The Pondolorian

by Prismfire Productions

When one door closes...

In the short time that Din had been on this planet, he had already seen things that he knew if he told anybody else they would have had him committed to a prison for the insane. On the other side of the coin, seeing it firsthand, he had to open his mind to the very real possibility that he actually was experiencing the wonders that, to the natives, were just a normal daily routine. However, even that open mindedness could not believe the scene that awaited him when he reentered the throne room. The entire space looked as if a party bomb had gone off, with streamers, balloons, ribbon, and more on the ceiling and the central table now having a decorative table cloth with a full 'party food' buffet.

"How in the world…" Din said, trying and fumbling to make a remark on how fast Pinkie had livened the place up. He had seen countless festivals and celebrations in passing on his travels, but the flair that was on display outranked them all on a level he could not even fathom. "She only left a few minutes ago, how did she have time for this?!"

"Never question Pinkie Pie, it only leads to insanity," Twilight had to suppress a shudder at the violent memories that threatened to bubble to the surface, ones that made her ashamed when she reflected on them. Trying to figure out the party mare had led to many sleepless nights, for a number of reasons that she had to eventually have Princess Luna put a sleeping spell on her for several weeks until her mind recovered the lost rest."I know that from experience, so when she does something, just go along with it."

"Rightttttt…" Din said, his helmet concealing his eye roll at the explanation as he looked over the assorted party food, with everything except the chocolate cake that was outlined in the shape of The Child's head being unfamiliar to him. "So, since a lot of these foods I have never seen before, care to give me a quick explanation so that I don't make myself look like a fool?"

"You never had these dishes?" Rainbow asked, staring at the human with her mouth agape. "I may be the most awesome pegasus, and future best Wonderbolt, but she is the most awesome baker in Equestria. Why, I bet she could make mud taste like pudding!"

"She did once…" Applejack said, making all heads turn to her in bewilderment. "Well, at least Granny said so anyway, but she was dealing with ah nasty virus so take that as yah will. Considerin’ that her memory is not the best these days, the only way to know fer sure is if we ask Pinkie directly, and I do not feel like nosing my way into that business."

"Ok then," Wanting to put that imagery out of his head before it set root, Din once again thought over his options before letting out a slight sigh. “Thing is, I am unsure of how I will be able to balance between being the guest here and still hold onto my Creed. The fact I cannot take my helmet off around others really complicates matters, because I am sure there will be many who will want me to do so.”

“Well, to the fillies and colts you will be seen more like a superhero more than anything,” Rarity mused, running a hoof under her chin as her mind went to work wondering how he looked under the armor. She had read many stories featuring knights in armor, and knew of humans thanks to a mandatory portal hop from her human counterpart from an express order that had to be finished on a time crunch, but nonetheless she could not help her mind from drifting to her fantasies. “So, darling, why is it that your Creed mandates that you can not reveal your face? I am sure that your… choice of profession certainly plays a part, but is that the only reason?”

“Yes,” Din’s answer was flat and monotone, but despite the unbearable itch that his stubble was giving him, he was determined to stick to the principles that had been ingrained in him from the moment he took up the path of a Mandalorian. “You are correct that it does play a part, but that is because Mandalorians are supposed to stick to the shadows. When we do show up, you know that you have seriously got yourself in a situation that there is no escape from. This armor deflects almost all blaster types, so it is a safeguard against our foes, and our identities to be kept in secret. If a Mandalorian is seen without their helmet by another intelligent being, then they have forsaken the Creed and are no longer deemed a Mandalorian. Sure, they will keep the armor, but in the eyes of others like me they are seen as a traitor against everything we stand for. It also puts a target not only on the backs of the outcast, but should they be captured, also those they have associations with.”

“You know,” Celestia mused, a light nicker escaping her as she thought over the situation. She had years of experience in not only orchestrating treaties, but also finding loopholes around laws. It had come in handy on more than one occasion when dealing with Canterlot’s more stubborn nobility, but just as she knew how to find loopholes, she also knew how to exploit them. “There is a perfectly reasonable solution to this problem. Mando, you said that you can’t remove your helmet around intelligent life, correct? Pray tell me, when you went to the bathroom and the door was closed, what did the talking in here sound like to you?”

“Sounded like a bunch of whinnies and such,” Din said, only to pause when he realized that the alicorn had given him a crystal clear workaround. It also made him aware that the mare standing before him was knowledgeable with technicalities, something that both amused and frightened him. “I see, without the spell, you all would be seen as nothing more than normal equines. Thus, by removing my helmet, I technically would not be violating my Creed should anyone ask due to the perception. Clever.”

“Good to know that you saw where I was going with that,” Celestia smiled, a radiant smile that seemed to brighten the room slightly. “You do not rule a nation for over 1000 years and not learn how to look for ways around problems that still, by all accounts, fall within the rules. This would also allow you to not worry about dealing with that scruff irritating the inside of your helmet. Such unscratchable itches are a dread to deal with after all, why, there was this one time-”

“Alright,” Had it been years prior, Din interrupting Celestia would have been seen as pure blasphemy, the ultimate sign of disrespect to the Wielder of the Sun. Now, however, she held no power, but while most ponies still gave her the proper due, Din was of another world, and had no idea of what she was at the prime of her position. Unknowingly to all of them, they all felt the same feeling that the exchange had gone on past the point it should have, so nothing was said. “As much as I hate to admit it, you provide a valid point. Besides, with me here completely off the grid, it isn’t like anyone else is going to know right? I feel dirty doing this, but considering the circumstances, I feel that it is only proper that as a guest to your world that I go in accordance with your customs.”

“Now hang on,” Twilight trotted up to the mysterious human, placing a hoof on the smooth beskar that covered his chest. It was cold to her touch, but the scientific part of her mind ran wild on wanting to see just how durable the plating was, and if she could recreate it to help with defending Equestria. It was her sworn duty as Princess of Equestria, but such talks could wait, and promptly shoved those thoughts to the back of her mind. “We would not want you to do anything that you are not comfortable with. If you want to leave your helmet on, we will respect that decision, but Celestia merely offered a way to give you a bit of relief from your predicament. As the leader of this nation, I apologize for any disrespect we may have done towards your Creed, I just hope you can accept this apology and this does not strain our current state of affairs.”

“So, she really wants to ensure that there is no trouble between us,” Din thought, caught a bit off guard at Twilight’s apology. It had been a long time since he had someone give him one, and the only reason he even got the last one was due to a case of getting caught in the crossfire of two feuding families on a stop on Naboo. That had been a pain to sort out, mostly due to both families thinking that the other had hired him, but this was the first time that anyone had apologized for potentially disrespecting his beliefs. He could tell that it was sincere in nature, and only served to further cement that he may have crash landed upon some unexpected allies. “Apology accepted, but I do think that your companion, Celestia, was it? Had a very compelling point, and considering how much the stubble is benign a bother, I will be taking her up on the proposal.”

For so long he had stuck to his Creed, even killing over the simple manner of refusing to show his face. His helmet was as much a part of him as his skin or hair, and to break that bond was akin to taking a blaster shot unprotected to the heart. He knew that, should any of his fellow Mandalorians ever find out, he would be thrown out of the order. However, as he had witnessed before, desperate situations called for a desperate response, and with the solution to the scruff still hours away he knew the only option. Reaching up and undoing the mechanism that held his helmet in place, he slowly took the symbol of his being off his head and set it on the table. Looking at the group, he could not help but hear a light gasp from one of them but chose not to question it.

“So,” Din said, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned against the table, eyeing the display with a renewed vigor considering his stomach knew that it was going to be supplemented. “As good as all of this food looks, do you think it will be ok if I sample everything, or should I wait for Pinkie and the others?"

"Considering she is throwing this party for you, I think that she wouldn't mind," Twilight said, levitating a plate in her magic and throwing a sample of nachos, fries, a veggie taco, and a slice of cake onto it before passing it to Din with a fork. "Dig in and enjoy."

Taking the plate and giving a rather skeptical look, Din decided to start with the nachos, his eyes widening in surprise at the rich flavor that assaulted his taste buds in a crossfire of deliciousness. The chips were still crunchy, with the gooey cheese and jalapeno peppers adding both texture and kick. He had no short list of experiences when it came to cuisine across the galaxy, but the pure, to him, uniqueness pushed it over the top. Cheese was no foreign concept to him, due to having spent more time than he cared to admit surviving on rations of banta cheese, but this was different. The rich, milky texture was a pleasant surprise, one that he wanted to have more of. Cleaning off the cheese that had stuck to his fingers, he was tempted to dig in for seconds, but decided instead to try the next item on his plate.

In comparison to the complex flavor blend of the nachos, the fries were plain. Just a pinch of vinegar, salt, and pepper to give some semblance of "flavor" and texture but otherwise Din found it underwhelming. He figured that was a byproduct of Pinkie being pressed for time, so he shrugged off the feeling as he moved on to the taco. Much to his surprise, the veggies were crisp and the bean mesh had a strong spice kick that completely caught him off guard. Overall, he found the taco to be pleasing, and with a few tweaks he could see himself making it a daily meal for a work out. This, of course, left just the cake.

The sweetness of the fresh strawberry. The richness of the buttercream. Both worked in harmony with the vanilla cake base underneath, a perfect tango that did not overpower the other. He lost himself in the flavor, his worries and concerns about trying to find a way back home evaporating in an instant. It was like he got wrapped in a loving blanket, and it gave him a sense of security that he could not explain. Numerous positive emotions blossomed from the sensation, joy, happiness, and peace to name a few and soon his thoughts to The Child. He thought about the youngling growing up in the town, making friends like Fluttershy without the worry of being hunted down and needing to consistently be on guard.

For the first time since his long-distant youth, before Mandalor fell and his life was turned upside down, he felt happy. It lifted his spirits and be could feel himself soaring over Ponyville without the need of his jetpack, the wind currents guiding him higher and higher as he landed on a nice, soft cloud that cradled him like an infant. As soon as the feeling set in, he was drawn out of it by Twilight's voice calling for him.

"Mando? Mando, can you hear me?!" Din slowly opened his eyes, revealing that he had somehow ended up on the floor with the purple princess looking at him in a near panic. Another pony, one that he had never seen before wearing a red symbol on her hat, had a hoof on his neck while looking at a watch. "Oh thank Celestia you are alert, I was starting to worry that you were not going to wake up until Redheart here reassured me that you were only in a minor food coma."

"Not even that princess," The mysterious mare, who Din figured was Redheart, said as she turned her attention to him. "Tell me sir, have you ever consumed a lot of sweets in one sitting before?"

"No, not really," Din was both confused and cautious, not wanting to risk having a repeated and unexpected blackout. He had no allergies that he was aware of, but if a mere slice of cake could knock him out cold without any warning, he knew he had to be more careful with his cuisine choices as he sat up. Looking around, he saw that the room was now packed with ponies, with the identical Pinkie Pies looking at him in worry. "Most things where I come from are made from whatever is available, so having so much sweetness is something that I am not used to."

"Just as I thought," Redheart sighed, putting away her watch before looking at Din once more. "Your body is not used to the sugar content, so it overloaded your body and made you black out. As such, I suggest that you take it slow with your sugar intake until you acclimate to our sugar levels. I also request that you stop by the hospital for a proper physical, for certainty that you can even digest our food to begin with."

“I can provide information on that!” Pinkles giggled, bouncing in place fast enough that Din thought that she was starting to float in place. “Me, Pinkie, and TwiTwi all have-”

“What she means is, we all have some knowledge of human biological systems, courtesy of our friend Sunset Shimmer,” Twilight said, cutting Pinkles off before she had the chance to blow the cover on the existence of the mirror. The story spread around Ponyville was that Pinkles was one of Pinkie’s clones that managed to elude discovery and had gained her own quirky personality, something that the alicorn was deadset on keeping in place. “That being said, considering that I keep in constant contact with her, and have written extensive notations on the subject as a result, you are more than welcome to browse them to add to Mando’s case file.”

“You have my thanks princess,” Redheart said, giving the Princess of Magic a slight bow before looking back at Din. “As for you, I do expect to have that physical done, no ifs, ands, or buts!”

“Considering that I crash landed here and have no way of leaving anytime soon, I will comply.” Shifting back to his feet and using the table for balance, Din managed to force a half-hearted smile as he looked over the group. “Sorry for giving you all a scare, shall we proceed with the festivities?”

And what a party it was.

---

Luna’s moon had long-since passed high into the sky by the time the last pony, Lyra Heartstrings, bid farewell and retired to her abode. As for Din, he found himself relaxing in a large, comfortable bed in one of the castle’s guest bedrooms. A crystal, glowing softly from the same translation spell that Twilight had used for the party, rested on his nightstand beside a second, smaller crystal that had been crafted into a makeshift razor. He rubbed his right hand over his now-smooth chin, silently remarking how well it felt to his touch as he gazed up at the ceiling. The glowing crystal had done wonders to bring the room to life, with the glow causing a cascade of colors that danced and flowed around him in a silent dance, a screen of living color that mellowed his mind and put his troubled heart at ease.

Much to Twilight’s, and his, relief there had been no further incidents at the party, and he had to admit that it was nice to just relax without having to worry about a threat lurking in the shadows. Only once had his inner guard been raised, when he swore an Earth Pony with a green coat and sapphire blue mane and tail had their violet eyes briefly pulse green did he question if he should be concerned, but considering all the crystal and the fact he was recovering from a blackout spell he played it off as a trick of the light. In meeting the townsponies, he found himself thinking back to treks he had on numerous planets in the Outer Rim, with a wide variety of personalities coming together yet still managing to live in a peaceful coexistence. It was reassuring in its own way, that even in another galaxy, there was still a semblance of normalcy to be found as he looked at the sleeping child that took up the other half of the bed.

“You had a tiring day didn’t you,” Lightly rubbing The Child’s head, he allowed himself to chuckle at all the attention his tiny companion had been given. Everypony had complimented some degree of how adorable he was, with many looking on more in curiosity than disgust when some frog legs that had been salvaged from the Razor Crest had been presented to him for dinner. As for The Child, he was fine as long as he stayed close to Din, but a degree of antsy showed itself when Fluttershy had to leave to go home and tend to her animal friends. A ‘Pinkie Promise’ to visit the next day had allowed The Child to allow her to leave, and had fallen asleep soon after. “With as many younglings as there are in town, you should have no problem making friends.”

Even though he was currently slumbering away, Din had a feeling that The Child had still heard him, evident from his miniscule hand moving to touch Din’s left one and giving a light squeeze. It still amazed the veteran mandalorian as to how something so small possessed such a wide range of abilities and techniques, but considering he had been around magical ponies all day, he found it relatively easy to compare the two to the other. Unicorns, Earth ponies, and Pegasi, he observed and learned through various conversations with the partygoers, each tribe and pony had their own sector of magic that they excelled in with those with a cutie mark having mastered their skill. Those comparisons made him think of how the Armorer had branded him and The Child as ‘a clan of two’ and been given their own insignia, in a way, with his own weaponry skills and the latter’s abilities with his mind, he found himself believing that was their cutie mark.

This he swore there and then, would define him going forward.

A light knock at the door drew his attention, and soon the figure of Trixie Lulamoon peeked into the room. The show mare had made a rather grand entrance to the party, both fashionably late and packed with enough lights it could have been seen from the moon’s orbit. Trixie, to her credit, had caught Din’s interest from the fact she only referred to herself in third person, no different than telling The Child about an individual while recounting one of his numerous hunts while earning his reputation. Still, even with the odd speech pattern, he had found her company rather enjoyable, mostly on the account that his foundling had thoroughly enjoyed being able to ‘fly’ in the mare’s magic.

“Trixie is sorry for bothering you this late, but do you have a moment to chat?” A quick ‘yes’ caused the unicorn to enter in a way that completely contradicted her earlier composure. While the Trixie at the party moved with fluidity and grace, the Trixie that stood before him walked with a light limp and a shyness that showed her being reserved. “The little one seemed to enjoy Trixie’s tricks, but Trixie was curious what you thought of them.”

“Rather well done, if I had to judge,” Din could tell, even in the low-light environment, that answer had not sat well considering he saw the mare’s shoulders slouch slightly. Not wanting to end the day on a sour note, he decided to clarify. “Nothing wrong mind you, it is just I am not used to just observing a show in detail, so it will take some time to adjust to something of your talents.”

“Oh,” A pause, short and sudden, was explained by the faint grin that was on Trixie’s face. It was a look of joy, like when he had managed to get his first major bounty that put him in a respected view. “Well, Trixie will be sure to put extra effort in the next show, Trixie guarantees!”

“Shh, not so loud,” Din chided, pointing to the sleeping infant, the realization making Trixie’s ears droop. “It is ok, just letting you know in order to not wake him. If the show that you put on today is any indication, I am sure that you can find a way to top it at the next show.”

“Trixie appreciates the compliment,” Taking off her hat and dipping into a bow, a sense of pride filled Trixie’s chest at knowing she had impressed the alien, and a tiny part of her rejoiced at finally one-uping Twilight Sparkle. Her rival may have become a princess, but she was the first showmare to get approval from a being beyond the stars. “Trixie is also curious, why do you remove the fur from your face? Why not let it grow?”

“I have to keep it short, otherwise it starts to itch.” Din said, mentally questioning if his scruff was already starting to grow back in. Owing to exhaustion, he decided to ignore it and rested his head on his chest. “Not to mention, let it grow too long, it would be more troublesome when I go to eat.”

“Fair point,” Returning the hat to her head, she used her magic to push the door closed, opting to lay beside the bed on the warm bedside rug. Even while on the road, she longed to return to the castle to recharge, the specially-enchanted design meant to mimic a heat pad for ponies who had trouble regulating their body temperature. It guaranteed a perfect recharge rest, and she was about to take full advantage of that fact. “Though, just so you know, you are not the only one who has changed from who they used to be.”

“Oh?” Turning on his side and looking down at the unicorn, the battle-hardened warrior was perplexed at the statement. While it was true that they had swapped parts of their respective pasts at the party, he felt like it was rather soon to jump to a statement of that sort. “While I could say that suits the nature of your redemption, what insight did you gather about me from the little info that I gave you?”

“You are like a father now,” Trixie said, making Din raise an eyebrow in return. “That one trusts you, Trixie can see that much. He trusts you to protect him, and you trust him to try and stay out of harm’s way. You trusted Trixie by letting Trixie glide him in my magic. You said you were a fighter, fighters trust nopony except those close, trust no one else. Yet, you trusted Trixie, so you have changed already, even if it was not seen by you. Trixie was… not this at birth, so Trixie knows about changed and growth, and Trixie sees it from what Trixie knows.”

“Huh, guess you are right,” While Din felt that the point could have been worded different, he could find no flaw in the logic. “It is been a hard adjustment for me, considering that I am now responsible for him and never have been in this situation before. I have always been on the lookout for myself only, now I got to double that to ensure his.”

“Trixie knows how it feels,” Trixie sighed, Luna’s Land of Nod rapidly closing in around her to lead her to the comfort of her dream bubble. “But you should think about visiting Rarity, she could make you some normal clothes, and you should let your fur grow out, it looked pretty in the lights.”

“I will think about it,” Rolling onto his back once more, he could feel the lure of sleep taking hold, the last thought being about Trixie mistaking his beard for fur.

Din was no stranger to having dreams, however what he was not used to was there being a vacant nothingness. Floating in a bubble in the vacuum of space, with countless stars twinkling around him, kept alive only by the logic of his imagination. Yet, he found his movement restricted, with a full arms reach being met with a semi-tense resistance like punching a bag underwater. It felt welcoming, like the faint fragile memories of his youth, and it manifested when Luna physically made herself known.

“Well now, this is a surprise,” Luna said, walking over to him. While in the waking world he stood a fair bit taller than her, here her presence showed she was in control. “Welcome to my domain Mando.”

“Pr- Luna?” He mentally cussed himself at nearly adding the former-loyal title, something that both Luna and Celestia had made clear at the party they wanted to be addressed only by their names. “Judging by your reaction, I assume that I am not supposed to be here?”

“Not at all,” Sitting a few feet from him, even at that closeness the Princess felt so far away. She was the master of the dream realm, and it obeyed her every command, so it knew what its wielder wanted before she even channeled the magic. “I want you to try something for me, think of something from your past. It can be anything, just try and focus on it.”

“Um, ok? Raising an eyebrow, he knew better than to push the Star Warden. Focusing on a memory, he thought about the events that occurred.

He could feel the world around him shift, and soon he could feel the air around him become dry and arid. Opening his eyes, he saw members of various alien races pilfering around the bar, some having casual conversations or others drowning their sorrows away after another brutal loss in the race dunes. Glancing downward, he could not believe his eyes, one of the first sets of armor he ever wore, just as he had remembered. Glancing around the bar, he set his sights on one straggly fellow in the corner, a leader of one of the bigger bands of spice runners. He had wracked up an insane 175,000 credit bounty thanks to his various acts, including sending the severed body of one of the crime lords to the others piece by piece as a messege.

And like an x-wing pilot straight out academy, Din was ready to get his first collect.

Standing up, he took a few steps out the door, electing for the shade of the markets to cover up the contrast from his armor. Time then seemed to move in fast forward, individuals moving past at an unreasonable speed. When it slowed down, the target in question was walking out of the cantina with an associate closing off the latest deal. His hand glided effortlessly to his pistol, and with a movement akin to lightning he had it drawn and fired the deadly shot. Raw adrenaline poured through him as he ran over, tearing off what he needed for proof of kill, and fled into an alleyway as the vision faded to black.

“Not all assignments will be so simple,” The Armorer’s voice echoed in the darkness, the scene beginning to brighten once more. ”Sometimes, you will be lucky to come back alive.”

Cold icy terror filled him as all the strength drained out his body, his bones having been pulverized. Leaping into hiding, he could only hear his death approaching.

“Oh my,” Luna ignited her horn, silencing her inner self and cutting off its food supply. “That is a very sensitive memory you triggered, but I stopped it before it would come to fruition.”

“Thank you,” Din knew exactly what that memory was, and it brought him pain every time it occurred. Luna stopping it made him relax, and knew that she would make his dreams more pleasant. “I really do not like having to relive that event, so you were a bigger help than you realize.”

“Least I can do for one who struggles with truma,” Horn aglow once more, she made the landscape change to a cliff face overlooking a pleasant valley full of flowers. “Now this is interesting, care to tell me about this place?”

“Just someplace a long time ago in a place far, far away,” Din said, taking in a deep breath of the crisp mountain air and slowly releasing it. “Never got around to getting a chance to revisit, but something about that landscape burned into my head. Every time that I am stressed, I think about that place to help settle my nerves and it normally does the trick.”

“We can see why,” Luna’s attention was soon drawn to one of the many creatures that lurked in the flowers, leaping when it caught a smaller, bee-like shape that had the unfortunate pleasure of being made into a meal. “I am rather amazed that you can recall such a stunning level of detail, it is not often I come across someone who can delve so deep into the arts of mastering their own dreams. Getting back to an earlier point, the past few dreams show that you are fully within our dreamrealm, so if you have any troubles, it will be quite easy to squash them to rest. I may have retired from my duties as princess, but I still command this realm to keep all nightmares at bay and to ensure a peaceful nights slumber.”

“Good to know that will be kept in check,” What Din did not address was the thought of being spied on in his dreams made him feel a little uncomfortable, but if it meant never having to relive a certain recurring flashback he would gladly take the trade-off. “So, how is it that I am even in your dreamrealm to begin with? You almost make it sound like not everyone is apart of it.”

“That is because they aren’t,” The scene around them shifted once more, this time to one of Luna’s own making. Taking refuge in the comfort of her former chambers in Canterlot Castle, she motioned to the study table that had a fresh kettle of tea brewing, and a couple of plush chairs that were awaiting occupancy. “Care to join me?”

“Well, guess so,” Taking the chair across from Luna, Din couple feel how soft the material was, and the smooth porcelain cup that was given to him felt no different than how it would while awake. The tea soothed his throat, gently going down and leaving his taste buds satisfied. “I am going to need the recipe for this, but what do I owe the honor of being in this setting to begin with?”

“A hunch, if you would allow it to be called that,” Taking a sip from her own cup, Luna hummed softly before continuing. “You are new to this world, a world full of arcane and magic, and as a result were a null zone. Being here, in my realm, shows that is no longer the case, you have absorbed some aspected pony magic into your body from the environment. As for what tribe? Probably too early to tell, same can be said for what degree of skills you would pick up.”

“Sounds like there is a chance that I could be able to move things then as you do with your horn, or this child does with his mind,” Din had mixed feelings at that bit of news. While one part of him was worried as to what extent the magic would change him, the battle-oriented side of his brain could not help but admit that picking up any of the tribes’ skills would be a massive secret weapon in his arsenal. “Lets say that I develop some skills, think that I could harness it into a usable form? I am not a pony like you, so would that have some degree of impact with utilizing it?”

“If there was an answer I could give now, I would,” Luna sighed, turning her gaze to the window. “Even now I feel the threads of your dreams beginning to unravel as you draw closer to consciousness, but rest assured, even if we are not physically close I will be sure to visit in your dreams to help with any adjustments you are going through during your time here.”

“Thank you,” True to Luna’s word, he could see the room they were in start to distort, he himself feeling an upward tugging motion akin to a beacon by a stormy sea. “Hope that we can stay in touch, this was a nice conversation, and could honestly get used to having these talks.”

“Then we shall continue having them,” Luna’s voice sounded further away at this point as everything faded from view, a light steadily building over him as he moved faster and faster upwards. “Until tomorrow night, take care.”

Waking up with a light yawn and feeling fully refreshed, he noticed that it was already after sunrise. The soft beams of light fluttered in through the window providing him their warmth, and the smell of something fresh being prepped waffled in the air. The unknown food source still was enough to trigger his stomach, and he could not help but notice Trixie and The Child both begin to stir as well from the smell.

“Trixie smells pancakes,” The mare said, stretching with a feline-like posture and standing, adjusting her hat and cape as The Child stood and looked at her. “Trixie thinks he wants to come with Trixie to get breakfast, may Trixie take him to the kitchen?”

“Seeing as how I got to still freshen up and get changed, be my guest,” While Din secretly enjoyed the feeling of the cotton sleepwear that Rarity had made for him the previous night, he found the notion silly of him wearing pajamas around all day and wanted to get back into his armor. “Worst case, if I get lost I can just call out and hope someone hears me, but I remember my way back downstairs at the least.”

“Then you will not get lost,” Trixie said, levitating The Child onto her back and heading for the door. “Better hurry, Spike may be a good cook, but Trixie has a big appetite!”

Once again alone in the bedchamber, Din made his way to the adjoining bathroom to conduct his morning business. It was business as usual, but after washing his hands he caught a look at his reflection in the mirror and nearly screamed in alarm. The soft fuzz he had felt the previous day was back, something that startled him to the point he ran out the room without changing out his pajamas. Speeding down the stairs and entering the kitchen, Twilight and the others jumped out of their seats at his sudden entry.

“We got a problem,” Din said, pointing at his chin in emphasis. “I shaved last night, yet this is already back. Luna visited me in my dreams last night and told me that there was a chance the natural magic of this world was starting to seep into me, but we need to start keeping a closer track of anything that occurs.”

“Luna visited you?” Quirking an eyebrow, Twilight spread her wings and raised into a gentle hover, moving in front of his face and using her hoof to feel the fuzz. “Yeah, I think closer observation is warranted, this feels like pony fur.”

“Exactly why you see my alarm,” Din, as much as he wanted to freak out, kept himself mostly composed at seeing The Child looking at him in what he felt was concern. Walking over and patting the infant’s head, the gesture seemed to calm his foundling companion. “You know, I find this situation kind of ironic. Here the Armorer warned me about evil wizards, but you all use magic peacefully, and that same magic is apparently changing me in the process. Yet, as strange as that is, I do not feel threatened at all by all of this and feel no jeopardy to my life.”

“Twilight, Trixie thinks that Harmony might be an influence,” Much to the unicorn’s glee, Twilight nodded after a moment, the lavender alicorn summoning a notebook and quill with inkwell to hastily write down some notes. Seeing the human’s confusion, she pressed on. “Trixie also thinks that Starlight will be able to assist, since she has mastered the travel spell and you are busy running Equestria.”

“I find no fault there, seeing as how I do need to return to Canterlot soon,” Twilight sighed, and while she looked forward to sorting through the backlog of paperwork that surely awaited her, what she did not look forward to was having to deal with the thorn-in-her-flank nobility. They felt that Celestia and Luna’s retirement had given them recourse to push reforms that would line their pockets more, but found that Twilight was no fool, and it led to heads clashing more often than not. “Very well, once we get your physical with Redheart done, I will head back to Canterlot and entrust your care into Starlight and Trixie’s hooves. Spike as well, and he will be able to send your reports to me quickly thanks to his dragon fire.”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Din shrugged, a little unsure about the plan but it was better than nothing. His mind turned to his possible transformation, and while he wanted to try and get off the planet before he lost his hands, he knew that was likely not going to happen and had to resign himself to accepting his fate as he took a plate of offered pancakes and started to dig in. “Say Twilight, since it looks like I am going nowhere anytime soon with my ship a junkpile, is there any sort of paperwork I need to file to travel if needed? Some planets where I am from have customs and identification, but I am unsure how things work here.”

“Well, if it is honorary citizenship you are looking for, I can approve that with no issue,” Not a full truth, she knew, because more than one in the noble circuit would ask questions when word spread of a human being in Ponyville, but that was a problem for her to solve. “For now, however, I think it is best you stick to town and the surrounding areas until we know for sure the extent of how the ambient magic is changing you. Once we get a grasp of that and can plan accordingly, then we can-”

“Princess, is that a human?” A female voice, one that Din did not recognize, said from behind him in the doorway. He did not have to wait long to see its owner as a unicorn with a broken horn walked past him and stood in front of Twilight. She wore a full set of silver and blue armor, with Twilight’s cutie mark centered over her chestplate. “To my recollection, you told me that any humans from the portal are turned into ponies once they cross the threshold. Their coloration also seems off, is this individual to be watched?”

“I will explain later Fizzlepop, I promise,” Twilight said, giving the new unicorn a half smile. “But you are right, humans from the mirror world do change into ponies once they cross, but Mando here is a special case. He came from another world, and his crashed spaceship outside town is proof of it and I have deemed him not to be a threat.”

“I will trust your judgment,” Fizzlepop dipped into a bow, similar to the one Din himself often saw by soldiers responding to their leader’s orders. “Reason I am here is that you were due to return to Canterlot yesterday afternoon, and seeing as how there has been no correspondence, I came here as fast as I could to address the situation.”

“Ever my loyal charge,” Twilight giggled, giving Fizzlepop a few gentle nuzzles and a soft kiss on the cheek. “Once I get Mando here checked out by Redheart, I will be heading back to Canterlot, you have my word.”

“Good, because we both know how the nobles get when they feel you are not looking,” Turning and heading once more for the door, Fizzlepop stopped to offer a parting word. “See you soon Sparkle.”

“Oh how I love that mare,” Twilight giggled, lidding her eyes in the direction Tempest had departed and led a full Din out of the castle and towards the town hospital. Many of the partygoers from the previous day stopped to give the pair a wave, something that Din did in return out of courtesy. “Anyway, here we are, don’t feel nervous about anything because I will be right here beside you for the whole thing.”

Deep down, even that little bit of reassurance still did little to quell the raging storm occurring in his mind.