Lessons from Another Dimension

by HolyOrdersOtaku

Chapter 4: Confusion

Chapter 4: Confusion

He’s just a poor boy from a poor family; spare him his life from this monstrosity. Easy come, easy go. Will you let me go? No, we will not let you go! Let him go! Will not let you go! Let me go! Will not let you go! Never let you go! Now let me go! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me!

Everypony stared at Bass. Confusion, awe, and even a slight hint of fear resided within everypony’s eyes. Bass didn’t like it. In fact, it enraged him that he had planned out so many different scripts and lines to hide his true identity and they were all for nothing. Twilight noticed the anger on Bass’s face (it wasn’t the hardest thing in the world to spot, really), and her ears drooped as she realized what she had just done. “I-I’m sorry, Bass. I didn’t mean to let that slip out like that,” she apologized.

Bass closed his eyes and took several deep breaths to calm his self. He didn’t like being angry; he considered it to uncouth and impolite. “It’s okay, Twilight,” he said. “It’s only a slight inconvenience that the entire town knows the truth.”

The room was silent for several minutes before a bright blueish green unicorn mare spoke up; “We’ve a dragon, a student to the princess, and Pinkie Pie. Whatever you are is nothing compared to what we’ve seen.”

Bass stared blankly at the mare. Her mane was somewhat minty looking, and her cutie mark was of a lyre. “You can’t seriously be saying that you don’t want an explanation,” he stated.

“As long as you don’t destroy town,” said another mare. This one was brown with a gray mane and wearing glasses. “We won’t really mind.”

Before Bass could form a response, Twilight stepped up stage. “Well, we thank you all for your understanding and consideration, be we should really be heading home now,” she said with a nervous laugh.
Bass nodded in agreement. I have a headache, he thought.
“Girls,” Twilight said to her friends. “Meet up at my house as soon as possible. We’ll give a proper explanation there.”

The others replied with their agreements, and Bass, Twilight, and Spike all left and began to make their way back to Golden Oaks Library. “Bass,” Twilight said. “I’m really, really sorry. I didn’t mean to let that slip out. It’s just that Pinkie is always so…out there. I don’t understand how she does what she does.”

“It confused you and you broke character for a moment,” he replied with. “I guess I was expecting too much. In light of how the outcome played out, I suppose I can forgive you.”

“Are you sure?” she asked timidly. She really was worried that she had angered him too much.

“We got lucky. It saved me a lot of trouble in long run, really. I guess at least a month of playing the ‘rockstar’ would’ve been too much for me as well. I guess, what I’m saying is that this is how it would have ended up anyway. We just save some time by cutting the crap.”

Twilight looked at Bass for a moment, and then smiled. “I guess you’re right.”

---

The others arrived at the library not long after Twilight and Bass had arrived. Spike decided to go to bed rather than listen to the same explanation multiple times, so the seven ponies sat in Twilight’s living room (which was really just the main room of the library) and waited.

Bass sighed. “I guess I should start,” he said. “Last night I appeared in the maze in the royal gardens, or whatever they were, at that castle in Canterlot. I wasn’t awake until sometime later when I came to realize that I wasn’t in my original body, but the body of a talking pony, surrounded by other talking ponies. Needless to say, I was shocked and fainted promptly…which I can confidently say has never happened before, so that’s a new experience to me. Anyway, I woke up today in Twilight’s old room at the castle and was told by Princess Celestia to accompany Twilight back here to Ponyville to teach her about my world, and in turn learn about this world. Any questions?”

Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie just stared at him.

Fluttershy was the first to speak. “Um, if you don’t mind my asking…what were you before being a pony?”

Bass laughed. “Celestia and Twilight hadn’t heard of my race, so I don’t expect you to. But, if you really want to know, I was human.” The confusion of Fluttershy’s face spoke volumes, in spite of her quiet nature.

Rarity cleared her throat. “Fluttershy here is a fond lover of animals, and is always curious about new creatures that she’s never seen before. Not to refer to you as an animal, of course,” she hastily added at the end. She was clearly nervous, and Bass knew why.

“Rarity,” he started.

“Yes!? Can I help you?” she laughed nervously.

“I apologize for earlier. I don’t actually act like that. In fact, I was screaming on the inside about the fact that I was taking the character just a little too far.” He bowed his head.

“O-oh,” Rarity replied. “Well, I suppose I can forgive you. You were, after all, trying to protect yourself by acting. Might I add that you are a splendid actor? Were it not for Pinkie and Twilight, I don’t think I would have ever figured it out.”

Bass couldn’t help but smile. “Thank you.”

“Ah honestly don’t see why ya didn’t just tell us, Twi. We wouldn’t have been against it or anything. In fact, ah would’ve wanted to help ya,” Applejack stated.

“I know, girls. But Bass didn’t want anypony else to know unless it was absolutely necessary. I was just trying to honor his request,” Twilight replied.

“Well, have you learned anything about his world yet? How cool is it?” Rainbow Dash asked. She seemed to be interested in the new turn of events.

“Well, all I’ve learned so far is that Bass in particular is an actor, reader, writer, and musician, and that he’s a university student on his world.”

Rainbow stuck her tongue out in disgust. “Another egghead? No offense, Twi, but I can barely stand one know it all.”

Bass laughed. “Oh, trust me on this. If you could see my grades, you’d know I’m no egghead. I’m going through school to be a literature teacher because all I can do is read and write. Math and science are not my strong points by any means.” Bass paused to think. “I am rather decent at history, however.”

“Oh!” Pinkie said suddenly. “Can you actually play bass?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Bass said. Then he smiled a smile that beamed with pride. “Actually, I play both guitar and bass. I also sing from time to time, but I’m not so hot at that.”

“Hmm,” Pinkie said. She pulled an acoustic guitar out from nowhere. Where in the name of all that is holy did that come from? Bass thought. “Here, play it!” she demanded with a beaming smile.

“Um,” he said. “I could try, but my human body doesn’t have hooves, so this may be a bit difficult at first.” He picked up the guitar and held it as he was supposed to. He tried to play a few notes…scratch that. He did play a few notes. “Huh,” he said. “That wasn’t as hard as I was expecting it to be.” He didn’t fully understand how he was pressing down on the individual strings with his hooves, but frankly he didn’t care enough to argue.

He smiled. “What do you want me to play? Give me a theme.”

Before anyone could reply, Twilight raised a hoof. “Actually, I’m rather curious. They say that the musician’s feelings are in the songs he sings and plays. I’m actually interested to know how you actually feel about being here in this world instead of your own. If you don’t mind that is.” She quickly added that last bit.

Bass stared at her for a minute, trying to collect his thoughts and feelings and find a song he knew that matched them. He wasn’t talented enough to write his own music, but he was very good at memorizing and covering other songs, and he remembered the perfect song. At least, he felt it was perfect.

The guitar seemed to play on its own to him. He let the memory of the song and the feelings he felt wash through him as he played. The music drifted gently and sadly through the room. Then, he began to sing:

Another day in this carnival of souls
Another night settles in as quickly as it goes
The memories of shadows, ink on the page
And I can't seem to find my way home

And it's almost like
Your heaven's trying everything
Your heaven's trying everything
To keep me out

All the places I've been and things I've seen
A million stories that made up a million shattered dreams
The faces of people I'll never see again
And I can't seem to find my way home

Cause it's almost like
Your heaven's trying everything to break me down
Cause it's almost like
Your heaven's trying everything to keep me out.

He ended the song early, because it only repeated the same verse after that last line, and he improvised the guitar to end appropriately. He looked up and saw tears in the other ponies’ eyes, which took him by surprise. Rainbow was hurriedly trying to hide the few tears she had in her eyes while the others weren’t looking.

“That was amazing,” Twilight said. “Did you write that?”

Bass shook his head. “I’m not that talented. I can only do covers.”

“You really should play in the music festival!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “Only, you’re not part of any major band that’s attending, so you can’t do that.”

“Actually,” Rainbow said. “There’s a battle of the bands segment this year.” They all turned to stare at Rainbow. “What? Have none of you gone to the festival before?” They all shook their heads. “That’s too bad. I’ve gone every year, unless a Wonderbolts show conflicted with it. Sometimes the Wonderbolts would actually open the show by flying in as the first band stepped onto the stage. It’s really cool.”

“Well,” Bass said. “As ‘cool’ as that is, I don’t have a band.” His belly began to rumble. “And today seems to have taken a toll on me; I haven’t eaten since those cupcakes earlier.”

“You want some more?” Pinkie asked.

Bass shook his head. “Sorry, but sweets really aren’t my thing. I like sugar well enough, but too much of it makes me sick at my stomach. I’d rather have real food.”

“So, what do you want?” Twilight asked.

Bass thought about it. He was about to answer with philly cheese steak, but then he realized there in rose a problem. Oh my god! They’re all herbivores. I can’t ask for meat! He thought. “Uh,” he said, beginning to sweat. “What do you normally eat around here?” He thought that it was a safe way out of the question.

“Well, we eat flower sandwiches, hay, oats…stuff like that.”

Bass could feel the color leaving his face, and was thankful that he was now covered in a coat of fur to hide his lack of blood. “Uh, anything else? What about fruits or vegetables?”

“Yeah. We eat carrots, turnips, onions, bananas, strawberries, apples…”

“Apples! I’ll have apples!” He felt a little bit embarrassed. He had already expressed his love for apples earlier that day. Well, at least I know of something I can eat, he thought.

“Ah got ya covered sugarcube. I’ll be right back with the best apples you’ve ever had!” Applejack announced proudly as she left.

“By the way,” Rarity started. “Why did you ask what we normally ate? What about you?”

He looked around nervously. Suddenly, a quote from his favorite animated show came to mind. “T-that’s classified!”

The remaining mares all stared at him. They weren’t buying it.

Bass sighed.Mikuru Asahina makes that phrase look so damn easy to say. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is full of shit!

Author's Note:

Sorry for taking so long. I had started writing this because my own original story had hit a brick wall. Writer's block and all that. I wrote about half of this chapter when I suddenly figured out how to write the next piece of that story. I've effectively, however, hit another brick wall, so here I am writing Lessons from Another Dimension again. I hope to get some progress here before I go back to my other work.

So, now we have another topic that must be covered; Bass being originally an omnivore! Sure, he ate SOME fruits and veggies as a human...but you REALLY can't go wrong with a philly cheese steak. I would eat one right now if I had a way to get to the Huddle House. Oh well.

Comments

[Frankie2]

He looked around nervously. Suddenly, a quote from his favorite animated show came to mind. “T-that’s classified!”

At least he didn't say "That...is a secret."