The Last Descendant

by Cup of Coffee

Chapter 25 - To Live My Life (Edited by JBL 07.25.2017)

While Adam's wide eyes were fixated on me, I managed to rise and brush away the dust on my clothes. It was only when I was finished did he blurt out the first garbled questions, though he didn’t get far before the rest of the gang entered the hallway, laughing at something. That instantly ceased the moment they laid eyes on me, and the confusion and disbelief on their faces said everything. The sudden silence was disheartening. Usually a joke or two would be sent my way, someone would ask me about my day, or Lisa would come and give me a hug. She’d always been rather touchy-feely, especially towards me, both before and after we dated.

But not this time.

Instead, there was a barrage of questions about what had happened to me. I couldn’t even answer one before the next question came, building into a cacophony of queries. It took some time before I was able to calm them and persuade them to follow me to the living room. Keeping a wary eye on me, they followed me there, greeting Grandfather when they saw him. It was when they spotted Celestia and Luna did things take an unexpected turn.

The alicorn sisters received quite some attention, though it varied between mild amusement and askance. Lisa, being the animal lover that she was, became enamoured with “the wonderful horses with the totally realistic make-up props attached to them”, and of course wanted to pet them. What she—and the rest of them, for that matter—didn’t expect was Luna, gently but firmly, stating her preference for not being treated like a cat.

The reactions my friends displayed were varied, the most common being a shocked scream. With the help of my grandfather, I managed to calm them enough so that they were willing to sit down and listen, though they kept a wary eye on the alicorns.

After bringing chairs from the kitchen, they all sat down, keeping a respectful distance from the sisters while also staring at my body. For the second time that night, I retold the story of what had happened to me: from my visions, the journey, the orb in the sea, and me waking up in another world, all the way through my transformation and my treatment that cured me of my afflictions. They never once interrupted me, though the emotions on their faces once I told them about the portal and how I would never return were more than mere words could relay. I had never seen my friends look this upset before, except for Grandfather’s funeral. Strangely enough, they seemed to be okay with him being here, probably because I had told them beforehand when I had summoned them.

“And that’s the story, up until this point,” I concluded after half an hour of storytelling. My friends were stunned, to say the least. I couldn’t even imagine what was going through their heads, knowing that I wasn’t just human.

While they digested my story, I took a moment to study their reactions. Adam, for once, didn’t have his usual grin on display. He just sat there, hands folded in his lap as if locked in thought. He was most likely wondering what to do or say.

Lisa was another story. Holding her hands in front of her mouth in shock, she shook her head lightly, refusing to believe my words. Max, the gentle giant, sat in quiet resignation. Sighing deeply now and then, he seemed most concerned with the others. He’d always been a bit protective.

Sammy seemed to take it all in stride. He was the only one who smiled, sometimes mumbling how awesome it all sounded, except the part about me being in Equestria. A fan of fantasy movies and games, I had expected him to be quite positive towards the world I had found myself in. It seemed I was right.

Renee busied herself trying to comfort Lisa, but I could see that she wasn’t okay with this either. Sometimes she was notoriously hard to read, being one who tended to keep her cards close to her chest.

Jesse worried me. She had something of a temper, and when she was angry, her face would be dominated by a scowl as it did now. The heated glances she aimed at Celestia and Luna told me who she focused her ire on.

Rocking back and forth on his chair, Nickolas had his hands on his head while sweating a waterfall. He was easily agitated, but now it seemed as if he was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

I wasn’t wrong.

“Jesus Christ, dude!” he shouted and shot up from his chair, hurrying over to the liquor cabinet. Opening a bottle of scotch, he swallowed a mouthful and began coughing until his face was as red as a tomato.

“You okay there, Nick?” I asked worriedly. He could be a mean drunk at times.

“I don’t know! I-I think I’m having an existential crisis or something! I’m not really here! I’m in a dream!” Taking another swig of the bottle, his eyes locked onto me. “You’re an alien!” he blurted out, pointing the bottle at me.

“Part of me is.”

“Oh god, oh god, oh god! You’re not gonna lay a bunch of eggs, are you?”

Seeing that he was so distressed, I chose a familiar route to calming him down. “Yes, that’s right, Nick. Any moment now, a tentacle is gonna shoot out of my ass and embed itself into your cranium, laying dozens of eggs in your brain. In mere hours, those eggs will hatch and worms will crawl out to eat your brain, growing big and strong. The only problem is that in your skull the worms would starve to death.”

The first sound was that of Luna bursting into laughter, followed by Celestia’s beverage being suddenly spewed forth from her mouth. Then Adam began to chuckle, prompting the others to follow as well. It felt good to hear them laugh again, even if this was only a dream.

“Dude, that wasn’t cool,” Nick replied with a deadpan look.

“It was a little funny." I grinned. "Despite what you think, I’m still the same guy you grew up with, the same kid you bullied ages ago. This,” I pointed at my horn, “doesn’t matter that much. Up here,” I tapped my head, “I’m the same.”

“I guess you’re right,” Nick admitted after another swig. “It doesn’t look like you can bleed acid at least.”

I turned to the others. Lisa was still in shock, Renee trying to gain her attention. Jesse, however, was positively fuming. She stood up from the couch and marched over to the alicorn sisters, staring daggers at them.

“It was you two who gave the order to close that portal thingy.” It wasn’t a question. The underlying anger in her voice was evident, warning me that something was about to happen.

Celestia nodded hesitantly. “We did it to—”

Jesse smacked Celestia across her face as hard as she could, eliciting a sound like an uncooked steak being slammed onto a cutting board. The slap took Celestia by surprise as her head jerked slightly to the side. With widened eyes, she reached up to her chin and rubbed it with one hoof. A second slap caught Luna square across her muzzle. Luna’s reaction was similar to her sister’s, only that she didn’t rub her cheek, instead adopting a look of mild annoyance.

“BITCHES! GOD DAMN ASSHOLES! WHY?!” Jesse screamed at the top of her lungs. Red-faced with tears rolling down her cheeks, she stared accusingly at both sisters. Though I had weathered her temper before, I had never seen her so furious.

“Why?! Only a few days spent researching the portal before deciding at the drop of a hat to close it? You didn’t even try anything! You took Magnus from me! From us all! Look!” Jesse spun around and motioned to the others, their faces displaying grief and shock, the former brief bout of laughter and giggles having long since receded.

Celestia and Luna looked over each and every one of them, seemingly taking in the anger in their eyes. They seemed somewhat uncomfortable with the situation, something I hadn’t predicted happening.

Celestia set her hoof down and sighed. “It was not an easy decision, but Luna and I both decided it was for the best, for humans and for every single inhabitant of our world. With the portal gone, none will ever be lost in them.”

“As non-magical beings, you cannot understand the basic functions of the portal, let alone attempt to recreate them. We possess knowledge of portal magic, but even we cannot understand how it connects our worlds,” Luna continued, directing her statement towards a still fuming Jesse. “Was it perhaps luck, mere chance, or higher powers at work? We do not know, but what we do know is that we, even with our magic combined, cannot force a portal to open.”

“Don’t give me that shit! You shut it down before even trying!” Jesse shouted back.

Luna got off the couch, marched directly towards Jesse, then stood up on her hind legs, holding her balance with careful flaps of her wings. “Lives were at stake, foolish child! Princess Twilight Sparkle, the one who closed the portal, did so when it nearly cost her and the expedition members their existence in Equestria! This incident clearly shows us that dispelling such volatile acts of magic was the correct course of action!”

Luna’s explanation only seemed to stoke Jesse’s rage; she closed the final distance, standing nose to nose with Luna, blazing eyes matching imperious stares.

“THERE WAS TIME, YOU DUMB BITCH! HOW DIFFICULT WOULD IT BE TO CLOSE OFF THE ENTIRE AREA UNTIL A SOLUTION WAS FOUND?”

“Do not raise your voice at me, foal!” Luna snapped back, a dangerous edge to her voice. “What of other humans on Earth? The portals alter time itself, thus somepony from the future or the past could have come through! Magnus was not the only one in danger!”

“Then it’s their problem! Magnus is innocent in all this, but you two couldn’t even wait to close the portal! What, were you worried we would come to get him back? What he is to you, huh? To us, he’s our friend. To you? A pet? Research project? Something new and interesting, bitch?” Jesse practically spat the final word at Luna. The Princess of the Night wasn’t one to back down, instead puffing out her chest while the shadows around her seemed to get darker. It seemed as though things were about to get ugly, and the others weren’t keen on getting involved.

I was about to say something when Celestia intervened. “Calm down, Luna. Arguing won’t get us anywhere. You too, Miss Jesse. We are all here on Magnus’ behalf so that we may help him.”

Jesse’s head quickly swivelled to Celestia, pointing a warning finger at her. “Shut up! You’re just as guilty as your dumbass sister!”

Despite Jesse’s words, Celestia retained her composure. “Please, there is no need for that. You must understand that—”

“YOU STOLE MAGNUS!” Jesse raised her arm for another round of well-aimed slaps before I intervened. I shot up from the chair and closed the distance to Jesse in two steps, grabbing her raised arm with my hand. She struggled for a moment before turning to me, seeing her thin arm held firmly in my larger, orange-furred one. For a moment, her eyes lingered on my hand, as if noticing it for the first time. Eventually, her eyes went up to mine, the fire in her eyes sparking before gradually dwindling.

Releasing her hand, it limply fell to her side. With a sigh, she looked me in the eye. “They deserve it, that and much more. Why are you defending them for what they did?” She gave the alicorn sisters a final glare before going back to her seat.

Luna still stood on her hind legs, wings flapping slowly to help her balance as she continued to stare down Jesse. I guessed that it wasn’t often someone dared to strike her, being a princess and all.

“Sit down, Luna, I don’t want you two fighting here. This is my dream—if you two fight here, it might affect my brain. If you break something, I might forget how to tie my shoelaces.”

“Dreams do not work that way,” she responded irritably even as she sat down, finally rubbing her muzzle that had a visible red handprint. Celestia also had one on her chin, much more visible due to her white coat.

“Does it hurt?”

“The pain is not physically real, much like the taste of blackcurrant in my mouth,” Celestia murmured, giving the red handprint a final rub with her golden shoe. “You have been the target of her wrath before.”

“Accidentally shot out the windshield of her car with a spud gun,” I said as I wandered back to the chair. “I deserved it.”

Adam moved his chair next to mine and poked my horn with his finger. “This is just so weird.”

“I know, dude. Man, was it weird waking up with all this stuff.”

“I guess it was.” Another poke. “What did you think had happened to you?”

“That the ponies were animatronics. Then I thought that I had ended up in Cuba or something.”

“Cuba?” He snorted. “What do you think Castro wanted with you?” He continued his assault.

“I wasn’t thinking clearly at the time. I was much more concerned with the armoured ponies and their spears.” I received another poke for my troubles. “Adam?”

“Yeah?”

“Why are you poking my horn?”

“Just curious is all. Now that you have a horn, can we say that you are…” He leaned closer with a grin, “…horny?”

Everybody in the room released a collective snort at Adam’s stupid pun, myself included. At least it lightened the mood somewhat. “How long have you held that one in?” I asked with a shake of my head.

“About fifteen minutes,” he replied with a final poke. “I also planned to ask if you’d received a hoof and mouth shot yet.”

Another round of snorts and chuckles passed around the living room. For a moment, it seemed as if everyone was enough on the same page to dissuade further arguments from erupting. I was grateful Adam still could crack jokes in this dark situation; it made me feel less miserable. Despite knowing that this was still a dream, it felt real enough that it could lull me into a false sense of relaxation. Still, the silence that followed made things feel awkward.

Taking a look at the others, my eyes fell upon Lisa. She rested her head against Renee’s shoulder, her hands covering her mouth and nose. Her eyes were red and puffy, glistening from the fire burning in the hearth. Wet streaks from her tears were visible, obvious indications that she was still upset. I felt terrible for not talking to her yet, even when I noticed earlier that she was shaken. Renee noticed me looking at Lisa, nodding to the blonde girl resting against her. The message was clear: I needed to speak with her.

Carefully, I made my way over to the couch. Sammy, sitting on Lisa’s other side, moved away so that I could sit next to her. Lisa was so shaken that she didn’t even notice my hooves on the hardwood floor or my presence next to her, huddling close to Renee as if she was a lifebuoy.

“Lisa?” I hesitantly asked, hoping that she would at least acknowledge me. The others seemed to be concerned about her lack of reaction as well, even Celestia and Luna. I slowly placed my hand on her shoulder, giving her a gentle squeeze. It took a few moments before her head slowly turned towards her shoulder, finally noticing my hand. How alien it must have looked to her, larger and hairier than any human’s hand had any right to be.

Her eyes gradually lifted until they met mine, and she hesitantly moved her hands away from her face. With her blond hair and light-blue eyes, she was as gorgeous as I remembered.

“You okay there, Lisa?” A moment passed before she shook her head lightly. Her eyes wandered from my hands up to my horn, resting there for a moment before focusing on my now-pointed ears.

“I…” Her voice was barely a whisper. “I don’t know…”

“I know it’s strange, but it doesn’t hurt and I feel fine.” Her gaze landed on my face, examining and searching for something. She lifted her hand and carefully placed it on my shoulder, letting it rest there for a moment. Looking into my eyes, I could almost feel her asking for permission to go further, so I nodded. Her hand wandered up to my ear, touching slowly and gently, tracing the curves and point with a soft touch. Out of all of them, I had to admit that I missed Lisa the most. Even though we were through, I found myself reminiscing back to the moments we had spent together—every kiss, every touch, every intimate moment. Gods, I missed those days.

Her hand left my ear and travelled south. She placed her hand in my own, allowing it to stay there for a moment. Her hand looked so tiny compared to mine that it seemed downright fragile in comparison. I closed my hand, enveloping hers completely and squeezing gently. Lisa held her breath for a moment but relaxed when she felt my delicate touch. Perhaps she believed that my hand would feel rough or coarse, but the slightest of smiles graced her lips when she saw how careful I was.

“I…” she began, pausing for a moment to meet my eyes. Her tears had thankfully ceased, a lingering expression of regret in her eyes. “You… and I… We… didn’t know…”

“What do you mean?” I asked, more than a bit puzzled.

Lisa glanced around the room, realizing that it was full of people who were taking quite an interest in our conversation. “Can we… talk in private?”

I had a suspicion that it had to do with our time as a couple, which would explain her uneasiness. “Sure, let’s go to the guest room.”

Leaving the others behind, I brought Lisa with me to the guest bedroom and closed the door. This used to be my bedroom whenever I visited Grandfather, and by the looks of it, nothing had changed. However, reminiscing about that was pretty low on my list of priorities. Lisa sat down on the bed, cradling her head and sniffling. I sat down next to her, resting my elbows on my knees.

“It’s about the whole alien thing, isn’t it?” She hesitated before nodding. “You’re uncomfortable about us and what we had?” She nodded again. I sighed and held out my hand to her. She lowered one of hers and placed it in mine, giving it a light squeeze.

“It’s strange,” she began. “You’re still the same, but when I look at you… You’re something else. You’re a… a horse.”

“Pony, but I get what you mean.”

Lisa laid her head on my shoulder. “It shouldn’t matter. I mean, you are… you were human back then, and it shouldn’t bother me so much. But… it does. You’re so strange now. I just… I wonder...” She paused and sighed deeply, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. “If we were still together, I… I don’t know… Maybe I’m being weird.”

I shook my head. “No, you’re being honest with yourself, and that’s not being weird. I have a hard time accepting it myself.” I rested my head against hers, taking in the smell of her hair. Roses, her favourite brand of shampoo. “We can’t go back in time. We have to live with what we did together. Neither of us knew the truth back then.”

“No, no we didn’t,” Lisa murmured.

I placed my arm around her shoulders and gently pulled her closer to me. Her eyes immediately drifted to my arm, and she began playing with the fur there, giving it a slight pinch.

“It’s so weird.” She spread the hairs to reveal my skin underneath. Even that had changed colour, becoming slightly copper-hued. “It doesn’t feel like horse hair; it’s smoother and more flexible. Maybe it’s the fact that you’re more human than pony.” When it came to horses, Lisa was the one to turn to. Her family owned a large farm just outside of town. In addition to growing crops, they also had several animals, such as cows, sheep, and four horses. Lisa had always adored horses. She was the one who took care of them and occasionally rode them into town. It wouldn’t surprise me that her love for animals in general came from the time she spent with them.

We sat on the bed for several minutes. Lisa investigated my arm and fingers while I sat with my arm around her, savouring the sensation of having her near me again. “It’s hard to believe,” she whispered. “All this time and no one found out. You, your mother, your grandfather. What if… you and I didn’t end it? What if we had a baby? What would we do?”

I took a moment to contemplate her question. We had only spoken of children once during the years we had been together. We had both wanted kids, but neither of us had been ready for the responsibility. The money I had earned would have never sufficed to maintain a household.

To answer her question, if I had discovered my heritage, I would have done everything in my power to ensure my children’s survival. Just like that, I found myself understanding Star Swirl slightly better. Life. It was all about life and its challenges, from father to child to grandchild, all the way from Star Swirl and his wife. It was about learning to live and cope with these challenges. Perhaps not the most profound epiphany of my life, but one worth taking notice of. Responsibility for one’s actions.

“If I became a father, I would have taken my child with me.” I looked down at Lisa and pulled her closer, feeling her arms tighten around me. It made my heart feel lighter. “No child should have to endure the pain I went through. No one.”

When she spoke, I could hear the smile in her voice. “That’s one of the reasons I fell in love with you. You’re caring and loving.”

“And the other reasons?”

Lisa released me and looked up, a small smile on her face. “You’re kind, have beautiful eyes, and you don’t hurt to look at.”

I scoffed playfully. “I knew it! You just wanted me for my looks.”

“Mhm, I’m really into hooves and horns,” she teased. She went silent for a moment, then leaned back onto my shoulder. After a few minutes spent in silence, it felt that we had reached the natural conclusion to our time alone. There were still things to discuss with the others, and I had no idea how long this dream would last.

I stood up and held out my hand to Lisa. She took it and stood up. “So, are we okay?” I asked as I placed my hands around her.

She gave me a once over and nodded. “I don’t know yet, but it doesn’t frighten me as much now as it did before.” She placed her arms around me and squeezed. “But… I’ll be okay. In time.” Her head only reached up to my chest, something that she seemed to only now realize. “You grew. At least a foot or so.”

I stood on one leg, lifting my right hoof in the air. “Blame these.”

I put my arms around Lisa, giving her a heartfelt hug and kissing her forehead. Her hug was warm and caring, just as it had been when we dated. Maybe it was my own thoughts interfering, maybe it was wishful thinking, but it felt as if it was really her with me in the room. And that was all that I needed.

We both stepped back, breaking our embrace. “So, are you okay? Ready to head back to the others?”

She nodded. “I’ll be okay. Let’s go.”

Hand in hand, we left the bedroom and walked back to the living room. The others seemed relieved that Lisa was back to her normal self. As we settled down in our respective seats, Luna shot me a reassuring smile. I suspected that she somehow knew what Lisa and I spoke about, though my gratitude for her aid in helping me see my friends and grandfather again was enough to overcome any anger.

The moment I sat down, Adam began his usual chicanery. “Lisa and Magnus, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G.”

I reached over and smacked the back of his head. “Nope, just settling something that’s between us.”

Adam rubbed the back of his head and winced. “Dude, keep those brick hands to yourself. That really hurt.”

“I hoped it would.”

“Jerk.”

“Asshole.”

“Turd.”

“Garden gnome.”

I had expected a disproportionate response, seeing as Adam was the shortest of the group and had been keenly reminded of it by the rest of us, but I didn’t anticipate him jumping on my back. With his arm firmly around my neck, he waved his other arm around like he was a rodeo cowboy.

“Hiii-yaaa!” he shouted as he waved his arm around. “Git going, lil’ doggy!”

Despite his weight, I managed to stand and began prying his arms off me. Unfortunately, he had gotten a pretty decent grip. “Get off me, you idiot!”

“Them cattle-rustlers’re crossing the Rio Grande! Hi-ho, Silver, away!” Adam shouted excitedly with a thick Texan accent.

“Adam, you’re a goddamn smurf! We don’t have time for this!”

“~I’m a poor, lonesome cowboy~”

Another round of laughter washed over the room, with even Celestia and Luna joining in, though I imagined that the sight of us romping about seemed bizarre. To the others, this was a normal occurrence whenever Adam and I got going.

Suddenly, I felt a thick arm wrap itself around my stomach, and then the world tilted upside down while a load was lifted from my back. When the world ceased spinning, I found Max’s left arm around my waist, holding me off the ground. Alex was hanging off his right hand, his legs flailing.

“Max, you’re interrupting me. I had almost broken him in.” Adam pouted.

Despite Adam’s joke, Max didn’t look amused. Instead, he dropped us both to the floor and crossed his arms. “We don’t have time for this,” he said sternly, marching back to his chair and sitting down, eliciting a groan from the furniture. “While you and Lisa did whatever back there, we all had a little chat. You made us up thanks to Princess Luna. We’re figments of your dream. We all know it.”

Max’s harsh tone took me by surprise since he was one who always minded his words. I stood up and walked back to my chair, rubbing the back of my neck. “I’m sorry,” I muttered. Should I have told them? I hadn’t, and that decision seemed to have backfired into them being angry with me.

“Sorry?” Max waved his hand dismissively. “What for? We know we aren’t real, and none of us, except Nick, have a problem with it.” I glanced over to Nick, who still had the bottle of liquor in hand and a haunted expression on his face. “What we do have a problem with is that you haven’t told us why you called us here.”

A wave of relief washed over me. It seemed that my panic at angering them had been premature. “Well,” I began, resting my elbows on my knees and breathed in deeply. “Because I don’t know what to do.”

Max kept his eyes on me, waiting for me to continue. “And?” he asked with a raised eyebrow when I didn’t elaborate.

“And that’s it. I just don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to do with my life in Equestria, or even if I want to go on.” I sighed and looked over to the others, who appeared just as confused. They didn’t know me to be so uncertain and downtrodden.

“Can you explain a bit clearer?” Sammy asked.

I leaned back in the chair while placing my feet on the leg rest. I took a moment to gather my thoughts. “It’s… difficult to explain. It’s all I had on Earth. I had a job, a home, and a family: you guys.”

“Really?” Adam asked, sitting next to me. “You haven’t called us family in years. I mean, we always celebrated Christmas and stuff with each other, but… family?”

“It kinda stuck with me over the years, and made a strong comeback after Grandfather died. You guys…” My eyes settled on each of them, those who I would gladly call brothers and sisters. “You’re the closest thing to a family I have left and… not seeing you again, or seeing Earth or another human being… It hurts more than I can bear and… I don’t know what to do.”

The girls tried to smile even with tears in their eyes, while the guys just looked away awkwardly, not quite comfortable with how emotional things had become. None of them have ever been much for touchy-feely situations, myself included, but knowing that this was my dream, I felt the need to just get it off my chest.

“Aww, that’s so sweet,” Renee finally said as she held her hand over her heart. “That you still think of us as family, I mean.”

“Yeah, it’s… it’s cool, I guess,” Nick added as he took a swig of the bottle, his eyes shifting about nervously. “Especially after how I treated you back in the day.”

“Water under the bridge, pal,” I countered. He smiled and raised the bottle to me.

“So, what do you want from us?” Sammy asked. He alternated his gaze between me and the rest of the group. “We’re all here; you called us for a reason.”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. Help, maybe, advice even, just… something, I guess. Before you came, I told Grandfather the whole story, and he encouraged me to do something, to find a goal, to find something to live for.”

Sammy smiled. “Ah, you want us to do the same?” I nodded. Anything I received from my friends would be appreciated, even a conversation. Even if they wanted to convince me to live in Equestria, I was willing to hear them out. “Okay, not usually the help we give, but… we can try. Right, guys?” He looked to the others, who nodded enthusiastically.

“Right.” Sammy got up from the couch and assumed what I had come to label the “Sammy’s Patented Thinking Exercise”, which was him pacing about while rubbing his neck and sighing occasionally. It was something he’d done since fifth grade.

“Okay, okay, let’s see…” He looked towards the others for a few seconds. “Why don’t we all try to figure out something to say to help convince you, hmm? That way we can all add something.” They nodded in agreement. “Great, I’ll start.”

He walked back the couch and sat down, pushing his long hair behind his ears. “Okay, so you,” he pointed to me and grinned, “are in a world of ponies, dragons, minotaurs, and griffons. There’s magic and castles and so on.” The smile on his face became even wider. “You, my friend, my guildie, are in Azeroth, or Tyria if you like.”

I shook my head and sighed. Of all the things he could compare Equestria to, he chose games we used to play. “Sam, this world isn’t an MMO,” I answered somewhat irritably. “There’s no respawning here. It could be dangerous for me. I don’t know anything about this place. I might do something incredibly stupid.”

“Like going AFK in The Barrens on a PVP server?” he countered with a laugh. Even here, he would never let me forget it. “That’s not the point, buddy. This world is new, and it’s all yours to explore. Think about all the things you can do here. If you do nothing, then your life will be nothing. You might find something amazing and incredible here, but only if you’re willing to take a look. You can’t look around if you shut yourself inside a bedroom.”

I shot Sammy a deadpan look, even as I acknowledged that he was right. I truly didn’t know anything about Equestria and Equus. Part of that excited me, but a larger part reminded me that there were creatures out there that would probably like the taste of raw human. Despite that, Grandfather’s advice echoed in my head. I had to understand Equestria, understand Equus, understand it all to not be afraid.

“I… think I get what you’re saying. You think I should try living here?”

“Abso-fucking-lutely!” He beamed. “There are people out there who would willingly give an arm and a leg to be in your situation. You just beat them all by a billion light years across the finish line.”

‘Be the first,’ I thought. ‘See the world, see the unknown.’ My situation was a classical “do or do not, there is no try”, and Sammy was Yoda. Luke Skywalker had done it, and so would I.

“Okay, Sam, thank you,” I said after a moment.

He smiled and nodded. “Anytime.” He leaned towards Luna and whispered to her, “Is there a way for me to come to Equestria?” She smiled, but shook her head. “Aww, crap.”

Whilst watching them, I felt someone poke my horn again. “Dammit, Adam!” I turned, finding Renee standing in front of me, staring at my protruding appendage. She pulled up a chair and sat down right in front of me, poking my horn again.

“Why does everyone want to poke my horn?” I sighed.

“Now that sounds dirty,” Adam commented, eliciting a few chuckles.

Renee poked my horn again. “Does it work?” she asked.

“Ask Lisa.” I smacked him, causing him to yelp.

“As far as I can tell,” I answered as I pulled my arm back, then looked over Renee’s shoulder. “Princess Celestia, does my horn work properly?”

“As far as I can tell, yes. The moment Luna and I connected you to the magic of our world, you became part of Equus. Your magic is indistinguishable from that of other unicorns.” Despite her words, she seemed concerned. “However, it is also weak and untrained. You’ve never used magic before, thus I cannot say how much potential you have, or if you have any potential at all. You may be limited to simple levitation, as both Luna and I have seen you perform, or…” Celestia turned to her sister, who briefly glanced neutrally at her. “You may surprise us. We cannot predict the future.”

Renee nodded at Celestia, then turned back to me with a grin. “You’re a wizard.”

“Not you too,” I moaned. “No game or Harry Potter references. This is real!” I motioned to my body.

“I know,” she replied with a smile. “But ever since I got to know you, you’ve been interested in magic. We spent hours playing wizards when we were young. You were engrossed with David Copperfield and the illusions he performed. Heck, you even learned a few easy tricks in second grade and insisted it was real magic.”

“I was just a dumb kid...” I mumbled.

“Age doesn’t matter,” she countered. She leaned forward and held her hand under my chin, gently forcing me to look her in the eye. “Do you remember the time we all went to Yellowstone? The first night after dinner, we just lied on the ground and looked up at the stars, wondering what was up there. I said that aliens definitively existed and asked you what you thought was up there in space. Remember what you said?”

I remembered that trip, having been the first time I had been to Yellowstone. "To quote myself, 'I think that somewhere out there, something might exist, a force so mysterious and incomprehensible to us that we’d have no idea what to call it, except magic.'"

“Exactly.” Renee lowered her hand and smiled. “All my life I’ve heard you talk about magic as if it was a real thing. So many times over the years have I had to listen to you try to explain magic in movies, games, and books. More than once, I’ve mentioned that you are either a complete nerd or possess an overactive imagination.” She stared me in the eye, awaiting a response. She was right, however, and I saw no point in denying it. From The Hobbit to The Silmarillion, I had driven my friends weary with my constant fixation on the subject. “Now I know why you’ve always been so interested in magic,” she finished once she realized that I wasn’t going to defend myself.

With a smile on her face, she walked over to the couch the alicorns sat on and went behind them, then poked their horns. Celestia’s eyes grew wide at the sudden touch, her body stiffening. Luna reacted similarly, turning around to glare at Renee. “Please refrain from touching my horn. A thousand years ago, touching our horn without permission was ample reason to be sent to the dungeons,” Luna huffed.

Renee quickly pulled her hand back, now aware of her faux pas. “Sorry, Your Highness, I was only illustrating my point.” She turned to me. “It’s in your blood,” Renee said, as if it was the simplest thing in the world. “You come from a line of people, or in this case, ponies, whose lives revolve around magic. As Max mentioned earlier, we spoke with the princesses while you and Lisa were gone, and they told us a little about Equestria. Weather made by pegasi, food grown by earth ponies, and unicorns once raising the sun and moon—all which would have been considered miracles or acts of God.” She sat down next to me. “If there had to be another place for you to live, I’d say Equestria is the place for you.” She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around my neck, then whispered in my ear, “Give Equestria a chance. Here you can follow your childhood dream.”

I returned her embrace, feeling the warmth emanating from her. “Thanks, Renee, I’ll consider it.”

“You’re welcome,” she said. We hugged for a while longer until she released me and patted my cheek. “Feeling better?”

“A little bit,” I replied with a smile. It was true; this intervention was doing wonders for my psyche.

Renee walked back to the couch, sitting down next to Lisa. She nudged her, but Lisa remained seated, looking like she was trying to figure out what to say to me. In any case, she was beaten to the punch as the chair creaked ominously when Max sat down in front of me. Crossing his legs and arms, he looked me over, then cocked his head to the side for good measure.

“I’ve had games from Sam, and Harry Potter from Renee.” I crossed my arms and gave Max the stink eye. “If you mention Gandalf, I’ll kick you in the nuts.”

The gentle giant just smirked at me and chuckled. “Nothing so simple, no. I have no problem with who or what you are.” His smile quickly vanished as he glared at me. “What I have a problem with is the shit you’re trying to pull off.” He scooted closer to me until he was up in my face. “Lying in a bed, feeling sorry for yourself, not eating and drinking.” He shook his head disapprovingly. “Never in a million years I thought I’d see you act like that.”

I scoffed. “You’re not in my position, Max. You’re not the one who lost everything.”

Max raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. “Where did I come from, Magnus?” he asked quietly. “Where did my family come from, hmm?”

At first I didn’t understand what he was referring to. Only when I began digging deeper into the recesses of my mind did I remember that, although my situation was decidedly unique, Max and his parents had been through something similar years ago.

His full name was Maximilian Gottlieb, and his family came to America from East Germany two years before the Berlin Wall fell. He had been just a toddler and couldn’t remember much about his family’s escape to the West, but what I did know was that his family had brought nothing with them except some clothes and a few photographs. After a short period of time spent in England, they managed to find a way to America.

Max’s father, August, had no special education of worth and had been forced to work at a McDonald's in order to support his family. His mother, Gisela, found work cleaning offices in the evenings while August took care of Max. They had lived in a tiny apartment in New York at the time, and luxuries had been in short supply. Still, they survived.

Through hard work, August took evening classes in management while Gisela worked her way up the ranks in the cleaning company. It paid off in the end: August was offered a well-paid job in management for a grain production company in Montana and moved there with Gisela and Max. The company Gisela worked for had an office in my town where she transferred to and worked her way up the ladder.

They had had something, left everything, had nothing, and then managed to build themselves a new life. They truly exemplified the American Dream.

“Sorry, buddy, I forgot for a moment,” I muttered, briefly averting my gaze.

He shrugged. “It’s okay. What's important is that you understand your own situation. This,” he pointed at my hooves, “is not the end. A few changes, a few new body parts, they aren’t that important, not in my eyes anyway. What’s important is that you, my friend, understand that a life can be rebuilt.” I nodded slowly and sighed. I must have sounded disheartened. He made it sound so easy.

He leaned forward and patted my shoulder. “It takes a lot of work, sure, but you can do it. I know you, and I know that you aren’t afraid to work. You have skills, you have the ability, and you have opposable thumbs, which no ponies have.” He grinned and nodded to the princesses, who were eyeing my hands with interest. Now that I thought about it, I remembered minotaurs had hands as well, so they weren’t really that unique.

“So,” he leaned back in the chair, “hard work, faith in yourself, don’t give up, and you’ll be okay.”

Once again I nodded, but didn’t smile. “But you guys won’t be there.” I looked over to the others. “None of you will be.”

They nodded sombrely. Though I could rebuild my life in Equestria in terms of the physical stuff, maybe get a job, I couldn’t fill the gap their absence would leave.

Max walked over to me and placed his hand on my shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. “I know, bro. We’ve always been there for each other through thick and thin. But sometimes, we have to go alone to places unknown. You’re just going very far, that’s all. Far enough that we will never see each other again.” He patted my shoulder. “You’ll live,” he said with a sense of finality and walked back to his chair, sitting without another word.

I stared at Max for a moment. It made sense for him to be the absolute voice of reason. Out of all of us, Max had been the poorest kid on the street, up until around he was ten. He had learned the value of hard work from his parents and he never wasted money, tight as it had been at times.

Turning to the others, I expected one of them to take the chair, though none did. Lisa still appeared to be thinking of something while Nick chewed his fingernails, tightly clutching the bottle. Even Adam seemed to be serious, the perpetual dopey grin absent from his face. Meanwhile, Jesse and Luna had resumed their glaring contest, prompting me to intervene before things got out of control again.

“Jesse, something on your mind?”

Jesse had been so preoccupied that she almost jumped from her seat when I called her name. Quickly looking my way, she huffed and crossed her arms. “What? Oh, just… I can’t believe these two, these kidnappers,” she huffed, eying Luna in particular. “They’ve practically kidnapped you, don’t you realize?”

I rubbed my temples in exasperation. “I’m not happy either. Did you think I wanted this? That I wanted to be taken away from everything I’ve ever known?” I asked with a frown. “I was scared out of my mind when I woke up surrounded by armed ponies. All I could do was what they commanded, and honestly, having an angry princess interrogating me wasn’t exactly reassuring.”

“I am sorry for my behaviour.” Celestia bowed her head slightly. “Anger interfered with my judgement. It was not my intent to frighten you so.”

I nodded to her. “But they haven’t harmed me either. They've fed me, given me a place to sleep and the clothes on my back, along with medical attention,” I exhaled and rested my head in my hands. “Right now, they’re the closest thing I have to allies in this place.”

“Yeah right!” Jesse exclaimed angrily. “You’re coming down with Stockholm Syndrome. They treat you right, make you dependent on them, gain your trust, and then they’ll fuck you over!” Some of my friends seemed to share that opinion by their slight nods, though they didn’t outright voice it.

Luna glared even harder at Jesse. “We will do no such thing!” Luna nearly shouted and pointed her hoof at me. “Your friend, whom you call brother, is one of the last known direct descendants of perhaps the greatest unicorns to have ever lived, one who was a close friend to my sister and me. We promised Star Swirl that we would aid and provide for Magnus.” Pausing, Luna’s sharp eyes alternated between Jesse and the others, as if daring them to disagree. No one spoke up, though their sceptical demeanour didn’t abate.

When Luna spoke again, her voice was more subdued. “Shall Sister and I break our promise?” she asked, her eyes shifting over to Jesse. “Should we have him evicted from the castle to live off the streets and be at the mercy of the citizenry? Should he be forced to rummage through trash cans for food and live in parks or perhaps scrape a meagre living in the forests? No, he shall not!” She declared with a powerful stomp with her hoof.

“Rest assured that Magnus is under our protection, now and forever. He is a citizen of Equestria, if he so desires. He will have the same rights as any citizen, meaning that he will be able to apply for any job he wishes for, if he possesses the right qualifications. He will be able to purchase property, buy food, and receive an education. We will not deny him the right to a peaceful life. If he has nothing but contempt for Luna and myself after tonight, we will leave him alone and never bother him again,” Celestia finished.

We all looked to Celestia, attempting to prise out any signs of deceit from her. There weren’t any nervous twitches, sweating, or forced smiles, just a solemn expression on her face. She either had an impressive poker face or was telling the truth.

Jesse was far from convinced. “Yeah, just keep saying that. Someday you might convince yourself to do the right thing,” she scoffed. She turned to me. “Magnus, just listen to me. Keep your guard up, okay? Don’t let it down, not even for a moment. You said there were dragons there, right? This is a fight for survival. Keep on your toes and learn how to defend yourself, because someday you’ll need to.”

“Okay, Jesse, I hear you; keep my guard up.” I had to admit that Jesse had a valid point. Celestia had said that I would eventually be accepted, and maybe she and Luna could guarantee that their subjects wouldn’t try anything with me, but what of the other nations, of the other races?

From what I remembered of the day I spent looking at the various sapient races of Equestria, I knew that I was at a severe disadvantage. The griffons had their wings and sharp claws, minotaurs seemed to possess enormous physical strength, while the diamond dogs resembled domesticated werewolves. One should never approach an unfamiliar dog, and the size of their arms made it clear that they could easily tear me in half. Even the ponies themselves could be dangerous. What stopped a unicorn from lifting me with their magic and throwing me into a wall? A pegasus could easily fly above me and cave my skull in with a powerful stomp of their hooves. A kick from a strong earth pony could shatter my legs in an instant. They might be small, but they were powerful in their own rights. And what did I have to defend myself with? My wits and two living goddesses on my side.

My list of allies wasn’t that bad, now that I thought about it. Still, better safe than sorry.

“I'll do what I can to stay safe, Jesse, but the princesses are my greatest and only allies in my situation.” She frowned at me. “Like it or not, I’ll have to give trust them, even Luna.” I frowned at Luna, whose ears pressed slightly against her skull.

“Again, please forgive me for violating your trust.”

“We’ll see.” I then turned back to the last three who hadn’t spoken yet. Nick was still nursing his bottle, having nearly drained it. I decided to talk to him while he was still coherent.

“Nick?” He nearly jumped when I mentioned his name. He momentarily forgot about his bottle, which fell onto the floor and spilled its contents on the rug.

“What? Sorry, sorry.” He picked up the bottle and attempted to save the precious liquid, but its contents were unsalvageable.

“Don’t worry about it. The alcohol isn’t really here.” I tried to calm him, but it seemed to have the opposite effect.

“I know, and I don’t exist here either,” he replied with a shaking voice. “And knowing that I’m gonna be gone when you wake up scares the shit out of me.”

“Come on, Nick, it’s not that bad. You know, I made you from memory, and I think that you’ll return to my memory later. “

“Yeah, that isn’t comforting at all,” Nick replied sarcastically. “If you made me up in your mind, does that mean that if you think of something else, I’ll change into that? What if you think of a Xenomorph or a Predator? What if you think about Cthulhu and I become him?!” Rubbing his reddened face, Nick sighed deeply. “I’m sorry, bro, but… I’m too scared to think of anything to help you. Just… live, okay? Wasting away isn’t your thing.”

With a smile, I nodded. “That’ll do. Every bit helps in the end.”

Resting his head in his hands, Nick leaned forward, with Renee patting his back in an effort to comfort him. He looked like he needed it.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Lisa finally focus on me. Turning to her, a flicker of a smile crossed her lips. “Magnus, I’ve known you for years, first as a nerdy little brother, then as my boyfriend, and lastly, as a friend again. I liked you when we were kids, loved you as my boyfriend, and love you as my friend. Just thinking about never seeing you again hurts in here.” She laid her hand over her chest, tapping it twice. Biting her lip, she wiped away a tear from her eye.

I could never handle seeing her cry, and tonight was no different. Standing, I walked over to the couch and sat down next to her. Taking her hand in mine, I sat as close to her as I could. She leaned on my shoulder, sniffled, and looked into my eyes.

“We weren’t meant to be, and now you… maybe you aren’t meant for Earth either. You would die if you stayed, but here you have a new chance at life.” A tremulous smile on her face, she placed her hand on my cheek. I leaned into her hand, savouring her warm touch, perhaps the last time I would be near another human.

“We can’t come with you this time; now you’re all alone,” she murmured sadly. “I still love you as a brother, and I don’t want you to die. I just want you to be happy. And maybe, maybe this is a new beginning for you. Maybe you can build a new life here if you really try.”

She sobbed and wrapped her arms around me, burying her face into my chest. I hugged her back, holding her as she silently wept. I would cry as well, but found myself unable to for some reason. I just kept my arms around Lisa, letting her cry until she felt she could go on.

Moments later, she pulled herself back and gazed at my face, her eyes reddened and teary. “You know, new beginnings are often disguised as painful endings.”

Her words struck me like a hammer. They were painful words, but carried with them immense hope, that somehow everything would turn out alright, no matter what. It left me speechless, unable to muster an adequate response. Instead, I hugged Lisa once more, burying my face on her shoulder as the tears flowed.

“Truer words have never been spoken before,” I heard Luna declare with a quivering voice, quickly followed by a teary sniffle that sounded like Celestia.

Eventually, our embrace ended. Although Lisa moved away slightly, I still held on for just a few seconds longer. After finally releasing her, she gazed at my face with trembling lips, wiping my tears away with her thumb. I did the same for her.

“I have hope in you. I know you can do this. All you have to do is try.”

I gave her my most reassuring smile. “I’ll try.”

She placed her hands on my temples and gave me a gentle kiss on my lips. “And you’ll be okay.”

I savoured the feeling of her soft lips on mine. How I’d missed her.

I prepared to stand when I noticed how unusually quiet my friends were. When I turned to them, they all beamed at me, Celestia and Luna as well. Even Grandfather sat proudly in his chair with shimmering eyes and a warm smile that brought back memories of my youth. They knew me, knew who I was, knew what I could do. Most importantly, they had hope in me, more than I had in myself.

Placing the palm of my hand on Lisa’s chin, I kissed her forehead. “Thank you.”

I returned to my own chair and sat down. Adam sat next to me, still looking thoughtful. Without saying anything, moved over to the chair in front of me, turning it around and resting his arms on the back of the chair. He was uncharacteristically quiet, with an unnaturally neutral expression on his face.

“Bet you expect me to say something funny, huh? Maybe a few jokes about your appearance or something similar?” he asked seriously.

“I was expecting something like that,” I answered.

He smiled briefly. “I planned to, but laughing doesn’t work in every situation, this one least of all. I often try to make people laugh in order to cheer them up. It feels better and safer than angry words. What harm can people do when they’re laughing?” He looks over to the others. “What kind of advice can I give that they haven’t already told you? Live and see the world you’re in? Learn magic? Survive?” He shook his head. “I can’t tell you what to do—I’m not good with advice. I can joke around, try to make you laugh, probably come up with something if you give me time, but something tells me that we don’t have that luxury.”

“So what can I do? What can I say?” Adam sighed and rested his head on his arms. “I’ve never been good at things like this. I can never find the right words.”

“I believe, young Adam, that whatever you say will be beneficial, as long as it comes from your heart,” Celestia suggested.

Adam looked at Celestia, slightly pursing his lips before nodding sombrely. His eyes wandered downwards briefly before he met my gaze. “Magnus, for as long as I’ve known you, you’ve been my best friend. You are my bro, my buddy. Ever since we were kids, I’ve always considered you a calm and life-loving guy.”

Adman had described me as many things over the years, but that was the one that he often used. Still, it was almost disconcerting how serious he was acting.

“‘Magnus loves life’, that’s my best description of you. You live life one day at a time, not worrying about making money or stressing like most people do. Most importantly, you, my brother, make an effort to be happy with what you have available.” Adam’s lips thinned as he grimaced and shook his head. “Then I hear you want to waste your life. Who are you? Where’s my brother?”

I opened my mouth to object, but quickly closed it. Had I really changed that much in such a short amount of time that even my own friend couldn’t recognize me? Had my grief turned me into something else?

“My brother wouldn’t just lie down and die!” Adam exclaimed loudly, his mouth twisting into a sneer. “My brother is stronger than this weak piece of shit satyr I see sitting before me! My brother fought against a condition that could have killed him for years before he finally triumphed! Every single day, my brother endured headaches so strong that the pain alone sometimes made him vomit, even pass out, but he always managed to stand up on his own when the pain lessened! So I ask you, satyr…” Still fuming, Adam leaned forward until he was in my face, his teeth grinding so loudly that I could hear it.

“Where. Is. My. Brother?”

I couldn’t answer, for I had none. I had never seen Adam so furious before, and frankly, it scared me. He was right, though. I had always managed to get up after having a particularly bad day of headaches, and he had borne witness to the times when it had been so unbearable when I had been reduced to begging my grandfather for help. Now, it seemed my lack of fight had tripped him off.

Slowly, he backed away, swiping a hand through his hair. “I thought I knew you, but I don’t. I always thought you were a strong guy, not physically strong like Max, but stronger emotionally and mentally, able to take whatever was thrown at you and still keep standing. Don’t you understand?” he asked, almost pleading with me. “Can you really just throw in the towel and give up on life just because we’re not there?”

A dull throbbing made itself known in my stomach as my chest tightened. Was it guilt I was experiencing? Were my actions so selfish that they had been exposed in front of my friends? The more I thought about it, the more sense it made. I had actually considered leaping off one of the towers to end everything, but in the end, I didn’t do it. Even considering doing something like that back on Earth would have made me question my sanity. Now, having confessed it all to my friends made me feel like I had betrayed them in some way.

“Well? Speak up, Magnus!” Adam demanded impatiently.

“I… I’m sorry… I just—”

“You just what?” In one swift motion, he pushed the chair away and took a step towards me. “You just want to die because we aren’t there? That you’d rather die than live without us?” He pointed at Lisa, who jerked slightly. “Lisa, do you want Magnus to die?” he asked, to which she shook her head.

“No, I want him to live,” she answered in a heartbeat.

Adam then pointed at Renee. “Do you want him to live?”

“Of course I do.”

“Nick, the same question.”

“Live, of course.”

“Sammy?”

“Live and learn magic.”

“Max?”

“Live and learn.”

“Jesse?”

“Live so that he can one day get revenge on these two horned bitches.”

“And what about you two?” Adam asked he turned towards the two alicorns, who were observing Adam’s impromptu interrogation with interest. “Do you want Magnus to live or die?”

“I wish for Magnus to live so that he may learn where one part of his family came from and build a life of happiness for himself,” Celestia answered.

“I wish for Magnus to live so that he may experience a full life that was denied his line for centuries.” Luna paused for a moment, then added, “Perhaps in time, he may have a family of his own.”

Adam’s stern expression softened into a deadpan look. “Not quite there yet, Your Highness, ‘cause that’s just nasty!”

He then turned to the last person, who had borne silent witness to the proceedings. “Joe?” He made sure to modulate his tone, as he’d always been respectful towards my grandfather. “What’s your answer?”

Grandfather merely smiled. “Magnus has already decided—he just doesn’t know it yet,” he replied, as enigmatic as he was in life. As annoying as it was, it was nice to hear him speak like that again.

Seemingly satisfied with the answers he received, Adam once again made his way over to me. Resting his hands on his hips, he looked down at me with the same facial expression a parent had when chiding a child. “There you have it; no more excuses. We all want you to live—even the rulers of Equestria want you alive and kicking. Take a look.” He pointed to my friends.

The way they all looked at me was as though they had my back, telling me to choose the right path without saying a single word. Even Celestia and Luna sat there with knowing smiles on their faces, and in their eyes, I saw the same.

‘Choose life and find happiness. This life is not yet over; there’s still much to see and experience. It won’t be easy at first, but it will get better,’ I heard a voice in my head say. It took a second for me to realize that the voice was in fact my own, and the revelation felt like a great weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

Despite all that I had lost, I had managed to bring forth those who meant the world to me. Their encouragement, their love, and care overrode my grief, if only for a while, so that I could remember who I was back on Earth. Though my old dreams were now ashes, who’s to say I couldn’t have new ones? Who’s to say that I couldn’t create a new life from scratch? I couldn’t possibly sink any lower, so the only way from here was up. I thought—no, I knew I could do it. They believed it, and they knew me better than anyone else. It wouldn’t be easy, but starting a new life never was. There would be obstacles, both immediate and in the future, but eventually I would be able to walk around as a free man, free to choose my own path in life.

I realized then that the only thing that had held me back was me, but no more. Now more than ever, it was time for me to stand on my own two legs. My friends, my brothers and sisters, had held my hand for long enough, but now it was time to let them go and walk ahead on my own in a land where they couldn’t follow me. They had each other, and I knew they would be alright.

“I understand now,” I said. “It’s time to go on my own. It’s time to live.”

The relief on their faces was plain to see. It was as if they had expected the worst, an even greater indication that I chose correctly.

“That’s great! We finally got through to you!” Adam gave me an encouraging pat on the shoulder. The others came up as well, offering words of encouragement and hugs from the girls. Grandfather placed his hands on my shoulders as he positively beamed.

“In your despair, you strayed from the path, but found your way once again,” he stated, pride lacing his voice. “However, do not do live for us, live for yourself. Only then can you be happy.” He then gave me a bear hug, and I swore I heard him choke back a happy sob.

“I will, Grandpa.” I patted his back, feeling a bit teary-eyed myself. I was surprised to feel a wing touch my shoulder. Turning around, I found Celestia and Luna standing next to me, looking just as pleased as my friends.

“I am overjoyed to see you make the right decision, Magnus. All life has worth, and wasting yours would be terrible.” She smiled even wider as she looked around at my friends. “You have a good family to support you even in this time of need.”

“The very best,” I replied proudly, to which my siblings agreed heartily.

Luna stood proudly next to her sister. “You may not be bound to them by blood, but as far as I can tell, it makes no difference. You care for them as they care for you, and that is all that matters.” Luna’s smile suddenly dimmed. “However, remember that you created them from your own perspective. If they were real, it is quite possible that their opinions would be different.”

“Christ, lady!” Nick shouted next to Luna. “Don’t remind me that I have to go back into his head when he wakes up. I’m having a hard enough time dealing with being a dream as it is!” He then proceeded to flick her horn repeatedly.

Although it didn’t seem to hurt her, Luna flinched each time his hands struck her horn. “Please, corpulent one, you have nothing to fear. Returning to Magnus’ mind will not harm you at all. It will be as if you are falling asleep.”

“It’s like Inception, and it’s not helping!” Nick screamed as he flicked her horn repeatedly. Luna merely sighed.

“This is why I rarely tell ponies to create their friends in dreams. There is always one who objects to returning to the mind.”

Nick’s constant flicking and the sound it elicited, coupled with Luna’s deadpan look, was enough for us to burst out laughing. Even Celestia found some amusement in watching her sister’s horn be molested by Nick.

It was Sammy who noticed first what was happening around us. “What’s that?” He pointed to the wall. Turning to where he indicated, I saw ripples forming on the solid wood, like rings in a pond.

“The dream will end soon,” Luna stated as she stepped forward, studying the slow-forming ripples. “Dawn approaches, and you will soon wake up.”

‘No, not yet. I still have so much to say to them.’ It seemed as if hours, or even days had passed. Had it only been a single night?

“Is there a way to prolong the dream?” I asked, hoping that Luna had another trick up her sleeve… or shoe, or maybe in her tiara.

She shook her head. “There is, but I do not believe it would serve any purpose. You have spoken to your friends and family, listened to their advice, and you have decided to live. What else do you wish to do?”

There was one thing had bothered me for quite some time. I had said goodbye to them the day before I left and promised to return in a few weeks. Now, I could never do so in reality.

“I want to say farewell, a proper farewell.”

***

Magnus and his ‘siblings’ walked out of the cabin and into the small clearing where the cabin was located. Luna and Celestia followed them outside and came to a halt a few meters from the porch. The dark clouds had parted, leaving only a few white scattered clouds. Dawn had yet to arrive, though the dark skies above were slowly growing lighter.

No longer did chilly winds howl amongst the treetops; now it was only a slightly warm, mild breeze swirling in the forest. Around them, the ice that had formed on the trees and ground had begun melting away, forming tiny streams that flowed through the clearing. Even the trees and other vegetation surrounding them had changed; small green buds sprung forth from the limbs of trees while small green sprouts grew from the ground. It was as if spring had arrived on its own.

Celestia and Luna knew better. The transformation of the forest and the skies was a result of Magnus coming to terms with his situation. By accepting all that had happened, a change had come to his mind. The dream had turned from cold and dreary to hopeful and expectant, reflecting his inner emotions.

The two alicorns decided they did not want to disturb the final farewell and gave Magnus and his friends their privacy. Watching the small group of friends interact with each other, seemingly without a worry in the world, gave the two alicorns a sense of relief.

“It seems as if our young charge has made up his mind. Look how happy he is,” Celestia noted, watching Magnus being heaved up on Max’s shoulders as they laughed.

“He is happy when he is surrounded by them,” Luna replied. She had spent most of the dream observing how he interacted with his friends. It seemed that friendship amongst humans was different from that of ponies, somewhat rougher perhaps, yet it did not weaken their bond in the slightest. “They mean the world to him, as siblings often do. They are supportive, accepting, and forgiving. They are the best things that could have happened to him.”

Celestia nodded in agreement. Having a sibling was worth more than any treasure. From childhood games of hide and seek to more mature conversations as an adult—and perhaps the occasionally silly game—Luna was a constant in her life, as Magnus’ friends had been to him.

“What do you think will happen now? You can touch the minds of dreamers in this state. Do you think that he will find it easier to move past his grief?”

Luna closed her eyes for a moment as she prodded the human's mind. “No, he is fully aware that they are figments of his dream. He knows that their responses would vary if they were real, but at this moment, he does not care. For now, each voice, each touch, each silly joke shared is what commands his attention. And when he wakes up, he will take his first steps towards reclaiming his life. I think we should give him the time he needs.”

Watching the merry group of young adults interact with each other, Joseph limped down the stairs and stopped beside Celestia. Crossing his arms over his chest, he beamed warmly at the sight of his grandson. Celestia and Luna looked at Joseph, noticing his expression.

“Your grandson is a good colt,” Celestia said, momentarily forgetting to refer to Magnus as man. “You must be proud of him.”

“I have always been proud of him,” Joseph replied. “The last thing I said to my grandson was that whatever happened to him, I would always be proud of him. I’m even more so now that he has chosen life.”

“Raising your grandson on your own must not have been an easy feat, but I must applaud your noble effort.” Luna inclined her head slightly, then turned to the group of friends enjoying each other’s company.

“It wasn’t always easy. Often, I wished that my wife was there to help me. God knows Magnus needed a mother figure in his life instead of relying on an old man all the time.” Joseph turned to the princesses, his countenance faltering slightly. “I’m afraid that my grandson will feel alone. He is unique, not only in body, but also in mind and spirit. He has a human mindset, a human way of thinking and approaching problems, which I believe is different than that of a pony. Will that be a problem for him?”

Luna quickly moved to reassure him. “I do not believe it would. There are many races living in Equestria, many with ways of thinking different than that of a pony. Magnus will find his place amongst us. We will be there for your grandson, whatever situations he will face. Star Swirl depended on us to help, and help we will. We give you our word; Magnus will never be alone.” Celestia nodded in agreement.

Joseph’s contented appearance returned. “Then I am satisfied. Please, take good care of him.”

The elders returned to watching Magnus and his friends for several minutes. Eventually, the youngsters came back to them, stopping a short distance away.

“So…” Magnus’ voice quivered as he stepped forward and faced his friends. “I guess… this is it, then?” His friends nodded sadly. After a few moments of awkward hesitation, Lisa walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him.

“You take care of yourself, okay?” she said with a tear running down her cheek. Magnus hugged her back and rested his chin on her head.

“I will, don’t worry.”

She released him and walked back to the rest. Then Sammy stepped forward. He reached out to Magnus and shook his hand, while the other came to rest on his shoulder. “Good luck, buddy. Go, live a good life.” Sammy then leaned closer. “If you learn how to use magic, just… stay away from the dark stuff, okay?”

A bark of laughter escaped Magnus’ lips. “I’ll stay away from anything dark and with tentacles.” Sammy nodded once and stepped back.

Max walked forth. Both Luna and Celestia surmised that he had an impressive physique, at least compared to the others. It seemed that hard work had been ingrained in his life. He reached out and shook Magnus’ hand firmly. “Good luck. You can make a life here. We believe in you,” he stated without showing much emotion.

“I’ll do my best, Max. You take care now; remember leg day as well.”

“Always,” the gentle giant responded with a grin. “I have a dream to make real; you do the same.” With that, Max returned to the others.

The next one to step forward was Renee. She slowly but firmly laid her arms around his neck, sniffling lightly as she did. “Be good, and ponies will be good to you. The princesses say that Equestria is a good world, and in good places, good things will happen.”

“I hope they do. I’ve lost so much already that I have nothing else to lose.” Magnus ran his hand gently through her hair. “Things can only get better at this point.”

“It will, just have patience.” Eventually, Renee slowly released him and walked back, standing next to Lisa as she wiped away a tear.

With visibly shaking legs, Nick approached Magnus. “I…” he began, but paused awkwardly. “I really, really, really don’t want to go back into your head. You always get some weird ideas, especially when you have a few beers in you. But…” His shoulders sagged. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry for what I did when we were young, and… I hope you can make a good life for yourself, okay? No weird shit, just a nice little house, a decent job, just something to make you happy.”

Magnus stared at his friend in silence for a few moments before replying, “A lot of things will change for me, but you helped me reconsider, all of you. I think—no, I know I can do something here. What that is… well, we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Nick nodded at hearing the slight swell of confidence in Magnus’ voice. He then shook his hand. “Good. I’ll just… see you on the other side.”

“See you there then.” Magnus nodded back at him.

Nick returned to his friends, still visibly trembling. His fear of returning to Magnus’ mind was evidently clear, but Luna knew that he would suffer no ill effects. That in turn reminded Luna that she had gone against Magnus’ wishes in invading his mind, and they still had a potentially unpleasant conversation ahead of them.

Jesse stepped forward with clenched fists. Stopping in front of Magnus, she cast a caustic glare at the two alicorns. “You…” she practically snarled. “Magnus.” Her eyes turned to her ‘brother’. “Be careful around those two. Don’t make any deals with them unless you know exactly what it entails. Strange dogs often bite the hand that pets them.”

‘Did that foal just refer to us as dogs?’ Luna pursed her lips tightly together, not wishing to ruin this final farewell by giving that foul human a piece of her mind. Still, Jesse was very protective of Magnus, which fuelled her anger. In a way, Luna could understand the sentiment.

“But…” Jesse grimaced slightly. “You might have to depend on them for a while. Just watch your six.”

Luna and Celestia raised a brow in surprise at her statement as Magnus laid his arm around Jesse, kissing her forehead. “I have a lot to learn here. I have to trust them in order to survive. If it makes you sleep easier, I’ll look over my shoulder for a while.”

“Good.” Jesse surprised Magnus by wiggling out of his grip, then proceeding to hold him in a headlock while rubbing her knuckles over his head. “And this is for scaring the shit out of us, you prick!”

“Ow! Stop! Jesse, let go!”

To the alicorns, the scalp massage Magnus received looked rather rough and unpleasant. Human customs, it seemed, were very strange. Magnus eventually managed to get the young female off him, and after a short hug, she walked away with a smile on her lips.

The last of his friends said nary a word as he walked up to Magnus. Adam’s eyes shimmered as his mouth opened and his voice whispered, “It’s hard… saying goodbye. I just… I… I try to joke, to make things seem less serious, but...” He shook his head mournfully. “You… You’re really going… away…”

Magnus nodded slowly as he stepped forward, grabbing Adam's hand and pulling him into a brotherly embrace. Magnus’ breath shuddered as his hands tightened around his friend. They were silent, but Celestia knew that Magnus’ mind was whirling more in that moment that it had ever previously done. Whatever fond farewells he might have uttered could never have been justified in mere words.

She realized that the one Magnus had mentioned most during his relatively brief time in Equestria was Adam. He was the first one he called brother, he had been Magnus’ first friend, and logic dictated that he was the closest one to him. A younger brother of sort.

It tore even more at her heart. A final farewell. Even though Adam wasn’t real, he meant more to Magnus that he could ever imagine. He and his friends had saved a life by simply being there.

Adam and Magnus eventually took a step back, still facing each other. Adam, still teary-eyed, attempted to grin, although his pain shone through. “Be good, bro.” He nodded weakly. “Go. Live. Be happy.”

“I’ll do my best. It’s a long road that I have in front of me.” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “Goodbye, Adam. I’ll see you later, brother.” Adam nodded and trudged back until he stood by his friends.

A moment of silence fell over the group. Siblings watched their brother, brother watched siblings, alicorns observed brothers and sisters bid one of their own goodbye, while a grandfather saw a new dawn rise in his grandson.

It was perfect, yet so sad.

Max glanced to his friends, then to the alicorns as he stepped forward. “We talked with each other back there.” He pointed a thumb over his shoulder. “And we want to ask you two a favour.”

Lisa walked forward until she stood next to Magnus and grabbed his left hand. “Take care of our brother, please.”

Celestia and Luna felt a warm glow suffuse their bodies. They couldn’t help be touched that Magnus’ friends had made the same request as Star Swirl and Joseph.

“We will take Magnus under our wings and shall protect him as we protect our subjects,” Luna vowed.

A wave of relief washed over their faces upon hearing the alicorn’s words. “Oh. Good!” Adam suddenly said, sounding unusually happy. “In that case, I have a few pointers about our bro here.” He walked up to stand next to Magnus. “So, you need to feed him three times a day—his favourite food is pizza. He’s potty-trained, so forget the newspapers. Take him for a walk at least once a—” Magnus raised his right arm, and with one swift downward motion, struck Adam between his legs. He collapsed to his knees, his hands covering the point of impact as he gasped and wheezed in what sounded like equal parts laughter and pain.

If stallions and human males were biologically the same, Celestia and Luna now possessed newfound knowledge on human anatomy.

“You’re still a garden gnome, Adam,” Magnus said as he helped his friend up on his feet, chuckling as he did.

“We promise we will take Magnus for a walk,” Celestia stated with a giggle. “We may also consider finding suitable chew toys for him.”

“Jesting aside, I must remind you that you might awaken at any moment.” The ripples in the world around them were becoming increasingly prominent. “Magnus, are you ready?”

He nodded morosely and turned to his friends. “Well, this is it. I’ll just… go now… and wake up.” He turned around and looked to his grandfather. “Grandpa…”

“I know it’s hard,” the old man said as he walked to stand next to his grandson, “but let me make it easier. Do you remember the funeral speech that was recited at my funeral? Let me give you the transition to a new world. I think it would fit very well in this situation.”

Joseph stood straight and placed a hand on his grandson’s back, then pointed to the young ones. His voice took on a tone that sounded almost formal, perhaps with a trace of religiosity. “Born as a human and lived like a human,” he began. “Spoke like a human and acted like a human. Loved like a human and died as a human.” He gently turned Magnus around so that he was facing Celestia and Luna, then gave him a slight push in their direction. “Leave the worn path of your old life behind and head towards the new path of your new life. See the other end, see the new life that waits, and when you arrive, you are alive.” Celestia and Luna stepped aside so that Magnus stopped between them. He then turned around so that he faced his friends and his grandfather.

“Remember the life you left and mourn it not, for there is no death, only life. That is the truth of the Great Spirit.” With his speech concluded, Joseph folded his hands over his chest. “It’s fitting, isn’t it?”

“Your ways were never really my ways,” Magnus replied with a smile. “But today your cryptic words fit quite well.”

Celestia and Luna agreed as well, though they did so silently. The words spoken by Joseph were most likely part of his spiritual beliefs as a shaman.

“Princess Luna, what do I do now? How can they return to my mind?” Magnus asked, his voice cracking slightly.

“They will return to your memories when you wake up, which will happen now,” Luna said, hoping that Magnus was finally ready to part with his friends

Magnus turned back to his friends as the entire dream began to ripple, even his friends and grandfather, like reflections in water. He swallowed the lump in his throat. “Guys… See you around, okay?”

They smiled back. The only one who did not smile was Nick, who clung to Jesse, obviously afraid. He wouldn’t be for much longer.

“See you around, brother,” they replied in unison, some of them waving to him.

Joseph nodded approvingly. “Goodbye, Grandson. Live in peace.”

Mere moments later, they turned into dust and vanished into thin air. Magnus fell to his knees and sobbed loudly as reality gripped him.

***

I woke. I did not jump up from bed, nor did I gasp or scream. My eyes simply opened. The room was no longer dark, the first light of dawn beginning to filter into the room, illuminating tiny specks of dust floating between me and the ceiling. I slowly rose and found Celestia and Luna at the foot of the bed, eyeing me carefully. I wasn’t surprised to find them there since I had spent the entire night with them. I knew that I should be angry with them, but instead, I was… thankful.

I still remembered everything from the dream. Not a single detail had blurred, as if everything that occurred had happened in real life. Somehow, what I remembered best was my promise to my friends and grandfather—my promise to make a life, to be happy. It didn’t matter if they were products of my own memory and imagination—they had been the greatest and most real versions of my friends that I could have thought of.

My silence and faraway stare caused Luna to take a step forward. “Magnus—” I silenced her by holding up my hand.

“Never go into my dreams again…” I stated.

She nodded, seemingly crestfallen. “As you wish.”

Satisfied with her answer, I sighed deeply and placed my hands over my face. God, it pained so much, knowing I would never see them again. I could help the sob escaping my throat as the truth crashed down on me again. Immediately, I felt the mattress compress near my legs as two warm necks softly nuzzled against my own, the wings of two goddesses wrapping around me.

I couldn’t tell why or how, but somehow I felt the need to gently press my neck back against theirs, and as I did so, I felt slightly more at ease, like it confirmed that I was safe and cared for. I liked it.

“It’s okay, shhh,” Celestia cooed. “It’s okay now.”

“We are here for you, Magnus. You will not face the world alone,” Luna assured me.

I had lost nearly everything: my family, my world, my possessions. All that was left was twenty-seven years of memories of a world and people I would never see again. All that remained was the sorrow of loss. Except for one thing.

My word. My promise. A promise to live, to experience, to build a life for myself, promised to the people I cared more for than anything else. My family.

I wouldn’t break my promise to them. I would die one day, but by then I’d be old and grey, not while I still had a life to live. It was going to be tough, but I would continue to struggle and break down any obstacles that stood in my path. I would live, not for my friends, but for myself.

As grief strengthened its hold on me and my tears started flowing, I wrapped an arm around each alicorn and held them close, hugging them for dear life. They returned the embrace, their declaration of support hovering around us.

I don’t think I would ever be alone again.

Author's Note:

Whoo! There we go! One year and five months worth of writing finally on the internet. And this was only the first part

From here on out the chapters will be about trying to live in Equestria. How will he be received by the ponies? What type of job will he find? Will he live in Canterlot castle or will he find an apartment? Are there still members of the Galaxy family in Equestria?

By the way, the response from the previous chapter was insane. The next time I logged back in I had so many notifications; new watchers, my story ending up as either tracking, favorited or read later, and of course comments.

You guys are great!

Edit.: JBL continues to amaze me. His work in editing is a great boon to me, and should he one day decide to write a story of his own I'll drop everything just to see what he can conjure up.

Comments

[LordMentat]

Damn shame this story is on a semi if not monthly release system. Should be weekly.

[RegalCrescent45]

You scumbag! You made me cry for the first time reading a story. The only other thing to make me cry is dumbledore dying in the half blood prince.

Even so... I can't hate you, I eagerly await more from you. If anyone says you suck at being a writer they're lying to you cuz they're jelly!

[StarGateReEntry]

7380471 Amen to that!

[Treasurehunter20]

I really think that you should end the story here and write about Magnus' adventures in Equestria as a sequel since the ending of this chapter tied up all the loose ends quite nicely. Making it the perfect end to a story.

[Kevin Lee]

Nicely done

But now it's time to boot his butt out of bed and get him to exploring and interacting with the world. You spent a quarter million words on him finally getting over his funk of learning he's in a world that lets him exist for the first time in his life without pain. We're all expecting at least three quarters of a million showing how he's reacting to those griffons, dragons, minotaurs, and ponies.

[222leslie222]

i kinda want Magnus to kill him self now

[Bazing]

Fuck this chapter was so powerful I love it.

[Skalula7]

I was kinda thinking, what if by some very small chance him talking to his family managed to reach the ones on earth.

[Fireeaters]

I noticed the 'maybe' on the whole "Discord-chaos magic" possibility that I commented about last chapter. Maybe he could do one of those 'Astral Projection' things with chaos magic, and send some sort of message to his buddies for their closure. Maybe.

[Shadow of doubt]

Great just wow its been that long as well. Great story so far cant wait for the next chapter

[ChibiChabot]

Damn... thanks

[jmlop0]

Can't Magnus simply project his grampa and friends again in his dreams?

[Cup of Coffee]

7627002 He can, but as Luna stated, sometimes he can't tell if he's dreaming or not. If someone else, such as Luna came to his dream and told him he was dreaming he would realize it, and then he could project them again. Problem is, he would know they aren't real and their actions would be him remembering how they were. Magnus has also banned Luna from his dreams too, so chances of them appearing in his dreams are slim.

[PinkiePieFox]

This story is long and sad. how dare you make me cry... Welp, onwords to the next chapter... I guess... I hope this story cheers up some because dangit its to darn sad!

[ArcaneVisions]

Good chapter good to see some of this resolved. I'm glad you didn't make him perfectly fine upon waking up and I hope he still has some struggles, deciding something and actually changing and accepting it are two different things. I hope he makes the effort but this is a strange new world so who knows what will happen that he doesn't expect.

[Verequus]

How old is Max, if his father was alive in the fifties already? Or did I misunderstand anything?

[stephen51991]

The Princess of the Night wasn’t one to back down, instead puffing out her chest while the shadows around her seemed to get darker.

We all looked to Celestia, attempting to prise out any signs of deceit from her. There weren’t any nervous twitches, sweating, or forced smiles, just a solemn expression on her face. She either had an impressive poker face or was telling the truth.

Or both.

[DashItAll]

Jesse seems to be the only one with her head on straight. I can't believe Magnus didn't even react to the fact that Celestia admitted to purposefully closing the portal...

I'll admit that I was hoping for a different ending to this phase of the story, but this was okay. My main complaint is that saying goodbye to figments of your own imagination can't be very fulfilling, nor remembering the fact that your real friends never got closure. It is good to see he actually barred Luna from entering his dreams again.

[Cup of Coffee]

8568190
I had several ideas on what Magnus would do when he learned that Celestia ordered the portal shut, but the one that spoke to me the most was that he simply accepted it, that other people were in potential danger too, if not in Earth's past, then in the future. I played around with a few ideas, but some of them turned very dark very quickly while others were just depressing. I simply wanted Magnus to move on without dwelling too much on the past, instead focusing on what remained of his existence in Equestria.

As for how he said goodbye? Well, this was the only idea I came up with. I briefly considered Discord making an appearance and just go *poof* here they are, now say bye quickly or something similar, but it would be too easy. A dream sequence had more appeal, at least to me. That way, we would also see his grandfather and his friends together, just like he wanted them to be. It might not be that fulfilling, but perhaps it helped a bit for Magnus.

[Kingmoonwar19]

is it good or bad that for the grandpas voice I here the Indian chefs (from red dead 2) voice

[Cup of Coffee]

9546147
I never imagined how Joseph's voice would sound like, and I actually haven't played RDR2 so I wouldn't know, but after searching on Youtube, I found a long clip of the chief speaking, and yeah, that's a voice I can imagine, perhaps not sounding so old and tired, but a bit younger, yeah.

[monkeytsu]

This felt like a season finale.