A Mirror of Stars

by Cyberdutchman

Ch 10: The First Morning

Applejack awoke to the buzz of her alarm shaking her night stand. She cracked open an eye and hissed at the beam of sunlight piercing straight into it. A groggy, flailing hand reached out from under her sheet and slapped the top of the racket maker. Her assailant silenced, she blinked the sleep out of her eyes and yawned. Outside she could hear the tractor moving; Big Mac hauling the heavy trailer around for the mountain of work awaiting them. Her nose picked up the scent of coffee and fried apples and her stomach urged her the last few feet out of bed. She yawned hugely and stumbled towards the door, pajamas hanging loosely on her. She'd never been the best morning person, a fact Granny loved to tease her over, and with her brother outside she couldn't find much will to care about appearances. Another huge yawn escaped her as muscle memory guiding her through her door and-

"Oh, there you are. Morning Appleja- erk!"

Applejack's eyes shot open at the familiar and despised voice. Standing in the hallway with a cup of coffee in one hand and a copy of the paper in the other was Liam. His eyes were wide and staring for a moment before he swiftly turned away.

"Ah crap, sorry. I'm, uh- I'm meeting with Granny and my guys in a few minutes to get started on the field work. She wanted me to tell you your breakfast is on the table," he said in a very neutral tone without looking at her.

She was about to tell him off, loudly, for not having the decency to face her when she felt a faint sliding sensation on her arm. Sudden horror gripped her. She looked down, hissing in a quick breath at what she found. Her pajama top had become mostly unbuttoned during her restless tossing and turning the previous night and was now hanging loosely down one side. So far down in fact that it only had about another inch or so before far more was revealed. A jolt through mind reminded her she'd never changed into her usual sports bra last night because of how frustrated she'd been after he waltzed in to stay. In ever growing horror she noticed that wasn't the end of it. Beside her top the waistband of her pajama bottoms had slipped down her thigh, revealing the top of her underwear beneath it.

He... he saw-

Her eyes shot back up just in time to catch the top of Liam's head disappear down the stairwell at the end of the hall.

"We're meeting at the barn!" she heard him call out. More faintly she heard him mutter, "Come on Murphy, give me a break for crying out loud..."

She stood there, frozen on the spot, for another minute or so. Her fists slowly clenched and unclenched, again and again. It was because of him she'd hadn't changed like she normally would have, because of him she hadn't slept well, and because of him she was too groggy in the morning to remember her brother wasn't the only guy around now. It all came back to him. She repeated it over and over till a sudden burst from the AC hit her like a splash of ice water and forced her back into her room. As she stood there fuming an itching feeling at the back of her mind alerted her that something was out of place. Her anger tried to swat it away but it persistently forced her gaze around. Then she realized what was missing: the silver glare of the ship coming in through her window.

It was gone... and he was still here.

She stared out her the window at the now pristine skyline for a solid minute then slumped low with a sigh and turned her eyes upward in contemplation. After a while she got dressed, making sure to grab her geode today, then headed down the stairs and into the kitchen. Sure enough, the table was set with a plate of still steaming fried apples and a bowl of granola along with a glass of cider like he'd said. She darted her eyes about, searching for any sign of him, but couldn't find hide or hair. Then her ears perked at the familiar shouting of her sister and three or four answering ones, all identical. She breathed in deeply, closing her eyes and focusing on the other sound around her as she began to softly mutter.

"Lord, grant me thine strength and clarity in mah time of need..."

Her voice trailed off into nothing more than whispers, her lips twitching with the prayer running through her mind. Slowly she began to relax until finally she was no longer vibrating in anxious and righteous fury. She exhaled deeply and opened her eyes again, sat down calmly and quickly worked through her breakfast then cleaned her dishes and put them away to dry. She went out to the hall closet and got her hat off its hangar along with a set of work gloves then headed out the door. A short walk brought her to the barn where the Granny and Applebloom were going over a map of the area hanging on the wall with Liam and the three metal and plastic fakes.

"Applejack, it's about time ya got here. The rest of us were up more'an an hour ago!" Granny said with a wicked grin. Applejack knew that grin, having seen it many times before when she hadn't promptly done something that Granny asked. It promised back breaking work and other forms of penance in her immediate future. Not even her geode would save her. Granny had started finding tasks that were exhausting and completely pointless to use her super strength to finish ever since she'd come back from camp. She repeated the mantra of her calming prayer again and again under her as she finished the trek to them.

"Sorry, ah didn't sleep well," she said in reply, not looking at any of their "guests". Granny narrowed her eyes a bit then shrugged.

"Well, hope ya got enough ta stay awake the rest o' the day. These boys may have done a lot already with clearin' out their junk but there's still plenty left. Come 'ere, let me show ya what I need ya ta do."

Applejack listened intently as Granny talked about setting trees upright, moving equipment, and a whole list of other things. At the same time she kept an ear out for anything coming from the quartet looking at the topographic map of the valley the farm rested in. One was taking notes on one of their fancy flat computers while the others pointed to various places and features.

"-get all that?"

Applejack nodded in reflex, realizing she hadn't memorized the end of the list and knowing she'd have to be reminded of it again later. It wasn't a pleasant thought but she couldn't worry about it right now though. She had something she needed to do before she got to work. Granny didn't seem completely convinced with her answer but before she could inquire again Big Mac came up the drive with the tractor. Applebloom skipped past them both with a load of empty baskets and called back for Granny Smith. She paused for a moment then patted Applejack on the shoulder and joined her other two grandchildren. Applejack set about putting together the tools she'd need for the tasks she'd heard, all the while waiting. As she put in the last of her trowels one of them spoke up more loudly.

"Okay, think that's got the full of it. We'll get to clearing then let Granny know when we're done, see if any of the trees can be replanted." The three Legionnaires walked off down the hill, leaving her and Liam alone in the barn while they both gathered up their tools. They both looked at one another impassively for a moment before he turned back to his own tool bag.

"Listen Applejack, I-" he paused, taking in a deep breath, "...I said we'd fix things and... we made it worse. It was an accident but that doesn't excuse that it happened. I know we haven't given you a lot of reason to have faith in us but- unnn!" Liam hissed as she clamped a hand onto his shoulder near his neck and squeezed. Even without the use of her geode she'd built up plenty of strength over the years, more than enough to make him grit his teeth in pain.

"Yer right, ah don't. Now listen, and listen good. Ya've been here three days now and done more damage to mah home in that time than anything else ever has. Tornados have passed through, rains have almost flooded us, and we made it just fine. Then you showed up."

Liam's brow pinched together and he averted he eyes for a moment before looking at her again.

"Ah don't trust ya, and Ah don't trust that yer here by accident. Ah'm betting you could go back to yer own damned world right now using that ship of yours and don't want ta admit it. Ah don't know what ya want here or with the portal, but if I see you pull a single false or dishonest move I will return the damage ya've done ten fold."

Liam frowned at her through the pain. "Applejack, for the love of everything we're not here to do anything! We just need to get back! But we can't do that, don't have a single damn clue how it happened, and the portal's our best chance of figuring out how to return! Our ship was wrecked when we crashed! You think we'd do that intentionally to our only ride out? I've already explained that over and over!" he managed to get out through grunts. "What more do you want?"

Applejack narrowed her eyes then released him. She picked up the tools he dropped at his feet and held them out for him. He took them cautiously while she bent down to pickup her own then headed for the door, pausing just before leaving to look back at him. She looked him up and down, the sweat on his brow, his heavy breathing, his worried and confused expression. She inspected it all for any hint of forgery. Nothing, just genuine alarm and urgency. She frowned and looked back out at the large hole of upturned earth in the middle of the Fall orchard.

"If that's true, then ya got nothin' to worry about from me. Ya help out, ya make things right, and ya don't bring a single bit more trouble here and then maybe, just before you go back, Ah'll apologize for doubtin' ya. Not a moment before then and not for everythin' else, not when I can't trust yer word. Ya wanted a new start?" she asked, throwing her arms wide.

He nodded cautiously, standing a little straighter than before. She brought her arms back in and crossed them over her chest.

"Well here it is. You'll work yourself to the bone till ya've fixed what ya wrecked, no complaints, and Ah won't stop ya messing around with the portal or talkin' to mah friends. Don't think Ah could convince 'em anyway," she muttered mostly to herself. "But we'll both know Ah'm keeping watch and that'll be enough. Now, Ah've got yer tail for the whole weekend 'fore school starts Monday and Ah'm gonna make sure you spend every last minute working."

She let out the remainder of her breath as she finished saying what she needed to say. Liam's brow pinched together as he looked at her with sadness she couldn't bring herself to trust, a sadness a lifetime of upbringing and tradition told her she didn't dare trust. But she was woman enough to admit she might be wrong, that he just might have the worst luck on God's green Earth. She also thought it about as likely as Pinkie Pie giving up sugar or Rarity wearing jeans.

"Well, I said I could work with that, so I'll leave it there. If you need me I'll be working on the power and cable lines," he said with a sigh as he hefted his bag higher onto his shoulder.

She didn't say anything in reply, only gestured for him to keep going. Just before he passed by though she leaned in and calmly, softly, said the other set of words she needed to. Ones which hadn't come from any prayer but from the deepest pit of embarrassment. "Oh, and if ya tell anyone about this morning then all bets are off. Mah friends included. It'll be the last thing ya say.''

Liam kept walking for a few feet then stopped. He glanced back over his shoulder with that same sad, disappointed look. Only now it was marred by a faint smirk on his lips.

"No worries then, I wasn't planning on it. Not sure your friends would believe me even if I did. Their mental image of you might not be able to cope with looking that cute," he said before immediately turning around and hightailing it away at a brisk pace, waving his hand once in a cocky goodbye.

Applejack stood there in shock for a solid minute, her jaw almost hanging open as she replayed his shamelessly brazen words through his head. She closed her eyes and turned her face up to the heavens to say one more prayer.

"Lord, give me the strength not to TAN ON HIS HIDE. No matter how much he deserves it!"

---

The grounds of Canterlot High teemed with students as they walked from their cars and buses to the school. They moved in ones and twos, merging and splitting again as they saw acquaintances and friends they hadn't seen all summer.

Sunset hiked her backpack up to sit more comfortably on her shoulder where it wouldn't drag her bra strap down and took stock of their guest and how he was doing after a weekend with the Apples. The obvious answer was pained. Whatever Applejack had him do had left him with a noticeable tendency to wince when he twisted too far around and a slightly leaden gait. She had hoped them working together on the farm over the last two days would have improved their relationship with one another. Instead, it seemed to have just solidified the wide divide into an agreement of cooperation and nothing more. Sadly, that was a noticeable improvement.

"Hoo boy... this is not going to be easy," Liam said with a whistle. "Especially since I've got heavy equipment. I don't think I could carry a thing right now," he muttered loudly while rolling his shoulder.

"Ya brought it on yerself so quit yer bellyachin'," Applejack chastised him. Liam gave her a put-upon look.

"Maybe to you but I don't have the advantage of magical super strength from physics breaking crystals. I used too many fields over the weekend- gah!" he groaned as he rolled his shoulder once more. His neck popped loudly, earning a loud squeak from Fluttershy, followed by a relieved sigh. "Ohohohhhhhhh, much better," he said with deep contentment and relief. "At least I don't have to try to figure this out with that cramp anymore."

"Come on Liam, it's not going to be that bad. You'll like it here, this place is pretty chill," Rainbow Dash said as she moved up beside him. "Everyone's great- well, not counting Trixie... or Zephyr Breeze... or that perv Dunk Shot... or Blitz sometimes... or Snips and Snails - but yeah, apart from that they're all cool."

Liam rolled his eyes. "Not really what I was referring to. I'm just trying to think of a way to actually get our research done without being noticed with this many people around." He glanced at Dash out of the corner of his eye with a smirk. "Still, good to know I wasn't completely off about people and teens in particular being the same no matter what universe you're in." There was something hard in his eyes as he said that which didn't match the smirk though.

We really need to ask him about his high school again and get him to clear that up. Something bad happened, that's obvious. But what could leave someone that bitter? Sunset thought while Rainbow Dash huffed in response to him.

"Dude, lighten up. Just put up your stuff and place a sign on it saying 'don't touch, will end world'. Everyone's used to that now."

Liam slowed in his walk while cocking his head to the side. "There's so many things wrong with that statement."

"Eh, you get used to it," Dash said without a trace of irony while Pinkie backed her up with a thumbs up.

Liam raised an eyebrow and looked around again at the flow of students. "Not sure you should be..." he muttered faintly. "So, anything I need to do other than get my schedule? Opening assembly, class crawl, that sort of thing?" he asked as Applejack pushed open the side door near the gym to let them all in. Liam was in the middle of the group and Sunset could see she had a brief moment before he passed where she let the door close a bit before catching herself.

Rarity shook her head. "No, that's it. We got ours at the end of last year so you'll have to tell us what you have as soon as you can. With any luck we'll all have a few classes with you so we can help you catch up."

And so we can keep an eye on you, Sunset thought before scrunching up her eyes in annoyance. Applejack's starting to rub off on me. We should give them the benefit of the doubt. It's what I needed last year to figure things out.

"Appreciate the offer, but I'm honestly not worried about it. I'm not here to get good grades, I couldn't care less about that. I'm here because it's good cover for that," he said with a toss of a thumb over his shoulder.

"I don't think failing classes is the best way to not attract attention," Twilight said, almost scolding really.

"I don't plan to fail, but it is not my top priority. It's not even in my top ten right now."

"Still..." Twilight muttered sulkily. She tended to take her friends academic progress personally.

She almost never warms up to others that quickly. So what does that say about him? Sunset pondered to herself.

"Anyway, it's time I got that schedule and a feel for the place. Same office as last time right?" he asked.

Sunset nodded, turning back onto present avenue from memory lane. "Yeah, you need one of us to show you the way?"

"Nah, I remember. Down the hall and to the left. Don't wait around for me, I need to talk with Celestia about setting up our equipment." With that he turned around and headed off into the crowds, carefully flowing between the groups of students clustered around lockers and backpacks. He turned briefly to avoid a couple of guys who walked past him on their way to class. As he did Sunset caught his expression: guarded, with narrowed eyes and his mouth drawn into a thin line. She tried to stand on her toes to get a better look but he vanished into the crowds.

"...well, I guess that's out of the way for now then," Sunset said, turning back to her friends with a lopsided grin. She'd have time to help him fit in later hopefully. "What classes do you all have again?"

"Oooh! I hope I have Home Econ with someone! Baking's always more fun with a baking buddy!" Pinkie added excitedly.

They spent a minute or two comparing schedules, every now and then two or more of them cheering when they discovered they had classes together. They were particularly excited to learn they all had Pre-Calc together at the end of the day.

"Wait a minute. Twilight, how did you end up in there as well? Didn't you already take it at Crystal Prep?" Rarity inquired.

Twilight grinned sheepishly. "I'm, uh, actually taking Calc 2 in a distance learning course from Canterlot University. But because of the district laws I have to complete the core classes at whatever school I go to and there wasn't a matching equivalent at CP for Pre-Calc."

Applejack rolled her eyes. "That figures. Leave it up to the suits to make things harder than they should be."

Twilight shook her head. "No, it's fine, really. It's always good to practice what you know and I get a class with all of you. That's worth any small inconvenience."

"You got that right. Fifth year is going to be awesome now!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash. Sunset and the rest of her friends nodded, although they all held back with saying the thing on each of their minds. They shuffled their feet anxiously, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"I'm certain it will be a lovely final year," Fluttershy added happily but with a hint of sadness, finally putting it out in the open. Sunset's chest tightened and she forced herself to breath steadily. She'd thought about it, or rather had tried not to, but she had all the same. This was the last year they would all definitely be together. After this... well, who would she be without this group? They were the ones who'd saved her from herself. She wasn't sure she could do that again if she needed to. Not without them.

"Hey now, it won't be the end! We'll still be Best Super Secret Magic Friends Forever after graduation!" Pinkie said while hopping up and resting on Dash's shoulders. "We'll still have parties and sleep overs till we're all old and asking each other to speak up all the time or pass the prune juice or our teeth. Doesn't matter where we go, we'll always be together. So lets smile and make this a year to remember!"

"Indeed, we'll make it the best year we've ever had. All of us, together," Rarity said, drawing Fluttershy into a hug which she returned warmly. The rest piled in, Rainbow muttering something about "sappy group hugs" but still joining with a smirk.

"Oh boy, I can't wait for all the holidays and dances and parties and fun!" Pinkie said, almost vibrating in excitement. "And this year we even get to have alien parties!" She inhaled sharply while her eyes widened. "Do you think Liam would take us to the Moon? I've always wanted to see if moonpies made on the Moon taste more moony!" The others laughed again, though this time with some hesitation.

"I, uh, guess this year will be a bit different than the others, won't it?" asked Fluttershy. "If they end up having to stay here for awhile I mean."

Sunset glanced at Applejack apprehensively but was surprised to see she didn't look angry at all. If anything, she just looked disinterested. Maybe she and Liam's group had sorted things out more over the weekend than she'd thought. That was encouraging!

"I mean, will it really be that different?" asked Rainbow Dash. "They're actually pretty low on the weird scale compared to some of the things we've seen. So they're from another world. So is Sunset and she and isn't technically human," she said while pulling the currently-a-human teen into a one armed hug. "So she's got one up on them there."

Sunset rolled her eyes and pushed Dash away with a grin. "One of these days you're going to forget that and I'll finally have some peace and quiet."

"Yeah, it's way too good as ammo so don't count on it," Dash replied with a playful punch to her shoulder.

"Speaking of counting things, we should all get to first period before class starts," Twilight said while pointing at a clock on the wall. Sunset followed her finger and winced when she saw the time. Out of all of their first periods her class was the furthest from the entrance.

"Shoot, I've gotta run! I'll catch you all at lunch," she said, waving back to them as she darted down the same hallway Liam had.

Other students waved at her and cheered her on as well she rushed by. She felt her face heat with all the attention directed her way, especially positive energy. It still got to her, even now almost a year later. That got her thinking back on her life as she ran, the push for power and prestige, the disappointment and jealousy. Her anger. Her mistake. Her change in course thanks to her friend. She was a in a much better place, however different it might have been than what she'd ever imagined for herself.

Her mind drifted to another who found them self in a strange place for the first time. She didn't want Liam to have to go through the same things as her, not when it might be his only impression of her, her friends, and her adopted world if they left soon. As she rounded the last corner she decided that she would do what she could to help him adapt and fit in, make friends, all the things that had helped her. She mentally scolded herself a little for not going with him to the Principal's office to do just that. She chaired the Welcoming Committee with Pinkie Pie after all! It was her job to help new students feel welcome! Still, it wasn't the end of the world. She'd see him again at lunch and had plenty of time besides that to help him make the adjustment-

"Watch where I'M going? How about-" an all too familiar voice challenged loudly.

-or not. Sunset shut her eyes with a groan then made a frantic dash around the next intersection just in time to see a crowd slowly moving around an open space in the middle of the hall. In the center of the widening circle she found Liam facing down two other male students. One with a complexion close to his with brown hair in a black football jersey and a very dark scowl on his face. He was built like a small mountain, muscles upon muscles. His arms were crossed in front of him, displaying the strength in them for all to see. The other had a grey skin tone and slicked back hair of a shade similar to Rarity's in a green blazer with a pair of gold olive branches stenciled onto one side near the base. He was standing to the side and back slightly from his larger companion with an expression of acute annoyance. On the floor between them lay a scattered pile of papers and a manila folder.

Oh no... give me a break! Sunset thought exasperatedly. How did he manage to tick off Blitz and Laurel at the same time? It's been five minutes since we got here!

She pushed through the crowd to the center right as Laurel Wreath pushed Liam lightly away from him and Blitz.

"Excuse me? Who do you think you are?" Laurel asked Liam as he glared back at them.

"Why don't YOU try paying attention attention next time, idiot. Not our fault if you've got your face so deep in your summer homework that you can't see where you're going," Blitz added testily.

"Blitz, I'm not sure he can see anything. Look at him, his eyes are freaky..."

Blitz leaned in a little and squinted.

"Huh, you're right man. That's not all of it though, he's..."

"Standing in front of you?" Liam answered testily, narrowing his eyes and taking a step closer to Blitz.

"..weird," Blitz finished with a scowl, completely ignoring him. "Dude, you look like a tweaker. What was your mom on when she had you? Dang, you even shake like one!" Blitz exclaimed with a short laugh as Liam let one of his arms hang limp at his side for a moment before raising it again. Laurel pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head with a grimace, looking back and forth between the two. Well, whenever he looked at Blitz. When he looked at Liam it was with a trace of anxious concern.

What neither had seen was the minute flash of red light at the end of Liam's closed fist as he dropped it.

"Liam! There you are!" Sunset interjected loudly, stooping down to gather his papers together. "Come on, you're going to be late for class." She stood up, not caring for his annoyed expression in the least, and yanked him away from the pair behind her.

"Hey Sunset, who is this dweeb?" Blitz asked angrily.

"New student. We got separated when I was showing him the school. He doesn't know his way around yet so cut him some slack," she called over her shoulder angrily.

"Whatever. Make sure to tell him to watch where's he's going! Next time someone's likely going to get hurt."

Liam rounded back on the pair and the now open circle of students. "Excuse me? Was that a-"

"Not. Now." Sunset yanked Liam again before he could finish whatever poorly thought out thing he was about to say. When they made around the corner again she shoved his papers into his arms and fixed him with a glare.

"Don't even start," Liam hissed.

Her glare intensified. "Oh no, I need to. What the heck was that?"

"Look back down the hall for a second," he demanded, crossing his arms and leaning against the nearest locker.

She arched an eyebrow. "What does that-"

"Look down the hall and tell me what you see."

Sunset rolled her eyes with a sigh and tuck her head around the corner. The students were beginning to disperse again, Blitz and Laurel having left immediately it seemed. Apart from one or two students talking in hushed tones all she saw was the hall and it's freshly painted cream walls and fading blue classroom doors.

"An empty hallway. What's your point?"

Liam hiked an eyebrow up a little. "A long, wide empty hall. I heard them coming from halfway down it. I wasn't coming out of any classrooms, completely in their sight the whole time. I was hugging to the side, out of the way, and one of them still ran into me. Purposefully."

Sunset frowned, thinking back on the scene. He wasn't wrong, the halls were wide enough for people to stand at lockers on both sides and still walk past each other in the center. But she was sure he wasn't right either.

"Listen, I know Blitz and Laurel. Not that well but well enough. A lot of other people here are friends with them and the rest get along well enough with them. They may not be the nicest people around- Blitz is a huge jock and Laurel has more money than's probably good for him and a sense of humor Blitz likes- and they're never going to be Fluttershy or Pinkie, but they're not bad to be around when you don't antagonize them and they don't go out of their way to mess with others!"

"Not the nicest? Not the nicest? Sunset, did you hear a word of what they were saying? Did you hear anything after that?"

"Yes," she answered, "I did. But that's no excuse for you to lose your temper!"

"Excuse me? What part of any of that was me losing my temper?"

"You were going to throw them around with a field! I saw you make one!"

"You saw me stop myself from making one. Watch," he commanded, clenching his fist in front of him. A point of red light blossomed again between them, giving Sunset a case of butterflies in her stomach. Then his arm suddenly dropped limp and it disappeared. "Did you think it's hard to do that? It's not. It's as simple as tightening a muscle. I had to relearn how to walk, how to run, how to write, I had to relearn everything after I made my first field on accident and wrecked half of my parent's kitchen. I had to learn how to not make them. That was hard. I didn't lose my temper, I was reining it in," he hissed. "And you never answered my question."

"Yes I did, I heard everything they said-"

"No, you didn't answer the second part. You didn't tell me what you heard after that."

Sunset blinked, her face twisting in confusion. "I didn't hear anything, I grabbed you right after-"

"That's right. You didn't hear anything. Anything. From anyone there. Not a single kid so much as winced, let alone called them out for acting like douchebags. Not a single one stood up or said anything. Not the ones who gathered around to watch, not even the ones who were there to see it happen. None of them." He practically snarled the last words out.

Sunset flinched and waved her hands in front of him. "Liam, stop with the cursing already! You can't say that here! You'll get reported to the Principal and you won't be allowed to stay at the school-"

"ARE YOU SERIOUSLY MORE CONCERNED WITH MY LANGUAGE THAN THEIR INDIFFERENCE?" he all but yelled at her, earning a few shocked looks from the handful of students still not at class yet.

"Yes- No! I'm trying to help you fit in so you can get back home! Liam, you can't act like that here- wait, where are you going?" Sunset challenged when he spun around and started walking away while she was speaking.

"Class. I need to keep a low profile and like you said, I can't do that if I'm standing out by standing up to those two when no one else would," he replied with what she was certain was feigned calm, never looking back at her.

Sunset was left standing dumbfounded in the middle of the hallway. She barely registered the first period bell ringing. He had just contradicted himself probably half a dozen times. Having to keep a low profile and nearly picking a fight with two other guys. Lashing out at the students around him who hadn't done anything besides try to stay out of it. She was disappointed in them too but that was the thing. She was disappointed, not furious. His reaction didn't make any sense at all to her and she wasn't sure it made sense to him either.

She sighed heavily and started back towards her own class, hoping she wouldn't get an earful for being late and not really caring if she did. Not five minutes ago she'd been thinking about how she'd get him involved at the school, how she'd introduce him to the other friends she'd made, how she'd help him make her home feel like his. Now she was left wondering if any of that was possible at all... and who he really was. Because the boy she'd just argued with was not the same one she'd been talking to just days before.

She was going to have to talk to the girls about this... and they were going to have to get some answers about his past before anything like that happened again.

---

"Will."

<"Liam,"> the miniaturized bud in his ear buzzed at him.

"Please shoot me," he muttered darkly as he made his way towards the cafeteria.

<"Sorry, that's at the end of the to-do list. Have a few items like 'returning home' and 'sending Earth back to the stone age before they WMD the new rounds' to take care of before we get to that one. One of the big ones near the top is 'infiltrate school to experiment on portal'."> Will replied in a jovial tone. Liam didn't miss the dark undercurrent hidden just beneath the surface. <"How's that one going by the way?">

Liam sighed, reminded again of why he was currently dodging teenagers, many of whom who stopped and stared or whispered to others when he went by. Before he'd ever found out how to make stable jump gates he'd already known at least one thing could travel faster than light: rumor. At least it had played by Earth rules back home. Here... well, stepping into his first class not two minutes after his "incident" had instantly drawn all eyes to him. His earbud, in addition to letting him check in with his counterparts, had an enhanced microphone capable of making even whispers in the closed room plain to hear. It was how he'd known within minutes that the attention wasn't due to being new but rather because "he'd picked a fight with Blitz and Laurel for some reason".

He'd turned off the feature for the rest of the class, focusing instead on the school map in his folder and looking up now and again to listen to the lecture for the day. Some of the students he'd been sitting near had asked him the basics; where are you from, why'd you move, so on and so forth, and he'd given back the minor details he'd memorized from his falsified records. Eventually they'd either been satisfied or lost curiosity because by the end of the class he was left to his own work and in each class after the introductions had gotten shorter and shorter.

<"Liam? Talk to me, is there an issue with the plan?">

Liam shook his head to refocus. "No, not yet at least. There's a computer lab overlooking the courtyard we can make use of, but it's at an angle and I'd like more flexibility. Ideally we'd... I don't know, put a tent over it with a big 'construction, keep out' sign on the front. Whatever it is I'll have to run it by Luna and Celestia so they don't ask too many questions when we get started. Couldn't find either of them this morning -my schedule and records were left taped to the door if you'd believe it- and I figure they were out making the rounds or something. I'm planning on camping outside the Admin office after lunch till I catch them if the girls don't have any better suggestions."

Will sighed, giving him a brief burst of static to wince at. A pair of passing girls looked at him oddly, trying not to be too obvious about it and failing as only a teenager can. He tried to ignore it until he caught a brief set of words one muttered to the other a little more loudly.

"... maybe does drugs... yeah, the eyes... I don't know..."

He paused his walk to glare at them out of the corner of his eye. They suddenly found something else to be much more interested in. A buzzing in his ear reminded him he'd been carrying out a conversation when he was interrupted.

<"... the best we can do for now. You know, without occupying the city and declaring martial law. But these people haven't done anything to us to warrant that."> The earbud was silent for a few seconds. <"Yet.">

Yet, agreed Liam, eyes locked forward as he melted into the flow of students. He dropped his voice low enough to just be heard by the chest mic on the vitals sleeve beneath his clothes and no one else.

"Will, put together a report on Alphonse's monitoring network for the town, he should be close to finished by now. I'll look it over when I get back."

<"You really think we'll need it?">

"Remember when I told you I wasn't going to react well to anything that looked human? Well, a lot of things look very human around here."

A heavy sigh whistled through his ear. <"Just like home then?">

Liam nodded slightly for his own benefit. "So far."

Will took a few seconds to respond, long enough for Liam to see the open Cafeteria doors at the end of the hall. And waiting in front of them seven familiar figures.

<"So what do you make of that?"> asked Will.

He grunted. "Whatever else this place may be it's no paradise and people are still people. I'll catch you later. Looks like I've got an escort for lunch."

<"Got it. I'll see what's Al's got for you to see. Stay low and figure out a way to get that portal for us.">

Liam's earbud clicked and went silent. He tapped the control patch in his pocket that set it back to ambient and the sounds of groaning, moaning, laughing, snickering teens filled his ear again to match the other. A few more seconds of walking found him in front of his seven guardians. He was under no illusions that they fully trusted him yet, he wouldn't in their place. Applejack alone had enough distrust for all of them for that matter.

"Hey dude, hear you had a rough first ten minutes," snickered Dash.

Liam closed his eyes for a moment then looked at her again. "Can we not get into that?"

Sunset moved a step closer with her arms crossed in front of her. "No, we need to talk. You promised us answers and we were patient. But all we've gotten is answers to Twilight's physics questions and some very vague ideas about your world's culture from Rarity and Rainbow Dash. Now we need real answers." She inclined her head towards him a little with a beseeching expression.

"We need to know just who we're trying to help."

Liam sighed heavily. "Sunset, I-"

We could really use allies right now. Or better yet? Friends.

Dammit Al... thought Liam, looking around the group and seeing complete agreement. "Okay... I guess we're here now. Mind if we get food first? I think more clearly on a full stomach."

Sunset frowned for a second then nodded. Liam filed in behind them through the doors and into the brightly decorated cafeteria. He remained silent through the line, the others talking to each other now and then about something they'd found or seen or heard. Once or twice he thought he heard his name but he couldn't be sure. He was too focused on what would happen if they didn't like his answers. At best he'd have to go it alone and at worst... well, they'd done occupations before. They'd just have to wait till they had more forces built up. Enough to counter whatever they could do.

I'm sorry, but if it's between making you seven happy and saving thousands of lives and stopping a genocide then there's no decision to make.

"Well would ya look at what we've got here," a cheery voice exclaimed. Liam looked up into the grinning face of Granny Smith, brandishing the freshly cleaned ladle in her hand at him.

"Hello Granny," he replied as calmly as he could. Ahead of him the girls looked back to see what was holding him up then shrugged when they saw the pair talking. They headed off to their usual table, leaving the two to themselves.

"Ah hear ya've had quite the first day so far," she said, her smirk increasing a notch as she began moving lunch onto his tray.

Liam glowered back, eyes locked with hers. "Seems word around here travels fast. Even outside the student body."

"Oh yes, ya hear quite a bit 'bout what's goin' on from the kids as they go through the line. Don't hardly ever think of us behind the counters."

Liam huffed and made to move past her when the sheet metal ladle shot out in front of him, blocking his way.

"Now hold up there. Ah wanted to talk ta ya-"

"Hey, you're holding up the line!" shouted a student near the back.

"Hold yer horses, we're just gittin fresh grub!" Granny yelled back. "Dang youngsters, always in a hurry, aren't they?" She gave him a knowing look. Liam chuckled darkly under his breath.

"Yeah. Time looks different when you're that age. A lot of things look different."

Granny pursed her lips in contemplation. "That they do. Now, I was gonna talk to ya about something I heard recently."

"Granny-"

"It was in this line, right were yer standing," she continued, ignoring his complaints. "These two boys, same age as my Applejack actually, snickering and chuckling about this and that. Now, I didn't pay it no mind till I heard one of them mention a party and something about a girl. And not in a polite or flatterin' way you see," she said softly but sharply.

Liam's eyes widened for a moment or two before narrowing again. He inclined his head towards her and Granny nodded slightly in return. His fists clenched at his side for a moment before he released them again, stopping the faint flickering red sparks in the air before they went anywhere. Neither of them paid any attention to the increasing grumbles of the students around them as they waited to be served.

"Y'all just keep standing up Mr. Harcourt, don't start slouching none. Ya've got a good back, and it looks right nice when ya keep it straight up and strong." She paused for a moment to look him over. " Ya see, Ah think ya've got good instincts and Ah think maybe, just maybe, ya've even got the advantage that age brings, ta see things fer what they are, not what ya'd like. Sometimes Ah'm not so sure a lot of others round here do so it'd be nice ta have someone else keepin' an eye out. So don't worry if no one else approves fer now. They'll come 'round in the end. May be awhile but it always comes 'round. All you need to do is keep standing up. Ah'll feel better with you bein' round mah family if ya do."

"...thanks Granny. Glad we talked," he said after a long pause. She tipped her head to him then tapped him sharply with the ladle.

"Now git! That bunch seemed like they wanted ta talk to ya something fierce and yer holding up a bunch more hungry kids 'sides them!" she said with an almost cackling laugh.

Liam chuckled and with a small wave over his shoulder headed off towards the table where the girls were currently huddled together over their lunches, almost certainly discussing what to do about him. He grabbed a spare seat from another near empty table and pushed it up to the table where Pinkie and Rainbow Dash made room for him.

"What were you and Granny talking about?" Applejack asked suspiciously.

Liam gave her a jovial look. "She just gave me some good advice, that's all. She's a shrewd woman, your grandmother," he said approvingly.

Applejack frowned and looked over his shoulder towards her grandmother then back at him. "Somehow that worries me more."

Liam rolled his eyes then turned more serious. Well, here goes... something.

"So... where do you want to start?"

---

Sunset kept her eyes trained on him as he waited for one of them to open the questions. Something's... different with him than when we came in. He's back to his... okay, which is his normal self? I'm with Applejack, I really wish I knew what he and Granny talked about now, she thought with mild aggravation.

"Let's get right to the problem then. Why do you hate this High School so much? Because I have a feeling this morning's fiasco has something to do with it, right?"

Liam looked at her with a contemplative expression, rubbing one hand with the other as he did.

"It's not that I hate High Schools as a thing, it's more they... bring up bad memories. I've done my best to forget my time at mine."

"Why darling, whatever happened?" asked Rarity.

Liam turned that same considering gaze to her. "Remember when I said I had a bad experience after the Anomaly hit me?" Rarity nodded and he sighed. "I was a wreck for months. Had to relearn to do everything without making fields. All without letting anyone know how I'd been affected."

"Dude, why would you want to hide that?" asked a perplexed Rainbow Dash. "I use my powers all the time to get around faster and everyone thinks it's awesome!"

Twilight did a double take. "Wait, you do WHAT?! Rainbow Dash! We agreed to not overuse them unless we really needed to! Who knows how what effect that could have on the geode or on you!"

Dash winced. "Ugh. Why did I open my mouth..."

"ANYWAY," Sunset interjected loudly, "you were saying Liam?"

Liam chuckled at their antics. "You've got me wondering now, how did everyone else react when you got your magic?"

Sunset shared a look with her friends while considering his question.

"They were a little unnerved at first," said Fluttershy.

"But they warmed up rather quickly when they saw it wasn't anything to be worried about," Rarity added with a raised finger. "Why do you ask?"

Liam looked down at his hands for a moment. "When I started having issues walking, moving, just about anything, three students petitioned the school to have me kicked out for 'unexplained incidents'. It was just moments where I flexed or stretched and an accidental field made them feel queasy or moved something across their desks. I shrugged it off for awhile, but eventually everyone started noticing it only happened when I was around. Then the folks of two of them, real big helicopter parents with their nose and prejudices in everything," he growled, "started whipping up my town into thinking the Anomaly was some sort of 'evil' sign that had chosen me and now I was... tainted somehow. I'm not sure anyone completely believed them, but the idea must have wormed it's way in their heads because they all started acting really cautious and cold towards me. Snubs to team dinners, forgotten homework notices when I was out sick, that and worse. Nothing violent thankfully, but I was almost taboo by the time I got out of there." He shivered a little. "One of my bad nightmares is imagining what would have happened if I hadn't hid my abilities."

"But... but why? Why would they do that?" asked Fluttershy with a faint quaver in her voice.

Liam shrugged. "You'd have to ask them. I could never understand it, their excuses always seemed like a cop out to get rid of something they couldn't understand and feared for no good reason."

"Surely there was someone that stood by you?" asked Rarity.

Liam looked at her with lidded, tired eyes then back down at his clasped hands. "My friends stuck by me for a bit but...they stopped when the incidents became more frequent. I graduated not long after and went about as far away as I could for college. That was when I made Will, powered him on in a makeshift shed in our backyard my first summer semester. After that, we figured out how to copy not just my memories but his as well and that was the start of the Legion."

"That's terrible!" Pinkie lamented. "Friends shouldn't be leaving friends around meanies and bullies. They should have been making you smile when you felt down! They should have been throwing you get well parties and 'first walk again' and 'first run again' parties to help you get better!"

"Yeah, you just had terrible friends. If they were real friends they'd have stuck with you," Dash added angrily.

Liam gave her a weak smile. "It may be for the best that they didn't Dash. I dealt with it on my own, built up a tough skin, learned to ignore the people that whispered behind my back. Don't get me wrong, I wish they had stayed by me!" he added quickly when Pinkie's lip started trembling. "I even made a few more friends at college who had only ever heard of me in passing, that guy on the news, but... I was never that close with them. Didn't stay in school long enough to get close which didn't help either. Will and I had finished the first ten copies of him along with our first ship by the time my second year rolled around. I went back for another semester then left when they'd built up enough that I could join them."

"You dropped out of college?" Twilight responded with shock.

"Yes Twilight, so you can pick your jaw up off the floor," he replied with a small smirk. Twilight blushed and motioned for him to continue. "They weren't going to be able to teach me about fields, they were brand new and only I could make them. Same with Will and the others. So we bought all the text books for my engineering major and taught ourselves the background we needed to make it work."

"Make what work?" Applejack asked with a hint of suspicion.

"The Legion, our ships, all of it. Eighty years getting it right, realizing I was weirder than we'd thought. It was fun, a lot of fun honestly. Best years of my life," he said wistfully.

"Careful, you're starting to sound like an old geezer," Rainbow Dash said with a poke to his shoulder. He gave her a deadpan look.

"Dash, I can nearly guarantee I'm older than all of your grandparents," he said, hiking an eyebrow up. "Am I wrong?"

Dash shook her head. "Nope, my granddad's only like seventy or something. Other didn't make it past fifty I think. Never met him," she said with a shrug. "You do realize your nickname is going to start being Old Man now right?"

"Don't you dare," Liam said sharply, pointing a finger at her. She grinned evilly and silent mouthed the words "Old Man" at him. His shoulders slumped and his head followed. "Great, first Jax and now you. I'm cursed."

Dash laughed uproariously, drawing the attention of the surrounding tables until they identified the source of the commotion and understood it was just business as usual then went back to eating.

"Jax is the one that got blown in half right?" she asked.

Liam gave her a deadpan look. "Yes, that's him."

"Thought so. He seemed the most chill out of all of you," she said with an approving nod.

"Dash, we have other things we need to talk about," Applejack said, prodding her in the side gently.

Dash rolled her eyes with a tired scowl. "Sure, sure, you got it." She sat back in her seat with her arms folded behind her head, giving Sunset and opening to lean in towards him from her corner of the table.

"That's why you were about to pick a fight with Blitz, isn't it? Because it reminded you of that time?"

Liam gave her a pointed look and jabbed a finger at the table. "No, it wasn't. My teenage years were instructive and eye opening, not traumatic. I don't have any sort of PTSD making me lash out at anything that reminds me of my time there. I just know the difference between a benign accidental bumping and a targeted shove, I got plenty of the latter. I was standing up to them because I know the difference and recognized what they were doing for what it was."

"Wait, 'them'? I thought it was just Blitz he threw down with?" asked Dash.

"He didn't throw down with anyone, I got him out of there before it went any further. And Blitz was with Laurel," Sunset answered.

"Excuse me? I wasn't about to-" Liam started before Dash cut him off with a loud, dismissive snort.

"No wonder. Sunset, you ever been around both of them for more than five minutes?"

Sunset shook her head. "No, why? That has nothing to do with-"

"Heck yes it does! You just haven't been around them long enough! I had to put up with those two through gym back in fourth year! Laurel always tries to look tough and blows up Blitz's ego and Blitz eggs Laurel into not being 'such a rich boy' and they just get annoying as heck to be around. Used to call me Rainboy Dash just to get a rise out of me," she muttered darkly. To Sunset's surprise Fluttershy and Rarity nodded in agreement.

"That still doesn't excuse how he acted," Sunset said, trying to bring the conversation back around to the original point. Princess Twilight would try to find a way to get them all to change, to see there's a better way. We have to do that too.

"Sunset, I'm with Liam on this one. I've had to tell them to knock it off a bunch of times and I'm not surprised he did either. I'm actually pretty happy he did honestly. Those two are just a pain sometimes and I'd bet they did start it," Rainbow Dash declared with a nod towards the guy in question.

Sunset threw up her hands in frustration. Dash wasn't getting the point, they weren't trying to declare a verdict on the other two right there and then, they were trying to understand who Liam really was. "Dash-"

"Gah! What's in this?" Liam suddenly exclaimed, looking down at the burger he'd just taken his first bite out of while they argued.

"Huh? It's just a normal burger right?" Twilight peeled the bun off her to look at it. "Yeah, nothing strange. What's different with yours?"

"Ech, something didn't taste right... wait, what kind of patty is this?" Liam asked while squinting at it. He took a pinch off it and popped it in his mouth. "Weird... wait, is this soy?"

"Soy and ground portabella. Why? Something taste off with it?" Sunset asked while looking down at her own. It hadn't tasted strange to her.

"Shoot, Granny must have given me the vegetarian option by mistake," Liam muttered.

"Wait, what option? That's just the normal burger, they don't have options. Though it would be nice to get more variety once in a while," Rarity said with a small huff.

"Wait, then what about beef-" Liam began before shutting his mouth with a click, his eyes going wide. He sat up and looked around frantically at the other tables. Eventually he stopped, slowly sliding back down into his chair. "Oh no... I'm not going to last a week."

"What's wrong Liam? You look sick to your stomach, have you been eating right?" asked Pinkie.

Liam's eye began twitching a little. "It's fine, I can make this work. It won't be a problem," he murmured low and deep.

Rarity reached across the table to give his hand a shake. "Make what work? Liam, what's wrong? Do you have food allergies?"

"Maybe he's one of those religious wackos that eat fish?"

Fluttershy sat straighter in her seat, eyes alight with righteous anger. "Rainbow Dash! How could you suggest something like that! What a terrible thing to say about-" She stopped as Liam jerked then froze, eyes staring down at his food while the color drained from his face. "L-Liam? You- you don't- you haven't eaten-" she stammered in slowly growing horror. Liam closed his eyes and clenched his fists, his mouth becoming a thin line. "No..." whispered Fluttershy. Both Pinkie and Rainbow Dash began leaning away from him slightly.

Sunset felt her throat clench as she realized what they were implying. He- he can't be- that's- that's inhuman! Only things like a hydra would... oh Celestia, she thought, eyes shooting open. No wonder he was so aggressive! She pushed away from the table a little, putting distance between her and the potential monster sitting across from her. She glanced around quickly, hoping she was wrong, but all of her friends had seemingly come to the same conclusion. Except for Applejack who, while still glaring at him through narrowed eyes, had an almost smug twist to her mouth.

Liam tilted his head up, causing a few of them to flinch away. "So... I think we've found another difference between humans here and where I'm from."

Silence reigned for nearly half a minute. Right up until Fluttershy broke down in tears.

Comments

[Cyberdutchman]

8631522

lol. I had a feeling that would be the reaction for some. Trust me, it has relevance in the grand scheme of things.

(something I happened to notice in the films and thought about what it would mean for this story. Think I like what I came up with)

[Magnus Orion]

As a hydra I am fully offended.

[Cyberdutchman]

8631883

Sir- sorry, sirs- sorry, sirs and one madame, that lipstick looks wonderful on your fanged maw - I am terribly sorry if we have offended you in any way. On behalf of the author, our deepest apologies and-... um, is that a bit of candy cane mane sticking out of your teeth- oh, It's gone, must have been my mistake. Again, terribly sorry and- ummm, your belly appears to be screaming in terror.

...

Um, well, yes, sorry and I really must be going! Have a wonderful day!

[Dinode]

You know, I've heard a lot of theories on how Twilight handled omnivorous humans. I don't think the humans not being omnivores has ever been done. Congratulations, you've broken new ground. Do griffons not eat meat either? What about dragons? Carnivorous pets?

Also, Liam, enough with planning military occupation as a backup plan. I get you want to get home as quickly as possible, but the ends do not justify the means. Especially if those means make you the target of 7 very angry magical teenagers.

[Magnus Orion]

8631926
Deep growl

You do realize hydras don’t have multiple personalities, correct? Damn legends...

[Cyberdutchman]

8632291

You know, I've heard a lot of theories on how Twilight handled omnivorous humans. I don't think the humansnotbeing omnivores has ever been done. Congratulations, you've broken new ground. Do griffons not eat meat either? What about dragons? Carnivorous pets?

All shall be answered! *mysterious hand waving and smoke bomb throwing*

Also, Liam, enough with planning military occupation as a backup plan. I get you want to get home as quickly as possible, but the ends do not justify the means. Especially if those means make you the target of 7 very angry magical teenagers.

One way to think of it... it's not just the nation he made that's been attacked, it's his family. Half a million "hims" and their parents. Personal doesn't begin to get at what that would likely feel like. Every loss would be like a personal rejection of you by your home and people. Emotion is driving with it's foot to the floor while logic is sitting in the passenger seat, frantically shouting out directions to keep them from crashing.

[RDDash]

This is the first time (probably) I hear about them not eating a protein based foods. Because eating meat is not as much as an issue as it mostly eating protein based diet