Part 1 (Adrian) - Chapter 2
Dinner in Alexandria was a community affair. Everypony took breakfast and lunch on the go, often using prepackaged pre-Event food. But no matter what you were doing, no matter where you were, you always came for dinner.
It probably helped that the group was so small; it helped that there was more than one pony who enjoyed cooking, as well as more than one who enjoyed gardening. Adrian was neither, which meant he got all the reward without any of the effort. Well, effort cooking anyway. Just because he didn’t like to stick around after he got bored of a place didn’t mean he was afraid of hard work.
Adrian limped into the pavilion beside Sky, who had to slow down in order to avoid outpacing him during the short walk. She hadn’t done any of the lifting or hauling today, but telling himself that only sorta helped soothe his pride. Of course, the smells coming from the pavilion quickly erased any trepidation he may’ve had.
The pavilion was big enough for dozens of ponies to all have benches and a little wooden roof over their heads, so of course they only needed the one table. A food truck had been driven right onto the grass beside the pavilion, though they generally only used it to keep their food away from raccoons and foxes during the night.
“What’re we having tonight?” he asked nopony in particular as he moved for the largest empty seat on the bench, climbing up onto it. Cloudy Skies sat in the middle, next to him.
Moriah apparently didn’t care much about the community spirit of the meal, because she was already eating, though the salad she ate looked as though it had been gathered from random plants nearby. The idea of eating just anything like that made his stomach turn. “Mad science,” she said, through a mouthful of something. Had she even washed it?
“Not mad science; food science.” Alex sat on Sky’s other side, but even from there Adrian could feel her glares for Moriah. “Oliver is making burgers.”
His stomach did another somersault at that. Like many ponies who’d been around right from the beginning, Adrian had loved meat when he was human and tried to keep eating it. He’d quickly learned that pony tongues did not work the same way human ones did, because he could not get himself to swallow. “Like… meat burgers?”
Oliver was behind the grill, and surrounded with the sizzling of something cooking. He had a spatula in his mouth, but still he shouted. “Nhmt rhll mett! Onn of-”
“He’s trying to say it’s one of the Equestrian recipes.” Alex smiled, gesturing at a cookbook resting beside the freshly baked buns Sky had made that morning. The spread also contained homemade cheese, some sort of leaf for lettuce, and typical store bought condiments. “You don’t want to know what’s in it, but I had these twice when I was in Equestria. It’s not quite the same, but your tongue can hardly tell the difference. They’re like what burgers should taste like. The way they used to be.”
Moriah rolled her eyes. “I saw them making the patties. It’s mad science.”
Adrian was a simple pony; he would trust his nose. His nose told him the burgers would taste amazing. Probably shouldn’t call them burgers, since he knew none of the “Equestrian” food would have meat in it. He’d never liked it when vegetarian food pretended to be “real”. “Did they have fast food in Equestria?”
Alex leaned sideways past Cloudy, so she could talk to him easier. Like the older mare, she had a short list of subjects that really interested her, and her visit to Equestria happened to be one of them. Unlike with Sky’s farming obsession, a visit to another universe actually seemed really interesting.
Adrian hadn’t believed for a second she had really gone to another world. Not until he saw the memory crystal, and relived exactly what she had felt at the time. Everything, from her racing heart, the way her dress felt on her back, the rage boiling in her chest as she learned what had really happened to humanity. Something about watching the memory had written the experience permanently into Adrian’s mind as well, as fresh as when he had first experienced it.
The implications of magic like that were terrifying. Thank goodness worrying about things like that was over his head. Like Alex, really. It was a shame she was too young for him, they’d probably have got along better than he did with Sky.
Of course, he had accidentally been tuning her out while he thought. “— they don’t have cars, so it’s not quite the same. They figured out deep frying though.” She nodded emphatically. “I never saw a chain. I wonder if they had corporation there.” She swiveled her head around over her shoulder, meeting Oliver’s eyes. “Does the library have any books on law?”
Oliver shook his head. The spatula wasn’t in his mouth this time, so he was able to reply more clearly. “Nope. At least, no books with titles about it.” He moved behind the grill again, though he shouted from behind it. “I thought the point was to help us learn to be ponies?”
“Yeah.” She looked down, disappointed. “But law might be really complicated with all these different species living together! It would be nice to have some sort of guide to make suggestions.” She sighed. “I wish Sunset Shimmer had come back with me. You guys would’ve thought she was awesome.”
Moriah glared. “I doubt it. She willingly works for a murderer. Some of that guilt has got to be communicable by proxy. It might’ve been her idea!”
She went on, but that was all Adrian listened to. He didn’t really understand why the unicorn Moriah hated the Equestrians so much. To him, they’d seemed well-meaning and genuine. Or had that just been how Alex had felt? Probably not; otherwise Moriah would’ve felt that too. Not that well meaning meant that they’d been justified in sending his family away in time, so far that he’d probably never see them…
No! He couldn’t get angry. Being upset about a pony he’d never even met, a pony he’d never meet, just didn’t make sense. Not when he had a real life in the present to live. Maybe if he ever saw her, he’d see how hard hooves could punch, for his family.
“You didn’t die, Moriah,” Alex pointed out.
“But people will! Just because I got lucky and saw your campfire doesn’t mean others will be so lucky. There will be thousands of deaths. Tens of thousands.”
“It would’ve been billions!”
Oliver cleared his throat, and the mares both stopped, staring. He had a plate of burgers in his mouth, so he couldn’t talk until he set them down beside the buns and everything else. “Eat up!” he said, louder than he had to. “I only made one for each of you, so no seconds.”
As one, everypony but Moriah rose from their seats and followed Oliver. The other mare kept talking, but Adrian wasn’t listening and apparently neither was anypony else. By the time they’d all returned with their plates, she’d given up and gone back to her salad.
As usual, the food was fantastic. Maybe the cheese was a little runny and the leaves weren’t lettuce, but Oliver and Cloudy sure knew how to cook. Alex hadn’t been lying either, it did taste like having a burger. Even after, when he’d learned it was made of hay and mushrooms, he hadn’t complained. No sense not enjoying something just because his old self didn’t enjoy it.
“How’s the water situation coming?” Adrian asked, when he was half done and starting on the fries. Real fries, with real potatoes! Thank god he could still eat those. And the ketchup was good too! “Did you figure out the pressure… stuff?”
Alex groaned. “I’ve learned more about pumps than I ever wanted to know.” She held up her legs a little higher. Even with her shirt, Adrian could see the grease on her legs. “We’ll have it by the end of the week, I’m sure. You’re sure too, right Joseph?”
She glared at him. Moriah glared back, but for entirely different reasons. Even Adrian wasn’t that stupid.
Joseph was, though. He showed no sign of recognizing the jealousy Moriah radiated on an almost constant basis. “Yeah, yeah!” The unicorn was still playing his 3DS while he ate, but he nodded vigorously anyway. “Sure, right. Whatever she said.”
The little earth pony rolled her eyes. “He’s somewhat more helpful when we work, thank God.” She lowered her voice. “It doesn’t really matter if he pays attention so long as he does what I say with his magic. We’ll… be there soon. I’m sorry it’s so horribly annoying to fill up the water truck.”
He shrugged. “It’s only once a week. It’s not like the water tower is that far.” He liked feeling useful. He didn’t like something so dreadfully boring, but he wasn’t about to say so.
“Any news from the other settlements?” Oliver ate more slowly than the others. He was also the least involved in the intricate web of relationships that was Alexandria, at least so far as Adrian could tell. Oliver was a doctor, and maybe a little bit of a cook. Nothing else really mattered to him that much.
Adrian played with one of his fries. It was harder to do with hooves. “There would be more if you let me tell them about your library.” He couldn’t help but let a little resentment slip into his voice. “I know a dozen ponies at least who will be jumping to get here when they learn you’ve got books to help them learn their powers. You can’t hog them all here forever.”
“Not forever.” Moriah again, looking serious. “We can’t let people take them from us. Knowledge is the scarcest resource; we could get all kinds of things in exchange for what’s in those books!”
Adrian felt his ears swivel back, his muscles tensing a little. He wasn’t the only one, if the anger in Alex’s voice was any guide. “We already discussed this. You were out-voted, Moriah!” She turned to Adrian. “We just want to be a little more situated. Those books are going to help the colony, but not because we hoard the knowledge. We want the books to stay here… and that means we need a system to make sure they don’t grow hooves and gallop away once we start letting other ponies into the library.” She looked to Adrian. “Same reason we haven’t told the story of what really happened yet. We want proof. The library will be the proof.”
“Just another week?” To Adrian’s credit, he only sounded a little sarcastic.
Alex looked like the remark might make her upset, but Oliver apparently did something because she settled down again, going back to her burger when he answered. It wasn’t as though it didn’t make sense for Oliver to answer, anyway. When he wasn’t dealing with the garden, the library was his responsibility. “Two more tops. I’ve just got the tags to install. Joseph already finished with the computer, so it should be painless.”
Unlike Moriah, he wouldn’t belabor an argument. Cloudy seemed to know he was upset, because she spoke up then. “So what news is there? Are the others doing well?”
He nodded. “For the most part. A few ponies are getting sick in New York right now. Some sort of cold. Their doctor is trying to figure out exactly what’s causing it, but it doesn’t seem to be that serious. Nopony stays sick for more than a few days.”
Oliver frowned, stirring his food around with one hoof. “It wasn’t like we thought we’d be immune forever. Some of the Equestrian books talk about disease; it was only a matter of time.”
“Anything else?”
Adrian shook his head. “Nothing much. I planned out my next trip, once I’m not needed here anymore. Colorado Springs.”
That provoked no positive reactions, particularly from Cloudy Skies. Talking about leaving in front of her got to her more than slashing her tires would have, more than dumping out all those little terrariums she made in old jars.
But it wasn’t as though he was leaving tomorrow! He’d been pretty clear with these ponies he wasn’t going to be around forever. He had way too many colonies to visit for that.
“You think they’re broadcasting?” Alex hopped up onto her hooves, hurrying over to the radio. “They usually are. Wonder if there’s any news we haven’t heard of.”
“There won’t be!” Adrian watched her walk away, though there wasn’t as much to see. It was a good thing Cloudy wasn’t the jealous type. Not that they had any sort of relationship… “Nobody’s got a network as good as mine! You can hear their broadcasts, they don’t know there’s even anypony else out there!” He tried to cut back on some of the passion from his voice. “That’s why I’ve got to keep moving. Ponies need to know that, no matter how crappy things are, they’re not alone.”
His wing twitched painfully, though he managed to keep any discomfort from his face.
Alex, meanwhile, had reached the radio. She twisted it on, and a voice from halfway across the country echoed through the pavilion “-know about. So even if we are far away you can and should head to us. We have power, food…”
Even the radio was calling to Adrian tonight, and he wasn’t anywhere close to finished in Alexandria. It was going to be a rough few weeks.
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Well that was convenient. Saw this story pop up, only saw that there was the first chapter, began reading, halfway through chapter the second one posted.
Well alright, alright, alright.
Slice of life at its finest. Love how you portray Adrian so far; and that communal dinner shows an astoundingly intricate relationship web between just six ponies. Loved every bit of it.
Oh and Alex? 10 bits say you'll see Sunset again. That meeting with her family back in Equestria had all the hallmarks of a final goodbye.
Foo-hee!
Can't wait for some more!
Alright then, establishing relationships and things that are happening, nice.
I find it strange that the leader, Alex, is also the mechanic and engineer of the place, usually it's the workmen associates that are on the opposite end of the important people list for colonies. So far it seems that they are putting Equestrian and Earth knowledge in the best way they can, building this place in Paris is pretty cool...
Sorry, isn't Paris in Europe? Or is there somewhere else in America that has the same name? I don't know geography.
Moriah... STFU, seriously you have became the most unlikely pony overnight, first you were the nay sayer, next you were the skeptic, after that the bitter prejudice, next the one who disagrees with EVERYONE elses opinion, and now you are jealous... of a teen gender swapped mare going after your oblivious as nails boytoy. Congratulations, you somehow managed to switch places with Cloudy Skies as my least favorite mare here.
Who also is rather more pleasant when she's not hoarding secrets, when will that last I wonder...
Alex I'm most interested in for the fact that she must have a large central role in organizing everything in the settlement, I guess it will be a while before we get into that. The ponies that are reluctant to join would surely be a welcome addition... I'm honestly looking forward to different species joining the fray, especially fingered species such as Minotaurs and Diamond Dogs, hehe, that will be some envy right there.
Also... just realized something, Moriah came in a plane, right? She didn't appear for a while like it was said for some ponies but... did the plane go with her?
It that's the case, then what about passenger planes? Would all of them appear inside it along with it? Would they be put inside a stasis until the others appeared as well? Or in fact, would it appear with one passenger on board and then that one passenger would spiral to his doom?
Kind of dark when you think about it...
I really like the art.
Story was OK too.
:)
Ahh, burgers. All is right with the world. Well, for a given value of right.
You know, it just slightly concerns me that the memory of Equestria recorded in crystal for future generations includes a record of such anger. That could easily poison the well for any future corporation, however far off that might be.
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Tags? As in RFID-esque tags? Assuming you can pair it with the proper security ala a supermarket theft deterrent system, that could work as long as you have the manpower to enforce it when the alarm goes off.
Interesting, competition for gathering ponies into a settlement.
I was reading this whilst playing Pokemon on my 3DS (I won 3-0 then 1-0 then 4-0, it was doubles). Like duuuude, I want to brohoof Joe so much right now.
Sunset's coming back now, isn't she.
what was Joseph playing?
But other than that this great so far. Cant wait for more!
6205704 Super Mare-rio Sisters...
6205561
Stormy needs a moment right now.
Jay911 needs a moment right now too... Sky is getting quite adorable in the last pics in LPoE and the pics in FoA.
6205466
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris,_Illinois =)
6205306
She is pink in the drawings, it's just the red tint to get the effect is really light. Look a bit closer at her fur.
6205775
A Dino knows about modern geography, now I've seen everything.
Thanks~
6205781 Well, it helps that I live in central Illinois too...
6205789
Heh, well I don't know where Glasgow is exactly on the GB island so I guess I can't say anything.
That moment when you're growing up in Alexandria and see the word 'Alexandria':
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I can't believe I hadn't noticed this already. Also "Olive Garden"
. I love that name for him. 
Hayburger in Paradise!
Jeez, Moriah took a few levels in jerkass.
That picture is adorable.
I've got a feeling that Adrian is going to keep on finding excuses not to move on from Alexandria right until he finally realises that it's because he doesn't want to leave at all. Oh, he'll have to - He has to let the other groups know what he's learnt via Alex's contact with Equestria and the HPI but, something tells me, he'll always find some reason to come back.
A certain pink-maned madmare will have nothing to do with it! Honest!
Wow, Moirah is knocking herself down to least favorite horse of all the survivors here
6205775
And there's a Paris In Texas too
6214744 There's a bunch more, too! I only pointed out the Illinois one, though, because that's where Alexandria is.
/) brohoof to Joseph. I've also got a 3DS. In fact, I'm currently in the middle of Majora's Mask 3D as I write this comment. I should probably stop procrastinating on finishing that
. Eh, it can wait till later.
Playing 3ds in the end of the world.
Welp, at least they can still game, or at least the unicorns can still game.
if this ever happens foir real, I'm gonna hope to be a unicorn.
Lucky can't survive with out minecraft and skyrim.
It took me a long time to get to this one, but I've been busy.
Man, the pronouns. Every 'she' and 'her' [regarding Alex] just jumps out of the page, grabs my brain, and gives it a good shake. You really did a good job messing with us on the gender question in the first book.
My god that picture is adorable.
I must say the second story is starting out strong. good work.
Cloudy Skies is a cute poni
Image is broken in this chapter
the illustration in this chapter is fricking ADORABLE
Okay.
I am wondering if anyone even realized the historical ref in this story.
I am hoping that the author is referring to the great library of Alexandria.
9063198
Yes, that wasn't an accident.
8507638
I concur.
Her definition of murder is fascinating.
Oliver should watch his back around Moriah - evidently, she thinks saving someone from certain death is murder, and therefore doctors must be as well.
Haha wait what? Alex is actually making a reasonable point about Luna's actions!?
I wish I had seen this in the previous one.