Chapter 27
Lotus lay beneath a field of soft grass. They surrounded her in all directions, nearly up to her shoulders in places. She found the contact strangely soothing against her coat, gently cool after the desperate pressure of their flight from the mine and battle with Searing Gale.
In all that time—from the moment of her frightening accident to the transformation that followed and her desperation to master her new powers—she never dared to hope this moment would actually come.
But here she lay, surrounded by sweet-smelling grass, under a glittering sea of constellations she had never seen. We actually made it. We're in another world. I got us here.
Even singed from the trip with most of her belongings melted away by the flame, Lotus had a smile on her face. She would even dare to feel a little pride. She couldn't make it through community college, but when something actually mattered to her—she'd done it.
The tome lay beside her in the grass, just far enough that it didn't touch her coat. The half of Searing's soul within remained stubbornly silent since her defeat, like a toddler scolded after getting her fingers caught in the cookie jar. Only this toddler had seriously injured several police and wanted her to commit genocide. So maybe there were a few differences.
Thankfully she didn't have to face the new world alone—she had Iron Feather for company, and Gus. They'd both made it through the portal with her. They were both nearby, voices distant as they made camp. After getting us here, you deserve a break. Catch your breath. Given the disastrous circumstances of her arrival, Lotus was eager to obey this time. She deserved a little break.
"Hey." A voice interrupted her quiet introspection. Iron appeared beside her, nudging her head with a gentle hoof. He still smelled like dirt, blood, and ash—but she wasn't any better. Besides, there was another scent mixed in, one she enjoyed much more. The pegasus smelled like ozone, somehow masculinity and adventure concentrated into one. "Feeling any better?"
She'd seen enough evidence of that bravery firsthand, in the face of terrible danger and death. Could she have flown into the face of that golem, knowing what it would do if it reached her?
She nodded weakly. "Think I dozed off for a bit. What time is it?" Then she realized where he was standing, and her face turned bright red.
Even across the universes to another world, she couldn't just forget about what it meant to be naked. Particularly with him standing over her, wearing just as little.
"Must be around midnight, from the moon. Gus is about finished with the camp. Got a fire going. Not much to eat, but we won't have to worry about that for much longer."
She yawned exaggeratedly, then rolled onto her hooves. "You made Gus set up the camp? You know he dropped out of the scouts when he was like... thirteen."
Her legs didn't want to support her weight. But Iron reacted quickly, catching her and helping her to her hooves. She didn't blush while he did it or enjoy the strength of Iron's scent so close to her. Not even a little bit.
"I do not know that. Anything that happened so long ago is a distant memory. But I know you shouldn't worry—Gus was insistent he had done this before. I had to be the one to fly up and scout."
She leaned on him for a little longer, acting as though she was still struggling to get her hooves under her. Lotus had every reason to take her time, after all she'd accomplished. "What did you find?"
His wings sagged, and his ears folded backwards behind him. "Regrettably, not as much as I would like. It's dark in all directions, no sign of city lights. Wherever this is, we're deep in the wilderness. I'll have to wait for morning to get a better view."
He lifted one wing, resting it gently over her. Without invitation, Lotus rested her head against his neck, and closed her eyes again. She could stay that way for a long time—maybe hours, if her legs didn't give out.
This was what it meant to let a pony hold her. Even after everything, Iron was strong when she couldn't be.
Eric never had anyone like this. Her old self had never even imagined what it would be like. Should she be embarrassed that she preferred this position?
"We won't be out here for long," Iron whispered, gentle. "I promised you civilization, and I meant it. Princess Luna will notice our dreams, and she'll come for us. Or maybe Princess Celestia's protege will be scanning for magic, and she felt the hole we just made in the sky. "
"Or maybe we can write her back with the journal," Lotus said, sticking out her tongue. "The princess wanted us to keep quiet while we were on Earth. Now that we're over here, I think the magic should be harder to track. Your world isn't empty of magic like mine, it's full of spells and magical creatures. Every unicorn has their own magic, don't they?"
"All of us do. I fly with magic, so does your friend. Earth ponies can break rocks with their hooves and haul whole buildings around with their magic. It's the same with all creatures. Even the animals have a little."
He extended a hoof, pointing towards the fallen books. "You can stick that in my satchel if you want. Wouldn't want to leave it here."
She nodded and made to lift it with her magic. The effort cost her more than usual, enough that she nearly dropped it halfway up. But Lotus persisted, a little like lifting her arm after an exhausting workout in the gym. Iron nudged the satchel on his other side open with a wing, and she settled it there beside Luna's journal.
"Should've asked me to set up camp. I'm an Eagle, he didn't even make it past Tenderfoot."
"He's a woodpecker I think, not an eagle. And you are a dragon, not a bird. Just not enough dragon to fly, unfortunately." He gripped her a little tighter with his wing, running the tough muscles there against her scales. She barely felt it, other than his warmth.
"I know how to rough it and he doesn't," she said, exasperated. "You'll see when we get there. Did we even have any camping supplies when we crossed?"
He shook his head once. "Gus managed to bring a sack containing his... whatever those things are. And I preserved the books. Otherwise—we could have done better."
He released her shoulder, then moved in front of her. "I promised you wouldn't have to live in the wilderness when we got here, and I meant it. You saved my life, and you got Gale's phylactery back to Equestria. As soon as they find us, you'll be a hero. I know you're already mine."
She couldn't help herself—not after a line that cheesy. She kissed him there under the moonlight, with the wind whipping through the tall grass all around them.
It didn't come with the same burning, desperate need for him to go further, not like the last time. This was something else, more like a fine wine than a shot of her favorite whisky. Subtler, more complex. No pressure to catch herself before she tumbled over the edge.
"You saved me too," she eventually said, when it was done. "Don't give me all the credit."
He brushed a few strands of mane out of her face, still lingering close. Close enough that their contact might resume, if she wasn't careful.
"We're in Equestria now. Princess Luna will be able to change you back. That magic you were trying so hard to learn—it's yours."
She nodded weakly, silent, avoiding his eyes.
"That means... we won't be together for much longer. The princess takes the book, and she can send you home. That's it."
She looked away from him, turning towards the camp. Or she assumed the camp was that way, judging by the constant noise. Gus was struggling with something, though she couldn't tell what. It involved lots of banging.
"That's what she said. She can change me back. I know Gus will be excited about that part. He didn't volunteer for this."
"Neither did you," the pegasus countered. "You helped a pony in need. Tended my wounds, kept me hidden until I got better. You didn't sign up to protect Equestria."
"No, but I'm the reason you were hurt in the first place," she said. Lotus spun around, eyes wet with sudden tears. She wasn't sure where the intensity came from, but it came. How long had this been boiling in the back of her mind, unexpressed. Not anymore—it was time to take credit where it was deserved.
Iron just stood there, expression blank.
Of course, he had no words. No way to make it easier. She had to face these consequences alone.
"It was pouring rain!" she shouted, loud enough that her voice echoed back to her from a distant peak. "I wasn't going that fast—lucky for you. My pickup would've turned you into a red smear, not just broke your wing. I tried to stop, but..."
She shook her head violently. Moisture sizzled up from her face in little bursts of steam. "Couldn't. Still hit you. Then you were dying on the road, and I had to do something..."
The distant clattering sounds stopped. But dense as he could be sometimes, even Gus probably heard her distress.
She slumped forward, lowering her head into the grass. Nearby strands withered and withdrew from her, smoldering but not yet igniting. "I had to help. It was my fault you got into trouble at all. Otherwise, you could've saved Equestria without me. Probably way faster."
She didn't look up, so she didn't know what was coming until it struck her. A wave of water washed over her, so sudden and cold it silenced her instantly. Her mane hung down to either side of her face, as soggy and pathetic as a cat who slipped into a puddle.
Iron stood over her, now-empty canteen held in one of his wings. He remained silent for a few more seconds, watching the water slowly steam off her coat. But Lotus hadn't really been burning yet, and this time the cold won.
"Lotus, how stupid do you think I am?" He capped the canteen, then tossed it into his satchel beside the books. Finally, he touched her shoulder again, light at first. When he didn't burn, he moved closer to her, close enough to whisper into her ear. "I didn't understand your world at first. When I got there, I was... still stunned from the transport magic. I couldn't see through the storm."
She waited. But there was no energy left for tears. This wound was older than that, scabbed over and scarred. She'd spent too long worried about survival to lose herself over a little guilt.
"I've seen ponyless carriages before. When I saw Gus using his, it all made sense." He tapped his hoof against her chest. "There's a dent on the front of yours. Matches some damage to my breastplate."
He pulled back, opening both wings in a pony shrug. "Well, it did. I don't think your truck is going to move again after getting us here."
"No, probably not." She nodded weakly. "How long did you know?"
"I wasn't sure until the Timberwolves attacked. Before that, I still wanted to think Searing Gale had sent it. But that didn't really make sense. I just needed a little more time to admit it."
He pulled her closer, brushing her mane back into place with a few delicate touches from his wing. The feathers were soft against her face, the underside covered in fluffy down. A few bits clung to her, but she didn't mind. That only brought his scent closer.
"There's nothing to feel guilty about, Lotus. An evil pony would've left me on the side of the road and pretend nothing happened. Most ponies would've taken me to the hospital and forgot it ever happened. You did more. You knew your world wasn't safe for me, and so you took care of me yourself. When you realized how important my mission was, you got involved. You sacrificed everything—your job, your house, even your body."
He rested her head up against his shoulder. "In case you need to hear it, I forgive you. It was an accident, and you did more than fix all the harm you caused."
She whimpered, then embraced him, wrapping one leg around his shoulder and holding on tight. Irrational or not, backward and silly or not—this weight was finally taken from her.
Now maybe those scars could finally heal properly. "I didn't even get to say... I was sorry."
He chuckled. "I think saving me counts. If not, getting us back into Equestria is good enough. Now I need to return the favor. Get you back your life and get you home again."
Her ears perked up, turning towards the camp. Someone was making their way over, tearing through the grass and ripping up little shrubs to do it. Only Gus would be so loud and awkward.
She let go of Iron, turning in his direction just in time. Light pierced the feeble half-moonlight, and a spotlight nearly blinded her. She raised one leg, shielding herself from the griffon's headlamp. "Seriously Gus, you aren't going to get night vision with that awful thing on your face. At least switch it to red."
He sighed, then the light switched to a dimmer setting. "I tried that. Unfortunately, someone changed me into a griffon. You can only blame yourself."
"Why would that matter?" she asked, bewildered. But her mood was already improving. True, she had plenty to feel sorry about with Gus's transformation. That time hadn't even been an accident—it was entirely her own fault. "I thought your sight was way better now. I haven't seen you put on glasses once."
"You melted them," he said. "And it is, during the day. But no matter how long I sit around in the dark, I don't adjust. If I can blind you, it means you still have it. Lucky you."
Iron nodded absently. Like her, he looked away from the light more than into it. "There are owl griffons. The others have very poor night vision. There was a famous battle against Griffonstone..." He trailed off. "Did you secure the camp?"
Gus turned away, back to the trail he'd cut through the grass to reach her.
Lotus followed him, and soon reached the site he'd chosen. There wasn't much to see—a shallow pond, beside an expanse of flat rock. There was no tent or sleeping bags, just a shelter made from bits of fallen wood with a cloth hung awkwardly over for cover.
A circle of rocks obviously meant for a fire stood in front of it, not as far away as Lotus would've liked. Gus had piled wood into the circle in no particular strategic or otherwise meaningful arrangement.
"I was hoping you would help get this started..." Gus said, looking awkwardly away from her. "Since fire is your thing." He brushed one talon along the ground, knocking over a pair of rocks.
One was a little darker than the other—flint? Lotus rolled her eyes, dropping down to one knee before the fire circle. "I guess you weren't there the day we talked about starting these. We should just wait until morning, maybe we can use it to cook our..." She trailed off, tail flicking nervously back and forth. "Nothing, I guess. Supplies didn't make it out of the truck?"
He gestured to the light stuck to his head. "Filming bag had to come first, you understand. Besides, you were an Eagle. This should be a breeze for you."
She stood to full height. "Wind is blowing up the slope. We'll get smoked out all night with the shelter right there. Besides, it's already the middle of the night. We could all use the rest."
Before they retired for the night, Iron borrowed a pen from Gus to scribble a brief message in the diary.
Princess Luna,
We have arrived in Equestria. Our current location is unknown, but mountainous. The constellations are consistent with the northern hemisphere, and the plants are familiar to me. I believe we are within Equestrian territory.
We still have the phylactery. I'm traveling with Lotus and the transformed griffon, Gus. When daylight comes, I will scout further and send a more accurate report for pickup. I'm sure Searing Gale knows we're here, as she invested significant magical power trying to take the book before we could cross.
We hope she'll be drained long enough for you to retrieve us.
Your Loyal Servant,
Iron Feather
Lotus nodded her approval at the note, then passed the journal back. "Good enough. Now we see if she writes us back."
She didn't, not the rest of that night.
Actually, getting sleep proved a little harder than Lotus anticipated. Gus had gathered wild grass to use as bedding, and that helped. But compared to a real bed, Lotus could never get comfortable.
The shelter wasn't terribly large, but still Gus insisted on having a part of it to himself. Whatever hope she had to cuddle up with Iron died with her friend right there, occasionally opening one eye to look across the shelter.
Despite the exhaustion of their escape, none of them seemed to sleep well. They tossed and they turned, occasionally dislodging bits of the poorly-constructed shelter.
She couldn't blame Gus for that—he'd put it together in the dark, without tools. At least it blocked out most of the wind. The others might be cold, but that was no problem for Lotus herself. Short of a blizzard, she would probably be fine with any climate.
She knew the morning by the pale blue light peeking in through cracks in the shelter, followed by the distant calls of songbirds. She squeezed her eyes shut tighter, determined to fall back asleep—but in vain.
Eventually someone crawled out of the shelter, and she followed. Iron Feather better be right about Equestrian hospitality—if she didn't get a bath soon, she was going to catch on fire.
She stepped away from the camp a little way, searching for a private spot to take a leak. She was so groggy she nearly walked right into someone.
"Sorry Iron." She took a step back, head lowered. "I think I—"
Several creatures stood before her, wearing saddlebags and carrying lanterns. From leaves and dirt in their coats, they hadn't slept much last night either.
"You're not Iron."
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Oh? Ohhh. OHHH! They're in Kirin territory, aren't they? Well, that could prove helpful.
Oh, Kirin adventurers! Let's hope their first reaction is not to mistake Lotus as Searing Gale and attack her...
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While that would be a bad thing, let's hope those aren't allies or servants of searing, who she somehow managed to contact.
...uh oh
Well we know what to do
FIND AUTUMN BLAZE!
Nice update!
I think that sentence made me forget what ozone smells like.
It's a nice, peaceful chapter. I honestly dread the next chapter, where presumably everything goes wrong again. Reading Don't Bug Me in parallel really has me on edge.
I'm really curious exactly how sending the humans back home is going to work out. Not only is the house and Eric's job gone, but the authorities are probably after them, too.
Looks like we're going to get some more kirins in this story! Seeing Cinder Glow is a pleasant surprise as well!
Thanks for the chapter.
Well, this is gonna be awkward until the Equestrian guard arrives
Maybe Luna sent them?
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Oh no. There's a massive chance of that. Especially given Iron's first reaction upon seeing her.
well this is playing out good.
and now how will the first contact play out.
loving the art work
nice chapter, uh what a twist
I do love this story but I do wish there was some more moral dilemma between Lotus and her old self. Even Gus seems to just accept that Eric is a female and doesn't seem freaked out by how quickly Eric stopped being Eric.
I know full well that Lotus will stay, why wouldn't she, but I wished we had more of a dilemma of her not seeing her family ever again, despite the relationship they had or not.
I am not surprised that they arrived in the wilderness. I like that Iron managed to figure out that Erics truck hit him. I assume that those kirin have come to investigate the magical portal that Lotus created.
I've been looking at the artwork on Derpibooru and at other sources, and I have seen some mature alternate versions. Is this story going to have a mature version, similar to how Five Score was done?
Yeah. She was just... developing a rash on her cheeks. And the smell she was enjoying was... was the smell of the grass! Yeah, that's it. The smell of the grass.