Chapter 9: Jordan
Jordan knew beyond any doubt that he had made a mistake. He should have pressured Ryan to go negotiating with Blake, and stayed back with Kaelynn. The fish might not be much of a conversationalist, but at least that way he wouldn't get himself into trouble.
He'd barely been in the other world for a week and already his mind was filled with strange things.
But if there was one way to fight back strange thoughts, it was work.
A bell rang loudly as they stepped into the shop, loud enough that his ears twitched once, and were halfway to covering themselves before the sound stopped. He kept going all the way to the counter, scanning the strange hybrid of shop and museum. The trouble was, he didn't know what they were looking for.
What would a map to a mysterious portal look like? The walls were lined with dirty glass shelves, and each one held something of reported value inside. But Jordan didn't think they could do much with "a piece of the Storm King's scepter" or "Grogar's other bell" whatever the hell either of those things were.
Evidence of more that we don't understand. The temptation to view this world as a featureless wasteland with nothing but a handful of human pioneers and their children inside was tremendous. That had been easy to believe when they just had an abandoned waystation and nothing else. But after their first conversation with Hoo’far, that guess decomposed fast.
The museum around them only amplified that view. There were maps on some of the displays, scrawled text about nations and kingdoms and wars.
At least they weren't left to linger with their doubts, surrounded by relics of unknown places and impossible histories. "Ponies from distant Equestria," said a voice, in a smooth, confident accent. "Exploring the world beneath your borders at last. Braving the strange and the unknown. Have no fear, you're in safe paws today. You'll find no friendlier shop in all of Klugetown."
"We're relieved to hear it," Blake said, vaguely in the direction of the sound. Jordan half expected him to correct the voice, as they'd corrected the merchant horse in the desert. But he didn't. "We've come looking for knowledge. Can you help us?"
Maybe it's better if they don't know we don't have family or clan to care that we're missing. The stronger you think we are, the better.
A figure slipped out from behind an oversized cabinet, stalking towards them. It stood on two legs, and thus towered over both of them. Even Blake seemed small by comparison.
But despite its height, the figure didn't seem that intimidating. He looked like a tabby cat, albeit one with a fancy coat. No boots though, to the disappointment of lovers of nursery rhymes everywhere. "What are the ponies searching for? I'm always happy to help travelers from Equestria. Even if I've never seen another creature quite like them."
He turned on Blake, clearly focusing on his horn and scales. "What kind of unicorn are you, if you don't mind my asking?"
Blake balked at the question, confused. Jordan was still staring himself, though recovering rapidly. Did this town have any rhyme or reason to the way its creatures looked? First the four of them had come out of the portal as horse things, then they met more horses on the road, but now they were surrounded with lizards and felines. Only the bird-things he'd seen flying overhead seemed to belong.
"I see you're worried. Don't be, my new friends. Observe." He made an exaggerated bow, producing something in one claw. A photograph, albeit in black and white. It showed him posing with a handful of... horse-creatures.
Jordan stared in earnest, taking in their distinct details. The horses all looked like girls, which was to say they looked like he did. A few had feathery wings, two had horns, but none had bat wings. None had scales either, which just agreed with what the cat had told them.
"You recognize them, I see. I helped save them from numberless perils while they visited here, and later assisted in the preservation of your entire nation. Don't think it was just ponies kicking the Storm King out. Group effort, group effort."
It was such a vomit of information that Blake's mouth just fell open a little lower. But Jordan was catching up. There was far too much information here for them to process it all at once. He didn't even bother, focusing instead on the most important detail: this cat wanted their trust. It had evidence of working with horses in the past, which might be real. Old-fashioned doctored photos hadn't been terribly convincing, so it probably was.
"We're looking for something especially strange," Jordan said. "My friend and I believe there is a... portal, located in your town. We don't know how to find it, or where it might be. Hopefully you could tell us?"
Jordan didn't own a cat anymore—traveling the world meant that he often couldn't be there to care for one, or make sure its needs were met. But he'd owned one while growing up. Maybe he was just anthropomorphizing the way this one tilted its head slightly, and one ear twitched. Or maybe he was reading it correctly, and he couldn't hide his interest.
"I should tell you I know nothing of it," he said, coat swirling as he turned his back on them. He stalked away, tail emerging from behind. Yet despite his longer legs, he didn't get that far. He wanted them to be close, and listening. “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Capper, purveyor of rare goods and unknown mysteries.”
One of those people who loves the sound of their own voice. "That is the only safe answer."
"You know more about this, then. Please share," Blake said.
"So many have come searching over the years," Capper continued. "Usually just one creature, sometimes more. They come looking for a Worldgate. But they would be far better off if they did not find it. For most who enter..."
He spun around so abruptly his coat whipped and cracked behind him, little gemstones in the hem glittering in the pale light. "DO NOT RETURN!" He raised both arms then, exaggerating the posture for them. "The dangers are great, ponies. It would be a terrible disservice to the legacy of the Elements of Harmony to allow you to subject yourselves to such dangers."
Jordan nodded knowingly. Suddenly the entire act made sense. "We could reassure you that we're competent explorers, and we know the place we're trying to go. That's all true, but I think it would be easier if we skip past all that. What if we paid you for directions? Whatever happens to us on the other side is entirely our fault."
It was as though he'd spoken a magic spell. The cat smiled slyly at him. "I see the charming mare speaks my language. You thestrals were always a practical tribe. I swear you'll find this knowledge nowhere else. The locals will never speak of the Worldgate—they believe it cursed, as all know some relative or another who ventured through and did not return."
"Is it unsafe?" Blake asked dumbly. Jordan turned to glower at him. You're ruining the haggling ritual! But he was too dense to react, obviously, just blowing right ahead. "We want to know about all the dangers too."
"Oh, extremely dangerous," Capper said. He paraded around the room ahead of them, hopping up onto cabinets and furniture, walking delicately along the edge with just two paws. Somehow he looked built for it, though obviously he resembled no cat either of them had ever seen. "I just told you that creatures go and don't return. Weren't you listening?"
The more dangerous it sounds the more expensive a bribe we have to pay. This time Jordan didn't just hope, he shoved right in front of Blake, smacking him in the face with his tail and spreading both wings as wide as he could. It wasn't quite telling him to shut up, but it might as well be.
"I have a little gold," he said. "Would you accept it for directions? Write them down clearly, and include any details we need to know. We will be coming back this way, and would prefer to have a local informant we can trust."
He felt his tail smack into Blake's face, but ignored the sudden flash of hot indignance in his scent. He was being stupid, he just couldn't be told that yet.
"Of course," the cat said. "A little gold, and some directions. A fair enough exchange for my new pony friends in distress. And if you return, perhaps we will speak again. I know much that might be of service to you."
The actual haggling was just a formality after that—one that Blake mercifully didn't interrupt. Over the next few minutes, Jordan exchanged exactly three of their strange gold coins for a densely scribbled map written on a piece of many-times-erased parchment.
"But remember, the harm you find there is no fault of mine," Capper said, as they were slipping out the way they'd come. "I told you ponies, it was a place of great danger. Those who insist on finding it should not blame the messenger."
Blake shoved past Jordan, turning by the door. This time he just watched. They had the map already, so there wasn't much Blake could say to ruin things. Unless this cat had far more power than his con-artist persona let on. "Are there safer Worldgates anywhere else?"
The cat shrugged an ambivalent shoulder, adjusting his jacket. "Sadly these travelers inquire over a lost art. I specialize in collecting things in the now. But I know that the Worldgate here now is sometimes sought. Who knows—maybe you will find what you're looking for? Maybe that's why all the creatures who go inside don't come back. If you return to share information with me, I may give back some of what you paid me."
The offer would be meaningless if they succeeded—but considering the danger, it might be they would be back in Klugetown far sooner than they would've liked.
They didn't linger in the shop, but slipped back out the way they'd come. There was no reason to tempt fate, and leave the others alone any longer than they had to.
"I was handling it," Blake said, as soon as they were far enough from the shop. "I've dealt with his type before. Can't let them squeeze you, or they'll get you for every dollar."
"I gave them three coins," Jordan countered, sticking his tongue out. "Don't tell me you think we overpaid. We both know that isn't true."
The lizard-horse thing frowned back at him, unwilling to admit he was wrong. But that was Blake's thing. He didn't become their leader because he was easily persuaded.
"I'll decide when we follow the map," Blake finally said. "Maybe what he told us is complete bullshit. Then those coins were a complete waste, and we'll never get them back. Talking to him again would just be a way for him to extort a few more."
They slowed as they returned to street level. Blake glanced subconsciously behind him every few seconds, ears swiveling to try and point to something he couldn't find. But if Blake was right, and they were being followed, the one doing it was too clever to reveal themselves.
At least their cart wasn't a smoking crater, with the water poured out onto the ground and Kaelynn dead. Instead they found Ryan clutching something in one hoof, watching them with relief on his face.
"Thank god you made it back," he said. "Wasn’t sure how much longer we would last. At least three separate little lizard things have tried to rob us." He held up the can of mace with one hoof, shaking it. From the weight alone, Jordan could tell it was now mostly empty. "One of me is not enough to watch the whole cart, and there are so many directions to attack."
"You did good," Blake said, fishing around in his saddlebags a moment before coming up with the map. "Good news from our end too. We have a map. Local says it's dangerous, but I'm not really sure we have a choice."
"As long as there's no wendigo guarding it," Jordan began. "I'm sure it's friendlier than this place. Let's go."
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Jordan, do I need to explain what 'tempting fate' is to you?
Only once Jordan was refered as "she" in this chapter. Is this a honest mistake from the author, or something else?
Whelp, time to die.
Don't know enough about Capper to predict whether he's talking out of his butt (which he probably is) or not but if he's telling the truth then there's a good chance that all natural worldgates are guarded by monsters. That or all travelers preferred Earth for one reason or another.
Okay, it's not just Blake who is seeing Jordan changing.
Yup, easily pegged him as untrustworthy. Better to deal with him at arm's length.
I don't think all of that was indignance.
Not good.
You learned about Equestrian monsters from Pale Light? You should probably keep him at arm's length as well. You don't know if his interest is curiosity or something more.
They could certainly do worse than getting information from a post-movie Capper.
10680558
Probably referring to the human version of the mythical creature. Far more dangerous to encounter.
10680845
I thought that too, though it resembled its mlp counterpart and doesn't really match the usual Earth descriptions. I doubt he would have called it a wendigo at first glance.
10680522
My mistake. for now
10680936
"her" is persistent though. Your grammar is spoiling the story :)
10680845
But as with most earthside mythical monsters, fire is the answer.
Nah, just a windigo.
Alright! A specific point in the timeline. After everything. Good to know. I wonder, if they have to go all the way to twilight, will she suggest the mirror? I bet that would be funny.
"I said HUMAN!! Not these multi-colored abominations you think could pass as human."
Derpy/muffins just wilts in the background, thinking they're referring to her specifically.
"We are human!" Sunset would say.
"No you Ain't!" All four reply.
Way to tempt fate at the end of this nice chapter.
The other side is New York. Goodness knows it has a history as a waypoint for immigrants. Or it lets out into a subway tunnel.
Well, not with that spelling...
Khajiit has directions if you have coin. Definitely an interesting take on Capper when he's higher up Klugetown's social hierarchy (I assume.) Now to see how useful the map turns out to be. No one said the path was wheelchair-accessible...
10681150 For the local smaller monsters, mace seems to be a fair answer too.
10681273
And a badger...
And a hulk...
Well, there's a stroke of luck, and a solid clue as to the timeline.
10680845
Well, here you are not quite correct in your assessment
The Wendigo of earth is a creepy cannibal who is difficult to kill, and according to "live till dawn" it is generally a fantasy terminator...
Windigo Equestria are evil spirits of ice and hatred that can freeze the whole world if they are not stopped in time
And if you think about it, then they both go together perfectly... Windigo causes eternal winter as well as hunger, and hunger creates Wendigo