Family Begins With You

by Jmaster49

Arc XXX Episode III: Gentleman's Banter

As Aidon was walking home…

The shadowman would be approached by the pony-turned-human wizard Starswirl who rounded the corner and started walking with him. Although, instead of his robes, he was now clad in what appeared to be jeans and a leather jacket.

“Aidoneous. Good to see you in good health.”

“You’re still here?” Aidon remarked with a surprised scoff, then a half-smile. “Hmph. That’s unexpected. Taken in your fair share of culture, I see.”

“...I’m starting to enjoy this place, yes,” the wizard replied, “Moreover, I’m starting to understand how much…different it is to live here for the average Equestrian.”

“Oh?” Aidon raised a brow.

“Just the other day, some local peasants offered me their coin as they thought I was a squatter!” he huffed, “A squatter! Me?”

Essentially, someone had mistaken the man with a bear and a wizard costume for a homeless person. It didn’t take long for Aidon to put it together.

“Ah. I see,” he nodded with a snicker, “Yeah I know what that’s like. When I first appeared here, someone mistook me for an asylum escapee and reported me to the police.” He then paused and took a moment to think about it for a bit longer. “Hm…yeah, and then after that I was instructed to find work so that I could afford a place to live.”

“Augh! The rent system in this world is ridiculous!” Starswirl bemoaned as he recalled the paperwork he was forced to sit through. “In Equestria, you could simply ask for shelter at an inn and be fine. Here? You need to sign contracts, then prove you can pay and all sorts of other malarkey.”

“Not so easy, is it?” Aidon folded his arms and spoke with a laid-back, yet smug tone, “Now imagine being forced to live here.”

Starswirl shook his head, then sighed. “Alright, alright, I concede and apologize for any undue difficulties I may have caused you. But do be aware that I wasn’t aware of what sort of world that existed on the other side of the portal I was sending the Sirens and other creatures to.”

“I understand,” Aidon replied, “Just do be cautious when it comes to transporting threats from now on. Hades knows what sort of other worlds out there that may exist with living people. You don’t want to drop a hydra or a qing-long upon innocent people.”

“Very true…hence why we’ve resorted to turning most threats to stone, though lately, executions have come back into play as well.”

Aidon shuddered at the idea, but accepted it. “Argh…guess there’s no avoiding it in some cases. But it’s much better than playing a game of hot potato with such threats.”

“...hot what?”

“It’s an expression based on a game played here in the human world--” Aidon stopped himself, concluding that it would take far too long to explain properly. “...nevermind. Just know that deleting these threats outright is much better than merely putting them somewhere else.”

“Yes, yes, I can very much see that now,” Starswirl replied, “...so that’s it, then?”

“Hm?”

“You wish to remain here, yes?” Starswirl asked.

“Indeed,” Aidon replied with a nod, “I’ve not only grown accustomed to living here, but…I value the people here. Let’s just say that I’ve found synergy with this world’s version of Princess Luna.”

“I see…do be careful now,” Starswirl warned, “For I can’t predict what might happen if she gets a taste of magic. Hopefully she doesn’t become Nightmare Moon here as well.”

Aidon laughed off the idea. “Of course not. Don’t worry. If something like that happens, I’ll make sure to put a stop to it before it can hurt anyone. For the moment though, I’m going to be taking closer care of Sunset Shimmer.”

“Celestia’s failed student, hm? She’s still trying to make something of herself in this world?”

“I’d say she already has,” Aidon clapped back, “The problem is that, to my understanding, Princess Celestia didn’t allow her to study dark magic out of fear and that’s what drove her away.”

Starswirl paused for a moment to reflect on what he just heard. He’d eventually respond with a solemn tone, “...you can’t create world peace out of fear, shadow.”

“...you’d be surprised,” the dark man replied grimly, “Human history is filled to the brim with dictators who have tried to create world peace out of fear. Perhaps horrifically, some have even succeeded to a fault.”

“...Maybe there’s more to this place than I thought,” the wizard admitted, “I might stay here a bit longer to conduct further study so that I’ll have documentation upon my return.”

“You do that,” Aidon agreed as he turned to walk down a different street corner, “I have some business to take care of. Best of luck to you, old-timer.”

“You as well…Overlord Demon.”