’s really strange knowing that I’m dead, but it doesn’t seem that bad. At least my leg doesn’t act up anymore.” I had forgotten that detail—his leg would ache now and then. It was nice to know that he wasn’t in pain anymore and that he could find something positive in this situation. “Do you remember the last time we spoke?” I asked to which he nodded again. “Mmm, I was showing you the ancestor spirit ceremony. I hope you paid attention.” “I did, but… do you remember what happened to me when you touched my head with this staff?” I took his staff and held it up to my horn. “And do you remember what you said later?” He went silent for a moment, then slowly nodded. “I said that you were going on a journey, and that I would pass away.” I didn’t say anything further, waiting for him to figure it out. He glanced at me, then the alicorns, who nodded to him. He pursed his lips ever so slightly. “At least one thing I said came true, and by looking at you, I think you’ve gone on a journey, haven’t you?” He laughed. This was just like old times. I couldn’t even tell that he wasn’t the real deal. My memory had done a great job recreating him. “I did. I discovered a few things about me, you and mom too.” I took a deep breath. “We are part unicorn.” “Unicorn?” He glanced down at my hooves, then my horn. “As in… how exactly?” “If I may,” Celestia interjected. I nodded to her; she could explain far better than I ever could. “Thank you.” She stood up and walked over to stand before my grandfather, smiling gently as always. “Almost five thousand years ago, a unicorn named Star swirl the Bearded was caught in a magical phenomenon called a portal. This portal sent him from our planet, Equus, and our universe to this universe and Earth. While searching for a way home, he became familiar with a tribe of your ancestors, and found love as well.” “Love? As in… intimate?” He raised an eyebrow. God only knew what images flashed through his mind. “Indeed. A female human became his mate, his wife. She in turn bore him a child; a hybrid, a union of unicorn and human. However, problems arose.” Celestia frowned sadly. “The child needed magic to live and prosper,” Luna continued as she joined Celestia. “Star Swirl discovered that Earth is near barren of magic. His child suffered greatly because there was no source of magic strong enough to bond with, thus the child suffered headaches and a shortened lifespan. Star Swirl sought to rectify his mistake.” Grandfather’s mouth hung open in surprise. Slowly he turned to me. “Is… Is this true?” I nodded. “As far as I can tell, yes. Please go on, Princess Luna.” “Star Swirl began investigating how he could return to Equestria. His discovery, however, was not what he hoped for. A portal to Equestria would take hundreds of years to appear, thus he was trapped on Earth along with his wife and child. This did not deter him in the slightest. He created the staff you hold, Joseph. He filled it with magic and his memories along with a construct—an artificial being created by magic meant to guide his descendants to Equestria by the time a portal appeared. However, when the portal appeared, only one descendant remained.” Celestia and Luna turned to me and smiled. Grandfather’s gaze alternated between the alicorns and me before his eyes widened in realization. “My God…” he muttered reverently. He once again held the staff near my horn for comparison. “I thought it looked similar, but… I never imagined this.” He scratched his head and leaned the staff against the chair. “But how... You look like… this now.” He gestured at me. “You looked human before. What changed?” I held up my hand, displaying my thick fingers and furry arm. “It was the magic of Equestria, Grandpa. Earth doesn’t have enough magic; that’s why we both looked like ordinary people. I turned into this when I got to Equestria. The magic of Equestria completed me, in a way.” I opened and closed my hand a few times before lowering it. “That lack of magic is also the reason we've both lived with headaches our entire lives.” I grimaced at the memory of the pain that had haunted us, thankful it was now eradicated. “We needed magic to live, or else we would have died young. You always carried the staff around and somehow managed to absorb magic from it into you. I couldn’t do that—it’s possible I would never have lived to see my thirtieth birthday.” All this time, his eyes were focused on my body until he looked up to meet my gaze. “Although it sounds unbelievable, I can’t refute the evidence in front of me, no matter how strange it may sound. I can see the physical resemblance both to them,” he jerked his head to the alicorns, “and to the staff. What else have changed about you?” “I don’t know yet, but I plan to find out.” “Good,” he said firmly. Celestia and Luna wandered back to the couch, and for a few moments, we simply sat there in silence, listening to the crackling fire. It had been a long time since I had been able to do this. It reminded me of winters spent inside with a cup of hot cocoa, cartoons on TV and video games. With no cocoa available, I settled for the syrup. I poured some into a cup and add hot water, allowing it to cool. Celestia and Luna also decided to test the syrup. While Celestia took to the drink almost immediately, Luna seemed much more cautious. After a careful sip, she smiled broadly and nearly drained the cup one gulp. “Marvellous! This beverage truly warms a cold body.” “Wait, how do you know what it tastes like?” “While Sister and I are here, your dream shares certain things with us. We know what this beverage taste like because your mind has told us. The same goes for language. Have you not noticed that we all speak our native languages, yet we all understand each other perfectly? At the moment we do not speak with words, rather with thoughts.” “Huh, how about that.” I had certainly been too distracted to notice. “While all of this is quite… unbelievable, and I’m trying my best to come to grips with this…” We all turned towards my grandfather. He was studying the horn on his staff with a curious expression. “I wonder why you called me here, son.” He turned to me and smiled sadly. “I know that I passed two years ago, and I have no problem with that. It’s just a fact of life. We are born, we live, and we die. Now I also know that this is a dream and that you made me appear for some reason. You want my help with something—I just need to know what.” I leaned back in the chair, chewing the inside of my cheek. It still pained to know that I would never return to Earth, doubly so that my friends were forever lost to me. I had relied on my grandfather for many years, and I hoped his dream version would do the same. “I can’t go back to Earth,” I explained with a shake of my head. “Coming here was a one-way trip. The portal opens once every seven-hundred and fifty years, and now it’s closed.” Grandfather’s face immediately fell as he realized the implications of my statement. “I’ll never see Earth again. I’ll never see another human again. I’ll never see Adam, Lisa, Nick, Max, Renee, Jesse, and Sammy again. I'm trapped in Equestria.” Grandfather quickly turned to the two alicorns, shock written on his face. “Is this true? My grandson can never return home?” Celestia nodded sadly, her ears drooping. “I’m afraid so. Our best efforts could not discover a way to return Magnus to Earth or force the portal to open. I… We made the decision to ensure the portal remained permanently closed so that nopony else would be lost in them. Your ancestor, Star Swirl the Bearded, said that the entire crew of his ship died upon arrival to Earth. It was not a decision taken lightly, but it had to be done in order to protect our subjects as well as humans.” Grandfather mulled over her words for a while. “I see. You had others to protect as well. I understand.” He turned to me. “So, you’re stuck, hmm?” “Yeah, and I… I…” Tears welled up in my eyes and I quelled a sob before it could be heard. “I don’t know what to do! I can’t handle this!” I stood and began to pace restlessly. “I don’t want to live around ponies! I don’t want to live in Equestria! I want to live on Earth, amongst people! I have things to do and dreams to fulfil! I don’t want this horn, these hooves, these ears, and this fur!” I turned to Grandfather and pinched the hairs on my arm hard enough that it stung. “Look at me!” I yelled, almost hyperventilating while staring at my grandfather in the eye. I sighed and shook my head. “What am I?” In the corner of my eye, I noticed Celestia and Luna looking at me with disappointment. Maybe my words could have been perceived as somewhat racist, but they weren’t in my shoes. I couldn’t even wear shoes anymore. Slowly, Grandfather stood, grabbing his staff as he did. Holding it in one hand, he met my wild eyes, as if searching for something. They were nothing compared to the face of stone he wore. It meant that I was about to receive a lesson. “You have changed outwardly, son.” He placed his right index finger on my forehead. “Did something change in here?” “No… not that I know of,” I muttered, working to regulate my breathing. “Then you are my grandson, Magnus, in there.” He then moved his hand to my chest, placing it over my heart. “What has changed in here?” “Nothing…” “Then you are my grandson, Magnus, in there as well. You are still you.” He smiled as he went back to his chair and continued sipping his warm beverage. I couldn’t even form a proper reply, only a steady stream of wretched stuttering escaping my lips. Even Luna and Celestia seemed taken aback by his simple statement. It was typical for him—provide an easy explanation and then wait for me to figure things out. “GOD DAMN IT, YOU OLD COOT!” I screamed as loud as I could. “I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO!” Despite my rage, my grandfather was unfazed. “Isn’t it obvious?” He turned to the alicorns. “How long did our ancestors live before they died?” “Most of them never reached the age of thirty,” Celestia answered. Grandfather nodded to her before looking back to me. “Magnus, you are twenty-seven years old. If what I hear is true, you had perhaps three years left, at best.” He stood and placed his arms on my shoulders, looking deep into my eyes. “I know how much you care for your friends. I know. Ever since Julia passed away and your father left, I’ve only wanted what was best for you. Do you remember what I said long ago? I didn’t want you to live in this forest. That’s why I bought the house in town for us. I was sure you could find someone around your age there, someone that you could bond with. And you did find someone, isn’t that right? “Now, you could live for three years, and then what? I don’t know what happens to us after we die, but isn’t life worth living, hmm?” I remembered this question—he had asked me the same thing many years ago. I had been miserable, angry, and had felt abandoned at the time. What my grandfather said back then made me see things in a different perspective. “Life's worth living when you have something to live for,” I repeated, knowing exactly what he meant. Wandering over to the photos on the wall, he retrieved one, smiling gently. I wandered over to him and placed my arm on his shoulder. “Dad lost what he lived for,” I reminded him. “He did.” He held the picture out to me. I gently accepted it, treating it with the respect it deserved. It was a picture of my parents at their wedding. Mom wore a beautiful white wedding dress, choosing to carry a variety of colourful mountain flowers instead of roses. Dad had on a black suit and white shirt with a light grey tie. He looked good in it. He had even cut his hair and trimmed his beard for the wedding. Mom’s belly was barely noticeable. They seemed so happy together. Every photo I had seen with my parents in them, Dad was always smiling, a complete contrast to the ones of him before they met. Grandfather looks at the picture in my hands with sadness in his eyes. “When Julia died, Hrafnar lost his will to live. He couldn’t even take care of you. Now you speak as if life isn’t worth living. You are your father’s son, but please do not follow in his footsteps.” I gently traced my fingers around the picture’s frame. They had been happy for a time, though it wasn’t enough. Grandfather always described my mother as cheerful and determined, never letting things keep her down for long. She was… inspirational, in a way. Dad was the opposite until he met her. Mom had been the reason Dad lived, but without her, he set himself on a path of self-destruction. “Mom was Dad’s reason for living,” I whispered. “Everything I had on Earth was my reason.” “Then find new reasons for living.” He patted my back a couple of times before wandering back to his chair. I reluctantly followed him to my chair and slumped down in it. “Now…” Grandfather took a cookie from the food tray and bit into it. “You need a reason for living, and those are easy to come by for some, but for others it can be a bit difficult. I don’t know what Equestria is like, so maybe Celestia and Luna can fill us in on what their world is like.” He turned to the alicorns, who had remained silent during our conversation. “If it will help our young charge, we would be delighted to.” Their faces brightened as they approached. And so Celestia and Luna filled Grandfather in on what had happened to me after I came to Equestria, also giving me a few details that I hadn’t been aware of. One of them was that I had remained unresponsive in bed for five days. Their increasing uncertainty of my state of mind and health prompted their foray into my mind. When pressed, Luna mentioned that one’s subconscious always spoke, in a way. I planned to have a little chat concerning my privacy with her. She had still invaded my dream, and I wasn’t planning on letting her get away with this intrusion, even if she did it for what she saw as a good reason. When magic was mentioned, Grandfather perked right up. Luna gave him a small demonstration by levitating a few objects around, much to his surprise and amusement. Celestia explained in more detail how the lack of magic had affected us, while I reassured him that I was doing much better in that regard. Then the subject of Equestria and ponykind in general came up. Grandfather actually scooted forward on his chair, captivated by her words. From unicorn magic to pegasi weather control he heard about, the crowning story how Celestia and Luna controlled the sun and the moon. They also spoke of the numerous species that lived on the planet, mostly in harmony with one another. Luna also mentioned what Star Swirl had described humanity to be like. Apparently we lacked ‘harmony’, what with our frequent conflicts and propensity for violence. To me, it seemed as if Star Swirl had deliberately set out to make humans appear unfavourable in comparison to ponies, something both my grandfather and I frowned heavily upon. When Celestia then spoke of how peaceful Equestria and the rest of Equus were in general, it all made some manner of sense to me. Star Swirl had attempted to paint Equestria as alluring as possible to me. Still, he was right in a way. Wars were apparently extremely rare on Equus, with conflicts usually being settled using diplomacy. The most telling fact was that I was still alive instead of being held in a cage or being dissected. Sure, Star Swirl had vouched for me, but Celestia had said that it wouldn’t have happened either way, which provided some measure of comfort. Still, knowing about the Spirit of Chaos, the changelings, and the unicorn hunters told me that strife could and would exist on Equus, just not as frequently. After about an hour, Grandfather had been filled in. With one hand resting on his chin and the other grasping his cup, he stared into the fire burning in the hearth, his old eyes blinking slowly as he contemplated their words. “What a peculiar situation you’ve gotten yourself into,” grandfather mumbled under his breath. “Not so easy to fix, is it?” I nodded slowly, fiddling with my cup and a cookie. “Honestly, son, this isn’t something you can fix. The way I see it, there’s nothing you can do about it. You had maybe three years left before the end came, and then what?” “I would die,” I replied glumly. “Most likely, yes. From my point of view, you’ve gotten a new chance at life, one that many in our family never got.” “I agree with you on that point, but I don’t want this!” I pointed at my horn. “I want to be normal!” “And you are. It’s what’s on the inside, your character and courage, that matters. Besides, even if you looked like a normal human, you would still stand out, right? He was right, loathe as I was to admit it. I would always look like this, for both good and bad. “They will stare…” “Then let them!” Luna proclaimed as she quickly stood up, a resolute look on her face. “Let them gaze upon you until their eyes bleeds. Let them stare until the hunger in their eyes has been sated.” Her fervour calmed somewhat, and she continued in a more modulated volume, “There is nothing wrong with your appearance, but you must understand that our subjects will be curious about you. Give it time and they will treat you as an inhabitant of Equestria. All that is needed is time.” Celestia nodded firmly. “Luna is right. Ponies are curious, but also skittish by nature. Anything new and unseen will be treated with utmost caution. For example, Twilight wrote to me about a zebra that lived in the Everfree Forest who scared the inhabitants of Ponyville, simply because they had never seen one before. Now Zecora is considered a good friend to all of Ponyville.” “And Discord, the Spirit of Chaos. He was once one of the greatest threats towards Equestria, nay, the world. His magic was even stronger than the both of us combined, but after his reformation at the hooves of Fluttershy, the Element of Kindness, he is now an ally and friend to Equestria,” Luna added. “Of course, there have been unforeseen… setbacks…” “The point is that you will be accepted. All that is needed is time, and if you are willing to invest your time towards acceptance, then you will find yourself welcome among us,” Celestia finished with a smile. I buried my head in my hands. Maybe they were right; maybe I had overreacted a bit. The staff at the castle had made it obvious that they would stare at something new. It wasn’t as though I was innocent, having done my bit of gawking and gaping. Still, I might have a chance if that Discord character had been integrated into their society. Overall, these ponies seemed friendly once one got to know them, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up just yet. A few ponies didn’t represent the entire country. “Sometimes I hate your logic, you know that, right?” Celestia and Luna tittered while Grandfather guffawed heartily. The sombre atmosphere of the room eased somewhat, and I allowed a faint smile to creep up on my lips. The laughter petered out as Grandfather took another cookie. “While you think about acceptance, we should discuss something else, such as your living arrangements. You do have a place to stay, right?” “That is already taken care of,” Celestia replied quickly. “Magnus is welcome to stay in the castle for as long as he likes.” “As long as Magnus is our responsibility, my sister and I shall see to his needs, whatever they may be,” Luna stated. “Well then, that was quick.” He chuckled briefly. “Then maybe we can find something for you.” I raised my head from my hands. “What? Me?” “Mhm. Acceptance is not enough. Being separated from everything you have ever known will take time to overcome. It may take months and years, but you’ll be okay. I know you aren’t the type to give up so easily, son. For now, you should take the time you need to grieve and remember, and only when you are done should you look ahead. Only after your mourning is over can the healing truly begin.” “But you need a goal, something to live for. Merely existing isn’t enough. What you need, what we all need, is some spice in our lives. And from what I understand, Equestria is quite the fairy tale world, isn’t it? Magic, dragons, creatures of every kind.” With a certain glint in his eyes, he leaned towards me. “Tell me, is there something about Equestria that appeals to you?” I scratched my chin in consideration. Just about everything in this world was worth exploring, some more than others. In a new and unexplored world, most things would be uncharted territory, both the good and bad. I would have to throw myself into a new culture, and there were bound to be numerous misunderstandings along the way. However, there was one thing that stood out to me, something that even now was coursing through my body. “Magic is awesome,” I responded after a while. “It makes me feel whole, you know? It’s like the most amazing life rush.” I grinned slightly. “It’s exhilarating.” Grandfather’s brows furrowed slightly, his eyes twinkling. “Oh, really? I wonder if Alakazam will return.” My blood froze in my veins as I gawped at him. He wouldn’t dare, would he? Oh, he would! A shiver of fear and embarrassment coursed through my body. “NO! Don’t you dare, you old goat!” Grandfather smirked as he brought the cup to his lips, extending his pinkie finger while slurping. Five seconds passed by before I heard the dreaded question, posed by Celestia herself. “Who is this Alakazam? A friend of yours?” “No one!” I quickly replied. My objection didn’t help, and I groaned as I spotted the grin on my grandfather’s face. Darn old goat... “Yes, Alakazam was once a powerful wizard that lived around these parts. Although just a young boy, he was so clever and so powerful that he managed to defeat in single combat great wizards such as Madam Mim the Witch, Ursula the Sea Witch, and Maleficent the Sorceress, along with a host of various and dangerous monsters and beasts. He was a master of magic in his own right.” ‘Kill me. Kill me now.’ The two alicorns’ eyes widened, visibly impressed at hearing of the deeds the wizard had performed. I, however, was more focused on wishing I could be somewhere else right now. The only thing I was impressed about was Grandfather’s exceptional timing when it came to embarrassing me. “But wait!” Luna held up a hoof, looking somewhat perplexed. “None of this makes sense! Star Swirl said that humanity lacked magic. How can this powerful wizard you speak of use magic so freely?” “Oh, Alakazam never revealed how he attained his magic. No one knows how he came by it.” Grandfather turned to me with a smirk. “...I really hate you sometimes…” I muttered. Despite that, they refused to leave the subject alone. “If this wizard lived in these parts, why did Star Swirl never mentioned him to us? If Alakazam was so clever and so powerful, why did he never help you two? Surely, with his extraordinary abilities, perhaps he would have been able to help both of you with your lack of magic,” Celestia asked, appearing rather disturbed. Once more, Grandfather turned to me with a smile. “Do you want to explain who Alakazam was, or should I find the photo album?” “OKAY! You win!” Both alicorns’ gaze fell on me, surprised by my outburst, yet still awaiting an answer. I loved my grandfather to death, but sometimes he knew just what to say to either help me or embarrass me. And he was skilled at the latter. I pointed a warning finger at him while pursing my lips in annoyance. His grin quickly caused my faux anger to fade. If I didn’t tell them, he was sure to do it. “When I was five years old, I liked to pretend that I was a wizard,” I muttered. “And I continued playing wizard until I was twelve years old. It… was my favourite game. I even got my friends in on it as well.” The silence following my confession was short-lived. Their poker faces held for a brief moment, then Luna snorted loudly while Celestia laughed gaily. “You used to play wizard?” Celestia managed to ask as she eventually got her laughter under control. “You called yourself Alakazam?” “Give me a break! I was a kid! What do you expect?” I shot back. “You have photographs?” Luna excitedly asked Grandfather, to which he nodded. “Oh, Sister! We simply cannot let this chance slip away! Magnus must have looked adorable. Perchance he had a hat and cloak!” “Now that you mention it—” Grandfather began but never managed to finish his sentence. “For Christ’s sake! Can we get back to the original topic?” Celestia and Luna snickered lightly while nodding. “Thank you! Grandpa?” His belly shook as he wiped at his eyes with one hand. “You need to laugh a little, even in this dark situation. Jokes aside, what else do you see as a goal for you?” I contemplated the matter… for five seconds. “Nothing else comes to mind.” “That’s okay, no need to rush things. Just let it come to you at its own pace and I’m sure you’ll find something more interesting than lying in a bed and letting life pass you by. All you need to do is take one day at a time. That’s how we all live; not seven days in one day, or a year in one month.” One day at a time in a world clearly not made for me… could I do it or not? It was hard to say at the moment. The future was uncertain, now more than ever. The future I wanted, my dreams, my desires, all had been laid to waste. But they would probably never have been fulfilled anyway. What could I have done in three years? A nice house with a garden, maybe even a farm? A broken dream. A loving, caring, beautiful wife? A broken dream. Children… Not going to happen now. If, by some miracle, I had actually made my desires a reality, I would have left behind a house with a grieving widow and fatherless children that would cry out in pain, just like I had done all those years ago, a pain that no one would know how to fix. Maybe… it was better this way. There would be no children to carry on the suffering that Grandfather, Mom, and I had to go through. Maybe it was for the best that I didn’t have a girlfriend or wife to leave behind. They’d have been left alone with nothing but a cold tombstone, photos, memories, and a mournful heart. But there were some people that I hadn’t spared at all. “I miss them.” Grandfather, Celestia, and Luna turned to me, the smiles on their faces fading upon seeing the despondent expression on my face. “Your friends.” The sudden silence of the living room made Celestia’s voice sound like a tune played on a crystal glass. “They meant everything to me.” I shook my head in silent disbelief. Even now, having realized that they were gone, I still found it difficult to accept. “I don’t know what to do about it, about them. It was just so… sudden.” Grandfather leaned over to me and placed his hand on my shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze just as he had done when I was a kid and had injured myself, or when I came home from school after running into some of bullies. “That is the greatest loss you’ve suffered through all this.” He gazed at me solemnly. “I loved them as well, you know. I saw them grow up with you into fine young people, young men and women, different yet so alike. The kinship you felt to them is strong, and losing them like this is difficult. But they aren’t gone, not like I have. You are the one that disappeared without a trace, and I know that they will mourn you. In the end, they will go on with their lives, just as we all must do.” Grandfather walked over to the picture wall, coming to a halt in front of a picture of him and my grandmother. It was an old black and white picture of them taken on top of one of the skyscrapers of New York. “Some losses are harder to accept than others,” he quietly said as his fingers ran over the old photo encased in glass and wood. “We often feel tempted to give up.” He hung the picture back on the wall, running a finger gently over my grandmother’s face, as if caressing her. He had loved her dearly and spoke of her often. For him, she had been the only one. He never dated again, nor did he even show any interest in other women. “But would your friends want you to give up just because they aren’t there for you?” His sharp eyes settled on me. “Would they?” I knew they wouldn’t. We had supported each other through thick and thin, no matter what came our way. If one of us needed help, they didn’t even have to ask for help. When I decided to fix my old house, I had mentioned it to Adam and Max in passing. A few weeks later, when I had bought materials and was ready to get started, they suddenly showed up with hammer, nails, and crowbars, ready to help. The same happened on those days the migraines struck hard, leaving me a quivering mess of pain and nerves in bed. Lisa was usually the first one to hear about it and would drop by with something she brought from the drugstore, or some food since I was in no condition to cook for myself. She continued to do that even after we broke up. There was also that time Jesse was supposed to fix a car a customer had delivered in for repairs. Problem was that she had broken her leg before she could start. Instead, Max, Adam, Nick, and I helped her with the repairs while she hobbled around on crutches, giving us instructions and resulting in a satisfied customer. Though I wanted to answer for them, I couldn’t. I wanted to hear my friends, my siblings as they were, tell me to go on, to live, to assure me that they would be rooting for me all the way. However, they weren’t here, and the more I thought about it, the more depressed I became. Propping my head up on my elbow, I released a heavy sigh. My forlorn expression was immediately picked up by Celestia and Luna, who looked at me as though I was some mistreated puppy. Grandfather placed his hand on my shoulder. “You’ll be okay, son. You’ll figure things out.” He patted my shoulder once before heading back to his chair. When I heard the chair creak as his weight pressed down on it, I quickly turned towards him. He held his salmon sandwich in his hand and took a bite out of it, chewing slowly. The scent of salmon was familiar, but what astonished me once more that he seemed alive and well. I had almost forgotten this was a dream, so vivid and lifelike it was. It made me realize that since I had brought him back, I could do the same for others. I glanced at Luna, who was already smiling at me. “Go on, you can do it.” Somehow, she had already discerned what I had planned to do. Celestia seemed puzzled, while Luna merely smiled at her. “I believe we are about to meet some other humans.” I managed a grin before I closed my eyes. I could already see the physical and intangible aspects that defined my friends before my mind’s eye. Lisa’s golden hair; Nick’s beard and slight corpulent build; Adam’s short hair and round face; Max’s height and muscular frame; Jesse’s tomboyish appearance complete with freckles; Renee’s raven hair and slim figure, and Sammy with his Iron Maiden T-shirt, glasses, and goatee. Their personalities were already in my mind. It was as if they had been there all along, just waiting patiently for me to call out to them. ‘Hey guys, come on over to the cabin. Grandpa is here already and we’ve got something serious to talk about.’ The moment I opened my eyes, we all heard several pairs of legs walking up the stairs to the front door, then the sound of knocking. The alicorns and my grandfather all turned to the hallway, two of them looking surprised. “Guests? At this hour?” Grandfather murmured. He was about to get up, but I stopped him. “I’ll get it.” I hastened down the hallway, unable to hide the grin on my face. The moment I reached the door, I hesitated for a moment, wondering how they would react upon seeing me like this. A stream of question would undoubtedly come, and I wondered if I should have let them know beforehand. In the end, I had confidence that they would listen and accept me for who I was. It was just who they were. Exhaling deeply, I twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open slightly before I was instantly sent reeling by a tackle to the stomach that continued pushing me backwards. I struggled for a second to keep my balance, but it was a battle that I had already lost. Finally landing on my back without suffering any injuries, I attempted to regain my bearings, only to hear a familiar laughter. “Cannonball, asshole!” he shouted victoriously at my defeat. It only took a moment to understand what he referred to—a game we had been playing for years. We had to surprise each other by doing something completely unexpected to them. Over the years, I had suffered cheap pies to the face in public, air horn booby-trapped doors, along with other unexpected plans concocted by Adam. I had taken the last shot at him the last time we met, namely by adding a few drops of hot sauce to his beer. It seemed even my subconscious had remembered. Adam howled like a lunatic as his grinning visage appeared before my eyes. His laughter faded as he took in my appearance, from my face down to my legs. “Dude, why do you look like Mr Tumnus?”