//------------------------------// // Human In The Big City // Story: The Human And The Well // by Zandar13 //------------------------------// -~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ 3 Days Later, At The Base Of Foal Mountain -~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Ugh, mountain climbing sucks! I may have said that already but I still hold true to it. And here I thought going down the mountain was going to be easier, but nooooooooo! Were we ever so wrong about that little fact! ~~~~~ Once I had regrouped with everyone and calmed everyone down, we took it nice and slow for the remainder of the day but the next morning we walked at our usual pace when we could. A few smaller valleys and twisty turns slowed us down some but not enough to consider it a huge loss of time. But we did have to look for an alternate route cause one path lead us up higher the mountain but some of the younger one were starting to have trouble breathing, so we went around. By the end of the second day we had made not as much progress as I would of liked but unless I wanted to risk the health of my group, then there was nothing more to be done. On the third day we encountered a stroke of good fortune by coming across a little patch of grass with two fruit bearing trees! I am surprised that this little area could survive up here, but Minty Glade, an herbalist, explained to me a bit about how this was possible. I was about to bite into my fruit when Trixie whispered to me that there was not enough fruit for everyone. I gave this a quick though and I decided that all the adults should split theirs in two and share, I even gave mine away to a little colt named Lagniappe. Though something amazing happened afterward, because the little colt decided to try and break off half of the fruit to give back to me. I gently refused and said that it was more important for him to have more but he refused and said that it is important for everyone to have some, because we are all equal and he also thought this was a nice way to thank me for guiding everyone. I couldnt help but smile and pet his head a little before accepting it and the moment I did I saw a bright flash come from him and before our very eyes, the little guy had earned his cutie mark! It looked like a fleur-de-lis but with a small gift box behind it, with a red ribbon wrapped around both. The little guy was so happy that he started to cry a little as the others congratulated him and gave him hugs. He broke away from the group so he could give me a hug while he happily cried, doing his best to thank me multiple times in between sniffles. With that, everyone’s spirits were high and they all looked like they were ready to run a marathon. So we headed out and sped along the mountain side, I almost had to tell them to slow down a bit! But it was all good and everyone was smiling and laughing and were telling stories on how they got their own cutie marks. It was a very relaxing atmosphere. It also helped us greatly when our sky patrol came back with even better news that the edge of the mountain was just ahead! And it wasn't even noon yet! So we all quickly made our way over near the edge and that is when we had our first set of bad news, the original trail leading down appears to have been covered over with rocks, dirt, and other debris. Probably some sort of rock slide happened a while ago and nobody has been this way since, will make a mental note of this for later. Taking a peak down, I saw that the original path was relatively safe and kinda at a slope all the way down, or at least as far as I could see. I had the sky team stick to the air and decided to slowly walk down the accessible parts where we could then just do a little shimmy here and there around the parts we can't. I had a lot of the adults carry the foals since it would be faster, though by suggesting that I instantly became a jungle gym, with colts and fillies giggling as they wrapped around me, coating me in suit of foal armor. I decided to have a little fun and used my wind magic a little to hover down while I watched carefully as the others followed us. It was a little tough for us all and we had a couple of scares when some ponies foothold suddenly gave way, which caused a little bit of the rock formations below a stir. But that gave me an idea, I called over Cloudhoof and Barnes to make sure the path below and on the ground was all clear. It took a few minutes for them to return but they said that there was no sign of life anywhere near the route I instructed, placing the now disappointed foals on the ground, I mustered up as much strength as I could and summoned up a little wind magic into my foot and kicked a pretty big rock down the middle of the path. The initial force made an actual cut into the path and mountain itself before it started to tumble at an average rate, but the domino effect that I hoped for came as the other rocks and debris fell along with it, creating an ever increasing rock slide that almost completely cleared the path. I made everyone wait a few minutes along with a scout report just to make absolutely sure that nothing else was going to move or fall. The new path down was much easier on all of us and I could already start to see the ground! I felt so relieved that I was finally almost done with this mountain! Even though this last little stretch seemed relatively easy, I still hated it! Always living on the edge, not knowing if the next step was going to be your last or trip and fall! Bleh! I am so done with mountains for a while! “-Master, now that we have reached the bottom of the mountain, what do you wish we do now?-” Devi asked me. Taking a good look around, everyone was still in high spirits but I saw a few with jagged breaths and tired eyes. “Lets take a short break, just to settle our bodies back from rough mountain climbing back to regular walking. Take this chance to eat a quick little snack as well, get some energy back” I said to the ponies around me who spread the word to the back. With that in mind, I sat down with my little group and pulled out some apples for us while Devi found a place to gather sunlight to charge itself up with. I was going to say something but I heard Trixie giggle a little, which made me smile a bit. “What?” I asked. “Oh, it's nothing much. But that little colt over there has become rather fixated on you ever since this morning” Trixie explained as she pointed with her eyes. Not wanting to let them know I was looking, I very slowly turned my head around enough to look and saw Lagniappe 'secretly' staring at me with his friends. And by 'secretly' I mean with them holding up a fallen leaf branch and hiding behind a very small tree. It was almost too cliché to be true. “But Trixie can understand very well why, if somepony had helped me attain my own cutie mark when Trixie was young, I too would be star struck!” Trixie said with a dramatic wave of her hoof. “Papa! Papa! Will Mae get a cutie mark too?!” Maelstrom asked as she nibbled at her apple, slowly making it square shaped for some reason. “Hmmmm, would she?” Trixie answered before me. “From what Trixie knows and remembers, you said humans do not have cutie marks” “And I never saw Discord having one either” I said, mostly to myself. “Discord? Who is that?” Maelstrom asked which made me spit out my apple a bit. It just dawned on me that I never told her who her….. mother was? Well, I guess since Discord is a guy she has two dads? But he gave birth to her egg. Gah, fucking Discord and your chaotic ways. “Who is Discord? WHO IS DISCORD?!?” Trixie flabbergastly said. “Discord is the spirit and embodiment of chaos itself! Discord once ruled over all these lands by turning everything upside down! Literally and figuratively! Discord is crazy and no pony can control him! With a snap of his tail he can turn the ground into gravy! Discord is bonkers!” Maelstrom seemed to take all that information in before speaking “Discord sounds boring!” she said with a laugh. Which instantly made me snort, so I covered up my mouth with my hand and laughed into it while Trixie had a dumbfounded look on her face. But just as quickly, I saw her become confused. “Wait, what does Discord have to do with her not having a cutie mark?” She asked. I scooted over to her and whispered in her ear what happened and surprise surprise, The Discord Look struck again! Which was quite funny to see again, I kinda missed it. “DISCORD HATC-” I speedily covered her mouth with my hand. “He hatched what?” Maelstrom asked. “Uhhhh….. he…. once hatched….an egg and then ate it for lunch! Good ol' random Discord!” I nervously said with an equal nervous laugh. “Ewww! He ate his own poopie! Cause eggs come out of chickens butts!” Maelstrom said with a disgusted face and I exploded with laughter on the inside. But I kept up my calm facade while covering up Trixies blabber mouth. “I have not told her yet about Discord since he disappeared just before she hatched and I would rather her meet him then hear about him. That and it's going to be very hard to explain to her and will probably lead to an extremely awkward talk” I whispered to Trixie. “Papa! Why are you whispering all the time?! Mae wants to know too!” she said before poofing onto my shoulder with a pout. “It's adult stuff, I will tell you when you're older sweetie” I said to her while I nuzzled her a little. “So Mae just has to become an adult then?!” Maelstrom said with a twinkle in her eyes. “...yes?” I confusingly said. “Yay!” she said before she floated in front off me and brought her arms in and for a brief second her entire body shimmered white, almost like she was a pokemon evolving. “Oh no you don't!” I said as I snatched her into my arms. “I have already missed your baby years, I am not going to miss your young lady years either. If I did, I would of instantly grown gray hairs from the stress and worry” “But you already have old pony white hair!” she said with a giggle as she hugged my arms. Unknown to me, we had drawn a semi-crowd since most were done snacking and were eager to set off. So I heard multiple snickers trying to be held in as I stood there in a state of shock. I felt like I had been turned to stone and I could feel little splinters and pebbles falling off of me as time slowly dragged on. Meanwhile, on the inside, I was split between embarrassed crying and laughing. Twas a very interesting feeling to experience. “-Ahem. Putting that aside for the moment, we should most likely be heading out now-” Devi said to the gaggle of laughing ponies. “G-good idea! Saddle up everypony!” I said in a hurry, wishing for everyone to forget that embarrassing moment. Gah, that stirs up some memories from when I was back home and younger, the kids at school would tease me and call me old man or other similar names. “So how much further is it, do you know?” Trixie asked me. “Hmmm, it should not take too much longer. According to the last map I saw, it should be nothing but plains from here to Manehatten. So long as we avoid Hollow Shades, which should be on our left hand side, then it will be smooth sailing from here on out!” I explained while I mentally pictured the map Twilight showed me. “Excellent! Trixie is most tired of walking on her hooves day in and day out!” Trixie said with a boasted grin. “Then you should ride on Papas shoulders! Like Mae does! Mae never tired!” Maelstrom happily said while she flew circles around us. “Easy for you to say! You can fly!” Trixie retorted. “You can't fly? Mae thought you just liked to walked” Maelstrom confusingly admitted. “Certainly not! I may be the Grand and Beautiful Trixie but I am not a pegasus! I am a splendid and wonderful unicorn!” Trixie said with another boasted grin and I saw tiny little sparks shoot out of her horn. “Oh! So am I a pegasus then?” Maelstrom asked while she tried to look at her back wings, but ended up only flying in circles. “Nope! You, my pretty little angel, are a draconequus! So, you are kinda a little of everything, from pony to animal and because of me, a little human as well! I think” I explained. “A d-rake-o-e-guess?” She tried to repeat back. “That word is a little hard for you. You know what? For now, if anyone asks, just tell them you are a storm child. That should work for now” I said with a little laugh. “Storm child! Okie dokie Papa!” she said before hugging my neck. “What is that?” I heard someone ask from behind. Snapping myself back to reality, I had almost forgotten that we had started walking already and saw that we were a good distance away from the mountain. Taking a look around, I saw only two things. The plains on our right and a thin outline of trees to our left. “I believe that is the forest that surrounds Hollow Shades, which is a good sign cause that means we are defiantly heading in the right direction. Let everyone know to avoid going in there, that forest has the potential level of danger the Everfree has” I informed them. I soon heard a little chorus of whispers and talks, which eased my mind a little. After that, the walk went along very smoothly and since we could see everything in front of us, I was not worrying about something jumping out at us every second. Which does wonders for the heart! Also, some of the children had come up to me and asked if Maelstrom could come play again. After talking her into it again, which was slightly easier this time around, she flew off for another game of tag. I was feeling so proud of her for opening up a little bit to others. As much as I loved having her cling to me and shower me with love and affection, I knew that it was probably unhealthy to keep her all to myself. Yet, since she is technically still only two months old I think I should still baby her a bit? I dunno. She blasted through her baby years and into a small child. I do not like having to guess how to treat my daughter everyday. But I have to do what I can do. That is when I felt a small poke to my shoulder, taking a quick peak behind I saw that it was Roughta the gryphon who started to fly besides me once I saw him. “And what can I do for you today?” I asked him. “Oh, nothing much. Just wanted to come up to the front and see things from up here was all” he said while lacking any eye contact. I felt something was up but I just ignored it for now. A couple of attention getting coughs sounded off behind which got the gryphon to flinch a little and now he has least turned his head towards me while he stared elsewhere. “Well, what I meant to say was that it is cool that you are always up front leading all these folks and stuff. Kinda cool, I suppose” he said in a way that almost sounded like he was caught in a lie. Another couple of coughs rang out which made him flinch again and now he had his full attention on me, eyes and all. “W-w-what I mean to say is…...thanks. For, you know, putting up with me and allowing me to stay in the group for so long….and stuff” he said with a huff and a puff. I finally smiled at the truth “No problem Roughta, and if you wanna fly then go ahead. I know already that your wing has healed already. Devia told me a while ago, but at that point you were one of the group already. I was just waiting on you to say something” I replied, with a new found grin on my face. “W-w-w-well fine! I was gonna say something anyway, but now that it is out of the way I'm gonna start flying. Around. Here. You know what I mean! Gah!” he said with another huff before flying back to his usual spot. Followed shortly by a giggle, which belonged to Molly the donkey. “Took him long enough! You have no idea how long it took us to convince him to talk to you! His name may be Roughta, but inside he is very softa. Hee hee” she said with another giggle. “Ah, so that is what happened. I was kinda curious as to what that was all about” I said. “The poor dear, his head was almost ready to burst when we accidentally asked the right question. We asked him 'Is your wing doing ok?' and he practically exploded into words and phrases! I don't know what is is exactly, but something about our little group traveling around has really smoothed his rough edges” she informed me. “Huh. I guess so now that you said that. Nonetheless, it was still surprising to see!” I said back. “Well, I better head on back and make sure Hoofter doesn't cause too much trouble with the other kids” she said with a wave of her hoof. “Gotcha, keep on eye out for Maelstrom as well. She is new to playing with others” I asked. “No worries!” she said back before heading off. Once Molly went back, things fell mostly silent back up front with Devia, Trixie, and myself. But that was ok, I got used to this pretty quickly. During the first few days of our expedition, I thought the silence meant no one wanted to go near me or something, but after everything we have gone through I have learned not to take it personal. Which was my fault for being paranoid in the first place. Now that I think about it, my time as a leader was drawing nearer. Cause once we cross these plains and get to Manehatten, granted a little time to actually get the gears going, I will be saying goodbye to everyone. At that was a little sad to think about, I was actually kinda getting used to be a leader and all. But I have to remind myself that this isn't only about me, this is about them as well and probably more important at the moment. Since I do have a home to return too. Sure, AJ and Rainbow would probably tease and bully me about not sticking to a commitment but I don't think anyone in Ponyville would truly complain if I came back. Especially a certain pegasus. Sigh. I miss her a lot. And I hope she really is alright. Heh, I wonder if our little 'deal' to break up was just a silly excuse for the two of us not to feel bad about being away from each other. Cause I certainly still hurt inside for not being able to hold her, to stare into her beautiful golden eyes while I stroked her silky smooth mane. “-Master? Are you alright?-” Devi asked me. I shook my head to clear my thoughts before nodding. “Yeah, I am fine. I was just thinking-” “About someone you love, no doubt!” Trixie interjected. “-How can you be so sure, Trixie?-” Devi asked her. “The look on his face said everything, the far of look in his eyes, the aura he gave off, the slight saunter in his walk, and the number one clue: the dopey look on his face” Trixie said with a sly smirk as my face grew a little red. “-So that is what love looks like? Most interesting! But, he doesn't look like that when Maelstrom is around, or at least not that exact look-” Deva said this time. “This is a different kind of love! Love between a child and parent is called storge” Trixie started to explain. “-Storge. Interesting. What are the other kinds of love then?-” Deva asked in return. “Hmmmm, well Trixie supposes it might be different depending on the pony and the circumstances. But this is what Tri-…. What my mother taught me when I was foal. Storge is the love between family members. Philia is the love between friends, the true bond that keeps them together. If that love blooms, then it becomes Eros. The love of romance. This is where most ponies usually end up, but there is another level of love that is what one should truly strive for” “That is Agape. Unconditional love. To love somepony for who they truly are, to look past their faults and shortcomings and still love them the same and more! Its the kind of love Trixie truly wishes to find, especially now” Trixie concluded with a sad sigh before gasping. She probably didn't mean to leak that little truth. “-I see. This information is wonderful! So, my dear Master, what kind of love were you experiencing just now during your thinking?-” Deva went on. “I….I can't truly answer that. It would be a little presumptuous of me to simply label it. Especially because she is not here with me. If I was to answer that, I would have to be able to hold her in my arms and ask how she feels. Since that is what a true relationship is, what we both think. At least, that is what I believe” I admitted. There was a small gap of silence before I heard Trixie sniffle a little bit “Trixie apologizes but Trixie thought that was a beautiful statement to make. If only more stallions had that kinda belief” she explained. “Heh heh. Well, with my past, one could see it simply being 'beggers can't be choosers' instead of wisdom. But regardless of how I shaped that thought, it is still a part of my being and who I am. Or at least, how I try to be. I am only human after all” I said with a quick flashback to my mother. But this time, it brought a comforting smile to my face. Which was a good sign. “-I see, I see. I will update my internal logs about this and hopefully I can fully process the emotion and thought process of love-” Deva said. “Good luck” Trixie and me said in unison. That got us to laugh together as well. I just hope Devia doesn't explode while trying to mathematically figure out love. Not even magic can help in that field. Or maybe it can? Since Cadence is the Princess of Love after all, so magic can be involved? I dunno. “Boss! Boss! Look! Up ahead!” Cloudhoof shouted as he flew over. Taking a look farther up ahead I saw a couple of ponies working in a field, plowing the fields, and tending various other chores. Excellent! These are defiantly the plains that lead to Manehatten. After walking a little bit closer, one of the farm ponies finally noticed our group, shortly before shouting something to the others and before we knew it we were seeing a small party running at us with smiling faces. Hopefully this is good? “Hello! Are you by any chance Adrian the human?” said the closest earth pony. “That's me, but how do you know that?” I curiously asked. “Oh thank Celestia! We have been waiting for your group for a while now! Seeder! Quickly! Go back and inform the others! Adrians here!” said the same earth pony. The one he was talking to nodded his head before doing a one eighty and ran back. “Sorry, didn't mean to surprise you like that Mr. Frost, but we have been most excited to welcome you!” “Please, just Adrian is fine. And not that I'm not grateful for the warm welcome, but how did you know we were coming?” I asked again. “Oh! Sorry, guess that would be a little confusing. Well, about a week ago we got a sudden visitor from Canterlot informing us all about you and what your group is doing. They said that they were a part of your group before Princess Celestia helped them. But they said after getting to Canterlot they hopped on a train to Manehatten and started spreading the word about you!” “And I have to say, I am honored to finally meet the brave pony who is leading this group! Er, well, not pony. Sorry, I don't actually know what to call you” “No worries. I am a human and I am very surprised to hear all of this! I never expected something like this!” I said with much awe. I am almost speechless at the fact that one of the ponies who left with Celestia did all this! I thought they all favored her over me, not in a bad way but more in the way they thought it was safer and better. “Oh! And what is your name by the way?” “My apologies! I'm called Arid Beduster and this is the Beduster fields! My family has owned these fields for generations! And it would be my honor to escort you and your group to the gates of Manehatten and give you all a lift using our wagons!” he excitingly said. “No! No! You don't have to go that far! Especially since I know how busy and hard it is to maintain the fields” I softly tried to reject. “Have no fear my friend, since we have been anticipating your arrival, we came prepared!” he said and with a wave of his hand, I saw that five big, covered wagons were coming down the path to us. “I asked around and I was able to find some volunteers and spare wagons to give you all a lift! I hope this is enough to carry you all, since we didn't have an exact number” he said. “Are you sure? I would feel bad if we held you all back from your chores” I tried to protest. “Leave all your worries behind, like I said, these are all volunteers. And you will get to Manehatten much faster! At a normal pace, it would take maybe two or three days. But these ponies are all trained to carry much heavier loads back and forth from Manehatten or Filly Delphia to deliver goods. So, if all goes well, they should be able to get you all to Manehatten within a day!” Arid said with a kind smile. Wow, that certainly would be nice and I think it would be beneficial for them all to have a day of rest before getting to Manehatten anyway. Cause once we are inside, it is going to be a whole new adventure. And if they are all volunteers, then I don't need to feel bad about them missing anything important. “Then I will accept your fine offer, and I owe you one” I said with a bow. “Oh please, think nothing of it. This is nothing compared to the kindness you are showing by leading all these ponies to a new life! Hoofduster! Have you and the others help Adrians group in! On the double!” Arid yelled out and as quick as a flash tons of farm hands (farm hooves?) massed around us and practically lifted us all into the air and put us all into the wagons. “Oof! Watch your hoof young stallion!” said one of the mares followed by a very loud slap, which was accompanied by a wave of laughter. Once we were all seated properly, we had quite a send off by all the ponies working on the field while we set off at quite a pace that was much faster than our pace. Actually, now that I think about it, I wonder if I was slowing us down? Cause maybe ponies are naturally faster walkers then us? I hope not cause that would certainly bring me down. But that was quickly washed aside as the country side moved by and I have to say, it was actually quite a nice view to take in and very leisurely to watch. Even waving back at the eager and friendly ponies working was super nice. It really made me feel good for doing this, like it was actually worth something far more than just survival. Which is obviously the most important thing, but at times it is nice to feel a sense of accomplishment and acknowledgment. I glanced behind me and briefly saw Trixie climb up front with me to allow more seating area for Devia and their class. Everyone has been really enjoying these lessons and I think Devia secretly enjoys them too. We even had a few fliers trailing us in order to listen in, so even when we are suppose to relax they still wanna learn! Brought a little smile to my face. “Oh? And what has made you so happy?” Trixie said with a nudge of her hoof. “Oh, nothing much” I said as I turned my head back out front. “You can tell me, the Great and Tight-lipped Trixie!” Trixie said with her usual gusto. I had to roll my eyes but I answered anyway “Well, to be honest. I am gonna miss this little group” I ended with a sigh. “Really?” Trixie inquisitively asked. “Yeah, I think I will. Even though I still feel worried and scared that I will fail them at any moment, I have gotten used to everyone. To the kids playing, Devia teaching, the guard routine, and even being the mediator sometimes. But I also kinda started liking the role of leader, made me feel useful for once” I said while staring at nothing. “It's gonna be tough to say goodbye to everyone and be mostly on my own again, but I know it is for the best and I will hopefully see them off with a better future” I finished with another little sigh. “Will you even miss….me?” she shyly asked. “Of course I will, no pony could ever match you and your outstanding nature and bravado” I said with a slight smirk and a raised brow. At this, I saw her chest puff out a little as she struck a semi-sitting pose “But of course! No pony in ALL of Equestria can ever match the Great and Wonderful Trixie!” she shouted to the heavens. “Yeah, yeah, we get it. We get it” said everypony behind us in a monotone voice. “Hmph. Jealous much” Trixie said before she slumped back down. I couldn't help but chuckle at her usual antics, yet I was a little sad and surprised that I was actually going to miss that. Only a little though, but enough. “Come here you” I said as I reached over and gently dragged her into my lap. “Wha-wha-what in Tartarus are you doing?” said a heavily blushing Trixie. “Just giving you a little something to remember me by” I said as I stretched my hand and began to scratch her right ear and, surprisingly, she collapsed in my lap instantly. “Hmmmmmm” she quietly hummed as she snuggled into my leg. Heh, ear scratches are the sure-fire way to keep the Trixie quiet. Who knew? Suddenly, in the distance, a few flocks of birds sprang out of the sparsely spaced trees and a slight echo could be heard emanating behind us. “-tion! tion….tion…..tion….” “What was that boss?” Cloudhoof and Barnes asked, since they had also joined in on Devia lesson. “Nothing to worry about, just a silly pink party pony showing her love” I said with a loving smile. “Oooook then” the duo said before flying back, while casually glancing behind them every now and then. “We assume you are talking about that obnoxious Pinkie Pie from Ponyville?” Trixie said with a grumpy face before melting back into a smile. “Hey, be nice. She may have the ability to bounce off the walls and party twenty-four seven, but she is my little sister” I said with just a tiny hint of roughness. “Little sister?” she asked. “Well, not officially or anything. It was something she asked of me and I could not afford to say no or else be onslaught to her big, teary eyes that stare deep into your soul. I was also asked to be Princess Luna's little brother as well, by big sis Luna herself” I declared with a little laugh to myself. “Why is Trixie not all that surprised by that and your human antics. You probably fit right in at Ponyville” she said, slightly annoyed. “Yeah, I did. But you know why I couldn't stay there forever, or at least at the moment” I sadly said. “Well, just ignore that and continue with my ear….. please” Trixie said as she readjusted her head. “What did I say about being nice?” I gently reminded her. “Why should Trixie be sorry! It's because of Ponyville that Trixie had to face reality and be forced to be anything less then Trixie should be!” Trixie said as she quickly sat up. “Yes, Trixie already knows what she did wrong and wishes to redeem herself. But that still doesn't take away the fact that Trixie is where she is today because of it!” “Trixie never did anything wrong before that meddlesome Twilight came along and started changing ponies! Before she came along, Ponyville loved my shows! Then here comes along Princess Celestias protege and just like that! Trixie became a laughing stock and a fraud in their eyes!” Trixie passionately said, here face starting to heat up. “Trixie just wishes her life wasn't destroyed and become forced to be a nobody again!” she partially yelled out as a few little tear drops started to roll down her cheeks. “Not again…..not…..not again” she quietly repeated to herself. At this, I pulled her in for a hug which she tried to resist. “The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn't need a hug! She doesn't need anything!” she said as she tried her best to get out of my arms. “Trixie doesn't need your pity! Trixie doesn't want your kindness! Trixie! Tr-Trixie! Trixie….” “What do you want Trixie?” I asked. At this, she finally ceased her squirming and stared into my chest for a few silent seconds before letting herself fall onto me. “I just want to be happy again” Trixie finally admitted before silently crying. I remained quiet while I wrapped my arms around her and softly pulled her up, while I stroked her mane. It didn't take too long before she coughed a few times and did a quick wipe of her face and sat up to look at me “Sorry about that Adrian, I am not sure what got into me all of a sudden” she said with a slightly sullen face. “No worries, my ear scratches have that kinda effect. In fact, The Royal Ear Scratch has almost caused a war between two Princesses! Tis a power most unwieldy!” I said with a tiny hint of Trixies usual bravado. This got a tiny smile out of her as she sniffled a little. “You certainly are a weird one Adrian, Trixie is glad to have you on her side” she said before she laid back down with her head in my lap again. And almost instantly, I moved my hand back to her ear and scratched it some more. Which seemed to surprise the mare, but I heard no voice of rejection. Instead, in a minute or so, I heard the soft and steady breathing of a sleeping pony. Looking down, I saw that Trixie had a happy smile on her face while she dreamed. “-Is everything ok up there Master?-” Devi asked. Taking a quick glance behind me, I was suddenly reminded that there were was a bit of an audience behind us during that whole debacle. “Everything is ship shape now. No need to worry about anything. Sorry that we interrupted your lesson Devia” I said back. “-Apology accepted Master. Alright everypony, lets start again with the basics-” Devi said to their class. I turned back and looked out to the distance once more and felt the wind gently waft through my hair as the now slight dawning sun warmed me up. I decided to pull out the silver book and due a bit of light reading to pass the time, now that I had a good chance to actually read again. And now that I thought about it, the last time I picked it up to read was a while back. I think it was right before that day we met up with Celestia. At that though, I glanced down at my free right arm and gave it a once over. It wasn't really all that visible, but I could still clearly see where my flesh had been burnt and healed over. The tiny little lines that showed, the pattern it took, the damage it caused. For a brief second, I could almost feel that blazing heat in the palm of my hand again, causing it to twitch. But I quickly made a fist and squeezed hard until I could feel my nails start to hurt against my skin then I let go and that memory faded away, back into the folds of my mind. I then quickly dug into my bag and scooped out the silver book, being careful not to drop it since I only had one free hand. Maybe I should try and see if I can learn that spell Twilight always uses when she reads her books, that would be very helpful and useful for any future use. But until then, I am gonna have to use my leg as a reading tool and I can always just use my other hand real quick to turn the page. “I have to think like a wing user, visualize how they fly.” Ok cool, back to where I was last time “After much studying, visualizing, and practice runs. I think I may have found the right combination to get my hooves off the ground and stay there! It was actually quite simply and I almost feel ashamed for not realizing it before, but sometimes a little humble pie must be served in order to move forward!” -~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Hours Later -~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ “What a most wondrous feeling! The feeling of the cold winds grazing my fur, the clouds as I ran my hoof through them, the feel and see the rising sun as it peaks over the horizon on a brand new day, it is almost too grand to simply state in a few words. But for a unicorn like me, to have always walked on dirt and ground, to be soaring through the skies. It was freedom from a life never known to me! My whole body felt lighter then it had ever been before, my entire being being thrust forward into a new era of emotions and knowledge. I wonder if this is how an alicorn might feel. Heh, calm down old boy. I am sure the power of royalty is far different than just simply flying, but still I wonder. But that is a lesson for another day, or another book perhaps? Gah, now I am just wasting ink at this point” I let out a silent chuckle to myself as I placed the bookmark and closed the book for now. I very much enjoy reading Starswirls books, they have a very different feel to them than usual stories or journals. Though I could probably take a guess and say that he might of used magic to place his thoughts on paper instead of simply writing it down. Cause how he words certain phrases, at times, seems out of place or bizarre. But for a pony of his caliber, that is probably more efficient and easier to do. But as I rubbed my tired eyes, I saw that it had quickly become dark out and if it wasn't for the now lit torch by me, I would of never been able to read as much as I did. That was another thing I loved about his books, whenever I really read them I get sucked into them. It is unfortunate that I wasted a few chapters of this book as a way to simply escape reality when….. well, when the incident in Ponyville happened. Shaking my head of those thoughts, I took a look around and saw that my wagon was now silent, and that Trixie was still asleep in my lap while Maelstrom was using my neck as a sort of body pillow. She is like a cat, can sleep anywhere in any position and be perfectly fine. I also saw that Artemis was also curled up asleep right next to Devia who was observing out the back. “Everything look alright back there?” I asked. “-Oh, hello master! We didn't wish to disturb your reading session. But to answer your question, yes. Everything is optimal and everyone is safe. I went ahead and talked to our flying guards and our escorts about possibly stopping for the night but they assured us that with our great numbers, their strength, and their knowledge that we are safe to travel at night and will get us to Manehatten in the morning-” “-They are still oddly very enthusiastic about our mission and are very keen on getting us to Manehatten post-haste. I do not believe that they have any ill will, but I have a very strange feeling about this situation-” they said. “Perhaps you are feeling the pleasantness of other ponies good will? Cause it is a very nice feeling and, at times, a very foreign feeling. Or at least I think it is” I said. “-Makes makes you say that, Master?-” Devi asked. “Well, unfortunately, back on Earth not all humans are as nice as the ponies of Equus are. Especially the day and age I lived in. To find someone who genuinely wants to help out of pure happiness of the cause and for no reward was very rare and to some eyes, was almost inhuman. Well, maybe that is an exaggeration but that was how it felt sometimes when I read the news” I explained. “-Forgive my rudeness Master, but Earth doesn't sound like a very pleasant place then- Devi said. “No worries and yeah, sometimes it was. But with all things, you have to move forward and do your best” I said. “-At least one good thing came out of Earth-” I heard Deva switch over to say. “Hmm? What's that?” I curiously asked. “-Why, you of course! Our dear master!-” Deva said with a nice smile that made me blush a little. “Oh come on now” I said as I rubbed the back of my neck while I looked away. “-But it is true Master, if not for you then none of us would be here now. We would still be rotting away in darkness, these ponies would be lost or forced elsewhere if not for you lighting their way. We are always grateful for that kindness and that is why we will follow you forever. My dear and wonderful Master-” Deva said and I swore I heard their fans flare up for a second before they turned away to gaze back at the other wagons. And with that, I returned to a state of wonder and amazement as I stared out into the calm night sky and took in their words. It is hard to believe that they are a machine and not a living being sometimes. That is one thing I have especially noticed during this trip, their level of….humanity I suppose. Not sure what the appropriate term should be but for now I don't really care. Cause at the start of everything in New Leafton, they were very stiff and, well, robotic in all mannerisms. But I think spending everyday with these ponies have made them learn to adapt, which is fascinating to see. But I am very happy to see them grow to much and now I almost find it laughable that I thought that they would kill me one day when I first found them in that factory. Letting out a tired yawn, I found my head slowly swaying back and forth until I found a piece of canvas to rest my head against. The moment I found my pillow, my eyes drooped close and I found myself falling asleep very quickly. Hopefully when I wake up I will have some good news about the distance from Manehatten. -~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ The Next Morning -~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ “Papa! Papa! Look! Look!” said my chaotic little daughter as she roughly woke me up. “Couf you taik your hans out of my wouf” I barely said, combined with morning sleepiness. “Heehee! Sorry papa! But look! Look!” she said again and now pointed with her free paw. Rubbing the corners of my mouth real quick to help soothe the little aches, I followed where she was pointing and there I saw it! I saw, in the distance, the definite shape of large, blocky buildings that looked exactly like New York! It was so uncanny that I thought I had deja vu! But here they were! Right there was Manehatten! At long last! “Good morning boss!” said Barnes as she flew down next to me with a huge grin on her face. “Good morning to you as well Barnes, you certainly are radiating joy so early in the day” I said with a chuckle. “I can't help it boss! I am just so excited! And nervous! And happy! And scared! And everything else! Ha ha!” she said with a flying corkscrew. “I actually know that exact feeling, it is certainly a bizarre combination-” I was suddenly interrupted by an abrupt yawn from the Peaceful yet Drooling Trixie. “-And good morning to you sleepy head” “And what a fine morning it is! Trixie feels magnificent and rejuvenated! Best sleep I have had in a week! I wonder why?” Trixie said. “The ear scratches work wonders” I said with a slight smug face. “Well, the Great and Refreshed Trixie won't object this time, since she got the beauty sleep she deserves!” she said with an elegant toss of her mane. I rolled my eyes at the performer before I looked back at the enclosing city before I looked down at our drivers “Are all of you alright?” I asked them. “Don't sweat it sir! This was a cake walk in comparison to our usual loads, we normally carry huge grains of seeds, fruits, or other food stock along with timber and whatever materials we get asked to deliver” the closest stallion said. “Well, I still feel a tiny bit guilty to have you guys up all night just for us” I confessed. “Like we said, don't sweat it! We all volunteered to do this job and it works out for us anyway cause we were going to be heading out this way today anyway to pick up a shipment for tomorrow, so now we are going to be ahead of schedule! Bonus!” another stallion said. “Alright, I'll trust you. But wow! I can't believe the size of this place! Well, I guess I can since it is almost identical to a city back where I came from. But still! In comparison to Ponyville, the Crystal Empire, and Canterlot, it is quite a sight!” I said. “Wow, you've been all the way out to the Crystal Empire? Amazing!” said the first stallion. “Yep, unfortunately it was to read though, so pretty boring in that regards. But I still loved it there and I want to go back someday” I said. “I'm sure you will. Alright, so we are going to be heading in soon. We are going to drop you all off near the train station since we can't really lug these big wagons around on the busy streets. There should be somepony waiting for you there to take you to city hall” said the second stallion. “Waiting for us? How did they know to be here already?” I asked. “Like we said yesterday, we have been awaiting for your arrival for a little while. So as soon as we saw you approaching, we sent one of our fastest pegasus messengers go on ahead to the pony who told us about you in the first place! They should be the one waiting” he said. “Wow, I wonder who it was? It was a small number of ponies who left, but enough so that I haven't the faintest clue or idea as to who it could possibly be” I said as I tried my best to recall as those who left. “Well, your gonna find out soon enough! Cause here is the Hatten Bridge! Not a lot of ponies know this but its actually called Hatten because the ones who first financed its construction was the Hatten family, who were hatters by trade! Though once ponies hear this, they think the city was also named after them, but that is silly cause everyone knows it was named after Madam Manehatten who first laid claim to the area in-” said a third stallion, who just got a smack to the back of the head by the first guy. “You can bore them with your guides and tours AFTER we drop them all off and get them situated” said stallion number one. “But Steel, by then we will be gone and moving on to our order!” number three complained. “Exactly Shutters, exactly” the newly named Steel said. “Aw Tartarus” Shutters wined. “Now pay attention, we gotta watch our steps now. Hopefully it's not backed up again” Steel said as he slowed down to a trot before eventually walking. “Not too bad, I think we will make good time in getting you all to the station” “Is it always this busy?” I asked. “Always Adrian, always” Trixie suddenly said as she began to grow a grumpy face while darting her eyes to every moving pony coming our way. “Whoa, careful now Trixie. You might turn them to stone with all your glaring” I joked. “You have to always watch your back, cause most if not all of these ponies are rude and can swindle you out of your wagon faster than a lightning strike” she said before she clutched her hat close to her chest. “Speaking from experience I assume?” Steel asked. “ONLY ONCE…..but…..yes” Trixie shamefully admitted. “Yep, well it is the city of opportunity after all. Unfortunately, that also includes the opportunity to steal as well. Real shame, but most cities these size have a little bit of crime” Steel said as he took a sharp left and I could see a set of train tracks heading off to the left. “Alright, we are getting close. One more corner and…… there we are! Main Central Station!” I was about to facepalm at the pony pun but then I saw a sign that spelled it out as actually 'Main' instead of 'Mane' and I felt a little sanity creep back into my mind. I love puns as much as Pinkie Pie, but sometimes this world likes to stretch them out a teeny bit too much. I was only able to take a quick glance around before I noticed a semi-familiar face waving at us from the station and thankfully I remembered their name. “Wow! Look! It’s Thunder Rose! So it was him huh?” I said, mostly to myself. “Thunder Rose….. Thunder Rose….. wasn’t he one of the few who preferred to be alone? Trixie always had the sense that he never really cared for any of us. Trixie is greatly surprised!” she said. “As am I, but I am happy that we were wrong” I said with a smile while we pulled up to park. “Mister Adrian! Mister Adrian! Hello!” Thunder Rose said as we hopped off and stretched our limbs. Oof! I think I heard one or two pops from my back. “Hello again Thunder, I didn’t think we would ever see you again” I said to him. “I know and I apologize for leaving, but after your battle with Princess Celestia, I was inspired by your heroism and I felt this sudden urge to act and do something! But I had no idea on how to do it, so when the Princess offered us a way back, I knew I had to take that chance. So when we arrived at Canterlot I ran off to the nearest Train and hopped on!” “I do feel a little bad for sneaking on without paying though, but I promise to pay them back once I start earning an income. But more importantly! As soon as I got here I started asking anypony for help, though they all rejected me or flat out ignored me. I was almost on the verge of giving up on the third day when a nice mare named Coco Pommel walked by and listened to my story and was more than happy to help me out!” “She had quite a voice cause once she started asking around, ponies listened to her and we finally got the ball rolling! We were able to meet one of the ponies of Beduster Fields and they were an enthusiastic bunch! Ready to help at the drop of a hat! But then, out of the blue, the Mayor of Manehatten approached us himself! Said he had heard a small commotion the past couple of days and when he heard what it was about, he came to verify the rumors! Which is another reason why I am here, to bring you to the Mayor personally!” Thunder said, almost all at once and was now out of breath. “Wow, that was quite a mouthful” I jested as I patiently waited for the stallion to catch his breath. “Sorry, but I was just to excited to see you again! And with everything working out so well here! Well, I just feel so happy! So thank you Mister Adrian! Thank you so much for finding all of us!” he said as he started to tear up with a smile on his face. After he realized his eyes were watery, he quickly used his hoof to dry them off and coughed a little. “Alright, well it sounds like we are off. Thank you again Steel, Shutters, and everypony else! We owe you all big time for your generosity!” I said loudly. “Forget about it! Hopefully, the next time we see all of you, you all will be happy and smiling ever more! See ya!” Steel shouted as his wagon crew carefully headed out to their next destination. “Do you all need to rest or eat or do anything first before we head off to the Mayors?” Thunder asked. Hmmmm, that is a good question. I would normally suggest we sit down and eat first but I am not sure if a large group of homeless ponies eating forest scraps at a train station would look good in this world. “No! Lets go!” “Yeah! Were ready!” “I don’t even feel hungry or tired!” “My wings are itching to fly!” “Wow, that is a tall building” “What are we talking about?” That and other things were being said from the ponies behind me, so I turned back to Thunder and said “You heard them, lets get going! To the Mayor of Manehatten!” And with that, we set off on the busy streets of Manehatten. A human, draconequus, timberwolf, android, performer, and a group made up of ponies, donkeys, and a gryphon walking down the street. What could possibly go wrong?