Perchance to Dream

by David Silver

64 - To Be Human

Kevin took over the tour as Swanson excused herself. "This place is going to be great, once we get it there," he spoke enthusiastically, a smile on his face and a pep in his step. We had left Trixie and Starlight behind in their chat with the others. "What do you think so far?"

Diplomatic or truthful? He was a friend. "It's right on the edge of thoughtful and terrifying. I know they don't want pegasi flying over any cages they build to keep them here, but keeping the poor pony's wings secured like that is like keeping a person in handcuffs constantly. We don't treat criminals like that."

Kevin rolled a hand. "I agree, which is why we should get to building as soon as possible. I doubt we'll get far trying to appeal to their humanitarian side when they already have a plan worked out. As soon as we get a gym up, our feathered friend will be free to get their wings out whenever they want, for as long as they want."

We were approaching a small one story building. "Here's where most of them live for now. It's nothing glamorous, but it's up to us to change that and give them some comfort." He depressed a few keys on a pad by the door quickly and had it opened with a loud click.

I wondered about that. "How do the ponies get in and out? They don't use that little keypad, do they?" I couldn't imagine any pony but a unicorn being comfortable with it.

"They knock, usually." He opened it to reveal the dimmer interior. I could hear something playing inside and some voices talking. "They watch a lot of television, with varied levels of interest."

I glanced aside at the metal panel and its small buttons. "We'll have to make doors fit for pony use. Maybe pedal driven? Something they can step on to get it working." I was working on idle theory. "They don't have fingers, remember?"

"You'd think that'd slow them down." He lifted his shoulders. "I've seen ponies work small things before. Couldn't say how, but they've managed. If they knew the passwords, I'm pretty sure they'd get it into the console."

We emerged from a hallway into a larger living area. Several ponies were sprawled across a large couch. One pegasus mare with bound wings was closer to the television, eagerly shouting at the screen as if it would react to her entreaties. "Don't go in there!" she insisted. "No! Stop!" The slasher in the film appeared behind his victim. "They never listen..."

A slightly plump earth pony stallion rolled a hoof. "Then why do you keep asking?"

The pegasus stuck out her tongue. "Because it's fun. Sometimes they do listen." Her eyes darted over, noticing Kevin and me. "Oh! Hello Kevin, who's your lady friend? Where's Swanson?"

Kevin gestured to me in a grand sweep. "Say hello to Linda Frohein. She'll be joining us and helping to make this place better."

That got some curious looks. The pegasus hopped up to her hooves and trotted towards me. "You don't look like the others."

"I'm not like the others," I agreed, crouching down to be more on the pegasus' level. "You are Running River, right?"

Running flashed a big smile. "My reputation proceeds me. Nice to meet you, Linda. So what's your favorite?" She pointed back at the television.

My favorite show? I rattled off a few dramas I tried to keep up with. "And you?"

"Oh, I can't decide! I haven't seen even a little bit of what's in there." She gave a little giggle. "I feel like I could watch forever and still not catch up." Her nose twitched gently and she tilted her head left and right. "You feel different than the others. There's something about you..."

One of the smaller ponies hopped down from the couch and joined us. "She's not wearing what they usually wear, maybe that's it?"

I held up my hands. "These are just my usual professional clothes. Nice to meet you both though." I extended a hand.

Running met the hand, placing her left forehoof into it. "Nice to meetcha! Have you talked to other ponies before? I swear, there's something..."

The smaller pony tilted her head left and right. "I think I see what you see." She leaned forward. "Are you here to help?"

Kevin spoke up suddenly, "We both are."

The smaller one waved him away. "You're like Swanson. There's something different about her." She pointed emphatically at me.

I had a few theories... "I've seen Equestria."

That got their attentions. Their eyes focused on me and ears pricked up as if waiting for me to continue.

So I did. I saw no reason to hide these things from them. "I've been to Canterlot, and spoken to Celestia." I left out that I had attempted to court her. "Kevin is serious. He wants to help you all as much as I do, so please cut him some slack."

The smaller mare looked Kevin over again. "Have you been to Equestria?"

Kevin shook his head and waved a hand in the negative. "I've talked to Princess Twilight before, at least."

This got confused looks on their face, but Kevin reacted swiftly. "Were you all lost before Twilight Sparkle ascended to princesshood?"

The rotund pony turned to the conversation. "Twilight, Really? That little bookworm?" The other ponies didn't seem to even know who she was, and a discussion broke out about her identity.

Running looked to me. "How did this Miss Sparkle become a princess?"

I waved off the question. "I appreciate that you trust me, but Kevin can answer that a lot better than I can." Then, a thought. "Actually." I pulled up my purse and fished around for the cube. A strong push and I knew, a world away, a bell had sounded.

It only took a few seconds for Twilight to suddenly pop up on the screen, looking around. The other ponies gasped and pointed with various levels of amazement. "Hello? Where are we, Linda? And why are there other ponies here?" Her eyes settled on them in kind. "I'm being rude. Hello. I am Princess Twilight Sparkle, nice to meet you all."

A chorus of hellos came from the assembled herd of ponies. I wriggled a few fingers in greeting. "Thanks for coming so quickly, Twilight. These are ponies that have managed to become stuck here before we had even met. Most of them don't even know you."

Twilight perked an ear. "I may be a princess, but my face isn't as known as Celestia's. I'm not surprised when somepony hasn't heard of me yet. She had a lot longer to become as well-known as she is." Her eyes swept over the room. "You said some of them do?"

The plump pony nodded. "Hey Twi-Twi," he called. "I haven't seen you since Kindergarten."

Twilight's eyes widened. "Oh! That voice! Is that really you?"

He gestured at himself. "I've let myself go a little," he said with some embarrassment, cheeks warming as his ears went off to each side. "You still reading books like they were about to be outlawed?"

"We used to call you 'Little Hoof'," laughed out Twilight. "You're not so little anymore... Yes, I still read, but what happened? When did you come here?"

"Excuse me," cut in Running. "You know her." She pointed to me. "Do you know him?" She pointed to Kevin. "Also your head is about to be cut off."

Twilight squeaked and ducked down just as the slasher in the show they were watching claimed another victim. Twilight peeked back up before slowly sitting up. "Oh, I'm not actually in this performance. Don't scare me like that." She pointed at Kevin from the screen. "Hello, Kevin. I hope things are well?"

Kevin waved in kind. "Hey, Twilight. We're here to help with these ponies."

Twilight nodded softly. "I trust you two to look after them until we get them home. It feels like we should get that portal operating as quickly as possible. I hadn't realized there were so many waiting to come home."

The ponies started talking, all at once. They asked about Equestria, if a given pony was alright, and begging Twilight to tell so-and-so this-and-that in frantic appeals to connect with their homeworld.

Twilight shook her head quickly. "One at a time, please. I understand this must be very trying for you all. To start, if you could give Kevin or Linda a full list of names of all the ponies there. If you can provide the names of any immediate family and where they live, we'll try to contact them and let them know you're alive and well."

One by one, the ponies stepped forwards to identify themselves. A quill appeared beside Twilight and began noting it down. "Are these all the ponies?"

I hiked a thumb towards the door to the outside. "There are a few outside. We'll get their information for you."

"Thank you for that." Twilight rolled up the scroll she had conjured to write on. "I'll get on this right away. We don't want ponies thinking their friends or family are gone forever.

Kevin pointed at Twilight on the screen. "About that. Is this one way?"

Twilight tilted her head. "Well, I haven't seen a human in Equestria so far?"

I saw where he was going though. "Why would ponies fall onto Earth and not the other way around?"

Twilight had no ready answer for that. "It could... be..." She sounded unsure. "I can only make educated guesses at this point, barely conjecture. If Equestria were a higher-energy destination, then things would naturally flow away from it, to Earth. That would make moving in the other direction more difficult."

"Fascinating," came a new but familiar voice. Swanson wandered in from across the room. "Miss Sparkle, was it?"

Twilight's attention snapped to the new human and worry painted her featured. "Oh, uh..."

"I've been informed of your existence. This is not an indictment."

"That's a relief." Twilight sagged lightly a moment before bouncing into a proper sit. "I'm sorry. I'm Princess Twilight Sparkle, but Twilight will do. And you are?"

"Director Swanson," replied Swanson. "I don't have the authority to make any official statements beyond assurance that your citizens are being cared for and held securely, pending proper discussion and negotiations. We don't have pre-existing deportation procedures with your nation." She spoke stiffly and formally, as was her nature.

Twilight tilted her head. "Thank you for that." Her eyes flicked to Running. "Why are her wings secured? Are they broken?"

Running's wings fidgeted in their case. "Not broken!" she piped.

Swanson gestured at Running River. "In order to ensure safety and security, we can't have flying as an option. No structure we build to isolate would survive that ability unless it was entirely indoors."

"I see," said Twilight with doubt in her voice. "I should get to work with what I have. I look forward to speaking with you all later." She winked out without speaking to me directly. I had a feeling she was avoiding something, and I could think of a few potential things.

Swanson was looking at me. "How did you contact her? We have most communication shut down here outside this television."

I wasn't sworn to anything... except being an informant, and she wanted that information. "I can call her when I want to speak to her. She can appear on most reflective or display surfaces. A pool of water, or a LCD screen." I pointed at the TV as I said that. "You said you wanted me to inform Equestria."

"And you have, quickly. Thank you." She moved through the room towards the front door. "You and your friends are free to leave once Miss Glimmer has recovered her disguise. I look forward to updates on the project to begin construction."

When she was gone, I felt a prodding on a leg. Running was there, looking up at me. "You don't feel like a human."

That was an odd thing to say. "I was born one."

"You feel like a pony."

Kevin idly dropped that bomb, "She's been a pony before."

I rolled my eyes. "So have you."

That got him colored. Running glanced at him, then back at me. "You feel like more of a pony... Come back soon, alright?"

Author's Note:

An update before I head home from the convention. The plot, it is unveiled further.

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Comments

[badninja]

Wow I wonder how the ponies will react to Starlight and Trixie? Just how long has this been going on I wonder?

[Nagel Navari]

8165239 Read the previous chapter.

[Booster Spice]

I can just see Swanson going round the corner, and inside her head Happiness is racing around arms in teh air screaming, while Panic is curled up in the corner staring blankly and Anger is headbutting his way through the wall. Sadness is slowly feeding Panic icecream.

They know where we are, and they can be watching, Anywhere. What security?

[RadicalDishonesty]

Poor Kevin. Meeting the race of his dreams... and they're all fascinated by Linda instead.

Probably ... I don't remember his name, but pony cupids doing.

[tsaukpaetra]

Internally we think Swanson was going, "oh great, how am I going to explain this!"
The horses knew, and now ponies too! Must be that stallion magnetism that peeks their curiosity.
Keep going! ;)

[Daremo]

small one story building - small, one-story building

on their face - on their faces

stepped forwards - stepped forward

---

I really have to wonder if Swanson and her higher ups really want and will allow the ponies to leave. There's no evidence that Swanson and who she represents are hostile, but diplomacy is about putting your nation in the most favorable position without making enemies of other nations unnecessarily.

---

We have most communication shut down here outside this television.

I presume then that they do not allow or have not thought to allow the ponies to warch Discovery Kids. To stranded ponies that would be akin to the weekly wprld news.

[Sylica telca]

8171732 yes yes I am.

[Sylica telca]

And now I'm all caught up. Time for bed cus it's almost 4 in the morning good night.

[David Silver]

8172461 Welcome to the front of the class! I hope it's been a nice trip.