Return to Equestria

by David Silver

51 - Pony Publishing

"They what?!" Joypad frowned with all the fury she clearly thought David should be feeling, but didn't seem to be. "I thought they liked what you made. They made those commercials and things!"

And a poster and an activity book. They had sent David both of those. "It's my fault," he took on with a shrug. "I sent a human I ran into towards them specifically. It must have worked out."

"Nice... but kinda dumb." Joypad shook her head. "Why would you send them your replacement?"

"Because they needed it?" David wandered the room, weighing the unseen things as he went. "I have money, and a great friend."

"Aw."

"They didn't have either. I can float on what I have and work for better." David pivoted sharply towards her. "Or I can feel bad about the one other human on the entire planet being in a bad spot and it's all my fault for being greedy. So, yeah... I set them up."

"Nice... Well." Joy prodded one of his legs. "We know who put points into kindness over here. So, got a backup plan?"

"The same I had already." He slapped a hand down on a bundle of papers. "Time to get publishing! So, heading over to see the earth pony company that's closest." He dug through the pile to draw out a list of the companies and their contact info. "I can start with a few calls really. Why waste time walking over if they don't want to hear it?"

"Logical." Joy headed for the stairs down. "I have a business to run. Sounds like you do too. If you need anything, call, alright?" She descended towards her store to begin the day.

David whipped out his phone and dialed up the first number on the list. "Hello. I'm a writer of an unofficial supplement to your game."

"Hello," echoed a stallion. "Unofficial?"

"You didn't ask me to write it." David sat by his papers. "But I did. I was hoping to work with you, if possible, to make it proper and official. Are there any paths to doing that?"

"You wouldn't be the first pony--" On a phone, noone could tell you were a human. "--to want to be involved. The standing policy is to turn away unsolicited contributions."

David winced, that was a closing door. "I have a special situation. Don't mean to name drop, but I don't suppose you know what a human is?"

"From that game?" He didn't sound like he was a fan, but he at least knew the word. Plus!

"I'm one of those, also, I wrote about alicorns, which neither you nor your competitors has done yet. You can get ahead."

"Hm. Can you wait a moment?"

"Sure."

The phone clicked, and hold music began playing gently. "With any luck..." David set the phone down on speaker phone mode. "They're talking to a boss..."

He got a cup of water and chugged it down. He wasn't very good at light sips. "Hello?" He rushed back to the phone.

"Still here." He sat next to the phone.

"Great. Are you available for a personal meeting?"

David smiled, more of a grin really. A personal meeting? Surely a good sign. "Certainly. When and where?" The secretary pony gave the time and place quickly. "Should I bring my work?"

"Shouldn't hurt." He didn't sound entirely confident on that point. "Have a nice day. Oh, is there anything else I can help with?"

"Nah, other than you having a good one too."

"Thanks." The pony hung up.

"Yes." David plugged the appointment into the phone along with the address, saving it for later use. Not like he'd be memorizing any of it. With a victorious chime from no game in particular, David pumped a fist and descended into the store.

"Hey." Joy waved as he came into view. "You look happy." She looked happy for his being happy.

David waved at a few ponies he recognized on the way over. "Sounds like I get an interview." He turned his phone so Joy could see it. "Here." It had the time and place clearly displayed. "I'll be out for that."

"Obviously." Joy cupped her hooves under her chin. "How else will you do much talking? Still, congratulations!" She brought her hooves to either side of her snout. "David's interviewing to make imagination books!" The room became a soft cirrus of clopping and stomping.

"Did you tell them the bad news?"

Joy hiked a brow. "Why should I? Just a down note on an otherwise fine day. Besides, hardly affects them." She waved it off. "And you did get paid, so... They didn't even do anything wrong, technically." Joypad turned to help a pony refill their playing card. "There you go... Now, David, you just focus on you. You're onto something, I can feel it! Go knock them for a loop."

"Yeah..." He decided to help Joy out for that day. She got a chance to not sit stoically at the register, and he got to chat it up with the local gameponies. Not a bad way to while away a day.

---

"And... level." Against Odds leaned back. "Always a fun part." He looked to David with a smirk. "Need any help with that?"

"Nah..." He scribbled in places, then tapped at his tablet, getting most of the level done in a snap. "Got it. Oh!" All three of them looked up. "I'll be visiting their HQ." He tapped at the book they were all playing. "See if I can't get my book official."

Even Odds laughed, clapping her hooves. "Super! No promises or nothing, but that's still really cool. Always wanted to shake hooves with those ponies."

Gerome bobbed his head. "Good luck! Can we help?"

"I doubt that." David envisioned walking in with a herd of ponies. "It's a one on one kind of deal. Maybe afterwards?"

Against shrugged. "Well, where is it?"

"Here." David dug out his event, which had the map, which he showed them all.

Against nodded. "That's a good walk. You plan to do that?"

Gerome leaned in for a good look. "I'll walk you. Um, I mean, I have a car. We can use that."

They had cars? "Cars are a thing?" he asked out loud.

That caught Gerome by surprise. "Not super popular, but sure? I need it, for work." He slid to his hooves. "Just the thing to get to this interview not looking tired."

Against burst into fresh giggles. "So, you two a thing or not?" That got both Gerome and David coloring. "Like a bunch of colts, I swear..."

Even leaned in over his screen. "Is everyone leveled?" The game had to go on, romances entirely aside.

After the game, David moved to leave, just to find his arm stuck, attached to Against's hoof. "Hey." She pulled him closer, unresisted. "I want to talk, seriously."

"About?" He tucked his books more comfortably against him.

"What else about." She pointed to the one door out. "Gerome. Do you like him, or don't you? If you don't, I'll shake him loose. If you do..." She waggled her brows. "Stop playing."

David went quiet a moment. "You are... very involved."

"You're both my friend, so..." She rolled a hoof. "So, what's the deal? Just say the truth."

"For a human, I'm pretty odd. It throws me off that dating a literal alien isn't a problem for him. I'm a xenophile."

"Xeno-whatnow?" Against turned to her brother. "Even, Zeno File? Define!"

Even rolled his eyes dramatically. "It means he likes things that aren't like him. Like an earth pony that thinks pegasi are super cute, cuter than other earth ponies even."

Against let out a little 'oh', "Well... Then what's the problem? Gerome isn't a human, so that's, what, +2 to seduction rolls right there. So be seduced. Or don't be. Do you like him or not?"

"I like being liked, but crippling self-confidence issues means I'm super worried I'll mess up while a self-defensive part picks at every imperfection, since it's way easier to say no if you convince yourself that it's a bad move in the first place," argued David, casually self-diagnosing himself. "Not a good habit."

"No, no it isn't!" Against prodded him in the belly. "And now you admitted it, so I'm calling you out. You go up to him and you tell him all the things you like about him and you get seduced, trot it all!"

"I don't even have a job right now..."

"That's another excuse." Against snorted softly. "If you two work out, he won't care. Besides, I doubt that'll stay true for too long, Mister Writer."

Each of his lovingly crafted excuses, so casually tossed aside, even stomped on. "Fine... Fine. After the interview?"

"The next time you see him," laid down Against without room for wriggling. "And I will check!"

Even thumped against her, knocking her off balance. "Stop creeping on him, sis. The greymanes can do whatever they want."

"And take forever," she gusted out with an equine snort. "Just kiss already." She giggled at that. "And tell me about it later. I invite myself to the wedding if that happens."

David casually patted her on the head, and wasn't resisted. "You got that. If it happens, you'll be fir...second on the invite list."

"Who's #1?" She huffed. "Who else could it be?"

"I can guess." Even slid the last book away, cleaning up the area.

"Joy, of course."

"Called it." Even looked smugly pleased with his deductive skills. "Hey, how's she doing, by the way?"

"We got a thing worked out." David shuffled the papers from one arm to the other. "I think she's pretty happy right now, and so am I."

"Cool cool. If she wants to play... she can."

Against's eyes widened, just to narrow as she giggled, which in turn became a whistle. "How did I not see this before? Also, you're late. Why are all the stallions around me so slow!? Is there a stallion following me at a snail's pace? Tell them to hurry up! Anyway! Joy joined a game."

Even flinched back a step. "She did?" But hope glimmered. "Did she have fun?"

David fired a thumbs up. "She's having fun, with me, Gerome, and Gloo... No, wait, Onyx." He gave the address of the store.

"I know that place, good one." Even nodded with fond memories. "Uh... can I join?"

Against jumped at her brother. "Now we're talking! Finally. Action. When's the game?"

David waved at the table they had been using. "I don't run games the same way."

"No big deal." Even sat. "Just tell me when and where."

"Alright." He texted over exactly that. "See you there. Both?"

"As if I'd miss it." Against bumped into him, head first, nudging David towards the exit. "Have fun, and tell him!"

"Right right." David made good his escape, ending the game for the moment.

---

"Thanks." David slid into the car that was nothing like most human cars he knew. It had no top, to start. It was comfy enough, apparently designed for ponies to sit in it more like a human might, which ponies were proving they could do with how Gerome was piloting it along with a smile. "How are you doing?"

"You're very welcome." Gerome took a gentle left, avoiding walking ponies along the way. The road had more walking ponies than other cars. "And I'm doing fine, thanks! Good luck at your interview."

"You know Against?"

"Hard to forget her." Gerome turned an ear. "Why?"

"She insisted we both get on with it, and just talk." David checked his papers, as if they could have sneakily gotten out of order. "Gerome, you seem like a very nice pony. Want to try dating and see how it works out?"

With a loud screech, the car stopped. "W-what? I... Yes."

"Good." There, all done. "Good..."

"You sound..." Gerome got the car moving. "You alright?"

"I'm not." David dared to put a hand against Gerome. "I don't know how to feel right now. Please be patient with me. It's not you."

"I... know that feeling actually." With feelings thrown out there, Gerome looked happier than not, taking them to David's appointment without other delays.

Author's Note:

There, it was said. It is done. Happiness? Also interviews. How will that turn out? How'd your last interview go?

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Comments

[Booster Spice]

I forgot if the current cities have Griffins etc, and if so, the extended range of variations, even the division as such, where Griffins are primarily Carnivor/Raptor cross, and Hippogriffs are Herbivore/Piscinevore/Floravore cross?

And then theres all the character build abuses that let dragons have such a wide range fo builds from Breezie, through Spike, and Crackle, to Torch and Tiamat?

[David Silver]

11553638
There have been no hint of other creatures outside of a baby dragon.

[Booster Spice]

11553655

Someone posits a single scene in Tarterus with total loss of magic, and someone says, hey guys, why dont we see what happens if someone else suceeds?

Dragons seem to be magical sources, so much gem infusion, but their sleeping might be the relationship we are missing? Converting thermal and other energies to magical and radiating such, but normal energetics gives scaling up due to squarecube law, but all that sleeping slows them down.

Unless. Square cube law increases linearly with size. but, what if range of propagation like radio waves propagates linearly, first approximation, this makes a linearly larger dragon radiate over a square increasing area and so increasing number of absorbers? theres a horribly obscure article I thought Id seen many years ago where someone was proposng some linear fall off with area propagation method for some form of radiation, but I ahvent heard of anything related since.

Still, magic powered by volcano heat through dragon transducers? Not the stragest method and it can be twisted to match so much?

This is your monthly 60 seconds of wild thought.

Tomorrow I wont remember anything.

[No one is home]

"Don't make it weird..." "It's too late, it's already weird..."

[Zeprto678]

I just realized something. What about the Prince of Errors? Since he's former human turned into an alicorn, then he would've lived for centuries. Whatever happened to him? Also, will David meet him?

[David Silver]

11561048
Him turning up here would be something from The Old Times turning up. So far, only Twilight has made that trip. So far.

[Zeprto678]

11561065
I see. It does make me wonder whatever happened to the Prince of Errors after all those centuries passed by. My theory is that he's probably been traveling around, moving from place to place on Equus.