> Ponyville, USA
>  by Rox
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1: Creatures
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


-Twilight-


"Hey, Twilight, ya in here?"

Twilight snapped her attention out of the novel she was happily reading to the voice downstairs. Twilight sighed, marked the page she was on, and set the book down on the bed as she trotted down to the main room. She felt a little put out that her quickly dwindling private time was being interrupted, but being a Princess hadn't really changed her day job as Ponyville's librarian. She perked up a little when she noticed it was Rainbow Dash that was lazily hovering in the air, browsing some of the books on the shelves as she waited.

"Looking for a specific book?" asked Twilight. Rainbow Dash jumped back, trying to cover up that she had even been looking at the books even though it was obviously useless.

"No! I mean, yes...I mean....darn it," she swore, giving up and landing on the ground. "I was wondering if you had anything that talked about strange weather."

Twilight looked quizzically at the pegasus for a moment. Rainbow Dash was young but had been the weather manager for nearly three years at this point. She knew practically everything there was to know about the weather, especially being from Cloudsdale. Twilight brought her mind back to the moment when she realized how long she had been staring without saying a word

"Hmm, I think I can help you," she said, glancing up and down the shelves. "What's it for?"

"It's nothing," said Rainbow Dash. "I just saw something kinda weird from the direction of the Everfree and I was just....curious."

"There's nothing wrong with learning new things, Rainbow," said Twilight, chuckling a little at her friend's discomfort.

"Hanging out with you is turning me into an egghead, I swear."

Twilight laughed out loud in response before calling out to Spike. The little dragon bounded out of the kitchen, his little pink apron still tied on and smudged with cookie sprinkles.

"Spike, you remember that Weather Phenomenons Guide? I need to find it."

"Sure thing, I remember where that one is!" he replied as he jogged over to a ladder. He scaled it quickly and reached across a shelf just below the top before pulling out a small, blue book. Spike slid down the ladder and brought it over to Twilight, who picked it up with her magic and floated it to Rainbow Dash, who muttered a thanks. Spike nodded and waddled back towards the kitchen. 

Twilight watched with interest as Rainbow flipped open the book right there on the library floor, skimming quickly through the pages. The book was filled with drawings of different clouds and diagrams of pegasi interacting with them, something that was most unusually a subject that Twilight knew very little about. It only took a couple of minutes, which passed in an awkward silence, for Rainbow to flip through the whole thing and close the back cover.

"This all you got?" asked Rainbow Dash, in an expression of concern that Twilight had never seen from her before. 

"Ok, Rainbow, what's up?" she asked sternly. Twilight felt herself get a little chill, trying to shake the feeling that something was about to go horribly wrong and pass it off as her usual paranoia.

"Ah it's nothing, just saw some weird looking clouds headed our way and I just wanted to make sure that it wasn't something crazy so I could bust it," explained Rainbow, who was apparently embarrassed. "Thanks, Twilight, I'll see you later."

Before Twilight could ask anything more, Rainbow Dash practically burst from the Library, taking off immediately after opening the door. Twilight contemplated flying after her, but she didn't quite feel confident enough in her new wings yet to risk it. Instead Twilight returned to her upstairs loft and up to her telescope balcony. She swiveled and adjusted the lenses towards the Everfree Forest. It wasn't uncommon for the wild clouds of the forest to wander over to Ponyville. Even powerful storm clouds made their way over occasionally, always a tricky job for Rainbow Dash but a task she seemed to relish.

There was indeed a large cloud bank moving in, dark, ominous, and obviously a storm cloud. She couldn't see anything especially unusual about it, so she wondered what had gotten Rainbow Dash worked up about it. It wasn't like her to be nervous about something like this. She had even once tackled a rogue tornado the forest had sent spinning their way, stopping it just in time to save the Apple Family barn.

"Spike! Could you send a letter to the Princess?" Twilight hollered.

"About what?" his voice trailed back.

"Just mention that there is some weather moving in from the Everfree forest and that I'll be getting everypony ready for it, okay?"

"Sure thing!" the dragon replied. Twilight, satisfied that he would accomplish the simple task, once again trotted down the stairs and out the door into Ponyville. It was a gorgeous day, and the town was busy getting ready for the Summer Beginnings Festival. We sure have a lot of festivals Twilight thought, looking around at the busy ponies decorating and setting up the stands and games. Hopefully Rainbow and the weather team won't have any trouble stopping that storm cloud. It would be a shame to have these decorations ruined.

It wasn't long before she reached town hall and trotted inside. Meadowlark was working at her desk, the spectacled unicorn humming to herself as she went through paper work. Twilight politely got her attention and asked to see the Mayor, to which Meadowlark replied that she would go get her.

After a brief moment, Mayor Mare appeared and walked up to Twilight. She quickly filled in the mayor about the approaching storm.

"Oh dear, what does Ms. Dash think?" the Mayor asked.

"I believe she thinks she can handle it, but we may want to warn everypony to prepare just in case," Twilight responded calmly. The Mayor agreed, and immediately sent a nearby staff member out to spread the word. Content that she had done what she needed, Twilight thanked the Mayor and cantered back towards the Library, hoping to squeeze in a few more minutes of reading into the waning afternoon.

She was almost to the doorstep when the loudest clap of thunder she had ever heard stopped her in her tracks. Around her, all the ponies screamed at the sudden noise, but Twilight only barely heard them as her ears were still ringing with the sound. Twilight looked wildly around the sky, but saw nothing that could have caused it. Out of the corner of her eye, she did catch a multi-colored streak arching towards her, and screaming.

Rainbow Dash skidded to a halt, leaving a long skid mark on the dirt road, just inches from Twilight and breathing heavily. 

"Rainbow! What's happening!" she asked, her fear rising.

"I can't even get close!" Rainbow yelled. Twilight recoiled from the close proximity. Rainbow's ears must have been ringing too. "I knew I felt something funny about those clouds!"

Twilight turned in the direction of the clouds, which were now approaching at an alarming rate and seemingly growing larger by the second. She closed her eyes and concentrated on her surroundings. Sure enough, she detected massive amounts of magic radiating from the onrushing weather, but it was unlike anything she had ever sensed before. 

"What do we do?" Rainbow asked, who looked like she was on the edge of panic herself. Another clap of thunder, less loud but accompanied by a flash of lightning, shook the air. Ponies started scrambling for shelter indoors, but Twilight stood transfixed. She was a Princess now, an alicorn for Celestia's sake, but she was drawing a total blank on what to do. The magic coming from that cloud was immense, and Twilight could feel it dwarfing her own as it bore down on the hamlet.

"Rainbow! We need to get to Applejack! Sweet Apple Acres is already under that storm!" Twilight finally said, grabbing the pegasus' attention. Rainbow Dash nodded, and they both shot off to the south. They were soon under the dark clouds, which completely obscured the sun and shadowed everything below. There was no rain, but the lightning inside the cloud was dancing furiously, the thunder getting more and more frequent until it was practically a constant rumble.

They crested the hill where they nearly ran into the entire Apple family. Applejack was carrying a very frightened Applebloom, and Big Mac and Granny looked shell shocked. 

"It's all gone!" Applejack exclaimed loudly and out of breath. "It just.....lightning....and the barn...the house....just disappeared.....gone in a blink!" she stammered. Twilight screamed in fright along with everypony else as lightning struck a tree a few strides from them. Twilight watched in both horror and fascination as the tree seemed to be enveloped in light, and then vanished like it had never been there. Another strike produced the same result on another neighboring tree.

"RUN!" Twilight yelled, rearing up on her hind legs and then galloping as hard as she could back towards town. The lightning was getting more intense. A stolen glance revealed that almost every tree seemed to be getting hit, and the fence, and even the road behind them. She bore down, running faster than she ever had in all her life. 

"NO! BIG MAC!" Applejack screamed behind her as they reached the bridge into town. Twilight screamed herself when she turned. The big, red earth pony was being covered in the same light as the trees before. He couldn't say anything before a small flash, and he was gone. 

"BIG MAC!" the apple family screamed again simultaneously, Granny Smith clawing at the ground where he had been standing desperately.

"No time! We gotta go!" Rainbow Dash pleaded, looking wildly around as lightning flashed in every direction. In town, Twilight watched a house get struck, and then it too disappeared along with anypony still inside it.

"Look out!" Twilight whipped her head back just in time to see Rainbow Dash knocking Applejack and Applebloom down, and in time to see a bolt strike her square in the back. Twilight barely heard herself scream as shock registered on Rainbow's face. Then a flash of light, and the loyalest of friends vanished into thin air.

Twilight didn't even have time to call her name before more lightning blazed down and caught the shocked earth ponies, snatching away Applejack and Applebloom in a single flash before another seconds later dealt the same fate to Granny Smith. Twilight whirled around in shock. Ponyville was being consumed by lightning, and it seemed there was more of the blazing archs then buildings or ponies. The thunder was a continuous roar. 

Twilight felt tears begin to flow as her mind registered the library flashing away, probably taking Spike with it. She closed her eyes and only waited a second. A warm bolt of lightning finally found her. A powerful, buzzed feeling rushed all over her body from hooves to horn, and then the sensation like she was being sucked away took hold. She shut her eyes, praying for whatever help that could come to her and her friends.

Twilight felt the something wet land on her nose. The cold tickle caused her to sneeze just as more droplets contacted her. Twilight opened one eye, and then the other. Above the clouds were gray instead of black, and there was rain falling. She looked around in bewilderment. 

Rainbow Dash was staring at her from the ground, shaking her head in confusion and alternating spreading and folding her wings. Applejack was right next to her, struggling to her feet with Applebloom limp but awake on her back. Another pace over Big Mac was helping Granny Smith to her feet, who was trying to hug him at the same time. 

"What in tarnation just happened?" Applejack asked, looking around. Ponyville stood behind them, with occasional flashes of light that were slowly dwindling. Even the apple trees looked as good as ever, lined in a row with the fence separating them from the dirt road.

"I don't know," was all Twilight could muster. She continued to slowly rotate, taking everything that she could in the evening rainstorm around her. She couldn't put her hoof on it, but something was different though she couldn't exactly tell in the fading light.

"C'mon, let's get into town and find everypony else."


- Asher -


Asher Burgess stretched as he walked into the family kitchen, the bright morning light streaming through the window. His mom was in the process of making some oatmeal for anyone that would want it, but he had never particularly liked the stuff so he walked straight to the cereal cupboard. He thought to himself how glad he was to have access to so much food again as he looked over the many choices. 

He had just come back home from college from the summer break only the day before, and having something edible instead of the frozen meals he'd been living off of for the last three months was the best thing so far. He had finished his associates, just an easy Political Science curriculum, with plans to return at the end of the summer. But he didn't have to worry about that now, because he was home.

"Mornin' son, heck of a storm last night," remarked his Dad sauntering up behind him.

"I know, it kept me up at first," said Asher groggily, rubbing the last of the sleep from his eyes. "Looks good out there now, though."

Asher looked out the window at the beautiful view they had, the sun barely reaching over the top of the tall mountains that towered above their home. Only two years before, his father, a successful business man, had retired and moved the family to his parent's dream home. A ranch style house with plenty of room for their five children (four boys and one girl at the end, with Asher being the oldest), and more land than they really knew what to do with. Seriously, they still had done nothing other than hike and four wheel on it since they bought it. It used to be government owned, this piece of rugged hills just south of Cripple Creek, Colorado, but the government had been selling land out of desperation for more money and the Burgess family was more than happy to oblige.

They built the house not especially far from the main road passing through, but it had a fantastic view of the backside of Pikes Peak and the surrounding Rocky Mountains. And if they really ever needed civilization, Colorado Springs was just on the other side of the mountains to the east, and Denver an hour up the interstate. And here they had several square miles of pine forested land miles from anybody else.

Asher lingered at the window as he poured Lucky Charms into a bowl. Everything looked so green this time of year, with June coming to an end the summer was getting ready for the full swing. And boy, did it look GREEN, especially on a couple of hills just to the north that marked the entrance into a valley. 

Asher sat down with his fresh bowl of cereal, chatting a little with his family and watching the daily activity go on. His three brothers, David, Patrick, and Jonathan were devouring their breakfasts. David was also fresh back from his second semester, while Patrick and Jonathon had just finished up their Junior and Freshman years of high school respectively. At the end of the table, doodling on a piece of paper, was his eleven year old sister Anne. 

"I think I'm gonna take a four-wheeler for a spin this mornin', Dad," Asher said as they cleaned up breakfast and got ready for the day. It was already shaping up to be a lazy Tuesday.

"Ok," his dad said, not looking up from his tablet as he read the news. Asher went and got dressed in a simple t-shirt and jeans and his favorite Colorado Rockies baseball hat and headed for the door. As he walked out, his Dad got his attention.

"Ash, we saw a couple of bears around here last week, so will you...." his dad said.

"I got it," answered Asher, knowing what his dad wanted. He grabbed what he needed and went over to the family's garage, which was in bad need of a clean out. Asher pulled the red four wheeler out of the garage, brushing some dust and junk off of it as he did so, then started the engine and rode off.

This was a favorite past time of his, but something he hadn't gotten to do in months. Mornings in Colorado were usually clear and pleasantly cool, and this summer morning was no exception. Asher gunned the gas as he went over the first small rise, sticking to the makeshift path his family had carved out from many uses. 

He breathed in the smell of morning dew mixing with pine, which he often admitted was one of his favorite smells in the world. After several, pleasant minutes of riding he saw something that caught his eye as he reached the bottom of one hill. He stopped the four wheeler to get a better look. Either he was seeing things, or that was an apple tree, full of huge and ripe apples. He was about to dismount when he noticed there were more up the hill. 

In fact, almost every tree except for a stray pine or two was a flourishing apple tree.

"When did ya do this Dad?" Asher mumbled to himself. Apples didn't grow particularly well in Colorado as far as he knew, but man these looked delicious, even from a distance. Asher jumped off the four wheeler, shutting it down and walking into the dense orchard. He couldn't even see the end of it, as the trees went up and over the hill, too close together to ride any further. You'd think they'd mention doing something big like this thought Asher. His family could be forgetful and even downright silly sometimes, but this stretched even that limit.

He walked up to one of the trees and plucked a low hanging apple, a shining, red one. Taking a bite of it, he couldn't believe just how tasty it was. It was by far the juiciest apple he had ever tasted. He was going to have to take some with him.

A loud rustle in the bushes behind him snapped him to attention, his father's warning about bears coming to find. But he saw nothing. He could hear something moving though, somewhere to the left among the trees. He bent low out of instinct, trying to look around the trees to figure out what it was. Probably just a deer he reasoned. Asher walked up to a tree in the direction of the noise and worked his way around it, stepping over low bushes.

A high-pitched squealing sound grabbed his attention straight ahead, and an orange-ish object about the size of a dog flung past him and directly into the tree. Asher jumped back in surprise, barely suppressing a yelp of his own. He couldn't quite process what he saw immediately. He had never seen an animal like this before. It was orange in color, but had pink hair on its head and for its tail.

Asher was about to move closer for a better look when a low growl from his left stopped him cold. He turned slowly towards the noise, and had absolutely no idea what the heck he was looking at. It was big, about the size of a bear, but it looked sort of like a large dog. Except it was so covered in sticks and leaves it looked like it was made out of them. The creature was moving slowly towards him in a stalking crouch, slobbering and growling all the while.

Asher moved his hand slowly but deliberately towards his back waistband. The creature reared back to charge just as he found what he was looking for. He pulled out his 1911 .45 from its hidden holster and leveled it in a single, practiced motion. He had gotten his carry permit just after high school, and had only used the gun his dad had given him on a range since then. Until now that is.

Asher fired, ignoring the recoil entirely as adrenalin took over. The first shot struck the creature in the face, splintering wood. So did the second, third, and fourth. The creature staggered back, and let out a frightening snarl. But Asher didn't flinch as he fired twice more. The beast shuddered in place, trying to comprehend what had happened, and then fell to pieces.

Asher just stared, slack-jawed, for what felt like several minutes. There was a pile of random sticks and leaves lying before him where a huge monster had stood, and his brain was not having any of it. Asher shook his head and blinked several times to try to get himself to focus. He clicked the safety of his gun back on and holstered it, mentally noting he only had one shot left in the clip. After a few more moments of staring, he turned back to the small orange creature from before, which hadn't moved at all.

Glancing around to make sure there was no more danger, he knelt down to look closer. At this point, Asher felt his mind ready to implode. It had wings. Small, probably unable to lift a creature even that diminutive in size, but nevertheless, wings. It was hoofed, though even those were orange and were unlike any he had ever seen before, and the only thing he could connect in his mind was "horse."

"Holy crap," was all he could say as it clicked in his mind. Asher reached down and felt the animal's neck, and feeling a pulse made a decision. He bent down, and scooping it up by its legs carried it back down the hill to the four wheeler. He started the engine and headed for home, hoping that he was dreaming and not going crazy.


- Twilight -


"I don't recognize anything around here!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, hovering a few feet in the air and looking around. Twilight agreed. The rain had finally stopped by midnight, but it wasn't until the morning that they finally got a look at the landscape around them. Honestly, it was all vaguely familiar, with the hills and mountains looking like they were where they were supposed to be. But they looked different. Most were either broader or looked more rough than before, and on top of that one of them certainly looked taller. The one were Canterlot was supposed to be was massive, but there was no castle built into its side.

From a distance, Twilight also thought a lot of the distant trees looked more like pines, something that wasn't especially common around Ponyville before. So where in the wide world of Equestria were they? All of Ponyville, including Sweet Apple Acres was present and accounted for, with every pony checked on. 

"Maybe we should start scoutin' the land," suggested Applejack without conviction, scratching the side of her head. 

"Perhaps, but maybe we should wait to see if somepony comes looking for us," offered Rarity, equally uncertain. 

"We can't just sit around," complained Rainbow Dash, who was now restlessly pacing the sky back and forth. Twilight looked to Fluttershy, then to Pinkie Pie, then to a very stressed looking Mayor Mare who all remained mute with any of their ideas. Once again, Twilight agreed with Rainbow. They needed to figure out where they were and what was going on.

"TWILIGHT! APPLEJACK! RARITY!" 

The circle of ponies whirled to see Sweetie Bell and Applebloom running full pelt towards them, and Twilight's heart skipped a beat when she realized how scared they looked.

"We went explorin'..." Applebloom began.
"....and we were going through the orchard...." added Sweetie Bell.
"...then a huge timberwolf just...."
"...came out of nowhere and....."
"....we ran but it caught Scootaloo..."

Both fillies took in a deep breath.

"...a-a-and then some...."
"...tall..."
"...thin...."
"...thing..."
"...it was wearing clothes...."
"...just stepped up a-a-and..."
"...there were these loud noises..."
"...and it killed the timberwolf without touchin' it!"

Twilight and the others tried to process this as the fillies took another deep breath, and kept going in unison.

"...But then it picked up Scootaloo..."
"...and took her away!" they finished together.

"What!?" the six ponies replied at the same time.

"What were you thinkin' explorin' at a time like this!?" demanded Applejack, with Rarity not saying anything but giving her sister a hard stare. Both ponies also looked worried sick to their stomachs, a sentiment Twilight shared

"Never mind that! Where!?" Rainbow Dash asked the fillies urgently. They pointed to the south, Applebloom saying, "The far side of the south orchard."

Rainbow Dash nodded determinedly and was about to fly off when Twilight grabbed her tail with her magic. 

"No, Rainbow, we need to do this carefully!" she pleaded.

"What? Are you kidding me!?" Rainbow Dash shot back, glaring at her.

"Whatever this....thing... is it is apparently powerful. We need to be careful and make a plan!" 

"I have a plan! Kick some serious flank!"

Twilight saw the powerful determination in Dash's eyes and knew she would have to compromise, but spoke back firmly, "We'll plan as we go. Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy, come along with me. (Fluttershy looked like she was about to have a heart attack but nodded). Mayor, you stay here and keep the ponies calm. We'll be back soon with Scootaloo. Rainbow Dash, stay with us! Let's go!"

Twilight galloped off with Rainbow Dash flying just barely ahead and the others barreling after her. So wherever they were, it was inhabited, and it wasn't a pony. That thought scared her more than anything else as she charged ahead down the path to Sweet Apple Acres.


- Asher -


Asher called out for his parents as he pushed the door open, careful not to bang the small creature's head against anything. He could feel it breathing steadily as he had been holding it, but he was pretty stunned that its headfirst run in with the tree hadn't killed it so he wanted to look it over.

Asher stalked to the kitchen table, grabbing a blanket as he passed the living room couch and laying it on the table with his free hand before carefully laying the animal down. 

"What is that? I don't want wild animals in my house, Asher," his mom said as she walked in.

"Mom, please just come look at this thing and tell me I'm not crazy," Asher asked exasperatedly. His mother looked at him a little quizzically, before stepping forward to look. He watched as her expression changed to a confused wonder. This both relieved and terrified him at the same time. He wasn't crazy, but he wasn't dreaming. There was what looked like an orange and pink, mini pegasus on the table, and he had saved it from a giant monster made out of wood.

"Oh wow....Andrew! Come look at this!" his mom called to his dad. Moments later, his dad, trailed by two of his brothers as well as his sister came in from another room, all wondering what the ruckus was about. They gathered around the table, and individually started thinking out loud as they looked at it.

"What is it?" Jonathan asked.

"Kinda looks like a little horse to me." offered Patrick.

"A pony!" Anne exclaimed.

"Where'd you find it?" asked his father, looking up at Asher.

"In that apple orchard over that way," said Asher, pointing out the window. The family simultaneously looked at him, all gazing at him like he had just told them he had changed his name to Paprika.

"What's this about an apple orchard?" David walked in the room, and his attention was quickly drawn to the table. "Whoa, what's this?"

"Ash, we don't have an apple orchard," his mother said. Asher began to worry about his own sanity again and was once again praying that it was all a vivid dream. A very vivid dream. 

"Well, there's a whole mess of apple trees on that hill, and I was walking through them when I was attacked by this.....thing. Didn't you hear the gunshots?"

All of them immediately switched expressions to shocked. Asher sighed inwardly as he tried to explain what had happened, but as the short story went on it just felt more ridiculous.

"It was made of wood?" asked David, more a skepticism than a question.

"I'm telling ya, that's what I saw," said Asher adamantly. His dad was about to respond when the creature, or pegasus, or whatever it was, began to stir. Asher went straight up to it, putting his hand on its head to steady it and try to keep it calm as it woke up. Asher tried not to freak out when it opened its eyes, which were much larger than he had expected, looked more human than animal, and were an amazing, deep purple. What happened next succeeded in freaking out all of them. 

It jumped up quicker than a cat, its tiny wings spread and suddenly cried out, in a voice that sounded a lot like a young girl's, "What!? Where am I? Who are you?" 

The whole family backed to the wall, stunned at what they had just heard. 

"It talked," said Jonathon. The creature looked horrified and was scared out of its wits. Asher quickly buried his shock and carefully approached it.

"Sorry we scared you, my name is Asher, just calm down," he soothed, inching forward slowly. It didn't respond, but put its full attention on Asher, it's eyes full of fear. 

"You were attacked and I saved you and brought you here," continued Asher slowly. "We aren't going to hurt you."

The creature stayed on its guard and was still shaking, but it did appear to relax a little bit.

"Do you have a name?" Asher asked calmly, stopping a step or two from the table.

"S-Scootaloo," it stammered. Well that's sure different thought Asher. It definitely was talking, and it had a name like he'd never heard before. He caught himself wondering if it meant something in another language before bringing back his attention span.

"OK, Scootaloo, you hit your head. How do you feel?" asked Asher, leaning to the table and keeping eye contact just a couple of feet away from Scootaloo. He really wanted to ask where she came from and what she was and why she was here, but Asher sensed the little thing could pass out from shock if it didn't calm down.

Scootaloo paused a moment, regarding him closely as it (was it a he or a she?) stood up straighter and began to look with more curiosity rather than just fear. "My head hurts a little but I think I'm okay."

Asher was at first skeptical but from where he was standing she (he decided it was a girl from the voice) really did look alright. She didn't look dizzy or disoriented at all, even though it had taken such a hard blow, and she was speaking mostly evenly. She still looked very frightened though, and he wondered what she had against humans to make her that way.

"Where did you come from?" It was his Dad that spoke. Scootaloo looked up at him, and after a moment answered, "Ponyville."

Asher exchanged a quick glance with his Dad, confirming that he didn't know what she was talking about either. 

"What are you exactly?" Asher asked carefully. This time Scootaloo looked at him like he was from Mars, as if it was a no-brainer question. 

"I'm a Pegasus, but I'm not alone!" she said quickly. "I wasn't too far from town and my two friends were with me when we went into the orchards to explore."

"Two more? I didn't see them," said Asher, concerned that he hadn't.

"I told them to hide once we saw the Timberwolf and I ran so it would chase me instead," said Scootaloo. Timberwolf. Of course it would be called that. But then this little....pegasus....lured it after herself? She was either brave or crazy, because that thing had been easily ten times her size. 

"So there is an orchard?" asked his mom interestedly. 

"Told ya," said Asher a little bit smart-alecky. Even at 20 years old he had never outgrown sarcasm. 

Then there was a knock at the door that startled all of them. The Burgess family looked at each other for a moment, before Patrick strode quickly through the room and around the corner to the back door.


- Twilight -


"I must be crazy," Twilight muttered to herself as she stood at the doorway. Here she was knocking on the door of some creature that she didn't even know what they looked like or if they could even talk, and was planning to ask if they had seen a little, orange pegasus. It was a little comforting to have Rainbow Dash hovering lightly above and to the right, and Applejack to her left, as well as Rarity and Fluttershy standing a ways back just in case, but it didn't make it any less insane.

She rapped on the door again, and this time it opened. Before them stood a very tall....thing....that stood on two legs and had two arms that kind of resembled a monkey's but with no hair. It had a brown mane on top of its head and somewhat small blue eyes. Twilight stopped herself from running away. The creature wore a very strange look, which as far as Twilight could tell was total and utter confusion.

It turned, facing back into the house before yelling clearly, "Mom, Dad, Asher, you're gonna want to see this."

Well we speak the same language, that's promising. I hope thought Twilight. Two more creatures came to the door, both just barely shorter than the first and all three with brown hair and blue eyes, as well as the same, pale, hairless skin, though one was wearing a black ball cap with ornate letters on it. The one with the hat moved in front of the others 


- Asher -


There's more of them. Outside. A purple one, an orange one, and a blue one with a rainbow mane that is hovering on our back porch.

Asher pushed his way without really realizing it to the front, which Patrick allowed without any resistance and stepped back. Asher tried to think of something to say but his brain had officially had it for the day.

"Excuse me, we think that you may have taken our little friend," the purple one said in a feminine voice, which Asher could see had a single horn (a unicorn?).

"Sure, come in," said Asher a little too enthusastically. "Why not? This day could not possibly get any weirder." 
> Chapter 2: Contact
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


- Rainbow Dash -


"So that's it, we're just gonna walk in?" asked Rainbow Dash, her voice rising. She turned and glared back through the door, "They've probably set up a trap!"

Rainbow didn't trust these things at all, no matter how surprised they looked. They were too big and, if the crusader's story could be believed, too powerful to take lightly. Rainbow honestly doubted the story a little, because as tall as they were not one of them appeared to be especially strong, and she bet she could take them in a fair fight piece of cake unless they had some form of freaky magic.

Twilight shot back a stern look that Rainbow had received a lot over the years. It was the "don't do anything stupid" look. Rainbow Dash snorted in disbelief as Twilight actually thanked them and stepped into the threshold. 

"Alright. If we die, I'm blaming you," she snapped.

Rainbow landed right behind her and followed her in, eyeing the speechless creatures with all the suspicion that she could muster, which mostly translated into a hard glare. 

Rainbow scanned the room quickly, trying to take in everything and to spot traps. She was almost disappointed when it was quickly clear that it was just a house and not some fortified base. Except for everything being a little bit bigger than normal, it looked not all that different from a pony house. There was a couch and end tables, with pictures and flower vases arranged in various places as well as on the walls. The only thing that Rainbow couldn't identify, which she eyed suspiciously as she followed Twilight farther into the house, was a weird, black rectangle that was mounted on the wall and facing the couch.

"Rainbow Dash!" Rainbow whipped her head back forwards so fast that she almost hit her head on the opened door. There were four more creatures in the next room, all of which had lighter colored manes than the first three, and two which were not only shorter but had longer manes on their heads. And on the table, buzzing her wings like she always did when she was excited, was Scootaloo. The little filly leaped from the tall table, which almost came up to Rainbow's chin, and zipped to her side, hugging her around the middle.

"Whoa, squirt! Glad to see you're okay!" Rainbow Dash said, grunting from the little pegasus' squeeze around her rib cage. Upon first glance she seemed alright, other than a small bump that she could feel on Scootaloo's head.

"So, what the heck are you?" a masculine voice asked. One of the light-haired ones had been the one to speak, and was looking at them with about the same level of suspicion that Rainbow herself had. Rainbow Dash put herself back on guard, trying to watch all of the creatures with her peripherals.

"Wow, David, rude much?" another, obviously younger, one of them said.

"What? Am I the only one who finds this weird?" asked the one called David, throwing his, er, arms out in frustration.

"Oh I do, but I'm still counting on this being a dream," said the one in the hat in a very deadpan voice.

"Well then wake up!" David shot back.

"Well, sorry! Getting attacked by a wood monster kinda used up all my 'surprise, let's mess with your reality' for the day!" the hat one retorted angrily.

So that's the one thought Rainbow Dash

"Both of you quit it!" said one of the long haired one in a voice that reminded Rainbow of her own mother's. Rainbow watched that one carefully for a second. She looked scared and confused, but she had a protective edge in her eyes. The same look was in the biggest one's eyes as well. If they were the mother and father, then Rainbow figured from experience that they'd be the ones to watch out for if things got out of hoof.

"What's your name?" 

Rainbow flinched and looked to her left quickly, finding herself looking straight into the face of the smallest one who was leaning in closely with interest. This one was the only one that didn't look scared at all. Just curious. "Your hair is so pretty!"


- Asher -
 

Asher leaned up against one of the counters, one arm folded while he rubbed his forehead with the other, trying to make the scene in front of him make sense. He was also leaning to avoid falling over. Every time he tried to convince himself he was dreaming, he mentally slapped himself to get a grip and accept that what was happening was real. There were four, quadrupedal, multi-chromatic animals that resembled small horses, but only in a rudimentary way. Then add that three of them had wings, one of those also had a horn, and the fourth was wearing a freaking stetson just added to his mental chaos.

They were perhaps four feet tall at most from hoof to head, though if Asher hadn't seen one doing it he would say the wings wouldn't have been big enough to even lift them off the ground. They all looked muscular, particularly the orange one which didn't appear to have either wings or a horn. Their eyes were big but more closely resembled a human's than an animals. Also, all of them except the littlest one had tattoos on both flanks, probably some sort of cultural ritual behind that.

Oh yeah, and THEY WERE TALKING! He watched with interest as his little sister approached the rainbow-colored pegasus and asked it for its name. His protective instincts for Anne kicked in a little but he didn't move as it went uncomfortably quiet for a few seconds. He almost laughed when he noticed his parents holding their breath, and when he saw David lightly fingering a candlestick behind him on the counter. 

"Rainbow Dash," it finally answered, in a rough but definitely feminine voice. Another unusual name.

"Oooh, that's so cool! I'm Anne!" said Anne excitedly. Asher shook his head a little. His sister was one of those girls who was borderline obsessed with anything that was even just somewhat cute, and though these creatures easily fit the bill, that line was way too easily crossed. She got in a fight at school over whether cows were cute or not.

"Looks like ya got another fan, Rainbow," said the orange one with the cowboy hat. Asher looked at it in surprise, not just because the voice was also feminine but had a fairly heavy southern accent. Asher finally decided to speak up again.

"If you don't mind me asking, where are ya'll from?" he asked, trying to sound as non-threatening as possible, and addressing none of them in particular. They all turned his attention to him but said nothing at first. He watched as they exchanged glances, wondering idly if they could communicate telepathically. Heck, at this point, if they could transform into hippos it wouldn't surprise him one bit.

"It's okay," the little one called Scootaloo said, giving him a small, but nervous, grin. "I think he's the one that saved me from the timberwolf."

This was met with mixed reactions. The one called Rainbow Dash regarded him with a new level interest, squinting at him with piercing scrutiny. The purple one looked him up and down, obviously taking in everything. Asher could see the intelligence flashing behind her eyes. The orange one seemed to still be deciding what to think and meanwhile the purple one spoke first.

"Well, we are from Ponyville in Equestria," she said. That's the second time Ponyville has been mentioned, but Equestria must mean their planet or something. "Although I admit I don't know if that's still true."

"Wait, what does that mean?" he asked her back all too quickly. The wings on Rainbow Dash had flared slightly and she had lowered her body ever so slightly. He could tell she would be all too happy to get into a fight, and judging from the muscles that were rippling through her body it wouldn't go well for any of them if that happened. Asher was tempted for a split second to reach for his still loaded gun holstered on the back of his belt, but restrained himself. That was the absolutely the last thing they needed.

"Sorry, but what do you mean about that? How did you come here?" Asher asked carefully. 

The purple one shook her head and looked back at her companions as she said, "I don't know."

Either they were fantastic at lying, or they really didn't know. Oddly, that relieved Asher a little. If it was accidental, then the likeliness of it being some sort of alien invasion (did he really just think those words in the same sentence?) was really low.

"I'm Asher, and this is my Dad, Andrew, my mom, Candace, and my brothers David, Patrick, and Jonathon," said Asher, pointing to each family member as he did so. "You already know my sister Anne."

To his relief the pony creatures appeared to relax a little, Asher's impromptu introduction managing to siphon some of the tension away. The rainbow one was still glaring daggers but had folded her wings again.

"My name is Twilight Sparkle," the purple one said politely, pawing a little awkwardly at the floor with one hoof. Asher could just hear his mom screaming inside about not scratching the hardwood.

"Name's Applejack," added the orange one. "Pleased to meet ya'll."

Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Scootaloo. They all kind of sound like names for dolls or something Asher thought.

"We don't know how, but our whole town has somehow landed near here," Twilight Sparkle explained.

"Your whole town?" repeated David skeptically. "How'd you miss that, Ash?"

Asher ignored his brother, rolling his eyes a little out of habit before asking, "Town? I saw a bunch of apple trees but I didn't see any buildings."

"Over those rises and down the valley a bit, past the apple orchards," said Twilight, who was ignoring a hard stare from Rainbow Dash. The pegasus obviously still didn't trust them, and seemed to have a particular thing against him.

"Ok, so you've got some answers, now I want some," she said with a challenging tone. "What the heck are you? And where are we? Don't lie because Applejack can tell stuff like that."

Asher glanced at Applejack, who looked a little surprised being put on the spot so suddenly, before responding, "We're called humans, this planet is called Earth."

This was the first time that Asher ever realized how dumb a name for a planet that was, and having all three pony creatures raise eyebrows at it made him want to burst laughing and he almost did, just managing to contain it in a smile. There's something about worrying about your sanity that just makes you want to laugh.

Twilight spoke next, "What is the kingdom called?"

Asher furrowed his brow, not sure what she was asking.

"I saw that flag on the pole in front of your home. It represents a kingdom, right?"

"Oh." The family had an American flag flying in the front yard, something of a family tradition ever since Asher's great-grandfather served in World War 2. 

"Sorta. It's for the United States of America, and we're pretty much right in the middle of it," Asher replied. 


- Twilight -


Well, that pretty much sealed it for good. Forget Equestria, they weren't even on their own world anymore. Whatever magic that storm had, Ponyville and all of its inhabitants were now somewhere different entirely. A different planet, a different nation. Twilight was racking her brain for any knowledge about trans-dimensional travel but for the second time in two days came up completely blank. 

Whatever the case, it did them no good to stand around here. These "humans" seemed friendly enough, but they seemed even more confused than the ponies were. The one called Patrick had been shaking his head continuously, the father, Andrew, had been blinking very deliberately every few seconds, the mother Candace had sat down to disguise that she was trying to keep from falling over, and she had noticed David tapping his hand nervously, as if he was still expecting to pounced on at any moment. Only Asher and Anne, who was currently trying to touch Rainbow's mane without her noticing, seemed to be taking it in stride, though Asher was obviously trying really hard not to be overwhelmed with the information overload. She could tell he was very intelligent, and was probably thinking through everything they said just as she was doing with their words.

"We thank you for saving Scootaloo," said Twilight, bowing a little and hoping they understood the gesture. "But we must get back to Ponyville. They're waiting for us."

"Wait, I wanna come," said Asher. This surprised Twilight, because for as well as he was taking it she didn't think he'd want to see or hear more. Twilight looked at Applejack, who seemed more or less ambivalent, and then to Rainbow Dash, who wasn't much help either with her challenging stares. Only Scootaloo seemed to like the idea.

"Look, if there's a town full of....ponies...that's now sittin' on my land, I want to see it too," Andrew stated. 

"OOH! I want to see it too! Can I mom?" Anne bounced excitedly, reminding Twilight of a certain pink pony.

"Later honey, let's let your Dad and brothers see it first and make sure..." Candace trailed off, the last part of her sentence drowned out anyway by Anne's whine. Turns out children's whines sound the same in both worlds. 

"Ok, then, lets go," said Asher, clapping his....was hands the right word?....together. Twilight could see no point trying to dissuade them, no matter how much Rainbow Dash glared at her. After thanking Candace for letting them in the home, she turned and led the small and very strange entourage outside. 


- Asher -


Asher was mentally preparing himself for whatever he was about to see. If the morning was any indication, this day was probably going to stay weird as it went on, and an entire town full of the four legged visitors was sure to be way up there on the oddity scale. As he followed this Twilight Sparkle across the back yard, he noticed two more of them step out from behind a bush, momentarily startling him.

"Ah, Twilight, I see you've found little Scootaloo," a white one with purple hair and only a horn said. He noted how she spoke with a very high-class type accent, and seemed to carry herself as such with head held high and posture straight. He also noticed that she was nervous about the three humans (David had decided to come along as well), so he kept his distance.

"Yes, these good, er, humans took care of her, and they want to see Ponyville," Twilight summed up. "Rarity, Fluttershy, I'd like you to meet Andrew, Asher, and David."

Wait, where's the other- oh. Asher noticed another one doing her best to hide in the bushes but failing pretty miserably with her yellow coat and long, light pink mane, and when introduced she just squeaked quietly. 

"HI!" 

Asher yelped in spite of himself, jumping a foot or so to the side at the sudden appearance of a third one right next to him. He stared in wide-eyed shock at the cacophony of pink before him, letting his heart rate go back down.

"I'm Pinkie Pie! So which one are you? Andrew, Asher, or David?" she asked excitedly, smiling the biggest, whitest smile that Asher had ever seen, human or otherwise. 

"Asher," he replied, not quite relaxed yet and starting to walk forward. 

"Hi! I'm Pinkie Pie! Oh wait! I already said that, silly me! So, what is your birthday? I always like to know so I can throw a party when it comes. OH MY GOSH! Do humans like cake? Oh I love cake! And not just normal cake cake, but also cupcakes, shortcake, rum-cake, chocolate cake. mmmmm. chocolate cake," the pony chatted animatedly as the group walked on, hardly stopping to ever take a breath. Asher threw several glances at his brother, who shrugged each and every time, and then at Twilight, who would also shrug and say something like, "That's just how she is."

"So, Twilight, how many of ya'll live in, uh...Ponyville?" asked Asher, talking over Pinkie Pie continuing to chatter at high speed. 

"About a thousand," Twilight replied.

"Wait, what now?" David said as he overheard. Asher chose to ignore him again. You get used to it when you're the older brother. Asher continued making small talk with the ponies, getting answers from almost all of them at one point or another, with the exception of the aptly named Fluttershy, who trailed quietly beside Rarity, and the still suspicious Rainbow Dash. He was impressed when he passed the Apple Family Farm., particularly at how well crafted the buildings were. 

"So these are your apples?" he asked to Applejack when she pointed it out, and she confirmed it with a satisfied nod.

"Sorry if I was stealing, but I tried one earlier and I'll tell ya, it was the best apple I've ever tasted," said Asher.

"Aw shucks, thank ya, Asher," Applejack replied, sounding genuinely bashful about the compliment. 

The path they walked on began to widen, fences separating it from the immaculate orchards on each side. As they crested a hill after about 20 minutes of walking, Asher was about to ask how they manage to harvest with only hooves to work with, but instead said, "Wow."

The town of Ponyville was situated snugly in the valley, with the familiar hills rising on every side and, though small the town was indeed, it was spectacular. A lot of the buildings looked dutch, but yet so many of the others had a unique architecture obvious even from a distance. It looked like something straight out of a fairy tale.

They crossed a small bridge over a crystal-clear brook, and entered the town. Asher felt like he had stepped into another world, and if it weren't for the familiar Rocky Mountains around him it would have been easy to convince him that he was. He wondered if this was how Neil Armstrong felt when he stepped on the moon.

It wasn't long before they saw other ponies. Some didn't notice as they passed, but the ones that did first waved at the familiar ponies, then usually froze in place when they saw Asher, his father, and brother before disappearing into the nearest building. Asher didn't blame them, so he mostly just pretended he didn't see it. Besides, he was too busy keeping up with Pinkie Pie's rapid-fire speech as she pointed out everything they passed.

"Oh, and there's Sugarcube Corner! That's where the Cakes and their cutsie wootsie little babies live, and where I work!" she said, then darted to the other side of the street,. "And that's the Sofa and Quills shop."

"That's all they sell?" Asher joked weakly, getting a little laugh out of David, who was still concealing that his hands were shaking nervously.

"Yup!"

"Oh."

They soon reached what was obviously an open marketplace, all of it surrounding a circular building that was probably the tallest in town. Several ponies stood on the raised porch of the building, and what seemed like hundreds were assembled around. He couldn't hear what was being said, but one was obviously addressing the others. Asher forgot his boy-like wonder for a moment and stopped walking. Nothing he had seen so far had shown them to be threatening, besides Rainbow Dash, but seeing so many of them in one place finally overdid his nerves.

"I'll go talk to the Mayor," Twilight said, spreading her wings. She glided a little less than gracefully above the crowd and landed even less so. For someone that carried herself so confidently and intelligently, she sure didn't look comfortable flying, and Asher couldn't help but wonder why. Especially since Rainbow Dash had been so effortlessly hovering above them like a huge hummingbird for most of the trek across the ranch. The other ponies made their way into the crowd, although Applejack and Rainbow Dash stayed near the edge and were watching them. He watched Scootaloo speed off towards another side of the plaza, where he saw two other ponies her size waving her over.

"What are we going to do about this?" David and walked between Asher and his dad, and had spoken low. Asher sighed a little at his brother's paranoia, but also because he knew he was right. David kept talking, "We gotta tell somebody, I mean, this is big!"

"That's the understatement of the year," Dad remarked. "Who would you call about something like this anyway?"

"I don't think we should," said Asher. Both men looked at him like he was crazy for the third time that morning. 

"Ya know, I'm getting real tired of that look today."


- Rainbow Dash -


"Sure they're nice, Applejack, but something about this place doesn't feel right," said Rainbow Dash, looking over at the three humans talking together. "I mean, I know I'm pretty awesome, but I've never seen anything that size freaked out at just the sight of a pony."

Applejack stole her own glance and she thought about it, "Ya may be right, Rainbow. They sure were shakin' in their shoes for bein's that could take on a timberwolf all on their own."

"Exactly! So what's got them so freaked out?"

Rainbow Dash looked up at the scattered clouds above.

"Maybe their clouds have been too big lately. Whoever's in charge of their weather isn't doing a very good job," she remarked disapprovingly. They were also too high to be useful to anypony except pegasi. 

"Let's give 'em a chance, Dash," Applejack said after a few moments, adjusting her hat and watching the them nonchalantly. "Tell ya the truth, I just hope we can get back home and not have to worry 'bout it."

Rainbow Dash turned her own attention across the plaza to Twilight talking to the Mayor, where she realized most of the ponies were looking in their direction and whispering among themselves. So they finally caught on to the over-sized, hairless, monkeys behind them Rainbow thought, rolling her eyes. 

Twilight took off again and started gliding towards them. 

"I really need to spend more time helping her learn to fly," said Rainbow as Twilight nearly fell back to the ground. Applejack chuckled in reply and tried to pass it off as coughing when Twilight finally reached them. 

"The Mayor's been informed," said Twilight. "For now she agrees we need to treat the humans as friends. What are they talking about?"

"Dunno," said Applejack.

Twilight trotted in the direction of the humans. Rainbow Dash instead flew up and over, coming down right above the three humans but stopping when she could finally hear their conversation. An argument was more like it. All three had their arms folded and indignant looks on their faces, and their voices were rising steadily.

"If we go to the government, we lose it all!" Asher said urgently.

"And if we don't and they find it, then we'll be in even worse trouble!" his father said back. "Besides, this town's far away from our house they'll probably leave us out of it."

"Doesn't matter! You know as well as I do that they'll do everything to keep it under wraps!"  Asher argued. "And where does that leave us? Caught in the middle of a cover up!"

"You're talking about trying to hide over 1000 aliens from the most powerful military on the planet!" David countered.

"And you're talking about dooming 1000 plus US!" Asher retorted, leaning in on his brother. 

She had enough. Rainbow Dash zipped down and landed right in the middle of the small circle, forcing them to jump back a step.

"What's going on!?" she demanded, glaring at each of them. The three humans finally realized how loud they had been talking; Rainbow Dash could see it dawning on them as they looked at the huge group of frightened ponies looking on in total silence.

"Ah, great," swore David scowling.

"WELL!?" Rainbow Dash pressed the three, taking off again and hovering at their head level. She was starting to get so livid that she was barely cognizant of Twilight walking up just too. She didn't say anything, but wore an expression that basically asked the same question.

Andrew was the one who started talking first, "Look, people tend to react badly when they meet another person different than them."

"Well, that's obvious," seethed Rainbow. Andrew flinched at her snark, but he continued.

"When they find out, our government will probably respond by cutting you off from everybody else."

"Why would they do that?" Twilight asked in surprise. 

"Because they get really touchy about things they don't understand on our own soil," Asher answered, rescuing his Dad from the scrutiny. "And I do admit, where your town landed was either the best luck or the worst. It was good because the nearest town is 10 minutes away. It's unlikely anybody will see ya by chance."

Then David interrupted him, "Bad because 20 minutes that way" - he pointed east - "is a United States Army Base. 25 minutes that way" - he pointed slightly north - "is a US Air Force Base, and worst of all: that mountain over there" - he points to a big one just to the south - "is where the most important base in all of North America is!"

Rainbow Dash felt the clench of nerves as she realized just how close they were to an unknown danger. She set back down next to Twilight and looked at her for any signs of a plan, but to her dismay, she only looked shocked.

"But don't worry!" Asher spoke up. "I think if we can manage to keep this town secret until we figure out a way out of this that doesn't involve any....of us getting into trouble."


- Asher -


Oh, gosh we're scaring the daylights out of them thought Asher. Even the heretofore infallible Rainbow Dash was starting to look worried, and the last thing that anyone needed was a panic. 

"Ash, it's impossible to hide an entire town from the US government," whispered David, who was also sensing the panic he had a large hand in brewing.

"You've been watching too many movies," Asher said loudly. "They are not omnipotent, dang it!"

Asher confidently stepped forward, "Look, whatever brought you here, I'm thinking it was for a reason. If we're careful, avoiding detection should be easy. And, I'm willing to bet we can figure out how you got here in the first place if we just work through it!"

Twilight Sparkle seemed to gain confidence at that idea. She nodded and turned to face the crowd

"It is my royal responsibility to protect this town, and I promise I will do everything I can to learn what brought us here and if we can reverse it!" she declared. The ponies around seemed to gain their own confidence, and there was widespread head nodding which Asher took as a good sign. The apparently "royal" Twilight held great respect here.

"Asher, I'm going to need to learn all I can about your world, so that I can find the connection between yours and ours," she said at a lower volume.

"You can count on me," he replied, tipping the bill of his cap. 

"So, first thing's first: how do we avoid being found?" 

Asher looked around. Most of the homes and businesses were fairly conservative in their color and size, with the only exception being Sugar Cube Corner, and could easily be lost should there be a little more greenery. And the streets being dirt was perfect.

"If you put broken branches and loose leaves on your roofs, they'll look just like trees from above. That'll hide you from the air forces," he said. It may not be true, but as close to the bases they were jets or planes of any kind rarely flew here, so he viewed it more as a precaution than anything.

"Rainbow Dash, Applejack, organize teams to help you camouflage the roofs!" Twilight ordered, and the two named immediately dashed back into the crowd. It was mere moments before it seemed the whole town's population was jumping into action. It was straight impressive how efficient and quick they were.

"Will that really work?" Twilight brought Asher's attention back to her. 

"Honestly, I have no idea," admitted Asher in a low voice. To his surprise Twilight just nodded. "But I really do think I can help you."

"Thank you, that will be most helpful," she said. "I think I can remember how the magic felt that did this, so if I can find a way to replicate it I may be able to reopen the connection.

Did she really just say magic? Asher felt his confidence sink, but he shook it off. Maybe it means something different to them.

"I still don't think it's a good idea," said Dad. "But I do trust you, Asher. You're a smart kid, and I guess if anyone can figure this out it's you."

"Well, don't count out our Twilight!" said Pinkie, sliding into a side-hug with the purple unicorn (with wings, I really need to figure out what's up with that). "She is super-duper smart! She was the personal protege of the Princess!"

And there's another thing to ask about Asher thought as he glanced into the sky, where there were a couple of large, but sparse, clouds.

"I wish it was overcast, that would help hide us from satellites," he thought out loud. He noticed Twilight looked a little confused at that, so he explained, "Machines that look down from space."

Twilight looked up as well, an expression of awe on her face, but then she called out loudly, "Rainbow Dash!"

The pegasus swooped back to her within seconds, hovering with rapt attention. 

"We need cloud cover!"

"On it!" 

Asher gasped when the pegasus streaked into the sky much faster than he could have ever thought possible for an animal of any size. It was his turn to watch in awe as Rainbow Dash flew directly at one of the clouds. Then his concept of reality was tested yet again that day, when she appeared to get behind the cloud and push it towards earth as if it was a solid object.

He watched slack-jawed for a few moments as the pegasus brought it down to no more than 100 feet above the ground, and then whistled loudly. Several other pegasuses....pegasus'?....pegasi flew up, and began to stretch and flatten the cloud like it was pizza dough until it covered almost the whole of Ponyville's sky.

As they worked, Asher turned to David and his Dad, who were also watching in fascination.

"What does it say about my life that this isn't the strangest thing I've seen today?"


- National Weather Service Center - Grand Junction, CO -


"Hey, Bob, could you take a look a this?"

"What?"

"I've been checking and refreshing the doppler for Canyon City over the last couple hours, and see this cloud? It hasn't moved at all."

"Aw, what the- that glitch again? Call the IT guys."

"Oh. That makes sense."

"Yeah, since when do clouds hold still in Colorado? If they don't have it fixed soon let me know."


- Twilight -


She didn't feel nearly as confident as she sounded. She had no doubt Asher could provide a lot of knowledge, but where she needed help the most she was on her own.

"What's the matter, Twilight?" Rarity asked. Twilight immediately blinked and shook herself, realizing that she must have been showing her concern.

"It's no big deal Rarity."

Rarity raised one eyebrow, "Twilight, I've known you long enough to know when you're worried, you can tell me."

Twilight sighed and looked around to make sure nopony could hear them. Most of them were busy making Ponyville invisible in the forest, and the humans had already returned home with the promise that Twilight would return the next day.

"Fine. I'm not so sure that they'll be able to help us or if it is even possible."

"Why?" 

"I've been constantly checking ever since we left after Scootaloo this morning," Twilight took in a breath. "And I haven't found one drop of magic."




> Chapter 3: Storm
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


- Asher -


Day two thought Asher, staring at the ceiling. Those were the very first words that crossed his mind when he woke up at 6 in the freaking morning, unable to sleep any longer.

To say his dreams were strange would be an understatement. Asher couldn't quite remember much about them in particular, except that they had been extremely weird, maybe even more so than the day that led up to it. The result had been a restless sleep and here he was, awake before the sun could even reach their house, and there was no way he could get back to sleep even if he wanted to.

It didn't bode well for the day, because he had hardly been able to fall asleep in the first place. True his original ideas had been hastily constructed, but to have them so quickly frustrated by his short-sighted brother was supremely annoying. The consequence was his brain running through every possible scenario he could think of and not stopping until well into the early morning. He loved his brother, but sometimes he just wanted to strangle that kid.

Never mind he thought, throwing his covers off. Twilight seems reasonable. I'll talk to her about it.

Asher had no idea when to expect the purple pony to show up. He hadn't asked mostly because he wasn't sure how they kept track of time. Heck, he had only assumed that they even slept at night, one of the many unknowns that he had been bouncing around his mind in his fruitless efforts to sleep.

So he went ahead and changed out of his pajamas, something he didn't typically do until after breakfast, and went downstairs as quietly as he could. It was likely his family hadn't slept well either, but they were not as susceptible to anxiety as he was so they would be sleeping in to make up for it.

Breakfast was simple: Eggo waffles topped with peanut butter and maple syrup heated in the microwave. His family had a homemade waffle recipe that he much preferred, but he didn't feel particularly inclined to cooking so early. In fact, Asher didn't really feel like doing anything at 6:30 AM, just like any other reasonable human being. On the plus side, it would be the first sunrise in a very long time that he would actually get to watch. 

Finishing his toaster waffles in only a few minutes, Asher plopped down on the couch in the family room. He looked out the window for a moment in the direction of the alien town. The cloud that had been literally dragged down to earth was low enough that it looked like fog from his vantage point. I'll have to remember to tell them they should probably let that thing go.  He had noticed the diminutive cloud had actually shown up on the NWS website, and it would be rendered pointless anyway by the afternoon when a rain shower was supposed to come through.

Asher sat on the couch not moving and hoping that maybe he would doze off, but after just a few minutes it was abundantly clear that it still wasn't happening. Choosing the least mentally challenging activity available, Asher got up and shuffled over to the TV, opening the movie cabinet. After a little back and forth, he whimsically grabbed one of the Disney movies and slipped the DVD into the player. 

Anne wandered in like a zombie before he had even gotten to the menu. She mumbled something that was probably supposed to be "Good morning" but came out as "gnmm nnin," and then she flopped down on the couch as well. He made sure the volume wasn't up too high before he pressed play, remembering a past experience where he failed to do so that resulted in "the Circle of Life" being blasted at 60 decibels just inches from his ears. He then sat down next to his sister, who sounded like she was already sleeping again, and was about to slip into movie vegetable mode when a light knock at the back door interrupted that.

A glance at the clock revealed it to be 6:41. Asher sighed and got up to answer the door. They're early risers. Great.

Sure enough, it was Twilight Sparkle, accompanied by Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and a small, purple dinosaur with green spikes. 

"Hello, Asher, hope we're not too early," Twilight said brightly. Asher didn't reply right away, unable to look away from the bipedal reptile who appeared to be just as tired as Anne was. Asher opened his mouth to speak, closed it again, shook his head, and instead said, "Come on in."

Just go with it he thought as he stole another quick glance at it. Probably a pet.

Asher stepped aside, letting Twilight trot in immediately followed by the dinosaur. She had a couple of brown side-saddle bags that were bulging with what was obviously books. Rainbow Dash was less enthusiastic than her purple companion, giving a big yawn as she crossed the threshold, (but having just enough energy for a slightly suspicious glance at Asher) and Pinkie Pie was smiling but also appeared to be still shaking off the last of sleep. 

Asher closed the door quietly, hoping to let his parents and brothers sleep to avoid any more awkward conversations for now. When he turned, the three ponies were staring wide-eyed at the TV.


- Twilight -


Twilight was a little shocked at what she was seeing. There was a black box showing moving, colored pictures in the middle of the house, with no projector in sight and no pops or whistles in the sound. The display looked like it was drawn, but it was moving just like they were real without any skips like the films they were used to. In the center of the screen a monkey was holding up what she inferred was a lion cub, judging by the beautiful lions behind the monkey, as a quieted but still powerful musical number crescendo-ed. When the music peaked, it suddenly stopped and the picture instantly changed to show the words "The Lion King."

"Don't have movies, I take it?" Asher had walked up beside her, looking down from his towering stature. He was only about two heads taller and probably barely weighed as much as her, but it was enough to make Twilight feel quite small when standing so close to him. 

"We do have films, but nothing that looks like that," she said, watching as a mouse scurried across the box before being suddenly swatted by a large, clawed paw. That caused Twilight and her other friends to flinch, including getting a stifled squeal from Pinkie Pie. 

"We call that animation. They make it by drawing all the frames, making them move little by little. Takes a while but looks pretty good dontcha think?" 

Twilight nodded and couldn't help but watch for a couple of minutes, completely mesmerized by the beautiful drawing. If she didn't know what she did about this world, she would say it was magic. Twilight could tell that Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were equally impressed. Pinkie having already bounced onto the couch next to the little human girl, who jolted awake in surprise, while Rainbow Dash had put sidled up to the side of the couch with Spike absent-mindedly following, and was leaning against the huge, padded arm. 

"Twilight, I got my stuff over here."

She looked up at the human, who was now standing in the doorway to the kitchen, patiently looking on. Twilight gave her head a quick shake to clear the distraction, remembering why she was here, and followed him into the kitchen. She noticed how he left the door deliberately open as they entered, leaving a clear view between herself and her friends. She also noticed that he was still staring in Spike's direction.

"Don't worry. He may be a dragon but Spike is as docile as they come," Twilight reassured. "He makes pretty good cookies."

"Dragon," repeated Asher, still looking over. "Right."

On the table was a large, white pad and a thin object that looked kind of like a folded, metal book but it was otherwise clean. Twilight unstrapped her saddle bags with her teeth as Asher looked on with undisguised curiosity. She set it down, the weight of the books landing louder than she expected on the wooden floor. The noise snapped Asher back to attention, getting him to walk over to her. 

"I have a bunch a questions for you if we're gonna have any chance of figuring this out, and I bet you do for me too so I figured we'd alternate," Asher said, pulling out a chair and then sitting down in different one. A chair for her she assumed. 

"Okay, I like that plan. Can I go first?" Twilight responded, walking to the chair.

"Fine by me."

"Ok, why did you lie to everypony yesterday?"

Asher looked at her in an obvious expression of surprise, though to her own stupefaction he didn't even look angry in the slightest. In fact, after a moment he chuckled quietly.

"Was it that obvious?" he asked grinning broadly, lifting the bill of his ball cap a little. 

"Not really, but I've learned how to recognize when it happens," said Twilight, allowing a smile of her own. Her first run-in with Discord came to mind, not to mention the fiasco before her brother's wedding. Plus she was friends with Rainbow Dash, who tried to bluff her way out of trouble at least two times a week. 

Asher looked contemplative for a moment, folding his hands together and resting his chin on them as he did so. 

"My turn. If you knew I was bluffing, why did ya take the advice anyway?" he finally inquired. Twilight lifted herself onto the chair, perching there comfortably before answering.

"Because the kind of being that would stand between a helpless filly and a monster from another world isn't the kind that does something without a good reason." Twilight meant every word of that. Timberwolves were terrifying in the highest sense, and they would eat a pony without any hesitation. Even a creature the size of Asher would usually think twice about it.

Asher looked surprised again, and this time his cheeks turned a tinge red. Oh my Celestia, he's embarrassed! He never struck me as the humble type.

"So... are we really in danger?" Twilight asked, deciding to switch the subject back.

"I doubt it. I may not trust them all the time, but the government isn't run by monsters," he said, leaning backwards and balancing his chair on its back two legs. "And I respect soldiers more than almost anyone else. Heck, my family has had a lot them."

"So why the all the hiding then?"

"Because I watch too many movies."

Twilight raised an eyebrow at him. Asher snorted a laugh and continued.

"I hadn't intended to make a scene like that, but I hadn't expected David to be so stubborn and then scare ya'll like that, so in the moment it was all I could think of," he explained. He landed his chair again and kept going. "See, my Dad did have some things right. The very worst they would do is probably cordon you off from everyone else for safety, and overall I can't imagine it being worse than what you're doing now. Our family is far enough away that we would probably be fine, even if they find out first. Honestly, I'm a little surprised the National Guard hasn't shown up already."

Twilight tilted her head in confusion for a moment. 

"Actually, that's been bugging me. Why would they do that?" she asked. Asher delayed answering, looking at the ceiling as he thought. 

"They're obligated to make sure that whatever arrives here is safe to everybody who lives here. And, well, Dad was also right that people don't always react very nicely to people different than them," he finally said, frowning a little. 

"You did."

"That's what you think," he said. Worry momentarily spiked in Twilight, but she un-tensed when she realized he was joking. 

"I told the truth when I said I wanted to help ya'll get back," he continued. "But I thought it'd be good to plan just in case you can't, and my experience tells me that coming out on your own terms is always better than on someone else's."

Twilight listened in careful attention to detail as he talked. He seemed to be telling the truth, and he definitely knew what he was talking about. Twilight felt inclined to trust him, but there was something still bothering her: She had no idea what his motive was. She would like to think that he was just doing it out of the goodness of his heart, but Twilight had a lingering feeling that he stood to gain something though she didn't know what. But at this point, she didn't feel confident enough to go forward in this new world herself, so gathering her thoughts, she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. For now. 

"How long did you have in mind for us to lay low?" asked Twilight, nodding to show she agreed with what he said.

"Four days," he replied resolutely. "I haven't figured out the exact details yet, but the best opportunity will be in three days after today."

"What's in four days?"

"Let's just say a couple of very important people are going to be in town. People who could help us more than any other," he said, grinning confidently. She felt he was telling the truth that he wanted to help them, but any filly could see he was enjoying it thoroughly. 

"I think we can do it," said Twilight confidently, returning a grin of her own.

"Just like that?" Asher asked incredulously after a moment. "You found out I pretty much lied to you and you're just going to go along with it?" 

"Well...yes."

Asher watched her with one of the deepest looks of contemplation she had ever seen, pony or otherwise, for a couple of moments before saying, "You're very trusting."

"Thank you."

Twilight smiled at him again, which Asher returned warmly as he sat up straight in his chair. 

"Ok, so let's get to figuring out what got ya here in the first place," Asher said. 

Asher reached for the folded book object and opened it. Twilight leaned over from her chair in fascination to get a closer look. It was some sort of machine! It had a flat, black surface just like the movie player in the other room, but smaller, and the bottom half was covered in little buttons that had letters, numbers, symbols, and a whole collection of other markings on them. It was like a typewriter, but flatter.

The black part came to life, brightly displaying a still picture of a beautiful mountain range and rows of random symbols on one side. Asher moved his fingers on a flat, boxed off part of the bottom and made it do a clicking sound. The screen lit up even brighter, with a mostly white display except for the big, colorful word in the center: Google.

'What's a google?' was what she wanted to ask, but she ended up just stammering to herself. If they had things like this without any inherent magic, what else could they do?

"This is called a computer, and with it I can access almost any of the information in the world we could need," he said proudly. Asher had a slightly smug grin on his face. He was obviously enjoying her amazement at what he probably considered normal and was reveling in it. Twilight got a hold of herself, and gave him her own smug, and slightly challenging, grin.

"Alright then. I don't want to brag, but research is my specialty," said Twilight. She activated her magic, opening the bags and levitating all the books from the floor to the table. She stacked them neatly, making sure she still had them in order to make them easier to organize. Then Twilight stretched her magic into the other room, gathering her scrolls, quills, and ink from Spike and setting them before her. She turned to Asher, about to suggest a starting place but stopped short.  The human was looking from her to her things to the other room and back to her, all the while slack jawed and totally speechless. Twilight wondered what she did to cause - 

Oh, right. Magic.

"How 'bout we start with that," Asher said, pointing with a single finger.


 - Asher - 


THEY'RE FREAKING TELEKINETIC!! he screamed internally. Asher thought he had mentally gotten over all the surprises, even the newest alien species that had sleepily stumbled through his door not ten minutes before. But this was a whole new level. Fortunately, he managed to suppress the urge to freak out and instead form an intelligent question.

"You have superpowers?" he blurted.

Ok, not that intelligent.

Twilight looked at him for a second after his question, and then promptly burst out laughing. She nearly fell out of her chair as she collapsed into her fit, clutching her sides with her front hooves just like a human would do. Asher buried his face in one of his palms, smiling at his own juvenile outburst. After a few moments, Twilight straightened and snorted away the last of her laughs so that she could talk.

"It's just magic. All unicorns can use it," she said, using a hoof to wipe away a tear. 

They also cry when they laugh too hard. They have a lot of characteristics we would call human. the analysis side of Asher's brain noted while the rest of it tried to catch up. She called it magic, just like yesterday. Maybe they had some sort of extrasensory part of the brain that was electrically based. Would that even work? Telekinesis of any kind was something that belonged only in fiction, like Matilda and cheesy cartoons. 

Get a hold of yourself! he mentally chided. Just because I don't know how doesn't mean it isn't happening. Pull yourself together! There's a talking, purple pony telling you this. You can figure it out later.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" 

Asher and Twilight both almost fell out of their chairs at the sudden outburst from the other room that practically shook the house. Asher scrambled to the kitchen door, Twilight right behind, to see what was the matter. Rainbow Dash was hovering inches from the TV screen talking low and threateningly, and Pinkie was recoiled in horror on the couch, squeezing Anne and Spike in a double vice-grip hug.

"Scar! You no good, dirty rotten, son of a..." Rainbow was cursing but you could barely hear her because Pinkie was rapidly repeating:

"Please be alright, please be alright, please be alright!" 

On the screen, Asher recognized the scene were Simba finds Mufassa dead after the stampede. From the stairs came the sound of pounding feet, and a moment later his Mom and Dad were peering over the stair railing. He noticed his mom was actually carrying a baseball bat, and that was all that was needed to end Asher's composure.

Asher started laughing loudly, having to support himself against the frame of the doorway as he did so. He laughed his way back into the kitchen and leaned with two hands on the table, his own laughing fit robbing him of breath. 

"Is everything alright down here?" he heard is mom call out.

"It's okay Mom!" Asher answered between guffaws. "Just some - snort - old fashioned - ha ha he- Shakespearean drama!" 

He kept laughing, and it was apparently infectious as Twilight started laughing too. It was several minutes before Asher and Twilight finally shook it off and sat down once again at the table, scrolls, computer, and notepads at the ready.

"Okay, how about we make a list of everything that happened before you were transported from, er, Equestria, right? From Equestria to Colorado," said Asher, fingers on the keys. 


- Twilight -


The hours passed surprisingly quickly, and before she knew it, it was nearly three in the afternoon. They had figured out some very interesting things as they talked and shared information. One spooky thing was how many parallels the two worlds had. Speaking the same language, using the exact same reckoning of time, including the names of the days and months, even the use of miles and miles per hour. Twilight and Asher agreed that their worlds may have some sort of deep connection that lead to this, and may be why they ended up here. But beyond that, they had nothing.

The Burgess family had spread out all over the house as the morning had progressed, taking care of various chores and other activities. Asher and Twilight had finally been pulled out of their research when Candace had interrupted them to ask about lunch.

Twilight finally realized the mess they were making. They were quite literally writing down everything, even the ridiculous ideas that they, or somepony walking by, happened to mention. They'd already filled several large pages full of notes made by his blocky print and her loopy cursive.

"I'm still thinking wormhole, but the lightning just doesn't make sense with anything that I've ever read," Asher said.

"Me neither. I asked Rainbow Dash and she said even she's never seen lightning like that. And her mother used to work with the Lightning Corps."

"Einstein said wormholes would be like funnels through space and time, stretching from one point to another," said Asher, drawing a rough sketch on one of the pads next to the extensive notes. 

"Like teleportation?" Twilight suggested. Asher stared at her a moment, shrugged, but then wrote the word "teleportation" on the paper in big letters. He'd been doing that "look then shrug" thing a lot all day.

"Um...Twilight, what kinda food do ya eat?" Twilight looked up to see Candace waiting for an answer and looking a little awkward in doing so.

"Oh, you don't have to do that," answered Twilight politely. "Me and my friends can return to Ponyville for lunch."

"Unh-uh, I insist," she replied. "So what'll it be? I have all sorts of fruits and vegetables."

Twilight could see the same kind of determination to be a good host she had often seen with the Apple Family, and that no was not an option. She affirmed that they ate veggies and fruits and tried to go back to their project. Asher was rubbing his temples as he stared at his computer screen.

"Now I'm wishing I had taken that advanced physics course last semester, but I took that dang Honors PolSci class instead," said Asher, sighing and typing something else into the all-knowing Google search. 

"Why'd you do that?" asked Twilight curiously. 

"One of my professors said it would 'give me an advantage ," he replied with an edge of venom. What's that about? 

"At least you know it now. Princess Celestia always told me that all knowledge will one day benefit the student who takes the time to learn it," Twilight offered, opening the Weather Phenomenons Guide to the lightning section again. 

"I've been meaning to ask you about that," said Asher, leaning back from his computer. "So, are you just a student of this Princess or you actually royalty yourself?"

"Well, I started out as her student when I was a little filly, but a couple years after I moved to Ponyville, I...." Twilight hesitated. She didn't understand it fully herself yet, having become an Alicorn Princess just a couple weeks before this whole things started. "I was coronated just a little while ago."

Asher nodded. Apparently her answer had probably just been confirmation of what he had already figured out. 

"So your leaders are picked out by way of schooling," he said airily. "Interesting method."

Twilight hoped he didn't press the question. She wasn't comfortable with the idea of being royalty yet herself, especially since the Mayor already was relying on her heavily ever since the Event, as she and Asher had termed it. Thankfully it seemed he had just asked the question to distract his mind a little.

"Here you go, Twilight," Candace got her attention again, setting down a plate in front of her. On it was a long sandwich with big, poofy looking bread 

"It's a veggie sub sandwich," said Candace. "No meat."

Meat? Twilight thought in alarm. They eat meat? But that had seemed so unlikely. Their teeth didn't appear very sharp and they didn't have any claws like Griffons, so Twilight had assumed they were mostly herbivoric like them, perhaps with eggs or something as well. She realized that she probably seemed rude just sitting and staring at the food, and she could ask more about it later, so she thanked Candace and lifted the sandwich with her magic to take a bite, pushing the thoughts of meat out of her head. Good thing, because the sandwich was positively delicious.

"Wow, Mrs. Burgess, this sandwich is fantastic!"

"I know right?" Patrick said, walking into the kitchen (but still keeping his distance from Twilight).

"Mom bakes the bread herself," added Asher. "I'm not sure I could even eat store-bought bread again."

Twilight might have to agree. She had tasted many homemade treats made by the Apples and the Cakes, but neither family did much in the way of bread except for the occasional rolls (which were to die for). But if this was any indication, the Burgess family had some good cooking of their own.

"Rainbow! Pinkie! Spike! You should try these sandwiches!"

The two ponies came in, followed closely by Anne and Spike, and all four chattering away about what had been the third movie of the day. Earlier in the day, Twilight had introduced Spike to Asher and the Burgesses, all of whom were a little insistent that he was a dinosaur. That is until he demonstrated a short burst of his flame, and they were convinced of his dragon status. The incident had led to a long discussion about dragons in Equestria, and how there were none save in legend in the human world.

"It was so funny when Po got bounced around that obstacle course!" Pinkie said giggling

"And that big kung-fu fight at the end was Awesome!" Rainbow Dash said, punching a hoof into the air.

Candace graciously made two more of the veggie sandwiches, which were greedily consumed at breakneck pace. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash also agreed as to the splendid taste of the sandwich, Pinkie even asking for another one. The family also brought out something they called 'soda' from their big icebox, a drink that tasted delightfully tangy with citrus and bubbled so much it tickled Twilight's lips as she drank it.

A knock at the back door froze everypony for a moment, but upon Andrew opening the door it was revealed to be Rarity, who was wearing one of her many chapeaus. Twilight excused herself from the kitchen to talk to the white unicorn.

"Wow, I really like your hat!" Anne was saying, looking starstruck. Anne was constantly saying things like how adorable and cute all of them looked, sometimes reminding Twilight of both Pinkie and Rarity in that way. Rarity was all too happy to receive the praise.

"Why, thank you. I made it myself!" Rarity said, brimming.

"Hello, Rarity. We're just having some lunch, you wanna come in?"

"Sorry, Twilight, I'm afraid the Mayor needs to talk to you," she reported. Twilight nodded in acknowledgement, trying not to laugh as Rarity stared with unabashed curiosity at the various humans looking on. Twilight called to Rainbow Dash, Pinkie, and Spike, telling them that they needed to go back to Ponyville, much to their disappointment. 

Twilight gathered her own scrolls and books back into her bags, the humans watching in awe as she levitated them, and strapped the saddlebags onto her back. She thanked Asher and promised to return the next day, to which he asked that maybe they'd come a little later instead, citing something about starting after the sun came up.

As she walked out the door and into the yard, Twilight stopped in her tracks. 

"What's up Twilight? We leaving or not?" asked Rainbow Dash, in a much better mood than she had been that morning.

"Hold on, I want to check something," she replied. Twilight gathered her concentration and cast the magic detection spell she had used several times so recently. What she found this time was puzzling.

"That's strange," she muttered.

"What's strange, Twilight?" Pinkie Pie asked, looking a little concerned.

"Yesterday when I would check for a natural magic field, I could only feel it around Ponyville, or when I was standing near another Pony. But today, I can feel it all the way over here," she explained, poking her hoof into the manicured grass. 

"Ooooooo," awed Pinkie. "So what does it mean?"

Twilight started walking again as she said, "I have no idea."

"No way! Me too!" Pinkie said happily, bouncing along after them. Twilight laughed while Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.


- Same Day - NASA Research Center - Mountain View, CA


"And you're sure it's not coming from the sun?"

"No, sir. I triple checked the solar output and it's at normal levels."

"And the magnetosphere?"

"Again, the readings indicate it is unchanged. The atmospheric interference is. as far as we are able to see, unrelated. Maybe it's just fluke lightning activity. Besides, it doesn't appear to be dangerous. An airliner actually flew through one of them."

"One is an anomaly, two is fluke, three is a pattern"

"What's the pattern sir? The locations seem totally random, and all three have been different in strength."

"But they're getting more frequent, and that last one over Africa was massive. We can't just write this off."

"I still think we need more data to be conclusive. If it happens again than we can say for sure if there really is a pattern. Sir you have to remember we don't have the budget to deviate, so we should be positive."

....

"Fine, we'll wait and see. But if I see any indication of this getting more frequent and there's even a chance that's it's dangerous, I'll go to Homeland Security if I have to."


- Rainbow Dash - Day Three -


"Twilight, how much longer do we have to keep doing this?" asked Rainbow Dash, hovering inches from the ground. The movies had been fun, but the only time Twilight had allowed her, or any pegasi, to fly higher than a few feet was two days before when she went up and grabbed that cloud. Apparently the chance of being spotted before they were ready was too high, even way out here in the middle of nowhere. Even from the highest point on the way to the Burgess home, they couldn't even see another human building. Just a distant road with what Rainbow assumed were carts moving along it.

"Asher says he has a plan for two days from now, so just until then, Rainbow," answered Twilight, trotting along briskly. They had waited to around 9 this time to come, so Rainbow at least felt more awake this time, but Twilight was obviously anxious to get back into her egg-head study with Asher.

Rainbow heaved an over-dramatic sigh, dragging one of her hooves along the ground. 

"Rainbow Dash! What kind of fun things do you think they'll have today?" Pinkie asked, going sidelong with Rainbow Dash in her deer-like gait. 

"Do you think they'll have another movie?" That was Sweetie Bell. Her, Scootaloo, and Applebloom had begged to tag along, and were permitted only to do so with Applejack accompanying them. The orange farm-pony was bringing up the rear of the group, just happily taking in the tall, mountain scenery around them.

"Oh yeah! They had hundreds!" Pinkie answered joyfully. The Crusaders, whom had been given intimate details of what Pinkie, Dash, and Spike had watched by the pink pony the night before, jumped and clapped their hooves together as per they usually did when celebrating.

When they reached the house, Twilight politely knocked on the back door while Rainbow Dash scanned the sky. She hadn't seen any flying humans yet and she was really hoping to catch a glimpse of one. After all, how else would they get their weather?

Asher answered the door and let them in, though he wasn't initially paying attention to the ponies. The family was talking among one another.

"But we go every year!" Jonathon said in a pleading voice.

"I know, but we have different circumstances this year," answered back the Mom, giving a pointing glance at the ponies as they walked in. Oh, now we're a 'circumstance.' It's not our fault we're stuck here.

"I don't see why ya'll can't go Mom. It's not like it'll make any real difference," said Asher nonchalantly. Then Rainbow watched his face get a little mischievous as he said, "In fact, it would probably be more suspicious if you didn't."

"Asher, stop teasing your mother," said the Dad. "Honey, I think it'll be fine to go see the Thunderbirds."

Candace looked unsure for a second, but then relented, "Ok, everybody who's going get ready. I'll be staying though."

"Don't worry, Mom, I'll be here too," said Asher, beckoning to Twilight. 

Before they could even leave the room Pinkie Pie asked, "What are the Thunderbirds?"

"Stunt fliers!" said Patrick excitedly, recoiling after he realized how jaunty he had just been and heading out of the room. Guy still scared of us, huh? thought Rainbow Dash, even as her own interest level rose rapidly.

"They perform every year for the Air Force Academy graduation," explained Asher, standing in the doorway to the kitchen. "It's kind of like a big party for everyone over in the Springs."

"We gotta go see that!" Rainbow burst, in exact sync with Pinkie Pie and Scootaloo. Twilight opened her mouth to protest, as well as Asher, but Rainbow didn't let them.

"I haven't been allowed to really fly for nearly two days!" she complained. "At least let me see how humans fly! C'mon! Maybe you'll get some crazy idea about how to get home just from watching them!"

Rainbow Dash didn't have a very good pleading face, but fortunately Pinkie Pie did. And even hers paled in comparison to the Crusader's combined powers. Asher and Twilight both looked overwhelmed by the wide, pleading eyes before them. They looked at each other, each begging for the other's help with their eyes.

"Twilight..."

"Yes?"

"I'm a sucker for puppy-dog eyes."

Both Asher and Twilight sighed simultaneously. They're practically clones of each other thought Rainbow Dash. 

"Fine," said Asher. "I know a place off the old Denver Highway where no one will be. We could probably watch from there and be seen by no one."

"YES!" Rainbow Dash yelled in celebration, somersaulting in the air and barely missing the ceiling. 

"Simmer down, Dash. Ya don't wanna put a hole in their wall," said Applejack, steadying a lamp that Rainbow's wind nearly knocked over. Rainbow complied and set lightly onto the floor next to Applejack.

"MOM! I'll need to take the van!" called Asher, walking after his parents towards the front of the home. Rainbow Dash followed him, having never been to that part of the house before. 

"What for?" his mother replied.

"They wanna see the jets. I'm gonna take 'em to Mt. Herman," Asher explained. Candace reached into her pants pockets and pulled out a small set of keys, handing them to Asher and telling him to be careful before disappearing to another part of the house.

"Hey ya'll! Come out through the front!" he then called before walking out himself. Rainbow Dash didn't wait for the others, zipping out after him excitedly. 

The front of the house had a well tended yard of grass, but it also had a huge, grayish rock slab on one side. Parked on the slab were three strange, wagon-like contraptions the likes of which Rainbow Dash had never seen. Most of the Burgess family had climbed into one of these, a silver colored one, and then it began to move like it was being pulled by invisible ponies. It had a low growling sound as it moved, driving off down the wide dirt path towards the distant road.

Asher walked up to another, boxy shaped one and slid open a side door. 

"Ya'll jump on in. The windows are tinted so nobody should be able to see ya," said Asher. Scootaloo, Sweetie Bell, and Applebloom blazed forward without hesitation and jumped into one of the human-sized seats together. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Twilight squeezed their way into the "van." They left the front, right seat open because the windows there were clear.

Asher jumped into the front seat, which had a wheel, put the keys into a small lock, and brought it to life with a turn. He then pulled a little lever and did something with his feet, and they lurched forward just like the other one. It traveled even smoother than a train as it rolled down the dirt path and reached the road.

"Wow, how did you get it into one big rock?" asked Twilight, leaning forward and trying to see the black surface better.

"We call it asphalt, it's a rock mixture that's heated up, then they spread it out and cool it to make the road," summarized Asher. "It's easier and safer to drive on than dirt."

Asher turned left onto the road, and accelerated. Dash was surprised as they gained speed, and soon they were moving much quicker than any pony could run. Other vehicles passed them going the other way on the opposite side of the lines the ran down the middle. Twilight would ask different questions about the rules and how things worked as Asher controlled the van through its winding curves. Rainbow Dash had to admit it was impressive. Equestria had rudimentary engines that would self-propel vehicles, but none of them could move very fast at all, and especially not this quietly. 

But it was when they came out from behind the mountain that Rainbow Dash felt her jaw drop. She had seen big cities before like Manehatten and Baltimare, but what was impressive about this one was how far it spread, from horizon to horizon. There were massive roads with hundreds, no, thousands of vehicles of every size and color, and there were buildings and large houses that were too numerous to count. Rainbow couldn't see any humans specifically other than a handful in the front seat of some passing vehicles, but there had to be thousands.

"Welcome to Colorado Springs, Colorado,. Population: 300,000," said Asher like he was a tour guide, even sweeping a free hand. 

"300,000?" exclaimed Applejack. "Landsakes! That's 'bout as much as Fillydelphia, ain't it?"

"Close, Fillydelphia has a little bit more, though it's nowhere near as big as Manehatten," Twilight stated.

"Fillydelphia and Manehatten huh? No kiddin," remarked Asher quietly. "Actually, it's not even the biggest city in our state let alone the country. Denver is just about an hour north, and it has over a million people. Maybe one day you can see Manhatten, there's about six million there."

"Wow!" Twilight exclaimed. "And you made up for your lack of magic by creating technology."

"I guess you could say that," said Asher thoughtfully. 

Ok, so these humans are even more impressive than I thought. mused Rainbow Dash. 

"But you can fly," said Rainbow Dash, phrasing it more like a question than a statement.

"Well, not on our own like you. A little over a hundred years ago we built machines called airplanes to help us do that," said Asher. "The first ones could barely get off the ground, but now we have ones that can go faster than the speed of sound. Several times faster actually."

"So is that how you do the weather?" Dang, I sound like an egg-head right now.

Asher craned his neck to look back at Rainbow for a moment before turning back to watch the road. 

"I don't think I get the question," he said.

"Well, who makes your weather and pushes it around so that you get your rain or keep the sky clear? Sheesh, it's pretty simple," specified Rainbow. She had already been disappointed that apparently humans can't fly on their own, and was worried about the answer to this question being just as lame. 

"No one," said Asher. "It works and moves naturally. We can't control it at all. Wait! Did you learn to move clouds by doing that?" 

"You mean the clouds are made and move all on their own!?" Twilight asked, voicing the same shocked question all of them had. "But that sounds like..."

"The Everfree Forest!" all the ponies finished together. That was much worse than lame. It was dangerous. It was -

"But that- That just ain't natural!" said Applejack. Asher was looking positively lost as to what to say, and he ended up not saying much at all for the next several minutes as the ponies fretted some more.

"Ok, girls, calm down!" Twilight finally said in a commanding tone. "We've already been here almost three days and nothing bad has happened yet!"

That calmed down the ponies enough to settle into a slightly awkward silence. Rainbow Dash found herself staring out at the beautiful scenery. The weather wasn't controlled, but today it was still beautiful even with the large but fairly sparse clouds. And the view of the mountains from this side was fantastic, particularly of the big one in the center.

"That's Pikes Peak. 14,110 feet, or 2.6 miles tall," recited Asher, stating it in a way like it was a source of pride. 

"Pfft, I've flown that high before," said Rainbow, trying to sound unimpressed despite the fact she was, knowing it would mess with Asher a little. Cloudsdale usually floated at around that height except when around Canterlot, when it raised itself to get over the mountains easier. It was not an easy height for somepony not used to it. Fluttershy could hardly even fly at that elevation with her weak wing-power because of the thin air. 

Asher also pointed out the Air Force Academy as they passed it, explaining how a lot of the pilots were trained there but how it was also a full-function university. 

As they passed the strange looking school and continued north on the huge highway, Pinkie Pie started a game of counting the different "car" colors and seeing who could find the most of each one with the crusaders. Soon Rainbow and Applejack had joined in and it became a ruthless competition.

By the time Asher finally made a turn off on a road titled "Baptist Rd.," Applejack and Rainbow Dash had claimed 32 red cars each and were straining their eyes for new ones.

"There's one!" Rainbow Dash called as they took the bridge over the highway. 

"That don't count! You already used that one earlier!" Applejack argued. 

"Oh, you definitely saw that one earlier, Dashie! I remember, it had the little yellow ball on the wire thingy!" Pinkie Pie said bubbily.

"Aw, Pinkie!" 


- Asher -


I don't think a roadtrip with these ponies could ever possibly be boring thought Asher as he drove down into the backroads. His family had lived in the area before his Dad's retirement, so he knew them well. Soon, there were no more buildings. He went down the Old Denver Highway towards the lower Mt. Herman campground. It was the middle of the week, so when they reached it, there was predictably no campers.

Asher stopped and got out, looking around to make sure nobody was really around before he told his passengers that it was clear.

"Stay on this side of the van just in case someone pulls up, that way you could all get in quickly," he suggested. The ponies nodded and stretched as they got out, looking around in excitement. The three littlest in particular seemed like they could barely contain it. Asher could understand why, betting he had felt the exact same way when he walked into Ponyville for the first time. True, he wasn't trying to hide from them, but still.

They didn't have to wait long for the show to start. 

"Look! Here they come!" Asher said, pointing to the north. The F-16 jets roared overhead in formation on their way to the graduation flyover, only a thousand feet or so off the ground and the sound seemingly shaking the earth.. Even though he'd seen them before they were still awe inspiring, and he could see the ponies felt the same thing twenty fold. 

"WOW!" Scootaloo thrilled, jumping and buzzing from her perch on Rainbow Dash's back and onto the hood of the car. Asher flinched at the weight but decided she probably couldn't do any damage as long as she didn't jump up and down.

They watched the sky in fascination as the stunt jets went into huge circles and pulled aileron rolls over the town, all the while staying in formation. The ponies ooh'd and aah'd just like young children. Asher couldn't help but envy their innocent nature. Even though they were clearly intelligent, probably even more so than humans in some areas, they still seemed to maintain the mindset of young children. This even though, upon an earlier question from Asher, he had learned that they were roughly close in age to himself. 

He turned to watch the ponies for a second as the Thunderbirds made another pass. He wished he had thought to bring a camera with him, because their expressions were priceless. 

But something was....missing. Asher looked around and in the car for a second and peered into the woods. He silently counted.

"Isn't there supposed to be a Rainbow one of you?" Asher asked, still rotating and looking for the pegasus. The ponies looked at each other and realized the same thing. 

"Oh, she better not have done anything -" Twilight started.

"Look! She's up there!" Scootaloo called out, pointing upwards. 

"She did," finished Twilight as Asher whipped around to look at the sky. To his shock, it looked like a rainbow-colored missile was streaking through the sky. Rainbow Dash had an impossible contrail at speeds he wouldn't have thought even possible for a living creature. She streaked right towards the speeding jets, and proceeded to literally fly circles around them before pulling up and away. The jets scrambled apart into a loose formation, obviously taken completely off guard. Asher couldn't imagine what the pilots were thinking. Or what they had seen.

She was truly booking it, outstripping the jets easily as she looped back around from her skyward rise. Asher couldn't believe how fast she was moving. Easily faster than sound, probably way more as she made towards the Earth. Then the sky, and Asher's mind, exploded.

An immense shock wave bursting with every color of the rainbow was spreading over the entire city, encompassing several miles in mere seconds. Asher stumbled backwards and landed on his backside, unable to look away from the colorful blast. It raced by overhead, accompanied first by an explosion sound and then a strange sound which Asher had nothing to compare to. The jets dove towards the Earth to avoid it as the wave passed at high altitude, barely missing the top of Pikes Peak. 

Part of him wanted to pick it apart and figure out what was going on, but he could barely hear that part because the rest of his mind was stunned. Rainbow Dash, now sans her impossible rainbow contrail, landed among the group, looking pretty pleased with herself.

"Now that's how you fly," she said smugly.

The only cognitive words that managed to make it through Asher's mind, and he actually said them out loud, were:

"We're all freaking screwed."


- Peterson Air Force Base - Colorado Springs, CO -


"What the heck was that!?"

"An aircraft?"

"Too small, too fast!"

"I want all stations on full-alert! Get those birds out of the air and back to base!"

"Maybe it was a drone!"

"From where!? We detected nothing until it was right on top of us!"

"Stop this and shut up! All of you alert squadron commanders that they are to be ready to fly at a moments notice! Contact NORAD and see what they know..."

"Yes sir!" 

"And for heaven's sake! Can someone tell me what in the name of Sam Houston just invaded our airspace?"

"Sir, I got Washington on the line and they wanna know the same thing..."




> Chapter 4: Encounter
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


- FOX -


"We open the hour with breaking news out of Colorado Springs, where a mysterious explosion occurred in the skies during the Air Force graduation ceremony. No damage has yet been reported but officials are saying -"


- CNN -


"- and I have to say I have never seen anything like it before."

"I agree, it almost looks like the northern lights, except for the fact that it is daytime, and it exploded from a single -"


 - CBS -


"- we have no official report as to the streaking object that is said to have caused the blast, already being dubbed on the internet as 'the RainBomb,' but we can see from this exclusive amateur footage -"


- BBC -


"- so far, American officials seem to be just as baffled as the public as to the origin of the event. As you can see in this footage, the object first makes a display of incredible agility and speed in front of the stunt pilots before -"


- MSNBC -


"- the questions we should be asking are: was this just an elaborate stunt, a natural phenomenon, or perhaps even a failed attack?"

"We are not in a position to make that judgement. Glancing on social media, there are guesses ranging from a rogue drone to an extraterrestrial showing off, and at this point, it could be any one of them."


- Rarity - 20 Minutes Earlier -


Rarity trotted briskly down the makeshift path towards the back door. Rarity loved the gorgeous simplicity of the home, and she guessed that its size was even big for the average human dwelling. She knocked lightly on the door. 

"Are you sure it's ok? Maybe they don't want anymore visitors."

Fluttershy was worrisome and as considerate as always. Rarity loved that about her, and it was something that helped bring them together very soon after Fluttershy had moved to Ponyville.

"Don't worry, darling. We won't stay long, and know you've been curious," assured Rarity. "You were just telling me last night how you wished you could see the inside."

"I know, but, that was then! And the door is so much... bigger up close." squeaked the yellow mare, recoiling a little bit.

"Oh, come now," persisted Rarity, knocking lightly again. "You know you'll regret it if you don't."

Fluttershy didn't get the chance to reply, but she did "eep" when the door opened. In the doorway stood the mother of the family, looking very timidly at the ponies. Actually, her expression was a lot like Fluttershy's usual gaze.

"Hello, Mrs. Burgess, I'm Rarity and this is Fluttershy. We just came to see how the others are doing," said Rarity cheerily. The human didn't say anything right away, but seemed to shake out of it.

"Oh, well, I'm the only one home. My husband took the kids to see the airshow, and my son took all your friends along with him too," she said apologetically. 

"Oh?" Rarity was surprised. She didn't think that Twilight would risk a trip with the current plan they had, and she had to suppress a spike of jealousy at not being able to go along and see a new part of this human world. "I'm sorry to impose."

"No, it's alright. I was just doing some light cleaning while the boys were out," replied Mrs. Burgess. "By the way, I'm Candace Burgess. It was nice to meet you Rarity and...Flutter...shy?"

"Oh, well if you're cleaning we would love to lend a hoof," offered Rarity. Though they were still self-sustained in Ponyville and really took nothing from the human family, Rarity had still felt like a burden to them, especially with how they were being so thoughtful as to their safety. She really wanted to feel like she was doing something, and here was an opportunity.

Candace looked thoughtful for a moment before saying,"Well, I guess I could use a little help. Thank you."

"Don't mention it!" said Rarity happily. Candace beckoned inside, and Fluttershy nervously followed Rarity into the home. Rarity had only seen the living area before this point as she continued into the kitchen after Candace. The kitchen seemed fantastic to Rarity, and not just for its size. For a dwelling with five children, that is if human children were anything like foals, it was well kept and appeared organized. The only mess was a load of dished piled in the sink. It seems like some things don't change no matter what world you're in. she thought introspectively. 

"We can take care of the dishes for you!" Rarity proposed, and without really waiting for an answer she trotted towards the sink. Of course, when she got there the counter was up to her eye-level, making it difficult to access the sink. Candace disappeared through another door for a moment, but then returned with a small, but broad, white stool. The human still seemed a little awkward as she thanked them again.

Rarity stepped up onto the stool, which put her up high enough that her shoulders were now over the edge, allowing her to reach into the sink. She flipped the faucet switch on, correctly assuming that the red-ringed handle meant hot water as it was in Ponyville, and levitated a plate under its flow.

"Candace, do you have a towel that we could use to dry?"

The human had been lingering not far from the sink as she watched entranced at the unicorn's work, but then shook herself out of it at the question, 

"Actually, all you need to do is to place them in the dishwasher," said Candace, walking over to what Rarity had assumed was a windowless oven. Upon opening, it revealed two white racks full of grooves. Candace reached into the dirty sink and pulled out a dish, and set it neatly upright on one of the racks.

"If you arrange the dishes neatly in here, then I can run it and it will wash and dry them for us," explained Candace.

"Fascinating!" Rarity exclaimed. "I wish I had one, especially when my parents come for a visit."

"Oh yeah? Do you have any siblings or children?" Candace asked conversationally.

"Well, I'm not married yet, but I do have a younger sister named Sweetie Belle. She was actually the little, white filly that had come over earlier, so I guess she went with the others."

Rarity let herself worry for a moment. Sweetie Belle was generally sensible, but sometimes, even without the help of her crusader friends, she could not think through things before doing them.

"Oh, how sweet. And you, Fluttershy?" Candace asked in a careful tone. Rarity felt like she could become really good friends with Candace. She seemed to have such a wonderful disposition, and was obviously very considerate herself.

"Oh, I...I don't have any family in Ponyville," answered Fluttershy timidly. Candace nodded with a smile, but seeing the discomfort brought the conversation back to Rarity as the ponies began placing dishes in the very convenient dishwashing machine, and Candace moved about cleaning the surfaces.

The conversation was a wandering one, but Rarity thoroughly enjoyed it. Rarity finally learned why humans wore clothes all the time and, while she didn't know what kind of stitching pattern she'd need, she already found herself thinking about designs for humans. Candace started asking things about like how their schooling works and a little about where they learn how to use magic. Even Fluttershy started getting warmed up to Candace when the conversation turned to animals. 

"So, people adopt pets too?" Fluttershy was getting that excited glitter in her eye. The mare always got excited when the possibility of finding homes for the creatures she cared for came about. 

"Oh yes. We had a dog not too long ago but the old guy finally died a few months back. We're thinking of adopting another one," said Candace.

"Really? If Ponyville is still around when you're looking, I take care of lots of animals looking for a good home!" 

"I'll remember that," said Candace brightly, looking thrilled that she had gotten the shy pony to open up to her. 

A distant rumbling grabbed Rarity's attention, and recognition flashed through her mind as it was followed by a familiar sound. She shared a surprised glance with Fluttershy, who had heard it as well, and they both shot to the door. They flung it open and looked skyward. To the north, beyond the huge peak, an unmistakable ring of rainbow light was spreading across the sky.

"A Sonic Rainboom?" said Fluttershy.

"But, why would Rainbow Dash do that?" wondered Rarity.

"You don't think they're in trouble do you?" gasped Fluttershy.

"I don't know," answered Rarity. She wished she could just talk to them and find out, but for now all she knew that things had suddenly taken a big turn.


- Asher -


Asher had wondered what it was like to be in total shock, to be so numb that you could hardly do anything. In hindsight, driving while under this condition may not have been his smartest idea. He was very fortunate that I-25 was mostly straight with only slight curves. Meanwhile, one of the angriest lectures of all time was in progress in the captain's seats, going strong for five minutes now.

"Four days! FOUR DAYS!" Twilight ranted. "That's all you had to wait, and you couldn't do two more?"

"But-" Rainbow Dash started to speak, but was immediately cut off.

"You've done it before for ponies-sake! What in the name of Celestia would possess you to go and do... THAT!?"

Twilight was leaning across the aisle so far that Rainbow's head was brushing against the window as she stared her down nose to nose. In his rear-view mirror he could see that the Dash was looking far more contrite, and possibly scared, than Asher had thought possible from the assertive pony.

"Three hundred thousand humans saw that!" she continued angrily. "Where does that fit in with lay low?"

"More," said Asher off-handedly, more talking to himself than anything But they all heard, so when Twilight cast him a questioning glance, he said, "I'm sure somebody caught that on camera, and by now it'll be all over the world."

"Fantastic!" cried Twilight sarcastically, covering her eyes with her hooves in frustration. Rainbow Dash sank low into her seat, doing her best to hide behind the seat belt she had clumsily strapped around herself. Wow, I haven't seen someone that down since Patrick was grounded from going to Junior Prom.

"What's gonna happen now?" Little Applebloom had spoken up from the back, the question directed at her big sister sitting next to her. Asher had almost forgotten the five others sitting in the back seat. It wasn't too tight of a fit, the three little fillies being small enough to squeeze together in the middle between Pinkie Pie and Applejack. And since the adult ponies took up not much more space than a pre-teen, they actually had ample room.

"It'll be alright, I'm sure of it," said Applejack, flicking her eyes side to side as she feigned confidence. Twilight seemed to realize how her tirade was frightening the three little fillies, and sat back into her own seat, though she crossed her front hooves just like a human would if they were upset. Asher normally would have mused at the strange scene taking place in his family's van, but his own fear was taking up most of his thought. This whole thing was one eventuality he had not ever even thought of. 

One of the pegasi being spotted flying? Sure. A pony just walking up to another human without thinking? Possibly. One of them pulling a biologically impossible and extremely loud and flashy stunt over a major city while everyone was looking up? REALLY?

"Asher?"

He actually turned around for a second, looking at the downcast pegasus who had called his attention. Twilight narrowed her eyes but said nothing, which Rainbow took as the okay to keep talking.

"Did I.....really, er...do something that bad? I mean, I meant it to show how cool we were. To impress them."

Asher didn't know how to reply to that. He was stuck in that odd zone somewhere between livid anger and empathetic pity. Rainbow's reckless decision was downright endangering to not just them but his family, and no matter what you are you just don't do that. But kicking someone while they're down had never been part of his nature, especially when they looked the part. So, Asher ended up saying nothing. The silence that hung heavy in the car was more than answer enough. 

Dash didn't say anything more, but instead stared out the window as the city flashed by. Asher noticed police everywhere, his heart skipping every time one with its lights on came close. His anxiety was threatening to take over his good judgement, and at the very least kept him from thinking clearly about his next move at all. He just had to get home, and that's all he could focus on.

And on how he just lost the biggest gamble of his life.


- Schriever Air Force Base - Colorado Springs, CO


"Sir, you might want to take a look at this."

"Is it the anomaly?"

"No, sir, however the primary satellite sweep found an inconsistency."

"Where?"

"Here, not far from Cripple Creek."

"It's probably just a development project."

"But sir, it wasn't there four days ago."

"You'd be surprised how fast they can get things up nowadays. Although we probably should alert the State to make sure they're following building codes. Okay, I'll get someone to check it out. You keep searching for that bogey."

"Yes sir."


- Twilight -


Twilight hadn't been this angry at one of her friends since Discord had reversed their personalities. She was folding her hooves tightly just to avoid punching something in her frustration. To this point Ponyville had been very lucky. Though they had been tossed into another dimension, they had managed to land secluded, and the only life near them was not only friendly but willing to help them. Not to mention a plan of action that Twilight didn't have to ask Asher to know had been completely ruined by one, single, stupid, shortsighted, reckless, impulsive moment.

She was getting madder just thinking about it. Rainbow Dash at least had the decency to look sorry, but right now Twilight felt like she would never be able to let Rainbow Dash off the hook for this. Especially if the fear that was practically radiating from Asher's countenance was any indication of just how bad it really was.

"Pst. Twilight, whadda we do now?" Applejack had leaned from the back and whispered into her ear.

"I don't know," she whispered back. Twilight forced herself to ignore her angry frustration so that she could think of what to do, though as they turned off the largest road and onto the roads leading into the mountains the only thing that she kept thinking of was running.

But that would be foolish in every sense, not to mention nearly impossible with so many ponies. But Ponyville needed to disappear, and there was no way Twilight could pull an invisibility spell or a camouflage spell of that magnitude, even with her newly acquired alicorn magic. The best option for both Ponyville and the Burgess family would be to get the town back to Equestria, but Twilight still had little idea what kind of magic had even been at work, let alone worked out a counter spell. 

It wasn't until they had finally stopped in front of the Burgess home that a plausible idea finally entered her mind. She stumbled her way out of the van after Asher opened the doors for them, a task that would have proved difficult with hooves, and was quickly met by Rarity and Fluttershy.

"Twilight! What has happened?" the unicorn asked curiously.

"Somepony did something she'll regret," seethed Twilight, shooting a sideways glare towards Rainbow Dash. The pegasus looked up at Twilight's words, and without waiting to hear more flapped her wings hard and flew low and fast towards Ponyville.

"Why did she do a Rainboom?"  Fluttershy asked softly.

"She wanted to impress our human friends."  said Twilight, clearly annoyed.  "Over three hundred thousand humans saw it.  We've been discovered."

"Oh, dear, so it is bad," remarked Rarity, watching Rainbow fly off. "So what do we do next?"

"Sorry. I have a plan to try to return to Equestria," said Twilight. "I don't have any idea if it'll work but I don't think we have much time and it might be our only option. I think if we use the Elements of Harmony I might be able to reverse the transportation spell."

The ponies all perked up at the plan. In retrospect, it seemed an obvious course of action, though nothing about her own plan made Twilight confident. Even with all that power, if she couldn't point it in the right direction it would be essentially useless or even dangerous. One worry she had was possibly ending up in another dimension altogether.

"Elements of Harmony?"

Twilight looked at Asher, expecting to see the skeptical expression he had worn so often the day before. She had begun to take it as a tell for when something she said was considered improbable. However, this time his expression was a lot more neutral. 

"Six powerful gems that dramatically amplify magical strength, which only my friends and I can use," summarized Twilight.

"Hmm," was all Asher replied before stepping towards his house. Twilight felt a twinge of guilt as he did so. The vehicle his dad and siblings had taken was already there so his whole family was home, and she couldn't imagine the conversation they were about to have would be pleasant for their young ally.

"C'mon, girls. Let's go get the Elements and gather the town. The sooner we get out of here the better chance their family will not get into any trouble."

Twilight almost ran the whole way, not wanting to waste a single moment. She gave instructions as they went

"Applejack and Fluttershy, you go gather what you need from your homes. Bring all the animals. Rarity, Pinkie Pie, I want you to circle the town and tell everypony to meet at the town hall. I want to have everypony close together when we cast the spell, just in case we can't get the whole town."

Twilight made a beeline for the Library and burst through the door. Her sudden entrance startled Spike so much he fell over the bucket of water he was using to mop the floor, spilling it everywhere.

"Hurry Spike, get the Elements of Harmony for me!" she said. Twilight ran around her home, gathering a hoofful of personal items and writing materials, stuffing them in her saddlebag. 

When Twilight reemerged from the Library, Spike riding on her back and Elements in tow, the town was already buzzing with Ponies shuffling towards the town center. Several heads turned to look at her as she made her way, most of them curious ones. The Mayor looked most curious of all once she reached the town hall. Twilight explained briefly what had happened, first with Rainbow Dash and then the hasty plan she had.

Twilight had always been impressed with how quickly things could get done in Ponyville. True, it was a much smaller town than Canterlot, but gathering the entire town in just ten minutes would not normally be so easy. Then again, other towns didn't have Pinkie Pie.

"I told everypony in town!" Pinkie reported happily. 

"Good, thank you Pinkie. Can you help count everypony to make sure they're all here? Oh, and here's your element."

Twilight levitated the balloon shaped gem and latched it around her neck before the earth pony bounced over to Meadowlark and set to spotting faces in the crowd. Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy all sauntered up together, the latter with a passel of critters following her. The cows, sheep, pigs, and chickens that lived around Sweet Apple Acres stayed at the edge of the crowd, effectively walling off the entire street. 

"I think that's everypony," said Applejack, grabbing her orange-colored Element and putting it on. Rarity levitated her own and Fluttershy's and fastened them both as Twilight put on her crown. Pinkie bounced over to join them while the Mayor explained to the crowd what was happening. Twilight noticed how she rather mercifully left out Rainbow Dash, though she figured many would guess. A Sonic Rainboom is visible from a long way off.

"Well, I counted everypony, so with the five of us we're good," said Pinkie, smiling broadly.

"Pinkie, their's six of us," said Twilight, laughing a little.

Wait....

"WHERE'S RAINBOW DASH!?" All five of them asked at the same time, while the red, lightning shaped Element glistening from the box.


- North American Air Defense - Cheyenne Mountain -


"IT'S BACK! Traveling at high speed bearing North North East!"

"Wow, that thing is fast!"

"No time for gawking! Order Peterson to scramble two jets to establish visual contact!"

"Yes sir!"

"And order them to standby to engage!"


- Rainbow Dash -


Ever since roughly halfway through Twilight's angry tirade, Dash knew that if anypony was going to fix this, it had to be her. So she had been turning over a plan of her own, and true to form it was absolutely crazy.

So here she was flying just a couple hundred feet above the city, much lower than before, swerving side to side to make sure she got all the attention to herself. She needed them to be looking up for this to work. She scanned the sky above for what she needed for the next phase, and found it floating high and lazily from the east: A big, white cloud.

What she was about to do she hadn't even tried since she was a filly in Cloudsdale....and in the only class Fluttershy actually had to help her with. Hope it works! she thought, she took a deep breath, yelled her battle cry, and dove in, tugging with all her might on a corner of the cloud.


- Gov. Kyle Looper - Falcon Stadium -


"Sir, I have to insist you go inside."

A member of the security detail tugged on the Governor's sleeve. Looper laughed when he noticed the young guard was also riveted on the sky, looking incredibly nervous. Nobody had expected any of this when he had made this trip from Denver to attend the graduation, and the poor guys in charge of his safety had no idea what to do. So when the first spectacular blast had happened they ended up staying in the stadium with only a portion of the newly graduated kadets, the armed guards, and his hapless secretary left behind.

The Governor shook him off but decided to appease him by at least heading back under the stands, though he stayed in a place where he could see the object as it soared through the baby-blue sky. He lost track of the rainbow-streaked blur as it flew near a cloud. He expected it to emerge on the other side, considering how fast it had been moving, but was stymied when it didn't.

Looper started looking all over the sky for it, not sure where it could have gone, and started to feel a little worried about what would happen next. Movement in the corner of his eye drew his attention back to the cloud. The cloud was changing shape rapidly and totally unnaturally.

Part of it was stretching long and straight before it was separated and another one was made parallel to it. The streak reappeared briefly as it crossed straight across both of the lines. The cloud seemed to drag with it, drawing a line of cloud that connected them.

Governor Looper blinked in surprise. It was an unmistakable 'H,' a little rough but written in block letter better than any skywriter could. It didn't stop, the huge cloud was being carved in a way that he hadn't even thought possible. Even more impossibly, the sky letters were holding. 

H....E....L....P......U....S.

Holy Crap he thought, completely stunned at the message and wondering who, or what, could possibly write it. Looper was so fixated that he nearly fell over in surprise when two jets roared overhead. Two F-22's streaked in the air towards the cloud message, and even the most pedestrian of viewer would be able to tell that they were armed.

"Son, I think it's time we go," he said to the anxious guards, new possibilities dancing in his head. Such fantastic possibilities that he couldn't stop smiling.


- Rainbow Dash -


Dash heard the flying machines a long time before they were even close to where she rested, lying on the bend of the 'U.' Cloud writing was as challenging as ever. Not because it required effort, but because if anypony had ever seen her writing both on paper and in the sky they could testify that it was terrible, so getting it as legible as she did was a workout in its own right. She also had thought about a better phrase, but she didn't want to push her luck for time, or for having enough cloud.

She slipped off the cloud, letting gravity give her a boost as she plummeted towards earth but otherwise coasting. She didn't want to outrun them. Just the opposite in fact. Rainbow had hoped they would send the jets up to meet her and, though these ones looked different with a lot more fins, it was just like she hoped. She pulled up well before the ground, going fast enough that her contrail was easily visible. 

As she leveled out she was disappointed when they hung back from her instead of coming closer. It clicked in her mind that she realized they were scared that she would "explode" again. She laughed out loud just thinking about it. She had never once ever thought about the Rainboom as a weapon before.

Rainbow Dash flared her wings as an air break, stopping almost instantly. The jets blasted by on each side of her, their air displacement blowing her forward and then even more violently backward, nearly causing her to spin out though she had been stopped. She recovered quickly though, and shot forward, and just as she was about to slip right between them when she got an even better idea. Well, it was good in her head.


- Lt. Katie Sanders - 


"Where'd it go?"

"We lost visual, say again, we lost visual."

Lt. Sanders couldn't believe it. Not only was this thing fast, it could practically stop on a dime, not to mention could apparently deliver a high-speed shock wave. She looked wildly around as they banked right, trying to find it again but the sensors were proving useless. According to them she and her co-pilot were the only two things in the sky. 

A tap on her cockpit window made her heart skip a beat with how tense she was. She almost got whiplash looking up, and nearly a brain seizure when she saw what was sitting, smiling and waving at her, on her plane.


- Rainbow Dash -


Oh, I wish I could see his face she thought with glee. She kicked off the back, rolling into position right between them and matching their speed. She could tell both the fliers were staring at her, so she glanced at each of them turn and gave them the same "well, let's go" look. They either didn't get it or under those masks they were both stuck with the same dumb face that the Burgesses had when Twilight showed up on the back doorstep.

So, the pulled the paper that she had tied around her back ankle off and unrolled it, edging closer to the jet that she had landed it on. Before she had taken off from Ponyville, she had drawn in big, black letters a single sentence. She had taken it word for word from the only book with aliens she had ever read, which was also the only Daring Do book she didn't like. "Take me to your leader."

She glided back to the middle of the formation and waited for them to react. Finally they seemed to get the message, and slowly turned to the south. Dash stayed right with them as they approached a huge area with massive strips of land that looked cut out and oddly arranged. 

The jets descended towards the strips and began to slow down. So this is where they land. Must be one of those bases they were talking about.

Dash followed the jet that continued on to landing as the other one peeled off. Seeing a group of people not far from the long strip near a tall building with a tower, she turned and landed with finality on the grass about 50 paces from them. A few wore shirts that reminded Rainbow Dash of the dress uniforms the Wonderbolts wore, while the rest were dressed in camouflage green armor and carrying long, black objects that didn't take an egg-head to know were weapons.

Rainbow Dash felt her nerves get tense as she began to slowly approach the group. This was going to be the tricky part of her whole plan. She had considered asking Twilight about exact words, but had decided that her friend would probably tie her down to a rock if she had even suggested this plan. Or maybe banish her to the deepest, darkest cave she could find. 

A tall human, who had very brown skin and was wearing one of the dress uniforms, stepped forward to meet her, some of the green-clad soldiers flanking him and watching her with caution. Out of her peripherals she could see dozens more coming around behind her and pointing those black weapons at her.

"What are you?" he said. The human stood very tall, and had a very hard expression on his face. Rainbow Dash kept a stony expression of her own, her brain officially in self-protection mode with all the soldiers around slowly creeping up. She had a serious urge to fly again and it wouldn't take much to kick off again. 

"You have invaded sovereign American airspace, so I will ask again: What are you and where have you come from?" he demanded. Dash wasn't sure she liked this guy.

"So, I signal for help and this is how you respond? Wow, even griffons aren't that touchy," she spat. The soldiers all crouched at the ready when she sounded that forceful. She had to be more careful, so she sat down. She still kept her wings open though, ready to flee at a moment's notice. Rainbow Dash had to believe that, bluff or not, there had to be some truth behind the fears that David had a couple days before.

"Your 'signal' nearly knocked five planes out of the sky and caused national panic," the human responded, raising one hand to signal his troops. Dash noticed that they relaxed just a little but were very much at the ready.

"Where I come from, a Sonic Rainboom is something I do to celebrate," she said evenly. "I was trying to get your attention, not spin out your planes."

The human regarded her skeptically, and Dash couldn't help but wonder if the guy ever smiled for how natural his scowl looked. He didn't speak for what felt like several minutes. The sun was starting to feel really hot just sitting there with no cover, and the humidity kept dropping which only seemed to make things hotter. 

"Why are you here?" he finally said. 

"I already said," she stated, pointing a hoof up at the fading letters. "We need help."

"Who is 'we?'" 

"Me and my...friends. We ended up in this world by accident and we have no idea how to get home," she explained. Rainbow Dash held back the word "town" for now. She won't start trusting them until they trust her, and she could tell that the human understood that.

"Look, can you help us or not? The humans we talked to seemed to think so," Rainbow Dash said impatiently. While not exactly true, she did know they had planned to reveal Ponyville eventually, so there had to be some good reason. The human looked a little taken aback at her words. She had struck a nerve somewhere.

Another human came striding up, carrying a small, black, boxy object and handing it to the first human. He put it up to his ear and stood there staring at her and saying short replies seemingly at random. And they say I'm crazy.

The human finally gave the little box back to the other one and took a step forward before saying, "I've been ordered to escort you to the main installation. Are you willing to comply?"

"What for?"

"It appears that our...leader...wishes to speak with you," he explained. Rainbow Dash started to breathe easier. That was exactly what she had been looking for.

"Of course, lead the way," she said with cavalier enthusiasm. The humans with weapons took a loose formation around her as she made to follow. Each and every one of them had either the same nervous or stunned expressions, and looked a little jittery standing so close to her. This is going to be way too easy she thought as she walked, and she slowly constructed what she would say to their leader. Twilight was going to be very surprised.


- Asher -


Asher sat completely lost in thought in the front yard, his back up against an old, lone pine tree. He wondered about a lot of things, the first being what was taking so long for the government to figure out an entire town of aliens was practically at their front door. He also wondered if those "Elements of Harmony" had worked out for Ponyville, but was too put out to go look. Besides, there hadn't been any noises like thunder or anything of that nature so far as he could see, so that likeliness was low.

Another was his own future. What will they charge me with, I wonder? Would treason be plausible to them? Harboring illegals? Asher had a very loud and very disheartening discussion with his family, with them doing most of the yelling. Well, he did deserve it. He had taken a bad situation and let it become a horrible situation. So he ended the discussion by saying, "I'll take all the blame. Pretend you know nothing," and walked out the front door. That had been an hour ago. Once or twice a sibling came out, trying to get him to come inside urgently, but he yelled at them without letting them talk to force them back into the house.

And the last thing that wondered through his mind was, crazy as it sounded, the most interesting of them all. He solid wall in his mind that had been there ever since he was in Elementary school had begun to crack. He found himself believing, just a little bit, in magic. It was more like his mind had finally given up on trying to explain these ponies. The telekinesis, mentions of things like teleportation, use of "powerful gems," and finally the straw that broke the camel's back in two: the Sonic Rainboom. Magic just simply made more sense than science right now, and Asher had spent most of the last hour having a one man debate about it.

The distinctive sound of a helicopter snapped him out of his thoughts. He searched the sky and finally found the source, which actually turned out to be several helicopters. From this vantage point he could also see the road, where a long train of large vehicles was slowing down before turning into the family's driveway. Well, here they come.

Asher was surprised that he felt so nonchalant. Perhaps worrying about it for the last two hours had knocked it all out of his system. He stood up and leaned against the tree, adjusting his ball cap as per his habit, and watched as the choppers zoomed low overhead and as the vehicles approached.

His entire countenance of self-imposed calm was almost shattered when he realized who was leading the vehicles up the road, instead staring in open disbelief. There, flying at windshield height and looking pleased as punch, was Rainbow Dash smiling broadly. The rainbow-maned pegasus flew quickly and landed next to him as the humvees and trucks pulled to a stop.

"Act cool, I basically told them we were lost aliens trying to send a signal for help because we got sucked into another dimension and they sent me representing the Princess Twilight Sparkle when we saw that we scared them, and oh yeah, I told them you helped us out a lot and that we are super grateful and so we made you an advisor," she said at motormouth pace comparable to Pinkie Pie before the soldiers had even gotten out.

"Wait, what?" 

Three people walked directly up to them while several of the soldiers spread out. Two of the people he didn't recognize: One a black man in a well decorated officer's uniform, and the other a woman with sharp eyes and glasses wearing a very formal skirt and blouse. The third one, a tall, balding, and slight man, Asher recognized from many a news report: Governor Looper. 

"You must be Asher Burgess," the Governor said, extending his hand. Asher hesitated for a second but kicked his brain into gear, grabbing the outreached hand. "On behalf of the people of Colorado and the United States, I thank you for your strong and upstanding representative action towards the people of Equestria."

Wait, WHAT? Asher was still trying to catch up. He wasn't going to jail yet. He was being praised by the Governor of Colorado. The freaking Governor! A new spark lit up inside and started everything up again: the game was so on. A Texas-sized grin spread on his face as Asher gave his best handshake.

"It was nothing," he said, new confidence surging. His original plan had involved politicians, and here was one that had landed on their lap willingly. 

"You should be proud, according to Rainbow Dash here you were the first to make contact, and you did so saving one of their young," the Governor continued. Well played Dash, well played. Asher stole a little glance at the pegasus, who had a satisfied smile that bordered on a smirk. 

"I also understand they appointed you their adviser for the duration they are here. I look forward to working with you," Governor Looper added.

Okay, this is starting to make sense.  he thought with another cursory glance at the pegasus. 

"So what happens now?" asked Asher. Another helicopter in the sky grabbed his attention for a moment, and at a glance he could tell it was a news chopper. Down the driveway, the unmistakable cables and dishes of a news van had dozens of people milling around it. They weren't going to keep it a secret? Interesting move. Looks like the Governor knows that it's an election year.

"We have been asked for asylum by our esteemed visitors and their displaced town, and for assistance in returning home," it was the General who explained. "We will also be providing protection."

Asher nodded in grateful approval, though he couldn't help but notice the woman was throwing daggers with her eyes. Whoever she was she didn't like him one bit. He could also tell the general was suspicious as well. Asher would have to step carefully.

"Well, her Highness will be waiting," said Rainbow Dash in a very regal voice. It sounded downright unnatural coming from her, but hey, whatever works. As the men stepped back and started moving towards the house Asher whispered, "What exactly did you say to them?"

"Oh, a few truths, a couple lies, ya know," she whispered back. The pegasus took off again and started flying slowly around the house and to the north. Asher made to follow them after the General and Governor did, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see the woman glaring him.

"Yes, ma'am?" asked Asher innocently. 

"I don't care if that self-righteous, idiot of a governor thinks you did a good thing," she snarled in a whisper. "In my book you are a traitor for hiding this, and you should be in Leavenworth for a long time! I got my eye on you, Asher K. Burgess, and if you so much as toe the line again, I can make some very powerful people question your loyalty to your nation."

"Thank you for your concern, ma'am," said Asher through clenched, but smiling, teeth. He turned and decided to duck into the house to explain to his family what was happening. To his surprise they weren't too surprised at all, pointing him to the news and the internet where Rainbow Dash's newest exploit was documented. On screen a live shot of Ponyville from above by the news chopper was playing, with the banner "Town From Another Dimension: Governor makes contact with friendly race" running below while an excited reporter babbled on about, "The greatest story since the wheel."

His head spinning with his new chance, Asher ran to the back door to follow the soldiers to Ponyville, yelling as he did so, "By the way, I think I just got a new job."

He practically ran to Ponyville, far too interested to miss anything.


- Twilight -


The loud sound of the helicopters circling around the town was almost enough to make Twilight lose her cool again. They had searched all over town for Rainbow Dash and no one had even seen her since they got back. And now, the humans had found them and they were totally unprepared. She started giving instructions for all the ponies to gather in the middle of town again, to get ready to defend themselves if they had to.

She started to worry about Rainbow Dash as well. Maybe she had tried something crazy and had been captured, or perhaps just run away? Either case felt like it would be her fault, considering how much she had raged at her.

"Princess Twilight! I can see a bunch of them coming this way!" that was Thunderlane, who was still looking to the south from this vantage point.

"Okay, everypony. Just keep calm and we'll take care of this," said Twilight. Her stomach was doing somersaults as she contemplated all the worst case scenarios. Some of them were ridiculous and she knew it, but it was amazing what the imagination can convince you of in a potential crisis.

The next couple of minutes seemed to last an eternity. The helicopters above didn't get too close but there were now at least four circling around them. Twilight stood at the front of the ponies, her friends on either side of her, as they faced the south street. All around she could sense that there was a lot of movement, which she assumed was humans surrounding them. From the rise a large group of humans appeared. Twilight gasped out loud, along with half the ponies around her, when she realized Rainbow Dash was at the front, leading them on. 

The pegasus flew ahead of the group and pulled up, hovering just above Twilight. She then started talking in a false accent that previously Twilight had only ever heard her use to make fun of ponies with, particularly Rarity.

"Presenting her Royal Highness: Princess Twilight Sparkle," said Rainbow Dash, sneaking a wink in her direction. Two humans, one with dark colored skin and both dressed very officially, stepped forward and bowed a little. A third, who looked like a female, didn't look so thrilled, but rather looked at her with suspicion.

"Greetings your Highness," the lighter one said. "I am Kyle Looper, the Governor of the State of Colorado, and it is my pleasure to welcome you to the United States of America."

Twilight didn't say anything, too overwhelmed by this new turn of events. Rainbow Dash, who was flying just above the humans, signaled her urgently to talk. She took in the human before her. He was tall and thin, and his head hair was balding. And his entire countenance just screamed "politician." 

"T- Thank you, Governor Looper," she stammered, suddenly glad she was still wearing her Element to look the part.

"We have been informed that you require assistance, and I am pleased to inform you that you will have all that you need," said the Governor. "Just tell us how we can help."

Twilight looked around, her mind still spinning, and she found Asher who had just walked up behind the other humans. He smiled, though he was out of breath, and made a hand gesture with his thumb close to his chest, a symbol that Twilight took to mean, "Good."

"I gratefully accept your offer, Governor Looper," she said with confidence. "Welcome to Ponyville."











BONUS - FAN ART



Should any of you get really really bored and should ever feel inclined to make fan art for some part of this story, I would absolutely love to see it. And if it's good, I'll put it up at the end of the chapters just like this. The following is one of my own creation. Nothing much, but I hope ya see why I wanted it to go this way.






> Chapter 5: Arbitration
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


- NBC -


"That's right Bill, as far as I can tell there appears to be a town of some kind in what used to be uninhabited forest land."

"Do you think this could be some sort of camp?"

"It's hard to say. From our vantage I really can’t tell much but it really just looks like an everyday village up here.”


- FOX -


"The real question is, is this really contact with an alien race or an elaborate hoax?"

"As incredible as it is to think or say, I think this is the real deal. If we look at this image right here, a still frame from a camera that caught the second incident, the object in question appears to have feathered wings and four legs. Not to mention drones aren't typically rainbow striped."

"How could something organic cause such a spectacular explosion?"

"Perhaps it was some sort of elaborate flare or an unknown tech that we..."


- ABC -


"Sandy, has there been anything that you have been able to dig up for us?"

"Governor Looper has made no official statement yet, and officials have presently kept the media essentially in the dark, promising to properly address it tomorrow morning. However, I was able to find some information on the family whose land has become the center of attention. The home and property belong to an Andrew H. Burgess, a retired businessman who moved his wife and five children here just a little under a year ago..."


- Asher -


Asher was tired in more ways than one as he drove the four-wheeler up the hill towards Ponyville. The sun was beginning to disappear behind the mountains to the west, finally signaling the end of one heck of a long, rollercoaster day.

The whole family was tired. Not long after Twilight was introduced to the over-zealous Governor, a couple of sharply dressed agents had walked him back to his home. There, he and his family were put through a briefing instructing them on how to deal with this. They wouldn’t be allowed to use the internet for the time being. They also would be required to stay on their land until they were cleared of any foreign pathogens, which made sense although Asher didn't really feel like telling them that they had already driven nearly to Monument. They would be allowed to go between Ponyville and their home to accommodate Asher’s hasty appointment as "Equestrian-Human Advisor" that had pretty much been made up on the spot when somebody brought it up with Twilight, but only during the day.

I still can't believe they actually went along with even that. Rainbow Dash was either a genius or just lucky, and Asher was more inclined to think the latter had more to do with it.

Watching the news was far more amusing than Asher ever remembered it being before. The still unconfirmed reports about what these "aliens" looked like, complete with really bad drawings, and what they wanted were mixed in with heated debates on how the administration should react. Social media, before they shut it off, was even funnier. Right now the number one trend was #Helpthem, filled mostly by passive socialites, bleeding hearts, UFO wackos, and a handful of seemingly rational people. The second was #EarthInvaded, mostly being passed on by passive socialites, bleeding hearts, UFO wackos, and a handful of seemingly rational people.

And don't even get started on what was on Youtube.

As he passed Applejack's picturesque barn and homestead, the noise of the helicopters circling above was finally dying away. The spotlights that almost all of them carried showed that most of them were probably news choppers, though they really wouldn't be able to see anything too different from their altitude unless they got really lucky. Also, it seemed like they were sticking to an imaginary line in the sky, which unfortunately seemed to be right over their house.

It wasn't until Asher reached Ponyville that it occurred to him he didn't have the slightest idea where any of them lived. After briefly confirming to the Guardsmen at the edge of town who he was passing the homes, most of which also seemed to double as businesses, telling most of them apart in the fading light was difficult enough. The town had a rather random layout, with hard-pounded dirt paths that could only be generously called roads occupying the space between all of them.

While his experiences of the last three days had made him at least semi-comfortable around a few of the ponies,Asher wasn't quite feeling up to walking up to random ones and asking directions. Besides, the ponies he did see out and about seemed a bit overwhelmed by the human presence surrounding them in the skies. Not to mention the National Guardsmen who were sure to be patrolling the perimeter of the town.

Asher considered turning back and seeing if he could find Applejack at the farm, but then he spotted one very flamboyant,ginderbread house-like structure that stirred a memory from two days before. Sugar-something, the store where Pinkie worked, and if the rest of the town was any indication, the hyperactive pony probably lived there too. He pulled his vehicle to stop and cut the motor, hopping off and jogging to the door.

Asher knocked on the door, which he noticed was split to make two doors and also that neither had a doorknob on it. Either they don't lock their doors or they can only open on the inside. At any rate, opening a closed door would have to be a challenge with hooves. Unless you got the telekinesis, or magic. Whatever they call it.

Both doors swung open slowly after a moment. A blue pony with a tall, swirled, pink mane answered, looking incredibly nervous. Her flank tattoo sported three cupcakes, and she was wearing what looked like a sort of frilly apron. She kind of looks like my aunt.

"Sorry to bother you," Asher said politely. "But I was looking for Pinkie Pie. She around?"

Before the pony could answer, a loud gasp erupted from inside, and a split second afterwards Pinkie had flung the door wide open exclaiming, "Ashie!"

The next thing Asher saw was a pink blur blasting out the door and tackling/hugging him. The force knocked him straight off the steps and sent him stumbling backwards as he tried to balance the top heavy weight. His effort was in vain as his back foot stumbled into the wheel of the Yamaha and both he and the clinging pony tumbled to the ground.

"Pinkie!" he gasped, surprised out how muscular she felt. He had noticed what could only be athletic builds on Rainbow Dash and Applejack, but Pinkie hadn't shown any particular signs of strength before now.

"Good to see you! You gotta come in! Come in!" Pinkie Pie grabbed him with both of her hooves and pulled him inside before he had a chance to say anything more. He had to duck to avoid taking a door frame to the head as she did so. The door was not even six feet tall, which made sense considering their size.

As decorative as the outside was, the inside of the shop looked more like a postcard of a candy shop in the forties. It had a very homely feel and the air smelled heavily of frosting and pastries. In fact it smelled a lot like that doughnut shop in Round Rock, Texas his family visited when he was younger.

"You gotta try some of these! Mrs. Cake made 'em fresh today!" Pinkie Pie swung in carrying a tray of very colorful cookies. Asher hesitated for a second. Part of him was saying it was a bad idea. Sure the apple had been fine, but who knows what goes in their baked goods? Though the other half really wanted to try that cookie, and frankly that voice was louder. Still a little winded from their spill, He picked out a blue one and took out a bite. It was pretty good, and even more remarkably tasted pretty much exactly like sugar cookies he's had before. The more of these parallels he found the spookier it got.

"It's very good Pinkie. I'll have to get you some of my Mom's homemade chocolate chip ones," said Asher through a mouthful as he finished if off. "I actually came wondering if you could help me find Twilight."

"Sure!" the pony said. "C'mon, she lives in the library!"

She zipped out the door without any hesitation, throwing it open as she went. Wow, she's energetic. Anne would really like her. Asher thanked the blue pony that had let him in, who was still watching warily from the other side of the room and ducked out the door after Pinkie Pie. Luckily he didn't have to look far for her; she was contentedly sitting on his red Yamaha with both hooves placed on the handlebars..

"Ooooh!" she awed. "Can it go fast?"

"Not too much but it's faster than I can run," he said, sliding onto it. As he did so Pinkie Pie immediately perched behind him, leaning over his shoulders to watch. He turned the start key and twisted the handle to get the engine going, to which the pony let out another "oooooooh."

She then clapped her hooves excitedly and asked, "Can I ride with you, please? It looks like so much fun!"

"Don't see why not," he replied. "Hold on tight."

The pony responded by wrapping her front hooves tightly around his midsection, robbing him of some breath as she cried out excitedly.

"Not...that tight...Pinkie," he wheezed.

"Oops, sorry," she said as she loosened her anaconda squeeze, letting Asher take a full breath in again. He shook his head to refocus and twisted the gas, the four wheels spinning before jolting them forwards.

"Alright, where to?"

"Just go that way! And go fast!" Pinkie exclaimed, pointing with a hoof towards the center of the town. "Wheeeeee!"


- Twilight -


Not even Canterlot had been this loud during the middle of the day. The spinning blades of the helicopters outside made for a constant and incredibly annoying noise that could be only barely muffled by closing all the windows. It was amazing how much sound becomes so aggravating after a long day. Asher had never said just how talkative some of them could be.

The last several hours had been spent talking with humans who wore expressions ranging from shell shock to suspicion, though most of the uniformed ones seemed to be experts at the poker face. Twilight had never received much practice at being a delegate of any kind, but had been plunged into a trial by fire. It had been tricky to say the least. Human faces may be different, but at least their emotions read the same, and Twilight paid close attention to every word she spoke.

She reaffirmed Rainbow Dash's display was a call for help that was misunderstood, playing along with the pegasi's explanation, but tried very carefully to make sure they didn't sound totally helpless. She still wasn't confident that she could trust their intentions, especially with how the Governor’s fast talk had reminded her so much of Flim and Flam. She didn’t think that he was trying to take advantage of them, but he did seem to have an ulterior motive. So she played the politics game with him, grabbing at every detail and skill she could remember from her social studies at the Academy.

When the last human finally left the common room of the library which had served as the conference locale, Twilight had reached what she thought a satisfactory agreement with them.

Their soldiers would provide "protection," as the humans put it, but for the most part they would stay out of the town. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that the protection went both ways. Asher’s brother had made it abundantly clear that the nearby city was important to the defense of their land, and Twilight didn’t blame them for being cautious. Honestly, Celestia probably would have done the same thing. Human scientists would soon arrive to assist her in understanding the way for them to return but for the most part contact would be regulated, again in the name of security. However, as per Dash's request, Asher would be allowed to enter at will.

Explaining her reasoning had been especially difficult, trying to sound as if they had been the ones who pleaded for both his help and secrecy and that the family had graciously gone along with it. The simple fact was, for now, that family was the only humans she really trusted, and that's who she wanted around. The human negotiators agreed, although more than one of them had seemed uncomfortable about it, particularly one sour looking woman, whom had briefly introduced herself as the Secretary of something or other, but didn't say much after that.

"Twilight, you okay?" Applejack prodded her as she slumped over the table. Her friends had stuck close beside her all day, even Fluttershy. For that matter, the Mayor was still present as well, with Meadowlark by her side taking notes faithfully. Only Pinkie had burst out of the room, apparently on a mission to learn every single human's name and invite them to a welcome party of sorts. Twilight had her doubts about how much success she was having.

"I'm fine," Twilight answered, though she kept resting her head on her hooves.

"I think you need to get some rest, darling," added Rarity.

"I'll say, she's hardly slept at all since we got here," said Spike. Twilight gave the little dragon a hard stare for revealing that, however true it was. Both previous nights had been quite restless, her mind refusing to go to sleep, and frankly she was probably in for another one despite how tired she was.

The door flinging open derailed her thoughts as Pinkie Pie bounded in.

"Come on! They're all in here!" she said, stopping in the middle of the room. Eyes as wide as a filly, Asher ducked inside the door looking around in awe at the humble library.

"Well, hiya Asher," Applejack welcomed. "What brings you up here this late?"

"Uh....just, uh, couple of questions," the human was barely acknowledging them.

"What? You never seen a library before?" Rainbow Dash asked, flying up to the ceiling to get his attention.

"Not one built inside a tree," he replied, shaking his head as he did so. "Is this thing still alive?"

"Well, the leaves still grow and get knocked off in the fall, so I guess it is," said Twilight. She hadn't really thought about it before, seeing as tree-houses like this weren't all that uncommon in old rural towns like Ponyville. It wasn't even the only one in Ponyville, Fluttershy's cottage coming to mind.

"Weird," Asher shook his head again and finally looked to all the ponies in the room. When he saw the Mayor and her assistant he stopped and introduced himself to them.

"So you're the one Princess Twilight has placed so much trust in, I am Mayor Mare. Pleased to meet you," the mayor said enthusiastically. Where does she get the energy to keep up the smile? thought Twilight as she watched her introduce Meadowlark. Twilight had a feeling she would continue to need the Mayor's help the longer they were here.

"So," said Asher, turning to Twilight. "Today was....eventful."

"You can say that again," said Twilight, standing up and striding to the center of the room. They simultaneously glanced at Rainbow Dash for only a second. Twilight could tell that he was sharing the same feelings of not knowing whether to still be angry or rather be grateful for what the pegasus did.

"So...I was wondering if you could answer something for me," said Asher, pausing as he adjusted his hat. "Just how in the heck do you shatter the light spectrum?"

Asher looked directly at Rainbow Dash as he asked that, who was still lazily hovering as usual. When Dash noticed, she started laughing.

"Don't tell me you've never seen a Rainbow before either?" she snickered.

"In my experience, rainbows don't explode, they're just light refractions," defended Asher.

"Yeah, the wimpy ones," Rainbow laughed, landing and rolling on the floor now. Fluttershy was also trying to conceal her own quiet laugh. It would be funny to the pegasi. Asher looked to Twilight, looking a bit put out at being laughed at for his question.

"Sorry Asher, Rainbow and Fluttershy grew up in Cloudsdale. Both of them probably learned how to make rainbows while in school. They're very important in the weather control process." explained Twilight. Asher looked unconvinced as he grimaced at the ponies.

"However, the Sonic Rainboom, as far as I understand it, is a rare physical manifestation of pegasus magic. It was just a legend until Rainbow Dash did it."

"So they have magic too, huh?" Asher looked at the ponies in turn with a studious expression. "That might explain the wingspan."

Rainbow Dash stopped laughing immediately and looked up at that. "Now waddya mean by that?"

Asher ignored the pegasus, instead asking another question, "So why did you make me an advisor? I don't think they were all that happy about having a civilian be given so much slack."

"Well, your family are the only ones we know here," said Twilight. "It makes sense to keep your allies close, don't you think?"

Asher was quiet for a few moments, appearing lost in thought. "Well....thanks."

"So, Mr. Advisor, I have a question for you," said Twilight. "What does Ponyville do now?"

A look of mild surprise spread on his face when she asked, followed by a smile.

"Remember all that keeping secret and hidden stuff?" Asher straightened his hat again. "Forget all of it."

Twilight saw Rainbow Dash brighten up at that, and Asher noticed.

"Except for that, Rainbow Dash," he said. "As cool as it was, don't do that again. Please."

"Don't worry, she won't," said Twilight, giving a meaningful glance at Rainbow Dash. The pegasus sank to the floor, looking a little crestfallen. As far as Twilight was concerned, Rainbow wasn't out of the woods yet.

Applejack asked next, "Does that mean we should take all the leaves off the roofs now?"

"Yep," answered Asher. "I think you should live how you're used to. Just like you belong here."

"So I can throw a party!?" Pinkie Pie bounced up with excitement.

"Only if I can come," joked Asher as Pinkie literally jumped for joy. "Also, if I am remembering right the pegasi usually manage your weather, right?"

"Yep. I still can't see how you have managed to live without it," answered Rainbow, with a few of the others nodding in agreement. Twilight also wondered how they managed to grow crops effectively when they didn't know when rain would come or if winter was unpredictable. Maybe that was why they were at least partially carnivorous.

"Okay. Do that too. Basically, anything you consider normal just keep doing," explained Asher. "And be a little patient with us, some things are gonna take time for us to get used to.”

"Like magic?" asked Twilight. Asher looked a little sheepish again, signaling to Twilight that this was a sort of self admission of belief.

"Um, well...yeah. Still, live like you normally do but warn everyone that humans might react a little strangely to it," said Asher sheepishly.

"I think we can handle that," said the Mayor, Meadowlark still faithfully taking notes of the entire conversation like it was a court case. Twilight said their parting pleasantries as the Mayor and assistant walked out into the darkening evening.

"Time to party!" Pinkie Pie yelled suddenly, pulling out her party cannon and discharging it. Twilight braced as the confetti onrush blew past her. Asher, who was standing somewhat downrange of it, jumped out of the way like a frightened cat, ending up leaning against the bookcase with an intense alertness.

"Believe it or not, that's normal," Twilight said, snickering a little. Asher looked from her, to Pinkie, and to the suddenly decorated side of the library as Rainbow Dash collapsed into another fit of laughter along with Applejack while Rarity and Fluttershy politely tried to stifle their own.

"Warn me next time!" he finally blurted, starting to laugh along as he relinquished his grip on the bookcase. "And I wouldn't do that around a soldier before warning them."

Twilight nodded as Pinkie Pie bounced around happily, mentally noting to remind the pony in case she didn't quite hear it. Twilight yawned as her fatigue caught up with her once again, an odd interruption in the giddy energy of the room. To say she was feeling completely calm would be lying, but she was beginning to feel a lot more at ease. Ultimately, she still had her friends around her even if she didn't have Celestia to rely on.

I just need to take it one day at a time, and learn as much about this world as I can in the meantime she thought as she watched Pinkie try to coerce a protesting Asher into dancing. And we were lucky enough to have found somepony willing to help us.

"Asher," Twilight called for the human's attention. He looked at her for a moment before walking over, looking grateful to be rescued from Pinkie Pie's pleas. "Do you have any books about your world I could borrow?"

"Hmm..." Asher trailed off as he thought about it.

"I just want to get some context," Twilight explained. "You know, history, science, things like that."

"I think we might have some old textbooks that might be useful, but I'm not sure if we sold them or not," said Asher. Twilight couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. Books were her go to, and without the chance to learn more her old vice of falling into frustration at a lack of knowledge was creeping back up. If only she could use....

"I know what you’re thinking, but sorry they cut off the internet," said Asher forelornly. “But I think I can find something.”

“That would be really helpful,” Twilight said. She supposed she couldn't ask for more, considering going down to the Burgess home would probably prove more aggravating to the human leaders than what it was worth.

"No problem," said Asher. "But I still get to ask you questions right?"

"Of course," replied Twilight with a nod. Her mind had already been kick started about how to explain magic to a being with little concept of it, and it would be a entertaining challenge.

"Hey! If you're bringing up that egg-head stuff, can you bring up some movies too?" Rainbow Dash cut in to the conversation, her question affirmed by Pinkie Pie from the other side of the room.

"Um..." Asher mumbled as he thought. Twilight didn't let him answer.

"Just a minute, Rainbow, we need to talk to you," said Twilight in an authoritative way. "I thought of your punishment."

"What!?" she protested loudly. "C'mon, even after -"

"Yep," Twilight cut off. "Dash, it was both brave and good of you to fix it like you did -"

"I'll say," remarked Asher lowly.

"But the fact is we only got a mess to fix because you didn't think carefully the first time, and both of your big ideas today were very reckless and foolish," Twilight lectured. Rainbow Dash sighed and slowly sank to the floor, folding her wings.

"Not to mention you managed to scare the bejeebers out of those stunt pilots," added Asher. "And pretty much the rest of the country."

"So, until further notice...." Twilight paused, almost entirely for the dramatic effect that Dash seemed to live for. "You have to be my personal attendant."

Pinkie Pie let out a loud gasp followed by a poignant silence.

"What?" she asked as everypony stared at her.

"Ooo-kay, so what does that mean?" asked Rainbow Dash, turning back to Twilight.

"You have to go where I go at all times, carry my stuff, go with me to any meetings, stuff like that," said Twilight with a mischievous smile.

"Oh come on! That stuff is way too boring!" Rainbow complained.

"Exactly," affirmed Twilight. "You still need to do the weather but when you're not, you're following me."

"What are you laughing at?" Rainbow Dash snapped at Applejack, who was having a really hard time concealing her snickering. Finally the dam burst and she started cackling loudly.

"Can you imagine?" she laughed, laying on the ground and pounding the floor with one hoof as she did. "Rainbow Dash a secretary?"

"Hmm. I could make you a blouse collar," Rarity said, both laughing and sounding deadly serious at the same time. Rainbow Dash recoiled at the thought of such a horrifying fate as having to wear one. She threw a desperate look at Twilight, who decided to be merciful and shook her head slightly to show that she wouldn't have to.

"I'll bring some movies up, and if there's time we can watch it on the laptop," said Asher, who was also taking a little mercy on the pegasus. Twilight didn't intend to drag Rainbow Dash with her for too long, but she needed to do something. But knowing Rainbow, she'd really already learned her lesson and they probably had at least a few weeks before she tried something over the top again. Such is the cycle of life in Ponyville.

"I'll say this Rainbow Dash," Asher said. "What you did today was crazy, reckless, and should have never, ever worked."

"Thanks. That was pretty cool," he finished. "I'm just glad the hard part's over."


- Swiss Alps, Near the German Border -


Firetail rose to his feet, completely bewildered as he looked around at the barely familiar landscape. The mountains were there, but they didn't look the same, even in the dim moonlight. Was that storm really so bad that it could change the land itself? He started backing up out of fear. Getting nervous was not his thing, and it was a rare feeling that was only serving to make him mad.

He turned around as he scanned his surroundings. A cold wind brought strange smells along with it. And one smell that was conspicuously absent.

In a panic he turned and entered the cave behind him. The storm didn't take those too did it? The cave was smaller than before, but it was also dark, damp, and empty. Furious he stomped back outside and spread his wings in all their glory.

And he roared. A pillar of flame erupted into the sky as he did so, lighting up the night sky.

"WHERE ARE MY GEMS!??"


- Asher -


Asher walked up the hill towards Ponyville as the morning sun began to bathe the landscape in its soothing light. Not wanting to take any chance at disturbing any of the ponies that would still be sleeping, Asher had parked his transportation with the Guardsmen standing just outside the apple orchards. Besides, he probably needed the exercise, and his backpack wasn't any heavier than it had been at school.

As he passed the Apple homestead he wasn't all that surprised to see that Applejack was already up and about, as were a couple of others. Deciding that he didn't have to rush, he decided to stop by.

"Mornin' Asher!" the pony greeted him brightly. "It's lookin' like a beautiful day."

"Sure is," he replied, trying hard not to let her accent become contagious. "Colorado is usually pretty good about that."

As they talked the smallest of the ponies strode over next to Applejack. She was yellowish in color with a soft red mane and tail, but the things that stood out the most were her red-auburn eyes and the huge, pink bow she wore on her head. He also noticed that she, like Scootaloo, didn't have a tattoo yet. Applejack put one hoof around the little one in a sort of side hug once she stopped beside her.

"This here's Applebloom, she's my little sis," she said. Welp. She's adorable. Better make sure I'm around if Anne ever sees her because she might hug the little thing to death.

"Pleas'd to meet ya!" Applebloom's accent was even thicker than her sister's. This led Asher to wonder if they were originally from Ponyville, seeing as how none of the others shared their drawl.

"And that there's Big Macintosh, though we just call him Big Mac," Applejack continued, pointing a hoof to Asher's left.

"He's our big brother," chimed in Applebloom.

"Eeyup."

Big was an understatement. Asher involuntarily blinked in surprise at just how huge this pony really was. He was nearly a foot taller from hoof to head than the other ponies (though still a few inches below chin level on Asher), and his red body both larger and more muscular than any Asher had seen yet. His mane was cut shorter in a more masculine style, and, keeping with the theme of being huge, his massive, green apple tattoo covered almost all of his hind flank.

"And this is Granny Smith," Applejack finished, pointing at another smaller pony walking towards the little gathering. Well, more like limping. The light green pony was obviously very old, her skin sagging and her face wrinkled. She had the exact same eyes as Applebloom, showing that they were most certainly related. Her mane was also white and tied in a short bun, completing an aged grandma look that couldn't be missed no matter the species. Her tattoo was still surprisingly clear, a pie of some sort, so either they renewed them or the inks they used were truly impressive.

"Good to meet you, er, Granny Smith," Asher wasn't sure if that was her name or just an endearing title, but he went with it.

"So yer the one causin' all of the hullabaloo in town," she said, giving him a very scrutinizing stare. Asher, not knowing how to respond, ended up just standing there as she looked him over. Her gaze finally lingered on his hands.

"Betcha could pick up a tool mighty easily with them arms a yers," she said. "Maybe we'll have ta hire ya fer harvest."

And with that the old pony, whom Asher was beginning to think was a little senile, then promptly turned and walked crookedly back towards a small vegetable patch. Oh, I like her.

"Granny Smith was just a filly when Ponyville was founded," said Applejack, as she fondly watched the old mare start pulling weeds with her teeth. "She's seen an awful lot and knows just about everythin' about everythin'."

"Really?" Asher looked at her with a new-found interest. That could be really interesting to hear.

"Eeyup," said Big Mac proudly.

"Well, we gotta lot a chores to do and I'm sure Twilight'll be waitin' for ya," said Applejack, though not at all dismissively. Asher nodded and said goodbye to the four ponies as he continued up the hill again. He periodically turned back to watch as the little family went about their work. He thought he actually saw Applejack kicking a tree, though he wasn't entirely sure he could trust what he saw as he was already a good distance away.

It was the first pony family Asher had run into since this had all started, and they seemed to put as much emphasis on family as humans did, even with similar structure. Although, Asher found himself wondering where the second generation was and made a mental note to go back so he could meet their parents if they were around.

Walking into town for just the fourth time, it looked like a totally different place. All of the roofs and streets had been cleared so the town was back to its original look, but what made the difference was the ponies were out and about. Oh, and the helicopters in the distance as well.

The town practically felt alive, defying his previous impression of Ponyville being a sleepy, small town. They had really taken his advice to heart, it seemed, and Asher felt like a kid in a candy store as he watched them. There, an orange one with a curly mane was watering a garden, her hoof wrapped tightly around a water pail in a way Asher wouldn't have thought possible. A white unicorn farther down caught his attention, not just because she was wearing sunglasses but was rhythmically nodding her head like she was listening to music. Her eighth-note tattoo only added to his curiosity as to what that one did for a living.

By the time he reached the library, he had a mental catalog of several ponies that had piqued his curiosity, which, in all reality, was nearly all the ones he saw. So much so that Asher was beginning to wonder if maybe the town had a registry so he could learn their names at least. He'd never had much of a memory for names, but he had a feeling it would be a lot easier among this colorful species.

Twilight greeted him enthusiastically and invited him in, her energy level returned to its vigorous normality after the long day before.

"I take it you slept pretty good," Asher said candidly.

"Surprisingly, yes!" Twilight reported brightly as she pulled out her writing supplies. With her magic. He still was not quite used to it, no matter how much he wanted to accept it and get over it.

Asher swung his backpack off his shoulders and set it at the foot of the table. Ponies didn't appear to use chairs or stools too often, choosing instead to sit flat on the ground. This of course made the tables fairly short, coming up to just above his knees when standing. It kind of reminded him of kindergarten, or at least, what it was like when he would pick up his sister when he was in high school.

"I've been curious, do you have a map of your world?" Asher asked as he unzipped the pack and pulled out his laptop. “I’ve always wanted to see an alien world.”

"Be careful what you wish for. Spike! Could you find the atlas please?" Twilight called out. The little dragon, who was wearing a laced apron, complied right away and sped off to another room of the library.

As Asher pulled out his own writing materials he asked. "So, how did you end up with Spike?"

"Well, for my entrance exam I was supposed to hatch a dragon egg," began Twilight. "So when I did, Princess Celestia gave him to me to raise. He's been my assistant ever since."

Right on cue, Spike waddled over carrying a book almost as big as he was over his head. "Here you go! And the pancakes will be done in a jiffy! You want some?"

“No thanks, I already ate breakfast,” waved off Asher.

"Thank you Spike, couldn't ask for better," praised Twilight. The purple dragon looked very pleased with himself and made his way back up a small staircase. “I thought you couldn’t get the internet.”

She pointed at the laptop as he typed in the log in password.

“I don’t. But I can still use it to type and store information,” said Asher. “Plus it plays movies should the need arise.”

Asher had more or less randomly selected a few DVD’s, though he did exchange one of them before he did so. After the random grab he decided that Spirit would be just a little bit awkward and exchanged it for the Sandlot. Baseball would be far easier to explain.

Behind them, the front door opened, and Asher turned to see Rainbow Dash fly low and slow through the opening followed by a bouncing Pinkie Pie and Anne. Wait...

"Anne! What are you doing up here?!" Asher blurted. It wasn't anger, more just surprise.

"I walked up here, duh," his sister replied sarcastically. At eleven she was already a master at being a smart alec.

"Does Mom know?" he asked automatically, never minding the other obstacles like National Guardsmen and potential hazards like mountain lions in the mile or so between the house and Ponyville.

"Duh," Anne said again, busy bundling her blonde hair into a ponytail as if nothing was amiss. "C'mon! Pinkie Pie promised to show me everything!"

“I – eh – how did – did the soldiers just let you through?” Asher stammered.

“Told ‘em I was just going to give you a message and that I’d be right back,” she replied impatiently. Oh, great. Lying to a federal officer; that’s just fantastic.

Asher just plain didn't know how to respond. His sister was far more impulsive than he was and didn't seem to be scared of anything, though that always made Asher nervous she would do something stupid one day. Sorta like Rainbow Dash actually.

"O-Ok, just don't.....do anything dumb," he ended up stammering. Why do I get the feeling Mom's gonna kill me later?

"Great!" Pinkie Pie cheered. "Let's go! We're gonna go stop by the Cakes, then maybe we'll go to Fluttershy and see all the cute bunnies...."

Pinkie's to do list faded as she bounded out the door with Anne quickly following her out. She's standing in a town from another world which is surrounded and she doesn't even seem remotely fazed.

"Your sister's pretty cute," remarked Twilight. "She kind of reminds me of the Cutie Mark Crusaders."

"The what now?"

"Oh, just a little club that Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Applebloom have," said Twilight, simultaneously rolling her eyes in a sort of exasperation and chuckling a little. "They're always running around doing all sorts of crazy things."

"You know, maybe I should go with them," interjected Rainbow Dash from the side of the room. Twilight gave her a look, to which the pegasus responded, "Hey, if you think Pinkie Pie won't get her into anything too crazy, then it's fine by me."

"And you're gonna be the voice of reason?" Twilight said skeptically, voicing exactly what Asher was thinking.

"Just sayin' it's Pinkie Piiiie," Dash said, singing the last word to give emphasis. Rainbow Dash then promptly laid on her back and crossed her legs like she just didn't care either way. A classic tactic, but all too effective. Twilight and Asher both sighed at the same time.

"Ok, but bring them back soon," said Twilight.

"Got it!" Rainbow Dash shot up a foot or so in the air, saluted, and streaked out the door practically before she was done talking. The wind shear from her wings whipped up some of Twilight's papers, spreading them all over their side of the library.

"And in one piece!" Asher yelled after her. "She never slows down, does she?"

"Only for an afternoon nap or two," said Twilight, laughing a little as she said it.

"Anyways, let's look at that map," said Asher, changing the subject. He reached over to the comically oversized book. It was a beautiful hardbound book that was just as heavy as it looked, and the cover was ornately decorated with gold leaf. He flipped it open and was rewarded right away with a map labeled "Modern Equestria."

"You have a map for me?" Twilight inquired, looking on expectantly.

"Oh yeah," Asher reached into the backpack and pulled out an atlas of his own, which he had found under the couch of all places, and set it in front of the pony. She eagerly flipped it open with her hoof and leaned over it, prepared to siphon all the information out of it.

Equestria was a large nation that much was apparent. It was easily the size of greater North America judging by the scale. But then, that was the really crazy thing. For as to its shape, the map was as if someone asked a 3rd Grader to draw what they thought North America looked like. Not exactly like it, but just enough that it was somewhat recognizable.

Then there were the cities. A lot of them were more or less original to him, including the capital Canterlot and a huge city in the north called the Crystal Empire. But many of the rest were just downright scary. Manehatten, Baltimare, Seaddle? Are you kidding me? Winnyapolis, San Flanksisco, even an island chain to the west had a city named Horsolulu. Practically all of their major cities were essentially horse puns on their own. He was beginning to wonder if it was a joke.

"How are all your cities named after ours?" Twilight asked. That caused Asher to burst out laughing. Of course she would think that! She started laughing as well as she realized he had come to the same question, and they both returned to their reading as it died down. As Asher flipped the pages to more maps, he tried to look objectively but it was all too easy to look at their world through the lens of his own.

That's because the rest of the landmass was similar to Equestria, in that they mostly looked like a roughly drawn sketch of Earth. The only thing that was really different was the countries, and some of them engendered more curiosity than others. It was all too easy to reference his own geography. One continent, which was divided informally, took Africa's place and was named Zebrica, which led Asher to believe that perhaps at least some of the wildlife was the same.

The Iberian Peninsula was labeled "The Griffon Kingdom," which Asher was surprisingly unsurprised at the idea that there might be griffons in their world as well. Hey, they had dragons, so why not?

Speaking of which, there were huge swaths of the map that were simply labeled "Dragon Lands. Do not enter." The largest was in the middle of the largest continent, right where the Urals would be, but there were other sizable sections on the continent to the south of Equestria and another small section on Equestria's extreme northeast.

A nation that rivaled Equestria in size was just to the south of the largest Dragon zone, called Saddle Arabia. Another large one called Ghizou was to the east of the zone, with a long island running parallel its shore called Neighpon.

To the west was a smattering of nations sandwiched between the Griffon Kingdom and the Dragon Land. None of the names really jumped out to him: Cheval, Hackney, Cavallo (which was a long peninsula extending out just like Italy, except looking less like a boot and more like a horse's leg. Of course), though there was one called Neighway. Guess where that one was.

But perhaps most mysterious of all was a stretch of land nestled between Cavallo and Saddle Arabia, to the southwest of the Dragon lands. It was labeled "Land of the Tribes" and had a little note in parenthesis that said, "(Abandoned)." He wondered what the story behind that piece of land was, but thus far the only mention of tribes was in a brief history of Equestria. Turns out the ponies have had their share of troubles in the past.

Asher became absorbed into the reading, his thirst for knowledge finally finding somewhere to quench. The same could be said for Twilight, who was absolutely engrossed in a map of the United States, and was scratching notes at a mile a minute.

"By the way, they mentioned something about wanting me to 'appear before the media,'" remarked Twilight offhandedly.

"Sure, why not," replied Asher.

It would be several minutes before his mind actually processed what she said
> Chapter 6: Trending
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


- MSNBC -


"We are being told that within the next few hours a limited media group will be permitted beyond the barricades for a special news broadcast, where it is rumored that the apparent magistrate of the alien visitors will be introduced to the public. An unprecedented moment that will be sure to go down in history as-"


- FOX -


"- in response to questions about the correspondent's safety, officials have repeatedly affirmed that the risk is minimal at most. However numbers are being kept small as a precaution -"


- BBC -


"Rumors that the President will be there to meet the visitors are just that, rumors. It is expected that the White House will make a statement immediately following, in which many in London are hoping will include how the US intends to share any potential discoveries with the world -"


- ABC -


"- it is expected that Governor Looper, as well as Secretary Grant, will be in attendance. It is believed that this is in response to the massive public outcry demanding some answers, at the very least being shown who or what has arrived in the country unannounced. I strongly encourage our viewers to stay tuned as we will bring live coverage -"


- Applejack -


Gathering bushels of apples was the most relaxing thing Applejack had done in several days. Not that it was particularly easy for anypony, but rather it was more comforting. It was the most normal thing she had worked on since they had been zapped into this world. Applejack didn't let it on, deciding that pouting would be a waste of energy and time, but she really didn't like being here. She wanted nothing more than to be back home, and she was far from alone in that sentiment.

She casually bucked a tree full of golden delicious, knocking a portion of them cleanly into the bucket she balanced on her back. The good news was the soil hadn't thus far turned out any worse for her trees, and her orchards were as full and lively as ever. Applejack strapped the bucket to a pack with another one on the other side, and started walking towards the path for home.

Granny Smith had thought it'd be a good idea to make some special treats to sell today, thinking that a delicious distraction would help everypony forget the situation for a minute, and Applejack agreed. Nothing like a fresh apple fritter, or apple tart, to brighten your day.

The south orchards were the nearest to the barricades. Applejack had been watching them out of the corner of her eye ever since she had walked down that way. Not much happened. The humans mostly just stood around much like the Royal Guards did in Equestria, though at the moment there seemed to be a slowly gathering crowd. 

Applejack paused for a moment when she reached the path, taking advantage of the clear view. She had a small part of her that wanted to go and meet them like she always did with travelers. With her farm forming the entire southern and a good portion of the western outskirts of Ponyville, ponies coming to Ponyville on hoof often met a member of the Apple family before anypony else. Applejack had even begun to sort of pride herself on it.

But her past experience with Guards told her that they were not likely in the mode for conversation, so Applejack continued on her path back to the farm. She passed by Big Mac, who was setting up the frying pots, and ambled in through the kitchen door. She dropped the Apples onto the counter where Granny Smith was skillfully cutting them up.

Satisfied everything was well in hoof, Applejack walked back out the door to gather more ingredients from the cellar. She had to put on the brakes to avoid running into her sister, who skidded out of the barn carrying several tools, barely avoiding a collision with one another. 

"Sorry Applejack!" Applebloom said, spitting out the hammer she held in her mouth.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry with all them tools?" Applejack asked, though she did have a wild guess.

"Crusader's business!" Scootaloo buzzed out of the barn, her scooter towing a wagon full of many more supplies. Including most of the spare lumber, which made Applejack a little more than nervous. Last time they did that it involved fireworks, a catapult, and several damaged buildings. Including, ironically, the hardware store.

"I'm afraid to ask, but what are ya plannin' this time?" asked Applejack with a hint of dread. 

"Well, we got an idea from Anne!" Sweetie Belle added as she walked out, carrying four *gulp* wheels, and tossing them into the wagon.

"Don't worry, Pinkie's helpin' out!" Applebloom said quickly, reading her sister's concerned expression. 

"And Rainbow Dash!" added Scootaloo. Why does that not make me feel any better? 

"Gotta go! They're waitin' fer us!" Appleboom exclaimed. Before Applejack could protest, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle hopped onto the pile in the wagon and Scootaloo sped them off. At the top of the rise, Applejack could see her two friends, plus the human, who was only barely taller than them, waiting for the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

Maybe I'm worryin' for nothin' thought Applejack, trying to convince herself that this wasn't going to end in a trip to the hospital for somepony. After all, humans seem pretty handy when it comes to buildin' things. Who knows, it might be the safest thing they've done all year.

"Hey, Applejack!"

A voice from above drew her attention away from the fillies for a moment. There, the white and somewhat candy colored pegasus Blossomforth was waving to her as she descended to a soft landing nearby.

"Howdy do, Blossomforth?" Applejack greeted warmly.

"I'm pretty good," Blossomforth replied conversationally, stretching her wings a little. "Nice day today." 
Applejack gave a small 'Mmhm' of agreement before asking, "Say, ya out for a mornin' cruise?" 

"Princess Twilight actually asked if I'd come find you," said Blossomforth.

"Is everythin' alright?" Applejack’s tone showed a small amount of concern.

"I think so," assured Blossomforth. "She just said that she wanted to see you about something going on soon."

"Ok. Thanks, Blossom."

Applejack peeked in the kitchen and told Granny Smith she was heading out to town, and strolled off in that direction. As she crested the rise, Rainbow Dash flew lazily down from a nearby hill and came up beside her.

"Aren't you s'posed to be with my sister?" Applejack asked, her concern once again switched to the subject.

"Thunderlane just told me that Twilight wanted me to come back for something," explained Rainbow Dash, her tone very neutral. That's Rainbow: Always willing to help, but not necessarily with enthusiasm.  

"Besides, they'll be fine," continued Rainbow Dash, pulling a small loop in the sky to come back even with Applejack. "Pinkie Pie's got 'em."

"You were napping weren't ya," said Applejack, half teasing and half serious.

"No! Well, yeah, a little… But I was listening," defended Rainbow. "All they were doing was making a soapbox something or other. Tell ya, humans think some of the weirdest things are fun. I mean, what's so fun about soap?"


- Twilight -


"I thought 'the media' was like a council or something!" Twilight exclaimed again as they walked towards the town hall. "Why couldn't they have told me that it meant introduce yourself to the whole human world?"

"Hey! Take a deep breath!" Asher went down on one knee so he could look her straight in the eye, stopping her in her tracks. "It'll do nobody any good if you're panickin'!"

That's funny. His accent gets stronger when he raises his voice. The analytical thought served to calm her down at least a little. She tried to conceal that her knees were shaking as Asher stood back up.

"Twilight, you'll be fine, you always are," Rarity comforted. The white unicorn had shown up not long after Asher had enlightened her as to what the human officials had asked her to do, a welcome relief. She had even gone out to find ponies to go tell the rest of their friends. She didn't know if they would be able to stand next to her in front of the "media," but just having them nearby would be a boon to her confidence.

As if on cue with her thoughts, Rainbow Dash and Applejack trotted around a corner and Fluttershy appeared from another side road. 

"What's up, Twi?" Applejack asked as they joined the entourage.  

Twilight explained what was going on, with Asher adding what she didn't understand. Her friends were understandably surprised that they could do that, though for different reasons. Fluttershy, for example, looked downright terrified at the idea, while others....

"So you mean everyone on the entire planet will be able to see us?" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "That's awesome!"

"Not if you're the one talking!" snapped Twilight, the stress cracking her voice.

"You might be working yourself up a little too much," said Asher. "You won't actually be seeing them all. I bet no more than a dozen people will be actually there."

"And we'll be there to do whatever ya need," added Applejack, giving Twilight a sideways hug as they walked. All of them flashed smiles at her, even a still frightened looking Fluttershy. 

"Where's Pinkie Pie?" asked Twilight.

"She's still with Anne and the Crusaders," shrugged Rainbow Dash. "They'll be back soon I'm sure."

"Oh," was all Asher responded. It was hard to tell what he thought of that, but Twilight decided not to worry about it too much. Pinkie Pie was a little crazy, but she'd never let anypony get hurt, especially fillies. 

There was a buzz of activity around the town hall. Several humans were setting up what Twilight assumed were cameras, by their shape, though they were nothing like any camera she had ever seen before. There was also a plethora of other poles and gadgets that she couldn't even guess at. All were directed at a row of chairs and a podium including a microphone.

A couple of humans very smartly dressed, a contradiction to the others dressed a lot more like Asher and the uniformed soldiers standing like sentinels, noticed her and started walking in their direction. She noticed how they had all straightened up and continued to walk in a stiff manner, a habit Twilight realized was shared in Equestria whenever somepony was paying respect to royalty or a delegate. 

She recognized all three of them, one being the Governor, another being the General, and the last being the woman who still wore the same, very serious expression. 

"Your Highness," Governor Looper said, bowing his head slightly and smiling broadly. And I thought getting used to ponies calling me that would take a while. Twilight returned a small bow of her own, which her friends copied. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that Asher smiled a little bit as they did so, making her wonder what was so funny, but she shoved the question from her mind. She had more important things to focus on.

The Governor briefly explained what the plan was. Twilight was relieved to hear it would be short, and that most of the talking would be done by the Governor himself and the Secretary, apparently the woman, while she would only speak for the last minute or so. All they wanted was a brief introduction of sorts. Another set of humans got the Governor's attention, and all three of them turned and left the ponies.

"Wow, who's the lady, Ash?" Rainbow Dash asked, casually jumping into her usual hover. "I don't think she likes you much."

Asher exhaled a long breath before answering, with some level of chagrin on his face, "Oh.... just the Secretary of Defense."


- Asher -


He hadn't recognized the woman whose ire he had invoked the first time they met, but the news had informed him of the identity of his detractor. He only half understood why she had taken such a disliking to him. Even the General, whom he had expected to be grilled by, had been relatively passive towards him thus far. 

All he did know is that he was going to watch his step. It would do him no good to be in even more trouble with a member of the President's cabinet. 

Soon, the producers and camera people were signaling that they were just about ready to begin. Asher headed for the sidelines, glad that he wasn't in Twilight's position, and also glad because he was drastically under-dressed to warrant being referred to in any official manner. 

Twilight leaped up onto a seat that one producer directed her to and seated herself as best she could. The chair seat was smaller than the ones in the Burgess kitchen, so it looked like a little bit more difficult to situate herself. The tan colored Mayor also walked up from behind and found herself a spot on Twilight's right. Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rarity made their way to the sidelines, but when Rainbow Dash tried to she was stopped short, a purple aura freezing her tail in midair.

"Nope, Dash you're with me," said Twilight. The pegasus didn't look the least bit disappointed. In fact, Asher would dare say cautiously thrilled as she somersaulted with a little flourish and landed on the chair to the left. That's also when Asher noticed with glee that a handful of the news crew had seen the short exchange. Their slack jaws were the biggest giveaway.

"Were on in 10!" one producer called out from his position behind the cameras, this managed to snap them out of their stupors. Governor Looper, looking pleased as punch, took his place at the podium as the man counted down his fingers until he gave the thumbs up.

"Good Morning, America. I stand here today with the great honor of sharing with the people of the United States and the people of the world what may be the greatest moment in human history. An answer to one of our deepest questions about our place in the universe has been given..."

Looper went on for the next five minutes filled with rhetoric and a lot of flowery language, mostly saying how this moment will go down in history and dropping hints of the peaceful intent and the great possibility for learning that had presented itself. The Governor had asked that the cameras remain on him until Twilight would be introduced in order to build the suspense. Thereby, he was milking it for all it was worth, and all things considered Asher didn't blame him. Although, he could just hear the annoyed complaints of people watching this just wanting him to get on with it and show them what they wanted to see.

"...and it is with now with great pleasure I give you the Representative that leads our esteemed visitors, and I shall invite her to introduce herself.

The cameras all swiveled in unison to settle on the three ponies. Asher felt the butterflies in his own stomach, so he couldn't imagine what they were feeling. Luckily, all three seemed far more poised than he was. Why am I surprised? Two are politicians and Rainbow Dash is just about the opposite of shy.

Twilight slid off of her seat and spread her wings in a wide, reminding Asher of a very familiar image of his own country. The way the eagle's wings are spread on the seal. Mayor Mare followed suit as did Rainbow Dash, the latter of which was smiling very confidently. 

"Hello," Twilight began, looking straight at the camera without blinking. "My name is Princess Twilight Sparkle. Myself, and the citizens of Ponyville, are from the land of Equestria. We are grateful to the Governor , and the people of this nation, who have received us with nothing but warmth and hospitality. We feel we have seen only the best." 

Asher saw Twilight flick a small glance in his direction before continuing on, "I am sorry if our first attempt to contact you was misunderstood. Rainbow Dash meant no harm, and once again I appeal for your help as we try to find a way home. Thank you."

With that, Twilight folded her wings but did not sit down, instead looking to Governor Looper. He nodded and once again stepped to the podium. He gave a few short sentences about how the State of Colorado will provide all the support they can and more rhetoric about inter-species cooperation before he finally signed off.

Asher wished he could watch the anchors sort it all out, and wished even more that he had the internet. Things were about to get really interesting.

"Hi!"

Asher flinched and half spun around as Pinkie Pie greeted them in her usual way minus any tackle hugging. The pink pony happily bounced over to her friends to find out what had happened as Asher turned his attention to his sister walking down the street talking animatedly with the "Crusaders." 

"Yeah! And when we hit that bump!" Scootaloo was saying.

"We got some sweet airtime!" Anne finished. She was grinning from ear to ear, but as she got closer Asher noticed that she was covered in dirt and even some leaves. She was also limping ever so slightly from a pretty large raspberry injury on her knee. The three little ponies were also covered in dirt and who knows what else, though injuries weren't plainly obvious on their coats. 

"Anne! What the heck did you do?" Asher exclaimed. 

"We built a soapbox car!" Scootaloo answered.

"Though it didn't go so well," Sweetie Belle said, dusting some sticks out of her mane.

"We crashed," said Anne way too happily. Asher looked at her critically for a moment.

"Anne, when did you even learn what a soapbox car is let alone build one?"

"Well, I guessed," said Anne. "Applebloom and Scootaloo are really good at building stuff, so they put it together."

"I don't know what yer talkin' about," said Applebloom. "It fell apart at the end there."

"Yeah, but we almost made it!" Scootaloo added excitedly.

"I'm guessing that's what all the dust and blood is about," said Asher. "You know soapbox cars are usually meant for the road not off roading, right?"

Anne looked genuinely stymied for a second, "Really?"

"Yeah," snipped Asher, nodding with a touch of sarcasm. 

"That makes a lot more sense," said Sweetie Belle. "The rocks and trees made it really hard to steer."

"What the hay did they do?" Applejack had come up, and had obviously noticed the messy state of the young ones.

"Crashed a soapbox car," said Asher.

"A soapbox car? Rainbow Dash!" Applejack called out. The pegasus pretended not to hear, pretending to be super engrossed in the conversation with Twilight and the others. 

"C'mon, Anne," Asher said as Applejack shook her head and looked over own her sister and friends. "Let's go get a bandage on that knee. You know, most girls your age are playing with dolls or something like that."

"Most girls my age don't have my brothers," she answered slyly.

"Touche."

"Anne! You'll visit again soon, right?" Scootaloo called out as they walked away. "We have more crusading to do!"

"You bet!" Anne called back. Asher waved at Twilight

"Just what are they crusading for?" Asher asked as they made their way through the town.

"Cutie marks!" Anne said back. Asher raised an eyebrow at her, but didn't press for more. Besides, he wanted to go and turn on the news as soon as possible. Though there was much left that was still uncertain, Asher felt like a burden had been taken off his shoulders. Secrets were done with, and he wanted to enjoy every second of it. Things were looking up.


- Kempten, Germany -


Several hours later the transmission from America, it was still circling the globe nonstop, being translated into almost every language and the stunning images being seen by everyone who lived within 30 miles of a TV or computer. This idyllic German city was no different, the ancient town having been abuzz during the last hours of the day. Though at this point in the evening, most people were now in bed. The shops were closed and the streetlamps offered only dim light that fell on the white buildings all around.

For a town of 70,000, it was blissfully peaceful. However, a person still awake at this late hour, perhaps still surfing the internet or enjoying a late night read, may have heard the strangest cacophony of sounds. At first it would have been easy to mistake it for the wind, though anyone consciously listening may have found the rhythmic pulsing strange.

Not everyone would have heard the brilliant crash of glass and wood being splintered, only those nearest to the middle of town. They couldn't have known right away that it was Gebhard Moeslang, the local jewelry store, that had been the unlucky recipient of the carnage. 

But absolutely everyone, young and old, heard the un-earthly roar that raged through the air, sending chills and fear down the spine of all who heard it. A few brave souls ran into the streets, searching for the source. Immediately they raised the alarm, as obvious flames were billowing in part of town.

Firefighters rushed to the scene to find much of the block ablaze and the jewelry store completely destroyed and ransacked, while the street was torn up like it had been bombed. There was no obvious cause to the view of most. But to a handful of stunned citizens, who would spend much of the next days trying to convince people of the truth, they knew that what had caused the unusual destruction was straight out of the most terrifying of legends. 



- Celestia - Canterlot Castle -


It didn't matter how many times she looked, just the sight was enough to put the Princess into a state of disbelief, a place of mind she did not often experience. Living for over a millennium had a way a sapping the surprises out of life, but this was beyond anything she had ever seen.

The landscape was stripped bare of everything, even the grass, leaving a horrifying scar on the otherwise picturesque setting. It was all that remained of what was once Ponyville.  All they had to go on was a cryptic description given by the lone witness, the zebra Zecora who had watched from her Everfree home.

Celestia hadn't been this heartbroken since the early days of her reign when an entire town was lost to a volcano. She took the protection of her subjects very personally, but this one stung even more. She had lost her dearest student and close friend in the mysterious disaster.

"My sister."

Luna glided gracefully and landed with practiced ease next to Celestia, wearing a thoughtful expression filled with concern. 

"I have just received word from the scouts. Another storm was spotted," Luna said darkly.

"Another one!? But how is that possible?" Celestia exclaimed.

"I don't know, sister, but it has already passed. We have lost another village."

Celestia was about to ask where when, through all the shock, swirling emotions, and pain, a memory surfaced. A voice she hadn't heard for herself since before the birth of Equestria now echoed in her ears. A warning given on the darkest of days. Celestia looked at Luna, and the two alicorns realized that both had suddenly come to the same conclusion.

"Celestia, you don't suppose...."

"Yes, I do," she answered. Celestia turned to look at the brown earth in the distance.

Many emotions ran over them both as memories continued to flood through their minds. But the most prevalent of all feelings was fear. A fear deep rooted in nightmarish stories that Celestia and Luna hadn't heard since they were small. She could only hope that the saviors of those stories were real, and that they were ready.


- Just North of Lake Chelan, Washington -


Tony Beddingfield loved coming here. It was such a good fishing spot for one. Behind him, McAlester Mountain and Reynolds Peak loomed majestically in the fading sunlight as the peaks surrounding them started to surrender to the shadows. The summer evening was shaping up to be a perfect one, the skies were clear save for a couple of poofy cottonball ones in the distance, the breeze was gentle, and the only sounds were of the bugs and the river rushing into the lake. 

Plus, out here he didn't have to bombarded by constant questions about "Did you hear about the aliens?" or "Have you seen the video of the ponies?" Frankly, he couldn't care less.

He cast his line once again and sat down in the old camp chair, grabbing another cold one from his cooler, totally content with just watching the bobber float in the river's current. Thus Tony was taken by total surprise when just minutes later the wind kicked up out of nowhere, blowing his cap straight off. Cursing a little, he got up, bracing against the sudden wind as he retrieved it before it ended up in the lake. He cursed again when he realized he had just left his fishing pole leaning up against the chair, and his beer on the arm of the chair, he turned just in time to see both tumble to the hard, stony ground.

As he went to retrieve them he finally saw the cause of his annoyance. The clouds may have been idyllic just a moment ago, but there was the darkest storm cloud he had ever seen running low against the mountains just a mile or so to the north. Whatever. Fishing in the rain was supposedly better anyway.

There was no rain yet, so he hunkered down and watched as the quick moving cloud slammed into the range, lightning flashing like he had never seen before. The thunder was nearly continuous, rolling just like the sound of a bowling ball. He watched in fascination, taking sips from his beer as he did so like he was watching a Discovery Channel special.

Then, the strangest thing happened. The black cloud suddenly stopped flashing lightning, and began to spread out. It turned white as it did so, and it continued dissipating until finally the evening skies were clear once more. Even the wind died down to its previous calm pace.

Tony craned his head back, looking all around at the weather, which now appeared as if there hadn't been a storm brewing at all. Except for the rainbow framed against the mountainside.

The fisherman shook his head and blinked furiously. His eyes had to be playing tricks on him. The mountain, the freaking mountain, was missing it's top. It looked like it had been flattened, and that there was a rainbow running straight down from the new plateau. In fact, there were several. Some even appeared to run down from the white clouds hanging near the mountains, behaving just like waterfalls in a spectacular display. 

It was at that moment that Tony Beddingfield quit drinking, a moment he commemorated by kicking his cooler full of cans into the river and casting his line again, trying not to look at what had suddenly happened to Rainbow Mountain.

> Chapter 7: Raiders
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


- Somewhere over Ohio - Air Force One -


"Sir, we have to make a decision."

"Hmm.... Has any suspicious activity been occurring at incident zone one?"

"Reports have not noted any changes, however we must still consider the possibility they're masking their true intentions."

"The way I see it, Mr. President, these Equestrians are one of three things: Telling the truth, overconfident, or masterminding something. We haven't observed any weapons, but they obviously have some power, as was showcased above our airspace. But with that, they gave up the element of surprise. The opportunity to strike at a critical point in our defense was totally lost. If they were indeed invading, maintaining secrecy would be a major asset. So if an invasion is indeed what is happening here, they are either stupid for underestimating us or, the worse case scenario, they're confident they can still win despite willfully showing themselves."

"But we don't understand much about them, other than their appearances and the fact they can speak our language. They may very well still have the upper hand in that regard."

"But that's where I'm inclined to think that ignorance is at play. Say they are telling the truth and this is some sort of cosmic accident then we would be risking war when it would have been totally unnecessary. Gathering information would be a very logical decision. Besides, even with the two zones by all observation there's no more than 1500 of them. I don't care who you are that's barely enough to occupy a single town let alone launch an invasion of a planet."

"I still think it may be a ruse, considering the latest development. Not to mention that more than a few of our intelligence officers believe the incident in Germany was connected. This could be a ploy to gather information as they wait for backup."

...

"What do we have on the kid? The one who they so wanted to advise them so badly?"

"Oh...um.....Here it is sir. Asher Harland Burgess, born December 1993, 20 years of age. Let's see, he's an Eagle Scout, played high school baseball and basketball, but nothing spectacular. Attended Utah State University, completed a two year associates in Political Science, by his grades an excellent student. Political affiliation unknown, owns a conceal carry permit, never got so much as a speeding ticket on his record. By all accounts an upstanding citizen."

"So you think he can be trusted?"

"Well sir, I...well with..."

"Can he be trusted?"

"On paper, yes. But sir we have evidence that he was instrumental in concealing their existence for several days. For all intents and purposes we have no idea what his intentions are."

"Perhaps he even may have Stockholm syndrome..."

"Your concerns are valid, but I see an opportunity. Here's what we're gonna do. Make no contact with the new incident zone in Washington, but put on a 24 hour covert surveillance. And don't let it get to Colorado, try to keep the first zone in the dark. Let's play along for a while and give this Twilight Sparkle the impression we are backing off. If they're telling the truth, we should know within just a few days. If it is indeed an invasion, then we'll be the ones to make the first strike."

"And what about Burgess?"

"Well, he's already in isn't he? Let's make use of our Boy Scout."


- Good Morning America -


"The 'Equestrian Craze' is sweeping the nation one day after the short but earth shaking press release. The video went viral immediately and is well on its way to breaking the record for the most viewed video in Youtube history, passing the one billion mark within just hours."

"It's already reaching even crazier proportions on the streets. Yesterday I saw somebody getting a tattoo that had the same mark the rainbow one had on its backside -"


- The Daily Show -
 

"So, was anyone else just a little bit disappointed when we finally get to learn the name of an alien and it turns out that Stephanie Meyer named them? I know you're purple but come on! However I will say this: If Rainbow Dash is not a superhero name....it should be."


- Last Week Tonight -


'- I feel like we all owe some apologies. There are some of our fellow beings that have long told us of this day, and we responded by making memes of them. So I'm going to be the voice for all of us right now: Ancient Aliens guy, you were right. History Channel has credibility."


- Candace -


Candace hadn't been truly bored like this since that summer she sent all of her boys to camp. It was nearly a week now since this all started, and she hadn't left the house once. All she had done for the past hour was stare out the window at the sea of people overwhelming the public property across the street from their own. 

The sight was something straight out of the movie "Contact." Tents of all colors were everywhere, the continuity only interrupted by RVs and the occasional body of demonstrators. Occasionally she could read the signs, though most of them were ridiculous. For example there was one particularly disheveled looking woman who carried a large sign saying, "Take me to Elvis!" then there was an unusually determined man that kept leaning over the news barricades with a sign reading, "The End is Near!" And of course there was the group that had practically dragged in a billboard that declared, "Prove it! Let us in!"

Thankfully the government had set up the barricade line far down the driveway, so the constant noise was bearable, but....

The darn barricades sort of stopped her from going out too. She had cleaned the house three times spotless, finished laundry for the next three weeks, and actually got around to finishing that book she had started back when she was pregnant with Anne. 

She stood up and closed the blinds again and ambled into the kitchen. In the family room Jonathon and Patrick were playing on the Xbox, like they had done for the last three days straight. David was draped over the couch watching, though had spent most of his time outside throwing a baseball against the shed and occasionally running around the yard in a dead sprint. The poor kid was going even more stir crazy than she was. 

Asher, however, was eating his Fruit Loops post haste. Her oldest son hadn't looked this alive in a while, and was likely planning to spend the entire day up at Ponyville again. Candace opened the refrigerator and scanned over the increasingly bare shelves. They were about out of milk, totally out of any fruits, and the only vegetable they had left was asparagus. They were even running low on peanut butter. PEANUT BUTTER! If that's not a sign of the apocalypse I don't know what is. 

…You know what? That's it! 

"Asher!" she said louder than she meant. Her son choked on a spoonful of cereal in surprise, snorting milk onto the table. 

"Sorry hon, but do they have food up there?"

-----

"Why did I have to come?" Jonathan asked, trying to act like he wasn't excited to be walking up to the town. Patrick was doing his best to show the same facade, while David just looked passive as usual. Asher was hoofing a heavy backpack but was still more or less leading them on. 

"Because we need a lot of groceries and I'm not sure our little wagon will even be able to carry it all," repeated Candace, answering for the third time.

"Oo-kay, so what's with the fabrics?" Patrick asked, adjusting his hold on a couple rolls he was carrying. 

"Well, I'm assuming they don't take dollars," she answered, glancing over at Asher.

"Probably not," he confirmed.

"Well, maybe I can sell or trade these," she explained. "I think maybe Rarity, uh, the white one with the styled purple hair, might be able to help us with that."

"Not a bad idea, Mom," said Asher. "She might be interested in using earth materials."

They soon passed the soldiers standing sentry at the entrance to a hard packed path and apple orchards. Candace could hardly believe how nonchalantly her oldest son greeted the soldiers and sauntered right by them. She only could nod as she filed past, understandably not used to such an interaction.

"If we work this out you gotta buy some of these apples, Mom," Asher said. Candace noticed finally that they were already walking through the apple orchards. She hadn't walked this far out since it all began, so she hadn't seen any of it. She didn't know much about arboreal horticulture, but boy did these trees look healthy. With straight trunks and bright, green leaves adorned by big, bright apples, it sure did give a strong impression on the quality of the fruit.

The path was a lot longer than she had originally pictured, and she already winded by the time they passed the beautifully picturesque Apple family farm. She was beginning to think that maybe she should have used the four wheeler, which they had left behind for lack of room. And because she didn't want to have to endure another adolescent squabble over who got to drive. 

She didn't complain. As a mother she apparently wasn't allowed to. Besides, her two youngest sons had plenty of their own complaining to more than make up for it. 

"Oh will you two quit it!" she finally snapped after Jonathan had mumbled loudly about his feet hurt.

"We're here," Asher said. Candace looked up in relief as they crested a hill and started down. She had seen pictures of the town from above on the news, but all of them had failed to capture the wonder the town held. It was familiar but strange, with buildings of different shapes and colors all mixed together with manicured parks. There were many ponies visible already, some cantering on the streets and fields while others could be seen flying low over the rooftops. 

Patrick and Jonathan had ceased all complaining and were stomping quickly down the hill, abandoning any pretense of disinterest. 

"Hey! Ya'll don't even know where you're going!" Asher called out, running a few steps after them. The boys slowed, but never stopped moving forward. 

Candace had to admit she didn't blame them for being eager. She had wanted to come up here and see this herself as well, but hadn't worked up the nerve until now. 

"Hold on, I gotta find out where Rarity works," Asher said, jogging ahead. Oh yeah, hadn't thought of that.

Asher looked around before spotting a nearby pony, a pretty one with a yellow coat and a rasberry-red mane and tail. The pony had a basket of flowers held in one hoof while she prodded at the ground with the other. She didn't even notice Asher's approach until he was only a couple of feet from her.

"Hello. Sorry to bother you, but do you know Rarity by any chance?" he asked. The pony looked a little more than tentative at speaking, increasingly so as Patrick and Jonathon joined their brother. Candace was about to tell her children to give her some space when she answered.

"I- I- I...uh yes, she runs the Carousel Boutique on the east side of town," she stammered. "It's a round building down the street from t-the spa."

"Thanks! And your name is?" Asher asked brightly. His talent for instant friendships is really coming in handy here.

"Rose."

"Good to meet ya, Rose! Have a good day!" With that Asher ambled back to Candace and continued leading them into town. Candace and her younger sons had to be redirected several times as they took in the surroundings. When Asher stopped again to ask for directions it took him several minutes to get them focused and moving again.

"C'mon! This backpack's heavy and I have places to be!" he said impatiently, tapping her shoulder to get her attention.

They soon had found their intended destination, a beautiful and well adorned building that stood at least two stories tall. The front windows were brightly lit and showcased pony shaped mannequins wearing very formal dresses and hats. Asher didn't hesitate to move to the door, but the necessity to knock was superseded as it opened before he reached the porch.

"Oh!" Rarity said in surprise as she walked out the door. "Asher, I didn't expect to see you here. Oh, and Candace! How nice to see you again!"

The unicorn casually strolled right up to Candace, smiling warmly. "If I'd known you were coming I would have fixed up something for you."

"Sorry if we're imposing," Candace apologized.

"Oh, it's no trouble, really. Can I offer assistance with something?" Rarity looked curiously at the folds of cloth Candace and her sons were holding. Candace decided to get right to the matter.

"We haven't been able to go into town for shopping all week and our pantry is getting a little bare. I was hoping I could trade you these for some fresh vegetables."

"Darling, I can do better than that!" Rarity said. "I'll take you to the market and help you buy new ones. I'm assuming you don't have bits, so I can take care of that."

"That's very kind, you don't need to do that," Candace was taken aback. She liked the pony, but she barely knew her. Such an offer was not usually given so lightly.

"No, I insist. I will not allow one who has been such a generous host to get anything less than the best," Rarity pressed, raising her hoof in a way that said that she would not take no for an answer.

"You'll still let me give you these in trade, right?" Candace asked. She had never been good at just receiving gifts. They made her feel like she owed something.

"Of course. I think ponies would love to have authentic American cloth ensemble," Rarity said brightly. 

"So can I put these down somewhere?" Patrick asked impatiently.

"Oh, I can take them," Rarity replied quickly. Before Candace could question her ability to carry all of them, each of the rolls was suddenly surrounded by a blue aura and lifted through the air. Rarity briskly walked back into her shop, fabric levitating in the air above here, and reappeared seconds later strapping on a white saddlebag decorated with her own flank mark.

"Okay, let's go to the market!" Rarity declared.

"Alright. Mom, I'm going over to the library," Asher said, jogging backwards.

"I'm going with him," David announced as he skipped into step behind his brother.

"Me too!" Patrick and Jonathon said in unison.

"No, you two stay with me," Candace said, grabbing them by the shoulders. "We're here for groceries."

Candace ignored their protests as she struck up another amiable conversation with the white pony on their way to the marketplace. A week ago this would have easily been the weirdest thing she had ever done. And she went to college in California.


- Twilight -


"But that's impossible, isn't it?"

Twilight shook her head in a gesture of her own bewilderment. Comet Tail was by no means a stupid stallion, and while his magical skills were nowhere near Twilight's (that went without saying) she was still hoping he would have been able to help her. Comet Tail, before Twilight had officially moved into Ponyville, had held the little used position of Magical Inspector as a part time job in addition to his usual occupation as a magic kindergarten teacher. The post's only duty was to inspect and report unusual magical patterns.

"It should be," Twilight confirmed. "The magic field has a lot of self-generated power, but most scholars considered it to be finite. Frankly, it shouldn't have even followed us to this world let alone start expanding like it had a source. This world didn't have magic before we got here."

"It didn't?!" Comet Tail looked horror struck at the idea of living without magic. In high school science all ponies were taught that while ponies each generated their own personal magic, it would dramatically lose its strength without the magic field. Some even surmised it would eventually be fatal. 

"But not only did it follow us, the field has decided to defy all our known physics," said Twilight, running the facts through her mind again. That morning she had even noticed a surge branch towards the northwest like a flare. "I can almost feel the increase even without casting a spell."

"Now that you mention it, I have felt a lot more energized lately," Comet conceded. 

"And you're not the only one," said Twilight. "I can't find the source, but I've noticed that it keeps getting stronger."

"Should we be worried?" Comet Tail asked tentatively. He didn't look scared as much as concerned. .

"No, I don't think so," assured Twilight. "It won't have any negative effects on us. Thanks for coming, and I'm sorry to bother you."

"No worries, sorry I couldn't help you out," said Comet as he exited the library. Twilight smiled to show she wasn't unappreciative, though she was disappointed. She had no way to ask Princess Celestia or any of her teachers in Canterlot, so in her desperation to talk to somepony about the event, he looked up this pony. She had hoped there was maybe something she didn't know about Ponyville's part of the field, but all he was able to do was confirm her hypothesis that something had changed.

The change in power level was gradual, and the actual change in magical strength was still somewhat negligible. But by Twilight's calculation the rate at which it was spreading outwards was nothing short of astounding. She wasn't all that worried about the effect it would have on the ponies, but she had no idea how this world would react to magic, a foreign force of immense and apparently expanding power.

Asher and his family had thus far shown nothing to be alarmed about so Twilight kept these thoughts to herself. No sense getting dander up about something she was barely understanding, and about something they knew nothing about. Maybe if she could teach Asher more she could help him understand eventually.

"Morning, Twilight."

Rainbow Dash interrupted her thought process as she trotted into the library. 

"I saw Asher and one of his brothers on the way over here," she remarked, sounding bored at just the thought. "More studying planned?"

"Maybe. I was thinking that I'd show him around town a bit, show him a bit of how our world works," Twilight said thoughtfully.

"This isn't going to be like that time you gave a tour of your home neighborhood is it?" Rainbow asked bluntly. Twilight gave her friend a sour look at the comment. Okay, so maybe she liked to ramble a little bit, but it hadn't been that boring, had it?

"No, it shouldn't," she replied tersely. Rainbow shrugged, went over to the bookcase containing the entire Daring Do series and pulled out one of them, starting to read as she reclined against the wall.

"I didn't peg you for a reader, Rainbow."

Twilight and Dash looked up to see Asher ducking into the library, a tightly packed bag on his back. "Watcha reading?"

"Just re-reading the first Daring Do book," Rainbow answered, turning her eyes back to it. "A new one's coming out later this year so I want to refresh on the story again."

Wait for it...

Rainbow Dash suddenly looked up, staring wide eyed at nothing in particular, and wailed a dramatic, "NOOOOOO!"

Unless we get back to Equestria, no new books from Daring Do. Twilight had to stop herself from laughing at the pegasi's despair. Sure she was a little disappointed herself at the prospect but Rainbow Dash took the term "fangirl" to an unhealthy level sometimes when it came to the series. Asher took a moment but then seemed to understand. He cracked a smile as well but offered something else.

"What kind of story is it?" he asked.

"Only the best adventure story EVER!" Rainbow Dash lamented. And the only series she ever bothered to read.

"It's about a treasure hunting pony who finds and protects ancient relics from evil forces," explained Twilight as Rainbow looked on the verge of tears. "It's a pretty popular series."

Asher raised his eyebrows at both of them as if he couldn't quite believe it.

"I thought you had fiction stories," remarked Twilight, confused exactly why he looked that way. Was the story really that far fetched?

"Oh, we do," answered Asher, but he could hardly keep going as he broke down into a laughing fit, barely managing to say, "In fact, I know just what kind of story you're talking about."

Rainbow Dash was now just watching him with a thoroughly unamused look, the book resting open on her hooves. Asher got his laughing under control and spun the bag off his back into one of his hands, setting it down on the floor near the center table. 

"Sorry, Rainbow. I got something that'll cheer ya up," he said, unzipping it. He pulled out what looked to Twilight like a small, white version of his computer and a handful of what at first she thought were a bunch of thin books. 

"I brought a pretty good chunk of our movie collection," he said, holding up a handful of them. Rainbow did brighten at that, setting the book almost lovingly to the side before shooting over to take them from Asher, hovering at his eye level. 

As she took the three or so he was holding, he held up the little white computer, "This is a travel DVD player. It'll let you watch six hours worth or so anywhere you want to. It's not very big but this way you won't have to come down to our house to watch something."

"Is this all you brought?" Rainbow Dash asked excitedly, looking up from the three in her hooves.

"Nope," Asher replied. He reached into the bag and grabbed what Twilight recognized as a textbook before finishing. "Rest of the backpack's full of 'em."

Rainbow Dash wasted no time sticking her nose into the backpack before reaching in and pulling out two hooffuls of the shiny little cases and spreading them out on the floor. Twilight walked over to look at the spreading collection of movies. She hadn't had the opportunity to truly watch one yet, though she was assured by Rainbow, Pinkie, and Spike that they were very fun.

And varied. They were titled just like books, though all were adorned with pictures of every sort. Some looked like actual photographs, while yet others were drawn like the first one her friends had sat in on the second day. Though she was skeptical about how real some of the photographs were.

"So, what should we watch first?" Rainbow Dash was looking them over eagerly, picking out some that must have sounded cool to her. "Need for Speed? That sounds awesome! Or-or maybe this one: Madagascar? Fluttershy would like it, it's got animals! Whoa. 2012? What the hay is going on here?"

Twilight peeked over her shoulder to look and saw a rather disquieting picture showing a giant city falling into giant cracks in the earth.

"Don't worry, it's fiction," Asher reassured, leaning over both their shoulders. "Maybe you should wait for the evening. The screen is easier to see when it's dark out."

"Two minutes and you've already made a mess. Just short of your personal best."

Twilight looked up to see David ducking through the door. He was only a little bit shorter than his older brother, but still too tall for the door frame. 

"Hope ya don't mind my surly brother coming along," said Asher in a teasing tone.

"Surly? Me? Says the guy who once stayed mad at me for a week because of a misplaced library book," retorted David in fake indignation, to which Asher just rolled his eyes.

Sibling rivalry is yet another thing that apparently spans dimensions. 

Asher set the movie playing device on the center table and looked at Twilight expectantly. "So, what's the plan for today? Any more world wide press releases I should know about?"

"No, thank Celestia," said Twilight. "I don't think I could do that again."

"Really? You composed yourself pretty well," Asher complemented. "And considering everything that could have possibly gone wrong everyone is taking it pretty well."

"Just used a trick Princess Cadence taught me, but believe you me I felt like I was going to melt," Twilight said. Somehow, the fact she couldn't see her audience had made it even more terrifying. She had no way to see the reaction for herself, and would have much preferred it if she could have just talked to those distant crowds face to face. 

"So I'm imagining that they already have some scientists working on finding out how to get you home, or at least on the way," said Asher thoughtfully. "With any luck it might turn out easier to get you back than we thought. You certainly have a better chance."

Privately Twilight was not so sure, considering the conversation she had not twenty minutes before. But she had to hold out hope that even if they couldn't figure out that perhaps more powerful magic users on the other side just might. She pushed away the thought that they were given up as lost, a fear she had entertained many times during the week. The thought that her parents, her brother, and her mentor might think her dead was torturous in its own right.

"Easy?" repeated David. "What part of reversing a phenomenon of dimensional metaphysics is easy?"

"Whoa, don't want to use your whole vocabulary at once," said Asher, shoving his brother lightly. "Besides, maybe they just need a little magic."

"Uh-huh. David Copperfield then?" David drawled back with skepticism.

"Hey, if he made the Statue of Liberty disappear a town full of talking ponies should be easy."

"Okay, just to be clear," Twilight interjected, a little confused. "Are you serious or is this just more sarcasm?"

"Sarcasm," both humans said without hesitation.

"Should I always expect this between you?" 

They looked at each other, then harmonized, "Yep."

"Right," Twilight affirmed, mentally noting. It was not much different from how she and Shining Armor interacted in recent years so translating shouldn't be too difficult. "Well, anyways I was thinking I'd show you around the town today to show how everything works. Figure it would be an equal trade for all the information in these movies."

"Information?" David looked at his brother sideways, which Twilight summarily passed off.

"That sounds fun," responded Asher, similarly ignoring his sibling. He bent down to reach into his backpack and pulled out one of the movies that Rainbow had missed, tossing it lightly in front of the pegasus. "Lead the way."

Twilight nodded and led the way out, Asher and David falling into step as Rainbow Dash suddenly cried, "NO WAY!"

The wind buffeted her as Rainbow Dash zipped out the door by them and looped through the air before coming to a hover in front of them, holding a single movie in her outstretched hooves.

"They have a human Daring Do!" Rainbow Dash squealed excitedly. Twilight barely managed to read the title "Indiana Jones" before Rainbow pulled another loop or two of celebration. 

"If she's flipping out that much, I just might have to borrow some of those books from ya," Asher remarked as he watched Rainbow's aerial display. 

"Be my guest, it is a Library," said Twilight. "I was thinking we'd start by going this way."

"Sweet, I live over there!" said Rainbow Dash, descending to hover amongst them again. Actually, that's exactly what I wanted to show, thought Twilight. If they were going to understand magic, might as well start with a bang.


- Rainbow Falls, Washington - Rapidfire -


"Are you sure about this?"

Rapidfire looked over his shoulder at the two ponies flying behind him.

"Yes, Midnight, nopony ever gets anything done sitting on their rumps waiting for help," he replied a little gruffly. Midnight Strike was a comely mare that was entirely black except for a single yellow stripe in her mane and tail, and while she was brave for volunteering to come along she definitely erred on the side of caution. The other pony, a stallion with spiky light blue hair and a yellow coat named Cosmic, didn't say much of anything but his expression told a similar tale.

"We need to figure out what's going on, and whoever's in that town down there might have the answer," Rapidfire repeated. It was the same argument he had given to the town earlier in the day, which they had eventually agreed to. True, Rapidfire would have preferred other Wonderbolts like his sister Spitfire to have been there to come with him, but alas, he had been sent alone to check on the preparations for the upcoming Equestria Games qualifiers. 

They flew low over the forest tree tops towards the little town they had spotted near the lake. Rapidfire had no idea what that lightning storm had done to them. It had happened so quickly and there had been no apparent damage that nopony had the slightest clue. But this mystery town was disconcerting, to say the least, even more so than the storm had been.

Ok, to call it a town was generous. It only had a few buildings mixed in with the trees and a few visible roads winding down and around the shore. There was an unusual clear-cut strip in the forest near the foot of the mountain and a few other buildings, but the best chance of finding help would most likely be found in a township, so Rapidfire had executively decided to go there. 

There were several docks where several small boats were moored, though they couldn't see anypony around at all. Rapidfire set down on the end of one dock and his two wingponies followed suit. Cautiously, he walked the length of the dock and to the rocky shore. The ground was extremely tough beneath their hooves, so much so that Rapidfire jumped back into the air, hovering just above the earth to avoid hurting himself. 

The road was also made of similarly hard material, though it was darker in hue. Lining the sides of this wide path were several huge and strangely shaped carriages. They shone in the sun giving the impression they were made of metal and had glass that encased the center. They looked much too big and heavy to be practical. 

Midnight Strike vocalized his thoughts, "They must be crazy around here. Nopony in their right mind would try to pull something that big unless they had to. Speaking of which, where is everypony?"

It was starting to get downright spooky that they hadn't seen a single soul yet, and he felt his paranoia setting in. Here and there he thought he saw movement in windows but when he focused on them nothing reappeared.  

In front of them stood a large building with wooden siding and pointy roof. It was set up on a rocky level of land with two wooden stair cases, one of which had a sign that read in big letters, "Welcome to Stehekin; Lake Chelan National Recreation Area" along with other signs that included one saying, "General Store" and "Information."

"Let's try in here," Rapidfire said, landing on the wooden steps lightly. Cosmic and Midnight followed him up the stairs to the building. It was easily as large as the town hall in Rainbow Falls, though the doors were far taller than they needed to be. This theme of being overly large was making Rapidfire wonder if this was a town for cows or something.

Without hesitation, he pushed open the door (the sign did say "Come in, We're Open.") and stepped inside. There were several rows of shelves that reminded him of a typical Barnyard Bargains, and also some tables towards the back. But there was something else that immediately grabbed his attention.

In the aisle directly in front of the three ponies was a small creature. It stood on two legs and was bedecked in clothes, had pale skin on a flat face and a long, messy, dark mane on its head. It's eyes were wide and blue, and the little creature had a growing smile showing little, white teeth.

"Mom! Ponies!" it cried happily in a filly's voice. Rapidfire had no idea how to react. He didn't even know what to call this diminutive creature with strange stubby talons instead of hooves on its forelegs. But he nearly jumped out of his feathers when a much longer apendage from a much taller creature suddenly reached from behind one of the shelves and grabbed the little one by the shoulder. The little one resisted a little, pulling the much larger one out enough to see that it was a similar creature, only much bigger.

The taller one, whom had longer, golden hair succeeded in pulling back what must have been it's child into hiding as another creature, seemingly as big as a bear, stepped forward. It was holding a long broom like a spear, and had a very fearful expression on it's stubbled face.

"Get out! We don't need no aliens around here!" it bellowed. Rapidfire was partially inclined to stand and fight back, but the other part of him ignored that part and screamed, "FLY!"

All three ponies tumbled somewhat ungracefully out of the door frame and took to the sky, making a beeline back to Rainbow Falls as fast as they could go.


- 20 Minutes Later -


After explaining what happened to the mayor and the rest of the gathered town, Rapidfire found himself trying to stop a panic. He cursed himself for not thinking to keep the event in confidence with the mayor and maybe the sheriff. They still needed to do something. He wished Spitfire was there, she was always better at getting ponies to sit down, shut up, and make a plan. That would be why she was already so high ranking in the Wonderbolts despite being nowhere near the oldest. 

"HEY!" Rapidfire finally barked over the rising tide of worried conversations, bringing them to a silent halt. 

"I know you're frightened," said Rapidfire. "But we need to get this information to Canterlot. We don't know what these creatures are here for, but I'm certain the Princesses will know what to do." 

He paused to let it sink in for a moment. Ponies had a tendency to overreact to potential danger, but in his experience even the most common of pony was more than up to the task in even the most dire circumstances when it came down to it. All they needed was a little faith.

"Midnight Strike, Cosmic, are you willing to fly out with me again?" he addressed the two who had watched in silence. They both nodded with conviction, deciding to admirably hide any fear they had. Rapidfire made a note to commend them both to Celestia when he got the chance, and to inform his sister about Midnight, knowing that she had tried out at the Wonderbolt academy a few months before.

"Ok then! We're off!" 

And without any more fanfare or delay, Rapidfire bolted into the sky, his contrail blazing behind him as his two companions showed off their own respective speeds to catch up.

"We're going to ride high and fast!" Rapidfire instructed. "Ride the high winds when you can so conserve yourself. It's gonna be several hours to Canterlot so don't burn yourself out!"

"Got it!" they both replied as all three ascended. At these altitudes, only the occasional cirrus cloud would appear in their flight path in the clear blue skies. The sunlight warmed them in the cool air as the flight dragged on, Rapidfire using only landmarks below to navigate. He had made this flight before so his checks were only cursory glances. 

"Hey, what's that?" Midnight Strike said about an hour into their flight, pulling up beside him and pointing forwards. Rapidfire squinted into the distance and noticed a slowly growing speck coming towards them. Then it grew exponentially to the point that the Wonderbolt realized it was easily the size of a dragon.

"DIVE!" Rapidfire roared, but to his horror both pegasi were frozen in shock. Thinking fast, Rapidfire dropped back and shoved both of them hard in the back, forcing them sharply downwards. The flying object charged towards him, sporting a massive nose and wide wings carrying massive spinning pods, all attached on a long, barrel like body. Rapidfire acted on instinct and spun into a roll, using the massive air stream to propel him along the length. The back-draft sent him into a tailspin that took him several seconds to recover from. 


- Flight 2506 to Portland - Over Southeastern Idaho -


"Holy son of Helga what was that?"

"That was the biggest bird I've ever seen!"

"Looks like we got lucky, instruments still reporting full function."


- Rapidfire -


"HOLY HAY-BALES! WHAT WAS THAT?" Midnight exclaimed, flying to his side as they watched the behemoth fly off, leaving two white contrails in its wake. 

"I have no idea," Cosmic said absentmindedly as he watched in awe. Rapidfire was speechless and a little out of breath himself, surprised at just how fast and how high something so big was flying. Something told him that this was no pony invention.

"We've got to get to Canterlot now!" he finally said, shaking his head to clear his mind. The others nodded and they sped off in the southeasterly direction at a quicker pace than before, watching the skies warily for any more of the flying giants, and all completely unaware of the two smaller but faster jets stalking them from a distance.


- Asher -


"So let me make sure I've got this straight," Asher began as they walked towards the market. "So only pegasi can walk on clouds so they're obviously in charge of the weather."

"Of course," said Rainbow Dash.

"Ok, go on," encouraged Twilight. Asher kind of felt like he was having a grade school pop quiz again.

"Earth ponies have magic that help them garden and farm, even though not all of them necessarily do that for a living."

"Righty doody!" answered Pinkie Pie, who had joined the little tour partway through.

"And Unicorns are the ones who can actually perform magic like levitation," Asher finished.

"Exactly," confirmed Twilight, nodding her approval to her improvised student. Asher, despite feeling like a kindergartner again, did feel pleased with himself. Mostly because he hadn't had a brain aneurysm when he saw Rainbow Dash's "house" and that he had maintained relative composure as he learned more about these ponies abilities. He was rather pleased with himself with how open to the possibilities he felt. His brother, however....

"Are you really seriously buying the 'magic' thing?" David stammered disbelievingly. He had been in absolute awe of the cloud home and had been doubly so when Rainbow Dash proved their claim of cloud-walking by folding her wings and sitting on a low tuft of cloud, but David hadn't quite begun to let go of his perception of how the world was supposed to work. 

"Until I see something that tells me otherwise, I'm inclined to think so, Bro," Asher answered. David just shook his head as he returned the stares of a few ponies watching the little entourage. Personally, Asher was feeling like he was sort of getting used to it, though the more he had been learning the more he found himself feeling like a kid in a candy store. He was eager to learn more.

"Ash! David!" Their mother's voice rang down the market street. A couple stands away stood his Mom and two younger brothers, all laden with bags and hauling a wagon full of more, along with Rarity and Fluttershy. They appeared to be in the process of purchasing a bushel of apples from none other than Applejack

"Well, looks like you've already had a busy day," said Asher, peering into the bags.

"It's all thanks to Rarity and Fluttershy here," his Mom said, motioning to the smiling pony. "They have been more than helpful."

"I just had to," said Rarity. "Who knows how much I can do with the fabrics you gave me and you all have been so kind in our hour of need."

"I agree, and I'm glad we could help," added Fluttershy quietly. 

"They got everything here!" said Jonathon enthusiastically. "Bread, watermelon, milk, even eggs!"

"Thinking with your stomach as usual," joked Patrick. 

"Oh, leave your brother alone," his Mom chided. "I think this will hold us over for a while. Again, thank you so much Rarity and Fluttershy, you've been big helps!"

And with that, they turned and started hauling the groceries on the trek towards home, although not without first promising the complaining Patrick and Jonathon that they could come back after they dropped off the food.

"Thanks for helping out my mom," Asher said sincerely. "How do you buy things here?"

"Oh, well we use money called bits," said Twilight. Rarity, using her magic, opened her saddlebag and pulled out a couple gold-like coins and levitated them over to Asher. Actually, though he may not be a metallurgist he would say they actually were...

"Are these gold?" he asked in surprise.

"Yes, actually," replied Rarity. "A beautiful metal won't you agree?"

"Uh...yeah," Asher said, mentally flummoxed for a second. "How much does one of these buy?"

Applejack, who had ambled over from her stand for the moment to join the conversation, answered. "Well, depends on the seller, but at my stand it's one fer an apple, five for a dozen, and twelve for a bushel. Best prices on this side of Equestria I'll tell ya."

One gold coin for a measly apple? he thought. Just how common is this to them?

"Although earlier today Dewdrop paid with an emerald," added Applejack. "Maybe a bit low but I decided it was ok this time. Poor guy looked a little bit stressed."

"An emerald?" blurted David. "Like a shiny, green gem, emerald?"

"Uh......yeah?" replied Applejack, apparently uncertain why the two brothers looked utterly stunned.

"Sorry," Asher apologized, realizing they were making her uncomfortable. "Is that a common thing, to spend gems? And are the bits the only coins you use?"

"Yes to both," answered Twilight. "Why?"

"In that case this town is in the running for richest city in America," answered David, turning one of the blank gold coins in his hand over and over.

"Both gold and gems are very valuable and somewhat rare," explained Asher. "We haven't used gold coins widespread for over a hundred years. There's just not enough of it."

Now it was the ponies turn to look surprised for a moment, before Rainbow Dash suddenly started laughing.

"Wow! Spike's going to be disappointed to hear that!" she snickered through her hooves. 

"Rainbow, that's not very nice," scolded Rarity. 

"Why would Spike be sad?" asked Asher, confused why the little reptile would care.

"A dragon's favorite snack is gems," said Twilight. "Who knows how many times I've had to hide his stash so he'd keep from getting a bellyache."

"He eats rocks?" David blurted again. Asher slugged him on the shoulder. His outbursts were starting to come off as rude, thought Asher had to admit the idea of any creature chewing, swallowing, and digesting precious stones was boggling. Especially something that reminded him of a miniature, scaly Barney. He also found himself wondering what they tasted like.

"Anyways, where to next?" asked Asher, deciding to change the subject in an effort to keep David from saying anything more that was potentially offensive. Rainbow Dash immediately stopped snickering and flew down to their eye levels again.

"Can we watch the movie now? she pleaded, flashing the DVD that she had been carrying around with her the entire time. She had asked the same question three or four times in the previous hour, always with the same disappointing response.  

"Oh, like the ones you were talking about before?" asked Rarity, growing curious. 

"I'd like to see that," chimed in Applejack.

Fluttershy seemed interested as well, and Pinkie Pie started bouncing up down and chanting "yes" over and over.

Asher deferred the decision to Twilight, seeing as she was generally in charge of everything. Not that she appeared to enjoy it, but still. The purple pony looked to her friends, all of whom where looking on with expectant eyes, so it didn't take long for Twilight to give an exasperated, "Okay."

Rainbow Dash didn't wait for the group, blasting off towards the library at breathtaking speed, while Applejack trotted back to her stand to inform Big Mac where she was going. They seem to have a different concept of a workday Asher thought to himself, deciding not to bring up the query.

"You'll watch it with us to answer questions, right?" asked Twilight as they trotted off as a group. 

"Absolutely," answered Asher. "Besides, I gotta show you how to work the DVD player."

"Okay, first one: What does 'DVD' stand for?"

Wow. I have no idea.


- Rainbow Dash -


Dash felt impatient but bit her lip to keep from saying anything as Asher went through the steps of how to turn on the player and get a movie going. She had watched Anne do it a couple times already with their big screen (which Dash was wishing they could watch more on instead of this much smaller one) and as far as she could tell it was mostly the same.

"How long does it take to make a movie?" asked Pinkie Pie as she, Fluttershy, Spike, and Applejack browsed over the mess of other movies on the library floor. "I think it would be really, really fun to make one. Could you imagine me as a cartoon?"

"Wouldn't be that far off," mumbled Asher so only Dash and Twilight could hear, both of them chuckling a little. "Well, Pinkie, the good movies often take a couple of years to make."

"A couple of years?" was the general surprised response. The only thing Rainbow Dash had worked on that long was trying to get into the Wonderbolts.

"Wow, talk 'bout dedication," said Applejack.

"I'll say. So is it ready?" Rainbow Dash asked as Asher pushed another button.

"Yep. If we can draw those curtains than it'll be easier to see," Asher said, pointing over.

"I got it," said Twilight as her horn glowed and promptly shut all the curtains, effectively darkening the library. The glow of the screen was now the brightest thing and everypony settled on the floor pillows Spike had dragged in. Even the rest of Asher's siblings had made their way up already and had found places on the floor. Funny how when sitting next to each other ponies seemed taller. Asher pushed one more button then twiddled a little wheel on the side, which turned the sound up in volume.

That's when the movie finally began. Just like the others, it started off with low music with a bunch of random names and logos popping up, apparently listing who helped make it. Then it opened on a creepy jungle scene. Oh this is going to be good.


- The following is a list of highlights of what occurred during the viewing of this film -


"Run you fool! Run!"

"That would be so much easier if he could fly."


- Insert fast forwarding sound effect -


"He's afraid of snakes?"

"Aw, but snakes can be so nice."

"Not if they're crawling on you."


- Fast forward again -


"Oh, so he's a professor. See, Rainbow? 'Eggheads' can be adventurous too!"


- Again -


"So that's a gun?"

"Like the one ya saved Scootaloo with?"

"Doesn't seem all that scary to me. What would you even use it for?"


- Later -


"Oh."


- Fast Forward. STOP! Go back, you missed it! Ok there! -


"Okay, that many snakes would be even too much for me."

"Once again: Wings."


- Skip Ahead -


"What's so important about that thing anyway?"

"You'll find out."


- Still later -


"Asher! Why are you covering my eyes?"

"This scene gave me nightmares for weeks."

"Oh C'mon, it couldn't be that bad."


- 30 Seconds Later -


"Okay, yeah. That was freaky."

"That image is never going to leave my head."


- Roll credits! - Rainbow Dash -


"Well, Rainbow Dash. Was it as good as you hoped?" Asher asked as they let the light back in and he shut off the player. Dash pondered that for a moment. Just a short one though.

"That was Awesome!" she exclaimed. "I mean, Daring Do is still awesome too but that was so cool! Applejack! Could you teach me to whip?"

"Not a chance," the farm pony replied. 

Rainbow Dash didn't get the chance to reply as the door burst open, Meadowlark panting in the doorway. 

"Princess Twilight! Come quick!" she cried.

Twilight, Rainbow, and the others wasted no time following the spectacled unicorn out. 

"What's going on?" Twilight asked, already looking around for the danger. Rainbow put on her guard as well, scanning the skies but seeing nothing beyond a couple of aircraft. Did the humans do something?

"More ponies just arrived...." Meadowlark began, as the group, which included Asher and David, rushed off after her.


- 5 Minutes Earlier - Rapidfire -


"There's Alicorn Peak, b-b-but there's no Canterlot!" Midnight Strike stammered in dismay. Rapidfire and his companions had finally arrived in the Canterlot Kingdom, only to find a strange city spreading out on the plains to the east and a blank mountain face. They had also become aware of their followers, though they had circled off to a great distance just within visible range.

"What do we do?" Cosmic asked Rapidfire directly and expectantly. Rapidfire couldn't answer right away. He hadn't quite considered the possibility that Canterlot wasn't there. Where the hay was everypony? For that matter, where were they? Rapidfire felt exhausted, feeling like he had flown a million miles instead of perhaps a thousand, and his mind was reeling.

Then something caught his eye, something that stood out more than ever before because of how starkly familiar it was in a foreign place. 

"Ponyville," he said, not believing his eyes. "But that place was...."

And that was the moment it dawned on him. The lighting. It was a storm that took Ponyville, and now...

"Oh, sweet Celestia. C'mon! Let's go!" Rapidfire immediately began to descend, Midnight and Cosmic in close pursuit. The closer they got the more he realized it was indeed Ponyville, and the distant sight of ponies was a welcome one.

They made a straight flight for the town hall, where a yellow and gray mare that just had to be the Mayor was luckily walking by. He immediately grabbed her attention and asked, "Is Princess Twilight Sparkle here?"

He quickly explained what was happening to the Mayor, who then nodded at her assistant who ran off to find the Princess. She quickly returned, followed by the Princess, half a dozen other ponies, and two of them. Rapidfire snapped to alert, but didn't react figuring that the Princess would probably know what she was doing.

"That's Rapidfire of the Wonderbolts!" a rainbow-maned pegasus exclaimed as they drew close.

"How did you get here? Where'd you come from? Did Celestia send you?" the Princess asked urgently, obviously completely stunned that he and his companions were actually there.

"Well, no. We came looking for Canterlot. Something strange happened to Rainbow Falls," he explained.

"Rainbow Falls is here!?" she repeated with several gasps from her entourage following. 

"Yes. Your Highness, what is happening?" Rapidfire asked, trying to curb his own rising worry with perhaps some answer. Unfortunately, the young Alicorn had none such comfort to give.

"I don't know, but if more of Equestria has come through..." she trailed off, and oddly made eye contact with one of the creatures, a tall one wearing a ball cap.

"...then it might get a little crazy."

> Chapter 8: Profile
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


- MSNBC -


" - at the top of the hour we have received a statement from the White House that the rumors of a second settlement of Equestrians has appeared on US soil have been confirmed as true. This new settlement, located in middle Washington state, is believed to be smaller and the initial statements indicate that it is unlikely that this is the beginning of perhaps an invasion -"


- ABC -


" - here is the first images out of Washington, and as you can see the sight is absolutely spectacular."

"Now, John, I'm sure we're all wondering what’s the story with the waterfalls around this settlement is. Is that oil slick shining off or perhaps something we should be even more concerned about -"


- NBC -


"- validates some rumors of other settlements appearing in remote areas around the globe, not to mention that strange incident in Germany has become a major trend online in the past couple days -"


- FOX -


" - how can we be sure that this isn't the beginning of something bigger? All we have right now is the word of one of them that this is some sort of weird accident, and that it may be. But whether it's an accident or something that was done on purpose, I think it is clear that we need to distinguish which is which so that we can take care of it before it goes from a strange fluke to a potential catastrophe -"


- Asher -


"Heads up!"

Asher reached up and snagged a book with the practiced reflex of a third baseman before it collided with Applejack's head. He tossed the book back into the growing mess of literature on the library floor, watching for more hardcover missiles as Twilight tore through her collection at breakneck pace. She had been at it for several minutes, looking for a particular book that poor Spike seemed to have misplaced.

"Does she always get like this?" he asked Applejack.

"Sometimes," she replied, sighing a little. "She gets worked up when there's somethin' magical she doesn't understand yet that comes around."

"You should have seen what happened when I told her about my pinkie sense!" Pinkie Pie added as she dodged another book being tossed aside. "That day was craaaa-zyyy!"

"I'll say," Fluttershy mumbled quietly.

Asher considered asking what 'pinkie sense' was but then decided that he would probably get a clearer explanation from Twilight. Most of what came out of the pink pony's mouth rarely made sense. 

"So, where's Rainbow Falls?" he said, redirecting his attention to the Equestrian Atlas in his hands. Applejack looked over and pointed to the western coast of Equestria. Looking closer, Asher found the town labeled by a little dot not far from Seaddle but south of Vanhoover. So, if the geography matches up the same that would put it in Washington State. Of course, if that's the case then there could be a really serious problem on the horizon.

"Found it!" Twilight exclaimed, rising from the pile and levitating a little cerulean colored book above her head. "The Guide to Rainbow Falls!"

"That's what you were looking for?" Rainbow Dash cried. "How's that gonna help?"

"Magic always happens for a reason, Rainbow Dash," Twilight lectured. "I've never been to Rainbow Falls so I need to learn all about it to see if there's any connection between them and Ponyville. If we can figure that out, it might give us a clue how to reverse the spell and get us back home."

Somehow the idea that this wasn't entirely random didn't sit well with Asher. Up to this point all of them had been looking at it all like a freak occurrence of nature, which oddly enough was more comforting. The thought that anything was controlling it would be a hard one to swallow.

Twilight set the book on a slanted desk so that anyone could read it from behind. The invitation was well taken as everybody gathered around, even the three newcomers (who still looked really nervous at just the sight of him and his brothers). Asher was glad for his height advantage allowing him to see over all their heads, though he was too far away to read any of the small print. But he could see some of the pictures, and assuming they weren't incredibly detailed but extremely artistic renditions, the town looked nothing short of amazing.

"Okay...Rainbow Falls. Founded in 350 AF by a small clan of pegasi settlers...located high on a plateau, used as a relief base during the Manticore stampedes...the only known location in Equestria of naturally forming liquid rainbows..." Twilight summarized as she skimmed the pages.

Asher recalled the brief conversation where Rainbow Dash and even the quiet Fluttershy had laughed at him about how rainbows were supposed to behave. Liquid rainbows......

"Feel the rainbow, taste the rainbow..." he mumbled quietly with a little smile.

"Oh, you don't want to taste the rainbows!" Pinkie Pie suddenly said, surprising Asher. "I tried, Suuuuuuuper spicy!"

The ponies in the room snickered at that, and though Asher didn't get it he didn't push it so as to let Twilight continue her reading. But, she didn't end up saying anymore as she continued her speed read of the book until she finally snapped it shut with her...magic. Well, when in Rome...

"'Nother dead end, Twi?" Applejack asked.

"Yes," Twilight sighed, sitting back with an exasperated huff onto the floor. "The only two things Ponyville has in common with this town is that they're both from Equestria and they're both in mountain ranges, but even then Ponyville's in a valley. They were founded in different eras, by different ponies, and for different reasons."

"Well that could be something," stated Asher. "Sometimes being too random is a sign of a deliberate act."

Twilight's ears twitched at that. 

"But...no, that would be impossible," she said, shaking her head. "The magic it would take to physically transport an entire town across another dimension is beyond even that of the Elements of Harmony, and even if it was that wouldn't explain Rainbow Falls being dragged along too. And if it was just like teleportation even the Princesses wouldn't have enough power to do so on their own."

There were a few buzzwords that caught Asher's attention in those couple of sentences, like how the "Elements of Harmony" were brought up again, and made a mental note to ask about them as Twilight kept going.

"I'm sure Discord couldn't pull off something on this scale either, even though I could totally see him doing this as some sort of prank," she said.

"Ain't that the truth," remarked Applejack as Rainbow Dash and Pinkie nodded in unison.

"Didn't he make that mini reality for my sister and her friends that one day?" said Rarity airily.

"Yes, but that was localized chaos magic, not physical movement," answered Twilight. Wait, what? Just how often does this happen?

"Still, it could have been," Rainbow Dash said with a look of deep distrust.

"Now girls..." Fluttershy began in a disciplinary tone, though she was cut off as Twilight continued her discourse.

"So I don't have any idea what to think. It seems too strong to be just random, but it's too strong to have someone behind it," she finished, rubbing her hoofs into her hair with frustration. "Not to mention we barely know what it is."

"That does seem to be a bit of a quandary," said Rarity. Asher just shook his head, wishing he knew more about their...magic than the basics he had been given that morning. It seemed to have a science to it that he would bet was similar to metaphysics, but do you know how many people actually know metaphysics? Nobody! It's entirely theoretical! Even from just looking between Twilight and Rarity he could tell there was definitely different levels of ability and understanding among the ponies themselves, so what hope did he have? 

"So, what do we do then?" the black pegasi from Rainbow Falls asked.

"You flew all the way here, right?" Twilight asked.

"Yes," the three answered.

"Did anypony try to stop you?" 

"Well, we almost collided with this huge, metal, flying whale with wings but it didn't come after us..." Rapidfire started.

"Hold up!" Rainbow Dash cut him off before staring at Asher, silently demanding an explanation.

"Probably a passenger plane. It's the fastest way to travel a long distance for us," he explained, stifling a chuckle at the apt description the pegasus had given. 

"Anyways, about over Salt Lick City we noticed that two smaller flying...machines were following us, but they didn't ever come too close until we got to Mt. Canterlot," Rapidfire finished.

So they just let three of them fly over half the country? Are they just tossing containment out the- 

"Oh."

It finally clicked in Asher's mind about why they had not caught wind of it until that point. Why no one had told them despite what had to be at the very least hours of awareness. A test, it was simple as that. The government wanted to see what they would do when left on their own.

"Twilight..."


- Twilight -


Twilight would probably have felt more stunned had Princess Celestia not had a habit of giving surprise tests like that all the time. Actually, it sort of made sense even if the idea that these humans had kept the truth from them for any length of time ticked her off. Rainbow Dash had vocalized those thoughts for her while Asher explained his theory.

"So the bottom line is, how do we pass?" Twilight asked. Asher didn't answer, for plainly he wasn't sure either. 

"Maybe...we could write a letter?" suggested Rarity.

"Wave some flags around?" said Rainbow Dash with a touch of sarcasm.

"Surrender?" Fluttershy offered quietly.

"Throw a party!" Pinkie Pie yelled, setting off a small confetti bomb that caused Asher's brothers to jump.

"Those are...what?" said Asher, brushing a streamer off his shoulder. 

"You do like parties, right?" Pinkie asked.

"Yes," said Asher. "But I'm not sure..."

"Yay! Party tiiiime!" Pinkie Pie sang. "Wait! Do humans play party games?"

"Er..." 

"Pin the tail on the pony? Charades? Bob for apples? Piñatas?"

"Uh, yeah. All of the above, but..." said Asher, raising an eyebrow. With that Pinkie Pie clapped her hooves and sped out the door, no doubt off to collect her party supplies.

"Um...wow," Patrick said, leaning away from the wall and looking out the door at the speeding pony.

"She really likes parties doesn't she?" added Jonathon. 

"Yeah, and they are totally worth it!" said Rainbow Dash. 

"I have no idea what just happened," Asher mumbled.

"Just Pinkie being Pinkie, don't worry about it," Twilight said. "How do we talk to your...president?"

Asher pulled out a small device with a screen, on which were some numbers that Twilight assumed was the time. It was already late afternoon.

"I think I have an idea," David said nonchalantly as all turned to look at him. "It goes to the basics. People are scared of what they don't know."

"Same can be said for ponies sometimes," said Twilight. Considering she once saw three of them collapse in terror at a stampede of bunnies, that was a bit of an understatement.

"So the best way to limit their fear is to tell them all about you," said David, with an odd edge of challenge in his voice. The human's misgivings about them were apparently revived in light of recent revelations, and Twilight supposed she might share the same feelings if the case were reversed. 

"I wouldn't mind sharing more information if it put their fears to rest," said Twilight. "I already agreed to do so even though no...body has shown up yet."

"Okay, genius, how do we do that?" Asher asked his brother, glaring his own disapproval at his sibling's tone. "It's not like we could just set up a Facebook..."

Asher stopped short, an idea lighting up his eyes. 

"I know what we can do, but we're gonna need a better camera than my phone," he said excitedly, and then without even letting Twilight or the others ask what the idea was he said, "Follow me to my house, and somebody find Pinkie!"

And with that the black-capped human ran out the door, leaving everybody staring after him in silence. It was kind of ironic considering what Pinkie had done just a few moments before.

"First: What's a Facebook?" Rainbow asked. "Second: shouldn't we be following him?"

"Right, Rainbow Dash, you find Pinkie Pie and meet us down there," said Twilight. "Perhaps you should come with us as well, Rapidfire, Midnight, and Cosmic."

The three pegasus looked a little wary at the prospect but nodded, a reaction Twilight suspected she would not have gotten were she not a Princess. With that she trotted out the door to find Asher returning towards them and beckoning them on. He wasn't too hard to catch up with. Though he had long legs it seemed that he was not able to maintain his top speed for very long, and even then the average pony's gallop was easily faster.

Rainbow Dash split off and into the air to look for their hyperactive friend as they jogged their way through the park. They only stopped when a gray meteorite with a blonde mane and amber eyes crashed right next to them, causing everypony's heart to skip a beat and Asher to throw up his hands and cry out, "What is with you ponies and coming out of nowhere!?" 

"Wait! Can I come too?"


- Sgt. Michael Ellsworth -


This was boring. Unbelievably, unendingly dull.

When Sgt. Ellsworth's squad had been assigned to the post by the orchard path, the station nearer to the aliens than any of the others, he had been excited at the prospect. But what they had found was that very little happened. Even with the town not even a mile away it was an idyllic piece of America's heartland. All they did, and all they had done for the last couple of days, was essentially just glance at members of the Burgess family as they came and went from the town. He had hoped with the news their superiors gave them this morning of the second town might shake things up but so far....

"Hi, sir!" the oldest son, Asher, jogged by him, startling him a little. "We're just going to the house, and don't worry about the, uh, guests. They're with me."

Ellsworth blinked at him and turned back to the path. As he did, the purple one that called herself Twilight Sparkle trotted past them giving them a cordial, "Hello."

He couldn't even manage words due to his surprise as she went by, and would continue to be unable to do so as more of them strut by. Dozens of them, mingled with a members of the human family who each gave the same wary/apologetic look their way. Just like their Princess, several of the ponies gave cheery "Hello's" and "Hi there's" and even "Nice day ain't it?"

"Um, Sarge?" one of his squad got his attention, looking for instructions.

"L- let them pass," he stammered. "Kowalski! Radio HQ and inform them of the situation."

"What do you think's going on?" another squadmate asked.

"I have no idea," he replied, scratching his head and musing about the adage of being careful what you wished for.


- Andrew -


Mr. Burgess slipped into the well worn leather seat and primed the gas pedal as he turned the key in the ignition. The engine on the red '70 Mustang roared to life, it's rumble filling echoing his backyard shed. He had built this addition last summer as a place to work on his hobby, something he hadn't gotten to do much of while he still worked. But now that he was retired, he had all the time in the world. 

He left the car running as he clambered back out and opened the hood. There was still a funny clunking sound coming from somewhere in the engine block and he hadn't been able to quite pinpoint it yet. 

"Hey Dad!" one of his sons called out to him as they crossed the yard behind him. They were reaching the age that the oldest three were starting to sound a lot alike so he couldn't exactly tell who it was without looking, so he just waved as he kept his eyes on the engine. He leaned over to see if it was something with the intake valve. 

"Whoa, so that's what the inside looks like!"

The young voice startled him enough that Andrew hit his head on the lifted hood. Rubbing his head he looked over to see the same little orange one that Asher had brought in the first night, accompanied by her two other little friends, the name Scootaloo surfacing in his memory. The three little creatures were all hanging off the edge of the car, supporting themselves on their front legs so that they could all see inside.

"Looks really complicated," remarked the white one.

"I'll say! That float we built had way less contraptions in it," the one with the pink bow added.

"Yeah, but listen to that rumble!" Scootaloo said. "It sounds way more awesome!"

Andrew looked around and noticed that there was a herd of the ponies on his back lawn, with two of his sons mingling with them. A few of them were nearby and were watching him from a short distance with curiosity. Andrew thought about demanding what they were doing there, but he discovered that deep down he just didn't care at this point so he'd let his wife and sons take this one.

"Um...You three want to help me fix it?"

"Really?!" They all said in unison. He had no idea why he offered, seeing as there was probably no way they could actually help, but he really did mean it so he nodded. 

"Sweet!" Scootaloo cheered. "What did you call these things again?"

"Cars."

"Alright! Cutie Mark Crusader Car Fixers!" they all suddenly cheered in unison, each clapping a hoof together.

This should be interesting.


- Applejack -


Applejack watched in cautious fascination as Asher had flipped out his "laptop" and was busy getting it ready for...whatever he was planning. 

"Hey David, why don't you go down and find out who's in charge at the barricades down there and see if we can get a phone number to talk to DC." Asher said as his fingers tapped rapidly on the smallest, flattest typewriter she had ever seen.

"Why me?" his brother asked indignantly.

"Because it was YOUR idea…"

"But, wait! I have no idea what you're doing!"

"You said we need to get out some information and for that we'll need internet."

"Then you go down!"

"Can't. Busy. Mom! Where do you keep the good camera?" Asher asked as he jumped up and walked right through the TV room to another part of the house. David gritted his teeth and growled a little before throwing his hands in the air and walking towards the front of the home.

"Twilight, what's goin' on?" Applejack asked as she, Rarity, Fluttershy and Twi found themselves alone in the kitchen.

"I think he's planning to share our information on the internet," she said.

"Ok. What's that?"

"It's this powerful research tool that is kind of like a...invisible library that has almost all the knowledge they have," Twilight explained, motioning over to the glowing device on the table. "Asher told me anything that gets put on there anyone in the world can see with one of these computers."

"Exactly," Asher said, striding back into the room and holding a small and very strangely shaped camera. "I was thinking that maybe we can make a video where each of ya'll can introduce yourselves. Since so many of you guys followed us down, here it'll give us a huge sample. The more people know about you, the less freaked out they're likely to be. Maybe we can even give a little tour of the town or something."

Applejack looped a comforting hoof around Fluttershy as she noticed the mare shrinking in abject terror. Maybe Fluttershy should skip out on this one.

"When you say video, ya mean like those movies?" Applejack inquired. That'd sure be interestin'.

"Uh-huh. It won't look quite as fancy but it still looks pretty good," the human replied. He flipped open one side of the contraption and there was a small beeping noise. "Here, say something."

"Uh....Hi," Applejack said. Another beeping sound followed and Asher came around. On the other side of the little flipped part was a little screen, where Applejack watched a confused picture of herself say, "Uh.....Hi."

"That's somethin' else," she then said in real life. 

"Yep. Let's take it outside," Asher said, waving them to follow as he walked back out the back door. Applejack followed Twilight and coerced Fluttershy with Rarity's help to at least come outside, both of them giving promises that she didn't have to do anything she didn't want to.

The backyard had many of their fellow Ponyvillians spread about doing various things. Lily, Rose, and Daisy were all tending to a fledgling garden on the side, with Carrot Top apparently adding advice. Derpy seemed to be trying to get a game of tag going with a few other pegasi while her much more mellow husband Time Turner looked on. The biggest crowd was towards the Burgess's barn on the far left of the yard, where several were watching something going on.

A low but loud roar sent Applejack diving for cover, not sure what to expect. The skies were clear, and nopony was screaming. She looked over to see that it was coming from the group in front of the barn, where she also noticed a familiar pink bow. Applejack's brain kicked into protective mode for a moment, but she forced herself to be calm as she got up.

She ambled over and through the crowd to see Asher's dad getting out of one of their vehicles where a whole mess of metal parts were visible to everypony else. Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle, all three of whom were covered in black smears, were bouncing up and down in apparent celebration.

"Well that's... one way to fix an engine," said Mr. Burgess uncertainly, slamming the cover down. 

"That would have been interesting to watch," Twilight said, coming up beside Applejack.

"Eh, it was kinda boring but the sound it makes is pretty sweet," said Rainbow Dash, who flew down from where she had apparently been watching from a perch on a cloud just above. Applejack looked around and noticed Pinkie Pie had also arrived to round out the group.

"Okay, everypony, listen up..." Twilight called out. Her royal voice was coming along nicely, and she used it to sum up what they wanted to do.


- Indianapolis, Indiana - State Capitol -


"He wants to do what? Sir, I would advise against that."

"What do you think Gene?"

"Hmm. I think young Mr. Burgess has actually given us something quite valuable."

"That occurred to me as well. They're practically gift wrapping information for us and all we have to do is let them post it on youtube?"

"Well that, and he also said to pass along a message that the Princess wishes to speak directly to you soon. He said something about 'preventing a problem.'"

"Very well. Inform them that we'll restore the internet access to allow them to post, though have Secretary Grant review it first. And somebody clear up some time this week and inform Governor Looper and anyone else involved. I think we need to arrange a meeting in Washington."


- Asher -


"There's an 'e' at the end of her name," Rarity said, pointing at the screen.

"Belle like the french spelling then," Asher replied, typing in the missing letter. "There, so the name of their club is the...what now?"

"Cutie Mark Crusaders," said Twilight. Strange name.

"Okie Dokie," Asher continued, finishing the last touch and clicking the final render button. The editing was nothing fancy, but the video was about ten minutes long and full to the brim of some pretty interesting stuff. He had filmed the profiles of 47 different ponies, where each one would look into the camera, give their name, and following the example of Rainbow Dash then showed off what their cutie mark looked like. Some chose to do it together, like these three Asher had nicknamed the flower ponies, two pegasus sisters named Flitter and Cloudchaser, and of course the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They had even managed to coax Fluttershy into saying her name into the camera, however inaudibly.

They also trooped back up to Ponyville and shot footage of them doing a fair collection of different activities. He caught Rainbow Dash and two other pegasi named Blossomforth and Star Hunter (some of their names were pretty awesome, particularly among the stallions) pushing around clouds and then stomping on top of them to make them rain, as well as a less fortunate Derpy Hooves zapping herself with lightning. Asher mentally added the note "pegasi at least partially resistant to electricity" to his memory when the cross-eyed mare walked away essentially unharmed.

They also showed Applejack harvesting an apple tree by kicking it in the trunk, an earth pony named Ocatavia Melody playing the cello, and then a montage of several unicorns using their levitation to perform different little tasks like writing. It was short, but people were going to eat this up. All he needed was....

A knock at the door surprised him. 

"I'll get it!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed and she shot off to the front before anyone could protest. "Hi!"

David followed her back but then stopped as Secretary Grant walked in followed by two secret service. As per usual, she didn't look especially pleased at anything, and was brusque in her tone.

"Princess Twilight Sparkle, Mr. Burgess, we were informed that you have produced a video and would like to post it on the net?" she asked politely, but stiffly. 

"Yes indeedy!" Pinkie Pie said bouncing happily into the room.. Asher smiled a little but quickly stifled it as he watched the Secretary and the Secret Service guys give such uncertain looks at the pink pony. 

Straightening her thoughts back out, the Madam Secretary said, "I was hoping I could review it before it was made public. After that the President has agreed to return the internet access as per your request."

"Go right ahead," Asher said, standing up and moving aside. It was good timing considering they had just finished it. The ponies followed suit and made a path for Mrs. Grant. Asher leaned over and clicked the play button and turned the volume all the way up as everyone leaned in to watch their creation all the way through for the first time.

Asher watched the Secretary for most of the video, gauging her reactions as best he could. Her emotions didn't appear to change much from "sour", though he did note a slight surprise when they came to the unicorn magic part. That was the only section that made him nervous, seeing how previously protective the government tended to be. 

"Well. I see no reason why this cannot go on," she declared as the video ended. Rainbow Dash gave a little whoop from her position at the back and bumped hooves with Applejack as the others smiled in response. 

"May we have the raw footage as well?"

Deciding it was a worthy trade, Asher opened his camera and slipped out the digital tape, handing it to her and hoping that there wasn't some important family video on it.

"Very well," she said evenly. "The internet will be restored within the hour temporarily during which you can post the video. Now, if I may Princess."

The Secretary turned to the purple pony, "We were informed that you would desire a meeting with the President and he has agreed. He wishes to invite you and any escorts to Washington D.C. on a day in the near future. Would you accept?"

Twilight stole a glance at Asher during which he nodded very quickly. That was more than they could ever hope for.

"Yes, ma'am, we would be honored," Twilight said with a slight bow. 

"On behalf of the President of the United States, I thank you," Mrs. Grant said. And with that she turned to leave, her secret service in tow, and a few moments later the front door slammed.

"What's Washington D.C.?" Twilight asked immediately afterwards.

"It's our capital, and that is the best news we've gotten all week," Asher said with a smile.

"I have a question!" Pinkie declared, jumping up and waiting for everyone to turn to her.

"Can we party now?" she asked with a powerfully innocent look. 

All she got for an answer was laughs and Asher guffawing the word, "Sure."


- Canterlot - Celestia -


The preparations were going well. Calling a council of world leaders was no easy feat, and the last time it had been done on this scale was after the banishment of Nightmare Moon. But everypony's mind was going to be needed for this crisis, and they had readily answered. Equestria was not the only one to lose a town, though all indications were that the magic event was so far strongest there.

"Your Highness, we have received word the delegates from Shetland will be here within the hour," a guard courier said with a bow. 

"Very good. See that they are accommodated as soon as they arrive," she instructed, and with another bow the guard left.

"Sister, how fares our plans?"

Celestia turned and nuzzled Luna affectionately as she walked in, "They fare well. We nearly have all the representatives present, and the hope that our combined efforts can preclude and reverse the magic can move towards being realized."

"It is well indeed."

"All there is left to do is to summon one more for assistance," Celestia continued. She stood from her throne and prepared the summoning spell, charging the magic through her horn. There was a little flash and....

Nothing happened. Luna looked at her quizzically, probably just as stunned that a spell of her sister's had apparently failed. Such a thing hadn't occurred since they were quite young. Celestia stood still and just blinked for several moments. Perhaps she had slipped up on part of the spell.

She tried again, this time carefully going through the steps like she had as a student, and cast it. Again, nothing. But for this spell to fail that meant -

"Oh no...."

"What is it, Tia?"

"He's gone."

> Chapter 9: Precedent
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


- CNN -


"Within just one day there is already a growing movement in the US to give citizenship to the Equestrians. Your take?"

"Now that's just ridiculous. We have legal, human immigrants who've been waiting years to get citizenship. I can't imagine it sitting well with any of them. Those people need to set their sights on a lower goal first, like, I don't know....a green card?"


- FOX & Friends -


"So you have to check out this video, now look at this..."

"Oh my gosh, how are they doing that?"

"Is this real?"

"It can't be! You're telling me they have mind powers now?"

"What reason would they have to fake that?"


- Marquette, Michigan -


A jogger, on pace to making her best time of the year for her daily run, passed by a tree.

The tree sneezed.

The runner said, "Gesundheit" before nearly tripping over herself in shocked realization a few seconds later.


- Asher -


Asher was absolutely exhausted, even though he had just woken up, and was currently shuffling down the hallway towards the family kitchen. He felt like he had just coming out of the biggest sugar crash of his life. Which, actually, was essentially the truth. Pinkie Pie's impromptu party made just about every party he had ever seen on a campus seem dull by comparison. Actually, thinking back they were dull, but the ponies' had been far and above his expectations.

Pinkie Pie was flat born to be a party planner, he was sure of it. However they decided it, her mark represented her very well with those balloons she sported on her flank. The pink pony had not only managed to keep everybody entertained for five hours, she had the energy to still be raring to go as everyone else stumbled out the door in exhaustion. She did manage to persuade them to take half a mountain of leftover cakes and cookies home with them, though it hadn't taken much coaxing for his younger siblings.

"Goooood Morning!" 

Speaking of pink ponies, Pinkie Pie once again succeeded at making Asher's heart to violently skip a beat. After taking a couple deep breaths and relinquishing his death grip on the oven door handle, he shook his head and made sure he was seeing what was really there.

The kitchen was a disaster area. There was flour all over the place, including on Pinkie Pie and his own little sister, not to mention ingredients of all sorts covering the counters. Before he could say anything, Anne turned on the mixer to way too high a power, sending the mix splattering everywhere. Anne rushed to turn it off, and Pinkie came over to help, but couldn't stop it until both of them had a nice layer of batter on their heads.

"Whoo! We're making waffles!" Pinkie Pie cheered, and Anne laughed along.

"When did you get here?" Asher finally exclaimed, exhaling again and rubbing his face as he approached the table.

"A while ago!" Pinkie answered cheerily. "Anne invited me for breakfast, and really, who would want to miss that? She wanted to make homemade waffles! So..."

"We did!" Anne finished, both of them descending into laughter. Oh gosh, they're talking in sync now.

Asher thought about chastising them, but decided he was just too tired to even form a comprehensive sentence and said, "Have at it."

Not that they needed the invitation. Anne and Pinkie set to replenishing the bowl's waffle ingredients, forgetting once again to lower the power resulting in another battery explosion. Their third try they finally remembered and were finally able to put the waffles in the iron instead of everywhere else.

Asher had experienced the result of Pinkie's baking before so he figured once they actually got it together the taste would probably be worth it, still he was hungry now so he made some toast with melted butter.

Afterwards, he walked over to the kitchen counter and flipped open his laptop, wiping some batter off of the top. It had sat there all night after they posted their video, and given Pinkie's party he hadn't even looked at it since. The page was still up, so he scrolled over and refreshed it, pleasantly surprised that their internet was still restored. 

For some reason Asher had forgotten to prepare himself for the numbers he would see there and he ended up breathing in toast. Seeing as humans were not biologically designed to breathe burnt bread this of course led to a hoarse coughing fit that lasted several minutes. 

When he recovered he exclaimed, "600 million hits!?"

Yesterday morning his profile had a total of 45 hits, which was understandable considering every video he had posted before had been for one school project or another so usually only the teacher and occasionally the classroom ever watched them. He refreshed the page again and to his amazement the number of views increased by hundreds of thousands. 

Asher started scrolling the comment section, where countless threads were already in full swing. The internet peoples had been quite busy overnight. A lot of the threads were as horrendous as one would come to expect in such a place, but there were a surprising number of people throwing their support behind this. In fact, he hadn't seen something this unexpectedly one sided since the last super bowl. Then again, it was the internet and what people did in real life was often a different story.

Switching to the homepage he was slightly less surprised to discover there were already tributes, analysis videos, even remixes covering the "popular right now" sections. He even noticed one that linked to a Facebook page where it seemed the sole purpose was to argue about which pony they liked the most. 

He memorized some of the basics of that discussion, deciding that the reactions of a few ponies he knew were bound to be priceless.

Asher's train of thought was interrupted by a waffle landing on the brim of his hat, dangling off the edge.

"Oops!" Anne said, staring with an expression between "what have I done" and "I'm gonna die if I don't laugh."

"Want syrup with that?" Pinkie offered, an equally trying-not-to-laugh-but-still-contrite look spread in a smile as she held out the bottle. Asher sighed and grabbed the waffle off his head.

"Sure."


- Twilight -


After a hardy breakfast of her own, Twilight was outside trotting and enjoying the absolutely gorgeous morning. They may not control the weather here, but on the days like this it was hard to tell. So far they'd only had one downpour and that had happened overnight. While that had been somewhat unpleasant for Star Hunter and the night weather crew it still gave a familiar refreshing feel that such storms had given back home. It was nice when some things were the same.

She jumped into an uneasy flight as she reached her destination, Rainbow's house. Knocking used to be a challenge before she finally installed a pull-string bell. A groggy Rainbow Dash opened the door and grunted to let her in. As usual her place was an unorganized mess, but given company was rare it didn't exactly matter most of the time. 

"Sleep well?" Twilight asked conversationally.

"A'ight," mumbled Dash. "But I'll probably avoid eating so much cake before bed from now on."

"Crazy dreams?" Twilight confirmed. She had some strange dreams the night before as well, something to do with Rarity turning into a pumpkin and creating a new fashion line that dressed everypony up like Pinkie Pie in a trench coat. 

"Yep. So, what are we up to today?" the pegasus asked through a yawn, collapsing on her cumulus couch. 

"Actually, I just wanted to come by and say you're off the hook," said Twilight as nonchalantly as she could muster. It took a few seconds to register.

"What?" Rainbow Dash craned her head up and stared at her.

"You don't have to be my assistant, Spike will take back over," said Twilight. "Just don't..."

"Oh thank Celestia!" Rainbow Dash burst forward and hugged her. "No offense Twillight, but I don't think I could dust another shelf!"

"Okay," laughed Twilight, trying to breathe. "Just don't do anything too crazy like that again."

"You got it!" Rainbow Dash said, letting go and saluting deliberately. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some flying to catch up on!"

And with that Rainbow Dash burst through her front door, which promptly reformed, and dove into several corkscrews made clearer by her rainbow contrail. Twilight shook her head with a smile and glided back to the ground to make the walk back into town. Specifically the Carousel Boutique.

With the business open sign up Twilight didn't bother knocking, striding in to find the unicorn already hard at work. Rarity had always been a very good early riser, even after a late night. Rarity looked up from her work and greeted Twilight warmly, though with her magic she didn't stop working. 

"How's everything coming along?" Twilight asked, looking around at all the hoofwork.

"Marvelously!" proclaimed Rarity. "Some of these materials I got from Candace were impressively sturdy, and thanks to some of the patterns I was able to borrow I think I have a Human Style line that should be the talk of the fashion world once we get back."

"That's great, Rarity," praised Twilight. She took a look at some of the pieces she had put together, almost all of which were two piece sets. That was an unusual thing indeed in Equestria, but it appeared the humans used nothing else. 

"What about our surprise?" Twilight asked with a grin.

"I'm almost finished, they should be ready by the end of tomorrow," said Rarity confidently. 

"Awesome! By the way, I let Rainbow Dash off from helping me, so..."

"Shutter the windows in case of aerial collision?" 

"Yep."

A crescendo yell and a crash upstairs interrupted their conversation, shaking the walls.

"And I would suppose that means too late," remarked Twilight, astounded by just how on cue that was.

"I think that was Sweetie's room this time. Her bed's soft so I imagine Rainbow's alright," sighed Rarity. Twilight said goodbye and headed back out, glancing up to see Rainbow Dash extricating herself from the window and inspecting the damage, cursing something about another week's pay lost.

She hadn't seen Pinkie Pie yet this morning and she was continued to be denied this when she went into sugarcube corner.

"Sorry, deary. Pinkie left early this morning for a breakfast meeting with somepony," said Mrs. Cake with a shrug, holding onto Pumpkin Cake with one hoof to keep her from crawling away while simultaneously holding down Pound Cake with her other.

"Pinkie left early?" That was surprising. While energetic, Pinkie Pie usually made up for it by sleeping in, in contrast to Rarity, particularly the night after a party. Twilight was hoping to catch her (actually she was planning to wake her up) to talk about some upcoming event planning but she supposed she could take care of that later.

After leaving Sugarcube Corner she found herself done with her checklist, a personal record time being as it was still morning. Probably not having full Princess duties during their entrapment here had something to do with that, even if she was the official magistrate. Even with Rainbow Falls now joining them it would most likely be too long a distance for her to have to do anything directly. She basically sent Rapidfire and his wingmates back with the instructions to stay calm, be careful, and carry on as best they could for time being.

Twilight decided on a whim that she'd see what was going on at Sweet Apple Acres, so she briskly trekked through the already busying town towards the south. Perhaps afterwards she'd just keep going on down to the Burgess home. Perhaps they'd have some information about when and where this supposed meeting with their President would be by now.

It was time for the second applebuck season so the family was getting everything prepared. Applejack and Big Mac could both be seen setting buckets beneath the trees, while Applebloom was pushing stacks of them out of the back of a cart right into the hands of the light-haired David Burgess. The day was already full of surprises.

Twilight greeted the family and human, to which David grunted a hello as he lifted several of the buckets off. 

"What's he doing, Applejack?" asked Twilight as she watched the human lumber off.

"We got to talkin' last night an' he said he thinks he'd be out of a job, 'cause, ya know, he hasn't been able to go for a few days. So I offered to pay him some bits to work for us during this applebuck season," Applejack explained, wiping sweat off her brow. 

"I thought they didn't use bits for money."

"We don't," said David, walking in to the conversation and picking up several more buckets from the cart. "But gold's still worth a lot so I can just sell it. Same diff."

He stalked off with his load and started setting them around another apple tree. 

"He's been workin' hard for the last hour straight," said Applejack with earnest praise. "We ain't hired somepony to help us in years, but we just might get this done faster than ever."

"Not if'n you don't move yer caboose!" Granny Smith suddenly hollered from a little ways off. Applejack snickered.

"Alright, Granny," she said, heaving a stack of buckets with ease onto her back. "See ya Twi."

Twilight was thoroughly bemused as she backed away watching. It was just such a strange thing to see. Two species that had barely met working side by side like it was an every day occurrence. Well, I suppose at the rate we're going it will be.

Her study, both personally and with Asher, had yielded absolutely nothing. All they had was a bunch of theories, most of which would be impossible to fix with either world's current known abilities if they were the truth. It seemed to Twilight that, barring a strange miracle on par with the event that brought them in the first place, they should be prepared to be stuck here a while.

Catching a glimpse of Dash flying overhead in a southerly direction, Twilight decided to go ahead and follow her down to the Burgess estate. She gave cheerful hellos to the human guards still standing post at the orchard entrance and this time they were actually cognizant enough to say hi back. They were obviously still getting used to this new traffic flow.

She arrived in the backyard just as the back door was opened for Rainbow Dash. 

"Oh, hey guys," said Asher, rubbing his eyes. Rainbow Dash cast a quick glance behind her to confirm who warranted the plural greeting before turning back to him.

"Hey, did you, uh....charge? Charge that movie player?" she asked.

"Huh? Oh yeah, come on in. Let me grab it," he said, waving them forward as he went back into the house. Twilight entered behind Dash as Asher went to one side of the living room where the device in question apparently was. A clanking noise from the kitchen startled her, though she couldn't see the cause through the doorway.

"Don't worry, it's just Anne and Pinkie cleaning up the waffle apocalypse," assured Asher. 

On cue, Pinkie Pie peered around the doorframe. 

"Oh hi girls! Want some waffles?" she asked brightly. Then Anne peered around her and added, "They're super good!"

"No thanks, already ate," said Rainbow Dash, settling down on a couch where she looked comically undersized from Twilight's perspective. Dash was no small pony with the powerful wings and muscles of an athlete but human sized furniture did its best to belie that.

"So this is that 'breakfast meeting' Mrs. Cake said you went off to," said Twilight amused.

"Yep! Anne and I decided it would be fun to make breakfast! And it was! Hey guess what? They put peanut butter on their waffles! I know, weird right? But it tasted deliciously amazing! It's like...."

"Frosting for breakfast?" suggested Anne. She may be young but she's quick. thought Twilight.

"Exactly!" shouted Pinkie Pie, jumping up and hanging in the air for about a second longer than those bound by the normal laws of physics would before heading back into the kitchen with Anne to continue their cleaning. Oh gosh, they're talking in sync now.

"Here ya are Rainbow," he said, handing the little machine over. Rainbow Dash early took it and tucked it close to her body with one hoof, like she was cradling something precious. "Looks like we're in for a busy few days."

"Did they tell you when they want us to come?" Twilight asked.

"Not yet but I think I can guess," said Asher, flopping down on the couch next to the multi-chromatic pegasus. "It's Independence Day on the 4th, so the day after tomorrow. That's a pretty busy time already so unless they want to give the Secret Service a heart attack I'd be willing to bet they wait until after that."

"Independence Day?" Twilight queried.

"It's the day we celebrate the founding of our country," explained Asher. "We -"

"Ash!"

"What?" Asher answered irritatedly.

His brother Patrick walked in the room from the front hallway, not fazed at all by his elder brother's acidic reply.

"There's some people on our front lawn," he said.

"You're a big boy. Go handle it," Asher replied, shrugging and shaking his head.

"They asked for you," Patrick shot back. 

"Who?"

"I dunno, but he had a bunch of stars on his shoulders," Patrick replied, folding his arms with a smug grin like he had just won. Twilight could only wonder what that meant as Asher stared at his brother in silence for several seconds. Then he let his head fall back on the couch, heaved a big sigh, then rocked forward onto his feet. 

"Fine. I better go see what they want," he said with a huff. "I'll catch up with you later Twilight." 

Asher disappeared into the front hall and out the front door, Patrick in tow. 

"Welp, I'm heading back home," said Rainbow Dash as she slid off the couch. "Ya comin'?"

"Might as well," assented Twilight. "Pinkie Pie! We're going back to Ponyville!"

"Okie Dokie! I'll be back later!"

"Don't cause too big of a mess!" Twilight added as she trotted out the door. 

"Too late!" Anne called out, and both of them were heard laughing. Twilight decided to go ahead and fly back with Rainbow, seeing as she definitely needed the practice. She was getting better, but even on this short flight Rainbow Dash had to fly over and steady her two or three times.

"You still fly like a gimpy penguin," Rainbow Dash laughed as she landed gently in front of the library. Twilight, in contrast, came to a skidding halt that carved two parallel ruts in the dirt, stopping just inches from smacking into the library.

"Penguins can't fly," Twilight growled as she opened the door and wiped her dirty hooves on the mat.

"I know," Dash snickered. Twilight rolled her eyes in response and used her magic to grab the movie device.

"I think I have an idea to make the view screen bigger," she explained as Rainbow Dash first sputtered protest then perked up. "I think a little magnification spell might do wonders."


- Straub Mountain - 1 mile south of Victor, CO - Heading east -


"This is the worst idea in the long history of bad ideas you've ever had. Princess Twilight said -"

"Relax! One thing I learned last night is they like a good time about as much as we do."

"So sneaking into a city full of them, which we've never seen before, and just trying to find a 'good time' is your plan, then?"

"After making sure none of their soldiers are following us, sure."

"You're crazy."

"Hey, you came too."

"You're a bad influence on me. You do realize that we're going to have to walk over that mountain, right?"

"Uh-huh."

"Dragging this thing?"

"That's what magic is for."


- Rainbow Dash - A While Later -


"When you said bigger, I thought maybe twice as big was what you meant," said Rainbow Dash in total awe. Twilight had done some spell searching, and using a white bedsheet had transformed the little player into a projector of sorts. The screen was now pretty much the size of a wall. A human wall.

"Well, now it'll be easier for more ponies to watch all at once," said Twilight. "The video we made with the other ponies yesterday made me think that we really should be getting everypony up to speed on what this world is like. Us six are not the only ones that are stuck here."

"That makes sense," said Rainbow Dash. "Does that mean we have to wait to watch something?"

Rainbow Dash had a gut feeling that this could easily turn into an addiction, but she could barely hear that part of her instinct because the rest of her body was itching to see more. That Indiana Jones character had been a good one, and even the movies obviously meant for fillies had been pretty awesome. It was almost as good as flying. Almost. Ok, not really, but it was awesome.

"Well....I don't see why not. Why don't you gather some ponies and we'll go ahead. Got nothing else to do," admitted Twilight. 

"Great! I'll be back in ten minutes flat!"


- 9 Minutes, 58 Seconds later -


Well, not everypony can just drop what they're doing. But still, there was a fairly sizable group that Rainbow Dash had rounded up. Fluttershy and Rarity were sitting side by side while Pinkie Pie, who had just come back, chatted amiably with Lyra Heartstrings and Thunderlane behind them. Spike was busy popping up buckets of popcorn, and Twilight was sifting through the movies which she had early stored on an extra shelf in the library. Otherwise there were about two dozen ponies, about six of which were fillies. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were there, however Apple Bloom was still with the rest of the Apple family who were still busy getting their applebuck season underway. Dash was satisfied she had gathered enough, so she finally landed next to Twilight.

"I'm not sure what we should see this time," Twilight said thoughtfully without looking up. "Honestly, I'd probably feel better with one of the Burgesses to answer any questions we have."

"Hey, these are for entertainment anyway," Rainbow Dash reasoned. "Besides, they may be tall and ugly but from what I can tell they're not much different."

"Rainbow!" Twilight gave her a playful shove and a stern look. "Oh, this actually might help us both."

"What?"

"Asher said they're having an "Independence Day" in a couple days, right?" 

"I dunno, I was barely listening," Rainbow Dash said, scratching her neck mane with a hoof. After a sideways glance Twilight pulled a single movie out with her magic.

"Well there's one here called 'Independence Day,'" said Twilight. "I bet we could learn something very useful before then."

Rainbow Dash looked at the cover levitating in front of her with scrutiny. "Independence Day: 2 Disc Special Edition" it read, and cutouts of three humans were placed above the letters with two big oval things and a blue background below. Dash wasn't really that into pony history, and frankly human history held about the same weight in her eyes. But, hey, none of the movies had disappointed so far.

"Sure. But if it's lame, I'm blaming you," Rainbow Dash said, grabbing it out of the air.

"Hey, I was going to read the back!" Twilight complained. 

"No way! That just ruins what's in the movie!" Rainbow Dash rebutted. "I found that out the hard way that first day."

Twilight didn't look convinced so Dash put on her best winning smile and after a few seconds Twilight just rolled her eyes and waved her off. The victorious Rainbow Dash popped open the player and the case, slid the little, silver record into place, and carefully tapped the finger sized buttons to get it going. Twilight went and stood in front of the magical projection and welcomed everypony and briefly explained.

Everything's an event thought Rainbow Dash with amusement, as she clicked the last button on the "menu" to get the movie going. Then she flew around and sat on the floor next to her friends as it started up with a dramatic tune played on trumpets and spotlights on giant lettering.

"I bet this'll be very educational," Twilight whispered to her friends with anticipation.


- Asher -


If he had known it was going to take hours to go through everything when his brother had come to get him, he would have pretended to be sick. The military officer that had asked for him was one of the head honchos at Edwards Air Force Base, and he, plus about a dozen other people, had a laundry list of regulations and other things they wanted him to be aware of because of their intended plans to bring some ponies to Washington D.C.

They apparently were going to treat the visit with the security level of somewhere between "the Queen of England" and "Wanted Terrorists." Simultaneously making sure no one attacked the "visiting dignitaries" and that said visitors didn't try anything funny with the Commander in Chief present. 

It was well after midday now, and he decided he better take it straight to Ponyville before the loads of tedious information completely leaked out of his head. At least someone wrote it all down. He passed Anne playing in the backyard with a volleyball and she said that Pinkie Pie had gone back up for some "party planning" a couple hours before. Another one? Asher was still feeling the residual effects of last night's sugar crash.

After passing the soldiers on post, he stopped to talk to his brother and the industrious Apple family when he passed by where they were working the orchards.

Asher watched, very impressed in speechless amazement, as Applejack delivered a powerful double kick into the trunk of one of the trees, causing it to lose almost its entire apple load straight into the buckets below. His limited knowledge of picking any kind of fruit let him know that the strength required to do something like that was absolutely insane, so he made a mental note not to make the orange pony angry.

"That Rainbow one showed up earlier," David remarked after they all said hello. "Said something about a movie."

"Oh," responded Asher half listening, instead watching Big Mac kick one leg out and knock half the apples out of another tree before striking with the other to finish it off. 

"As in we're busy," shooed David, flicking his wrists like he was waving off a stray cat. Asher backed off, continuing to watch the impressive display over his shoulder as he headed up the path. 

The town overall seemed to be experiencing a normal day. Perhaps a little bit quieter than the previous days. He made his way through the town down the quickly-becoming-familiar route to the library, where he assumed the movie was playing.

Opening the door did not reveal what he expected. For one, there was a large projection screen in the center of the room, streaming what appeared to be the beginning of the ending credits for a movie with a somewhat familiar tune. But there were no ponies immediately visible. 

Asher had to step inside and peer around to find them. They were sitting awfully close to each other and without exception were staring wide-eyed at the screen. He found the familiar faces and walked up to them, crouching in front of them. "What in the heck did you watch?"

They ended up not having to answer as Asher noticed an open DVD case at Rainbow Dash's feet, which he picked up and turned to the cover.

Now, before that point in time Asher had never personally experienced the endorphin-producing sensation of "Rolling on the Floor Laughing," a curious condition that renders the subject unable to breathe let alone put together a cognizant sentence or stand up for several minutes as hiccup-like laughter overtakes them. 

Ten minutes after this riotous malady struck Asher, Rainbow Dash gave her friends an annoyed glance and asked, "So are you gonna hit him or can I?"


- Twilight - That Night -


That had been kind of embarrassing. Looking back she should have known that none of it had been an actual historical account, but the fact that she had let herself even think that for as long as she did was a shot to her scholarly pride. Asher's joyous outburst did manage to lighten and allay any of the fears her ponies harbored. There was a reason Laughter was one of the Elements of Harmony after all. 

He did get around to confirming the fictitious nature of the crazy story they had witnessed, and then gave what was probably a really washed down version of what their "4th of July" really was celebrating. The truth made a lot more sense than invading aliens.

But on that subject, it had given Twilight something to think about. She was well aware that they were viewed as aliens in this world, probably much like humans would have been in Equestria. Fiction, while not reliable for facts, was always a good place to pick up on the attitude of a culture, ancient and current. If that was a representation of what even a few humans thought of when someone said "aliens," then treading carefully was an absolute must.

Later, after everypony had a good laugh (with Rainbow Dash going on about how cool all the flying was and quoting memorable lines with Pinkie Pie), Asher did manage to have a conversation with them about their visit to the human's Capital, at least of this kingdom. Ten "attendants" were "recommended" as Asher put emphasis on both of those words, which Twilight took to meaning that they shouldn't consider bringing any more than that. Security would be really high, and she would get at least an hour but probably more to talk directly with the President away from the cameras. Other than that, Asher was blunt with how it was more or less a publicity stunt. A lot of greetings, appearances, and perhaps a few tours. Sounds an awful lot like what Princess Celestia goes through every day. Twilight had thought, remembering some conversations with her mentor about her duties. Politics joined the growing list of things that ran parallel with home. Soon she was going to have to keep a list of things that weren't because it would be shorter.

But one thing bothered her more than anything, something she was too nervous to voice. She didn't want to scare her friends. They would obviously be spending a fairly extended time outside the magic field. It was still growing, which continued to baffle her, but looking at a map told her it was most likely that "Washington D.C." was nowhere close to being touched. Between Rainbow Falls and Ponyville was still mostly devoid, though Twilight suspected the two fields were tethering to one another, and Rapidfire had made it through with no obvious outer symptoms.

Still, this was totally unprecedented. They would be relying entirely on the magic their bodies produced naturally, a circumstance some of their modern scholars were adamant would eventually lead to a pony's demise. Meeting with the leaders was important if they were to be prepared for the upcoming weeks and months, but Twilight resolved as she tucked Spike and then herself into bed that if anything seemed amiss, they would turn right around. At least, she spent the next hour and a half laying awake and trying to convince herself that would be enough. 




> Chapter 10: Fireworks
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


- NBC - 


"Good morning and happy birthday America!"

"What a day for a holiday. Out here in New York the sun is shining and the skies are clear-"


- FOX -


"- a day of celebrations country wide. Get out the flags, warm up the grill, sneak in those fireworks, and as always: stay safe."

"We have a great day of programming for you. First, a special about the immigrants who founded and built this country with a bonus section on our newest arrivals. After that we have Major League Baseball, the Chicago Cubs will be taking on the-"


- Fayetteville, Arkansas -


Gerry Ryland had seen a lot of things in his time, including a World War and Woodstock. He had long passed the age of where he thought he could be surprised, so he usually felt pretty content with the world sitting on his porch and drinking his morning coffee.

But lampposts were doing the Rockettes' routine in the middle of the street.

"Rita! Just what didja put in my coffee!?"


- ABC -


"Wait, I thought someone had just made it up and photoshopped something."

"Nope! Here's some of the images from Colorado Springs that has been burning up instagram since late last night..."


- Asher -


Well, it's not as elaborate as Pinkie Pie's, but...

Asher considered this little party a success. And though the number of human participants in this year's 4th of July party was dramatically lower than the previous, the number of total participants was actually similar. About 30 or so, including Twilight and her friends, the Mayor of Ponyville, and half of the main street booth sellers. Another notable guest was also a government official, but for Asher's country. 

Governor Looper, plus a security detail watching just about every angle stoically (despite a certain pink pony's best efforts to include them) and one photographer snapping away from the sidelines, was sitting at the park-style picnic table that had been dragged to the center of the yard with Princess Twilight, Rarity, Mayor Mare, and Asher's parents all present. Asher had decided to notify the government of their planned get together and about an hour later the governor had suddenly requested if he could join. It's an election year isn't it...

Several card tables held essentially every vegetarian dish his mother could come up with. It was less surprising that most of these dishes had never quite been Asher's favorite. Even though they had far from stopped eating meat during their home meals and Twilight definitely knew of their omnivorous habits, they had unanimously decided that it would have just been awkward to eat it with the ponies around, especially in a party setting.

Their TV had been dragged outside for the time being as well for a family tradition of watching the baseball game. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and a several other ponies were seated in front of it mingled with Patrick and Jonathon. They were happily munching on potato chips and talking about the different players and plays. It had been a bit of a surprise to find out that they didn't have to explain the rules to the Equestrians, as it turned out they had a version of the game themselves. Asher wasn't sure how exactly anyone besides the unicorns could pull that off with their decided lack of fingers. He did hear Rainbow Dash making fun of how humans pitched the ball, saying it made them look like floundering ducks hitting a windmill. That was kinda funny. The only damper was that their team was currently being absolutely destroyed by the visitors in gray, though everybody also found it amusing that the home team's left fielder had the nickname "Little Pony."

On the far part of the yard David was talking with Big Macintosh and a few other ponies just listening in, all the while keeping a cautious eye on the box of fireworks they were saving. The two oldest Burgess boys had both not liked the look their younger sister and the three younger sisters of their pony friends had gotten when they were told of the pyrotechnic contents. 

Speaking of which, Anne was actually inside at the moment, introducing those three to the Wii. Frankly, Asher was half surprised something hadn't crashed yet. Crazy stuff like that happened even with Anne's human friends, and not one of them had ever made a freaking soapbox car and ridden it down a hill. Fluttershy had followed them in per the request of Rarity, so that probably had something to do with it despite the pegasus' shy demeanor.

Several other social circles were around the lawn, most eating on picnic blankets that had been hastily spread. He recognized a few of them though there were a couple new faces here and there.

"So, what intrigues you the most about our world Your Highness?" 

Governor Looper's carefully phrased question brought Asher back to the present. Their table was by far the most awkward locale in the entire place, a face plain on everybody's face, even the Governor's. It didn't help that whether he meant it or not the inflection he used suggested that he was trying to get information. 

"Ummm," Twilight hummed, searching for an answer. She had actually been asked this same question the day before by Anne, though it had been phrased differently. It was curious that she had the exact same response before answering. Either that or Asher's analytical side of his mind was bored.

"...I think the political structure. Could you explain how it works?" 

That, however, was not the same response as before (she had said self-driving nature patterns). And it was in direct response to the question. Governor Looper backtracked, as a small flutter of realization crossed his expression, and recovered gracefully and quickly. Bold move, Twilight.

"It's complicated. I'm just a simple elected official so I might not be the best person to explain it all," he said. Yeah, and the governor of a state who had previously even run for the senate and lost. He knew very well but he wasn't willing to risk saying anything that he wasn't supposed to. Smart guy. Twilight definitely knew something to this effect, because she just nodded and smiled politely with a quick glance right at Asher, who couldn't help but smirk back. He had given a very basic rundown of the government system that even a fifth grader knew. It wasn't that complicated. Twilight's claims of being relatively new to the political realm were belied by her intelligence and wit. Just a week ago, the Asher who hadn't come to trust her yet would have been put higher on his guard by this side of the alicorn.

Luckily, at least in the realm of the short but uncomfortable exchange, they were rescued by the very tactful Mayor Mare, who added a comment about her own status as an elected official, a topic that surprisingly would lead the two leaders to have an extended conversation about the subject. It was a thankful distraction, one that showed off the Mayor's experience as well.

"Well he's a pleasure," Twilight whispered sideways with a grin.

"He's probably stressed, though he did bring this on himself," responded Asher. "And I might be stressed too after last night."

"That big of a deal, huh?"

"The government aren't the only ones who get a little edgy when things don't go according to plan," said Asher, before laughing. "You should have seen the news. 'A major breach of security.' 'Public assured nobody is in danger.""

"I thought you said that everybody there had loved it," said Rarity, who had been listening in.

"Oh, they did. But they hadn't been in charge of watching this whole area. It kind of scared the powers that be that two of ya got past them," said Asher, still light-hearted in tone. He wasn't worried about it at all. Any concern about "extra-terrestrial disease" seemed to had been all but forgotten after just 8 days, and it was fairly obvious with the dramatic display that was now tearing up the internet was not an act of espionage. All other ponies were still accounted for, and those other two were on a fast track to being celebrities. The likeliness of something bad happening to them was relatively low at the moment.

But it was still dang near the oddest thing he had ever seen, and he watched SciFi Channel.

The sun was finally going down, dipping behind the mountains. It was the middle of summer, so the cool air that accompanied the sunset was a welcome exchange, and was quite comfortable. And for once it wasn't raining on the 4th of July, though Asher suspected that the abilities of the pegasi had something to do with that since the poor weatherman had predicted there would be. The guy hadn't had anything go right for him in a week.

"Twilight! The big surprise is reeeeaadyyyy!" Pinkie Pie sang, bouncing right by the picnic table. Governor Looper laughed as he watched the deer-like gait the pony took, which appeared to please Pinkie Pie immensely. 

"If you'll excuse us for a moment," Twilight said with a bright smile, clambering down from the bench with Rarity and following the pony. "Rainbow Dash! Applejack! It's time!"

"I'll get Fluttershy!" Applejack offered as she went into the house, reemerging a few seconds later with said pegasus in tow.

A few of his family members, and the Governor, looked at him a little quizzically. But all Asher could do was shake his head, because this time he had no idea what this surprise was. But as long as it didn't involve completely blowing up the light spectrum or other forms of breaking physics, he would be fine.

Twilight and the others gathered on a side of the yard, garnering everyone's attention as they divvied up unseen items in a circle. Then the two pegasi flew into the air, carrying what sort of looked like a rolled up rug up into the air and then stopping about 20 feet off the ground, waiting patiently as Twilight stepped forward with the others spreading out behind her.

"I want to begin by thanking our hosts, both the Burgess family and the representatives of the United States of America. We have been treated with utmost care and concern for our situation, which was perhaps more than could have been expected. We probably can't repay you, but we wanted to show our appreciation with this little presentation we put together."

And with that, she stepped back and Pinkie Pie came from behind her adorned with no less than 10 different instruments. What the...

And she could freaking play them all at once. That kind of thing should only be possible in cartoons and youtube videos, but there was a creature who didn't even have fingers that was doing it right before their eyes. Asher was so distracted by this feat that he barely noticed what tune she was playing. The Star Spangled Banner sounded strange with a harmonica and accordion included but it was the anthem nonetheless. She had it down pat. A quick glance around told Asher that all the humans were as stunned as he was.

At the song's climax, Applejack and Rarity pushed in what Asher recognized as their party cannons, but before he could warn anyone both discharged confetti loudly all over the yard, right on cue where the lyric "the rocket's red glare" would have been. Pinkie Pie continued her one-pony concert with gusto as she raced towards the song's conclusion. It was actually pretty rousing, and Asher found himself singing the familiar words under his breath.

As she reached "o'er the land of the free" Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy suddenly swung their front hooves forward, and their bundle unfurled to reveal a massive American flag. Well, with one difference, but Asher had no time to dwell as all five ponies not playing the instruments suddenly burst out in harmony.

"And the hoooooome of the braaaaaaave!" 

They had good voices.

Then Twilight leaped into the middle, her horn glowing a purple aura, and then proceeded to break more physics. Several bursts of light streaked skyward and burst into colorful fireworks for a few seconds as Pinkie rounded out her crescendo and everything was quiet. There was silence for about two seconds before the Burgess family began clapping and cheering with the Governor following suit, and the other ponies in attendance adding their own cheers and stomping their hooves on the ground. It was probably the strangest applause in world history, and Asher cursed that he hadn't thought to at least get out his phone and record it.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy moved to fold the large flag as the other four went forward to greet their audience. Twilight made directly for their picnic table, followed closely by Rarity and Pinkie Pie, whom had already shed her instruments. Somewhere.

"When did you guys put all that together?" Asher asked as the applause finally died and the conversations resumed. 

"Well, we practiced the song yesterday," started Twilight.

"I got Anne to get me the music sheets!" Pinkie Pie interjected, smiling broadly at them for just a second before spotting Anne near the door and rushing over. That explains that.

"But Rarity has been working on that flag for several days now," beamed Twilight, motioning to a very pleased Rarity. "It wasn't easy, she had to copy the design from a picture Big Shot had managed to take of your flag in the front yard.

"Oh, it wasn't that difficult," said Rarity humbly, though her eyes were practically glowing.

"I kind of like the addition to it," said Asher. "That's on your flag, right? What does it mean?"

In the middle of the blue box of stars, a sillouetted image of two ponies and a red heart had been superimposed. The ponies had gone all out with this display, which they were extra fortunate that a major government official had witnessed (even if Asher had a feeling that he would have to try and explain how Twilight just shot explosive energy out of her head with what appeared to be minimal effort), to show their willingness to exist harmoniously with this world. Speaking of which...

"It means harmony."


- Twilight -


"SPIKE! Come on! We have no time to waste!"

"I don't understand! I thought we had two hours before we even have to be down there!" the dragon complained as he zipped to and fro the library gathering their luggage and materials. 

"We do, but you know as well as I that getting everypony to follow a schedule can be like pulling teeth!" Twilight retorted, busy herself gathering her notes. The dragon flinched at the notion. He had recently lost a tooth and he hadn't enjoyed the experience one bit, particularly since the diamond-strength dragon teeth immediately grow right back in an apparently painful fashion.

Just to double check, Twilight went over her checklist, and then her guest list, and then her talking points list, and then the list of lists to be sure she had covered all of them. Then, magically transporting her bags in the air above her and Spike aboard her back, Twilight strode out the door to begin the process of gathering her friends. Might as well start with Rarity, as the prissy pony often took the longest to prepare herself for the day. Having such a beautifully styled mane didn't just happen on its own.

A few minutes later Twilight had arrived at the Carousel Boutique and rapped on the door with a hoof. She hadn't even put her foot down before the door swung open to reveal Rarity, who's mind was obviously in high gear.

"Twilight! Why aren't you dressed!?" she shrieked. Rarity was apparently in the process of dressing herself, her head mane wrapped carefully in a towel. 

"Rarity, what do you mean?" Twilight asked, confused by the unicorn's distress. Instead of answering, Rarity grabbed her and whipped her inside. The other four, to Twilight's surprise, were already there. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were already fully dressed in outfits fit for a gala, while Applejack and Rainbow Dash had bits and pieces adorned on them. Neither of the latter two seemed all that pleased about it.

"What's going on?" Twilight finally asked as Rarity ran every which way between Twilight and her ensemble collection.

"Rarity thinks..." Rainbow began.

"We are about to appear before the leader of an entire country! It's practically the same as if we were gaining an audience with Princess Celestia!" Rarity prattled, stopping for a moment to wrap a sash around Rainbow Dash's midsection, tightening the dress.

"But Rarity, we see Princess Celestia all the time," defended Twilight. It was hardly an event getting preened for every time.

"But we are representing all of Equestria! No, our entire world!" Rarity responded. "I simply must demand we make the best impression possible."

She had a point there. In fact, she had ripped open one of Twilight's fears that she had just barely managed to control going to be the night before. The other one, well, she hadn't talked with anypony about yet. Rarity took Twilight's silence to mean agreement and continued her rapid fire preparation. Applejack and Rainbow Dash both protested, but ultimately both allowed themselves to be spruced up. Amazingly, Rarity managed to prepare all six of them within an hour and a half. The dresses were essentially what they had worn to Twilight's coronation, though Twilight resisted Rarity's insistence that she put on her crown. She would don it only when it was time, but not for travel. 

The party trooped carefully down Main Street to meet the Mayor, who would be among those accompanying them. Out front of the Town Hall, Mayor Mare and her assistant Meadowlark were both waiting patiently, we were two others. Comet Tail and Caramel were both there upon Twilight's request. A third would be joining them at the human capital, but he would be going on another transportation. Realizing that all of her "escorts" were mares, Twilight had decided it would be a good idea to invite stallions along as well. Via the Governor, she was able to request they ask Rapidfire at Rainbow Falls to come along as well. 

The Mayor wasn't quite as well dressed as Twilight's posse, but she and the others had definitely put some effort into their appearance. Seeing this Twilight felt silly not thinking about it earlier, seeing as almost everypony else had already.

It was fortunate that it had not rained the previous night as a muddy path would have surely thrown Rarity into conniptions, and they soon arrived at the end of the trail near the Burgess' backyard. A human stood waiting for them.

"Wow, you guys are looking snazzy," he said.

"Snazzy! That's a fun word!" Pinkie Pie

"Asher!?" Twilight hadn't even recognized him. For one, he wasn't wearing his baseball hat, revealing a slightly messy and short, but still groomed, brown mane. Secondly, he was dressed in a suit and tie and looked sharper than she had ever seen him. 

"Don't look so surprised," Asher joked. "I can clean up good when I want to. I do have a girlfriend, ya know."

"So, are we taking your cars?" Twilight asked, changing the subject to avoid any further embarrassment as her friends snickered. 

"Oh, good gravy, no," Asher said. "That would truly suck to drive all that way. We'll be driving to the base and they're gonna fly us there. Whole trip will only take 'bout six hours."

"Ooh! We're going to fly? That sounds fun! Is it a balloon?" Pinkie Pie asked as Asher motioned them inside and led them to the front of the house.

"Something much faster than a balloon," laughed Asher as he got his family's attention. Glancing at Rainbow Dash, Twilight noticed a flash of excitement pass through her eyes. Seeing as Rainbow was the only one who had gotten close (too close) to human flying machines, Twilight couldn't decide if she should be worried or excited about that.

The Burgess family was assembled near several black colored vehicles while many other humans stood watch. The whole family was dressed similarly to their oldest, though Candace and Anne were wearing beautiful dresses of their own. Anne looked straight adorable, her hair drawn back into a clean pony tail. It was now even more apparent that Rarity's instincts on the matter had been spot on. 

There were three vehicles, and it took a few minutes to get everypony organized and into their seats, but soon they were on their way. Twilight was comfortably perched on a seat in the second row, between Asher on her right and Applejack on her left. David sat in the front seat while a human she didn't know was driving, and Fluttershy, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash were squeezed in a row in the back. Pinkie Pie had jumped into another car with Anne giggling behind her, with most of the rest of the Burgess family and Spike piling in too. The last car had the Mayor, Meadlowlark, Caramel, and Comet Tail along with the suddenly adventurous Patrick. 

The three packed vehicles left in procession and where soon joined by several others, obviously acting as guards. They approached the crowds that up to this point had just been visible distantly and from the air, and Twilight shared the mixed emotions of her friends. Rainbow Dash had her face pressed up against the window to get a better view as they passed by slowly, while Fluttershy was doing her best to hide behind Rarity, even though the windows had been darkened to keep those outside from peering in. A rather ingenious invention.

But soon, they were speeding along the road, a reminder of their inventive capabilities despite their lack of magic. Thinking about that, the worry coming back to Twilight's mind of what they would soon face, and for some reason she still didn't just tell everypony about it. She fretted inwardly even as the others chattered excitedly about their newest adventure, catching only bits and pieces like how Asher had never been to this "DC" before either. Her worry made the short trip even shorter as before she knew it Applejack was nudging her to take a look outside.

She looked to see several buildings and a tall tower, the function of which Twilight had no idea, which they quickly bypassed and onto what looked like extremely wide streets paved just like the Burgess' front path. Just a few moments later the procession came to a halt, and everypony scrambled out the doors with Rarity pleading that they be careful with their dresses.

Stepping carefully out with some assistance from their driver, Twilight was immediately impressed with the machine before them. Suddenly Rapidfire's description of a giant metal whale with wings made a lot more sense. It was just like the plane in that movie they had watched, including the navy blue color, but it was most incredible that something so big could actually fly. It was bigger than most dragons!

Their drivers plus some soldiers politely directed them towards a staircase leading up to a door on the massive craft, which an excited Pinkie Pie lead the way up as Dash flew in right behind her. She followed Asher and his brother up the steep stairway and entered. It was just as roomy as it looked on the outside. In fact, it looked almost like somepony had stuffed a house inside of it, complete with nice furnishings.

"This is a million times better than any plane I've ever been on," remarked Patrick behind her. It must be good if even the humans were impressed. Several humans dressed in matching clothing directed them to a section that she assumed was the middle of the aircraft, where several seats were arranged facing forward. Each was easily the size of a LazyColt. 

There were enough seats for all the travelers to find a spot. Asher took a seat right next to a small window, so Twilight carefully clambered up into the seat across the narrow walkway as her traveling companions all found places to sit. The seat was soft but firm, making it quiet comfortable. This was definitely going to be more comfortable than a balloon ride, and a heck of a lot easier than flying herself.

Some of the building excitement was beginning to eclipse some of Twilight's nervousness, but not her careful analysis. She was still watching the magic field carefully, ready to watch everypony like a hawk. Incredibly they were still inside the bubble, which led Twilight to wonder just how far it had expanded. Maybe they would get lucky, and somehow it was already covering the whole country. What am I thinking? That's even more impossible than the fact it's expanding at all!

"Don't worry, they say flying is the safest way to travel."

Twilight swiveled her head forward to see Jonathon, who was leaning around the seat in front of her with a sympathetic look. Twilight realized that she must have looked awfully nervous for who knows how long. She quickly smiled and straightened up.

"Thanks Jonathon," she said sincerely. "I think I'll be fine."

The young boy nodded with a smile and sat back into his seat, quickly striking up a conversation with Caramel, whom had set next to him. Fluttershy had taken up the seat to Twilight's left and had watched the little exchange, giving Twilight a friendly nudge. The pegasus had never really enjoyed flying in general, whether under her own power or in a balloon, so it was especially meaningful that she was offering her comfort, even if it was misplaced.

A voice announced that they were getting ready for takeoff and for all passengers to remain in their seats until he gave the go ahead, and soon after Twilight felt a little lurch as the behemoth moved. She looked over to the window and confirmed that they were indeed moving, though it soon came to an abrupt stop. For a moment, she wondered if maybe something was wrong, but that was immediately disproved when they lurched forward again. This time, they were gaining speed as a dull roar that could be felt even in the floor gained strength. Twilight felt herself being pushed back into the seat by the force of the movement, and then a familiar drop in her stomach as they pushed off the earth. A glance out the window showed they were gaining altitude quickly, more so than a common pegasus typically would. 

"It's not quite the same when you can't feel the wind in your mane," said a disappointed Rainbow Dash, who had taken the seat behind Asher so that she could see out another window. 

"Well I say thank goodness for that," said Rarity. "Going this fast it would surely ruin all of our outfits."

"You doin' alright Ash?" David said, more in a joking tone than concerned one.

"Shut up," was the terse reply. Now that Twilight was looking at him she noticed he was gripping the seat rather tightly and was staring rigidly out the window. David and his other brothers laughed at their older brother who just gave each of them short glares in turn before looking back out the window.

"Aw, what's wrong, Ashie?" Pinkie Pie asked, disobeying the pilot's voice and already standing next to their adviser's chair.

"He's scared of flying!" answered Patrick with a laugh.

"WHAT?" Rainbow Dash was flat shocked, leaping into a low hover so she could see over the chair back at the offending party. That made Twilight laugh, which made her feel a little bad as more voices chuckled at the situation, driving Asher farther into his seat just like Fluttershy tended to do.

"It's just the takeoff," muttered Asher in self defense.

"And the landing!" added Patrick, definitely seizing the opportunity to antagonize his sibling. 

"Alright! That's enough boys!" Their mother said, ending the issue. 

"You're really scared of flying?" Rainbow Dash whispered over the armrest.

"It's irrational, but yeah," admitted Asher quietly, still gripping the seat tightly. Rainbow Dash could clearly not even imagine that. In fact she gave an involuntary shudder.

"Brr. Twilight, do you think we can maybe turn up the temperature?" Fluttershy asked. Twilight barely heard her though as the sensation of being dumped on by a bucket of ice water shot through her system. She shivered at the shock, and was about to oblige the mare's request by asking Asher about it when the feeling passed, almost as fast as it came.

"Um, never mind," Fluttershy whispered. That was weird.

Then it clicked in her mind. Twilight concentrated on her surroundings once more, closing her eyes in focus. She let her spell search everywhere, but what she suspected was confirmed. They were completely out of the magic field now. Her eyes flew open anxiously, darting from pony to pony, and even to her own body. She casually disguised measuring her heart rate by leaning on her hoof as she watched Pinkie Pie show off a party trick to Asher in a successful attempt to cheer him up. 

Rainbow Dash was still hovering a little off the ground, chatting animatedly with Applejack across the way about how it didn't even feel like they were moving fast, though Asher explained that they were traveling at hundreds of miles per hour. Rarity was up front, easily levitating a book in front of her as Candace peeked over to read it as well. Mayor Mare and Meadowlark were in conversation with Comet Tail listening in, the second also levitating a pen and paper. Her own heart rate was slightly faster than normal, but that could easily be chalked up to nervousness.

In fact, everything seemed normal, but Twilight kept watching carefully for any signs of danger, all the while trying to appear as un-worried as she could possibly be. 30 minutes in Pinkie Pie broke out into song, which was answered by a fun capella harmony from the Burgess children of a song asking "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" An hour and twenty minutes in a small hoof/arm wrestling tournament started, despite Rarity's protests. It inevitably lead to Applejack and Rainbow Dash duking it out for two muscle-straining minutes while David rubbed his sore arm after Applejack had accidentally slammed it down pretty hard the minute before. Three hours in Twilight showed off a magic trick of her own on Spike, growing him a mustache in an instant (that had drawn quite the reaction from all humans present, and with several quite insistent that it had to be some sort of sleight of hoof instead of real magic). Four hours in, Asher thought it would be a good idea for Twilight and the Mayor to go over what they might talk about, during which herself and Meadowlark used levitation continuously.

Twilight recorded everything on secret notes. Every use of magic, whether it was Alicorn, Unicorn, Pegasi, or Earth, was carefully noted. After five hours, apparently about an hour from their destination, Twilight scanned her notes as a new fascination with the view of the ground sent most everypony to the windows to get a better look. And one thing was clear.

There was absolutely no visible effect. Their inner magic was, at the present, sustaining them all on it's own. Twilight had just debunked hundreds of years of magic theory in the space of a few hours. She decided to save any final conclusions for after a more substantial piece of time, but for the moment she could only marvel at this newest discovery. She took a deep breath and relaxed for the first time all day, walking over to peer at the ground far below. 

Her last use of magic on the trip was to keep Pinkie Pie back from strangling Asher in a hug as they descended towards a bumpy landing.


- Asher -


An escorted motorcade met and began transporting them towards their first destination: Capital Hill. The pegasus Rapidfire had managed to arrive before them and was now seated in the stretch limo along with Asher, Twilight, Mayor Mare, Meadowlark, Rarity, and Comet Tail. The rest of the ponies were in the other limo with the rest of his family. 

"Okay, so this first meeting is all for show," Asher said. "Pretty much just a photo op on the steps. You won't have to say much if anything at all, so just smile and wave. After that, they're going to move everyone to a back room where they'll have you answer questions for a bunch of reporters. Don't answer anything you don't know, and never say 'I don't know.' And don’t be afraid to say ‘no comment if you don’t know.’"

Of course, being careful with that phrase was also important too.

"After that, then you, Mayor Mare, and Rapidfire will be given an opportunity to speak with the President in a closed setting. Some guards will there to watch and maybe a photographer but other than that not even I will be in there. Just give him your concerns and do your best to answer his."

All of this was a reiteration of what they had discussed a couple times before, though this time he didn't bother going over the talking points. 

"After that, they'll get us back to the hotel they have set up, and we can spend the next couple days doing some sight seeing. Easy peesy," finished Asher. "Then we go home."

"Sounds simple enough," said Rapidfire succinctly. 


- FOX -


"Well, it would be an understatement of the century to say that this is a day that will go down in history. The procession is lead by Princess Twilight Sparkle, the apparent monarch of the Equestrians, and I believe, yes, there are ten others following her. They are dressed quite fashionably in what we can easily assume is formal attire, and they seem as awe struck as we are. According to the note Jim just handed me, we have the names of most of them. After the Princess we have Rarity, then-"


- NBC -


"- there to greet the visitors of a new world is the leader of the Free World. This image of President White shaking the hoof of the Equestrian just might be the most influential picture of this still young century. Ok, now the president will say a few words. We'll switch the mike over to him."


- BBC -


"- is my honor to welcome Princess Twilight Sparkle and the residents of Ponyville and Rainbow Falls to the United States of America, and officially accept your request for asylum. As long as your situation finds you stranded on our humble planet, I want to assure you that the people of this country will ensure your safety and welcoming. As we saw two nights ago, Americans are ready and anxious to get to know our esteemed guests. It is my pleasure to announce a special task force is already at work in California to study the anomaly that has allowed our meeting, and they are confident in their abilities to find the way back to your home."

[Applause]

"And there you have it. I'm sure I speak for many when I say that the people of Britain would like to extend the same greeting of goodwill-"


- Asher -


I'm so glad that first part's over thought Asher. Who knew just a photo opportunity could be so aggravating? But, everyone was cheering quite loudly to give their welcome to the ponies. There was a massive crowd all jostling to get a good look, and there were cell phones and cameras held up high trying to get the next best vine to post on the internet. Ponies were officially dominating the internet.

Soon a practical army of Secret Service spirited away the pony envoy up the steps of the Capital Building, which was grand though somewhat smaller in person than Asher had imagined. After being led down several hallways they finally came to a large room that could easily double as a banquet hall, where a long table with short legs was on the stage lined with a row of microphones. Much of the large media section was already bustling and filling up fast. Upon the ponies entrance many were already crowding up to the single file asking questions.

Some gave answers willingly even as security ushered them along, particularly Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. Though Asher took a couple of extra steps forward to put himself between the reporters and Fluttershy, who looked like she was going to jump out of her skin, and the pegasi smiled weakly up at him in gratitude.

A small section of chairs was set up for the ponies not going on the stand, and that's where Asher parted with Fluttershy as she trotted carefully off with Rarity to that part of the room. Asher took an awkward seat at the short table. It was at perfect height for pony seated on the floor to talk directly into the microphones, but not so much for humans. A small chair had been provided but after feeling just too weird he finally set it back and sat criss-cross on the floor. In this position he was just barely shorter than the ponies who were seated with their rumps on the floor but front legs still straight up, much like a cat.

Only Twilight, the Mayor, and Rapidfire were seated on the stand, which made sense though it appeared to disappoint Rainbow Dash and even Rarity to an extent. Rainbow certainly loved the spotlight, and it sort of made sense that the flashy unicorn would too. Twilight, on the other hand, would of most likely traded places with them in an instant. This was something of a pattern with the alicorn. She had great skills and was undeniably intelligent, but she definitely doubted her abilities. When she glanced at him he made sure to give her a big smile as he suppressed his own nervousness. He had long pictured himself being in an important setting like this one day, having to present himself to the media. True, those fantasies hadn't involved technicolor talking ponies from another world, but all the same. It was a start.

The questions began in rapid succession, and a mediator standing on the other end of the stage pointed to the first reporter to keep order.

"How long do you intend to stay?"

"Well," Twilight began slowly, methodically concocting an answer. "We have been treated well ever since we arrived here. The very first day one of our fillies was saved by a human from a Timberwolf. We are grateful and amazed by this world, but we hope to be able to return where we belong as soon as we are able."

"Has this happened before in your world?"

"No. I didn't even know such things were possible," Twilight admitted. On that stance both worlds were agreed.

"Princess Twilight, does Equestria have a military?"

Are you serious? What are trying to do? Asher rubbed his hands involuntarily as he waited for Twilight's response. It was actually a question he had never asked directly himself, deciding it would appear to threatening a question. Asher wondered if she would just ‘No Comment’ on this one, but at the same time he realized how bad of an idea that was. He hoped that she realized that. Twilight thought carefully for several seconds, with the Mayor looking on nervously while Rapidfire wore a curious expression. Clearly he wanted to see how she would answer as well.

"Equestria has the Royal Guard which serves to protect it from dangers both natural and external, and Rapidfire is a member of the Wonderbolts who are Equestria's top flyers and essentially our Air Force. We sometimes face danger from powerful dark forces or wild creatures, and when that happens we pull together to defend our home. But to answer your question more thoroughly, we have not had a war with another pony people in over 800 years, and Equestria has never been the aggressor. Harmony and Friendship have managed to preserve our world's peace for many centuries."

Good answer. Twilight now brimmed with confidence as she stared out into the sea of reporters and cameras, projecting exactly the image they needed. A leader with no desires for power. Asher remembered back to the informative atlas that told a little of their past and as far as that book was concerned Twilight had told the truth. Their beginnings may have been marked by war and hardship, and Asher had picked up enough to realized their world was filled with dangerous creatures, but their recent history was shimmering with equine peace. By comparison the only human nation who hadn't fought a war in that kind of length of time was Switzerland, and that's just because their geography allowed them to do so. 

More questions came, some directed specifically at one of the other ponies, but now there was no tension. The media members audibly scoffed whenever things like 'magic' where mentioned, but the atmosphere was still lively. Twilight didn't shake at all as she answered carefully and politely, and only said no comment once when a reporter had asked stupid and very privacy-invasive type question. Asher was asked just one question about how he first encountered the Equestrians, and was pleased that they found his story so thrilling, though he left out how the wolf had literally been made of timber. One reporter then turned a question specifically towards Rainbow Dash in the corner.

"What was that light explosion caused by over Colorado?"

"That was my Sonic Rainboom!" Rainbow Dash answered enthusiastically, jumping into the air on habit so that everyone could see her better. "And I'm the only one in all of Equestria who can pull it off."

Another flood of questions came rushing over them before Rainbow Dash could even say more and the mediator suddenly stood up and announced that that was all for questions. And though the deluge continued the security proceeded to direct and usher the ponies out the door and all the way back to the motorcade. The next stop would be the most important one of them all. Pennsylvania Avenue. 

Asher distracted himself by pointing out some of the monuments they were able to see. Twilight seemed genuinely impressed by the Washington Monument for it's sheer size, though Rainbow Dash voiced, "Really, that's it? Just a big pole?"

"Maybe it's a rocket!" suggested Pinkie Pie with a giggle.

The Capital was not that far from the White House, where the meeting would take place. In contrast to the Capital, the White House looked a little bigger in person than on TV. Applejack and Caramel both commented on well manicured the lawn and gardens looked while Rarity offered praise for the architecture. Rainbow Dash said it was pretty cool but also added how she thought it would be castle like back at their home.

As they exited the vehicles on the White House lawn, Asher wandered over to his family to share the moment with them. The three ponies that would take part in the discussion would be the only ones actually going in, for security concerns no doubt. So the other 8 stood together and chatted excitedly/nervously, taking in their scenic surrounds as the media hounds lined the white house fence broadcasting the story. To avoid them the Secret Service escorted all of them to a more sheltered part of the grounds, where a vegetarian spread had been prepared. They actually brought some burgers for Asher and his brothers, which he scarfed down quickly. He was hungry.

He also wondered with butterflies what was going on behind the doors of the Oval Office.


- Twilight -


President White showed signs of somewhat advanced age on his face, with deepening wrinkles underneath his eyes and a head that was nearly bare of hair. His brown skin appeared a little bit worn from years of work, but yet not one bit of him projected a bit of weakness. He held a stately, commanding presence, his eyes showing many years of experience and knowledge. He was much like Princess Luna in that respect, though a little less intimidating. He was seated very attentively in a simple but ornate chair facing the three ponies where they sat comfortably shoulder to shoulder on a single couch of similar design. Thus far there conversation had been cordial but to the point, which was just fine for Twilight. 

"So you're concerned about food supplies?"

"Yes, Mr. President," Twilight affirmed, remembering the title she was supposed to use. "Sweet Apple Acres supplies us with plenty of apples and some other vegetables and there are other small gardens in Ponyville and Rainbow Falls, but we have no way to make flour, salt, or sugar. Our gardens can only go so far."

"Do you use currency in any form?" asked the President.

"Gold Bits and gems," answered Twilight. This was one of the talking points.

"In that case I think it would be easy to arrange the shipment of needed materials. I'll contact suppliers and have them contact you to arrange a deal."

"Thank you, Mr. President," all three ponies said in unison.

"In the meantime, I have another question for you. In light of recent events, do you see the need for troops to secure your town limits?"

Twilight had thought about this too. It had been a nice security blanket, and both she and Asher had shared feelings of some doubt. But with a nod from the Mayor, they had agreed.

"We do not believe we are in danger from your people, though we do request that we be able to control how many people come in at a time. Both towns are quite small and it wouldn't be pleasant to be suddenly crowded."

"I believe that's fair," answered the President. "I have just one more question."

"Yes, sir?"

"Do you believe the event that brought your towns here could pose a threat to the safety of my people?"


- Andrew -


Andrew couldn't help but be proud of his son. He had handled himself very well and for all appearances made it seem like he really was the best person for his job, however young he was or how hasty the position given. For now Asher was passed out in an arm chair of the hotel room he was sharing with his brother, his tie on the floor with his jacket and his hat comfortably placed on his head once more as he slept. 

The ponies had been set up in the six or so rooms down the hall, two to a room except in the case of the yellow stallion from Rainbow Falls, who had one to himself. His daughter would be sleeping in the same room as himself and his wife while his sons split two rooms. Honestly that was the most room they had for any family vacation. Sometimes they'd stuff all seven into one hotel room, with the children who drew the short straw sleeping on pillows on the floor.

It had been a long day for all of them, but the exhaustion on Asher's face showed that his was among the longest. Even as he sat in the room, talking with David about potential plans for the next day, a couple of the ponies knocked gently and walked in the room. 

"Sorry, but just wanted to tell Asher what we had decided to visit tomorrow," said Rainbow Dash in a high whisper, seeing that he was asleep. The Pink one had a piece of paper clenched in her teeth, which she put into one hoof.

"There's so much to see!" she whispered excitedly. 

"Where's Twilight?" asked Andrew. So far he hadn't personally seen any of them without the purple pony having been with them. 

"Taking a leaf out of Asher's book," answered Applejack. "Sawin' logs."

"Hmm. Let me see the list," asked Andrew, extending his hand. Pinkie obliged and gave him the paper. On it was a list of pretty much all of the tourist attractions in D.C., and several were either circled or scribbled or both. He guessed that they had worked out some sort of balance by what they all wanted to see. The Museum, the Mall, the Aerospace Museum, Nationals Park. That last one had a note scribbled by it, "If there's a game!"

"Looks like you'll have a full day tomorrow," Andrew commented quietly. "Should be fun."

"Yeah, well I just hope we don't spend too much time in the museums," said Rainbow Dash. "That's for egg-heads."

"I'm just glad we won't have to wear anythin' fru fru tomorrow," said Applejack, to which Rainbow Dash agreed whole heartedly. They had both shed their dresses as quickly as soon as they arrived at the hotel, tossing them aside in the hallway. For a second Andrew hadn't been sure whether he was supposed to look away or not, and he ended up doing nothing as the white one chastised them. Not for undressing in front of everyone, but for just tossing them on the floor. That had been a strange six or seven seconds that eventually left Andrew laughing in spite of weariness. The ponies didn't even really notice.

The sun had fully set behind the horizon, bringing on the night. The city lights glowed brightly but far away enough that it wouldn't be enough to interrupt their sleep. Andrew said good night to David and to the ponies as they split off to their rooms for the night as he went back to his own. After some ESPN, because most of the other channels were recapping the days activity that he had just lived in person, he turned it off and soon was drifting off to sleep. 


- Twilight -


Twilight woke up groggily, her mind slow to remember that she was in a human hotel with comically oversized beds. On the other bed Pinkie Pie was still snoring loudly even as the morning's light spilled into the spacious room. Not sure how to begin the day being out of her element, she shifted carefully in bed so as not to disturb Spike sleeping curled at the end of the bed. Using her magic she picked up the remote to the TV set and managed to find the right buttons to turn it on. I could probably figure out a spell that allows me to turn it one without this thing she thought idly as it flickered to life. 

"- we can expect clear skies across the country, except for those in the pacific northwest where rain showers are expected from Seattle to Portland and even all the way to Boise."

"Thanks Dan, when we come back we'll get a sports update from Shayla, and then special guest Glenn Beck will be calling in with his insights on yesterday's events."

A logo of the station replaced the smiling humans which was soon followed by an energetic man running across a track in some sort of promotion for an orange-colored drink. Not really caring to try and change the channel, Twilight laid back with her head propped up by a pillow. Stress had really taken it out of her the day before, so she was uncharacteristically willing to start the day slow. 

More strange promotions for random items started playing in succession as Twilight felt herself zone out. She slipped back to sleep, blissfully unaware she would be rudely awoken a few minutes later by a loud announcement of breaking news from the TV. She didn't know it as she slept peacefully, but elsewhere there was a room of humans in a full panic mode that would make Discord giddy should he have seen it. 

And that the most perplexing adventure was about to begin.


- Pasadena, California -


Dr. Mira Gonzalez was trying really hard to be calm. With the help of NASA they had been watching the atmosphere for any more anomalies like what they had seen in Colorado and Washington, ready to study and if necessary warn anyone of an impending rift. Since the event in Washington state there had been three more events of note and a smattering of small ones, though the only one that had been near any populated areas had been in North Korea. But since no news had come out of there they had no idea what to expect from that.

But the screens that had previously showed the same images for hours on end were now lit up like a Christmas tree. 

"We're tracking, six, no, seven, make that...Dang it! They just keep coming!"

"Ten. Twelve. Somebody check for any metro zones!"

"What the heck is going on!?"

"Doctor!"

"We're seeing major events from Australia to Spain. No less than seven in North America alone! Ohio, Alberta, Missouri, Maryland, Nebraska..."

"Doctor!"

"Someone get the Pentagon!"

"MIRA!"

Mira looked at the reedy intern who had been trying to get her attention. Before she could reprimand him he wordlessly he pointed to one part of the screen. Her mind took a second to process what the deal was, when she realized it wasn't what but where.

She burst out of the doors and rushed down two flights of stairs until she finally reached the main entrance. She threw open the doors, a few other team members trickled out behind her. There in the sky to the southwest was the darkest cloud she had ever seen in California, or anywhere else for that matter. She could see lightning was crackling within it loudly, though nothing was touching the ground-

CRACK!

A bolt struck down, the thunder reverberating through the valley. 

There was a lightning anomaly right before her eyes, a rift between worlds in the early morning air. 

Right. Over. Los Angeles.


> Chapter 11: Meanwhile
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


- July 3 -



- Colorado Springs, Colorado - Milo Baxter -


Milo had worked as security at The Black Sheep, a popular music club, for six years. It was a good gig but throwing rowdy drunks out once or twice a night was about the height of excitement when it came to the actual job. He really just liked standing post while the live music blared from inside. All sorts of genres and artists that kept it interesting almost every night, and he had grown to like it.

That night they were busier than normal Thursdays, with the big holiday the next day giving most people the day off of work. So far everyone was having a good time though the DJ wasn't exactly adventurous. He was playing mostly unmixed tracks of pretty much what was popular the moment, though there was one point where, to regales of both laughter and boos, he played What Does the Fox Say. That was going to be stuck in his head for days no doubt.

There was still quite the line to get in, to the point he tempted to tell a bunch of them that they might as well head off to Cowboys or some other club. It was going to be a long night. Somewhat involuntarily he glanced to the west. It was still boggling to him what lay behind them. He couldn't quite wrap his mind around it. Growing up he had actually come to the conclusion that they were alone in the universe.

Well, it was just another way the universe made fun of him.

He spotted a couple of teenagers in a tight circle towards the middle of the line. It wasn't the fact that they were in a circle that tipped off some suspicion. It was that they were teenagers. That in, and of, itself was cause for suspicion.

He casually walked over, just to make sure they weren't passing anything illegal around or at the very least there was an adult among them. Perhaps he'd haze them a little bit anyway. Teens got really defensive really fast and that was always entertaining.

But before he could even fully construct in his head exactly what he was going to say, another pair of figures caught his eye. They were wearing long hoods, which honestly probably meant they were nerds or something, and they were awfully short and walking really wobbly. Both were leaning onto a large, sheet-covered box that had squeaky wheels that were doing exactly that. Forget teenagers, what the heck was up with these two? The cloaks they were wearing were straight out of the 1820's and thereby stuck out like a sore thumb.

They stopped on the sidewalk, about 15 yards from the crowd making up the line and busying themselves with their little cart. Milo wasn't sure if he could exercise what little authority had on them even if they were doing something wrong, so he decided he'd just let weirdos be weirdos for the moment. 

Turning his back on them is precisely why he literally jumped out of one of his shoes when the first note sounded off loudly behind him. One foot now shoeless, he spun back around to see a sight even stranger than he had imagined. It was two of them. Two of the Eek- Eck- ponies. One was white with striped blue hair and sunglasses with a white horn, and the other yellowish with green stripes. 

Oh, and the box? It was a freaking portable turn table complete with speakers. Milo could hear a couple of people near him ask what was going on, though beyond a few feet he couldn't hear anything else. The two of them were already blasting music, and even though it was nothing he recognized it did sound pretty good.

But what was he supposed to do here? That town out there was supposed to be ringed with guards, and there was no doubt in his mind that these two had somehow snuck past them. This was definitely not in the handbook.

Though that pony was one heck of a DJ. Thirty seconds into the song, and despite the fact that most everyone was dead shocked by their appearance, Milo found himself tapping his foot to the beat. From what he could tell, the pony was mixing the song on the fly, and everybody knows that takes skill. 

First, it was one guy. The man stepped out onto the street, coaxing his girlfriend along with him and waving on the waiting crowd as he started bouncing with the beat. Then those teens joined him. Then a few more.

Then the ponies dropped the bass and turned a street into a dance floor full of humans getting into the swing. As the first song ended and the ponies, now equipped with two more speakers that the club owner had dragged out, called out above the noise of the crowd.

"DJ Pon-3 is in the house! In the words of a good friend, IT'S TIME TO PARTAY!"

I think I'm gonna like these guys thought Milo. 


- July 4 -



- Canterlot - Celestia -


"-and that's the plan."

Luna looked at her sister with more than a little skepticism, which Celestia could understand. Frankly, the plan they had would be a lot better if they knew more about the source of the issue, but the fact was they didn't. That was a frustrating feeling to say the least, and one they hadn't known for a long time. 

"It's the best we have, sister," Celestia said gravely. The situation in Equestria in the time since Ponyville disappeared had gone from confusing to beginning to edge on dangerous. The magic field was in total chaos, and since Discord was nowhere to be found, they could only attribute it to the mysterious spell. And nature was rebelling because of it.

Just in the last week there had been three volcanic eruptions. Thank goodness nopony was seriously hurt, as any nearby towns were already on high alert for danger and had evacuated quickly before the pyroclastic flows and lahars could strike. But all the residents of Foal Mountain were now homeless, and they weren't the only ones. Earthquakes, rainclouds dropping too much water and causing floods, and even a landslide near Yonderhill. Even the weather was going crazy. Random lightning strikes and even spontaneous tornadoes. Natural disasters happen, but never with that kind of frequency. Coincidence was unlikely.

Cloudsdale's Weather Headquarters were thoroughly embarrassed even though Celestia didn't blame them one iota. They had never let weather get out of control like that before, and it bugged all of them that the cause of two town's disappearance was apparently a storm formation. The Mayor of Cloudsdale expressed what all of them must have been feeling in a tirade against himself saying, "We should have been able to stop it! We're supposed to be the masters of the sky!"

It had taken half an hour to calm him down enough to let anypony console him before they could finally talk through a strategy. The Wonderbolts and the weather patrols of Equestria would take shifts around the clock to watch carefully for any signs of trouble. Unicorns set up emergency beacons in each town that could be touched off by anypony at any moment, at which point a signal would be broadcast to Canterlot Castle.

But that was not the plan that Luna was referring to. It was the plan to stop it.

"T'would be a great risk to follow this course of action," she said. "Not just for our citizens, but for thou, my sister."

"It is indeed. But since it is not possible nor would it be wise to induce the spell, our only recourse is to wait for it to happen again," Celestia reaffirmed.

"But you don't even know if thou can stop it," protested Luna. "And neither I nor Equestria would be able to bear it if we lost you too."

Celestia nuzzled her sister as a way of comfort. 

"If I am caught up in the storm then everypony will be in capable hooves. If such a thing were to happen perhaps I could seal it from the other side, wherever that may be."

"Don't you dare even think about doing something reckless!" Luna spat, glaring very seriously at Celestia. "Even if it is foal-hardy, we will stand by your plan to the very letter! And I will be there to make sure you do!"

Celestia hadn't seen her younger sibling this fired up since she found out about the Changeling incident after the wedding. It was actually kind of refreshing. As young mares it had been Luna that had been the cautious one holding back her more boisterous older sister from doing anything too stupid. That had been just more salt to the wound when she had been forced to banish her sister when she became Nightmare Moon. Seeing a return of her old self in the past years since her liberation was more comfort than Luna knew.

"If you must," said Celestia with an appreciative smile. "Perhaps between the both of us we can solve all these secrets."

"It's amazing there are secrets from us at all," answered Luna, still troubled. "I was sure that our father had taught us everything about magic we'd need."

"I'm sure that not even father knew everything," said Celestia with a laugh. "Even if he 'saw everything there was to see' as he put it."

"That's what mother said."


- July 5 -



- Horseshoe Bay - Spitfire -


Spitfire shook her head in amazement and frustration. She and her Wonderbolt squadron had been busting a lot of weird weather lately, and it was starting to take it's toll. The clouds over Horseshoe Bay were spinning around like they were trying to form a hurricane or something. They were dropping rain without any sense of order, and there was even a fog bank of considerable size forming from the east. 

The local weather team had just been flat overwhelmed and had sent a message to the Wonderbolts for assistance 

"It's confirmed. This storm is not an event like the one at Ponyville," reported Fleetfoot, flying up beside her. "Just another weather magic spike."

"Good. Then it's a go. All wings dive!" Spitfire ordered, relieved. The well trained aerial team obeyed immediately, dropping from their stationary hovers into accelerated dives. Spitfire led the way, picking out a collection of clouds as her target. She plummeted straight through the first, bashed the second with a kick before changing direction to slash at the third. She changed direction over and over again as the elite flyers eliminated the rogue clouds systematically. The sky was finally clear after about 15 minutes. The fact that it took around a dozen highly trained ponies that long was a testament to how big of a mess it had been.

I must be getting old Spitfire thought unpleasantly, cracking her neck and rubbing a sore shoulder for a moment. She was still the top ranked flier, but she was starting to feel it. She was sure it would only be a matter of years before young upstarts like Rainbow Dash would surpass her.

Well, she would have.

Spitfire had heard the Princess' theory about how it was some sort of wild transportation spell, but she had surveyed the damage herself and to her it looked more like a meteorite struck. She didn't usually disagree with the Princess, but this time she inwardly did. She never admitted it nor showed it but the whole thing scared her. That was the hardest part about holding a position like hers. You aren't allowed to be scared.

"Thanks a million, Cap," said the mayor of Horseshoe Bay, a plump earth pony named Palm Oasis. He wore a Horsolulu shirt and thin Rose colored sunglasses that gave him the permanent appearance of a tourist, which is something of a fashion in the beach town. He definitely didn't have the look of a mayor but he obviously didn't care. His town was thriving so it didn't appear to matter.

"No problem Mr. Mayor," Spitfire said, returning a hoofshake. "Sorry to leave so soon, but we need to get back to Cloudsdale as soon as possible. When we get back we'll probably already have another emergency to run off to."

"Don't jinx it!" said an exhausted Soarin, who promptly collapsed. Spitfire rolled her eyes and picked him up, half tossing him into the air to get him flying. 

"No excuses! Let's get back before Manehatten calls telling us that there are clouds raining sarsaparilla!" 

"I could deal with that," answered Soarin as they gained speed, the pegasus salivating.


- Atlanta, Georgia - Discord -


I haven't had this much fun in millennia! Discord thought to himself. He had transformed himself into a jackalope so to be smaller. He didn't want the humans to know about him just yet. 

They were just too much fun. Always so serious. So straight laced, even more so than that killjoy Celestia. But that made them even more fun to mess with! He'd been teleporting all over the place, spreading some good old fashioned chaos. Oh, nothing too evil. He was reformed after all. 

Discord hadn't felt this alive since he was young. And considering that he's older than Celestia and Luna by too many years to count, now that, THAT was saying something.

From his hiding place in a bush he spotted a young woman enjoying an ice cream cone with a toddler, whom could be reasonably assumed to be her son. He spent a little time trying to come up with a good prank before he finally decided to go with an oldie but a goodie. 

A little pepper, a child sized sneeze, and all the trees in the immediate area suddenly fell down, much to the surprise of the woman who stared in total shock in every direction. Cackling, Discord slunk off in his disguise through the bushes, wondering where he should teleport to next.


- Cincineighti - Lightning Dust - 


I'm not bitter. I'm Lightning Dust! The coolest and best flyer around!

Dust sat in the local cafe gorging on a hot fudge sundae. Nowadays all she did was her weather job, eat ice cream til she was loopy with sugar, then go to bed. Her dream of being a Wonderbolt completely crushed, and it had nothing to do with her skill. In fact as far as she could tell she was kicked out for being too good. So here she was, stuck back in her hometown doomed to the same job that she had been already doing for years. She had considered trying for the Royal Guard but they turned her down. Apparently getting kicked out of the Wonderbolt Academy is tantamount to a black list.

"Hey, Dust, there's some more clouds rolling in."

An earth pony named Sand Hill, whom Lightning Dust had known since school, was leaning in the door. He was the only one who wouldn't look at her with either pity or condescension since her dishonorable discharge, and also the only one who had never backed down from saying what he thought to her face, no matter how much she scared anypony else. Therefore, he was her best friend.

"Yeah, what of it?" Dust shot back. Sand didn't even flinch at the venomous reply, but instead trotted farther inside and raised an eyebrow at the demolished ice cream before switching his hazel gaze at her. 

"You keep eating ice cream you're going to lose wing-power while you gain pounds. And plus, it's your job and I'm not about to let an athlete like you balloon into a sob story. So stop being a wimp and get out there!"

Lightning Dust stared hard at the tan colored stallion, who had a short, spiky gray mane and tail, then she put down what was left of her sundae, flipped a couple of bits onto the counter and sulked out the door. Of course he was right.

"Remind me to slug you later," Lightning Dust said, giving Sand Hill a little playful shove.

"And remind me to make you do extra pushups in your workout today," Sand said with a wry smile. 


- July 6 -



- Celestia -


Celestia watched the horizon as she raised the sun to begin the day. Equestria's beacons had been silent since their installment, but the only thing keeping her from hoping that the worst was over was reports from other lands of missing towns. Luna walked past her, tired from her night's vigil but still with enough energy to give that look that she had given her every day since their planning session.

Now that the sun was raised and on course, Princess Celestia turned to the task she had been at for days. Just watching the magical channels and monitoring the magic field and it's unthinkable shrinking. 

She was brought fresh hot tea as she settled into the special room she had set up, and settled in for what she sincerely hoped was a long day of nothing. She even would field her official audiences with subjects in this room so that she always could keep an eye on the magical alarms. She took a sip and a deep breath as she sat back in the plush chair, mentally preparing to take on another day in a time she would rather sleep. 

That's when the lights started flashing red like Hearth's Warming Eve.


- Loveland, Ohio -


Jay Griffin was eating a bowl of Frosted Mini Wheats, rather complacently watching Discovery Channel from across the kitchen. There was a program about birds of prey or something like that. He was so zoned out he hardly noticed when the light suddenly dimmed. But he did noticed when the thunder belted its way through the air. Jumping up, he peered out his and watched in horrified fascination as lightning produced huge flashes all around. Their house was separated from the rest of town, but suddenly it was starting to look otherwise.

He didn't know how, but there were buildings now among the trees that sure weren't there before. There was a blinding flash right outside his window, what he would usually call a flash-boom strike it was so close. But then to his utter shock, the window was suddenly shattered. Jay dove to the floor, covering his face as he felt the glass pelt him. His first reaction was to look himself over. Nothing was sticking out of him anywhere but he did have a fair amount of cuts on his hands.

His second act was to stand up, but then to promptly freeze in place. The kitchen table was destroyed, and there was a blue, flying version of one of those things that had yellow highlights in its mane and a white lightning tattoo on it's backside. It was still alive and was rearing it's head, rubbing a sore spot with it's front hoof.

"Owww. What in the heck happen-"

It froze when it saw him, and they stared at each other for a few oddly silent seconds.

"WHAT THE TARTARUS ARE YOU!?" It suddenly screamed, pointing at him as it backed away with wings flared, successfully destroying his mom's expensive vase.


- Spitfire - 


"Where did those come from?" Soarin yelped. Spitfire cursed herself for not watching the skies more carefully. In Cloudsdale they made the weather, so no one thought to watch out for it. They were supposed to control it. 

But now black clouds were rolling in, more like fog to the city in the sky as the lightning flashed. It was everywhere so fast that even the speedy pegasi couldn't flee. Spitfire saw no point in running, so she held on to Soarin and closed her eyes, wondering what the next life was like. She felt a sensation in her body like she'd never experienced as a bolt finally made contact.

She kept her eyes closed, even after the feeling stopped. Am I afraid I went to the wrong place or something? I was good wasn't I?

She opened her eyes and saw... Cloudsdale. Pegasi were everywhere, shaking their heads and making sure their friends and family were alright. 

"Where are we?" asked a bewildered Fleetfoot gliding up to her.

"Let's go earth side and figure that out."

After a rapid descent, the three Wonderbolts looked around in every direction and saw...

A lot of open land. Well, they had been over parts of the Buffalo reservations at the time but those had more variety than this! Grassland, bushes, a few trees on mountains in the distance. Essentially barren. Spitfire reached a conclusion.

"Dang it. We died and went to-"


- Wildwood, Missouri - 


A cyclist skids to a stop and whips out his phone so that he can film the light show before him, and his jaw drops when it looks like a copy of the St Louis Arch suddenly materializes after a blazing bolt nearly blinds him.


- Middle River, Maryland -


A fisherman in the Chesapeake Bay watches as another black storm blazes away on shore.


- Pompano Beach/Ft. Lauderdale, Florida -


Early morning beach patrons scatter as lightning dances around them, sending cars swerving as the city lights up under the black clouds. Smaller buildings appear in an instant where before were streets, parking lots, or parks. And then there were others....


- Somewhere in Nebraska -


"Where are we Chief?"

"I have no idea, but did our route always have this much corn?"


- In the Jungles of Nicaragua -


A pegasus with monochromatic hair is pulled out of sleep by a sensation that she equated to falling after some annoying boom. She peeked outside her tent, and after a few minutes standing quietly listening for anything potentially dangerous decided nothing was amiss. She then promptly trotted back inside, curled up in her sleeping bag, pulled her hat over her eyes, and went back to sleep.


- Los Angeles, California -


Mira Gonzalez drove her car like a woman possessed (so basically like a normal Californian woman) as she sped off towards north LA. Chaos was reigning as people were scattering every direction in confusion. The first clue that history had been repeated was a brick building that looked like something out of the 1930's, only new, standing where a Walmart parking lot used to be. 

But it got stranger. She had been in this part of the city before, with Hollywood only about a mile or so away. And while she couldn't pretend to know how everything once looked there were definitely some oddities. Like this pawn shop that still had the same grungy old signs, but was now a solid color of pink, including a white striped awning. Then there was another one of those buildings built out of the past, but unlike it's more colorful counterpart was the same dull tan of the Dilliards it just replaced. The district looked like Willy Wonka had taken a part in designing it.

Mira had to get out of her car now as the traffic was too snarled, and that's when she finally saw that it wasn't just people running crazy in the streets. There were Equestrians too, looking every bit as scared and confused as the taller humans around them. 

"Hey! Somepony help us!"

She heard a cry to the left and saw a car with a crunched hood and two Equestrians standing over another, which was lying unmoving in the street. Mira acted on an impulse and ran over to the scene. The ponies, one an orange female with yellow hair, and the other a blue male who looked very young, both looked up at her like she was going to eat them. There was a larger stallion on the street, definitely hurt badly and partially pinned under the car.

"Don't be afraid, I'm gonna help. We gotta move this off of him!"

They hesitated, but then nodded and both shouldered against the car and moved it before Mira could even offer what strength she had. She mentally cataloged that then started looking over the injured one, calling up every stupid anatomy class she had ever taken and hoped the same applied as she started first aid.


- Near Grand Prarie, Alberta, Canada -


Kenneth Norrison could only stare open mouthed at the sight before him. It was straight out of a fantasy epic. Part of him wondered if he was just going crazy but he could see others getting out of their pulled over cars just like he had, and they were pointing and taking pictures too. The aliens in America had come to Canada.

And they brought a huge castle that looked like it was made out of crystal.


- Similar scenes played out in Utah, Connecticut, and Texas, as well all over the globe. Spain, Australia, Germany, Japan, Egypt, Italy all would see major events among others. Meanwhile... -



- Reno, Nevada - Discord -


Discord could feel the magic crackling through the air as he sat atop the casino roof. Even though there were no rifts in the immediate area Discord could feel them all over the world.

So it's all finally falling apart he thought, without any real emotion. The truth was he couldn't place an emotion. He couldn't decide what he wanted.

On one hand, it would be joyfully chaotic to just let it happen, and besides, even if he did help it would only delay it for a few months at best, and at the cost of most of his magic that would take probably close to the same amount of time to recharge. Is that really worth it? he thought as he sipped chocolate milk upside down from a glass.

But then there was...

"Okay, fine! But after this, I owe you nothing! My debt will be paid and that's that! DO YOU HEAR ME?" Discord yelled at the morning sky, with some stars even still visible in the west.

Then with a new, albeit grudging, resolve, he began gathering the substantial magic within his body, making sure to leave enough behind to get him somewhere where he could rest until it regenerated. Then he extended both paw and claw to the sky as he concentrated, remembering an old magic spell that he frankly never really thought he'd ever really see again.

And he snapped both fingers at the same time with a resounding crack that more than one pedestrian mistook for gunfire.


- Pasadena, California -


"Did it all just stop?"

"I th-think s-so. Satellites aren't p-picking up anymore activity."


- 2 Minutes earlier - Celestia -


"It's just no use if we don't know the spell!" Celestia cursed. She was firing every containment spell she could think of at the expanding, lightning-filled, black clouds that were already starting to flash away the residents of Paint Louis, most of whom were still in bed. Luna was trying too. Desperate, Celestia tried a sealing spell, the very same she had used with the elements to banish Nightmare Moon. 

It did absolutely nothing as the lightning intensified.

"Sister, we have but one course of action," Luna yelled, her booming voice clear even over the thunder. What course of action? Our plan has failed.

She watched helplessly as the storm had nearly exhausted it's strength, having already taken most of the town, teleporting any ponies she happened to see away. Unexpectedly, Luna nuzzled her under her chin. Celestia pulled back and looked at her in surprise, wondering what that was all about. 

"I will do what I can," Luna said cryptically.

Then before Celestia could react, Luna spread her wings and with a burst of pegasus magic blasted towards the lightning. And just as Celestia began to scream, a single bolt seemed to reach out, like the stray branch of a tree that was usually pruned, stabbed out and touched the Princess of the Night. 

And in an instant was gone.

> Chapter 12: Dawn
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


- MSNBC -


"- crews are currently making sweeps of the affected areas, searching for injured and for potential danger. While the event was widespread it is still currently believed that the only two metropolitan areas that were directly affected were Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale-"


- FOX -


"You saw it?"

"Yeah I saw it! Lightning was just shooting down like crazy and it was like...one minute it's quiet and the next there's a freaking town in my backyard! I saw some of those things up close, ya know! They screamed at me!"


- ABC -


"We're still awaiting word out of the White House, so for now all we can do is speculate."

"In my view, even if this isn't some sort of invasion we have a very serious problem. What if space-time is falling apart?"

"Ok, calm down! The last thing we need-"


- StudMuffin0368's Youtube Channel -


"Are you getting this? 

"Of course, man! Get out of the way!"

"Dude, we're gonna be famous! We're like, documenting history, man!"


- Pinkie Pie -


Pinkie's eyes fluttered open, some noise she wasn't familiar with buzzing her awake. The TV thingy in the middle of the room was on with a funny looking guy talking on the screen. She stretched in a big yawn as she looked over to the other bed. Twilight was snoozing on top of the covers. She had probably fallen back asleep after turning on the TV, the silly goose. 

Welp! It's time to get ready!

Pinkie Pie leaped up (as quietly as she could) so she was standing on the plush, bouncy bed. That was so much fun she ended up bouncing in place until she remembered that, oh yeah, she was getting ready. There was no time to waste, a super duper fun day was planned in the land of the hand. Woo! Adding the word "hand" to her vocabulary was opening up a whole new world of rhyming possibilities. Ha! A whole new world!

The TV suddenly got pretty loud with somepony shouting something about news. 

"Wai- Wha-?" Twilight snapped up blinking groggily.

"Hey, you rude TV person! Don't you know ponies are trying to sleep?" Pinkie Pie said in a loud admonishing whisper, swooping up the remote and poking the little red button. She peeked back at her sleepy friend, who, despite the rude awakening fell back into her pillow. Good.

Her tummy growled, so Pinkie stood still for a moment waiting to see if any twitches came along to make a Pinkie Sense combo, but when none did it was concluded that she was hungry. Pinkie Pie slunk out the door and closed it quietly, making her way down the hall. If she remembered right, there was a place to get breakfast on the first floor. But wait! She didn't want to go alone! Eating alone was never fun.

Pinkie Pie considered going back and rousing Twilight to come with her, but before she made any steps back in that direction another door opened. 

"Oh, good mornin' Pinkie," Applejack said with a bright, chipper attitude. Well, she's ready for some fun. That makes everything easier.

"Morning, Applejack!" Pinkie returned brightly. "Wanna come with me for some breakfast?"

"Sounds good ta me!" Applejack answered. "Come on, Dash, let's get the day goin'!"

Pinkie watched patiently (by which it's meant she rocked back and forth on her hooves) as Dashie trotted slowly out the door.

"I wouldn't have roomed with you if I knew you got up this early," she said grumpily.

"You'd prefer Rarity?" Applejack asked with a wry grin. 

"Aw, cheer up Rainbow Dash! I smell waffles!" Pinkie Pie said. Having gathered company for the meal, she once again made for the elevator with her friends right behind. They didn't have to wait for the doors to open as a little, joyful "Ding" sounded and let them inside. Once on board, Pinkie pressed the "1" button with her muzzle and giggled when it dinged again to close the doors. 

There was soft music playing. A quiet little ditty, but when Pinkie was just about to make up the words for it the doors opened again signaling their arrival. Pinkie rocketed out and honed in on the breakfast buffet. It was like someone was throwing a morning party. Ohmygoshohmygosh that's a great idea! I should remember that! Who wouldn't love a morning party?

Okay. Maybe not Rainbow Dash...

It was a long table filled with all sorts of breakfast goodies. Muffins, apples, oranges, those oat-thingys that Anne said were called cereals. Oooo a bunch of those were colorful. Pinkie Pie also found the waffle station on the very end. The batter was already made so that was easy. All she needed to do now was open the iron, pour some in, close the iron, flip it over, and somehow wait patiently for it to cook.

Now stuck waiting for her morning delectable she happily turned to other parts of the buffet, scooping up a plate to slip in behind Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Both already had a couple of items and and were browsing for more.

"Hmm. These apples don't exactly look fresh-picked but they look decent enough," Applejack commented as she picked up a couple of the fruits, smelling each as she did so. "I gotta have some of those bananas. Don't see those often."

"Sure, why not?" Rainbow Dash muttered as she picked up a couple of muffins and placed them on the plate she balanced on her right wing. Pinkie Pie followed behind them and grabbed at least one of everything each of them did, leading to a small mountain of fruits, muffins, and one hot, gooey cinnamon roll. Beeping from the other end of the room sent her scurrying back to get her waffle. She managed to burn her tongue a little as that was the only way she figured out to get the waffle off, but that was all good. She zipped over to a table, placed her pile of goodies and lathered it all in syrup. The syrup wasn't hot like the last time with Anne, but it still smelled soooooo good.

"What do you think this is?" she heard Rainbow Dash ask.

"Think what is? Whatcha looking at?" Pinkie Pie temporarily abandoned her meal to run over and find out what AJ and Dashie were looking at. She planted her front hooves on their backs to that she could see over them. They both suddenly moved, and Pinkie forgot to catch herself again as she face planted into the floor. Oops, silly me. Undeterred Pinkie Pie shot up and got a closer look.

It wasn't like any food Pinkie had ever seen. 
"It kind of looks like bark," Applejack remarked, leaning in close. Wrinkled bark maybe. 
"I dunno. It looks a little too light to me. Besides I've never seen bark that color. Or in three colors for that matter," Rainbow Dash said, sniffing it. "Smells like...... I have no idea. Never smelled that before."

"Hmm. Well there's only one way to solve this mystery," Pinkie announced dramatically. Both her friends looked at her in wonderful anticipation. Pinkie Pie always loved that look. "We have to try it!"

Rainbow and Applejack exchanged a glance, then nodded assent.

"So who goes first?" Rainbow asked.

"Nope, the best way to try something is together! All at the same time!" Pinkie Pie argued, carefully picking up the stiff, yet somehow floppy, greasy, burnt food item. The other two quickly went and set down their breakfast plates at the table where Pinkie had unloaded hers and came back to pick up their own. Pinkie stared uncertainly at the morsel. It was hot to the touch like a cinnamon bun, but felt more like a burnt cookie. 

"We probably should only take a bite, just in case," suggested Rainbow Dash. 

"Sounds good ta me," Applejack agreed.

"Okie Dokie! On the count of three: One, two… THREE!"

Pinkie Pie chomped down on one end, biting straight through the crispy surface with unexpected ease. She chewed once, then twice. And...

It was super gross! Ick! Ack! Pinkie quickly swallowed the bite before spitting whatever was left of the taste. She zipped over to the drinks and filled up a glass of orange juice before and downed it in a single chug. Applejack was right behind her, practically gagging.

"Ew! Ew! Ew! That wasn't fun at all!" Pinkie Pie lamented, wiping her tongue over and over.

"You said it," concurred Applejack.

"It wasn't that bad."

Pinkie Pie rounded on Rainbow Dash in total disbelief.

"I mean it wasn't great but not the worst thing I've ever eaten," Rainbow Dash defended, shrugging and tossing what remained of the food strip into the trash bin.

"What else has she eaten?" Pinkie Pie whispered urgently into Applejack's ear. The fellow earth pony shrugged.

"How 'bout we get to eating what we do know what it is," she suggested, climbing into the human sized chair. Glad the episode was over, Pinkie leaped into her seat and immediately began digging into the syrup covered edibles. Applejack and Rainbow Dash followed suit, beginning to devour their breakfast and talking about some of the things they had planned for the day.

"Well you're all up early."

David walked by the table as he said so, heading for the breakfast table himself. Pinkie and the others said good morning as they also looked around to see if anyone else was up yet but David had apparently come down alone. To Pinkie's surprise, she noticed that right after he grabbed a sesame seed muffin that David also grabbed a bunch of the gross, burnt stuff. She was even more shocked when he grabbed one off his plate and took a bite of half of it as he walked to the table.

Pinkie Pie really wanted to protest but held back when she realized he seemed to be really savoring it, deciding instead to cram two muffins in her mouth to try and erase the very memory of it from her tongue. While she was thus stuffing her cheeks, she listened to the following conversation as David sat down.

"Mornin' David," greeted Applejack. "Sleep well?"

"Yep, best hotel bed I've ever slept in."

"I'll tell you this, those things are sure bigger than any bed I've been on," Applejack noted.

"They were a'ight," said Rainbow Dash. "Not as good as cloud but not bad. So what's that you're eating anyway?"

David looked at the half strip he had just bitten off of. Pinkie Pie noticed a strange expression of recognition come over his face before he said, "Oh, nothing you'd like."

"Well, if you think it doesn't taste good than why are you eating it?" Pinkie Pie demanded. "There's waffles over there! Waffles!"

"Try us," Rainbow Dash said with an edge of dare and curiosity. 

"Uh.... we call it bacon," David said quickly, finishing the strip off and picking up the buttered toast off his plate. Pinkie shot lightning quick glances at AJ and Dashie but neither obviously had any idea, both shrugging. Then Rainbow Dash asked the one question that should never be asked about food after the fact that said substance has been ingested. Even Pinkie Pie knew that, but she was so curious it felt like her stomach would explode with butterflies. Or with any potential poison.

"Well, what's it made of?" 

David looked at them with the expression of a mouse cornered by a cat, which looked really silly to Pinkie Pie so she naturally started giggling. 

"Uh....Okay, what the heck, you already know we eat meat. It's pig meat," he said quickly with surrender

...

I...ate...wha-

Pinkie Pie dead fainted as Applejack bolted to the trash can and promptly hurled while Rainbow Dash looked somewhere between stunned, fascinated, and sick as she stared at her half eaten breakfast. David, meanwhile, sat in befuddlement with his still waking up brain trying to process exactly how he would explain the suddenly semi-chaotic scene before him. 


- Paint Louis (now located near Wildwood, Missouri) - Luna -


We were right, it was a transportation spell after all thought the Princess. She let out a sigh of relief, grateful that her impulsive decision hadn't led to her untimely demise. But the next question was; where was she? Paint Louis appeared to be in relatively good condition, though the ponies were understandably panicked. A few of them had already spotted her, and with a mixture of surprise and fear they approached her.

She did her best to reassure them that she would get to the bottom of the issue, though she wasn't confident in her ability to do so. Comforting subjects was definitely a skill Celestia bested her younger sister at. After instructing them to return to their homes and to not panic, Luna took to the air. The air was hot and muggy and the landscape a lush green. Though it wasn't quite the exact same as the local Geography they had just left in Equestria, it was strikingly similar. 

From her vantage point above the ground, she could see a town to the southeast. It was logical to assume it wasn't Equestrian, both in location and in the architecture, but if they were to discover the secret of this spell talking to the locals was a must. So, without hesitation, Luna flapped her wings and began gliding gracefully towards that goal. The town had the set up of a large city despite it's diminutive size, with square blocks instead of a centralized circle, that much was plain from the air.

The streets were buzzing with two different creatures, one large, colorful species that moved smoother than anything that size Luna had seen before, and smaller, yet still tall creatures running the sides. She revised her assessment as she got closer. Several of the thinner, tall species started pointing up at her and they started moving a lot faster, while Luna realized, to her inner embarrassment, the other "species" was some sort of strange vehicle.

The creatures were all standing on two legs and had monkey-like arms, although they appeared mostly hairless except for head manes. They didn't have any tails and all of them were wearing clothing. More importantly, all of them were staring at her with a wide-range of expression. Up front four of the creatures were pushing the others away, shouting orders to that effect that Luna could hear clearly. And unless she was much mistaken these four creatures were police officers, which she deduced from them wearing uniforms that were strikingly similar to police forces in Equestria. 

Perfect. Local authorities. Luna descended slowly, not wanting to frighten them or engender a violent response. She had no idea what the nature of these beings was, so she could only hope it was similar to equine behavior and play it safe. Caution was also prudent seeing as two of them were holding objects that Luna had to assume were weapons, albeit strange in appearance. Landing gently a few paces from them, she stood at her full height with wings folded, doing her darnedest to appear both regal and unintimidating. Such was always a difficulty, even after multiple "lessons" with Twilight Sparkle and her friends. However many of the creatures were her height and even taller in several cases. Perhaps such size difference would help to allay any fears.

"GREETINGS CITIZENS! I AM PRINCESS LUNA OF EQUESTRIA!" 

The creatures all suddenly flinched back, most of them retreating several steps. She tensed as she noticed the two with weapons twitch their arms upward, though they never pointed them at her.

Perhaps the Royal Canterlot Voice was too much thought Luna ruefully, reminded of her first experience with Nightmare Night. She mentally inched back her voice down to normal speaking volume.

"A-hem. It appears myself and many of my subjects have been transported to your world by a powerful magic spell. I wish to contact your leaders so that I may negotiate for assistance," the Princess of the Night explained carefully. It suddenly occurred to her that perhaps they didn't even speak the same language. In fact to assume so would probably be far too much to even ask. Her half-thought out plan was getting harder by the second. The officers exchanged several glances that Luna could not fully read, particularly as it appeared confusion was part of it, as they slowly approached her. The crowd was mostly quiet, the majority of them staring in what was unmistakably awe. 

"Um, are you with Princess...er, what was the name again?" One creature began with a masculine voice in clear Equestrian, leading Luna to mentally note that he was probably male. Doing that, of course, while covering up her shock that they did indeed speak the same tongue. That was good news.

"Twilight, I think," offered another with a bunched up yellow mane and a feminine voice. So that must be a female that'll be easy to-

"PRINCESS TWILIGHT IS HERE? Luna blurted loudly. So it was the same world after all! And they were alive! The good news was doubled! The lead creature still looked confused but nodded, which Luna hoped correctly assumed meant the same thing it did in Equestria. "Officer of the Law! Can you please tell me where I can find her?"

The four keepers of the peace leaned in and conferred with one another quickly, with the lead officer stepping a little forward and speaking first, "We'll get word to D.C. quickly. They should know where she is."

"I thank thee!" Luna said genuinely, giving a little bow. "Pray tell, where am I?"

"Er, Missouri."

Misery? 

That did not bode well.


- Twilight -


The last time Twilight had felt like being sick and laughing her head at the same time was on a carnival ride she took with her brother. She chose to laugh at the unfortunate circumstance three of her friends had found themselves in. Applejack was insisting to Rarity that she was just fine, while Pinkie Pie was busy scarfing down muffins despite Fluttershy's protests to take it easy. The pink pony had puked as well when she woke up, but was probably just denying anything had happened. The only one who hadn't surrendered her breakfast was Rainbow Dash, which made some sense.

"Thousands of years ago pegasi had trained themselves to eat meat as a last resort," Twilight explained factually, when Rainbow asked why she hadn't hurled yet, through a couple of lingering snickers. "After Equestria was founded the practice was discontinued. But biologists theorize that pegasi could still digest meat. Guess it looks like they might have been right."

"That's...kinda awesome," said Rainbow Dash uneasily. The look on her face said that the jury was still out on the outcome but at least it was unlikely that she'd get really sick.

"What? I didn't know they'd actually eaten some of it!" Twilight turned to see David being given stern glares from his mother and older brother. "Would you rather I didn't tell them?"

"Like I said, don't worry 'bout it none!" Applejack said to his defense. "We really shoulda asked before eatin' somethin' without knowin' what it was."

"I'd say that's sage advice," Twilight added, still smiling at how funny it struck her.

"For future reference, if it's brown and cooked, you probably shouldn't eat it," Asher said with a sigh. Twilight made a mental note to talk with him about what other animals were eaten in their world. Twilight had already gathered several days before that humans were the only sapient race present on their world, and fortunately pigs were not among the sapient races in Equestria either. But it would be good to know if certain residents of Ponyville were sometimes on the menu so that safety could be assured.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm hungry," Twilight said, deciding to forge ahead and continue on with the day, with agreement from all around. Even Pinkie Pie jumped up enthusiastically, ready to do her best to demolish the entire collection of edibles. Twilight made sure she budged ahead of the pink pony just to make sure she got something. The breakfast itself was pretty enjoyable with everypony and everybody there. There were even some other hotel guests that wandered in and some even said hello, though none stayed despite any insistence that they join them.

Soon, bellies were full and minds were fully awakened, and the morning's misadventures mostly forgotten. The humans were dressed far more casually today, including the return of Asher's ballcap. This was much to the relief of Rainbow and AJ, and even Twilight had to admit it would be nice not to have to worry about keeping a dress in tact. And Twilight suspected Rarity would suffer a lot less stress as well, so it was a win-win situation for all involved.

Twilight was also in a good mood, not only because she got a good night's sleep for once, but because she was excited for what was in store. Her friends had agreed to go to the Smithsonian first, and from what Asher had told her it was one of the largest museums in the entire world, a practical treasure trove of human knowledge. Even Rainbow Dash became interested when she heard about the Aero-Space part, and since the pegasus being interested in going to a museum was probably a once in a lifetime event barring it being a Wonderbolts museum, Twilight was quite ready to enjoy a complaining-free educational trip.

"Hey, let's get going," Mr. Burgess suggested and everypony spilled away from the tables in response. The plan for the day was set and double checked, the trusty list tucked away in a saddlebag on Twilight's back. Mayor Mare, Meadowlark, Comet Tail, and Caramel all planned to take a separate tour of the National Mall while Twilight, her friends, and the Burgess family would first go to the museum then would split off afterwards. They had learned that there was indeed a baseball game being played and a quick call the night before had confirmed that, with security, they could buy tickets. Twilight had been asleep for all that but she imagined that Rainbow Dash among others had been ecstatic.

But Rarity, Fluttershy, and the two Burgess women didn't have much inclination to go to such a setting, so they would spend the evening shopping in the city. Twilight considered joining them, but she admitted she was curious what it would look like to see 40,000 humans together in one place. Rapidfire had expressed something similar out loud, so she felt justified in her desire. She still couldn't believe just how many of them there were in that kingdom alone, not to mention a world population at least triple that of Equestria's earth. 

Anyways, it was a good plan for a day. Albeit a day on a strange alien world, but still, a good plan. 

They were told that they would be picked up and escorted to their destinations for security, which made Twilight both sheepish and grateful. Even in the weeks since becoming a Princess, Twilight had turned down having units of the Royal Guard follow her around or even guard her home in the library. It just felt too weird to her to have somepony do that yet. Having it now was no different, but it did help her feel a little less exposed. Though she hoped that should their’s be a lengthy stay that it wouldn't remain a necessity whenever they wanted to leave Ponyville again.

The entourage of 11 ponies and 7 humans made their way out of the doors of the hotel to the front sidewalk. No vehicles were yet there, though there were several sharply dressed security agents near the doors. They were talking under their breath into their sleeves and giving sideways glances at the group simultaneously. 

"Asher, what are they doing?" Twilight asked quietly, tapping the human in the leg to get his attention and motioning with her eyes. Asher spared a casual look in their direction for a few seconds then turned back towards the parking lot with a thoughtful expression. It wasn't one of alarm, thank goodness, but the wheels were definitely turning.

"They're probably just giving an update to their superiors about what we're doing," Asher answered with a tinge of dismissal. That should have calmed Twilight down. Her experience thus far had shown Asher to be very perceptive and trustworthy. But something about the way they were looking at them was unsettling, and taking another look at Asher showed a slight frown, suggesting that he was probably getting the same feeling.

Several vehicles finally appeared from around a corner and whipped into the lot; coming to a stop not far from where they stood. Several uniformed humans quickly exited and walked with purpose towards the group.

"I call shotgun!" Patrick called out, taking a couple steps forward.

"Please stay there, sir," one said gruffly, extending a hand and flattening it in a gesture that seemed to mean something to that effect. Patrick took a couple steps back with a juvenile smile as the man approached her directly.

"Princess Twilight Sparkle, I have orders to ask you to come with me," he said in a tone that plainly said she didn't have a choice. Twilight's heart plummeted. Something was wrong.

"Hey! Whoa! What'd she do?" 

Applejack and Rarity had simultaneously slid in front of her, standing shoulder to shoulder, while Rainbow Dash had jumped into a hover right above her and shooting a defiant glare. It had been her who had issued the challenge. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy had also inched closer to her sides on what could have only been impulse. To her slight surprise, Asher had taken a step or two forward as well. He had one hand up and on Rainbow Dash's chest, holding her back gently.

"Calm down, Dash," he said evenly, giving the pegasus a serious look. Twlight looked past her friends and saw that when Dash had jumped up, that several of the soldiers guns were now pointed in her direction. Probably also a trained impulse, but Twilight's heart skipped as she realized that they had just came very close to tragedy. Asher's expression of concern said that plainly enough without words.

Turning back to the man he queried carefully, "Sir, may we ask what the reasoning is?"

"I'm not authorized to say," was the terse answer. The human looked older and experienced, and held all the poise that Twilight would expect from a Royal Guardpony "The Secretary of Defense wishes to speak with the Princess about an urgent matter. I also have orders to bring you along as well."

Twilight nudged Rarity and Applejack as she pushed past them to look up at the human unobstructed. "May my friends accompany us?"

The man nodded, motioning to the vans. Twilight agreed and followed the soldiers, closely followed by her friends turned body guards. Asher had a short discussion with his family in which he adamantly argued that they shouldn't come along this time, which ended quickly without much argument when his father agreed, before he climbed into the same vehicle Twilight had clambered into with Rainbow, Pinkie, Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy occupying the other seats. 

The ride was quiet, seeing as how the human guards weren't allowed to say anything, Asher just stared out the window deep in thought, and her friends kept glancing at her in concern with almost irritating frequency. Twilight had expected to be taken to the White House or perhaps the Capital, but this time they were taken to a broad building which was oddly named.

"Why is this called the Pentagon? It looks more like a rectangle to me!" Pinkie Pie said as they passed sign that announced their destination.

"It looks more like a pentagon from above, Pinkie," Asher explained as he continued watching out the window. The next several minutes were a stressful blur as agents escorted the Equestrians plus one through several doors and finally to a room that was bare save for several chairs and a white projector screen. It was there that another man in military uniform explained that the Secretary wanted to speak directly with Twilight alone. Twilight silenced the protests quickly, agreeing and promising her friends that everything was going to be fine. 

Besides, she may be outside the magic field but her magic level felt as strong as ever. Twilight could take care of herself if it came down to it. Twilight followed the guard, trailed by two more, to another small room with a single desk and two chairs on opposite sides. There was also a long mirror, though Twilight couldn't imagine what for. Sitting in one chair was the woman Secretary they had already met with on a few occasions. She looked as stern as ever, though she was cordial as Twilight entered the room and climbed onto the human-sized chair.

"Your Highness, forgive me being blunt, but do you have any leads as to the cause of your present situation?" 

What the hay happened to bring on this urgency?

"Sadly, no. Why, have you found something?" Twilight asked optimistically, hoping that was what this was all about. Secretary Grant's expression didn't change as she regarded the pony. Her eyes were cold just to look at, and they told Twilight that her optimism was in vain. Something was very wrong.

"Our research has only begun and turned up nothing," she stated more than admitted. "Has your homeworld experienced any major disasters that could prompt a mass exodus?"

What kind of question was tha-

It clicked. It had happened again.

"No, Equestria is prospering, but what's going on? Did another town appear?" Twilight petitioned worriedly. The woman shuffled in her seat a little bit as she looked over some papers in her hands and basically ignored her, asking another question.

"Are there any dissenting factions that challenge your position in government?"

"What? No!" Twilght responded, taken aback by the strange question and rapping her hoof impatiently on the desk. This was an interrogation not a discussion, and it wasn't revealing anything. "Why would you ask that? If another piece of Equestria is here I should go see it! It might give us a clue -"

"Princess, it wasn't just another piece," Secretary Grant interrupted with a frown. Twilight stopped short and sat back in the chair, thoroughly confused.

"At 7:45 Eastern Time..."


- Asher -


Asher was in another room being given the same recap of what was going on, with news stories playing on the TV set of a tragedy of some scale playing out in California and Florida. It was too much all at once for him to comprehend everything. The implications physically, socially, politically, and a whole lot of other possibilities all jockeyed for position in his young psyche. And he had thought just one town of alien, pony like creatures materializing in his backyard was the greatest most mind-boggling thing that could ever happen. 

Not for the first time since everything started, part of Asher wished for his old life back. The one where stuff like this was in science fiction and all he had to worry about was resting up for going after a bachelor's degree so that he could get a good paying job. He was freaking 20 years old! Most kids his age were eating pizza by the ton and getting busted for underage drinking! They weren't sitting in the pentagon as an officially hired adviser to a sapient species from another dimension being told that life as they knew it was coming to an end like he was some big shot who could actually do something about it.

Asher straightened his hat out of habit, a little smile breaking across his face at that last thought. Yeah, actually, that last part alone made it all pretty awesome. Not to mention that he realized he couldn't even bring himself to think the words I wish I had never met them. He totally did not regret that one bit. He was even feeling like he could call them friends. 

"What is the plan sir?" Asher asked his informer, a uniformed General Harvick. If worlds were colliding, then something had to be done. "I want to help in any way I can."

The General regarded him for a few moments. He obviously wasn't used to dealing with people as young as he was like a diplomat. He probably usually had them standing at attention shaking in their boots. 

"We need information. The events stopped altogether at once at exactly 7:52 Eastern Time, only 7 minutes after it started. This is not to leave here except to those on a short list, namely your employers, but we have no leads to the cause. From your observations have you seen any technologies or abilities that could contribute to such an event?"

Asher took a deep breath, about to have a conversation that he never once even considered he'd ever have with someone not wearing a discount Harry Potter costume. 

"Well, sir. They are honestly almost as lost as we are, though they do have appreciation for the sciences and certainly know a few things that we don't. They just use a, er, different vernacular."

The General's expression told him to continue. Asher took another deep breath.

"They call it magic," Asher said. "I've seen levitation, accelerated growth, and one of them actually walking on a cloud. And that's not forgetting that Sonic Rainboom Rainbow Dash pulled off at the airshow. And the entire time we were studying the event ourselves they would speak in terms of spells and magic. I thought it was just their words for science at first, but I'm running out of explanations."

A single raised eyebrow. That was pretty much the response Asher expected. Personally, he couldn't even really make eye contact because he knew just how ridiculous it sounded to have anyone try to convince a general of the United States Military that the X factor was magic. 

"Son, you want me to go to the President and his scientific advisers and tell them that magic is causing this?"

"Not exactly. I don't know exactly how, but I think their science, what they call magic, may be the real key here," Asher explained. "But either way, I think it's safe to assume that their world is falling apart at the seams. If you're saying that not one but no less than nine more incidents have occurred, then wouldn't it be smart to explore every option?"

Asher hadn't talked like that to an adult so much his senior, well, ever. Not even his pain in the butt english teacher in 10th grade. 

"Sorry, sir," he apologized quickly. "I think our best hope for stopping this thing will lie with the Equestrians. I can't explain how they do anything, but I want to find out. Because when it comes down to it if their home falls apart, the pieces are gonna land on my home."

Harvick regarded him again silently, staring directly with eyes that seemed to drill deep.

"Son, on any other day I would have said you really were crazy," he finally said. "But from what I've been seeing today, I'm ready to accept just about anything."

He walked around the desk so he could stand directly above the seated Asher. "Do you know about their cloud manipulation?"

"I've seen them build a permanent house out of it."

Surprisingly, the General didn't appear surprised. 

Why do I get the feeling things are going to get really weird? Like, Pinkie Pie weird?


- Lightning Dust -


"Ow! Who taught you to tie bandages? A dragon?" Lightning Dust winced in pain as the strange creature, which had called itself a human, used it's spindly appendages to dress a deep laceration on her front leg. Her unexpected trip through two thick panes of glass had not gone well, leaving her with cuts, some missing feathers, and a swelling bruise from the shattering impact into the kitchen table

"Hey, most people woulda just called the cops instead of helping you out," the human, named Jay, spat. 

"And why would you do that?" Sand Hill was standing in the house too, watching the human warily. The creature gave no response as he finished tying off the bandage.

"So is this an invasion or what?" Jay demanded.

Lightning Dust looked up at him (that was uncomfortable for Dust, who never liked looking up to anyone) with a confused glare. Why would he think that ponies would invade anyone? This was definitely some magical accident. She had heard what had happened to Ponyville but never once did it occur to her that it could happen to Cincineighti too. Even after Rainbow Falls was sucked up too. In hindsight she should have been ready.

"You sure are jumpy. First cops and now asking if we're invading," Lightning Dust drawled, pulling her hoof back to examine the bandage as it soaked up her blood. 

"Well it's all over the news. You guys are everywhere all of the sudden!" Jay defended, sitting down in a chair much too tall to be useful to any equine. "But now that I think about it there's not much of military value around here is there. Maybe Cincinnati but that's not even the state capital."

"Cincineighti," corrected Sand Hill.

"What?"

"You pronounced our town wrong. It's Cincineighti," Sand Hill repeated. "How would you know that anyway. How do we know this isn't some plot to capture all of us?"

Sand had a point, as usual. Lightning Dust matched his challenging look. The human just looked confused.

"I wasn't talking about your town," he said, motioning out the shattered glass towards the pony town now abuzz with her fellow townsponies trying to figure out what happened. "What did you call it?"

"Cincineighti, What did you call it?" Sand answered back.

"Cincinnati."

Dust looked from Sand to Jay and back again.

"If I'm being pranked I'm going to kick somepony's flank into next week."


- Discord - Reno, Nevada -


Wow, that took even more out of me than I thought Discord pondered as he literally crawled on his belly through some poorly manicured bushes. I must be getting old or something.

He hadn't even felt this deflated of power when he was imprisoned in stone. He probably couldn't even use a little chaos magic to change rain into chocolate, and that was the first thing he had ever learned to do! Discord chuckled a little at the memory. He'd gotten in trouble then too.

The sun was becoming merciless since it had risen, scorching Discord's back to the point that he was sure he was going to get sunburn. And with his depleted magic level would hinder his regeneration so that it'd probably take just as long to heal is it would for a normal being. He really needed to get inside a magic field. Frankly he should have thought of that, but oh well. Living in the moment of chaos sometimes bites you in the flank, that's for sure. Maybe he should be less whimsical.

…

Nah.

The sound of a door slamming jarred Discord out of his exhaustion-induced stupor. He was in a backyard now, still mostly concealed by bushes, but a human girl had just wandered out the back door. Well, he was pretty sure it was a girl. She had black hair that was shorter than most, black lipstick, black fingernails, and dark clothing. Not to mention more piercings than a minotaur. She had her hands and attention on a little device in her hands, and hadn't noticed him yet.

Taking advantage of his serpent body, Discord slithered slowly towards the fence. It wasn't until he reached it that he realized there was no way that, one, he could climb it without being seen, and two, that he even had the strength to do so.

Time for a new plan. Now I should think through this carefully and -

"Hello there, can I trouble you for some assistance?" 

Discord mentally slapped himself. He really needed his magic back so he could outlet his chaotic impulses. 

The girl looked up from her device and her eyes widened. But only for a second, before her deeply uninterested expression took over.

"What're you supposed to be?" she deadpanned. "Some sort of alien experiment gone wrong?"

"I wouldn't say gone wrong even if I was," Discord responded coolly. "However, I do find myself in the embarrassing position of being too weak to move anymore. Seeing as you're the only one around, my options are somewhat limited."

The girl looked up and down all ten feet of him before making eye contact with him, during which Discord made his best puppy eye impression. Then she heaved a sigh that dripped with a lot of depressed emotion and said, "You're not heavy are you? We've got some water inside."

"I have wings, and besides, I've been on a diet!" Discord joked. Normally he would have snapped his fingers and transformed into something like a feather to make the situation humorous but it was a no can do. The girl rolled her eyes as she walked over to him and heaved him up, as he flapped his wings weakly to help the best he could.

"Do..oof, you at least have a name?" she grunted as she half dragged him towards the house.

"Discord, Lord of Chaos, though recently reformed," Discord said proudly as he could. "And yours my dear?"

She pushed open the cracked door with her shoulder as she answered, "Phoebe, queen of my life is boring."

Discord lifted his head around to get a better look at her, "Well, once I'm better I'm sure I could help with that."

> Chapter 13: Lost
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


- MSNBC -


"- fatalities have been reported at being around seven, all of which so far have involved vehicles. It is also believed that several Equestrians have also-"


- FOX -


"- never seen anything like this! It's like somebody took two different Lego sets and then mashed them together and they didn't follow the instructions..."


- NBC -


"What is your name? How did you get here?"

"Er...."

"Don't be shy!"

"Uh... C- Candy Swirl, and I have no idea where 'here' is! You're kinda freaking me out!"


- Southern Alps -


Firetail's huge scales prickled as the sensation of magic washed over him. Not that he had particularly missed it. It was more like stepping out into a brisk breeze after hibernating in a warm cave, a sudden jolt of remembering what it was like. He stirred upon his measly pile of gems, mostly made of stale gold and tiny diamonds that he had to slurp like a pony would sugar to eat, and slowly made for the entrance of his cave. Not to mention that a lot of it was Cubic Zirconium, which tasted like sawdust.

He pushed away the bones of some animals he had picked off to replace the lack of minerals and crawled out the opening, slowly unfurling his massive wings. The return of magic meant the one thing that actually mattered to him: Gems. The magic energy had come from the south. In his previous world there had been a pony nation there, though he wasn't sure what he could expect now that it was clear he was no longer in his usual stomping grounds. These new creatures hadn't appeared all that much better than the ponies, and they certainly had been just as scared of him as the ponyfolk. 

There was only one way to find out. Firetail just hoped they didn't have any anti-dragon magic. Most of those annoying unicorns never bothered learning it anymore since the alicorns had come around. Dragons didn't usually go onto Pony territory (except for his idiot cousin who came back babbling about some little yellow pony with eyes from Tartarus) but the ancient stories that were often swapped during the Great Migrations made it very apparent that it was not to be trifled with. 

He took to the air, comforting himself with the obvious fact that none of the creatures he had seen so far even had a horn, so they probably didn't have magic at all. This would be a piece of quartz.


- Washington D.C. -


"Sir, I admit that I don't get it."

"This is a chance for us to compare and contrast. They don't know she's here and on the way. I don't doubt their story, but this is a chance for us to prove to everyone present whether or not their story holds up."

"They might not like it if they find out."

"Then we tread carefully. "

"What about what the report out of Canada of a third?"

"Well, we'll just cross that bridge when it comes."


- Asher -


Somehow, even being distracted by thoughts concerning a million different things did not make the plane ride home any less terrifying. He wasn't even sure why he always took the window seat, because being there made it all too easy to imagine falling all the way down. Maybe it was the idea that not knowing was even scarier. Asher twisted his neck and cracked it habitually as he took in another deep breath, reminding himself that airplanes almost never went down and that they were really safe and that if they did go down they were all going to freaking die.

"Wow, you're even whiter than normal."

Asher looked away from his staring down the miles between himself and their demise over to Rainbow Dash, who was smirking at him with one eyebrow raised as she leaned casually over the arm of one of the chairs. 

"What do you mean by that?" asked Rarity indignantly. Rainbow Dash's face fell when she glanced at the white unicorn and realized what she said.

"Uh... Er.. I meant... paler!" Rainbow Dash stammered.

"I'm just kidding!" Rarity laughed. "I knew exactly what you meant." 

Asher laughed a little too, appreciating her attempt at humor. They were all just a little bit stressed. Or in Twilight's case, a lot stressed. The purple pony was propped up in her seat, nervously twiddling her hooves like a kid who just got busted for passing notes in class. She had been mostly quiet since they left the Pentagon, the wheels in her mind turning non-stop. Asher felt kinda bad that they didn't get to see much of D.C. He'd been looking forward to it himself, but in light of developments they had agreed it was probably best to head home so that they could figure out what to do next. And so they could access the Ponyville library.

Deciding that dwelling on their altitude was probably not the best for his health, Asher glanced around the cabin. In one corner the Mayor was actually napping while Meadowlark levitated a notepad of some sort. The latter never seemed to take a break. Comet Tail and Caramel sat side by side in another corner, saying nothing, and staring into space. Turns out guys are still guys even when they’re ponies.
Anne was nowhere to be seen, probably off exploring the aircraft again, but surprisingly Pinkie Pie was still in her seat, chatting Jonathon’s ear off. Rarity had gone back to her conversation with his Mom after her successful joke on Rainbow. 

"Hey, Ash, just how bad is it in LA?" Asher turned forward, where David was peering around the back of his seat with a serious expression, and Patrick was peering over the top of his own, obviously wanting to hear the answer. 

"They didn't know much, but there's a lot of damage," Asher replied. "It's like the town was practically dropped on top of Hollywood."

"You already said that," Patrick deadpanned. "We don't know anything, do we?"

Asher scowled at his younger brother, mostly because he was right. 

"So their whole world could come crashing down on top of us and we'd have no way to stop it," Patrick continued, reading Asher well.

"Pretty much."

"Something did stop it though," David added. 

"It's more like it all just stopped at once," Asher said. "It wasn't us, and Twilight said that it probably wasn't a pony. So it stopped all on its own then."

"Is it just me, or doesn't it sound like a leaking dam?" Patrick said. Asher and David nodded agreement. It was like Ponyville was the first hole in a dam, the leak eventually springing bringing, across Rainbow Falls, before finally cracking and bursting again in a near flood. Thinking like that, it was logical to think that it would eventually totally burst like the Teton Dam did in Idaho. Now the question was...


- Twilight -


... what is this dam, and why is it breaking? And why our world? Why this world?

Twilight had been stewing her brain more than ever, dredging up long buried magical knowledge. She had once read that when confronted with a complicated issue that it was always better to start with the basics first, and the simpler the answer becomes the closer you are to the truth. Therefore the lessons of elementary magic were running on replay through her mind. 

Magic is drawn from within, driven by will and emotion. Spells are achieved by summoning this will and instructing its natural interaction with the world. This will can be augmented by individual talent and the environment around them. Earth ponies and pegasi magic is driven by the same forces, though it is manifested more through their talents. These factors, will, talent, and environment, when brought together in the optimal combination form a magical mark, called cutie marks, which serve to allow ponies understand where their magic is strongest. 

Twilight could remember all of it like it had been taught yesterday, her memories still in mint condition, but it still wasn't helping. Fluttershy and Applejack were sitting on either side of her, having a conversation around her as she tried to think. She caught little bits of it here and there as it interfered with her train of thought. Both were worried about their responsibilities in Ponyville. 

"I'm afraid Spike might have taken on too much this time when I left him in charge of the animals," Fluttershy confided. "Angel has never exactly... gotten along well with him."

"Ain't that the truth," Applejack snickered. "But I know where yer comin' from. Big Mac and Apple Bloom are prob'ly fine, but sometimes it seems like I can't leave the farm for two minutes without somethin' goin' haywire."

"The same could be said for Sweetie Belle," Rarity chimed in from across the aisle. "I do admit that we may have left a perfect storm behind by letting her stay at Sweet Apple Acres."

"Don't fret about that, Rarity," Applejack said. "Granny Smith has dealt with more youngins than anypony I know. With your parents still in Equestria, it's no trouble at all for her to stay with the Apples."

"And I do appreciate it," Rarity said gratefully. "It's a pity Manehattan didn't appear; then we could see our parents."

Fluttershy lit up a little at that. Cloudsdale had appeared in some place called Wyoming, meaning that as long as they had been in the city it was likely that both Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash's families were now here with them. As for Canterlot or Nickerlite, where the Pie rock farm is, neither had been 'chosen' in the recent magical transition. Twilight wasn't actually sure how she felt on the subject. On one hoof it would be so nice to see her parents again, and Princess Celestia for that matter. Even Princess Luna would be a welcome sight for sore eyes, especially because of the news that so many other countries were now involved. On the other hoof, Twilight would much prefer that they remained safely in Equestria until the day they could finally bring the displaced Equestrians home. 

"Hey, who wants to watch a movie?" Anne bounced up to the front of the passenger area, holding up some movie cases, drawing all of their attention. 

"Where did you get those?" Jonathon yelled from the back.

"I always bring movies on vacation," Anne defended, saying it like it was something that should never be forgotten on a trip. Twilight found herself very grateful.

"You have my vote," Twilight ventured, raising a hoof. Rainbow Dash quickly added hers along with Asher near the windows, followed soon after by everypony else nodding or voicing their agreement. Twilight hadn't quite realized how much she wanted something to take her mind off their troubles until the option was presented. 

"Good! Mr. Lin!" Anne sang out, running towards the blank screen at the front. Pressing a little button on the bottom, it flickered to life as one of the guards wearing a suit walked into the room. Anne held the movies like playing cards, trying to decide what would entertain them to their destination before finally picking one and handing it to the man.

"Hercules! You'll like it, it has a pegasus!" Anne said with a wide smile. What I wouldn't give for her optimism.


- And Now, a Highlight Reel of Reactions -


"Huh. We have a couple of similar legends too."

"Shh! No egg-head stuff!"

"This song is going to be stuck in my head for weeks!"

"Is that a threat Pinkie?"


- A couple minutes later -


"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait! Did he just make a pegasus out of clouds!?"

"That would explain a lot."

"Schk!"

"Aw, so what! He's adorable!"

"Well that guy's creepy."

"Is that fire for hair? That would be awesome!"


- Few Seconds Later -


"That pegasus acts a lot like you, Rainbow."

"I have no comment."


- Next -


"You know, we've actually met Cerberus..."

"Why am I not surprised by that?"

"He's usually a sweetheart, though."


- And... -


"Yep, it's totally you without the rainbow hair."

"I do not sleep like that!"


- Fast Forwarding -


"Wow those guys are creepy."

"Ugh, I hate snakes."

"Hey, watch out you lugs!"

"Wow, I'm starting to like this kid."


- A song or so later -


"HA! Ah HA! HA! HA! HA! This guy's, Ha! More destructive... Hee! Than your sisters!"

"Hey!"


- I'm running out of things to say here -


"And I just realized how offensive this movie might be to you."

"No, that was funny."

"...brain of a bird...."


- Down the Line -


"That's a centaur."

"That's....disturbing."

"But he does have a good insult. 'Two Legs!'"


- A whole bag of popcorn consumed later -


"And I thought the real Hydra was scary."

"That image is gonna haunt my dreams."

"The idea that they're real is gonna haunt my dreams."


- Fast Forward -


"How did this suddenly get so mushy!?"


- After Some Scolding from Rarity -


"And it's back to being epic."

"That's an understatement!"

"That escalated rather quickly."


- A dramatic fight scene later -


"I think I'm gonna cry!"

"Gall Darn it! Why do all y'all's stories have sad parts?"

"Tissue?"


- Twilight -


"Well, that was pleasant," said Twilight, stretching just as the pilot announced their imminent arrival back in the city of Colorado Springs. These movie things really made the time fly by. Also the fascinating fact that it had been based off real legends from both worlds re-cemented their only lead in the entire mystery. The cultural, physical, and historical parallels, not to mention a nearly identical language were the only known links between their worlds. 

"It was alright," Rainbow Dash said with a dismissive wave of the hoof just as the plane touched down with a bump. "And don't you say a word Applejack!"

"I wasn't gonna say nothin' about Pegasus," Applejack smirked playfully as Rainbow shot a squinting glare her direction.

"I thought it was super duper! A little scary, but super duper!" Pinkie Pie chirped in. 

"I'm just glad we're home," Asher breathed. Twilight did find it amusing that he was so scared of flying even though their machines felt far more secure than the balloons and blimps of Equestria.

Cars once again waited to transport them back to Ponyville, which they eagerly clambered back into. The streets seemed a little emptier than normal as they drove back, which Twilight imagined was a precaution. They had already heard that some had died because of being in their cars at the wrong time, and that several Equestrians had met a similar fate. It didn't take much to imagine such a large, fast moving, metallic object causing catastrophic damage to any living thing it hit. In fact, it kind of made Twilight wonder why Asher seemed completely at ease in a car when he was so on edge in the air.

They rounded the mountains and were soon pushing past crowds and onto the long path towards the Burgess home. Soon after arriving, Twilight followed the ever excitable Pinkie Pie, who was following the near equally energetic Anne, back into the over-sized human home and straight out the back door. 

"Race ya back!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

"Yer on!" Applejack answered and both galloped off ahead. Comet Tail and Caramel followed them but at a less frenetic pace, with the Mayor and Meadowlark not far behind talking worriedly between themselves. Twilight glanced back at Asher, who had stopped at his back porch. He quickly waved them on.

"I'm gonna get unpacked and get some stuff together," Asher said. "I'll come up in a bit."

"Sure thing," Twilight replied as she walked on with her less competitive friends. It was a bit of a speed walk, as Twilight was anxious to get back to library quickly to pull up everything she knew about each of the towns that crossed over. She wished she had information on all the ones outside America’s borders, but it appeared that info did not pass easily between nations on this Earth.

"Looks like the apple trees are doing well. I don't think I've seen them this lush in a while," Rarity remarked as they passed into the orchards. 

"That's good news for the animals too," Fluttershy added. "They'll begin stocking up for winter soon."

"Twilight!"

The conversation was interrupted by Rainbow Dash blazing back at full speed.

"Twi! Spike! Guh! Wha! C'mere!" she sputtered incoherently before reversing directions just as fast as she came back up the hill towards town.

"What did she say?" Twilight asked.

"Twi! Spike! Guh! Wha! C'mere!" Pinkie Pie recited with a toothy grin. After a quick, compulsory glance of confusion at Rarity and Fluttershy, they silently agreed that they should hurry on to see what had discombobulated her so.

They were met in the park just outside of Ponyville. Rainbow Dash was zipping back and forth, still shouting unintelligible garble as Applejack galloped, with Spike aboard her back, towards them. 

"Twilight! Rarity! Fluttershy! Pinkie Pie!" Spike shouted, waving something in his claws. The little dragon tumbled off the earth pony's back, landing flat on his face. Applejack skidded to a stop to make sure he was alright. Seemingly unfazed, Spike sprang back up and Twilight was now close enough to see that he was holding...a letter!

Twilight wasted no time, teleporting the remaining distance and taking the letter, the seal of which having already been ripped off by curious dragon claws.

"Princess Celestia!!?" She asked excitedly as she began to read.

"Nope!" Rainbow Dash finally said intelligibly. Twilight sped read down the short letter.

"It's LUNA!" Applejack announced to everypony. "She's here!"


- Luna -


"She already left? Twould seem I should have traveled by mine own power," Luna lamented as one of the "humans" informed her. She stood now on the lawn of an impressive white mansion which served as the home of the Head of State for the kingdom. "Twilight Sparkle surely knows more about our situation than I."

"She served well as an ensign, and helped us understand the concerns of your, er... ponies," the human with a dark pelt said. "Admittedly that was before this morning."

"Indeed," Luna responded. "She has always been a bright student, and twas not a difficult decision to advance her to Princess. But I fear our work has just begun."

"Do you believe this will continue?" the human, a 'President White,' asked with a guarded expression. 

"Almost undoubtedly," Luna said confidently. "My sister and I came to conclusion that, if it is not solved and reversed, the spell would continue to raid our world until it had consumed all, though even we were not able to stop nor understand it in our attempt at Paint Louis."

Luna saw no reason to hold back the truth from the leader of this land, and he seemed to carry himself very well. Unlike some of her subjects who often acted like the sky was falling at the slightest sign of distress. She would bet the moon that some of the Equestrian towns out there were already in full panic mode. 

"I need to contact all of our citizens who have fallen victim to this spell," Luna announced, turning with intention of reaching the ponies who had come with her. At least two of them were pegasus so they could act as messengers, and another letter to Twilight Sparkle via the dragon could easily rouse more pegasi like her speedy rainbow friend to do the same.

"Actually, I believe we can help you with that."


- Asher -


"So.... Spike's fire, can send and receive letters..."

"Yes."

"And.... he just got one from another Princess...."

"Yep."

"Who's now here..." 

"You got it."

Asher blinked once or twice as he looked on from his position leaning on one of the library bookshelves. He had walked into Ponyville to find what he guessed was their version of a celebratory riot, which, considering that morning's events, was more than a bit of a surprise. Only after he had finally arrived at the library and found Twilight did he get an explanation for the public displays of mirth circulating their streets. 

"Okay then," he finally said with a smile and a shrug. "Judging by y’all’s reactions this is really good news."

"I'll say!" Twilight said with the tone of someone not quite off of a joy rush. "Even with her thousand-year banishment to the Moon she has a lot more experience than I do, and much stronger magic."

Say what now?

"First of all, banished to the moon? And second, just how old is she?" Asher inquired, completely perplexed.

"Yeah, she sort of got possessed by shadow creatures and tried to make it nighttime forever," Rainbow Dash piped in. "But when she came back we found the Elements of Harmony and Zap! She's good again."

Asher had no comment, or rather did not have the time to comment as Twilight answered his second question.

"I don't know exactly because I've never asked. I do know she's about two years younger than Princess Celestia and I think she's about 1500 years old or so..."

"Wait, really? I thought it was a lot longer," Rainbow Dash said.

"Wow, that's even older than Fluttershy!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, earning an uncharacteristically ugly look from the yellow pegasus across the room. Asher on the other hand was caught in that strange zone between acceptance and skepticism which mostly just led to a blank expression of disbelief. Even his adopted policy of blanket acceptance when they talked about stuff like magic was having trouble jump starting his thoughts. His suspense of disbelief was getting stretched to its maximum at that point.

"You okay? You look a little sick," Pinkie Pie said, leaning into his personal space again.

"Oh, I'm sure I'm fine," said Asher, wrestling in his mind with the notion that he'd been institutionalized all that time and everything had just been vivid hallucinations for the seventh time in two weeks. He really was counting just in case he ever "snapped out of it."

"Oh. Ok!" Pinkie responded brightly, skipping away. Deciding to pretend that he accepted it, Asher changed the subject.

"What about those towns?" Asher asked, turning to Twilight. The alicorn frowned.

"There's nothing to connect them all," she said. "And with all those ones landing in other kingdoms we can't even say that they're all from Equestria. I thought that perhaps because Equestria is our world's strongest magical superpower that there was something to that, but it's obvious that theory is out the window."

"Why'd you throw it out the window?" Pinkie Pie interjected, craning to look out one of the openings.

"I think that was a figure of speech, Pinkie," Applejack answered in a monotone.

"I don't suppose there's anything about the locations here?" Twilight asked, with almost no expectation to receive any positive answer, to which she was justified.

"Nope. As I said before, they're all so different it's ridiculous. So even our little "mountain" lead we had with Rainbow Falls means absolutely nil."

"So, what you two egg-heads are saying is that while our home comes crashing down here we're back to square one?" Rainbow Dash asked. Two nods. "Great."

Rainbow Dash made for the door. 

"Where're ya goin'?" Applejack asked.

"Cloudsdale. Figure it might be a good idea to tell them where they are so they don't freak out. Plus I wanna say hi to the folks." Rainbow Dash said brightly. "You comin' too Flutters?" 

"Um, okay."

"Sweet. We'll be back by sundown," Rainbow Dash said, and with that the two pegasi disappeared out the door and into the air. 

"She can be really intelligent when she wants to be," Asher said observationally after they had gone.

"Well, she's weather manager for a reason," said Twilight with proud smile.

His bouncy, though generic, ringtone sounding in his pocket interrupted the conversation as Asher fished his phone out of his pocket. For some reason it was David's number on the caller ID, so Asher answered as the ponies watched curiously. 

"What?"

"Dude, did you know they have another Princess?"

"Yeah, they just told me."

"Wait, how did they know?"

"Something about magic fire."

"Uh-huuuunh... yeah, it's all over the news."

"What are they saying?"

"That the story seems to be pretty much the same as it was for our friends here. Lightning storms all going off at once and next thing they know they're in Alberta."

"What did he say?" Pinkie Pie whispered excitedly a few inches from Asher's ear, effectively startling him. 

"Hold on, Pinkie. It was in Canada then?" Asher continued, pushing the pony back.

"Yeah, right along with a whole city made out of freaking crystal."

"Crystal!?" Asher asked incredulously. He glanced at Twilight with amusement, thinking to that morning where he had learned of the all-cloud city now floating in Wyoming air space. To his surprise she looked flat stunned.

"Er, pardon a second, but didja just say ‘crystal?’" Applejack asked with equal disbelief as Pinkie Pie gave an exaggerated gasp and Rarity shared a surprised look of her own with Twilight. 

"Hold on, Dave," Asher told his brother, holding the phone away from his face to get an explanation.

"But... if Princess Luna was in the Crystal Empire why didn't she say so? And why didn't she say anything about Princess Cadance or my brother?" Twilight asked to no one in particular. Asher put the phone back to his ear, a question to be answered.

"Did they say the Princess' name?"

"Yeah, Cadance something or other. Has a horn and wings too, but she's a bit taller than the rest of them... Wait. Another one?"

Asher put his phone down, not needing to know what he meant. 

"It looks like your Princess Cadance is here too," he confirmed. "So what's this about a Crystal Empire? 


- Firetail -


The dragon was fleeing. That last time he had done that was as a teenager, when he accidentally wondered into a hydra nest thinking it was a diamond dog mine. Whatever those big birds were, they had powerful magic.

He carried another handful of gems that he had raided from the first town he had come upon, which turned out to be full of those strange creatures. He was sure the ponies' settlement was not far off, but before he had the chance to continue south his attackers had descended out of the sky and smashed a fireball into his side. It had been hot enough for him to actually feel the heat and had felt more painful than the time he had been clawed on the back by another dragon, and it had sent him sprawling into the forest that he had been flying over. 

Even as he flew away he could tell that his scales had managed to hold up to the blow but he imagined it would probably bruise. Firetail hoped he didn't run into any of his friends or nest-mates, because he would never hear the end of it if they found out. Dragons were the most indestructible creatures on the planet, only vulnerable to special unicorn magic and each other. To be actually injured by anything else was humiliating.

The rumbling roar of the birds crescendoed slowly as he realized they were getting closer. Acting on instinct, the huge dragon dove towards the earth, hoping to avoid any more of those fireballs being potentially hurled his direction. He peered back and saw them flying wing to wing not far behind him, easily keeping pace. They had strange, stiff tails that sat straight up coupled with a very solid looking body. In fact, it smelled like metal.

Both of them suddenly lit up their noses, and something started pelting his body hitting easily as hard as a pony's kick (don't ask how he knew what that felt like, because he won't tell you).  Firetail only flinched as it was annoying him, but this new magic didn't really hurt. In fact, this was just serving to make him angry. He gained altitude sharply and came to a hovering stop in the air. The metal birds suddenly peeled off with great agility, but not enough agility to get away. Firetail exhaled a plume of steaming hot smoke directly at them, throwing them both into disarray.

They both faltered as they flew by him and for a moment he anticipated they would smash into the mountainside. But they were tough as they looked, as both managed to climb back up, but this time they were putting as much distance between themselves and the dragon as fast as they could. Firetail roared triumphantly.

Nothing would challenge him now.


- Nicaragua -


"If this is a prank somepony's gettin' a flank wooping."

Daring secured her hat on her head as she picked her way over the excuse for a jungle path, wishing the most dastardly curses upon the map she pored over; Or on whoever made it. She tapped her compass to make sure that wasn't the issue but there was nothing that indicated to her that it was wrong. Besides, her instincts were sharp enough to tell directions and those too confirmed which direction was north and south. 

So either the map was horribly out of date or the paths had just been moved. Either way somepony was in for it.

She had a deadline to meet for her next book, but if she couldn't even locate the temple then she'd have no material. It was times like this that made her laugh when she thought about all the times she was praised for her "imagination." 

"Actually, somepony's getting a flank wooping no matter what," Daring Do muttered as she looked up from the map to reveal that there was an offshoot that the map did not have, while her path obviously led to dead end in a ditch. 

She decided that she would take the offshoot path, even though according to her useless map it was in the wrong direction, because it was well worn and might at least get her somewhere she could get more reliable information. She followed it for several minutes, only hoofing it because she was carrying all her gear and wishing she wasn't so she could just fly and get there already.

An unfamiliar voice brought her back to reality. She turned to see who would be all the way out there and nearly jumped out of her skin when it was at least twice as big as she expected. A tall creature wearing a lot of clothes and a baseball hat over a dark mane and a smooth, brown pelt burst out of the brush. In an instant, Daring realized she was actually surrounded and her senses kicked into overdrive. She silently cursed herself for letting her frustration take over her good judgement as she leaped into her four legged fighting stance.

Several more of the creatures appeared, each clothed heavily with only slightly varying pelt colors underneath. Some of them were carrying oddly shaped objects that could only be weapons, and others were carrying what were definitely machetes. They were talking quickly between each other, and in the speedy tongue of the Griffon Kingdom.

That threw Daring Do for a loop, but at least she could understand what they were saying.

"<We're gonna make a fortune.>"

"<Why don't we just kill it? I bet it would still sell for a bundle in pieces.>"

"<That's just stupid. Everything is better in mint condition.>"

"<Well, what are we waiting for. Let's get it.>"

The circle tightened slowly as the creatures inched closer with their arms extended. Whoever they were, they had obviously never dealt with a pegasus before. Daring Do unstrapped her backpack and slid her gear off her back, freeing her body for movement. She had to admit that she found herself eagerly anticipating the chance to get out some of her pent up aggression. Perhaps the map was good for something.

"<Bring it on!>" she roared.


> Chapter 14: Lessons
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


- NBC -


"- none of us expected it to get so out of control like this. I mean, the first time in Colorado was already so far fetched that I just didn't think it was something that could ever be repeated. Now, it's happened over a dozen times within two weeks. We should have prepared."

"How? I somehow doubt the Department of Defense ever even so much as dreamed that something like this would-"


- FOX -


"Authorities in Canada report that they have made personal contact with the Equestrians of the crystal city, which appropriately enough has been confirmed to be named 'The Crystal Empire.' Despite it's name it appears that this 'Empire' still falls under the jurisdiction of the previously known Equestria-"


- ESPN -


"- the Cardinals and Reds games were both postponed out of the interest of safety, however after a quiet night it appears that they are both planning to go ahead and even host doubleheaders against the Pirates and Cubs respectively tonight. What do you make of this, good or bad idea being this close to one of those towns?"

"For once, I just don't know..."


- 6 Days Later - July 12 -



- David -


David was so over it.

Well, not in the way that he didn't like the ponies. In fact he got along really well with the Apple family and alright with the others. But he was so over this hype that had taken over the news. It had only been two weeks since the world found out about Ponyville, and only one since that day so many came through at once, but David was already sick of it. Sure it was understandable, but that didn't mean there wasn't anything else to talk about.

It was all the news ever covered, it was the only thing on Facebook, it was the only thing his friends ever called or texted about, and for some reason people kept knocking on their freaking door! There was no established path other than the conveniently paved driveway that could get people to Ponyville, so some of them decided that knocking on the door was somehow the best way to get there. Yeah, it didn't make sense to David either.

The Ponyville police force was pretty busy. The ponies were allowing humans to come to town, but were wisely limiting the potential human tsunami to a trickle. So far the biggest group was an Albertson's worth of food supplies that they couldn't grow themselves. David had never seen so much sugar in his life, especially in one place. He now had a small understanding of a certain pink pony's excitable personality.

But for now, he was just sitting in a liquid-like position on the couch, his brother Patrick on the lazy boy to his left, and both holding game controllers in their hands. Not really talking much between each other, but rather just enjoying a lazy round of Super Smash Brothers to eat up the time. It was quickly becoming apparent that even having talking, flying, magic ponies drop into your life could not overcome the suffocating power of summertime boredom.

And David was on a hot streak. Patrick was no slouch when it came to their favorite game, but his Kirby was getting its can kicked by David's Link.

David didn't look up when the back door opened and somebody stepped inside, opting instead to say "Hey" in an unenthusiastic manner.

The voice that returned the greeting wasn't who he expected at all. David looked over his shoulder to confirm that it was indeed Rainbow Dash leaning over the back of the couch. He peered over farther into the room where it became apparent that Asher had not brought her down this time. Though she had brought along those three little fillies and the hyperactive Pinkie Pie, who was shutting the door like it was the happiest day of her life. Not that it was, she always looked like that. Before David or Patrick could ask if they had knocked and just somehow not heard it, they were hijacked by five very interested ponies.

"This looks like a crazy movie!" Pinkie Pie said as she pounced onto the couch from behind, lifting David off his seat a little.

"So what's the story?" Rainbow Dash asked curiously "How is that pink blob standing up to a guy with a sword?"

"It's not a movie!" Scootaloo said with excited realization.

"It's a video game!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, happily hopping forward to get a better look.

"Anne showed us some at the party last week!" Sweetie Belle added as she pulled herself up onto the couch with some assistance from Pinkie.

"Though this one looks a bit more.... violent then the last one," Apple Bloom said, tilting her head in concern as an onscreen blast sent David's swordsman rocketing into a spectacular crash off-screen. David hit the pause button so as to not allow any further hiccups in his win streak

"Wait, a game? You're controlling that!?" Rainbow Dash suddenly perked up, noticing the controllers in both their hands. "Oh, I am so in!"

"This is gonna rock!" Scootaloo interrupted, leaping onto David's knee and managing to somehow perfectly impact his charlie horse, leaving David unable to respond as he grimaced at the sudden flash of pain. This was also why he did nothing to stop Rainbow from taking the controller out of his hands when she flipped over and onto the couch with a twisting somersault.

"Where's Asher?" Patrick asked, bringing up his absence.

"Still with Twilight doing egghead stuff, what else?" Rainbow Dash insisted as she fiddled with the game controller. That figures, though from what they understood on the rare occasion that Asher came home and actually talked about what they were doing up there, it seemed that Asher had gone full Harry Potter. Apparently he had thrown himself into learning all about how their "magic" functioned. David personally didn't know how or why it was his older brother who had ended up in that position. He was smart, but he was more of a critical thinker rather than a scientist. Not who he would pick to try and crack the mysteries of physics.

"I'll get the other remotes," Patrick said, who was barely concealing his mirth at his brother's barely concealed pain.

"Oh oh oh me! I want to play!" Pinkie Pie clamored as he did so. David snatched the remote out of Rainbow's hooves with surprising difficulty so that he could exit their current game. He had no idea how they were going to pull it off without, you know, fingers, but he had to be honest with himself. He was actually looking forward to showing them this.


- Rainbow Dash -


Patrick handed Rainbow Dash a remote, which was a little, rectangular, white device with even smaller buttons. She flexed her hooves as she held it, not sure how she was going to do this but that did not lessen her determination. This was a competition, and Rainbow couldn't stand the idea of a competition that she didn't have a chance in heck of winning just because of her hooves.

That didn't change the fact she could only bend her hooves so much. They were slightly more flexible than a Minotaur or a cow hoof, but they weren't exactly soft either. She hadn't even started and frustration was already building.

"I'll get this started," David said, who for some reason sounded like he was blinking away pain.

"Aw, can we play?" Sweetie Belle complained.

"I think only four can at once," Apple Bloom said observationally. "Remember, I think Anne had said that last time."

"But we didn't have to press any buttons last time," Scootaloo said, answering an unasked question floating in Rainbow Dash's mind. Dash shook it off. How hard could it possibly be? On the screen several menus flashed by as David apparently got the game ready. To her shock she hadn't been listening to the conversations around her closely enough because she caught the end of the one Patrick was having with Pinkie Pie.

"- and then just try to press the buttons in different combos to get the different moves," he explained as Pinkie nodded enthusiastically. "You two got it?"

Rainbow wasn't about to admit that she had heard absolutely nothing so she nodded her head despite the humble side of her brain screaming that she should at least find out the controls. But that side of her brain was quickly silenced and beaten into submission by the much larger pride side of her psyche. I can do this. I've played the arcade before and it looks like they use A and B button too. How hard could it really be?

"Hey! Dash! Helloooo! You gotta pick a player," David was trying to get her attention as he picked up Scootaloo off his knee like a puppy and put her on the floor. "Just point the remote at the screen and press that button when you got the one you want."

Dash followed the instructions, awkwardly pointing at the screen. The names and faces on the screen were totally meaningless to her, and dots labeled one through three were covering three of the boxes that the others had selected. Dash moved her green dot over and more or less picked one randomly, deciding to take a big dragon-turtle looking thing called Bowser.

"Okay, the game'll get started here in a second," Patrick said as someone selected the "map" that they would be competing on. Rainbow Dash bent over her controller, both hooves gripping it firmly. She got a bright idea just as the game announced it's start, unfolding her wings and extending the tips towards the buttons. Maybe I won't win right away, but at least I should beat Pinkie Pie. she thought with satisfaction at her idea, glancing at the wingless, pink earth pony still perched on the couch beside Rainbow.

"Game on!" she said.


- Discord -


I could get used to this.

Discord was currently sprawled out on what was possibly the very first bed, not of his own creation, that was suited to his size. And he was 99% sure that this bed was actually small by human standards. He still couldn't move much, feeling very much like he had been tackled by Cerberus, then punched by a dragon, thrown into a tornado made of boulders, before finally being squashed underneath Fluttershy's bear named Butch.

Interestingly enough he knew what each and every one of those actually felt like. But at any rate his current position was quite comfortable as his body scrambled to try and replenish his used up magic, mostly failing. He was getting better but at a snail's pace.

He couldn't complain though. The decorating choices of his caretaker were a little more... macabre than Discord's usual taste but he wasn't complaining. She was currently hiding him from the world, including her parents, and would bring him orange juice whenever he wanted something to drink. She had also left on one of their television machines for his entertainment while she went off to her job, giving him a steady source of entertainment. He found himself switching between several of the channels, depending on his mood mostly. Here and there some shows passing as comedy would catch his attention, while during others his boredom would catch up and he'd lay there through something a little more serious.

He did find History Channel quite hilarious though. Seriously, he once woke up his host in the middle of the night with his raucous laughter.

Speaking of which, he could hear her now. Phoebe worked at a restaurant of some kind but clearly did not enjoy it one bit. She appeared to be more partial to art, as dark as it may have been, but for yet another unknown reason was not pursuing it in any way. He wondered if that was common among the humans. Having something they love but then doing something else entirely for a living? True, it wasn't like they had cutie marks like ponies did but it still shouldn't be that hard. After all, I figured it out Discord reasoned.

The girl opened the door without knocking. Had his chaos magic been functional he might have pulled the classic modesty gag, but alas it proved way too much effort.

"Still here, huh?" she asked nonchalantly. She was still going with the "this is probably a hallucination" idea and handling it rather well.

"Yes, my dear Pheobe," Discord said with false drama. "It appears my magic shall not return for a while yet. Shame really. We could be having so much fun!"

"Uh-huh," Phoebe said. "You sure your pony friends can't help you?"

"I'm afraid not. My magic functions quite differently from theirs, so getting help from them would only be a waste of time," Discord said. That was only half true. He was sure that Princess Twilight and her friends could actually be quite helpful. In fact, getting inside a magic field would have been incredibly useful to his recovery. But the fact remained that he was a little... nervous. He had spent all this time already in this world, not long, in fact, after Ponyville itself had been sucked through the rift. He was honestly afraid how they would react to him not even stopping by to say hello or lend a helping claw in their situation.

And that Luna would probably try to turn him to stone again for disappearing unannounced like he had done. So for now, he'd just wait. The magic fields were probably getting closer anyway, and once they reached the city of Reno his recovery would speed up dramatically.

"Whatever, not that really I care," Phoebe said with disinterest. Discord sometimes had a hard time reading her, though he was pretty sure a lot of her disinterest was actually just heavily guarded curiosity. "How'd you get like this anyway?"

"I told you already, I stopped Equestria from falling here in its entirety. Sure it would have been a lot of chaos but I am reformed after all so I suppose I should act like it Phobo," Discord said.

"Pheobe."

"Isn't that your name?"

"You said Phobo."

"That's what I said."

"No, my name's Phoebe not Phobo," the girl insisted.

"Really? Silly me," Discord mused with a playful expression on his equine face. Phoebe stared at him, blinking slowly for a few seconds, before waving it off (again) and heading out of the room.

"If you need me I'll be downstairs," she called back with a dismissive wave.

"Good bye! Don't be late for dinner!"

"Whatever. Wait, what?"

Discord smiled as she disappeared down the staircase, once again leaving him alone with the delightful Seinfeld characters on the television. If he wasn't much mistaken, Discord believed he had made a new friend. Fluttershy would be so proud.


- Rainbow Dash -


Rainbow Dash was not the only one staring slack-jawed. David and Patrick looked thoroughly stymied too. David had won the game, but it had been really close, and it had been Pinkie Pie who had mashed her way into second using an annoying little yellow mouse that kept zapping everypony with lightning bolts. Pinkie didn't seem to notice the looks of straight disbelief she was getting.

"Yay! Let's play again! Let's play again!" she chanted, bouncing on the couch like a trampoline.

"I got beat... by a pony..." Patrick looked like his world was shattered.

"Pink, how in the hay..." Rainbow trailed off. She had been easily beaten, losing all her "lives" first, despite using her wings to press the little, teeny-tiny, buttons. It was difficult but doable.

"Wow!" Sweetie Belle cheered at Pinkie's feet.

"You hafta show us how ya did that!" Apple Bloom pleaded with bright eyes.

"...on her first try.... without fingers," Patrick was still in some sort of mental disaster zone which was most likely akin to how Rainbow Dash felt whenever somepony ever actually bested her in any sort of flying competition. It didn't happen often.

"I call for a rematch!" Rainbow Dash said, her competitive nature rising up once again. Besides, despite losing, that had actually been pretty fun.

"I'm in!" Patrick said emphatically.

"Hey! I want a turn!" Scootaloo complained, quickly joined by the pleas of her friends.

"Okay, you take loser's spot," David said as the game started up once again.

"Then you better get ready to lose," Rainbow challenged, sticking her tongue out sideways in zealous concentration.


- Asher -


Asher wore a shallow frown as he stared at the book page before him. That frown had been a near permanent feature of his face for the last week, or at least during these study sessions with Twilight. A glance at said pony showed that she was quietly absorbing the newest book he had brought up with him, a six year old history book that she was reading through like it was the most interesting novel in the world. Her thirst for knowledge and capacity for study were absolutely unrivaled, a notion that was emphatically confirmed by her friends.

However his own capacity was being severely tested. Somehow he hadn't anticipated just how... complicated it would be. Guess he always figured that if magic was real it would be something like recitations and potions, like the movies. In hindsight it was incredibly juvenile of him to think so, especially when he already knew the massive disparity in ability between Twilight and Rarity despite the latter being slightly older.

Asher's feet rested on the center table, where books both Human and Equestrian lay stacked in wobbly towers. On a nearby desk the old globe that Jonathon managed to dredge out of storage sat motionless, with pins sticking every which way out of it. That particular endeavor had been part of a short lived effort to find a pattern on a global scale. The only "lead" they gained out of that is that the phenomenon did appear to be centered on the North American/Equestrian continent, not that helped them any. Realizing this Asher had approached Twilight with a request: to learn how their magic worked. She had agreed a little bit too excitedly, and his worry had been compounded when Rainbow Dash had given him a "you are so doomed" expression.

Little did she know that Asher had sat through a lot worse in high school math classes and college lecture halls.

Actually, on its own it was relatively simplistic. It was reconciling it with what he had already learned in 14 years of schooling that was difficult. For one, It ignored the Law of Conservation of Energy. Either that or it took that principal and throttled it to the max. That was the thing. He couldn't tell! And Twilight had informed him, much to his embarrassment, that the books he was grappling with the ones she had studied out of in magic kindergarten. The only bit he could take comfort in on that front was that it was obvious she was and probably always had been gifted beyond her years, so perhaps it was an advanced kindergarten book.

Nope. It was still pathetic.

Asher was honestly beginning to doubt it was even possible for him to really get it. As far as he could tell most magic was just the channeling of instinct. It was kind of like getting good baseball instincts. It could be taught, but only after years of actually doing it. He had learned just three things for sure: This "magic" was a physical, measurable force, it was renewable and regenerated naturally, and all beings are born with it - Well, at least in Equestria. Unicorns were the only ones who could physically bend magic to their will, while for most of the other races magic was just part of their everyday function, such as how pegasi could walk on and manipulate clouds and earth ponies most commonly use it in conjunction with cultivation. Some, like donkeys, mules, cows, and goats, were mysteriously without such abilities but still had natural magic performing an unknown function. Good to know they still have plenty of mysteries of their own. It really was comforting to have the knowledge that at the very least the ponies didn't outclass them on the science front. In reality, they were roughly in the same place, just in different terms.

A deep grumbling sound took Asher's eyes away from his book. Twilight's stomach had perfectly imitated the sound of a growling dog, and was just about as loud as one.

"I take it you're hungry?" Asher asked with a grin.

"Starving," admitted Twilight. "Wow, I hadn't realized how late it was." A glance at the clock showed that it was already late afternoon, way past lunch time.

"Welp, I'm hungry too. Think I'll grab some lunch at home," Asher said, getting up and making for the door. "Wanna come?"

"Sure, but only if we get more peanut butter and jelly sandwiches," Twilight said, trotting over to join him. "Spike! We're leaving for lunch! Want to come?"

"No thanks!" Spike called down from above.

"He's probably still nose deep in his comic books," Asher joked.

"I said that would happen when you gave them to him," Twilight responded. "You should hear him. Now all he talks about is Batman."

"Sorry, next time I'll bring him Spiderman."

"Aaaa! No! That sounds extra creepy," Twilight shuddered.

"It's cooler than it sounds."

The day was a perfect, cloudless, slightly windy, summer day. It would probably rain later, but for now it was clear. And besides, if they didn't want the rain it was hardly work for the pegasi to bust through it.

"Ooh, wait," Twilight suddenly said as they made their way down the boulevard, turning back to towards the library. "I forgot my quill and scrolls."

"Waddya need that for?" Asher asked to her back.

"I figured we could use the Internet while we were there, and I want to take some notes," she called back. "Just go ahead, I'll meet you down there."

Asher just shook his head in disbelief as they split ways. She was relentless. He waved hello to many ponies as he walked through the town and, in stark contrast to that very first time he and his brothers had stumbled in shock through the villa, ponies waved back with cheery greetings. They were a very friendly lot, as much of the world was beginning to discover. Except in Spain. Apparently Griffons have abrasive personalities to match their aggressive appearance.

But just about everywhere else they knew about was going swimmingly. There were now three Princesses on the North American continent, and it was visibly a source of relief to the Equestrians in Canada and the US. Twilight now mentioned often that she wanted to find a way to meet with Cadance in Canada, partially because the Princess was married to Twilight's older brother. And he had already met Luna.

Imposing and intimidating were two words that still failed to describe her.

As Asher strolled through Sweet Apple Acres, he looked back wondering why Twilight hadn't caught up to him yet. She had probably decided to gather more than just note taking materials again. He shook his head again as he said hi to Applejack as she carried another bushel of the seemingly endless supply of Apples towards the barn. About ten minutes of walking later he finally reached his family's back door and stepped inside.

"You can never defeat me!"

"We'll see about that!"

Asher stopped to take in the scene dominating the living room. David was hunched over in concentration with the controller in his hand, Pinkie and Rainbow Dash on either side. Rainbow Dash was using her wings to aide her in operating the game controller, her face hard set with a look of competitive determination, as Pinkie Pie (who had been the one to call out, sending odd shivers down Asher's spine) stuck her tongue out through a broad grin as she... somehow... wrangled a controller of her own. On the armchair Patrick was looking on stoically and with a glare that gave off the idea he thought himself the victim of some great injustice, while at his feet it appeared that Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were teaming up to work one controller, with Sweetie Belle cheering them on. The chatter was non-stop as their characters battled out on the screen.

"Combo! Combo! Combo!"

"GASP! Go for the hammer!"

"Hee Hee! I got it!"

"OH NO!"

"Gaaargh! Fly you stupid turtle! Fly! Gaaa!"

"Rainbow, if you just used the button combinations right it would be really easy, see if you press...."

Twilight was standing next to Rainbow's perch on the couch, but the pegasus was actively ignoring her as she played. Asher however, couldn't stop looking at her. He looked back over his shoulder out of a double take in the direction of Ponyville, and looked back. She had beat him here, and obviously by a lot. He shook it off, rationalizing that she had just flown back, though she had done it carrying a healthy stack of books.

"Oh, Asher, you're here," the purple alicorn said, noticing him. "Sorry I didn't walk down with you. But I decided to bring along our books as well and they were pretty heavy so I decided to-"

"Move, Twilight! I can't see!" Rainbow Dash cut her off, brushing her aside with a hoof. Twilight gave her friend a dirty look as she ducked under the pegasus’ line of sight and around the couch.

"Never get in the way of a gamer," Asher laughed, to which Twilight just snorted in reply.

"What happened, Patrick, you look like someone died," Asher berated his younger brother, even though he already had pretty good idea why. Patrick gave him was an icy glare. He always was a sore loser.

"Let's see you do better," Patrick spat, obviously at a loss for comebacks at the moment.

"You know what, I think I will," Asher accepted, plopping down on the couch behind the crusaders.


- 4 Hours Later -



- Asher -


Two games, dozens of matches, and a broken coffee table later, someone finally switched off the video game machine. There had been many hard fought victories and stinging losses, but one thing was quite apparent. These games were addictive. They weren't even all that complicated. The first one had been no more than an all out brawl that could just as easily be won by randomly pushing buttons as it was by using actual strategy and patterns. Twilight of course had memorized all the patterns and soon she and her Princess Peach had been racking up consecutive victories (much to Rainbow Dash's dismay). She did have the great advantage of using her magic to manipulate the finger sized controls, though, so she didn't rub it in -- too much.

Her streak wasn't broken until Pinkie Pie's incessant button mashing came to the rescue and David finally offered to change the game. That's when Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy showed up, apparently worried that they had been gone all day and nopony had seen them. That's also when things got really crazy for three reasons: One: Applejack's inability to back down from a challenge. Two: Rarity's inability to back down from a challenge coupled with a taunt. and Three: It was a racing game -- with explosions.

Rainbow Dash threw her whole body into the using the controller, leaning every which way as her digital (that's a new word she picked up a couple days before, and consequently despised it as Pinkie took a liking to it and repeated it nonstop for half an hour) vehicle swerved at high velocity over a convoluted course full of booby traps. Applejack wouldn't give in and mirrored the movements, and adding in the fiery competition of Patrick wanting to redeem himself from a string of losses and his two older brothers doing everything in their power to prevent that, the result was mayhem. The coffee table met its premature end as three ponies and one six-foot-two human jockeyed each other and tumbled like dominoes.

Somehow Fluttershy was the one who ended up explaining to Mom, a shrewd move by AJ and Dash as the latter nudged the pegasus forward. Always send the meek one to the authority figure when in trouble, a strategy Asher and his siblings had used on many occasions. Luckily, or perhaps because their plan worked, Candace was quite understanding and said that her boys would just have to fix it later. But she did spare them a brief, piercing glance that made Asher and his brother's visibly flinch.

"Perhaps we should call it a day on the XBOX," Asher suggested as he pressed the green circle until it turned off, giving a warning glance at Patrick. Twilight concurred and stared down Rainbow with her own glance to keep her from protesting, the pony not satisfied with finishing third in their last game. To give the pegasus credit though, she had become quite dexterous with her wing tips for those buttons. Applejack hadn't been able to match with just her hooves, but somehow Pinkie Pie was. That pony was certainly weird.

"Oh wow, is it getting dark already?" Rarity asked, looking out the window at the dimming sunlight.

"Time flies when you're having fun," Asher quipped.

"Ooh boy. C'mon Apple Bloom, we best be gettin' home," Applejack said.

"And my animals will be expecting their dinner," Fluttershy added as she followed the two sisters out. "Angel Bunny gets really cranky when he doesn't get it when he wants it."

Rainbow Dash stretched and mumbled something about needing to make sure that our "ridiculous weather" hadn't messed everything up again and flew out and up while Rarity trotted into the kitchen, probably to chat with Asher's Mom for a minute before taking Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo home.

"Well, I suppose we'll meet up again tomorrow," Asher said as Twilight gathered up the books with her magic, which honestly made Asher feel a little guilty for completely forgetting about them. "Same time?"

"Sure," she replied. "I think you've probably looked over enough of the basics that we can start talking theory. Then maybe we'll have a lead on our problem."

A knock at the front door interrupted them. Asher, being the only one of his family in the room and standing up, sighed and trudged over to open it. On their doorstep stood a young couple, the man with a short, scraggly beard and hipster glasses and a women in clothes that even clashed in Asher's fashion-challenged eyes. They were essentially what Asher imagined when he thought of Oregon.

"Can I help you?" he asked, though he honestly didn't have to ask.

"Hi, we're trying to get to Ponyville," they said, peering into the home like a couple of geese looking for someone to toss them bread crumbs.

"The road's over there. First, check in with the customs booth the ponies set up," Asher deadpanned. He would usually be more polite with strangers but he and his family had been answering their door to this very same question practically non-stop for a week. A detachment of the Army Corp of Engineers had quickly bulldozed a dirt road wide enough for a truck around the Burgess home and through the more wild parts of their land right up to the previously useless Ponyville Train Station (the tracks had not been among the things the storm had transported over).

The couple waved their thanks and walked over their grass and onto a slowly forming path towards their destination. Little did they know that they would most likely be put on a waiting list to get in. The ponies were being very cautious and careful about how many people they let in at a time, not wanting to be overrun by curious humans. That, and Princess Luna was apparently still trying to help figure out how the bit to dollar exchange should work. In the meantime Asher had advised them that they do not use bits to buy human items without first figuring out the gold exchange. No need to get gypped, even though the ponies thought it was straight shocking to pay for a whole truckload of sugar with no more than 50 bits or so.

"More tourists?" Twilight asked as she watched them leave.

"Yep," Asher said dismissively. "None of them have been causing trouble have they?"

"No, not yet," Twilight said. "Ponyville's not used to having tourists of any kind. The biggest event we've ever hosted was a Summer Sun Celebration, and even then most ponies just stayed home to celebrate. But don't worry, we'll adjust."

"And I'm sure the longer you're here the quicker the novelty will fall off," Asher added, which she nodded to. Though neither one ever outright said it, both had begun to consider the implications of this new arrangement being permanent. Considering her home and much of her country had literally been ripped out of place and tossed into an unknown world, they were handling it pretty well.

Twilight levitated the books into a precariously balanced stack on her back and placed others into a saddlebag as she walked out the door. Asher turned into the kitchen to find that Rarity had already set off after conversing with his mom about something, before he went back to the door to ask one more thing. He was a little more than confused to find that Twilight was already nowhere to be seen, and a glance at the sky revealed nothing but a rainbow contrail beating a large cloud into nothingness high above. Asher shrugged as he went back inside, deciding that she must be getting a lot better at flying.

It wasn't until he was just about to fall asleep that he realized an entire week had passed and there hadn't been any more towns from Equestria.


- Unknown -


Asher ran for it. He could feel the weight of what felt like some sort of rifle resting on his shoulders with a strap that held it in place on his back. He felt exhausted, and a quick wipe of his face revealed he had a rough beard. When did I get that? He also didn't have a clue where he was, or why he was running. He just knew that they had to if they wanted to survive. Wait, they?

Asher glanced around. He was holding the hand of a young woman that his mind tried to tell him was Anne, though he felt conflicted because she was easily ten years older than he remembered her. He was pulling her along, urging her to run faster. She also had a gun, a shotgun that she held in one hand as she was scanning all around them even during their flight.

There was also a pony he didn't quite recognize, yellow in color but with reddish hair and a simple braid held together with a pink bow. She was galloping alongside them and was glaring at the desolate landscape around them. The skeletons of once living trees were everywhere, standing tall as the ruins of a once great forest. She had a strange contraption strapped to one leg which Asher's brain informed him was the pony version of the very gun he had holstered on his waist, and that the pony was Applejack's little sister.

A shadow flew over them, effectively startling Asher with a terror he didn't even understand, though he calmed when he noticed it was a pegasus. Also yellow in color, but with a raggedly cut, short pink mane, and once again he protested as his mind registered the pony as Fluttershy -- A much angrier, aggressive Fluttershy, but Fluttershy nonetheless. Asher then tripped, tumbling into a somersault. His body didn't feel right, feeling like he had aged much more than his sister had.

There was a warning scream from behind, and a bright flash, filling Asher with the momentary despair of his imminent-

Asher jolted awake. He blinked his eyes to try and focus them as his heart raced from the sudden wake up. The clock read just 2 in the morning. Asher turned over in his bed, re-situating his blankets to regain his much needed sleep. What a weird dream he thought as he drifted back off. The first dream would fall mostly forgotten in the morning, exchanged for the much more "normal" dream which involved Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash going to high school with him and bringing all sorts of shenanigans like causing raining chocolate milk and embarrassing him in front of this girl he liked. Honestly that was more of a nightmare than the first dream had been.


> Chapter 15: Elsewhere
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


- Crystal Empire, Alberta, Canada -


Ralph Neville hadn't been that excited in a very long time. He was a geologist by trade, and one of Canada's leading authorities in that field, his job taking him all over the country on government funded projects. He had been working in a glacier park when he had gotten a call not two days before. The Prime Minister had requested that he, along with a group of other scientists and delegates, visit the Equestrian city, meet with their leaders, and report back.

Ralph was in geology heaven. An entire city made of crystals! Geodes had been what first interested him in geology decades before as a child in school, and his fascination with them had continued right through the present day. And here he was in geo-nerd heaven. 

The buildings were incredible. When he had first heard about the crystal city he had assumed they had just simply built everything out of crystal blocks, a beautiful but time consuming endeavor; But no, it was more like they had carved their buildings out of giant crystals. After walking not a block into the city, he couldn’t help himself as he practically pressed his face against the walls of one abode. The house had been carved to fit the odd shape of the red crystal, with the window and door frames carved with laser-like accuracy. But the crystal walls were also thick enough that they were opaque, offering privacy to the inhabitants.

Ralph ran his hands along the walls like a kid at a petting zoo, the scientist in him analyzing the imperfections and patterns running throughout. He was completely oblivious to the world around him until he noticed he was being watched. In the doorway stood a pony with a sparkling, blue coat, and it had the unmistakable expression that one would give when questioning one's sanity.

"What... are you doing?" she asked, not breaking her half concerned/half indignant stare.

Ralph just then realized how ridiculous and unprofessional he must have looked. 

"Sorry," he apologized, snapping his hands away from the house and backing away. "You have a lovely home."

The pony continued her stare for a few moments more, then just like flipping a switch changed her expression to a much happier one and said, "Thanks." 

And with that she went back in, leaving Ralph to catch up with his group who had long advanced far down the road. He probably didn't help the idea of not looking like a tourist as he did so, his head swiveling as he took in the architecture. With few exceptions, the majority of buildings were certainly carved out of singular, large crystals. Much larger crystals than anything he had seen before, but it was the truth nonetheless. 

"Where'd you go, Ralph?" asked one of his companions as he caught them. But judging from how more than a few of them chuckled, they had already seen where he'd been. So he laughed weekly too and apologized again for falling behind. Two armored ponies plus a third unarmored one, all with shiny crystalline fur and manes, were leading the group towards the obvious center of the city. 

The castle was probably not carved straight from a crystal, but the sources it used still must have been gigantic. Three massive arches supported the entire structure, with three towers surrounding the single, larger spire that was easily 250 meters, probably taller. It was a tower worthy of the capital of an Empire, and thus far was visually much more impressive than anything the Americans had seen so far, even if they did have a city entirely made of clouds. Chock one up for Canada.

They were still at least 100 meters from the tower when they reached the first point of the star shaped plaza, another tribute to its grandeur. And it was also near there they were met by their appointment. A stallion unicorn with blue hair and a noticeably muscular build stood waiting, his coat standing out as being "normal" in comparison to his shining companions.

"Welcome to the Crystal Empire. I am Prince Shining Armor," he introduced himself. He sounded fairly young, somewhat belying his size and apparent rank. It also struck Ralph that, unlike the Princesses he had seen on TV, he was without wings. Why was that? The appointed lead of their group introduced himself, extending a hand in which the Prince placed his hoof and shook. It seemed a relatively informal greeting for royalty. Ralph didn't know much about this creature and had been around him for a whopping 30 seconds, but Shining Armor appeared to be a natural at putting others at ease with him. Either he was a real people pony or one heck of a politician. 

"If you just follow me I'll be leading your tour of our city," he said, beckoning them on. "Feel free to ask questions."

"I got one!" Ralph blurted before they even took a step. The Prince looked a little surprised but still looked on expectantly.

"Er, just how long did it take to build this city?" he asked, a little embarrassed.

Shining Armor put his hoof to his chin as he thought about the answer for a few moments. 

"Hmm. Well, the Crystal Empire is ancient, well over two thousand years old, three thousand if you count the time Sombra's curse caused it to miss," he said casually as he continued to think. "I can't say for sure, but it probably was built slowly over long time as the city grew. It most likely saw most of its growth after the founding of Equestria."

Shining Armor was then deluged by several questions at once, his explanation opening a floodgate. Three or four of Ralph's group were all trying to talk over one another in an unintelligible garble that was finally silenced when Shining Armor boomed, "HOLD IT!" his horn flashing just a little bit.

Effectively quieted and looking a little bit like chastised school children, the delegates waited for him to continue.

"Look, I can try to answer all your questions but I'll have to ask that you do it one at a time," he said. "How about we begin our tour and we'll talk as we go?"

Nods of agreement settled it as their host turned and beckoned them once again onward towards the tower. Ralph couldn't help but have a sense that no matter what happened, everything was going to change. 

But that didn't mean he wasn't going to enjoy it! He half listened to the questions explaining some convoluted history involving a power hungry evil king, a big revolt, and some bologna about a curse causing them to skip a thousand years’ worth of time, though from a legend standpoint it was almost as interesting as the huge crystal formations dotting the landscape.


- Nicaragua - 


"What do you mean we can't find them?" 

The boss wasn't happy. He had sent a shipment of very profitable "product" on its way through the jungle to his buyers in Mexico about a week before, and he had just gotten a very rushed call that the shipment had never made it.

"Well, boss, we did find Roberto but he's in bad shape. We found him crawling around in town with a couple of shots in him and babbling about a flying demon."

"If I find out when he wakes up that someone stole from me, or if Ricardo turned, there's gonna be some bodies in the river!"

"We'll get looking boss. They couldn't have gotten far in the jungle and we'll know it if they show their face anywhere in Nicaragua."

His lackeys sped out of the "office," weapons in hand and on shoulders as they hastened to do his bidding. Inwardly the boss mulled over possibilities. Perhaps another gang was getting in on his business and some skulls needed cracking. Or maybe that babble about a demon just simply meant they had an encounter with a jungle predator. 

But flying? That didn't make sense one bit. No, Ricardo was probably just crazy, so the boss once again turned his thoughts on how he was going to fix this problem and get his product up north where the money was.


- Lyra Heartstrings - Ponyville, CO -


How did I get stuck with this job? Lyra thought for the thousandth time in a week. Lyra knew that in terms of work she was a bit of a transient when it came to jobs but that was no excuse! Here she was, set up in a makeshift shack, taking names of all the human visitors to Ponyville. Officers of the Ponyville PD watched with a bored glaze in their eyes as the humans relentlessly arrived. Some came with large trucks, offering products to sell. Lyra was actually grateful for these because then she could just pass them off to Meadowlark, who was in charge of things like that.

But most were just tourists. Annoying tourists.

"Waddya mean I can't go in now?" one such human asked indignantly. He wore a thick sweater that had a collar hiding most of his neck, despite the fact it was nearly 90 degrees in the middle of summer, and these glasses that for some reason seemed to announce "HEY! I'M A JERK!" 

"We have a policy of only 60 visitors a day," Lyra recited without any feeling. "You are number 72, and there's a two day waiting list. The earliest I can put you on the list for is Thurs-"

"That's ridiculous! How could you possibly not--" the human interrupted, slamming his hands down on her desk and scattering some of her papers. If this hadn't have happened at least a dozen times each day, Lyra might have gotten angry, but instead she continued to deadpan the rules over the top of his ranting. When it became clear that he wasn't gonna listen and was just holding up the line, Lyra did decide not to bother the security this time.

Focusing her magic, she extended her aura around the human, who was surprisingly heavy for such a light build, and then proceeded to move him ranting and raving through the air and out the door. She dropped him, and to her slight satisfaction he stumbled and fell over when she did so.

She straightened the papers with her magic as the next couple walked in. They had two adorable little children with them, and Lyra was taken a little aback when one of them suddenly called out, "Mommy! Look at the pretty pony!"

Then the little one, whose blonde head hair pulled back into two cute bundles, dashed away from its mother trying to control them both in vain. It ran around the side of the desk and right up to her little stool, it's big, bright eyes looking at her with pure awe. 

"Pretty pony!" she said again, clapping her hands and bouncing in place just like Pinkie Pie did when she was excited. 

"I'm so sorry," said the mother tentatively as she tried to reach around the desk to grab her offspring. 

"No it's fine," Lyra found herself saying, lowering her head to lean in closer to the little human. She really liked the way this one was looking at her. A few young ones had come in before, but most of them had just hidden behind their parents and a few had even made rude comments. But this one wasn't scared nor did it look at her like a freak. It was refreshing.

"Hello, what's your name?" she asked.

The little creature squealed excitedly again and said, "Kaylie."

"Kaylie? That's really pretty," Lyra replied gently. "My name's Lyra."

"Can I touch your hair?" Kaylie suddenly asked, with stars in her eyes. Lyra had been asked before and had always given a stare that might have killed with prolonged exposure. But to this little cutie, she just couldn't deny her. Lyra bent farther over, holding her head level just below that of Kaylie's. The child spread her species' strange looking fingers and very gently ran her hand through Lyra's head mane. It was a strange feeling that was truly incomparable to anything she had felt before. The sensation of the five little digits dragging through her hair were better than any brush and felt dang good.

Kaylie did that for only about 20 seconds before finally heeding her mother and dashing back around the table. Lyra composed herself again and was able to smile as she helped the family. She decided that perhaps an exception could be made this day as she gave them the permission slips and sent them on their way up the hill. 

As she began to help the next human in line, Lyra decided to keep her smile. Maybe she could get used to humans after all. 

Didn't change the fact her job still really stunk though, which was driven home by the next 12 visitors all expressing irritation at the two day wait.


- Maverick, Texas (now just outside of New Braunfels) -


Jessica had been looking forward to this date for a while, but to be honest it was kinda turning into a bust. The guy was good looking, sure, but man he had the personality of a doorpost. On top of that, he was kind of a cheap date. But, to his credit, he had come up with an interesting locale. 

In what had to be the biggest coincidence of all time, an Equestrian town called Maverick had been magicked into existence right on the town limits of New Braunfels. While the streets didn't match perfectly, for all appearances the buildings were placed just like they had always been there. Even without any policing of the "border" one had formed on its own. The ponies seemed to have abandoned the last two buildings on their street to create a bit of a buffer, only ever coming across it if an officer or the mayor brought a message for them. Jessica had heard that they had been supplied with TVs along with most of the rest of their towns so that their big, dark blue leader over in D.C. could communicate with them quickly if need be.

Her date had chosen an old Whataburger, which was situated just 20 yards or so from the buffer zone, a fact that had turned the business into the most popular restaurant in New Braunfels. Again, he was cheap.

The line was ridiculous just to order a burger guaranteed to satisfy your taste buds and clog your arteries in the same instant, and Jessica found herself standing outside in the hot evening air next to her date, who only seemed to care about what was happening down the road instead of her. 

Mostly out of spite that it wasn't going well she resolutely looked straight ahead into the fast food restaurant, ignoring the pony town and deciding that she would make him pay for the biggest meal that she could handle. 

"Hey, babe! You're lookin' good!" 

"Yeah! Just come on over here!"

Jessica whirled around, ready to snarl at some cat caller, but was surprised when she saw a couple of guys not looking in her direction but towards the Equestrians. Giving into curiosity she looked and saw that there were a couple of ponies, most probably mares, making their way to one of the buildings nearby.

They weren't paying any attention to the catcallers as they made their way, but it didn't stop the guys from making more remarks. They couldn't have been serious, as they were laughing friends after each stupid line with each other and a small gang of friends. Jessica just rolled her eyes and mentally cursed their brazen immaturity as she turned her mind back to trying to enjoy her date by ignoring them.

It didn't really help when they started shouting epithets and insults that no lady, human or not, deserves to hear. By this time, the two mares had already re-emerged from the buildings and were carrying some folded items on their backs. Jessica rolled her eyes in disgust as the jeering continued, and she mentally applauded the two ponies who just kept on walking like those boys didn't even exist.

That's about when a meteorite suddenly smashed down onto the street just inches away from the tormentors. Jessica screamed in spite of herself at the sudden impact, jumping back a foot or two out of instinct. She half expected to see an explosion overtaking the crowd, but instead a pegasus stood with his wings flared like an angry hawk The pony had an orange coat and blazing red hair under a cowboy hat of all things, and he looked very angry.

"Jus' what did you say!?" he demanded through clenched teeth, extending his neck to be inches away from the guy's face. 

And for some dumb reason, the young man decided to act like he wasn't even fazed by the dramatic entrance or the sneer that could have belonged to a rabid wolf. 

"Oh yeah? Whatcha gonna do about it?" he laughed with a confident smirk. The pony seethed but still didn't make a move, standing perfectly still.

That's when it got really crazy. The kid was so busy laughing, and the crowd so bewildered, that he didn't see another pony, a blue one only slightly smaller than the first, booking it down the street towards the line before taking a flying leap into a tackle over his compatriot's head. The kid was laid out as the pony spun from the impact with the much larger being and somersaulted back to its feet, his eyes blazing. 

The kid was dazed but not out as one friend began pulling him up. They may be dumb but they were pretty big themselves. A third friend wasn't about to wait to get hit again and swung at the pegasus, catching him on the cheek. The orange pony flinched but didn't falter, throwing a punch of his own with his front hoof. The second pony didn't wait, once again charging and throwing himself into the body of another of the guys, sending them both wrestling to the ground. Out of nowhere a third and fourth pony came running into the fray. A blue one looked ready to fight and was already trying to throw punches at an increasing mess, while a sea green colored one was actually trying to pry the fighters apart.

Jessica couldn't believe what she was watching. There was an all-out brawl between teenagers and talking, multi-chromatic horses taking place on the street outside of the town Whataburger. 

Humans started jumping in too as more ponies noticed the commotion and joined up. Some people were fighting and others were trying to stop it, holding back kid and stallion or whoever needed to be pried apart. Two ponies teamed up to pull one of the humans off one of their own by grabbing each shoulder and picking him up off his feet. They set him down but stayed airborne in front of him trying to get him to calm down. 

Then, also out of nowhere, the police showed up. No less than four police officers started demanding everyone to break it up and separate. The fray lasted only about a minute and a half. 

The officers started trying to get the story out of all those involved, including the dozen or so ponies that were now milling around the scene. The three that were part of the initial fight looked like they had taken some good shots, and the same went for the teens who all sported bruises and limps of their own. 

"That's it! We're just gonna take you all in! You! You! and You!" the Chief finally said. He pointed at three or four of the guys and the officers immediately handcuffed them and began to lead them away as the chief kept going. "And these three as well!"

He pointed at the orange pegasus, who was still seething, as well as his friend who made the tackle and the third stallion who had joined the fight.

"Are you serious?" one of the officers asked. Jessica was surprised too. He was really gonna arrest them?

"Of course I'm serious!" he shouted. "I will not have disorder in my town! Take 'em in!" 

The officers looked very tentative and unsure as three of them approached the three ponies. They obviously were completely clueless as to how to take them in, or what to do if they resisted. The orange pony looked like he might try to run or fly away for a second when another pony milling about stepped up.

"Sunny Day, yer gonna go with them. I would do the same if you pulled that nonsense in town," the brown stallion said firmly. "That goes fer all y’all. Now grow up and deal with it like stallions."

The three ponies looked very surprised, but one by one they looked away with a tone of surrender, one of them muttering, "Yes, Sheriff."

Everyone watched as the three allowed themselves to be led away and put in the back of a cop car and driven away to the holding cells.

"I'm sorry for the trouble those three caused, Sheriff," the brown pony said to the Chief, and in a way to everyone else. "They mean well but they can be a bit hotheaded."

"Far as I can understand they did nothin' I wouldn't have done," the Chief replied. "I'll keep you posted... Sheriff."

The exchange would be the subject Jessica's Twitter post a few minutes later (directly followed by one pleading for someone to rescue her from her date) that would soon be re-tweeted over 2 Million times in the next 24 hours. And it wasn't until later that a certain irony caught her eye. The high school boys had been wearing their school t-shirts, which in big white letters had proclaimed their mascot: the Unicorns. 


- Vinyl Scratch - Santa Monica, CA


Now this is the life.

DJPon3 sat reclined in a chair backstage to a music production set in a place called Southern California, happily stretched out just like a human, with her hooves behind her head. Ever since her dramatic entrance to that party back home, she had been "discovered" as the saying goes, and she had been whisked around the country. She'd been desperate to get truly discovered for years, doing parties all over Canterlot Valley. She had been stuck in that strange zone between being totally broke and being famous, and it had been that close to driving Vinyl crazy.

Not anymore. She and her partner (who leaned against the back wall taking a nap) had already been on three TV shows and were already getting ready to start some real music work. On the little table next to her sat a little device called an iPod, which had been blaring all sorts of music through headphones resting on her ears for the past three days straight. The humans had such a huge collection of recorded music to work with and she was itching to get her hooves on some of it. It helped that a bunch of different music companies had been clamoring to get the "First Equestrian Label" and had been practically groveling to try and convince them to sign with them. She still didn't fully understand their money system, but they had thrown around some really, really big numbers, so she just picked the biggest one and went with it. 

Not that she cared about that. Music was her life, a fact permanently stamped on her flank. She thought it was kind of sad humans didn't get that benefit of knowing their destiny through a cutie mark. She had always kind of felt bad for donkeys and the like who went through life like that.

"Ms. Scratch?"

The question managed to reach her ears over a rambunctious chorus by some guy with a name even weirder than her own, getting her to slide the headphones off her head and around her neck, like several of the humans working there.

"We're all ready for ya in the sound booth," the eccentrically dressed man said as he pushed open the door.

"Alright...." Vinyl stretched and jumped down onto her back two legs. She tried taking a couple of steps like that but was forced to abandon the endeavor quickly. She'd been trying it every once in a while to see if she could actually stand up, liking the idea of being taller, but she was finding it rather difficult and increasingly implausible. 

"Hey Toasty, get up," Vinyl said, aiming a soft kick at the young stallion, waking him with a start. "Time to get to work."

"Hmm? Okay," the yellow pony replied, rolling onto his hooves and lifting himself up. "Got any ideas yet?"

"A few," Vinyl said. "Hope you're ready to be on your game."

"Always," he answered with a smirk. 

The two ponies sauntered confidently down the hallway, both of them drawing satisfaction from the looks of mixed awe and curiosity that the humans still couldn't help but spare for them as they walked by. Their destination wasn't a big room by any standard, yet it was crammed with equipment of all sorts, half of which Vinyl hadn't the foggiest what it did.

"Hey Jason," she greeted the producer of their project, a short human with tan skin and an affinity for black clothing.

"Vinyl," he nodded back. 

"Let's get this place rockin'!" 


- Phoebe - Reno, NV -


Phoebe didn't know what to think anymore. Life had never been good to her and had a nasty habit of throwing unwanted surprises her direction. A sick draconequus living in her spare room, watching TV and drinking copious amounts of water and snack food was definitely one of these unexpected occurrences. 

There had been a couple times that she had considered just calling the authorities or some hospital or vet or something and just having them take him off her hands. It would have been so easy and really would have removed a pain in her neck from her life. 

But he was still the most interesting thing that had happened in years, and at the moment that was enough to keep her from doing just that, even if that fact was just a bit saddening.

She heard a noise coming from the room upstairs, prompting her to go and see what was up this time. Discord had been gaining mobility slowly and could now raise himself up. He even had taken a couple of steps the previous day, before collapsing on top of her in a comical heap.

She opened the door slowly, a little wary of any possible hijinks. You don't get a name like Discord for nothing after all. The tall combination of creatures was sprawled out on the bed and was snoring emphatically, limbs and tail spread about like he didn't have a care in the world. If she didn't know better, she'd think he was faking it. But he really did sleep like that, and for all appearances was out like a light.

She glanced around the room. The TV was still on, showing some re-run of a Mythbusters episode. Several empty chip bags littered the floor along with several empty water glasses stacked up in random assortments. Lord of Chaos was becoming more and more an appropriate title. The bed itself was unmade and the blankets all over the place, and the pillow of bubbles was holding up.

Wait. What?

Phoebe didn't often do double takes because she usually didn't care enough to spare the time, but when she did her eyes confirmed that instead of a down pillow that she had lent him to sleep with. There was a perfect, pillow shaped blob of bubbles under his head. She got startled a little bit as she stared when Discord suddenly snorted and shifted a little bit. As he did so he stretched his talon arm towards the ceiling, and then snapped his fingers.

Phoebe jumped back in surprise when she realized the once plain white door she had been standing next to was now an ugly red, blue, and green plaid. Just like that! Instantaneous color change. You mean all that BS about magic wasn't.... BS!?

She rushed over and immediately began shaking him awake. She was afraid that he might do something again and change her into something crazy if she just let him sleep. 

"Wha- wah? Oh, good morning Phoebe. To what do I owe this generous wakeup call?" he said in his usual infuriatingly unfazed manner.

"It's afternoon!" she practically yelled. "What the heck is that?!"

She pointed at the door, which had somehow changed again to bright pink polka dots. Discord, for a change, looked surprised himself, taking a long look at his hand.

"It appears that my magic is finally beginning to return," he mused. "The magic field must have finally reached this charming little town. About time I say. I expected it to expand much faster. I wonder if my counter spell had anything to do with it? Oh well..."

Most of that went over Phoebe's head, this being the first she had heard of a "magic field."  But her candy striped door and an affront to hydro physics posing as a pillow were broadening her acceptance, if but for a short time. Discord started laughing before going into another coughing fit.

"I do believe that's the first time I've seen you crack a smile," he laughed. "Fluttershy's right. It does feel nice to do that for someone else. Who knew?"

In spite of her brain still wanting to grasp her changing reality, she asked, "Who's Fluttershy. You've said her name, like, five times."

Discord pushed his body up as far as it would allow him, a reclined seated position, and smirked fondly (how is that even possible?) as he said, "Oh, a good friend of mind. We're pen pals she and I."

Pheobe's mind immediately switched back into her normal mode. Perhaps it was intense jealousy or something else, but whenever anyone mentioned anything about a "good friend" she got really moody really fast. And for pete's sake, this... thing has a girl too? When Phoebe hadn't been able to keep a boyfriend for more than a couple of months and hadn't had so much as a date in nearly a year. What's up with that!? 

"Oh," Phoebe said icily. She didn't care if that's what he actually meant, it was still disheartening. 

"Ah, there's the normal you," Discord laughed. "I was beginning to wonder if I had somehow accidentally addled your mind. I could do that you know."

"No thanks," she deadpanned. "So will you be better soon?"

"I should begin healing much faster now, but who knows when I'll be 100%," he lamented with false tragedy. 

"Whatever," she said as she turned to leave, passing by the orange swirled door without even a bored glance. "Just don't destroy everything or I'm gonna make you pay me back."

"How? I don't think I have your little green papers you use for money!" he called back playfully as she went back down the stairs towards her refuge in the land of the Internet.


- Luna - Washington D.C. -


"We-- I am not sure I understand what you are proposing," Luna said to one of the Congressman sitting across from her. 

"A total currency exchange," the man repeated. "We would establish a flat rate, then make a direct exchange of Bits for Dollars. This would allow Equestrian citizens to easily purchase goods and services  from Americans, as well as allow Americans to do likewise from Equestrians."

"To be clear, you propose my citizens trade in their bits for your... dollars?" Luna repeated slowly. 

"That is correct, y- Your Highness," he said. Luna had no idea why the title had come out sounding so awkward, but since it had been consistently occurring she just ignored it for now. She glanced at President White, who was watching virtually expressionless, for the moment staring at the congressmen with a quizzical look.

"Congressman Polaski, where will these funds come from? We don't have the budget for that kind of thing. Not to mention it’ll cause the worth of the gold we already have to plummet. We could destabilize our own economy," another representative cautioned, igniting a few other loud comments about their budget betwixt each other. Luna had never been too involved in the Equestrian economy, having never been much of a mathematician herself, but to these humans it seemed that figuring out how to use their money, however badly they did it, was the top of their agenda. It had been so for most of the meetings that Luna had attended with them. 

"I'm afraid I must bring up another potential grievance with your proposal," Luna said, cutting into the conversation at the first lull. "Your plan seems to assume that the spell will not nor cannot be reversed. Should the mystery be solved, 'twould leave my citizens in a strenuous situation upon their return to Equestria."

A quick flicker of annoyance crossed Congressman Polaski’s face as Luna explained her concern. Luna in turn received the impression that this in particular representative really wanted to put all their gold currency under the control of their government, not really caring how that happened. A few others had given similar impressions over the preceding days when it came to money matters. This was nothing new. Dealing with the nobles of Canterlot often yielded the same kinds of interactions.

"However, I am currently inclined to agree with the notion of a small scale exchange rate where parties wish to purchase goods," Luna added. This had been discussed before, but--

"The exchange rate for everyday purchase would be far too unbalanced."

T'was true. Gold was far more common in Equestria, hence why it had become the primary currency since the beginning, but not so much here in the human world. Gold was worth an exorbitant amount of their money, which would give her own citizens incredible spending power on American goods but would make it very expensive for Americans to buy even the smallest of trinkets or treats from an Equestrian shop. 

An unusual conundrum indeed. 

"Perhaps we should adjourn for the night," a woman representative suggested. By stars these people adjourn court more often than Celestia does! However, a glance out a window did show that the summer sun was setting, and Luna was beginning to feel the familiar tingle of the dreamscape beginning to gain strength. It was getting late after all. The struck her as strange. She usually had such a good sense of time, seeing as it was her duty to bring the moon up every night. To come to a world where it did it on its own was... unsettling. 

After pleasantries were exchanged and after a trip back to the generous suite they had acquisitioned for her, Luna set up for the night. She hadn't the slightest idea how her sister had ruled over both day and night for her thousand year absence, because after just a few days of this Luna was beginning to feel really tired. True, she didn't have to worry about the position of the moon anymore, but she still felt a duty to watch over dreams.

While she could practically do that in her own sleep, at each night's peak there were so many souls that she was positive the number was in the billions. She counted herself fortunate that only half the planet was asleep at any given time, and even more lucky that not everyone nor everypony would have a dream. But navigating it was difficult and taxing enough. On the surface human dreams looked no different than pony dreams, and their nightmares were no different either. In fact, both species were now having dreams that included each other in them, serving to make it all the more difficult to tell them apart.

Some of those dreams were getting really weird.

She entered the dream world, initially overcome again by the sheer scope of souls for a moment before getting it under control. Most of the dreamers appeared to be young for the moment. It would be awhile before the numbers would swell with adults. 

A commotion caught her attention, a surefire nightmare that Luna reacted to on instinct. She immediately dove into the dream, finding a frightening monster terrorizing its way through a dark forest. A common nightmare, but very frightening to foals.

She quickly focused her magic and banished the monster in a dramatic puff of smoke, trotting into the clearing to find a small human boy. She stopped short. She hadn't even stopped to check if the dreamer was Equestrian! The fear was just so strong she had simply reacted. The little boy looked up at her, completely unsure of what to expect from this new arrival.

"Do not fear. I am the Princess of the Night. You are safe," she said as soothingly as she could. Did human children react the same as foals? She honestly didn't know what to do, so the Night Princess stood still with a small smile that probably didn't inspire any confidence. The boy stood up from his position on the ground with a curious expression.

"Is this a dream?" he asked.

"Yes it is young one," Luna answered happily.

"Oh," the boy replied looking contemplative. Then his face lit up. "Cool!"

He then ran straight up to her, standing but a pace away as he craned his head back to look up at her, "So will you be friends with me?  My name's Zack."

That took Luna aback. Not once had any of her subjects just asked that straight out, whether in a dream or elsewhere. But here was a little human who had done it upon what was likely the very first time he had ever seen or heard of her. For a moment, she didn't know what to say or do. Zack started to look a little crestfallen when she didn't answer right away. This nearly made Luna's heart stop. It was the same look she saw on her own face in the mirror in the many months following her return from the Moon. The one longing for a friend.

"Of course we can be friends Zack," she said. "Just call me Luna."

"Luna... I like that name!" Zack said excitedly with his eyes lighting up, reaching in to hug her legs. He was barely tall enough to reach above her knees. 

She wrapped one hoof around her new little friend, still wrapping her head around what had just happened. Friendship was so rarely so easily earned.

Suddenly something powerful rippled across the dreamscape that caused Luna to look up and outside of the dream. It was another one! She had seen it twice already on previous nights but hadn't been fast enough to react and find the source or its final resting place. This time was no exception. Some sort of powerful magic with the appearance of perhaps lightning or a shooting star (she couldn't decide) landing among the dreams.

"Is something wrong?"

Zack squeezed onto her tighter, prompting her to look away. Her gaze softened as she said, "Nothing is wrong. Don't worry."

She wished she could believe herself. She had watched the dreamscape for over two thousand years and had never seen anything like it. 

And there was absolutely no question that whatever it was, it was almost pure nightmare. 





> Chapter 16: Start
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


- NBC -


"...the so called "Alien Bill" that is rumored to be making its way to the House floor?"

"I don't know. There are just so many intangibles, not to mention the impact it might have on immigration in general."

"Frankly I'm just surprised it didn't take a year just to make a committee to make a proposal. Maybe that Princess is kicking them into gear..."


- FOX -


"- a decline in drug arrests on the border has lead some officials to believe there may actually be some sort of stock shortage as incredible as that sounds. However this had led to a rise in violence as those same officials claim that some dealers are now fighting for the limited supply..."


- ABC -


"More protests throughout Madrid today, protesting the crown's commitment to abide the presence of the Griffon settlement now overlooking Barcelona, intensifying on the heels of an incident near the city with an alleged attack by one of the creatures on a young boy. Tear gas was deployed as the protests escalated to--"


- CNN -


"Let's goon to international news: Japan announced today an 'Open Border' policy, offering full asylum to the pony 'refugees' and to any others should they be displaced. Some are calling for the US to do the same."

"And North Korean representatives, in a surprising announcement this morning, requested to organize a meeting with world leaders at a UN summit..."


- Twilight - July 18 -


"UUUUGGGHHH!"

The exasperated sigh of the purple alicorn was loud enough to be heard by passersby outside the library as she flopped down on her bed, flinging the book she was reading onto the floor. It was official, she had read through every book that was possibly relevant in any way, and she had gotten absolutely nowhere. As she lay on her back, staring at nothing in particular on the ceiling, she wished for the umpteenth time that she could access the Canterlot archives or at least the Castle of the Two Sisters.

Then she rolled over on her side to stare at nothing in particular on the wall, and with another grunt she reminded herself, for the umpteenth time, that while she didn't have access, Princess Celestia did. And if she hadn't found an answer from her side, then it probably wasn't there. The researcher in her was fully exhausted, and that had...

Well, that had never happened before. Usually she found an answer within at least a couple of days, or at the very worst a couple of sleepless nights. Three solid weeks now, or was it four? Twilight took a moment to count in her head. Okay, so about three and one half.

Asher was even more stumped than she was. He wasn't an idiot, but human science simply didn't have any more of an answer to how they could get back home. Every once in a while he would come back saying he'd been called by their government with news as to what their scientists were doing.

As Asher would say, it was usually another "strikeout."

Twilight rolled over and sat up, stretching her neck and shoulders as she did so. Outside, the sun had set. No, wait, it was rising. The sudden realization that she hadn't even gone to sleep all night served to deluge her with even more fatigue than before, sleep deprivation now beginning to weigh heavily on her eyes. And seeing how she was already on her bed, there was nothing keeping her from surrendering to the drowsiness. She lay her head down, resting her chin on her hooves and closing her eyes to the increasing morning light.

As she began to drift off, her tired mind wandered over everything she had done, wondering what more she could do short of running all over the land. Now that would be exactly...

Precisely 46 seconds passed with the only sound being her soft breathing.

Twilight sprung up all the way to her hooves, planting them into the bedsheets, eyes wide and a big gasp escaping her.

"Well what's stopping me?" Twilight said aloud.

"Huh? Wha-?" Spike poked his head out from under his blanket, spilling a small stack of comic books onto the floor. "Stopping you from doing what?"

"Spike, get up and get ready. We're going on a trip," Twilight said, striding off the bed and down the stairway as the dragon mumbled and pulled the blankets back over his head.


- 30 minutes of Knocking, Dragging, Pleading, and Bed Flipping Later -


"You wanna what now?"

Asher stood leaning on the threshold of his family's back door, still dressed in pajamas and not quite looking awake yet. Even as he spoke he wiped his bleary eyes with his arm and stretched his back with the other.

"We wanna visit all the Equestrian cities we can, and investigate first-hoof," Twilight repeated, bright eyed and alert as she did so. Applejack stood beside her and nodded, but the farm pony was the only other one of the bunch who wasn't in the same boat as Asher. Rainbow Dash and Rarity were close-eyed and leaning against one another, while Fluttershy's head dipped up and down like a bobblehead and Pinkie Pie was blinking furiously to try and banish the sleep.

The sun was not much more than a couple of degrees above the horizon, which in the summertime meant that she had shown up early. Again. Twilight probably would have felt more guilty if she hadn't had just done the same thing to all of her friends just minutes before. Asher blinked as he processed what she had said once more, squinting into the low sunlight.

"Uh... J-just come on in, the sun's hurtin' my eyes," Asher yawned, turning back into the quiet house. Twilight strode in after him as Applejack nudged those sleeping on their hooves so that they'd follow.  The house was quite cave like that morning, the blinds staunching the dawn, and with the lights off and television silent it added to the strange stillness. Asher walked slowly, dragging his feet in a way that gave him an odd shuffle on the carpeted floor.

"So you, uh, wanna travel the country? Just like that, huh?" Asher asked sleepily as he led them into the kitchen. "You been planning to do this for a while?"

"Nope, just decided this morning," Twilight said brightly.

"It's not that weird," Applejack added. "Me n' Rarity once went on one wild trip all o'er the place. We were goin' to Applewood but we ended up gettin' lost and seein' just 'bout everythin'. Right Rarity?"

"Mm-hmm," Rarity mumbled, starting awake for a moment and then blinking rapidly in an attempt to stay that way. She's probably going to freak out when she realizes she's got morning bed head, Twilight thought.

Asher grunted in acknowledgement as he sat down at the kitchen table, leaning over and pulling a laptop closer to him. He stopped for a moment, opening his eyes and staring into nothing as he started his train of thought. Twilight pulled out one of the chairs with her magic and clambered up onto it. It was kinda funny to be at eye level with the human who usually towered over all of them, putting his face in a perspective she rarely saw.

"So.... why?" he finally asked.

"I think if we saw each site for ourselves and took careful observation at each one we could discover a pattern," Twilight explained.

"I would be willing to bet that there are human researchers doing that right now," Asher argued with a yawn

Twilight had figured the same. But she also had a rebuttal: "I doubt that their researchers have had 12 years of magical education and have any ability to accurately measure and study magic fields," Twilight countered.

Asher thought about that for a moment, opening his mouth like he was gonna say something before closing it again and shrugging in defeat. "Okay then, I'm guess you want me to figure out how to get around," Asher finally said. "Perhaps we can look at flights...."

"That would be best," said Twilight brightly, peering over his shoulder as he opened his computer. She blinked involuntarily, along with anypony else on that side of the table, as the blue tinted glow illuminated the room at a much higher intensity than her eyes had expected.

"Seems like it would be a whole lot faster than taking the train like we had to in Equestria," Applejack noted.

"Definitely," Asher affirmed, "but I would also bet it's a lot more expensive."

Twilight nodded knowingly but unconcerned. The money situation that was taking up so much of Princess Luna's time was still unresolved, but the advantage in that was that their bits were worth hay of a lot. From what she understood, she could roughly use the same amount of bits she bought her Daring Do books with to buy an entire car of their own.

"And a lot more relaxing," Rarity said, as she focused on the messy hair hanging in front of her eyes. "In fact it was quite a luxurious way of travel."

Asher suddenly snorted a laugh and descended into a short giggle fit that he tried to stifle. "Sorry, sorry..."

"What?" Rarity looked confused.

"I know you don't like flying but it was still nice," added Twilight, also a little bit miffed.

"No, no, it's not that," he laughed, calming down enough to offer an explanation. "That was a special, government envoy flight. Normal planes are a bit more crowded and a lot more miserable. Imagine the plane we went on, take out all the extra rooms, and then stuff into it 300 seats that are about half the size of the ones on that plane."

"Oh my," Rarity said.

"That's what we trade for cutting a trip that would normally take a day or two into just a few hours," Asher shrugged.

"I suppose that makes sense," said Twilight. It did make sense that such a speedy transport would need to be able to carry as many passengers as it could. The larger trains between the big cities in Equestria often practiced frugality in their use of space as well, though not quite to that extent. For a moment her imagination ran through a picture of 200 people stacked like firewood.

"What's goin' on?"

Twilight looked up to see Andrew. The family patriarch, already fully dressed and smelling like he had already been working on his car hobby in the barn, was looking upon the kitchen scene curiously.

"Nothin' too much," Asher replied. "We're just trying to figure out how to get them around the country."

"Oh, alright. What were ya thinking?" Mr. Burgess asked as he moved to look over Asher's shoulder.

"Maybe we can find a good gold exchange rate and then buy them some airplane tickets," Asher said. Twilight watched as he brought up the Internet and started to type away.

"You're not going?" Mr. Burgess asked with a raised eyebrow. Asher paused for a moment.

"I'm still a student Dad. I don't have that kind of money," Asher said, starting to type again and bringing up a different page.

"So? I do," Mr. Burgess said.

"What? Dad, I don't..."

"You should anyway," his Dad cut him off. "Also, I think you're crazy if you think you can just fly where ya want right now."

"What else can we do?"

"You can drive."

"Around the entire country!? Are you--"

"It'll be easier for certain."

"And about twice as long, not to mention I'll still have to pay for it."

"I said I'd help with that. Remember the news the other day? Airports near those towns are flooded with people wanting to go see the pony towns. Just getting a flight would be difficult. Look."

Asher assumed an expression that said, “Fine. I will!" and started typing away at his computer. This exchange between father and son was really making Twilight want to laugh. It almost reminded her of similar conversations she saw between Shining Armor and her own father. Asher, for once, seemed completely outmatched, though Twilight couldn't help but sympathize with his apprehension. Driving was convenient for sure, but it would be far more confined and, by the sound of it, slower. But the argument that they didn't have much of an option was only solidified when Asher's jaw dropped.

"$500 just for a flight to Salt Lake!!" he exclaimed.

"Then multiply that by seven--and other flights will certainly cost more--and you find yourself out thousands of dollars," Mr. Burgess said. "Now check availability."

Asher clicked once and read down a calendar that popped up. "Practically sold out til mid-August," he mumbled. "Great..."

"Uh-huh. Driving is your only option whether or not you could pay for it."

Asher leaned back in his chair, balancing it on the back legs and rocking himself back and forth with one foot as he thought.

Asher sighed again resignedly, closed the computer, and stood up stretching his back with both hands as he did so.

"I really don't like it when you treat me like a rich kid Dad," he said.

"You are a rich kid, and I'm only paying for a simple trip, not for your schooling like you were goin' on about," Mr. Burgess said. "You can pay me back when you're successful if you want."

Asher slid a sarcastic sideways look towards his Dad. This was obviously a discussion they had had before.

"Whatever happened to 'teaching responsibility?'" Asher challenged.

"You learned responsibility a long time ago. Now I'm gonna teach you how to seize the moment," his Dad replied. "I'll deposit funds into your bank account to pay for the gas."

Asher raised his arms and rested his hands on top of his head, closed his eyes, and smiled a little. This combination was a habit that Twilight had come know meant that he was finally giving up. "Alright, alright, fine. Thanks Dad. Then I'll need to borrow the van."

"Ash, if flights are sold out then hotels will be too."

Asher gave his Dad yet another long look. Twilight was stifling giggles now. It was exactly like her Dad and Brother. Especially the part when a realization dawned on Asher, changing his expression from thoughtful to disbelieving.

"Dad, are you saying we should drive--"

"The RV? Yes."

"B-but--"

"It'll save you money and a big headache, and it's more than big enough to take all of you," Mr. Burgess said calmly, just like it was the closing argument in a debate that he knew he had just won. Asher stared at his father silently for a moment, then sighed and sat back.

"Ya know, sometimes I really hate it when you're right," Asher said. "Fine. We'll take the RV."

"Great. Tell you what, I'll make sure the engine's in running order," Mr. Burgess said, and without waiting for any thank you/sarcastic reply from his son, he exited just about as quickly as he came. There was a short silence before Applejack asked the very question that Twilight was about to ask.

"Sooo, what's an RV?"


- Asher -


"Wow, use it much?" Rainbow Dash deadpanned as the camper pulled out of the garage, literal layers of dust falling off as his Dad brought it to a stop.

"We used it last summer, we just don't uh... wash the outside too much," Asher defended as the engine shut off. The door opened loudly and closed even louder as his Dad disembarked and went around towards the back to check on some mechanical issue. Asher pulled it back open, already inwardly wondering how the ponies who didn't have the benefit of telekinetic magic would get in and out, and ran up the three steps. It smelled a little of dust and old cheerios but looked just the same as he remembered.

"A house on wheels. You weren't kidding," Twilight mused as she followed him through the vehicle.

"Oh cool! There's a TV in here!" Rainbow Dash said, pointing out the 15 year old unit mounted in the ceiling just behind the driver.

"And a kitchen! We could make cookies even while we're gone!" Pinkie Pie said enthusiastically, opening the oven and inspecting it for herself.

"It drives like a tank, but it's the cushiest way to take a road trip," Asher said, sitting down in the driver's chair.

Two white swivel chairs occupied the front for the driver and a single passenger. Down the left side of the body were latch-shut cupboards, the fridge, sink, and cooking appliances, which fortunately all still worked. The RV was of the larger variety, which allowed for a relatively wide "living area" with a couch and table booth. There was a small sleeping space above the cupboards with a ladder leading to it, which would certainly be needed, and then a narrow hallway where the bathroom and shower were located. A peek inside revealed that his mom's compulsive cleaning nature had been at work. The main bedroom was pristine, too; it was a room that Asher himself had never used, as his parents had always reserved the right to child-free room on vacation.

"Wow that's a big bed," Twilight observed.

"Though the blankets smell like they could use a good wash," said Rarity from behind, wrinkling her nose.

"Yeah, we can send it through a washer tonight. I figure we could fit a couple of you on here when we stop at night though," Asher suggested.

"I think we could probably fit all of us if we wanted to," Twilight said.

"No need for that, we got a few beds hidden 'round here, but we can figure that out later." Asher walked back into the living room, where Pinkie and Fluttershy were testing out just how comfortable the couch was and Rainbow Dash was practicing trying to open the latch on the fridge while Applejack looked on.

"I reckon they didn't think a pony would be ever using it," she said as Rainbow struggled to bend her hoof around the latch.

"We'll figure out something. Maybe we can hook in a coat hanger or something that you guys could pull, and we'll probably need it on the front door too."

On cue, the door opened and David, looking far more ready to tackle the day than Asher, who in contrast was still wearing pajama pants and a t-shirt.

"It still smells like cheerios," he said, eliciting a guffaw from Asher. "Got room for one more?"

"Huh?" That got everyone's attention.

"I don't have school anyway until September and I've always wanted to drive around the country in an old RV. True, I thought it'd be with 5 or 6 human girls, but... eh, still get to travel at least."

Asher raised an eyebrow at him, partially because he had to show at least some disdain and partially because he really didn't want to laugh at what he had just said.

"Hey, I know for a fact you don't like driving for too long. I can spell ya some miles," he said. "And don't worry, I can sleep in the chair."

Dang it, that's all my arguments and I didn't even say anything. That's the third debate I've lost this morning. I must be losing my edge.


- Lightning Dust - Cincineighti, Ohio -


"I don't care!"

"Look, er... Ms. Dust. There's simply a major risk not just for you but for the pilots. Our radar can barely pick you up and would have no way of warning you even if we did notice a problem."

Lightning Dust stood glaring at the sharply dressed human. He wore wing badges above one pocket, signaling he was probably himself a pilot of one of those human flying machines. He had just come walking into Cincineighti like he did it every other Sunday and had been asking around town if any of them knew a light blue pegasus with gold hair. And since that particular set of phenotypes belonged to the Dust family, it hadn't taken him long to be directed to her. Apparently a nearby airport had seen her practicing her flying and freaking out several pilots. She didn't know what the big deal was. All she did was fly by them, comparing their agility and speed to her own. They're probably just jealous I was at least twice as fast as their metal clunkers.

"I'm the best flier in Equestria," she reiterated irritably. "Believe me, I could avoid any collision. It's hard to miss those flying cows."

Now he looked offended. Good, you're annoying, Lightning thought with satisfaction.

"I don't care what it was like on your world, but here we have rules!" he said angrily. "Rules that keeps everyone safe and everything in order. Please notify us when you go for a flight in our airspace next time, or the next time I visit it will be with the Air Force."

Oooh Scary, thought Lightning Dust.

"Oooh Scary," said Lightning Dust. "See ya."

And with that dismissal, human's facial blood vessels looked like they would burst before he spun around and stormed off. Maybe it was the way his two legs made his body shimmy as he walked that fast, or maybe it was just in the way he seemed to be muttering under his breath like a crazy pony, but Lightning Dust was nearly beside herself with laughter.

"That could have been handled better," Sand Hill said. He had sat in silence, watching the entire exchange with an unreadable, passive, slightly infuriating expression.

"You could have backed me up," she jabbed as she finally stopped guffawing.

"You didn't need it. If anyone needed help it was that poor sap," Sand Hill said coolly. "Perhaps we should move your training sessions to somewhere else for a while, just to let you both cool down a bit."

"Now don't you start. The wind patterns over that way are perfect," objected Lightning Dust. "I'm the one that was born with wings! Who are they to say who or what can be in the sky?"

"Stop it now with the superiority complex," Sand Hill said sternly. "It was that kind of thinking that got you run from the Academy."

Lightning Dust shot him a glare that would have boiled a cockatrice's eggs, daring him to say more. The earth pony wasn't so dumb as to say anything more on that subject, but still didn't flinch at all from her stare.

"We have to play by their rules for now," Sand continued, quickly guzzling down the rest of the cider he was holding in his hoof. "Hopefully Princess Luna and Twilight can figure this out and get us back to Equestria soon enough. Then the only rules you have to worry about are the ones at the derbies."

He was right as usual, which did calm Lightning Dust even if it annoyed her all the same.

"So now if you're done pouting, we'll get back to conditioning. One hundred wing ups! Go!"

Lightning Dust obeyed immediately, not even bothering to catch herself with her hooves but instead going straight to her wing tips and right into the exercise, all the while picturing herself showing up those human "pilots," the Wonderbolts, and anypony else who thought themselves better than her.


- Daring Do - Nicaragua - 


The explorer's eyes fluttered open as sleep finally broke its spell on her. A glance up told her it was already close to midday, meaning she had slept in. She shifted her front hooves out from under her chin and pushed herself up, balancing carefully on the high tree branch she had made her bed. Her supplies were tied to the tree trunk behind her to keep it all from tumbling down.

She had taken to sleeping in the canopy of the jungle for a couple reasons. One was a rather nasty bunch of predators had come awfully close to sneaking up on her a few days before, and another was that those bipedal creatures, “Soy humano" as one she had subdued had said, for some reason never thought to look above them. You're in a jungle for Celestia's sake. Predators will always attack from above if they get the chance.

It made them rather easy to spot or even surprise attack if necessary. Frankly, she hadn't ever been this on edge before, even though she'd been tangling with Ahuizotl's posse for years. Sure, Ahuizotl had left her to die many times, but at least he always gave a sporting chance (which was usually his downfall, but she wasn't complaining). These creatures turned their weapons on anything that moved.

She could also tell, by the way they looked around and by how carefully they guarded their cargo, that they were doing something illegal. Therefore Daring didn't have any qualms about whooping their flanks and burying their foul smelling powders when they crossed her path--and that had been increasingly often.

It was getting on her nerves. She still wasn't sure where she was, and as an experienced explorer with a talent for navigation and the cutie mark to prove it, that was frustrating to no end. Her map was useless, and all the trails were either useless or being used, and on top of that, she was running low on supplies.

Living off the land would be possible but both annoying and a distraction from her goal. She figured it wouldn't be possible to gain supplies from those creatures, even if she found a village. Every indication she had seen so far was that they had never seen anything like her, and the last thing she wanted to risk was being captured and turned into a science project or a sideshow freak. That wasn't the only reason though. She was convinced that she had to be close to the temple, for only some powerful, ancient magic could possibly be messing with everything to the extent of bringing in new creatures and changing the landscape.

Daring balanced her way back down the branch to the trunk and untied her gear, swinging it with her mouth onto her back. She felt the balance suddenly shift as a heavy weight swung around her shoulder and threw her momentum to the right. She quickly corrected, flapping her wings to get a little help. She didn't even need to look to know what it was.

She had taken one of the long, metal weapons that the humanos had carried, figuring that it might become useful at some point. She had already learned that it functioned by spewing small, metal projectiles at high speed, basically acting like faster, nearly invisible arrowheads, though she was still unsure exactly how it did so. She had also figured out how it was operated, but the fact that it simply hadn't been designed for use by a hoofed, four legged Equestrian was painfully obvious. It would take some tinkering, that's for sure, but lacking the time or tools to do so, for now she had fashioned an impromptu sling to carry it with her.

After checking from her perch that the coast was clear, Daring lept from branch to branch like it was a set of large stairs, using her wings to slow her the descent, until she finally landed with all four hooves on the jungle floor. Glancing at the morning sun to make sure of her bearings, she turned a few degrees to the left and started briskly trotting down the trail.

She had a temple to find, and if the trend that was her life continued, the fate of Equestria or even the world probably rested on her finding it quickly. Or maybe I'll get lucky and it'll be a nice, quiet, dead ruin. Yeah right.


- Rainbow Dash - July 19 -


"And I thought yesterday was early," Rainbow yawned as she flapped along. Her pack was on her back, stuffed with some basics for traveling. In her hooves she held a bushel of apples.

"Oh stop complainin’," Applejack chuckled. "You know you're just gonna be nappin' half the time anyway."

Applejack walked just ahead, balancing her own pack and another bushel on her back.

"Yeah, well, mornings still stink," Rainbow Dash said.

"They ain't so bad," Applejack said cheerfully, a little more cheerfully than Rainbow preferred at such an early time. "At least it's still summer. If it were winter it'd be mighty cold right now. And this time nobody flipped yer bed upside down."

Rainbow Dash spared a frown for her friend but didn't say anything as the house came into view. She had to admit, though: the sky did look pretty awesome with it's orange-ish glow reflecting on the clouds, and the air felt pleasant without the sun's rays beating down on them. Rainbow hadn't quite put her hoof on why yet, but it almost felt like the sun here was even more intense than in Equestria. She figured it didn't matter either way; that was egg-head stuff anyway and they'd be back home soon enough.

Applejack led the way around the house through the yard. About 100 yards off, Rainbow could see that there was already a line of new tourists ready to prance around their little hamlet, taking pictures and asking dumb questions like it was Manehattan or something--or a zoo. Rainbow Dash mostly avoided the visitors, usually staying airborne and doing a lot more cloud busting than usual. It was one of the rare times she was actually happy the clouds here were so massive.

"Rainbow Dash! Applejack!" Twilight waved as she called to them. The big block of a vehicle was already in the driveway with the door ajar waiting to board the travelers.

"Mornin', Twi," Applejack said. "Brought along the apples ya asked for."

"Excellent," Twilight said, checking off a box on her list. "And it looks like you have your packs as well, so check and check!"

"Put 'em in here," Asher's voice called from within. Rainbow flew through the narrow opening and back into the... “Camper" as Asher would often call it. Since that name was the easiest to say out of the three or four she had heard already, Rainbow had decided that's the name she'd use too.

Fluttershy and Rarity were busy helping Asher and his mom organize the food into the shelves.

"Sweet, just put those down right there and we'll take care of it," Asher said with a glance. "We're almost ready to go so you're just in time."

"Cool," Rainbow Dash responded as she lowered the bushel to the floor, and then swung her pack off and onto a chair where a collection of packs with her friend's cutie marks sat. Not seeing anything she'd be particularly helpful with, she brushed past Applejack and back out into the open air. Outside David was talking with their Dad, scrolling through something on his little "phone" device.

"-- then we'll take this way down to LA, and from there we can either head home if we don't think we're getting anything, or we can keep going on to Texas. After that we'd head up through St. Louis, through Indiana into Ohio. Then through to Connecticut, then down to Maryland, and finally all the way through to Florida. Then we'll turn around and drive all the way back home. Like a big, old figure 8." Rainbow Dash listened in. Most of the names were unfamiliar to her. She had paid some attention to one of the times that Asher explained their country's set up, and she still didn't quite get the whole states idea when in the end they were still one kingdom. She decided it was probably a bit like how the Crystal Empire ran itself but was still part of Equestria. That made the most sense.

"Seems like a plan," Mr. Burgess nodded. "And there should be plenty of parking lots and camping spots you can use along the way. Make sure you and your brother keep a watch out for signs so you don't end up pulling over and sleeping on the shoulder. That's a good way to get hit."

"I know, I know," David said. "Hey Rainbow Dash."

"Hi," she said, returning the greeting.

"Okay, I think we're just about good," Asher announced, stepping out into the morning daylight closely followed by his Mom, Fluttershy, and Rarity. "We should get going. Our goal's Salt Lake and that's a nine hour drive with no stops."

"Checklist is all done!" said Twilight brightly, rolling up the scroll and placing it into her own pack. Asher extended one of his thumbs, a gesture that apparently meant "Good," and without saying much first hugged his mom, and then ambled over and hugged his Dad and the two brothers that were staying behind. It appeared that Anne was still probably asleep, much to Rainbow's jealousy.

Then with that, Asher ran up and into the camper, followed immediately by his brother.

"Let's go girls!" Twilight beckoned as she clambered up. Rainbow followed her friends on board. Asher already sat in the driver's seat, and the engine growled like a manticore as he turned the key. Twilight jumped into the vacant passenger seat when David chose instead to sit at the kitchen table. Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rarity joined him, leaving the couch for Rainbow and Pinkie Pie. Again, Rainbow Dash wasn't complaining. Completely unfazed by Pinkie's energetic bouncing on one side, Rainbow Dash laid back, head on one of the hoof (or arm?) rests, and was ready to make up for lost sleep.

The lurching and uneasy movement of the camper stopped that idea. Perhaps it was just a bump in the road or maybe they had run over an elephant but in any case Rainbow Dash was lifted off the couch and dropped ungracefully onto the floor. The contents of the cupboards could be heard getting tossed up and down

"Sorry! Hit a pothole!" Asher called back.

"Warn me next time!" Rainbow called from the floor.

"Sorry, never driven this thing before," Asher said.

"What!?"

"Hey, give me a break. Mom and Dad were always the drivers when we took this thing. It's kind of like trying to- to-"

"Drive a house?" Twilight suggested.

"Exactly! Wait..." Asher looked blank for a moment before joining in with the gale of laughter. Rainbow Dash picked herself up and seated herself on the couch, getting a pretty good view out the side window behind the couch and through the absolutely massive front window. The going was pretty slow, but it was no slower than a train. Dash settled in and joined the small talk conversation as they began passing through the human city.

They had a good laugh when they passed the place they had visited many weeks before to watch the Thunderbirds (though Rainbow Dash did throw in a sorry just in case, even as everyone joked about it). Soon they were in new territory. Dash had flown at high altitude above this all when she had visited her family in Cloudsdale the day after it showed up, but it was a lot more interesting up close.

The towns were sprawling and the forests even more so, with tall pines dominating much of the rocky landscape. They passed through the shadows of sheer hills and were passed by speeding cars (accompanied by Asher swearing at them to slow down). Denver was a new experience altogether.

"Holy Cupcakes those buildings are tall!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed as they drove through downtown, pressing her face against the window.

"Hey, what's that big building over there with the statue?" Rainbow asked, pointing towards a huge carving of a horse rearing back that was overlooking a massive structure.

"A football stadium. The team here's called the Broncos," David answered with a smile.

"That's a stadium? Wow, it makes Cloudsdale Coliseum look small," Rainbow Dash awed, choosing to ignore his expectant look. It wasn't the only massive sports structure the city had. The two brothers pointed out a dome and another open-air stadium almost as big as the first, all nestled near the foot of towering skyscrapers, where they played just about every other sport she could think of short of racing, and when she asked about that she was informed of a drag strip to the west.

"You guys have everything!"

Denver was soon left behind and replaced with sprawling farmers’ fields and intermittent towns, and, somewhat disappointingly, there wasn't much else to see. Most of the towns looked a lot alike, and the mountains grew steadily less impressive and the land flatter and thereby less interesting. The conversation turned to everyday small talk, and soon the gentle rumble of the camper combined with the monotony pulled Rainbow Dash where she wanted to be in the first place.

Sound asleep.


- Asher - Laramie, WY - 17 miles north of Cloudsdale -


Asher had made this drive several times before, usually going to school or occasionally for a vacation to visit family. The landmarks were familiar and he no longer needed a map to follow the right roads, the towns serving as checkpoints that let him know he was still going the right way. He even knew where most of the gas stations were, though finding the ones that could fit the RV was slightly more challenging.

Laramie was their first stop before taking the jaunt south to their first destination, Cloudsdale. But it was no wonder that this patch of middle-of-nowhere Wyoming was now one of the busiest junctions west of the Mississippi. Laramie, usually a relative quiet, low density town, had been overrun. The gas stations all had lines, the hotels looked like they were at total capacity, and the residents looked completely overwhelmed to have so many people around. Fortunately, they were able to eventually find a spot to refuel.

It was from this station that they first spotted it. It wasn't just one giant cloud as some reports would have you believe, but rather a complex network of clouds held together by forces that would make a meteorologist's head spin. Even from so far away he could make out the columns and structures that glowed bright white from the sun's rays.

Asher had seen the pictures and videos of Cloudsdale, its very existence being the most mind-boggling thing for the world to understand or accept. In fact, judging by the comments that typically accompanied these postings, there was still a sizable number of people who believed it was fake and some elaborate hoax. Actually, there were still some who seemed convinced the ponies were too, but most people had moved beyond that. The events of July 6th had taken care of that.

"Holy Hera that place looks incredible," Asher said, staring in awe as he stood by the pump. Twilight stepped down from the steps and walked over, crinkling her nose at the pungent aromas. Asher didn't blame her. He hated the smell of gas too.

"It's one of the oldest cities in our world," Twilight said. "The pegasus clans built it before our founding, and it's been making Equestria's weather ever since."

"So.... those clouds are, what, a thousand years old?" Asher asked, raising an eyebrow and half expecting an explanation that they actually had to rebuild it every so often.

"Closer to fifteen hundred," Twilight remarked, like it was totally normal for a single cloud to last longer than the average nation. "The cloud-smithing is truly remarkable."

"Hey, is that a pony?"

Asher heard the voice not far behind him. Right on cue, the gas pump clicked loudly, announcing the full tank, and prompting Asher to unhook and re-embark the RV, with Twilight being just ahead of him. Asher glanced over his shoulder to see somebody approaching at a brisk pace, but he wasn't about to deal with it this time. Without any hesitation he slammed the door shut and turned the key even as he sat down. The engine alive and the tank full, he pulled the behemoth carefully out of the station and made his way to the road to take him south, hopefully quick enough to prevent any followers. The road was a bit smaller than the freeway, but at least it was well-kept. Dead ahead lay an encampment that put the average army campsite to shame, and made the one outside his own home look small by comparison.

"Somepony better wake Rainbow Dash," Twilight suggested.

"Got it," Applejack volunteered, sliding off her perch at the table and ambling back. Asher heard her ruffle more than a few feathers as she woke the sleeping pony. Asher searched for a suitable place to park, and deciding to attract as little attention as possible, stopped about a mile before they reached the encampment of tourists, pulling as far off the road as he could and being very grateful the road edge was relatively flat.

The engine off, David was the first out the door to get a good look. Asher waited for everyone else to get off before bringing up the rear. The city was indeed even more impressive this close, like someone had meticulously molded the buildings out of clay.

"Are you sure you don't want to go up there as well?" Twilight asked again. "I know a cloud walking spell and I'm sure finding a balloon wouldn't be difficult."

"No, nope, I'm good," Asher stammered, shaking his head. David looked like he was about to say he wanted to, but Asher slid him a glare that told him not too. They didn't need to waste the time going up, finding the balloon, bringing it down, then going back up. But it was also because Asher knew if they did that there was at least a 60% chance either he or maybe Rainbow would push him into it. And the idea of going up in a balloon to a place where the only thing between himself and a two mile plunge to the ground were clouds was way too much for him to handle.

"Okay then, just fliers this time," Twilight said, looking to Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. And with that, all three spread their wings and immediately started ascending quickly towards the city to look for clues. Asher watched them for a while, half nervous some num-nut would take a potshot at them or something.

"There's not much out here, is there?" Rarity remarked, glancing at the landscape. There wasn't much to be sure, mostly shrubs in fields of tan, tall grass. Not much would live in a place like this. Rabbits, prairie dogs, perhaps some antelope and coyotes but nothing bigger than that until you reached the Rocky Mountains again.

"'Fraid not, but it should get a lot more interesting the farther west we go," Asher said. "I hear Washington is really green."

"Green's a good color," Pinkie said, producing two or three green balloons and letting them loose by accident. "It's the color of mint! Hmmmmmm. Mints."

Pinkie Pie set to chasing them for a moment.

"Do you guys know where she gets..." David started.

"It's best not to think 'bout it," Applejack cautioned. "Girl makes my head hurt sometimes."

"Huh," Asher and David said in tandem. Cars whipped by, stirring up some of the dust and causing them to drift more towards a barb wire fence as they stood waiting. Nobody stopped for them, the RV serving as a blind to those driving by. It was a typical Wyoming day: a hot and dry breeze keeping it just barely cool enough to be livable. Pinkie Pie made herself busy counting these small, yellow flowers growing among the grass, though she stopped pressing her muzzle so close to them when she discovered they had little prickly thorns.

"Perhaps we should take the opportunity to make some lunch for everypony," Rarity suggested after a few minutes of idle chat.

"Sounds good to me," Asher agreed, pushing off the fence post he was leaning on. They made their way back into the shelter from the elements, Asher making a beeline for the fridge. "Sandwiches sound good?"

"That'd be perfect! I know everypony’s favorite sandwich!" Pinkie offered her assistance. "I know everypony’s favorite everything. Favorite candy, favorite cake, favorite kind of hay...."

Pinkie started getting on a roll as Asher looked in the fridge. It looked quite the mess, like the trip had been a little rougher on the contents then he had hoped. Heck, a few of the items were open, and he swore they had brought along more grapes than he was seeing.

"David! What happened to all the grapes?"

"I dunno. I only ate a few," David said with a shrug as he pulled down the bread from the top shelves. Pinkie and Rarity shook their heads and Applejack muttered something about not really liking grapes.

"Weird. Okay, Pinkie, you're up first. Waddya like?"


- 45 Minutes Later -


The door suddenly opened as Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight returned and climbed back inside.

"Hey, you're back. We made you lunch!" Pinkie Pie greeted enthusiastically.

"Sweet! I'm starving!" Rainbow Dash responded. Pinkie Pie leaped, more gracefully than a deer, from her seated position to just in front of the counter, where their friends’ sandwiches sat waiting, and began divvying them out.

"So, what'd you find?" Asher asked through a mouthful of his own lunch.

"Not too much I'm afraid," Twilight admitted as she bit into her daisy sandwich (Asher had been quite surprised when Pinkie had produced those out of the supplies they had brought). She levitated a scroll out of her saddlebag and over to Asher, who unfurled the notes to get a look. Twilight had been meticulous as always.

"The condition of the city itself is just as fine as Ponyville, and the story we gathered from around town was the same as our own. A black cloud flashing lightning at an incredible rate overtook the city and next thing they knew they were here," Twilight explained, the other ponies nodding knowingly. Asher listened quietly, but tried to imagine what it looked like for one cloud to take over another.

"I measured the magic field and it appears that Cloudsdale is also leaking magic into this world," Twilight said. "But the only thing unusual I could find is that most of it was flowing in one direction, to the the north."

"North mean anything significant to you in magic terms?" Asher asked.

"No, not that I've ever heard of," Twilight said, taking another large bite of her sandwich. She was kind of a messy eater, crumbs spilling onto the floor.

"What 'bout here?" Applejack posed the question. David and Asher exchanged a glance as they both turned it over in their minds. East and West had religious attachments in some religions, but north. North was just cold.

"Beyond ancient navigation, I got nothing special about north," Asher finally said.

"Me neither," David shrugged.

"Hmm. Maybe it has something to do with the Crystal Empire..." Twilight wondered aloud. "I supposed we'll just have to continue on and see what other data we can gather."

Asher agreed, and seeing as they had a schedule to keep, Asher slid back into the driver's seat and started it up. Soon he had found a place to wheel around and head back towards the highway that would take them west.

"Hey, Ash, do you think I could learn to drive?" Rainbow Dash asked not long after they had passed back through Laramie. Asher looked at her to judge her level of seriousness, and found it to be eagerly wanting, like a 15 year old waiting to get her license.

"I think you'd find it difficult Dash. No offense, but by our standards you're a bit short," Asher laughed. "Can't use your wings to work the pedals."

"Aw man!" Rainbow Dash conceded quickly as she realized her size would indeed be quite the hindrance to driving a vehicle built for humans. The highway turned lonely once more as they got farther away from the tourist-besieged town. A little ways out, Asher's cell phone rang out.

He slipped it out of his pocket to see that his Mom was calling. Probably just to check up on how it was going. He may be 20 but she still sometimes acted as though he were 12. Nothing wrong with that really.

"Hey, mom, WHOA!"

A large deer had lept out onto the highway out of nowhere. Asher dropped the phone and grabbed the wheel with both hands, slamming on the brakes. Behind him everybody yelped as they were suddenly thrown forward by the momentum, cupboards shaking like maracas as the food supply was messed up yet again. The deer scurried out of the way, and as it did Asher immediately started speeding back up, hoping that nobody was speeding towards their rear. A glance in the mirrors showed that they had gotten lucky. There was no one that he could see for miles.

"That was fun! Let's do it again!" Pinkie Pie cheered. "Oh hello, where have you been?"

Asher picked up the phone and put it back to his ear as he glanced back to assess the "damage."

"Sorry Mom, this deer jumped in the--" Asher stopped short.

Lying on the floor, looking very surprised and with the exact expression of a person who just got caught jailbreaking, was Anne. And on her back and lying about were three equally surprised, equally sheepish fillies.

"Mom," Asher put the phone back to his ear. "You wouldn't happen to be calling about the whereabouts of your youngest child, now would you?"


- Anne -


"Are. You. Crazy!?" her older brother David stood over her, his expression looking a lot like Mom’s did when she was angry. Anne could tell he was also completely stunned that she was there. Behind him stood all six of the others. Twilight and Fluttershy just looked surprised, and Pinkie Pie was staring at them with a conflicted look. Rainbow Dash looked impressed, nodding her head slowly and earning a hopeful look out of Scootaloo. Rarity and Applejack, however, looked about as livid as her own siblings. This was not how she pictured this going.

"What in tarnation were ya thinkin'?" Applejack demanded, glancing at each of them but giving the hardest stare to Apple Bloom.

"We wanted to go with you!" Sweetie Belle answered.

"Well that much is obvious!" Rarity retorted angrily.

"What happens if we get in an accident?" David snapped. "We wouldn't have even known you were back there! Where were you even hiding?"

"The closet, but you guys never went back there anyway," Anne said quietly.

"We were plannin' to come out and show ya once we got to You-Taw," Apple Bloom added.

"That way it would be too far to turn back to bring us home," Scootaloo finished. Rainbow Dash looked even more impressed; however, the others not so much. David was looking at Anne in a way that let her know that he knew she was the one who had probably come up with that bit of the plan.

"Well, we don't have much choice," Twilight said, starting to sound a little cross herself.

"No, luckily we do," Asher said as he walked over to them, after getting off the phone with their parents. Oooh I am so grounded. 

"Dad said he's gonna get plane tickets for them in Salt Lake," her oldest brother continued, sounding supremely annoyed.

"We're gonna send these four on a plane alone?" David asked incredulously.

"Actually that sounds like fun!" Scootaloo piped up.

"Yeah!" Sweetie Belle cheered.

Anne was getting excited at the prospect too. "Maybe they'll let us look around the cockpit!"

"They'll let us do that!?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Yeah! They did when we went to Disneyworld! They even let me sit in the pilot's seat!" Anne said, recalling the event from when she was, like, six. Remembering they were still in trouble, Anne sobered up and looked back to her brothers and friends. All of them looked absolutely horrified.

"And you're goin' with them," Asher said quickly to David.

"Good idea," they all responded at once.


- David -


The atmosphere of the trip had changed dramatically for David. Thanks to the escapades of his younger sister and her friends, his trip had now been given a detour in Salt Lake. He'd probably fly out to meet them again along the way somewhere, but they wouldn't be able to figure that out until he actually got back. All in all, he was definitely going to miss at least most of California.

Also he was trying to figure out how he was going to get three really little ponies through a crowded airport without anybody dying.

The immediate sensationalism of the stowaways had begun to wear off after a couple hours, at least enough that Anne and the others felt brave enough to pipe into conversations and ask for food.

"Wait! Was it you who ate all the grapes?" asked Asher with dismay.

"Sorry. When you stopped we got hungry," Anne said.

"Ate the Pringles too. Sorry," Scootaloo apologized.

"Told you we should have brought more than one can," David said.

Asher ignored him and instead flipped on the radio, turning the scanner looking for anything that could possibly reach this far out. Most of the stations whizzed by, a couple times stopping on sites so static infested you couldn't even tell what they were playing. So when a station finally came up that was clear, Asher stopped it immediately.

It was just some radio host talking news.

"Is that that guy's job? To just talk over the- the-" Rainbow Dash stopped trying to remember the name.

"Radio?" Twilight suggested.

"Yep, that's it! Radio."

"Yeah. There's even guys who have their shows played over the whole country," Asher said. "Though most of the time they're just giving cool tidbits between songs. I think they'll put on something we can listen to pretty soon."

He was right, for not long after he said so, the announcer segwayed to the music. Turns out they had landed on a mix station of some sort, because that was the only reason David could think of why they'd even think of playing "Allstar."

Asher started laughing at first, "Ha! I haven't heard this song in ages!" before picking up with the lyrics and singing along. He wasn't a great singer, but you didn't need to be to sing with this song. And Asher had been a big fan of Smash Mouth ever since he saw the movie Shrek as a kid.

"This song doesn't make too much sense," Twilight noted just barely loud enough to be heard. But certain stowaways didn't seem to care. Anne joined in with him where she could, her memory for the song not quite as good as his. Then, to David's surprise, Sweetie Belle started trying as well along with Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. They went all but quiet during the verses, but they picked up the chorus very quickly. By the time it rolled around for the third time, Sweetie Belle was belting it. She was owning it.

"Holy crap," David mumbled. That girl could sing! Heck, she was making Smash Mouth sound like it was being sung by an angel. As the song winded down, ending with it's final line, Sweetie Belle put on the finishing touch with a vocal flourish that would have made Taylor Swift jealous.

"Wow!" Asher said, smacking the edge of the wheel with one hand over and over in lieu of clapping, the radio going back to the host. "I think I know what she should pick as her little mark."

"Girls! I think I have an idea!" Sweetie Belle said, the others nodding. In the second before she answered, David couldn't help but noticed that all six ponies got the exact same expression. Some sort of expectant, excited, anxious look, like either something wonderful was going to happen or the world was about to face impending doom

"Cutie Mark Crusader RADIO HOSTS!" they said in unison. And with that, Rainbow and Twilight face-hoofed, Applejack smiled and rolled her eyes, Pinkie Pie just laughed, and Rarity gave the most exasperated sigh David had ever heard.

"That wasn't what I was thinking at all," he heard Anne whisper to Asher. "But that sounds fun!"

"At least it ain't Pilots," Asher said with a wink to David.

The intermittent playing of the radio swallowed the rest of the day as they pulled into Salt Lake City,the sun finally starting to disappear behind the mountains. The pony town in question was to the south a little ways, which had been similarly named Salt Lick City. Upon the suggestion that they inspect it in the morning when they have light to work with, they decided to find a spot to park.

Which, as every traveling American knows, means a Walmart parking lot. Finding one wasn't difficult, and soon he had stopped in the back corner of a lot in a suburb called West Valley City. Finding sleeping places was a bit more of a chore with the four extra bodies, but soon they had figured it out. Anne and the Crusaders slept on the bed converted where the table usually was. Asher flopped onto the couch, with Rainbow Dash claiming the couch armrests, saying it was just like sleeping on a tree branch, but softer. Fluttershy curled up on the upper bunk, leaving the other three to take the massive bed in the back, which gave them ample room. David picked the passenger's seat, leaning it back until it was nearly flat.

As he dozed off, he tried not to think about the strenuous task he had before him the next day off.


- End Day 1 - West Valley City, UT -



- Applejack - Unknown -


Applejack had no idea where she was, sure she had never seen it before, but feeling quite at home. She was standing in an orchard. It was nothing like Sweet Apple Acres. There were apples, yes, but there were also so many other fruits and crops around. She was on her own, but distantly she could make out other figures working the spacious fields.

Thick forests surrounded the fields, and behind her she could see that there were buildings rising out of the trees behind her. These were like none she had ever seen before either. Above, a few pegasi zipped about moving the clouds in an otherwise clear blue sky. It was hot, and very, very humid, but that would be good for the crop.

Shrugging, she went back to the task of taking care of the trees. They were strong, healthy, and she could tell they were growing quickly. They would probably double their fruit within a couple of seasons.

Suddenly, an ear-splitting crash sent Applejack sprawling on instinct, her ears ringing. Before she could catch her breath and look around, a force like a hurricane slammed into her side and tossed her up, missing a tree trunk by inches. She dug in her hooves and straightened up by muscle strength alone.

In the direction of the city, a huge plume of flame and smoke was rising and raging like a storm of its own. The sky was beginning to turn red and she could feel the heat from where she stood. Flames shot like missiles into the fields around her. They were everywhere, and there was nowhere to--"


- Applejack -


She awoke with a little start. The camper was completely dark, only the sound of 11 unique snores harmonizing. Applejack blinked once or twice, shrugged it off, rolled over, and was back asleep without a second thought.


> Chapter 17: Pacific
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


- MSNBC -


"- in nearly three weeks. Does this mean it's over or just the lull before the storm? We all saw what happened in Los Angeles and Ft. Lauderdale. Who's to say that wouldn't happen to more of our cities and towns in the near future? Next time it might happen during rush hour in New York, or during a sporting event? We need answers, and the consensus right now is grim: We know nothing. They know nothing."


- FOX -


"- understand how, but just look at it objectively. I think this has happened before. These Equestrians may be alien, but just look at our mythology. We have unicorns, we have pegasus, and there isn't a culture that I know of that doesn't have dragons."

"So is it your opinion that this may be some sort of natural cycle, or just a cosmic coincidence?"


- NBC -


"Protests in the Capitol today, protesting the alien bill that is making the rounds in Congress. The protesters expressed outrage at the proposed measures, shouting slogans such as 'help humans first' and 'deport them all!' Representatives in both parties have expressed concerns about-"


- BBC -


" - have been unable to confirm their authenticity, but there are some reports coming out of the Democratic Republic of the Congo of the loss of an entire harvest to a destructive and growing swarm of insects. There are reports that the DRC has begun a massive campaign of insecticides and bonfires.Though these remain unconfirmed, the speculation is that the government of Congo does not want to alert any aggressive neighbors of potential weakness on an already unstable continent."


- ABC -


"- the unprecedented meeting at the UN this Friday as a possible step towards peace on a peninsula that hasn't been able to take a breath of relief since the Korean War. The Vice President and the Secretary of State have already pledged that they will be attending the summit. Sources also tell us that there is some speculation that the Equestrian Princess Luna, who has been working with Congress and the administration, will also be present and may even address UN leaders. Similar speculation is coming out of Canada, Japan, and Italy according -"


- Salt Lake City, Utah - July 20 - Day 2 - Asher -


Asher was the first one awake. Not by choice, but rather by the incessant, involuntary kicking that Rainbow Dash kept delivering to his foot. Deciding it was useless to try and go back to sleep, he arose and stretched. Everything was quiet and relatively still, everybody and everypony still being asleep.

The morning light was already illuminating the inside of the camper, giving everything a light blue tint. Asher reached into the cupboards and fridge, gathering some frosted flakes and milk, and pouring them together into a plastic bowl to be consumed with the help of a plastic spoon. True blue vacation style.

With the table still in converted bed mode, Asher slipped into the driver's seat to eat his cereal. He brushed the curtains aside for a second to get a good look. The parking lot was still essentially empty, except for employees and a few soccer mom minivans. Oh yeah. Utah.

"Morning."

Asher looked back over his shoulder to see Twilight, who was suffering from a serious case of bed-head.

"Good Mornin'" Asher replied back, slurping another spoonful of flakes. "You're up early."

"Look who's talking," Twilight countered.

"Want some breakfast?" Asher offered.

"Sounds delightful," she answered, stretching her legs. "Oats in milk, huh? That looks kind of interesting."

"And it's frosted with honey," Asher added as he chomped on another spoonful.

Twilight levitated everything at the same time, pouring the cereal with ease and immediately following with milk before even putting the box down. She located another plastic spoon and ambled back over to Asher, taking a seat on the carpet floor. Both bowl and spoon remained levitated as she began to eat.

"Wow, that's good," she said with a smile.

"Does it get tiring when you do that?" Asher asked.

"What?

"Do you get tired when you levitate stuff for a while?" Asher repeated. Twilight thought about it as she continued to eat.

"I guess it depends on what I'm levitating," she finally said. "I suppose I could levitate small things like this indefinitely, but the heavier something is the shorter my stamina would be. But it's something you have to practice. When I was a filly it was a challenge to move a page in a book. That's about where Sweetie Belle is at right now."

Asher nodded as he glanced at his sister and her little friends. It was quite the adorable picture, with Anne wound up tight under a blanket, and around her all three of her companions in various positions. Scootaloo was even draped like a lazy cat over her shoulder. If there was ever an image with the potential to break the internet that was it.

"What's the itinerary for the day?" Twilight asked as she crunched away.

"Well, I'm thinking Salt Lick City right after breakfast, then we'll try to make it north to Boise by dinner, then try to make it to somewhere near Rainbow Falls before it's too late," Asher recited off, mentally calculating the hours. It was going to be a long day.

"What about the fillies?" Twilight asked, motioning with her head to where they slept. Seemingly on cue Apple Bloom snorted in her sleep as all four of them readjusted.

"Dad couldn't find five tickets for anything leaving Salt Lake," Asher shrugged. "Or Boise, or pretty much anywhere nearby. We'll probably just have to have them tag along until we know where we're gonna be. Maybe Sacramento or something."

"Some people are trying to sleep, ya know."

David stirred in the reclined passenger seat, sitting up and shooting both his brother and Twilight a very annoyed glance.

"Most people would know that," David continued as he sat up.

"If I didn't just see you get up, I'd say you woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Asher quipped, earning another irritated glance from his brother and a stifled snort of laughter from Twilight.

"The sun's barely up and you're already annoying," muttered David as he made for the cabinets. Though when he opened the cabinets, the relative quiet of the morning was immediately destroyed as he accidentally pulled a pile of plastic bowls crashing down to the counters, clanging much louder than Asher would have thought possible.

"Argh! Are all humans this loud when they wake up!?" Rainbow Dash opened one eye solely to give the stink-eye to David, who looked supremely flustered that the tables had been so quickly turned on him. That of course led to more snickers from Twilight and Asher, which then earned two scowls from David and Rainbow Dash. "Apparently they are."

"Wha---" Apple Bloom stirred on top of the pile of sleeping cuteness. "Mornin' already?"

"The sun's coming up and the cereal is crunching, so I'd say so," Asher answered, shrugging at Twilight. "Might as well get everyone going. Got a long way to go."

They started driving again by the time the sun was above the east mountains. Salt Lake City was a collection of high rises and suburbs that seemed to be cozily nestled in the mountains, making for a strange collaboration of nature and urban sprawl. Even with the buildings towering around it, the spires of the Mormon temple in the middle seemed to watch over the city like a castle, and to the west the salty lake itself reflected the baby blue sky like a mirror.

It was near the lake where they found their destination, just outside of a small suburb called Magna.


- Salt Lick City, UT - Twilight -


Salt Lick City was a relatively small town nestled in a small valley not far from the massive lake to the west. It was a frontier village noted for being the crossroads of west Equestria and the home of the world's largest ball of yarn.

But it had one major difference that immediately grabbed Twilight's attention. There wasn't a big camp outside the town limits like at Ponyville and under Cloudsdale, but there were plenty of humans walking around. In fact, they were first greeted by a welcoming party of two ponies and two humans, sitting relaxed under a shade tent.

"Well, hello! Don't think I've seen you around before," one of the ponies, a lime-green mare, greeted.

"Wait, you're Princess Twilight Sparkle, right?" a brown stallion pointed out. The other three’s countenances brightened when they realized he was right.

"Oh, wow. You were excellent in your speech a couple weeks back," said one of the humans, an older man with a receding hairline. "You are a very good speaker. I'm John Stanton"

"And I'm Hannah Bardwell. What brings you all here to Salt Lake?" the female human asked.

"Investigation," Twilight answered.

"Ah, to find the answer of our mystery storm I suppose?" the mare said brightly.

"That's right," Twilight affirmed. "We thought it would be easier to search for a solution at the source."

"Can't argue with that," the stallion said. "Name's Mountain Cap, and if there's anything we can do to help, just ask."

"Perhaps somepony to show us around," Twilight asked, to which the mare jumped up.

"I can help with that!" she said. "My name's Blue Deseret, but just Dezzie works."

Twilight and her friends thanked them and followed Dezzie into town. The town, much like the nearby human metropolis, was set in a grid pattern, with a broad main street crossing the middle. The town's market place lined this street, and was the beating heart of the settlement. Ponies and humans could be seen all the way up and down the street, interacting with each other like it was just any other day. It was almost strange how natural they were acting with each other.

"How do y’all do the selling 'round here?" Applejack asked as they passed a stand where a human couple was making a purchase from a smiling, yellow unicorn.

"Well, we were told early on that our gold bits were really valuable, and a message from Princess Luna warned us not to sell ourselves short as it were," Dezzie explained cheerfully. "But we really needed supplies to keep up our living, so we struck a deal. It's a simple trade system, kind of like that trade fair in Rainbow Falls. And if there's ever a dispute, then our little committee back there make a decision."

"Sounds like y’all figured yourselves out quickly," Asher said, impressed.

"Faster than we did," David muttered, teasing at his brother. "We spent the first three days trying to hide it from everyone."

"Really? Huh." Dezzie seemed surprised by the brother's banter, but didn't press for any answers.

"So, Dezzie, I suppose first thing's first," Twilight started. "Is there anything unusual about the town?"

"You mean besides ending up in another world?" laughed Blue Deseret. "Well, there actually isn't much different."


- Rarity -


Memories of the little adventure that had swung herself and Applejack through this town came back to Rarity. They hadn't spent long here that time and they wouldn't this time either. As far as she understood, it was going to be another long day of traveling. And now she had her sister to watch out for.

"Sweetie Belle, please calm down," Rarity chided as Sweetie and her friends quite literally ran circles around here. "You're not supposed to be on this trip in the first place. Honestly, if mother and father were here, they'd have a fit."

Much like the one I'm sure Anne's parents are having right now, Rarity thought. Actually, no. Her parents were rather laid back and had somewhat spoiled Rarity and Sweetie. The Burgesses may not fit the picture of wealthy sophistication, but Rarity had engaged in enough conversations with Mrs. Burgess to know they took a vested interest in their children's lives. Anne was not going to get off very easily. It was probably why the little girl was enjoying every last minute, well aware of the riot act she would be read upon her return home.

Twilight was fully entrenched in conversation with the very friendly Dezzie, who was all too happy to give as many details as she could remember. Asher stood over the pair, listening in carefully to every detail. But the meticulous exchange soon either lost or simply bored the other members of the party, and they soon began wandering the market.

With the fillies orbiting around Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy had wordlessly volunteered to help keep a lid on their energy, while David ambled off with Rainbow Dash and Applejack flanking him.

"Oooh! Oh! Let's find a candy store! Or a cake store! Do you think there's a candy cake store? That would be delicious!" Pinkie Pie rambled as she bounced along.

"Yeah!" the girls cheered. While Rarity didn't think it was a good idea, considering the relatively small space they were all going to be confined to for most of the day, she didn't have time to object, as Pinkie Pie and the girls sped off before either she or Fluttershy could do anything about it.

"There they go," Fluttershy sighed.

"I never could quite get them to listen to me," Rarity complained as she watched them disappear around a corner.

"It's okay, fillies will be fillies," Fluttershy assured her. "I remember Rainbow Dash got into a lot of trouble in school back in Cloudsdale."

"She still gets into trouble sometimes," Rarity laughed.

"Hey Rarity!"

Rainbow Dash was flying towards her, just barely ahead of David and Applejack.

"What is it?"

"What kind of gem is this? Is it real?" David asked, holding out the stone in question. Rarity took a single glance at it and knew exactly what it was.

"It's a ruby," she answered definitively. "A nice one as well."

"See? I told you," said Rainbow Dash smugly.

"A ruby?" David said. "What are the odds of that?"

"Well, where there's one there's bound to be more," Rarity said casually.

"Seriously?" David was incredulous.

"And that's what I told ya, Dave," Applejack said, Rainbow Dash giving her a hoof bump for their double victory.

"I can find more if you like," Rarity said. She concentrated and cast her gem finding spell. The familiar pull of the gems started popping up all around her, including one patch nearby. "There's one just over here."

David walked over to where she was, wearing a skeptical expression as he started to kick the dirt away with his shoes, before grabbing a nearby stick and started hacking into the ground. Indeed, just below the surface, was a collection of gems.

"Whoa! Hey!" David started scraping out as many as he could with his fingers, brushing off the dust. "I didn't even know rubies could form so close to the surface, the dirt is just so loose here."

Before Rarity could begin to explain that most gems actually formed with natural magical assistance, David turned back and jogged towards his brother, saying, "Hey Ash! Check it out!"

"Whoa." Asher looked dumbfounded. "That'll cover a semester or two."

"Did you just pick all those up from one spot?" Twilight asked as Rarity trotted up.

"Yes, but it's not the only pocket I could sense," Rarity said.

"Hmm. That's sorta strange," Twilight said.

"I'll say," Asher said. "What are the odds of finding so many gems in one spot?"

"No, that's not it darling," Rarity corrected. "It's that most of them are rubies. Gem pockets are usually much more diverse."

"Do you think this might be a clue?" Asher suggested, his eyes brightening. Twilight held her hoof to her chin, thinking.

"Maybe," Twilight said. "Gems often have a strong connection to magic, though I'm not sure how it would connect to our dilemma. I'd have to also do some research on geological magic."

"We should probably at least keep an eye out for it when we get to the other towns," Asher said, as he held up the rubies with the same wonder of a foal seeing something for the first time.

"I could use my gem finding spell for that," Rarity offered. "Though if somepony wants to dig them up they'll have to do it themselves. I'd rather not chip my hooves."

"That would be perfect, Rarity, thank you," Twilight said. "The more data we gather, the closer we get to home."

Rarity beamed a little, glad that she would be of some use on their quest. Her satisfaction was doomed to be short lived however, as Pinkie Pie came streaking around the corner, with Sweetie Belle and friends right behind her.

"If anypony asks, we weren't seeing how much sugar could fit into a cotton candy maker!" the pink blur hollered as it sped by. Rarity first heaved a sigh.

"Oh for the love of... Sweetie Belle!"


- Rainbow Dash - 


It wasn't long before they were traveling northbound, though there was a small delay as they figured out how to compensate a candy store owner for a totaled cotton candy mixer. The gems they had dug up came in handy at that point. Ha, I used that new word.

David was taking a turn driving, while also having a conversation with Rarity which, Rainbow gathered, was about essentially how crazy fashions had been for a while. Asher was taking advantage of his break by reading Daring Do and the Sapphire Statue on the couch. As per his request Rainbow had brought the entire series with her so that he could finally read it. He seemed to be enjoying it so far.

Twilight was also on the couch, hooves curled underneath as she poured into a novel of her own: Harry Potter and the something or other, which apparently was some sort of story involving a crazy version of magic where humans used magic, but only with wands. Not something Rainbow Dash was particularly interested in but certainly up Twilight's alley. Every once in a while she would pipe up with some statement like, "I wonder how they would use the phoenix feather to channel magic" and "I've met Cerberus before. Had to run him all the way back to Tartarus."

Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash and most of the others were playing a rather competitive board game, Settlers of Catan. As Anne had explained the rules, Rainbow initially shunned the idea, but within the first twenty minutes had been drawn in.

"Anypony got any Ore? I'll give you two Bricks for it!" Rainbow Dash pleaded, looking around the table.

"Sorry, sugarcube. Nothin' doin' there," Applejack said. From the way she smirked, the farm pony probably had the card Rainbow Dash wanted but she wasn't budging if she did. Applejack had three cities already and looked like she was getting ready to build a fourth. She and Anne had been winning just about the whole game, while Rainbow Dash had struggled to score any points at all.

Rainbow Dash stared at her own cards, which was a somewhat useless stockpile of lumber and wheat cards, before sighing and passing off her turn to Fluttershy. All Dash had managed to do was to build a few settlements, but Pinkie Pie had built a practical wall of roads that made expanding impossible.

"I can't decide if I love or hate this game," Rainbow Dash deadpanned.

"That's how everyone feels about it, and it never changes," David piped in from the driver's seat. "Hey look, we're crossing the Idaho border."

"Ah Idaho, land of lakes, rivers, and a few billion potatoes," added Asher as he flipped the page on his book.

"Ooh, Potatoes," Pinkie Pie said with a hint of salivation.

"Guess that means we're only a few more hours from dinner," Asher continued.

"You did call ahead, right?" David questioned.

"Of course I did," Asher answered curtly.

"Rainbow, you wanna give me some Wood? Please? I'll trade you some Sheep!" Scootaloo pleaded, regaining the pegasus' attention for a moment. As poorly as Rainbow Dash had been playing, Scootaloo and the joint efforts of the Crusaders were proving to be fruitless, so Rainbow Dash went ahead and traded. The only one doing worse than them was Fluttershy, who had practically nothing because she just traded whenever anypony asked, and she gave generously. Games were not really her thing.

"Welp, y’all gave it a good run, but..." Applejack laid down some cards and flipped over a couple more. "I think I win this time."

"What?" Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo harmonized their disbelief as Anne leaned over and counted under her breath.

"Oh, yep. She did," the human girl confirmed, to which Applejack responded by leaning back with a satisfied grin.

Rainbow Dash groaned as she tossed her cards in frustration. She really hated losing, even if it was just a board game she had quite literally never even heard of it until perhaps an hour before. It was a long trip, however, and a rematch was sure to be in order.

"How 'bout we put a movie on or something?" somebody suggested.

"Yeah!" Anne and the Crusaders cheered in unison and Rainbow shared their enthusiasm. That would sure make the time go by quickly, though with the fillies present, Asher and Rarity insisted that they choose something more kid friendly from the motley collection they had stuffed into one of the cupboards. They ultimately ended up choosing one of the cartoons, this one called Mulan.

At first Rainbow was skeptical about the story as it started out pretty sappy, so for much of the first act Rainbow half-listened as she watched the Idaho countryside fly by. But soon, a giant war, a quick-talking dragon ("Could you imagine Spike talking like that?"), joining the army, and a hilarious bit about her trying to act like a man managed to regain Dash's attention, and the epic story managed to help eat away the hours.

It was a good thing that, once the show ended, they were apparently near their dinner destination, because Rainbow's wasn't the only belly that was audibly complaining.

"Are we there yet?" Anne complained. (This had been a repeated question for nearly an hour)

"Hey, you're the ones that stowed away. No complaining," snapped Asher, who had taken over the driving when they stopped for fuel in a little town called Mountain Home a little ways back. "We're almost there, see? There's a sign for Boise."

According to the Burgesses, Boise was the largest city in all of the state of Idaho. With that kind of info, Rainbow had expected it to look more like Denver, with towering buildings and the like. In that department the city was an utter disappointment. In fact, Rainbow was positive that even that city near Ponyville was larger. But it was where she would finally get dinner so she wasn't complaining.

Soon, Rainbow Dash and the rest of the gang were glued to the windows as they pulled into a neighborhood that was unlike any she had ever seen. The houses looked essentially all the same, like someone had drawn up the plans for a single house and used them for every single one. A little lazy, but efficient to be sure.

They stopped in front of one of these houses, how Asher told one apart from another being a total mystery to Dash, and all he said before he opened the door was, "Hold on a sec, let me make sure they're home."

They watched as he jogged across the lawn and straight to the door, knocking on it with curled hand and waiting for them to answer. The seconds dragged on, leading Rainbow to worry that maybe their dinner was in jeopardy of not happening.

"So, who lives h-"

"BLARGH!!"

A hideous creature suddenly jumped out in front of the open door of the RV with long hair and wrinkled, gray skin just laughing maniacally, a laugh that was drowned out by the prolonged screams of everyone on board. Rainbow Dash's heart beat like a bad drummer on a sugar rush as she gripped Applejack in a death hug, who didn't notice because she was too busy shaking and returning the fear induced hug around Rainbow's neck.

"Ugh, now that was a good one Uncle Matt," David said as he let out a shaky sigh and a laugh.

"Uncle?" Twilight exclaimed with a horrified tone. Rainbow relaxed her grip as she looked to David and then back to the creature just in time to see it pull off the scary mask to reveal a grinning, mustachioed human.

"Are you ever not gonna fall for that?" Uncle Matt said to the stunned group. Silence pervaded for yet a couple more seconds.

"Oh, I like him," Pinkie Pie declared.


- Asher -


Uncle Matt and Aunt Becky were another branch of the Burgess family, and in some ways it showed. Matt looked very similar to his brother Andrew, with the same facial features even if he did hide some of it under a dark mustache. He was also easily as playful if not more so than Asher's Dad, and sure loved to prank others. Becky was a smaller woman who pretty much fit the perfect description of a housewife. She even had a habit of wearing an apron when she prepared meals for her family, which was often as they had a family of seven rambunctious kids.

The arrival of nine equestrians plus three cousins would have been perceived as a burden by just about anyone else, but when Asher had called saying they planned to drive through Boise, they insisted on providing a meal for the whole crew. And since Becky was a vegetarian anyway, she had a lot of practice cooking such meals and making it taste good to notorious carnivores like Matt and the rest of the Burgess clan.

Like the mouth-watering veggie stir fry that Asher was in the process of devouring, a bevy of lively conversations filled the packed dining room. Anne, the fillies, and the three youngest cousins were set up at small table in an adjacent room, and though they were probably raising cane in there on their own it appeared to be of no concern to Asher's Aunt and Uncle.

"So you run an entire apple orchard by yourselves?" Uncle Matt asked through a cheek-full.

"Yessir, jus' me, my sister, my brother, and Granny," Applejack answered, also through a cheek-full.

"That ought to take a lot of time and a lot of work," Matt said with a little whistle. He would know about running a business. He was an entrepreneur that seemed to change businesses every few months, searching for the big break. "And I hear you run some sort of custom dress store?"

"That's correct, the Carousel Boutique," Rarity replied brightly. She was taking a much more polite approach to her meal despite the relative chaos around her, levitating a fork and taking small bites one at a time.

As Matt had a friendly conversation with those two about the differences between running a business in Equestria and America, Asher's cousins were busy having a rambling, nearly impossible to follow conversation with Pinkie Pie, while Fluttershy mostly just watched quietly. Asher didn't bother listening in to that one, because every time he did he just got a little lost and more than a little confused ("Oatmeal, are you crazy!?").

"So, you've still got a long way to go then," Aunt Becky said, bring Asher back to the other conversation. His Aunt, David, and Twilight were talking about the trip, everything from finding out Anne had stowed away to some of their findings.

"Uh-huh. We've only visited two sites so far, but we think we may have some good leads to work with already," Twilight answered optimistically. Asher could hardly call them good leads: a handful of shiny stones and a directional flow in some sort of expanding magic field, but since he too preferred optimism he didn't voice that view.

"I'm sure you'll figure it out in no time," Becky said sweetly. "Enjoying the food?"

"Oh yes, very much," Twilight nodded happily as she levitated the last forkful of food off her plate.

"I suppose y’all better get moving," Uncle Matt said, leaning back in his chair. Asher took a look at the time on the microwave clock to find that, sure enough, time had gotten away from them. Outside, the shadows were getting long.

Grudging agreement went around the table and everybody and pony began standing up (or clambering down) out of their chairs. Asher peeked around the corner and informed the kids, relieved that they hadn't destroyed the room. Completely.

"If you are still around when the next family gathering comes around, you'll all have to join us," Uncle Matt said as the troupe finally made it outside. "We pack it on down to Andrew's every Thanksgiving."

"That sounds mighty nice," Applejack said, everyone else giving their agreement.

"If you're still here, we'll have to do that thing Pinkie!" one cousin said as they boarded once again.

"You know it!" Pinkie Pie answered back. Asher wasn't sure he wanted to know what that meant.

Counting heads to make sure they hadn't lost anyone nor gained any new passengers, they were soon back on their way towards Washington. Soon the rugged, dry mountains of Idaho started giving way to the green forests of Oregon as the sun began to finally set on another day. Asher switched driving duty with David when they stopped for gas near the Washington line, in a town called Hermiston. He, along with half the passengers, drifted off to sleep with the assistance of a radio station playing a Johnny Cash marathon.


- Stehekin, WA - Pinkie Pie - July 21 - Day 3 -


"Cannonpony!"

Pinkie Pie curled her body into maximum splash position as she leaped into the water of Lake Chelan, delivering what was sure to be quite the cascade of water onto the nearby swimmers. Pinkie resurfaced with a giggle as she enjoyed the cool, refreshing water. It was still morning, but the summer sun was already beating down. Plus it was extra nice to stretch their muscles like that after two straight days on the road. All the pent up energy had Pinkie feeling like she could swim all the way to Las Pegasus.

Actually, she probably could.

"Pinkie, heads up!"

Pinkie looked up to see Applejack descending in a cannonball of her own, landing with a spectacular splash just a few lengths from Pinkie Pie. Pinkie let the water envelop her as she turned and swam back towards the shore. She resurfaced in the shallows, where Asher stood with the water up to his knees.

"Hi Pinkie," Asher laughed. "You both put my cannonballs to shame and you're half my size."

"Practice makes perfect," said Pinkie smiling.

"Hey Pinkie! Watch this!"

She turned her attention a few paces down the shore. Anne and all the crusaders all stood upon a large rock they had been using as a springboard into the lake. All four rocked back a step and then jumped in unison with harmonized screams into the water.

"This was a good idea," Asher said as he stretched and glanced back in the direction of Rainbow Falls.

"I hope Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy don't take too long so that they can have some fun too," Pinkie Pie said, suddenly concerned that they would feel left out once they returned. There was no road that led to the elevated town, and if they were to stick to schedule (which would make Twilight very happy) then they needed to save time.

So Rarity gave Twilight a refresher on the gem finding spell and she, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy took off. Finding nothing to do and dying to get out and stretch, those left behind decided to trek down some back trails to a secluded, rocky beach on the lake.

"They'll be fine," Applejack assured from the shore. "I'm thinking Rarity wouldn't wanna get her mane wet anyways."

"You're probably right!" Pinkie agreed before diving under the surface. The lake wasn't especially clear, but that didn't stop her from whipping out her goggles and imitating a big fish she saw swimming by her as it attempted to get away from the Crusaders swimming after it.

When she surfaced again she flipped over and started a lazy backstroke. As she did so, and to her delight, she noticed the three ponies flying towards them and coming to a more-graceful-than-usual landing just in front of the treeline.

"Come on girls! The water's great!" Pinkie called out, paddling back in..

"Find anything interesting?" Asher asked as he trudged slowly out of the water behind her.

"There was a really big funny fish with whiskers," Pinkie Pie reported happily.

"I think he was talking to Twilight darling," Rarity said from her napping spot on a beach towel. Oh.

"Well, I did find more gems and I guess there were more Emeralds than any other type of gem, but there isn't enough data yet to know if there really is a connection," Twilight explained.

Makes sense, thought Pinkie. That's like trying to decide what the best kind of cake is after only trying two. We need to seek a larger sample size, and the more slices we have the more we know.

"Hee hee, cake," Pinkie snickered to herself. Cake always made her laugh. With silly, colored, mouth-wateringly delicious icing and happy messages, there was little that could put her in a better mood. Oh wait, they're still talking.

"We talked with Rapidfire and Midnight Strike again, as well as the mayor," Twilight continued. "So far the only thing that stands out with any story we get is that all of them are essentially the same. Black clouds, lightning, entire town picked up like it's a model and just put down here."

"I'm guessing you took all the thorough notes you could again?" Asher asked, phrasing it more like a statement of fact then a question. Pinkie nodded to herself. Twilight had always been overly thorough, but to her credit she rarely actually missed anything when she put her mind to it.

"Of course," Twilight said. "Are we ready to go?"

"eeeeeEEEYYEEEAHH!"

A familiar rebel yell and a resounding splash made Pinkie Pie turn around, just in time to be hit by a rogue wave. She gleefully rolled with the water, catching a glimpse under the water of rainbow hair. Oh, Dashie, you got me! The impromptu tsunami washed her up onto the gravel shore, depositing her on her back, in between the stunned and dripping wet Rarity and Twilight.

"RAINBOW DASH!" they both cursed at once, as Pinkie and the rest of her now sopping wet compadres sank into stitches of laughter.


- Phoebe - Reno, NV - 


Phoebe woke up late with a jolt, but after the initial heart attack she remembered she had switched her shift to the evening, meaning she was safe. She took a deep breath and rolled off the bed with all the gusto of a drugged sloth, stretching as she walked out her bedroom and down the quiet hallway.

She made a quick pitstop in the restroom before deciding she'd stay in her pj's for as long as the day allowed, turning away from her room and descending the stairs. Despite her tired body, she actually felt pretty good, even though for some reason she felt like she was forgetting something.

"Ah! Good Morning friend!"

Oh yeah. That.

Phoebe stopped at the third step from the bottom to behold what had become of what had once been her front room. Now it resembled something out of Hogwarts. Discord laid relaxing on the couch, which was now purple with orange polka dots and floating a couple inches off the ground. The TV was still mounted but now upside down. She ducked as a couple of books flew past her, flapping their pages like birds (and appropriately the books were To Kill a Mockingbird and Mockingjay).

"I hope you don't mind, Phobo, it reminds me of home," said Discord with a hardly-concealed, mischievous grin.

"Nope," she replied, ignoring his intentional mis-pronouncement of her name.

Phoebe walked into the room calmly, avoiding the coffee table as it barked at her. "You seem to be feeling better."

"Indeed my recovery is almost there," Discord said happily, snapping his fingers and producing a bag of popcorn out of nowhere. "I should be back to my old self with only a bit more rest."

"Well that's good," Phoebe said. At least then she wouldn't have to worry about caring for him all that much. For a powerful magical creature, he sure could be needy. She also got the sense that he was feeling even better than he was letting on, like a kid who had been sick but wanted to stay home an extra day from school.

"Be careful in the kitchen. The brooms get a little testy when you mess up the nice clean floor," Discord said nonchalantly.

From Hogwarts to the Sorcerer's Apprentice. Actually, she could deal with this.


- Twilight - Portland, OR -


"Not gonna lie, these cities look a lot alike," Applejack noted as they passed through the metropolis. Twilight glanced out at the towering buildings, which only lacked shadows because of the overcast skies blocking the sun entirely. She had to agree. With the occasional exception like the Space Needle back in Seattle most of the architecture was very similar. Between Portland and Seattle the sky had even been the same. They had already traveled through several spells of rain since they departed Stehekin ("It's total chaos! How would you even know where the rain's already been?" Rainbow Dash had complained, forgetting for a moment that the humans had no control over their weather) and it seemed like the sky was threatening again. It was no wonder this part of the country was just so green. Like greener-than-Sweet-Apple-Acres-after-a-summer-rain green.

The mountains had been impressive in their own right, towering above the winding roads. Though her heart jumped a little bit when she realized it was a range of volcanoes they were driving through, unlike the jagged Rockies that Ponyville rested at the foot of. That realization had come when they passed by one that was clearly missing nearly half of it's height to a gigantic crater, a crater visible even from a distance. Apparently, Mr. Burgess had been in a nearby state when that particular mountain exploded, and the ashfall had made it all the way to where he had been living.

"Yeah, but the people don't look the same!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, pointing out the window. "Look at that one! He must have reeeeeeaaally bad eyesight if he needs glasses that big."

"I'm not even sure those glasses are real," David remarked from the driver's seat as they passed by slowly, the traffic slowing them down on the busy street.

"Interesting fashion choice," Rarity added observationally. "It seems the style here is very, er... unique?"

"I would say 'egghead,' but unique works too," Rainbow Dash joked as they stared at a group of women wearing clothes that even Twilight knew were mismatched. But strangely it kinda worked even as it didn't. Since when does that make sense?

Twilight chuckled at the quip as she turned back to pouring over her extensive notes. Every last thing that could even possibly relate to magic had been noted at each and every site they had visited. So far, the only things that were unusual at all was the magic field moving, whereas it had been relatively stagnant in Equestria. But the only correlation the first three had shared was broken by Rainbow Falls. The field was flowing Southeast and not even close to at the same rate as the others. She would keep measuring it because it was still an anomaly, but she felt like they had taken a couple of steps backwards on that one.

There were some things that at least were consistent from her findings in Ponyville. For one, plants appeared to be growing slower, and ponies in Salt Lick and Rainbow Falls told her the same thing. Plants were strongly connected to Earth Pony magic so that might be something to keep searching for. Something also bothered her about the lightning. Lightning was primarily used as a cohesion and energy agent for weather ponies, which allowed them to build sustained storms and transport them over long distances. But lightning had never been used in transportation spells, nor was usually even safe to work with. Pegasi had some resistance to it but as a whole lightning was very dangerous, a fact that Asher confirmed as being true in their world as well.

So how did the spell harness such a dangerous, natural element, make it harmless, and then utilize it on such a widespread scale?

"Twilight!" A pair of snapping fingers drew her out of her thoughts. She involuntarily flinched, half expecting some chaotic magic to happen before she remembered that Discord wasn't there. Twilight blinked and looked up at Asher, who was standing by trying to get her attention.

"Sorry, I was thinking," she apologized, wondering how long he'd been trying to get her attention.

"No kidding, you give new meaning to the 'Twilight Zone,'" he joked, though she didn't get it. "We're gonna stop for lunch. Portland's famous for its food carts and I don't think Pinkie Pie would ever forgive us if we drove by one more ice cream truck."

Twilight chuckled when she noticed the pink pony salivating as she stared out the windows, her face pressed against them like an anxious puppy.

"Sounds good to me," she said. She decided to throw a joke of her own. "You think they have daisy sandwiches anywhere?"

"In Portland? I'd say 50-50 shot," Asher answered, and it only took a moment for Twilight to realize he was kinda being serious. 

20 minutes later they had pulled over in front of one such food cart, which for convenience had been located right next to a squat looking man with a small ice cream stand. Asher and David stood outside, the former reading off lengthy list of what everyone wanted for their lunch to the attendant, while the latter was in line to get the precious desert. It was a sub sandwich place simply called the Sandwich Bar, which must have had a great reputation because there was quite the crowd waiting.

It felt weird being so close to so many people without any of them knowing. People didn't vary all that much when it came to color, essentially all she had seen ranging from a creamy white to a dark brown, and there sure weren't any differences as vast as Equestrians had with wings and horns and whatnot. But yet, when you took a second to look, each one had quite the stark individuality. It was quite the fascination to try and pick out the families as they mixed together, whether it was by the way their eyes were shaped, or the one family on the corner that had a light skinned woman and a dark skinned man standing with a young child who looked like the perfect mash-up of both. Twilight thought it was kind of like snowflakes, how at a glance they all looked so similar but given inspection were all pretty different. There were some teachers Twilight knew from her school days who probably could have sat there all day just observing them.

"Uh oh, looks like Dave's having trouble carryin' all that ice cream," Applejack said, motioning to the human struggling to balance his load.

"I'll help!" Pinkie Pie suddenly offered, and in a flash she had motored down the steps, onto the street, and had begun helping to balance the creamy confections. Everything seemed to just stand still, the appearance of a bright pink pony on the decidedly human scene just too much to take in at a glance for the small crowd. The two brothers looked even more shocked than the people on the sidewalk, both comically frozen with arms full of food.

"What?" Pinkie Pie asked innocently, which Twilight could hear clear as day through the gawking silence.

"Um....." Asher hesitated for a second. "Nothing, let's get this back in the camper."

"Okay!" Pinkie responded happily, relieving David of some of his ice cream by balancing on her back legs and using her front ones like arms. The people watched like it was simply the most incredible thing they had ever seen, many of them pulling out devices that flashed like cameras, capturing pictures. That probably means everypony in Eqe- the country will see this in no time.

"Thanks! Keep the change as a tip!" Asher said to the vendors as he backed onto the bus. People peered curiously through the door, and yet others she was sure probably saw them watching through the windows. It was...

"That was hilarious!" David burst out laughing as he spread out the ice cream treats on the table, and was having trouble talking through his guffaws. "Their... Ha he... faces.... snooort...were... priceless!"

"Wait! Wait!"

Somebody was leaning into the door, trying to get their attention. Asher nearly dropped their lunch when he spun around towards the source. Twilight slid off the seat and walked to the door to see a rail thin but quite tall human with wavy black hair and a face full of freckles. He stared at Twilight with fixation for a second before blinking himself out of it and continuing.

"Wha- Where are you going? What are you doing?" he asked.

"Who's asking?" Asher asked tentatively.

"Ah- uh- I- I just write a blog," he stammered, still distracted by Twilight and the others who were craning to get a look.

"I'm just escorting them to do some research," Asher said succinctly.

"Oh neat, my readers will be glad to hear someone's doing something," the man said, sounding just like a reporter who had found the big scoop.

"Anyways sir, we have a schedule and we'd like to beat the traffic," Asher said, making a motion with his hand like it was a brush.

"Right, sorry, thanks," the man said in rapid succession as he backed off the steps. "Good luck."

Asher closed the door quickly, and as soon as it was, David started the engine and pulled away. Twilight watched as the group of pedestrians spilled a little onto the street, all of them trying to get one last look.

"Okay then! Who wants lunch?" Asher asked.


- Los Angeles, CA -


Cole had come to this city like a lot of people did, to seek fame and fortune in film. So far? It was going.... okay. He'd found work, which was better than a lot of people could say, and he did enjoy what he was doing. But to say that his goals were still out of reach at the time was a bit of an understatement. A pile of scripts occupied his desk at home, all of them his and most of them rejected.

Nothing like a cosmic disaster to change the luck around. Cole hadn't really been one for documentaries, but who knows what he could use the footage for? Most creativity is born out of randomness anyway. So there he was, camera on his shoulder trying to take in all the sights and sounds that he could. This had been his task for the last week and a half, and he had hundreds of hours of video to prove it.

But... not much to actually work with. Most of it could probably be sold as B-roll or something, but things were so tense that actually talking to one of the ponies, or really anybody, had been like pulling teeth. It was hard to blame them even though he wanted to. North Los Angeles was a total wreck all the way to West Hollywood. Pasadena, Glendale, and Arcadia had become nearly impassable, the roads being so messed up he had to walk three miles to get where he was.

So, there he stood, once again recording just about anything and everything. A guy sweeping the sidewalk in front of one of the frankenstein'd buildings, a pony trudging along with a young one on its back because it had been complaining the ground was too hard to walk on, all the while throwing anxious glances at each and every human she saw.

You know what? That's it, Cole finally thought, flicking the camera off and hoisting it off his shoulder. He had more than enough, and he could just hand it in to his boss, and figuring out what to do with it could be her problem.

"Excuse me?"

"What?" Cole responded harshly, spinning around. He was not in the helpful mood. But when he did turn, he was momentarily surprised to see nobody behind him. At eye level that is. Two Equestrians stood before him, one greenish with short, red hair and tail and glasses, the other blue with bright green hair that would make grass jealous and wearing what Cole could only equate to a red summer dress. Cole was at a loss for words. After a couple weeks of people and ponies alike avoiding him, he was completely unprepared to be talked to.

The ponies were not so confounded. "Is that a camera?" the spectacled one asked in a very straightforward, almost businesslike tone, adjusting her glasses a bit out of habit.

"Uh...er yeah, yes it is," Cole stammered, lifting it back up to his shoulder.

"Oh wow!" the blue companion chimed. "It's so mobile and, oh Can, just think of the different shots you could do without a stand! Where do you keep all the film?"

Cole slowly processed what they were saying. "Wait, you mean you... Equestrians have film too?"

"Of course," 'Can' answered matter-of-factly. "Applewood is the movie capital of Equestria."

"But our equipment must be ages behind yours!" the other said. "It'd have to be if you can fit a film reel inside that thing."

"Actually, it's digital now, we haven't used film in years," Cole corrected automatically. They had quite obviously never even heard that word before, both tilting their heads in the same way. "Uh, it's a... data storage...machine that can store stuff like movies." The wheels were slowly starting to turn in his head even as they continued to talk.

"I'm Film Reel by the way, and this is my sister Film Can," the blue one continued.

"Cole," the human replied. "Nice to meet you."

"You too! Thanks for letting us interrupt your work, we'll let you get back to it" Film Reel said. They started to walk away, and Cole almost let them get away before that opportunistic side of his brain finally kicked the rest of him into gear.

"Wait! Wait!" he cried, bounding after them, both turning in surprise. "You say you're filmmakers right?"

Both nodded.

"Well, I'm one myself and I was wondering if you would like to partner with me on a project," he said. Double surprise. "I can supply all the equipment!"

Still speechless, the two sisters exchanged a long glance. Cole's heart sank a little.

"Are you kidding?" Film Reel began. "We'd LOVE TO!"

"But what script should we use?" posed Film Can thoughtfully. "None of your scripts include...er, what are you called again?"

"Humans."

"Right. That, humans," she finished, adjusting her glasses again.

"Well, then let's write a new one," Film Reel responded, her golden eyes dancing with excitement at the very thought. She turned to Cole, "We can write one together!"

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Cole answered, possibilities and accolades already floating through his vision. "How about you follow me to my office, I can show you around and we can get started."


- Fluttershy -


Fluttershy glided over the treetops, cruising along at her usual pace at around the top speed of a butterfly. While she didn't have quite the propensity for it that Rainbow Dash had, she did actually enjoy flying. Despite her fears and her happy contentment living on the solid earth, she was happy to be a pegasus.

Though it was a bit frightening she didn't know where she was. She couldn't see any of her friends anywhere either, which also added a bit to the rising anxiety. But at least wherever she was, it was beautiful. Sprawling forests and meadows intermingled with rocky hills, rivers, and a shining lake. Below she could see animals happily going about their lives.

This calmed Fluttershy down. Animals always seemed to know if something was wrong long before ponies did, and if they were happy then everything was probably alright.

She spied a small group of little bunnies frolicking in a meadow, and happily unable to resist she descended and landed in a warm meadow filled with flowing grass and flowers in bloom. With her warm smile and quiet words the animals were quickly disarmed of their apprehension, and began hopping around her and chattering animatedly. 

But the anxiety began rising again. Fluttershy didn't understand it. For her, this was a veritable paradise! Why in Equestria would she feel apprehensive?

Her question went unanswered, but instead she got a strange urge. She had no idea where she was, having never seen it before in all her life. But yet, something deep inside her was telling her to remember it.

Remember it? It was all so confusing. Was this some old repressed memory? No. That wasn't it. She needed to remember this place. It was important, no, desperately paramount that she remember this place.

Fluttershy took off again (apologizing to the disappointed animals as she did) and started looking. There had to be some way to tell where she was. Some marker. Some sign.

A sign! Fluttershy swooped back down. Next to a road was a wooden sign, though she came upon the back side of it. She landed by the roadside and --


- Fluttershy - Modesto, CA -


"Eee-umph!" Fluttershy squeaked in surprise as she was lifted off the bed and deposited with a thump onto the floor.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry Fluttershy are you okay!?" Twilight leaned over the edge of the bed and was looking down at her wide-eyed. "I forgot it was an air mattress and I was just so tired and I flopped down---"

"I'm okay," Fluttershy assured quietly as she stood up. She wasn't injured, though internally she mused how it happened the very night she had switched sleeping places with Applejack. Rarity, who was daintily snoring in the middle of the bed, slept on undisturbed. "Don't worry, Twilight. Have you been up studying again?"

"Ugh. Yes," Twilight groaned, plodding carefully back over Rarity and peeling back the covers. This time, she slipped in carefully as Fluttershy did the same. Her strange dream barely crossed her mind before slipping back into a deep sleep.


- End Day 3 - Modesto, CA -