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Luna took a deep breath, enjoying the smell of roses, lilacs and freshly trimmed bushes. She had always loved that smell, it had always calmed her frazzled nerves and soothed her tired mind. Unfortunately it had been weeks since the last time she had walked through the Canterlot royal gardens, and she had missed it terribly. She made her way along the shoulder high hedges, enjoying the familiar path. Out of the entire city, this was the one place that hadn’t changed dramatically through her thousand year banishment. The water features were all the same, bushes and flowers planted around the small rivers and waterfalls. When she had finally returned, and was purged of her curse, it became an oasis of calm where she could retreat when the skeptical, or even the suspicious looks become too much.

She let out a tired sigh, pausing in front of a hedge that had been crafted into some sort of modern art piece. She tried to focus on deciphering the meaning that the creator was trying to imply in its loops and curves, but other thoughts niggled at the back of her head, vying for attention. To say she had been busy for the past week would be a dramatic understatement, so even this moment of peace was a blessing, one she wish she could enjoy without her responsibilities driving away any relaxation she looked for. After all, the sun was pleasantly warm against her back. While she enjoyed the caress of her sister’s sun, deep down a large part of her wished it was her moon's rays that shined down on her instead.

“Curse those Griffons and their petty squabbles!” she said with a pout, complaining to no one in particular.

Princess Celestia had been away for nearly a week, intermediating a conflict between two of the larger clans that resided in the griffon territories, which of course had left Princess Luna in charge. Normally such things wouldn’t have require the presence of one of Equestria’s rulers, but the tract of land that the conflict was about laid particularly close to a pony village. Thankfully her sister was due back by the end of the day, and she could finally return to her normal sleeping habits. Not to mention pass off the handling of all the nobles that Celestia seemed to love so much.

With another long and fatigued sigh Luna spread her wings and took off, making her way to Celestia’s private study with steady strokes of her wings, deliberately taking her time in a desperate hope that the large tower of paper work waiting for her would simply disappear.

“Seriously Twilight, I think I can handle getting something to eat by myself!” Spike explained with practiced exasperation.

“It's okay Spike, give me a few more minutes and we can go together” Twilight replied, forgetting she said something very similar not twenty minutes before, much to the annoyance of a now mumbling adolescent dragon.

Spike’s remarks of annoyance are lost to the once again engrossed pony, as she buried her face back into her the pages of her book. She was surrounded by stacks of them, reading and researching a subject that would put Spike to sleep if he had bothered to ask about it. To Twilight however, the mapping and tracking of secondary ley lines, which is what her current research topic was, and what the stacks of books were all about, was a fascinating subject. Star Swirl the Bearded attempted to map them out hundreds of years ago but had failed. Twilight hypothesized that his failure was because he hadn’t quite worked out a true understanding of the law of improbability in magical concentrations at that time. She had traveled all the way to Canterlot to scour the royal library for more detailed descriptions of the elusive veins of magic, and had been at all morning.

She had been sad to hear that Princess Celestia wasn’t here to visit with, both because she was looking forward to asking her opinions of her current research topic, and because she hadn’t seen her mentor in months, and she missed her dearly. By now Princess Celestia would have come to the library to convince Twilight to take a break for lunch. As if on cue, her stomach rumbled, as the mere thought of lunch made her realize how hungry she was. She sighed, simultaneously also realizing how unfair she was being to Spike.

“Alright fine Spike, if you stop whistling we can go get lunch.” She said as her ears twitch from the whistling and her back and neck creaking as she stood up. “You know how much that annoys ponies”

“That’s not me Twilight.” Spike remarked, his voice coming from behind Twilight. “But if it means we can eat I’ll stop anyways”

Twilight looked back at him, and then over in the direction of the sound, realizing that he was right, it wasn’t coming from him.

“What? Then what’s making it? Surely they know how annoying that sound is.” She said as she made her way to the southernmost wall and the window it held, following the sound to the opening.

“Great, now I’m never gonna get lunch” Spike mumbled dejectedly, as he reluctantly follows Twilight to the window, knowing that with her curiosity peaked, it was likely he would be hungry until dinner.

“Sshhh Spike, it kinda sounds like it's coming from… above?” She scans the sky confused, looking for what now sounds like a pegasus in a steep dive.

“Look, over there!” Spike points as best he can, standing on the tips of his feet to see over the sill of the window. Twilight followed his pointing, finally seeing a rather quickly descending figure.

“I hope they pull up soon…” Spike says, worry starting to creep into his voice

“Me too, something seems off about the way they are diving…” Twilight said, matching Spikes anxious tone.

As they looked on, the distant pony began to spin and rotate. Twilight’s adrenaline immediately kicked in as she realized the familiar sit, connecting it to a certain flight competition gone horribly wrong.

“That pony isn’t diving, they are falling!” she shouted as her brain jumped into overdrive.

Hurriedly estimating how far away the tumbling pony was, Twilight desperately fired up her magic, her horn glowing as she clenched her jaw and reached with all her might. The strain from the distance quickly grew, she could feel it draining her magic more and more, until finally she managed to latch on to the unfortunate pony. The drain was massive, and she gasped as her spell wavered slightly. She poured more magic into her spell, struggling to keep it going over the massive gap.

The sound of whipping air, and the sensation of falling woke Andrew from his unwilling nap. A deep fog filled his mind as he plummeted past the cloud layer, piercing a rather wet nimbus with a barely audible Poof.

“Wha..?” is all his still muddled brain could come up with, and even that utterance was quickly torn away by the howling wind.

He watched the clouds get further and further away, as his mind slowly creaked into motion. Flailing about his arms he spun around, finally able to see the ground below. Only then did his brain catch up to the situation.

He was falling.

Fast.

Very Fast.

His heart shuddered into overdrive, beating faster than he thought was possible. His mind screamed as he watched the far way ground rush up to greet him.

“What the hell is going on?!” He bellowed as his mouth decided to match what his brain is doing.

He could feel the pure speed of his descent as the wind pulled at his skin, and tore at his clothes. Panic took over as he continued screaming and flailing, fear induced gibberish and nonsensical words of prayer spewed from his mouth as the ground grew closer and closer. With each passing second more and more details revealed themselves, but few are noticed over his adrenaline fueled panic.

“Oh god, fuck this!” He yelled, squeezing his eyes shut and throwing up his hands, as if denying the imminent arrival of the ground would make it go away.

He counted the seconds, morbidly wondering in his panic addled mind if he would die on contact, or if he will linger long enough to feel the damage it will do.

Suddenly a warm sensation covered his body, tingling strangely as it wrapped him up. More important than the sensation of his bones being tickled though, was the blissful feeling of deceleration. He could feel his free fall gradually slow. For a brief moment, relief burst forth and he opened his eyes, expecting… well anything other than what he actually saw. For even though he had slowed, when he opened his eyes, the now purple tinged ground still rushed forward. Without time for a new bout of panic, or even a stray thought, his question of what impact would feel like was rather swiftly answered.

“No!” Twilight shouted, the pained yell echoing through the library as she felt her spell break from the impact.

The pony had been moving too fast for her to completely stop their fall, and despite her best efforts, the crash had still been quite violent. She bit back panic, and whirled around to face her assistant.

“Spike, I need you to go to the hall and tell the first guard you see that there has been an accident in the southern most courtyard, and tell them to hurry. I managed to slow their fall but they still hit the ground hard!” She said, and without waiting for a response, teleported away to see if she could still save the no longer plummeting pony.

In an instant she arrived in the center of the courtyard, her adrenaline still thumping in her veins. Frantically she looked around, looking for where the unfortunate pony had landed. Desperately searching, her ears twitched as she heard a raspy groan. She ran toward the low utterance, hoping beyond all hope the pony was still alive. When she arrived her eyes opened wide and she skidded to a stop.

“What in the world?!” She shouted, suprised to a standstill

It hadn’t been a falling pony at all. In fact, she wasn’t sure what it was. She looked at it in shock, trying to fit the odd creature into a group she could identify. Her brain had just shot down the idea of a minotaur foal when another groan, this one longer and more ragged than the first came from the creature. It was still alive! Whatever it was, she wasn’t going to ignore its pain.

“H-hello? Can you hear me?” she asked as she rushed to the side of the fallen being, although now with much more trepidation. She nearly jumped out of her skin when the wounded creature spoke.

“Hello? Sorry to drop in like this…” The decidedly male creature said through its pain, clenched teeth and eyes.

Twilight was dumbfounded by the words that came out of the broken beings mouth. Not only had it spoken in perfect equestrian, it had chosen this moment to tell a joke. A rather bad one, but a joke none the less. Maybe the creature wasn’t as hurt as it looked.

"Are you ok? I uh… I can’t tell if you’re hurt or not.” Twilight looked over the body of the lanky creature. He was covered in cloths, and his arms and legs seemed to be bent in a few painful looking angles. Were they broken, or where they supposed to bend like that?

“What? Yeah, I’m pretty fucked up” Coughs racked its body as it spoke, an blood speckling its lips “I can’t feel my legs, but I can feel my arms just fine, and I’m pretty sure they’re broken. Sorry, I’m just gonna pass out now. Fingers crossed I don’t die.”

“Wait! You’re not supposed to…” Twilight started, but from the sudden slump she could tell that he was already out before she could finish.

This was bad, very very bad. She had no idea how to treat him, and according to him, he was pretty severely hurt, the quips and sarcasm aside. She started to fire up a basic scanning spell to identify his injuries, hoping that “I can’t feel my legs” didn’t mean a spinal injury when she heard the hooves of ponies rushing to the courtyard.

“Over here!” she shouted, hoping to get their, hoping that Spike had managed to alert the guards and that they had taken him seriously.

To her surprise, around the corner came Princess Luna, as well as a few doctors, Spike, and her friend Fluttershy. Despite her shock at seeing her friend and the Princess she again shouted.

“Quickly! Over here!”

The group rushed to her, and to the credit of the doctors, they only hesitated slightly before beginning to inspect the broken creature. Their expert hooves danced over the now unconscious victim, one doctor applying pressure to a blossoming red spot on the creature’s clothes.

“What happened?” One of the doctors, this one wearing glasses, asked “and uh… what is it?”

“I don’t know what he is.” Twilight replied as she watched with morbid curiosity as the doctors applied tourniquets, bandages, and began to deploy a portable stretcher. “But Spike and I saw him falling out of the sky! I tried to help, but with the distance and how fast he was falling… I just couldn’t get a good enough grip to stop him completely…”

As the doctor nodded and went back to work, tears began to well up in Twilights eyes, until she felt a warm feathered touch on her shoulder. She turned her head to see the dark blue Princess draping her wing over her.

"Peace my friend, for thou arte surely the reason this strange beast is still alive at all. Had you not seen its plummet and tried to stop it, he would never had lived through the impact.” The Princess said, trying to comfort her friend, her sister’s student.
Princess Luna looked back to the doctors, who had finished getting their patient onto the stretcher. She caught the eye of the the lead doctor, the one who was wearing glasses. He nodded, acknowledging that the patient was ready to be transported.

“Now we must quickly get it to the hospital. I shall teleport the doctors, but you three must remain behind.” She said as she looked at Twilight, Spike and Fluttershy “Teleporting three doctors and a patient is complicated enough, anymore and I can’t guarantee accuracy.”

Twilight nodded, wiping away the tears that had formed around her eyes, as Princess Luna walked towards the doctors and fired a spell, disappearing in a flash of blue magic.

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For a moment, Twilight did nothing but stare at the spot were Princess Luna and the doctors had been. This was all moving so fast, one moment she was researching and the next she was watching a battered and broken creature cling to life after falling thousands of feet. Her mind raced at the new developments, until a timid voice broke her reverie.

“Twilight we should um… we should get going… to the hospital…” Fluttershy said in her usual soft voice. She had made her way to Twilight’s side and was nuzzling her gently, trying to comfort her distraught friend.

“Thanks, and you're right, I don’t want to miss any news about the… Oh wait, Fluttershy? What are you doing here?” Twilight asked, finally putting it together that this was her friend, all the way from Ponyville.

“Well, I was visiting Doctor Steady Hoof. He was about to show me something at his office when the Princess suddenly teleported in with Spike, and suddenly teleported all of us out here.”

Fluttershy shivered as she recalled the surprise of Princess Luna’s sudden appearance.

“Yeah! I met her outside the library, and when I explained what happened, POOF! Suddenly we were at the hospital then BAM! We are in the courtyard. Luna is so intense.” Spike explained animatedly, as the trio made their way through the courtyard and into the castle, hurrying through the halls to the hospital.

“Well it was an emergency. And it’s Princess Luna Spike, be respectful” Twilight corrected Spike absentmindedly, as she led the group through the halls to the castles hospital. Her mind was on the creature, guiltily wondering if there was anything else she could have done. “I just hope we were fast enough…”

“Don’t worry Twilight, I know Doctor Hoof is a good doctor, that poor hurt creature is in good hooves.” Fluttershy said, trying to reassure her worried friend, while trying to hide her own worried look.

The creature had been pretty broken and while Fluttershy was no doctor, her veterinary instincts told her that that amount of damage would be hard to fix.

The three friends finally arrived at the castle’s hospital, and were quickly directed to the intensive care waiting room, where they found a rather miffed looking princess. She stood when she noticed the new arrivals.

“Ah, welcome friends. I hope the walk here was not too difficult?” She asked as she looked at each of the younger ponies and to Spike, who had somewhere along the way managed to convince Fluttershy to carry him.

“No, it was fine Princess.” Twilight said trying to remain polite, but the need for news outweigh the want for pleasantries. “How is he?”

Luna looked down at the purple unicorn, a comforting but worried look in her eyes.

“I do not know friend, for the doctors demanded I leave the room.” Clearly she was not used to anything being demanded of her by her subjects. “And how many times must we insist you call us Luna?”

“See! And you always correct me!” Spike says as he hoped of Fluttershy’s back, ignoring Twilights glare and walking towards the exit “I’m going to find something to eat, I’ll be back later.”

"Thanks Spike” Twilight said sarcastically, before looking back to Luna “Oh Celestia I hope he is ok. I felt so useless just watching him fall…”

Once again tears threatened to fall from Twilight's eyes. This time Fluttershy came to her aid, putting a hoof around her and hugging her close.

“Oh no, don’t cry Twilight, everything is going to be okay” she says, trying to reassure her, not liking how guilty her friend felt “You did you’re best and that is all anyone can hope for, right?”

With a sniffle, Twilight shook her head in halfhearted agreement. As she wiped her tears away, she looked back to the Princess.

“Do you recognize what kind of creature it is Pr- uh Luna?” Twilight asked “I think it’s male, at least he sounded male when he talked.”

Luna's eyes widened when Twilight mentioned the poor creature's speech.

“No I don’t recognize it Twilight, in fact I wasn’t aware it could speak at all.” Luna looked to the door, a new burst of worry creasing her face. The fact that the creature was sentient enough to talk made the importance of its survival increase tenfold. “An unknown species, falling from the sky, and speaking equestrian. Strange… Twilight did-”

Whatever Luna had intended to say was interrupted by the swinging doors of the intensive care room. Out of them emerged the bespectacled doctor, whom Twilight now new to be Doctor Steady Hoof. He made his way quickly to the anxious ponies, looking tired and drained. His face was grim, and Twilights heart sank. He stopped in front of the trio.

“We’ve done all we can. He is clinging to life, but I’m afraid he won’t last long.” The doctor looked apologetically to the Princess, bowing slightly. “I’m sorry we can’t do more Princess Luna, but we simply do not know enough about… whatever it is to treat it fully. If he was a pony, we might actually be able to save him. But other than splinting his broken bones and stopping the external bleeding…”
The doctor looked at the gathered ponies, watching the pain in their eyes as he broke the news.
“At the current rate of decline, I would give him a few more hours… at most.”

“What? No! That’s not possible, you couldn’t have tried everything, not so soon! What about magic? I’m sure if we look hard enough we can find something to heal him… right?!” Twilights shouted as her eyes grew wide, panic seeping into her voice. “Luna, please tell the doctor that there is some sort of spell that can fix this!”

The doctor face fell, looking even more sad and defeated than before. The fatigue was clear on his face, and he shook his head.

“I’m sorry Twilight, but the injuries are too severe to treat with magic. Magical healing puts a massive strain on the body. For a broken bone, or a deep wound, it would work, and save the patient the process of healing, or fix the immediate problem before they can die from it. But in this case, there is just too much damage. We can’t possibly fix it all at once, and healing injury by injury would put such a massive strain on the rest of his body that he would surely die from it, no matter how hardy his species is.” He explained, letting out a sigh at the end. “I’m sorry but-”

“That will be enough Doctor. You will gather your team and leave the operating room immediately” Luna said, casually interrupting the doctor with the practice of royalty.

She had been deep in thought while the doctor was explaining the dilemma, wrestling with a moral quandary. Her new determination showed on her face and her stance.

“Excuse me? I understand if you-“

“Thou seem to be confused. My sister may take issue with giving orders to her subject, but we do not! Leave now or we will have the guards drag you away. We do not have time for hurt feelings or petty squabbles!”

Luna’s final threat rang of the royal canterlot voice, literally staggering the stallion. The once tired doctor now moved with the added energy of fear, and soon the doctors and nurses had left, hurriedly walking out with varying degrees of annoyance, frustration and side long glances. Luna motioned Twilight and Fluttershy to follow, making their way into the room where the injured creature lay, wrapped in bandage and splints. After the doors once again shut, Luna’s horn glowed, and the door latched tight.

“I apologize if I startled you two” She said, focusing mostly on Fluttershy “But time is of the essence.”

Again she intoned her head, her horn glowing. This time the equipment surrounding the gurney was pushed to the corner of the room, as Luna walked to the side of the unconscious creature and began to explain

“In truth the doctor was half right. While we do not have a healing spell powerful enough to heal this entire creatures injuries at once… I do know a technique that can fix that.”

Twilights eyes widen with hope and a smile begins to form on her face. Before she can say anything however, Luna cuts her off with a wave of her hoof, her explanation not done.

“However, this technique is not without its risks. It requires a massive amount of magical energy to be held outside of one’s body before casting, therefore dramatically increasing the power of the spell, in this case a healing spell”

“Building up power outside of the body? I’ve never heard of a technique like that…”

This time, Luna cannot stop Twilight from interrupting, confusion evident in her voice.

“Because such practices have been illegal for centuries, for anyone besides my sister and the grand mage and myself. As you know magic is naturally wild, and while not necessarily at Discordian levels of chaos, large amounts of wild magic has a tendency to do the unexpected. Ponies bring order to the naturally wild magic by absorbing it into their bodies where it is used, whether in spells, flying or in overall strength. But there is a maximum that can be used at once without overloading the caster. By storing a large amount outside the body, we will be relinquishing the order and control, in order to perform a much larger task all at once. In short, this technique will allow us to heal all of this creatures injuries at once. But … anything could happen.”

Twilight's mind began to spin wildly as she contemplated what she had just learn. She wanted to ask so many questions about this previously unknown type of magic, but the sight of the injured and bandaged wrapped creature was enough to pull her curiosity back.

“Excuse me, but what do you mean by ‘anything’?” Fluttershy asked, nervous about what “anything” entailed.

“We have seen this technique work perfectly, with no randomness at all. But we have also seen it turn a desolate field into a forest of untamable plants, or…” she paused, clearly uncomfortable. “turn a pony to stone, and then shatter them to dust.”

Both Twilight and Fluttershy swallowed audibly.

“It is a risk, but we believe it to be a necessary one. We do not know who or what this creature is, but according to Twilight it speaks Equestrian. It could be an ambassador, or a dignitary. It’s even possible that this is a child, lost and separated from its parents.” She paused, letting this fact sink in, both of the other ponies eyes widen in horror. “I will and use this technique, and then link it to a healing spell.”

“I would ask you to leave for your own safety, but your skills with animals and magic may come in handy if luck isn’t on our side… I’m sorry for putting you in danger” She says, apologizing.

“It’s ok, I could never leave a pony that’s in need anyway.” Fluttershy said with confidence, surprising Twilight.

“And I can’t leave now, not after hearing you’re going to perform a never before seen special type of magic” Twilight said, giving Luna a tight lipped smile.

With a nod of her head Luna turned to the gurney and to the comatose bundle of bandages that laid there.

“Alright then, let us begin” Luna said, as she spreads her hooves, getting into a more solid stance.

Taking a deep breath, and shutting her eyes, she began to draw on her massive sums of magic, pulling more forth than she had in a very long time.

Twilight watched as the Princess began to cast her spell, she felt the charge of powerful magic in the air. She shivered, once again reminded about just how powerful Princess Celestia and her sister really were. Before her eyes she saw Luna’s horn glow, brighter and brighter until a small sphere of magical energy began to form at the tip. It grew larger and larger, expanding from the size of an apple to a watermelon, then larger still. The air began to crackle, and sparks of blue magic arced around Luna, getting dangerously close to Twilight and Fluttershy. Finally, just before the undulating ball of Luna’s gathered magic grew to be larger than Twilight herself, it ceased its growing. Eyes now clenched shut Princess Luna gritted her teeth, as she held the ball above the broken creature. Tension built as the two ponies waited for the alicorn to begin the next phase.

Secondary strands of magic began to orbit around the hovering sphere, emanating from, and connecting to Luna’s horn. Finally, with a deep breath Luna plunged the ball of magical energy into the creature’s chest. It sank about half way through and stopped, the magic still connected to Luna’s horn. In the single pause she then took, the creature arched his back, bones creaking as every muscle in its body tensed, the broken bones fighting the splints the doctors had put them in. Fluttershy and Twilight gasped, as Luna began pushing the blue sphere deeper into his chest, fractions of an inch at a time, before it finally disappeared altogether. The creature slumped down and the magical static in the room faded down to nothing. Small gasps left the two ponies as the small abrasions on the creatures face began to disappear.

“D-did it work?” Twilight asked, not sure if Luna could hear her or not.

She looked over the alicorn when she did not answer, concerned about her princess. It was then that she noticed it.

The thread of magic remained.

The stream of magic that had linked Luna to her spell hadn’t dissipated. In fact, as Twilight watched, it grew thicker and denser. Suddenly the air felt charged again, and the static slowly started to return.

Except now it was red, and it came from the creature.

The arcing magic crossed from the creature’s body to the room around it, getting louder and more powerful until it was leaving divots and burn marks in the marble of the room.

Twilight cast a shield spell that enclosed her and Fluttershy just in time to stop an arc from slamming into her. When it came in contact with her magenta bubble it almost collapsed it, the amount of power behind it was staggering. Again a strike slammed into Twilights shield, and again it was deflected, smashing into the waiting room doors, shattering them in to so many splinters. She fought back the dizziness and struggled to keep the shield up, only to almost lose her concentration as the beast began to scream.

It was a deep throaty yell that shook Twilight's bones. The creature’s eyes flew open, full red pools glowing the same color of the static that still slammed into Twilight's shield. The creature shook as if it was having a seizure, its neck muscles standing out, corded and bulging. The screaming continued, unaltered by words as it chilled Twilight to her core. The sound made her want to run and run and run as far as she could. The beast thrashed and slammed about, as Luna's magic continued to poor into it. For what felt like an eternity, this continued. Then, as suddenly as it began the stream slowed, petered and disintegrated, freeing Luna.

The princess staggered forward, obviously drained and weak. Her mane was no longer the flowing visage of a midnight sky, it was now a normal light blue mane, matching her now light blue tail. She stumbled again, and only managed to stay standing by putting a hoof on the bed that the still screaming beast laid in. Arcing energy still poured out of the beast and its eyes glowed brighter and brighter. With no warning the creature’s mouth slammed shut, stopping the screams. In the new silence, the creature sat bolt upright and grabbed Luna’s horn with unneeded violence. Twilight could see its muscles bulging and shaking as if carrying a massive weight. She fought the urge to look away in fear as it leaned in, pulling the princesses horn to look directly into her eyes. They stared at each other, Luna’s eyes beginning to glow blue against the beasts blood red.

And then, with a flash of light and a pop, they both disappeared.

Twilight looked at the now quiet room in shock and growing horror. Fluttershy was tucked away in a corner, face covered with her hooves, trembling in fear. At the sound of shuffling feet, Twilight whirled, her frayed nerves almost convincing her to lash out with her magic.

“Whoa, okay… did I miss anything important?” Spike asked, as Twilight's vision swayed and she collapsed.

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Twilight awoke to the tune of a pounding head and an aching horn. She was familiar with varying degrees of magical overload and in truth, this wasn’t even in her top five worst cases. Unfortunately, knowing that didn’t make the experience any more pleasurable. With her eyes still tightly closed she groaned and buried her head further into her pillow. The persistent pounding continue, despite her best efforts to bury it. With an annoyed grumble she threw off her blanket and propped herself up.

“Spike, any chance that you’ve already made…” She began, stopping mid-sentence as she realized she was not in her home. “Coffee...?”

Confusion ran through her as she scanned the room, quickly realizing that it was her old Canterlot bedroom. While most of her possessions had long ago made their way to the Ponyville library, just enough remained for the room to still hold that nostalgic feeling. A warm breeze blew in from the open terrace near her bed, and she smiled in spite of her confusion. However the confusion quickly overcame the pleasant feeling of slow breeze. Just as she began to get into piecing together what had happened, she heard a knock on the door.

“Uh... who is it?” She asked, grimacing slightly as she raised her voice.

“It’s Applejack, can I come in darlin’?” A muffled voice outside the door said.

“Applejack? Yeah of course, the doors’ unlocked.” Twilight said, wondering what was going on.

“Thanks!” Applejack replied as she pushed the door open, then closed behind her with a quiet creak. “How you feeling Twi, a good night’s rest helpin’ any?”

“I’m ok, just a bit of overload sickness, I’ve had worse” Twilight said, finally making her way out of her bed to meeting Applejack in the middle of the room. “How did you know I wouldn’t be feeling well?”

“Well, the Princess said tha’ after last night you’de be feeling pretty awful”

“Well she’s not wro- Wait… after last night?” Twilights eyes widen in horror as the previous night’s events came flooding back to her. “oh my gosh, Applejack! Princess Luna! And the thing, it fell from the sky! I tried to catch it and but I couldn’t and and and… I really need to talk to Princess Celestia!”

Twilights eyes took a slightly manic glint as she rushed to the door, the previous night’s stress rushing forward.

“Whoa there sugercube, no need to be rushing off!” Applejack managed to intercept Twilight before she could push the door open. “Princess Celestia an Fluttershy explained everythin’ to me. Well they tried to explain everythin’, I think a lot of it wen’ a bit over ma head.”

“Either way, Princess Celestia said there wasn’t a need for panic” Applejack said as she put a reassuring hoof on Twilight’s shoulder.

“No need for panic?! I watched Luna disappear and-“Twilight started, but Applejack stopped her before she could get any deeper into her tirade.

“I know all that a’ready Twi, the Princess knows it too. C’mon hun, take a deep breath with me.”

Applejack took an exaggerated breath and begrudgingly Twilight did the same. She had to admit, it did help ease the ball of stress that had instantly reformed moments after remembering what happened the night before.

“Are you sure I shouldn’t be panicking? It feels like I should be panicking” Twilight asked as her head dipped lower in sad frustration.

“Ah know sugarcube, but Princess Celestia said not to worry. She sent me to wake you up, and to keep you from workin’ yerself up into a tizzy.” Applejacks explained.

She rubbed Twilights back as the stressed mare took a few more deep breaths. When Twilight had fully calmed down Applejack opened the door she had been blocking and walked into the hall.

“Now the Princess Celestia wants to meet us in her study, we should get go’in. Fluttershy should a’ready be there.” The orange mare said, trotting ahead.

Applejack trotted ahead of Twilight, stopping at the first bend in the hall to wait for her. She waved for Twilight to follow, encouraging her with a big smile. Twilights own mouth curled into a grin, unable to resist her friend’s attitude.

“So what are you doing in Canterlot?” Twilight asked when she finally caught up with her friend.

They made their way through the heart of the castle, with only guard ponies and the occasional Canterlot noble populated the halls.

"I was here delivering a shipment of ma apples to the castle chefs. Finished that this morni’n though, an’ Celestia asked if I wanted to stay, said things were happening and you might need ma help.”

“Wow, Thank you Applejack, that means a lot” Twilight said, sincerity and gratitude clear in her voice. “But I can’t take up so much of your time, you’re a busy mare”

“S’ok Twi, I’ve always got time for you. An’ my friends. Ah always got time for my friends.” Applejack assured her companion hastily. “Besides, if this morning was any sign, the princess was right to be worried ‘bout ya.”

Applejack laughed as she teased her friend, bumping into Twilight lightly. Her infectious grin once again grew, making Twilight giggle.

“I suppose I did need someone to keep me from working myself up into a ‘tizzy’” said Twilight, as the two turned the corner into the private section of the castle.

The nobles had long since stopped lingering in the halls, for this area was the personal living space of the two monarchs. Taking the nobles place were the maids and butlers, cleaning and going about the daily business of the castle staff. The two ponies fell into companionable silence as they made their way through the final halls to Princess Celestia’s private study. The door was ajar and the voices of familiar friends making its way into the hall, along with the smell of…

"Is that coffee!?” Twilight asked, pushing the door open and running into the room.

The suddenly energetic pony was already pouring herself a cup before Applejack could even make it into the room. She brought the steaming mug to her face and breathed in the smell of the roasted coffee beans. With an overjoyed sigh she took a long sip of her favorite morning beverage. As she swayed in her java fueled stupor, an awkward cough caused her to look behind her.

“Oh…hello Princess Celestia, Fluttershy. Sorry about that, didn’t see you there…” Twilight said blushing as she slowly put down the mug of coffee. Fluttershy giggled softly to herself and Princess Celestia smiled knowingly to her student.

“Don’t stop on our account Twilight, I would say that after last night you deserve a cup of coffee.” The princess sat behind her desk, a cup of steeping tea in front of her.

The princess’s usual attire, her crown and necklace laid behind her atop a tasseled pillow. Her hair flowed as usual, and the still rising sun was bright behind her as it shone through the balcony door.

“Thank you Princess” Twilight and Applejack made their way next to Fluttershy, sitting in front of the Princesses desk. “And thank you for sending Applejack to get me this morning. Without her I would be running around in a panic”

“Of course Twilight, I know how my student can get” The Princess looked knowingly at Twilight. “But I’m sensing that’s not all you have to say.”

“Well… Princess Celestia… why aren’t we looking for Luna? We should be sending out search parties and setting up locator spells, anything to help us find her! And that creature, what was it? It didn’t seem violent at first but then it attacked Princess Luna! If we don’t find her soon, who knows what it will do to her!” Twilight looked frantically at her mentor, panic rising steadily as she got deeper into her speech, shocked with how calm Princess Celestia was being. “Aren’t you worried about her at all?”

“Of course I’m worried Twilight, she is my sister after all. It’s an older siblings job to worry about her little sister.” Celestia explained, her calming voice and motherly tone soothing Twilight’s anxiety as she spoke “Do you really think I would be so calm I didn’t know she was ok?”

A flash of emotion crossed Celestia’s face. Had Twilight not known her mentor for most of her life, she wouldn’t have caught it at all. Even then, she couldn’t really decipher what the emotion had been. Twilights ruminations were interrupted when Princess Celestia’s horn began to glow. Her jeweled necklace floated over from its spot beside the crown, landing on the desk.

“This is why I know she is ok my dear student. You see, a long time ago Luna and I decided we needed a way to communicate with each other no matter where we were in Equestria.” She explained, her horn glowed again, popping the purple jewel from her necklace and floating it in front of her. “We had the royal craftsman craft a necklace for each of us. I got this jewel here, while Luna got a platinum carving of her cutie mark, the moon. We put a powerful enchantment on both of them, permanently linking them together. With the smallest amounts of magic, the stones are capable of transferring sound”

Celestia put stone back where it had been and with a click as it snapped back into place. Twilight looked at the necklace in surprise, she had always assumed that the necklaces were just part of the royal garb.

“Well ain’t that a handy thing to have.” Applejack said as she watched the monarch slip the necklace back to its usual place around her neck. “So what has Luna said?”

“Well… nothing at this point” Again a flash of emotion played over Princess Celestia’s face, and once again Twilight couldn’t decipher it.

“Princess Celestia, before she disappeared Luna looked completely drained. Even the spell that made her hair flow and sparkle failed. I think she was completely drained of magic by the creature she had just finished healing. Is it possible she doesn’t have enough magic to use her necklace?” Twilight asked her mentor, still unsure how she could be so calm about this. Princess Celestia looked mildly surprised, before quickly regaining her composure.

“While I admit that news is worrying, it doesn’t mean she is in danger. If the situation ever arose and she couldn’t use the necklace, all she would have to do is break it, and mine would break as well.” Princess Celestia explained, quickly hiding her surprise at this new news. “Twilight, my sister is a grown alicorn and I trust her to handle any situation she could find herself in. While I understand you are worried about your friend, I ask you to trust her, as well as me.”

For a moment, it seemed as if Twilight is going to press further. She looks at Princess Celestia, then to her two friends, one on either side. With a defeated sigh, she nodded her head in agreement.

“Okay, I trust you both. I just wish we knew where she was.”

Andrew’s head was absolutely killing him. Well his whole body was killing him, but the pain in his head was particularly heinous. His muscles where sore, his joints ached and his skin felt like he had the worst sunburn imaginable, but oh his aching head. It felt like someone was systematically hammering railroad spikes through his skull. The only consolation to this miserable awakening was that his pillow was relatively comfortable.

And warm.

And breathing.

“Oh Sweet Jesus!” He shouted when his brain finally connected that whatever he had his head on was very much not a pillow, causing him to jump and scramble away.

As he sat there, breathing heavily from the surprise, he laid eyes on what he had been resting on, and was extremely confused by what he saw. He stared, his mouth hanging open and his eyes wide with shock.

“You do know it is rude to stare, don’t you?” The dark blue horse said, without lifting its head or opening its eyes.

“Oh…sorry, my bad.” Andrew responded reflexively, looking around as his mind tried to work out what exactly was going on.

As he slowly recalled what had happened, first falling through the sky, then the landing, his thoughts were interrupted by a peculiar drafty feeling. He looked down, and immediately jumped up in surprise.

“Why the fuck am I naked!?” He shouted, looking around for anything to cover himself up with.

With his hands covering danger zones, Andrew saw something lying on the ground. Picking it up he tried in vain to hold what turned out to be the tattered remains of a bed sheet over his unmentionables.

“Why didn’t you tell me I was naked!?”

“It didn’t occur to me that you would react like this, ponies only wear clothes to special ev-”

“I don’t give a fuck what horses do! Humans wear clothes, period! End of discussion!” Andrew’s mind was being overloaded with confusion and embarrassment, all the while this horse insisted that him being naked was no big deal. He felt moments away from a serious mental breakdown.

“It is ‘Pony’, not this ‘horse’ you speak of.” Luna corrected, failing to understand why the human was making such a big deal.

Despite her confusion she could see just how close Andrew was to becoming manic. She made a snap judgment and quickly cast a repairing spell on the mostly destroyed sheet he was holding. Now holding a full size piece of cloth, he quickly draped it over himself.

“Thank Christ, there is no way I was going to go through this hallucination without something to cover myself up with” Andrews mumbled, before closed his eyes and taking deep long breaths, his heartbeat slowly returning to normal. “So uh… what’s going on? I vaguely remember falling, and I unfortunately remember the landing… but I also remember waking up in a lot of pain… I’m sorry, who and what are you?”

The alicorn giggled, confirming for Andrew that she was a she, the sparkling laughter easing some of Andrews building tension.

“I suppose I could go first. I am Princess Luna, co-ruler of Equestria with my sister Princess Celestia. Together we watch over the little ponies that live there. ” She paused and looked at Andrew expectantly, while Andrew looked at her blank faced. “and you are…?”

“uummm well… I’m uh…I’m Andrew… that’s it, still working on the royalty part”

The human rubbed the back of his head, weirdly embarrassed that he couldn’t give a more impressive title. He shrugged slightly before continuing.

“So uh… you come here often?” he asked, once again looking around in an attempt to figure out where he was. This place looked oddly familiar to him, like he had seen it in a photo or maybe a movie.

“I do actually, quite often” Luna said, another giggle on her lips. “This is my moon.”

“I’m sorry, your what now?” Andrew asked incredulously.

“My moon” Luna punctuated her explanation by pointing her wing up.

Andrew followed her pointing, until he was looking straight up at an orb of blue and green. A planet, which was decidedly not Earth. The sight was too much for Andrews mind.

“You’ve got to be shitting me…” was all Andrew could manage before falling back and fainting.

“So you’re telling me that that six pony girls… stopped the lord of chaos, with the power of friendship?” Andrew asked again, still having a hard time believing what Luna had been telling him for the past several hours.
He had awoken from his ‘nap’ to see Luna standing next to him, poking him in the ribs in an attempt to wake him. He repressed the urge to shout ‘Boo!’ to get her back for what was surely going to be several new bruises.

“Indeed. I can attest to the power of friendship. It is a power unmatched when focused by the elements of harmony.”

Luna had had to explain the elements of harmony, as well magic several times before Andrew had finally said that he believed her story, despite witnessing magic only a short while ago. She suspected he was still highly skeptical. Perhaps he was lying for her benefit.

“And Queen Chrysilis, leader of the shape shifting changlings, was defeated by the power of love? Love she herself had been feeding off of for weeks?”

“That is what we have been saying, yes”

“Well shit, according to you I fell from the sky and landed in a Saturday cartoon” Andrew said enthusiastically.

He was still having a very, very hard time believing any of this. He was managing to keep his cool though, a fact that Luna did not miss.

“All things considered, you seem to be taking all of this in stride”

“Yeah, I am, aren’t I? I think it’s mostly ‘cause I’m pretty sure I ate something moldy and its making me trip balls. I’m probably sitting in the closet, muttering to myself about ponies and the moon.”

“I am quite certain this is real” Luna assured him yet again. “Although I must admit I question how the place you describe could be real as well.”

Luna had listened intently as Andrew described his home and his species. She was shocked by the violence that humans were capable of. Ponies were certainly not guiltless of such violence themselves, but never so consistently.

“Surely you exaggerated your species tendency to resort to violence.”

“I’m afraid not, if anything I downplayed it” Andrew looked saddened by the truth of his description. “Don’t get me wrong though, separately we aren’t that bad. But when we get into big groups, sometimes we can be jerks.”

Luna dropped the subject when she realized how uncomfortable Andrew felt talking about his fellow man.

“I can understand the allure of fear and greed, no creature is perfect.” Luna gave Andrew and reassuring smile.

“Of course not, that would be reeeallly boring!” Andrew exclaimed returning his gaze to the planet hovering above the moon.

“Goddammit I’m so bored!” Andrew exclaimed.

The two had been on the moon for six more hours, waiting for Luna’s magic to recharge. Luna had been sleeping for most of that time, but the adrenaline from learning he was on the moon, along with all the shock from learning what had happened had kept Andrew awake. “How the hell did you do this for a thousand years?!”

“We would like to point out that this is taking longer because of your demand for clothing” Luna pointed out, having also given up on sleep around the time Andrew had started loudly complaining. “And are you always this antsy, or can we add that to the list of symptoms?”

After both of them had gotten tired of talking about their respective homelands, they had tried to figure out what had happened in the hospital. Unfortunately they hadn’t gotten very far, for Luna was abstaining from using magic in an attempt to help it recharge faster, and Andrew knew next to nothing about the matter, apart from a witty reference or two about a "Criss Angel".

“Shut up, you’re just mad because I rock this sheet” Andrew posed, as if modeling the piece of cloth to an invisible camera. “And yes, I’m always this antsy”

Andrew plopped down beside Luna, leaning up against her, looking up at the stars. Luna looked at him as if she was going to reprimand him, something about not being his personal pillow, but decided against it.

“I really shouldn’t be complaining though, a lot of humans would give an arm and a leg to see this view, even more so in the company of a royal alien horse.” He elbowed her gently to let her know he was teasing.

“It is quite a lovely view, isn’t it?”

“Are you kidding me? I mean it’s nice but the view is second fiddle to the fact that I’m on the goddamn moon! Well a moon but semantics hardly matter after a near death experience.”

Andrew shook his hand at the last part, as if he was brushing of a frivolous addendum, rather than the fact that he almost died. He got back onto his feet, a feat that still amazed Luna. She had met a few minotaur in her time, but somehow the human seemed much more fluid. It almost made her jealous. Or perhaps that was nausea.

“Really? Most ponies would see being sent to the moon as a punishment” She said, her voice dropping slightly, despite her best efforts. The lack of love for her moon, as well as her night was still a sore subject for her.

“I mean I wouldn’t want to be stuck up here… No offense” he looked back at her sheepishly, momentarily forgetting her tale of banishment. “But I’m a bit of an astronomy buff so this is like a dream come true.”

“Really? You enjoy our nights?”

“Weeelllll, back where I’m from they don’t really belong anyone, and they certainly aren’t controlled or arranged by magic. But to be honest I’m pretty excited to see what ‘your night’ looks like. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve fallen asleep under the summer night sky, it will be interesting to do that under one that changes night to night.”

“We… we will try to live up to your expectations.” Luna looked away as she blushed slightly. She was not used to such an unbiased appreciation for the stars and moon.

“Good” Andrew said simply.

“Regardless of what you night looks like, one thing is for sure” He said after a long pause, wriggling his shoulders. “You make a shitty head rest.”

With a harrumph Luna stood up, and walked away from the human, who was now propped up on his own hands after falling back against the ground.

“-and then he said ‘get the fuck off her, that’s my wife!’” Andrew shouted, hardly able ontain his mirth while he told his joke, and after squeaking it out, he devolved into a roiling pile of guffaws and gasping laughs.

“We do not get it” Luna looked at her giggling companion with skepticism, she hadn’t even realized he was telling a joke until the final line. His laughter slowly died down, and after he had wiped the tears from his eyes, he looked at the princess with mild annoyance.

“Damn, who knew princesses were such a tough crowd.”

Finally, after much waiting, and even more pacing by the human, Luna stood. “Andrew, I am ready to return.”

“Aww just five more minutes?” Andrew whined, doing his best imitation of an annoying brat. He had sat down a few feet away from where Luna had laid, and was half way through building a mini moon castle, complete with empty moat. “I just want to finish the-“

“Andrew, we must return now, stop imitating a foal and get over here.” Luna directed with a scolding tone

Begrudgingly Andrew got up from his creation, mumbling and groaning all the way. When he reached her, he put his hand on her back.

“Alrighty, beam me up Scotty!” With a flash, and a pop, the duo disappeared from the moon.

Arrival: 4

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Teleporting was one of the most bizarre sensations Andrew had ever felt. The only way he could describe it was suddenly being nowhere, everywhere and specifically at two separate points all at the same time. This of course ignored the sensation of stretching and compacting, as if the very space he was in was being pulled and squished, rather than his actual body. His mind was overloaded by the strange sensations for a single mentally cacophonous moment. And then, as suddenly as it had started, it stopped. He felt his ears pop as he stumbled slightly into the new location. Nausea flowed through him as he looked around. The room they had ended up in was a complete mess, and judging by the papers still fluttering down, this was a rather new development.

“Damn Luna, you could have told me it would feel like that! I feel all mixed up and… off.” He said, failing to find the words to describe how he felt.

It wasn’t overt, but he felt so… different. Now that he thought about it, the feeling was so subtle he couldn’t even be sure if it was the teleporting that had done it.

“And jeez, you’d think royalty would be able to hire a maid, this place is a disas-“ He stopped mid rib as he looked around to find Luna. “Oh crap oh crap!”

Luna was next to him, partially collapsed and struggling to stay vertical. He rushed to her side as she tried to rise to her full height. He sat down beside her and put his hand on her back.

“Luna its ok, relax. Take it easy and stay down, no reason to strain yourself further.” He urged gently. “What happened? Something tells me that’s not how that’s supposed to work”

Hearing the wisdom in his words, she stopped struggling and sat down, breathing deeply as she struggled to catch her breath. Andrew looked around the damaged room as Luna caught her breath. Many of the pieces of furniture were broken or thrown back, and almost all of the room’s glass had been shattered. Even the massive bed frame was pitched at an awkward angle. Considerably more foreboding was the black burn mark encircling the duo.

“I… miscalculated. You were… more difficult to move… than I had imagined.” Luna finally answered as her breath slowly began to return to normal.

“Luna! Did you just call me fat?!” Andrew gasped with mock indignation, wrapping his impromptu toga tighter around himself.

His farce got a quiet chuckle from the exhausted alicorn. Glad to get a humorous reaction from her, he continued.

“Well despite the impressive property damage, it wasn’t too bad” He said as he gave Luna a reassuring pat on her back.

“I was aiming for my office.” She said, breath finally resuming its normal pace.

Andrew’s face dropped at her remark, and he audibly gulped.

“I’m going to take a shot in the dark and assume that could have gone a lot, lot worse then?”

“Indeed” Luna said simply, and once again struggling to get to her hooves, barely succeeding in getting to her knees.

Andrew now got up from his sitting position and kneeled beside the princess, steadying her swaying.

“Luna, stop struggling, you’re only going to hurt yourself. I’m going to see if I can find someone to he-” his words were cut off by the loud slam of the bedroom door being thrown open.

A hinge snapped on one half of the ornately carved door, causing that side to tilt. Standing in the now open doorway were three ponies, colored orange, light yellow and purple, and the purple one looked particularly upset as it observed the situation.

“Get away from Princess Luna!” the purple mare shouted at him as she saw him leaning over the princess.

In his surprise he put his hand on Luna, and his other toward the new arrivals. The purple pony immediately lowered her head, her horn glowing as she charged a spell. The two ponies behind her watched in shock as their friend strained, charging a blast of magical energy.

“Whoa there, don’t go jumping to-” Andrew didn’t get time finish his sentence before Twilight fired her spell.

Time seemed to slow as a magenta beam formed, shooting from her horn, heading directly for Andrew. He could feel Luna struggling to stand next to him. He knew she was going to trying and push him out of the way. He knew that doing so would put her directly into the path of the spell. And, he knew that if she did that, with her magic drained as much as it was, the damage would be major. He didn’t know how he knew these things. His knowledge of magic was obviously miniscule, and for all he knew about it, the beam that was flying toward him was as gentle as a hug. But somehow, something was telling him that this beam, while not intended to kill, was very dangerous. He knew he was in danger, and that Luna was moving to put herself in the path of destruction to spare him.

And he couldn’t let that to happen.

The hand he had placed on Luna moved down to her shoulder and he gave her a good hard shove. As shaky as she had been, the shove from the human was enough to send her sprawling away from him, well out of the danger zone. His hand still outstretched toward the ponies, he closed his eyes in the instant it took for the beam to reach him.

“NO!” Luna still managed to shout, despite her exhausted state.

Now sprawled on the floor a good distance away, Luna instantly recognized the simple and familiar combat spell the second Twilight had cast. The spell was a simple heat and impact spell, but even that would do massive damage to an unshielded pony, or in this case human. On instinct Luna had tried to protect Andrew from it, despite knowing that in her state she couldn’t have possibly conjured a shield strong enough to block or deflect it. Andrew’s quick reaction was amazing in and of itself, almost as if he recognized the spell forming as well. Part of her wanted to look away from what sure to be a brutal impact. But she couldn’t, or more precisely, she refused to. In all honesty it mattered little if she wanted to see it or not, it happened so fast she couldn’t have turned away at all.

In a split second the beam reached the closest part of his body, the hand outstretched to the usually peaceful pony. Just before it impacted, which should have broken the humans arm and covered it with burns, there was a spark, and a reddish glow of magic as a translucent disk of the same color was spawned. It hovered directly in front of the outstretched limb, expanding to about a meter wide. Luna instantly identified it as a very crude shield spell. The beam slammed into the disk, which in turn slammed against the human, throwing him back. He was blasted completely clear of the blackened ring that marked the duo’s arrival point, directly into the partially broken husk of what was probably a china cabinet, smashing it to even less recognizable bits. The top of the cabinet collapsed down onto the launched human, covering him completely. Luna gasped as the human tumbled through the air, wincing as he made contact with the furniture. She spun her head to the new arrivals.

“Twilight Sparkle, cease your violence immediately!” She yelled, trying to halt any follow up attacks.

Twilight seemed startled at the harsh tone of the dark blue alicorn, but her stance remained combative.

“Don’t worry princess, I got him. He won’t be able to hurt y-“

“He wasn’t hurting me, he was trying to help me!” Luna shouted, cutting of the unicorns attempts at reassuring her.

“What? Don’t be ridiculous, he was standing over you maliciously!” Twilight replied, now becoming seriously confused. She had just saved the Princess Luna from the bipedal beast, why was she getting yelled at? She moved to rush to Luna’s side, but was stopped half way.

“No, I am fine! Go find my sister before you cause any more harm!” Luna insisted.

The venom in her voice was clear, and it shocked both Twilight and princess herself.

“I’m already here my sister. Are you alright?” said Princess Celestia, as she walked in from the terrace.

The doors had been blown open by the miss calculated teleportation, and now rested haphazardly on the balcony. She seemed oblivious to the destruction of her sister’s bedroom, instead trotting up to her fallen sibling.

“Yes, I am fine! Please, just make sure Andrew is alright!” Luna shout in obvious frustration.

She wanted desperately to get up and check on him herself, but her legs were not following any of her directions. A quiet groan came from the pile of debris formally known as a cabinet, and the wood pieces shifted slightly.

“I’m okay!” Andrew said, his voice muffled, as he poked his hand through the top layer of fragmented wood. “Well… mostly okay…kinda dark…”

“Princess Celestia wait!” Twilight shouted, as the princess of the sun began to make her way to the pile of debris. “Don’t go near it, it’s dangerous!”

“No, no I’m not! I’m uh… Just a little claustrophobic…” a small amount of panic began to creep into Andrews’s voice.

Celestia continued on to the pinned human, after giving her student a reproachful look.

“Twilight Sparkle, you should know better than to jump to conclusions.” Celestia’s horn glowed as she moved the pile up off of the human, revealing a singed, but relatively undamaged human underneath. “Especially when using such a violent spell.”

As Princess Celestia chastised her, Twilights expression went from confused to hurt in mere moments. Twilight was stunned by her teacher scolding, completely thrown off guard. She couldn’t remember the last time her teacher had reprimanded her with such conviction.

“But… Princess there was an explosion, and when we got here, it was standing over her holding her down.” Her hurt expression remained, she was truly convinced Andrew had been attacking Luna.

“Twilight Sparkle.” Luna interjected. “The explosion was from my miscalculated teleportation, and he was trying to help me, not hold me down.”

“Oh…” Her she said quietly, shocked face quickly turned to embarrassment then panic as she realized she had just attacked an innocent creature. “Oh no, I’m so sorry! Here, let me help you!

She started to walk over to the human, but Princess Celestia waved her off.

“No Twilight, why don’t you go wait in my office and we will discuss your hasty actions when I am done here.” The white alicorn said, her tone still disapproving.

Her student looked heartbroken, and began to walk away, head hung in shame. She exited the room, slowly walking out of view, obviously distraught about what had happened. Her friends followed behind her, completely speechless at what had happened. The room was quiet except for the quiet groans Andrew was making as he dragged himself out of the pile of rubble.

"Thank you Princess Celestia” Andrew said, leaned on her for a moment before sitting on a night stand that had been tipped on its side.

He looked at his hand, which looked remarkably normal for all the glowing and sparking he had just witness it give off.

“So, not that I’m not thrilled to finally meet you Princess, but uh… the fuck was that?” He asked, holding his hand up to the sisters, pointing to it as if he had never seen it before.

The sisters looked at each other, then back to the bewildered human.

“Well Andrew…I believe that was…magic” Luna answered, looking almost as confused as he did.

She remembered the hours it took for Andrew to take her explanation of magic seriously, despite the improbability sitting on the moon without it. And yet what she had just saw him do was clearly magic, albeit very crude. Andrew once again studied his hand, turning it over and back again, brain clearly struggling with this brand new concept.

“Seriously?” Andrew finally said words full of intense skepticism. Had he not seen it with his own eyes, and felt the magic itself, he would have laughed in Luna’s face for what she just said. “Well…shit.”

“What is it?” Luna asked, worried her new friend was on the verge of repeating the outburst on her moon.

“Well…I would make a joke about not being in Kansas anymore, but I don’t think that would quite cover this.”

Luna shook her head, while Princess Celestia just looked at the human in confusion.

“Andrew, we still don’t understand your references”

“I know, it’s freaking terrible!” His head sagged and he let out a loud, irritated sigh. Luna wasn’t sure if he was more concerned about his sudden ability to use magic, or that his jokes were going on unappreciated.

It took some time for Luna to get her strength back, or at least enough to make it to Princess Celestia’s bedroom for some proper rest. As drained as she was, she refused to be carried either by the guards or by Princess Celestia’s magic. She even went so far as to refuse her sister’s offer to teleport her there, saying “I shall move by my power or not at all.” Eventually, through coaxing by Andrew and Celestia, she agreed to lean on her sister for support. They began making their way through the halls, while Luna explained what had happened since her and Andrew disappeared from the hospital.

Andrew followed behind them, oblivious to their conversation. To the sisters, he was silent, but in his head buzzed thousands of questions. It felt like every time he managed to come to terms with whatever crazy thing was being thrown at him, another curve ball would come up and hit him out of nowhere. He felt himself hovering on the edge of breaking down, and he struggled to calm himself. He was brought out if his wallowing by Luna.

“Andrew” She said softly, managing to get the human’s attention. “I know you must be frantic right now, but stay strong. We will find answers, I promise.”

Luna’s voice was gentle and reassuring, despite her obvious exhaustion. The two sisters stopped in front of an ornate door, marked by a sun. Andrew leaned up against the door jam, his racing mind calmed by Luna’s promise.

“Thank you Luna. Now go get some rest, you look like a crap” He said with a smile.

“You don’t look much better.” Luna shot back, making Andrew laugh as the two sisters left the hall to put Luna to rest.

When Princess Celestia returned a few minutes later, Andrew sat up quickly from his leaning.

“Andrew was it?” Princess asked, receiving a nod from Andrew in confirmation.

“Yeah, that’s right. So…she really okay?” Andrew asked, smile still lingering after Luna’s fast retort.

“How quickly you understand my sister’s tendency to embellish her wellbeing.” The white princess said with a quiet laugh. “Yes, she will be fine, though I’ll admit this is the most drastic case of magic overdraw I’ve ever seen.”

The Princess began walking toward her office, a few corners down the hall. Andrew followed behind, rubbing the back of his head, a look of embarrassment on his face.

“Yeah… about that… as far as we can tell, that’s kinda my fault” He admitted awkwardly

“I have heard the story several times. Did you mean to do it?” she asked, her gaze heavy on him as she studied his face.

“No! I mean no. I’m not even sure I was conscious at that point.”

“Then do not worry, I will not hold you responsible for something you didn’t do on purpose.”
A smile finally showed on the white alicorn’s face, and Andrew let a breath out he hadn’t even known he was holding.

“Thanks” he said simply, his eyes returning to the hall as his mind wandered over what had happened in the last few hours. “You wouldn’t have any idea what is going on, would you?”

Andrew looked at the princess hopefully, waiting for her response. The hall was silent for a while, save for the clop of hooves and the pad of bare feet. The Princess appeared to be deep in thought.

“I have several… possibilities in mind” she finally said. “But I think it’s best if we wait until we can examine you properly before we delve into speculation and guessing.”

Even after she answered, Princess Celestia’s face remained contemplative, and they continued to walk in silence. Andrew let out a quite sigh, wanting to push her for more answers, despite her trepidation about it. He took a deep breath, forcing his mind to relax. She was right after all, he should be resting and coming to terms with what has happened, not running towards figuring everything out. He focused on calming down while they walked, taking deep breaths and following the Princess.

As the two finally make it to Celestia’s study, they pause before the large wooden doors. They could hear the sounds of three ponies animatedly talking, albeit in hushed tones. Next to the door were two saluting guards, clad in golden armor. He noticed they were both virtually identical, at least they looked that way to him. The guards eyes fell on him almost immediately, but quickly returned to their stare to the wall opposite them. He resisted the urge to shout “boo!” in an attempt to make them move. He wasn’t quite ready to pester ponies armed with swords and clad in metal. The Princess looked to the guard on the right.

“Stalwart, is that Twilight and her friends I hear inside?”

“Yes your Highness.” The guard rigid stance loosened slightly as the Princess talked to him in an unofficial tone.

“Thank you. Hold any visitors until we are done please.

“Of course you Highness”

“Thank you Stalwart” After assuring they wouldn’t be interrupted, the Princess pushed the door open. The guards gave her a final salute as the two walked inside, the door closing behind them.

Inside, three ponies talked amongst themselves, looking over a familiar pile of cloth.

“My clothes!” Andrew hurried to the three ponies, who quickly got out of his way.

Fluttershy disappeared behind a chair, while Applejack, who was still unsure of how to act around the biped, simply stood next to Twilight.

“Hey, these are in pretty good shape.” Andrew said, kneeling beside the pile, as he picked up his shirt and turned it side to side. “I’m surprised whoever patched me up didn’t have to cut me out of them”

“Actually, they did.” Twilight walked to the human, looking slightly mortified, which Andrew assumed was from the incident in Luna’s bedroom. “I collected them from the hospital and cast a repair spell on them… as an apology”

Twilight looked d down at her hooves, as if expecting he wouldn’t accept her attempt at making amends .

“Oh thanks Twilight, you didn’t have to do that, I would have forgiven you anyway. Not that I don’t appreciate this.” Andrew said, clearly ecstatic with being able to get out of his ridiculous toga.

“Wait, seriously? Forgiven, just like that?” She asked, her eyebrow raised, clearly skeptical that he could really just brush off the incident.

“Yeah, it’s no biggie. I mean from what I heard from Luna, you’re the only reason I’m here and not being scrapped off the ground with a shovel”

Andrew saw Applejack wince at his description, and a whimper behind him. He turned to see Fluttershy peaking around the edge of her chair

“Oh, hello there. You must be Fluttershy.” He said, giving her a small smile, before turning back to the orange pony who stood behind Twilight. “Which would make you Applejack.”

He dropped his clothes back into a pile, and stood, and gestured to himself.

“Names Andrew Dike, it’s nice to meet you all.”

Autumn: 5

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The group was silent, save for a single awkward cough. Andrew posed with his hands on his hip, forgetting the ever crucial fact that you can’t look cool while wearing a bed sheet.

“Hold on just a minute there…your name is decay?” Applejack asked, finally ending the quiet spell. “As in rottin’? That’s an awfully forebodin’ name…” she said, eyeing up the human. She had once again made her way to Twilights side.

“No no no, that’s just how it’s pronounced, its actually spelled D-I-K-E.” he explained, his shoulders slumping slightly as he stopped posing. “Besides, humans don’t pick names the same way as you guys. At least that’s what I gathered from what Luna said. Our names identify us, but they have very little underlying meaning, save for a few of the really old ones.”

“Really? That’s quite interesting, it sounds similar to how griffons choose their names” Twilight said, thinking out loud. Her eyes had slowly widened as he explained the simple difference in human culture. Even this small tidbit of information was enough to kick start her academic mind. “Are children named at birth or later? Is there reasoning behind which name is first or second? Do you-”

“Twilight, I believe we were discussing something else?” Celestia interrupted, halting her student’s oncoming torrent of questions. The Princess had made her way behind her desk, and now was observing the others.

“Oh, right. Sorry” Twilight said, looking embarrassed for almost letting her inquisitive mind run loose while such an important subject waited. She began again, her face turning quite serious. “Andrew, while I do appreciate you forgiving me, don’t you think this is more serious than that? I could have seriously hurt you. Just as bad is that I *wanted* to seriously hurt you.” Twilight looked extremely upset by this admission, shame and disappointment in herself plain on her face. It was clear she expected to be in trouble.

"Woah ok, serious time I guess” Andrew said, sitting down on one of the chairs. He leaned forward and his mood changing noticeably. “You’re right, I’m letting you off the hook pretty easily. But in the grand scheme of things, it’s pretty fair. You saved my life after all. That and I know you didn’t do it maliciously, you were just trying to protect Luna. I can’t hold that against you, it wouldn’t be just” he paused, looking at Twilights expression.

“I guess that makes sense” she said, thinking and nodding slowly. She seemed to be buying what he was saying, but clearly still had some reservations.

“Tell you what, if your still feel guilty about it, help me figure out how I managed to block your spell. That sound fair?”

“Fine, that’s fair enough I suppose” Twilight agreed. “Although I was going to do that either way.”

“Well now you have my permission, which I’m sure will help speed things up” Andrew said, scratching the back of his head. “So before we talk about this, mind if I put my clothes back on? This thing is a bit draftier than I’d like” He pulled at the sheet as if to show how thin it was.

“Uh yeah sure, I was beginning to wonder why you hadn’t changed yet.”

“Well we were in the middle of a conversation, I didn’t want to just leave” He explained, wondering why she hadn’t expected that.

“Uh… why would you need to leave?” Twilight asked, openly confused.

“Oooh right, Luna was the only one there…” Andrew said, mostly to himself . he shook his head, a smile spawned from embarrassment on his face. “Humans always wear clothes, nudity is a cultural taboo” he explained hoping they wouldn’t ask past his simple explanation.

“‘Cultural Taboo’? That’s the silliest thing a’ve heard in a long time” Applejack said. “iffen ya ask me, wearing clothes is what’s taboo”

“Uh ok first, not what taboo means” Andrew said, giving Applejack a skeptical look. “Second, we don’t have fur, so we get cold a lot easier.”

“It’s the summer, its plenty warm out”

“uh yeah but…” Andrew looked imploringly from Twilight to Princess Celestia. Twilight shrugged, equally curious as to why the human was so interested in privacy, and Princess Celestia just looked back in curious silence.

“Come on guys, it’s not that hard to figure out! If I was a stallion, and my arms where my front legs” he explained, waving his arms about. “and my actual legs were my back legs…” he let the sentence hang, hoping someone would get the memo and save him the trouble. When he nobody did, an irritated sigh exploded out of him

“Jesus Christ, really? Fine, humans have exposed genitalia! It just hangs out in front of us! So we cover ourselves in clothing to keep our privates private!” He ended, annoyance and embarrassment clear in his voice. “I was kinda hoping I wouldn’t have to explain it word for word, but fuck me right?”

All three of the visible ponies blushed noticeably, and he could only assume that Flutteryshy was blushing as well behind her chair. Applejacks mouth hung open in shock and Twilight struggled to keep a semblance of professionalism but only partially succeeding. To her credit the Princess’s blush quickly faded and she cleared her throat.

“The door over there is a bathroom, I believe that will be satisfactory.” She said, pointing to the door on the corner of the room.

“Thank you” Andrew said simply, a hint of annoyance still in his voice. He picked up his clothes and walked to the door, pushing it open. Once inside he looked around, taking in the opulent bathroom. He made his way to a massive mirror on the wall much taller than him, and at least that wide. He sighed, stretching and removing the sheet. He rubbed his shoulder, which was stiff and sore from his earlier one sided scuffle with Twilight. He checked his back out, which had more than a few new bruises. “I’m going to be so sore tomorrow” He murmured an sighed to himself. “should probably be sore already”

He quickly got dressed, focusing on doing it quickly to keep his mind off everything. After he had finished pulling down his shirt, he ruffled his hair to get it back to how he liked it. It seemed lighter than before, blonde instead of his usual dirty blonde. With a shrug he washed his hands and walked to the door. He opened it and walked out, all eyes were immediately on him. He sat down in the same chair and was happy to see Fluttershy had come out from her hiding spot.

“A’m sorry ‘bout that Andrew, ah didn’t realize…” Applejack faltered mid apology, blush returning to her face.

“Yeah, well next time take the hint. But I guess no harm no foul, I was beating around the bush for you three’s benefit more than anything anyways. No reason to go tainting young minds.”

“Um… I’m actually twenty-two.” Fluttershy whispered, the first thing she had said in Andrew’s presence.

“And both Applejack and I are twenty-one” Twilight added.

“Seriously? Wow, I wouldn’t have guessed that… not that I have much to go off of I guess.” Andrew said, surprise coloring his face. “I would have put you down for seventeen, maybe eighteen tops.”

“Uh… thanks?” Twilight responded, not sure if she should be insulted or flattered. Andrew waved off her dilemma. He started to say something, but was interrupted by a long yawn.

Perhaps we should take a break, and continue this conversation tomorrow. You’ve been through a lot in the past day, surely you would like to rest. I’m sure Twilight would be happy to examine you fully tomorrow” Princess Celestia said, getting a agreeing nod from her pupil.

“Yeah, sleeping sounds great right now. Before that though, can I ask a question?” Andrew asked, wiping his eyes. He continued when the Princess nodded. “How long do you think Luna will be laid up for?”

“She will likely be asleep for a day or so before she is recovered enough to be mobile. Worse though, is that because she extensively overdrew her magic so many times, it is likely to be weeks before it returns to normal.”

“What?! It was that bad?” Twilight asked, nearly shouting in shock.

“Yes, while her magical reserves will likely be full by the end of the week, such repeated drains will most likely have strained her horn, making even simple spells very difficult for her to perform by herself.” Celestia explained, even her usually controlled façade breaking, letting her worry for her younger sibling through.

“Umm… Andrew are you ok?” Fluttershy asked, as timid as ever. She had seen him grow more and more upset as Celestia explained the severity of Luna’s condition. His head had slumped and his fist clenched. It took him a long moment to speak.

“I’m fine, and that’s the problem. This is my fault, but I’m not the one getting hurt for it, she is. She’s getting shafted because of me. That’s not ok.” He said quietly, guilt evident in his voice. “Is there anything I can do to help her get better? It’s not fair for her to be suffering because of me.” He asked the Princess, a faint hope in his eyes.

“I’m afraid not, otherwise I would already be doing it.”

“I figured as much.” His shoulders slumped, reluctantly accepting that all he will able to do is wait. “Well I know I’m not much use for anything, but if I can do anything to help please let me know.”

“I will, you have my word Andrew.” The regal alicorn promised. “But before you go, understand this. My sister would have done this for every single creature in this world. While your presence may have caused this unfortunate series of events, you are not responsible for them. You may see her suffering as your fault, but I assure my sister sees it as a perfectly acceptable payment for the life and health of an innocent being.”

Andrew’s eyes watered a bit as the Princess’s word washed over him. While he still felt guilty for what had happened, he was now able to think more clearly.

“Now” The Princess continued “go get some rest, like we agreed, Twilight will start her research tomorrow. Stalwart?” Princess Celestia raised her voice to call the guard standing outside the door. When he walked in, she continued.

“Take Andrew to a spare bedroom, one with a bed large enough for him. Oh and make sure that someone will be there in the morning in case he needs anything.”

“As you wish your highness” Stalwart said with salute, then motioning for Andrew to follow. Andrew turned to the other four.

“I guess I’ll see you all tomorrow?”

He got a few nods and agreements, before turning to follow the guard out into the hall.

As Stalwart and Andrew made their way through the hallways, Andrews had a hard time keeping up with him. Andrew certainly wasn’t out of shape, but the guards gait was awkwardly in between a walk and a slow run for the human, so he found himself alternating between the two, and his tired and lightly battered body wasn’t liking it very much. None the less he followed through the white marble halls, finally reaching a nondescript but well-crafted door. Stalwart stopped in front, pushing it open.

“Here you are sir, this room should suit you fine.”

Andrew walked in to the simple yet spacious room, glad to see the bed was plenty large enough for him, though sleeping on the same level as the floor would be a new experience.

“Thanks, but my names Andrew” said said, remaining near the door. “Any idea who’s gonna be helping me tomorrow morning?”

“No sir, but someone will be here before you wake up” the guard replied tersely. Andrew took the hint, and nodded. He was way too tired to call out the pony’s bad attitude. He shut the door with a simple ‘goodnight’, and made his way to the bed, losing his shoes and shirt on the way there. As he lay down, his head on the pillow, he looked out of the window that lay on the opposite side of the room. It held a great view of the quickly darkening sky, and the silver disk that he had been walking on not three hours before. He fell asleep like that, staring at the impossibly large moon.

Andrew awoke to the sounds of birds chirping and muffled conversations. Having lived in one city or another for the majority of the back end of his life, the muffled conversations of people in the streets or in the halls was nothing new to him. The songs of birds however was a new waking experience, one he found himself enjoying greatly while laying in the comfortable bed.

Eventually boredom overtook him though, so he got up slowly. His arm was sore, and he could feel the bruises on his back as he rolled out of the bed and onto floor. He pushed himself up off the ground and stretched, noticing quite a few new pops and squeaks as he did this. He took a deep breath after releasing his stretch, and the smell of pastries made its way into his nose. He turned, noticing a cart near the bedroom door for the first time. Upon inspection it revealed numerous breakfast goods, ranging from some sugary treats to what appeared to be some sort of oat cereal. His stomach growled and he resisted the urge to shovel whole plates into his mouth. He finally settled on a pastry, an apple and two muffins, eating them as he made his way to the small balcony attached to his room, opening the doors to a warm early morning.

Below he could make out ponies as they made their way through the streets, the conversation they were having drifting up to him. He at his breakfast in peace, enjoying the clean air and fluid singing of more than a few song birds. After cleaning the last bit of sugar off his fingers, he made his way to the bathroom and completed his morning rituals as best he could considering the circumstances and the things provided to him. He felt refreshed, despite the hay flavored toothpaste. He could feel his nervous energy bubbling through the whole time, this only becoming more obvious after he completed his routine and began wearing a hole in the floor as he paced around. Finally, unable to take it any longer, he headed to the door, grabbing one last pastry as he did. He opened the door, and stuck his head out into the hall. A reddish brown earth pony with a long golden mane sat outside, across from him. She looking up, somehow managing to keep almost all of the shock from her face at her first sight of the human.

“Oh! Good morning sir, did you sleep well?” She said cheerfully, but not annoyingly so.

“Uh yeah, pretty well actually” he replied “and the names Andrew. Seriously, just Andrew. My ego doesn’t need any help inflating itself.”

“Well alright Andrew, I’m Autumn Song, but you can call me Autumn. I’ll be your guide for today!” She said, smiling a contagious smile that Andrew soon found himself copying.

“Alright Autumn, that sound’s good. Are you the one who got me breakfast?” Andrew asked, nodding his head to the cart, which was now behind the closed door.

“Mhmm! Since I’ve never met a Huymaan before” she replied, struggling slightly with the new word “I kinda got a bit of everything. Did you find something you liked?”

“Oh yeah, good call on the pastries” he said, showing her the one he was holding before taking a bite. The flavor was tainted a bit from the hay toothpaste, but it was still good.

“Great! I was worried you wouldn’t like it.” she said, happiness clear on her face. “Now, according to what I’ve been told, you’re supposed to meet Twilight Sparkle in the library at noon. But since you got up relatively early, we have a few hours before then. Anything you would like to do or see around the castle in the meantime?”

“Well… I actually wanted to go to the library anyway, do some reading before I met Twilight and her friends.”

“Oh… well that’s fine, makes my job much easier!” The auburn pony said, seemingly undeterred by the unexciting wish of her charge. “Just follow me!”

Andrew couldn’t help but smile at the peppy pony’s enthusiasm as he followed her .

“So Andrew, Where you from?” Autumn asked, making friendly conversation as they made their way through the halls. There weren’t many ponies in the castle this early, but those who were were friendly, saying hello and trying not to stare at the lanky biped.

“Well right now home is in Boston, but I bounced around a lot when I was younger.” He absentmindedly answered as he absorbed the view that was passing them by. The windows beside them looked out over the Royal gardens, an impressive expanse of hedges, flower bushes and statues.

“Boston huh? Is that up near Manehattan?” she asked, trying to remember if she had heard that name before.

“Uhh, not quite…” Andrew replied, suddenly realizing he had no idea how much information Princess Celestia was ok with him sharing. He didn’t have to worry though, because before she could inquire further, they arrived at the library.

“Here we are! The Canterlot library, also known as the National Library of Equestria. It contains at least one copy of every book and scroll written from 250 A.D till now!” Autumn said as she slipped back into tour guide mode.

The she walked into the main room, with Andrew tailing behind her, looking at all the books. A dulled orange unicorn, who Andrew assumed was the librarian, sat at the desk next to the entrance. She was busily working, organizing stacks and stacks of books, checking each on before placing it in another pile.

“So what kind of books are you looking for?” Autumn asked as they reached the center of the room.

“One on basic magic, and another on general equestrian history. I’m getting a bit tired of not having any idea what anyone is talking about.”

“Alright, if I’m not mistaken history would be over there!” Autumn said, heading off to a section of the library. Pretty soon they had found some books, and had returned to the reading area. Andrew placed his small pile of book on the table with a quiet thud. He sat down, again surprised that chairs designed for ponies were at all comfortable. Autumn sat across the table from him, and placed her own book down.

“Are you sure you don’t mind me reading?” she asked. While the two had been searching for books, she had spotted one on display she had been meaning to read.

“Absolutely not, I want you to sit there and stare at the ceiling for the next three hours.” he demanded, words dripping in sarcasm. “Of course you can read, who am I to say you couldn’t anyway?”

“Okay, okay, just making sure. To you it might sound ridiculous, but you would be surprised what can insult foreign nobles”

“Oh I don’t doubt that in the least” Andrew replied, already cracking into his first book. It was titles Simple Magic Concepts, and was adorned with a simplistic silhouette of a unicorn, a pegasus and a earth pony. With a content smile, he settled in for a few hours of reading.

It took him the better part of three hours to make his way through his first book, much longer than he had intended. His plan had been to skim a few books and hopefully absorb some information that would let him be a bit more than just a quiet specimen in Twilights coming investigation. What he hadn’t expected was to be drawn in so much by the magic of… well magic. While the book talked very little about the methods of casting spells, it talked in length about magical phenomena as well as the innate magic of all pony breeds. Many of the concepts were still a bit fuzzy, but he understood a surprising amount as well.

“How was it so far?” Autumn asked, having put her own book down upon seeing Andrew do the same to his. Her voice dragged him from his thoughts, and he looked at her questioningly

“Hmm? I’m sorry, you say something?

“I asked how it was so far” She repeated.

“Oh! Yeah it was fine, and I understood a lot of it, which was a welcome surprise. It’s done though, so I should start reading the history book now” he answered, as he reached for the next book in his stack.

“Whoa, you finished it already? You must be a fast reader!” She said, surprise written on her face.

“Yeah I guess. I mean I’m a pretty solid reader, nothing to write home about though” he said nonchalantly. “I just hope I have some time to read this one before-”

“Hey Twi’ he’s over here!”

Andrew turned towards his name and the already familiar twang filled voice. Sure enough, the orange pony was making her way to him, followed by Twilight, who was in turn followed Fluttershy.

“There ya are partner, we stopped by your room but ya weren’t there.” Applejack said when the trio arrived.

“Oh, sorry, I wanted to do some reading, maybe learn a bit about magic before Twilight started trying to figure what’s going on”

“S’alright, we just didn’t want you to get lost on your way here” She explained. She leaned over to get a closer look at some of the books. “That’s some mighty heavy readin’ your do’in”

Twilight picked up the book Andrew had just finished, and gasped.

“You reading Concepts? How do you like it so far? It’s one of my favorite beginners’ books!” She gushed as she gripped the book against herself. “did you make it to the part on alchemy? They describe it so well!”

“Yeah, I actually finished it. I’m just glad I understood most of it” he said, shaking his head with a smile over how enamored Twilight was with what was a essentially ‘Magic for dummies’”

“Wow, that’s pretty impressive Andrew! If you have any questions, feel free to ask! Magic is uh kinda my thing.” She said, the last part with no small amount of modesty and embarrassment.

“Twi’s just be’in modest. She’s the element of magic, ain’t nobody better at it than her, save maybe the Princesses” Applejack bragged, obviously deeply proud of her friends accomplishments. “Why just the other day she-“

“Why don’t we get going to the spell room? I’d like to start setting up some magical probes” Twilight cut her friend off, the telltale blush of embarrassment creeping up her face. She hurriedly rushed away from the group toward a rather large door in the very far end of the library. It was marked by images of unicorns, as well as what Andrew now recognized as magical runes.

As the group got to the door, Twilight pushed it open, revealing a large room on the other side. It was lined with dozens of shelves containing vials and vessels filled with various liquids, old books stacked on even older desks and a multitude of important looking objects.

“Princess Celestia had this room refurbished when I was just a filly, turning it into it a place where unicorns could go to practice the minor spells that they were studying in the library.” She explained. “It’s sound proof and lined with metal to keep any out of control spells inside this room. I must have spent half my time in here when I was living in Canterlot.”

“Wow! I never knew this room was back here!” Autumn said, surprising both Andrew and Fluttershy. She walked further into the room, sticking her hoof out to Twilight.

“Hi, my names Autumn Song, I’m supposed to be Andrews guide for today, you don’t mind if I sit in and watch do you?” She continued.

“N-no, of course not. It might get a little boring though.” Twilight warned, shaking the cheerful earth ponies hoof. She was thrown for a bit of a loop by the red-brown pony, she hadn’t expected her to follow them.

“That’s no problem, still got plenty left of my book.” she said, her smile as big as ever. She made her way to one wall of the room, sitting down and opening up her book. Fluttershy eyed the new pony nervously before walking over to Twilight.

“Um… Twilight, is it alright if I um… go find a book to read?” she asked. “I’m afraid I won’t be much help with the magic…”

“Of course Fluttershy, that’s fine.”

The light yellow pony mumbled a thank you before walking out the door they came in through, shutting it behind her.

“You might want to find one as well Applejack, this might take a while.” Twilight advised her farmer friend.

“That’s a’right sugarcube, I like watching all that magic stuff you do.” Applejack replied. “Besides, if I get bored I could always just take a nap.” She walked to one of the walls as well, laying down and getting comfortable.

“Well alright then, that takes care of them, let’s get to this Andrew, I can’t wait to find out what’s going on.” Twilight said, a bounce in her step, put there by the chance to study a part of magic she had never seen before. She made her way to the center of the room, and using her magic, levitated a few pillows to them. She laid them out and took a seat, motioning that Andrew do the same.

“Are you ready Andrew?” she asked. “It won’t hurt, there isn’t enough energy in this spell to hurt, but some unicorns do feel a bit off when they are consistently exposed to another ponies magic, and this is nothing if not consistent.”

“What are you going to do?” Andrew asked, moving around to find a position that was comfortable.

“First, I’m going to cast a simple scanning spell. This will allow me to take a nice and close look at the magic around and attached to your body. With any luck we will find some sort of residual energy associated with what brought you here.” Twilight explained, clearly enjoying the opportunity to flex her intellectual muscle. “After that I’ll cast a much more complex probing spell that will allow me to see the magic inside you.”

“Magic inside me? I shouldn’t have any magic inside me, humans don’t have magic!” Andrew said, emphasizing the last bit. This frequent disregard for what he thought was possible was starting to really make him doubt his own sanity.

“I know, I gathered that from your reaction, plus what from what Princess Celestia passed along from her and Princess Luna’s short chat.” Twilight said, trying to show the human that she understood his confusion. “Regardless though, that magic that stopped my erm… attack… it certainly seemed to emanate from you. As improbable as it may seem, we need to work from what we have seen.”

Andrew slumped slightly, muttering his agreement.

“So I’ll ask again, are you ready to begin?” Twilight asked the human, who nodded in confirmation. “Great. Now breathe normally, and remember that it’s just a scanning spell, so no need to panic or anything.” Her horn began to glow and Andrew saw, and felt the magic envelope his body

“Oh, and you might want to lay down, this will take a while.”

Examination: 6

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About two and a half hours later, Andrew had a full appreciation for what Twilight had meant when she had claimed it would “take a while“. He was thankful for the cushions beneath him, he didn’t even want to imagine how sore he would be by now if they hadn’t been there. What he was even more thankful for was the chance to stretch he had gotten before Twilight had begun her more in depth magical scan. She had paused after releasing her first spell and written down a page or so of notes while he cracked his back and stretched, before casting the second. While the first spell had created a less dense cloud of magic around him, the second spell created a thin film across his whole body, one that squeezed and pulsed around him. Even more disconcerting than that was the occasional probes of magic he felt, as she scanned deeper. However, even these bizarre sensations became boring after the first thirty minutes.

He stared at the ceiling, his eyes following the intricate pattern for what felt like the thousandth time. Eventually he turned his head, making sure to move slowly so he wouldn’t incur Twilight’s wrath. He had made that mistake earlier, resulting in a few very stern words from the purple unicorn. Unfortunately boredom wasn’t something he dealt with very well, so before long he was once again getting antsy. As he looked around he spied Autumn sitting in a corner, her face in the same book as before. Although before it had been because she was enjoying the story, now it was because she had fallen asleep and had face planted into the book. As if to erase any doubt that she was sleeping, she was beginning to snore quietly into the pages. Andrew suppressed a laugh at that, and instead looked to the two the other two ponies in the room. Fluttershy had chosen a different corner, as far away from the new pony as she could manage, and was reading book rather intently. It was marked by the image of a hawk-like bird, as well as a bear. Occasionally she would look at the human, or cringe as she read something. The last pony, Applejack, was clearly enthralled by the magic Twilight was performing, because she watched it closely, alternating from a wonderful expression to one of a pony deep in thought as she watched her unicorn friend. He was about to speak up and ask her what was so interesting when he felt the magic that had been encasing him start to lessen and finally disperse. He took a deep breath, not realizing how… restricted he had felt while Twilights magic was encompassing him.

“Alright, that should do it” The unicorn declared, letting out a tired sigh as the spell dispersed. Both the pony and the human stretched, joints creaking loudly. Andrew got up and sat in a chair close to Autumn, who had been awoken by Twilights declaration.

“Give it to me straight Doc, am I gonna make it?” Andrew joked, trying to hide his nervousness with humor. Twilight just looked at him, rolling her eyes at his dramatics.

“Yes, you’re going to be fine. There was no sign of magical corruption or-

“Wait that was a possibility?!”

“any remaining spells.” Twilight continued, ignoring Andrews interruption. By now the rest of the group had gathered around the two and were listening to the unicorn. “That’s the good news from your first scan. The bad news is that I can’t pick up any unexplained magic around you. Either it never existed, or all the magic you’ve been exposed to over the past few days has erased it. Personally I think it’s the latter, mostly because I can’t imagine a natural occurrence explaining what happened.”

“So no leads on how I got here?” Andrew asked, wanting clarification.

“No. I’m sorry, but whatever spell or magic that brought you here is long gone” Twilight explained. She looked at the human apologetically, sad that she couldn’t help him. “If you hadn’t been on the moon, or hadn’t been blasted by Luna when she healed you…”

Andrew rubbed his face, a sigh breaking through his hands as Twilight's explanation trailed off. The group was silent for a while, no one really sure what to say or to. Finally, Autumn put her hoof on Andrews back, rubbing it comfortingly.

“I’m sorry Andrew” she said quietly. Andrew looked back at her, thanking her with a look and a nod.

“Now hold on just a second, Just cause we don’t know exactly how ya got here, don’t mean we can’t send ya back! I’m sure Twi and the Princesses will come up with somethin’ to get you home! Just have some faith!” Applejack said, trying to keep the mood from slipping into despair.

“That’s right! It may take a while, but we won’t stop working on it until we find a way to get you home!”

Andrew looked at the group, and couldn’t help but smile at the determination he saw. They all had drawn closer, as if to support him by proximity. Even Fluttershy was close, going so far as to put her hoof on his shoulder.

“Thanks you guys, I really appreciate that. I’m okay with waiting, not like I have anything going on at home anyway.” Andrew’s smile grew bigger and more genuine, before realizing that Twilight had only gotten through half of her findings.

“So…what else did you find?”

“Ah, well...” She said, once again looking at her notes. “you have magic.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Andrew blinked, staring at the purple pony, emotion shocked from his face, leaving it blank and unbelieving. “That’s absolutely ridiculous, I don’t have magic.”

“I know it’s unbelievable, but you absolutely do” The unicorn insisted. “I could see the mana pathways throughout your entire body. They aren’t exactly like the ones in a unicorn, but they are similar enough that I could easily identify them. Not only that, but I was able to locate your focus point. It’s your right hand, the same hand you reached out with to block my spell when I… uh attacked you yesterday”

Another silence fell over the group, all eyes on the human’s blank face as he stared at Twilight. Finally he spoke.

“so you’re saying… that I… Andrew Dike…”

“Mhmm”

“have magic?”

“Yes, that is exactly what I’m saying.”

Andrew leaned back in his chair, absorbing what Twilight said. He looked at his hand, then back to Twilight, and again back to his hand. He did this numerous times before Applejack finally had enough.

“Andrew, you okay? Yer actin’ like confused puppy” she said, a mildly worried look on her face. He looked at her intensely.

“Okay? Am I okay? You’re asking me… if I’m okay?” Andrew said, his voice getting steadily louder. “Okay?! I just learned that I’m a FUCKING WIZARD! I’M FAN-FUCKING-TASTIC!”

Andrew jumped out of his chair and began dancing around the room, yelling and screaming in delight. He jumped and spun and shouted curse filled phrases of excitement, only stopping when Twilight managed to snag him with her telekinesis and placed him back into his chair.

“Andrew. Andrew… Andrew!” Twilight said, having to shout in order to finally get his attention. “While I understand your excitement about magic, this poses a particular problem.”

Andrew finally calmed down upon hearing this, although he still has a very large smile on his face.

“Oh come on, don’t go ruining this with your common sense and logic!” he said looking at Twilight in mock indignation.

“I’m not going to ‘ruin’ it for Celestia’s sake!” She started, raising her voice to emphasize how serious she was. “But you need to understand how dangerous this can be. You have the power of a full grown unicorn, maybe even a bit more! But on the other hand, you have the control of new born foal. That’s a dangerous combination to have! You need to be taught control as soon as possible, before you perform a foals spell more dangerous than a half formed bubble shield.”

“Foals spell?”

“It’s a spell that a foal casts instinctually when they get emotional. They can be really unstable, but generally not very powerful” Autumn answered automatically, before getting slightly embarrassed as everyone turned to stare at her, as if she hadn’t meant to talk out loud. “Uh… my little brother is a unicorn?”

“Um… Yeah, that exactly right Autumn, and therein lies the problem.” Twilight explained, after her surprise at earth ponies interjection passed. “For an ordinary unicorn, foal spells are nothing more than an occasional annoyance for the parents. But a foals spell instability combined with a fully grown unicorns power… it could have some poor results.” She paused again, gathering her thoughts as she paced back and forth. “Deeper than that though, is the fact that unicorns are born with an innate understanding of magic, one that keeps foal spells to a minimum, in both frequency and severity. We foster this innate knowledge through practice and tutelage until we can cast conscious, stable spells. We have no idea if a human who is given magic will have that foundation. Which means that instead of foal spells activating in “dire” circumstances, you could cast them whenever you aren’t paying attention, or whenever you get excited past a certain point, regardless if its excitement because you’re scared or any other emotion.” She took a deep breath, her speech almost frantic by the end of her explanation.

The group paused looking at the human anxiously. Both Applejack and Fluttershy took a full step back from the shocked human.

“Oh thanks guys, that’s reeaaaal helpful” Andrew said, giving annoyed looks to both offending ponies. “and Twilight, what part of that exactly didn’t ruin the whole human with magic thing? Cause the way you describe it, I’m one jump scare away from turning everyone into freakin’ frogs.”

“Oh, right. I suppose that does sound pretty severe.” Twilight answered apologetically. “Well…with the proper training, you could learn how to use it, which in turn should curb your tendency to use foal spells.”

“Ah, okay… so I can still be a wizard?”

“I get the feeling you aren’t understanding the severity of the situation or how difficult the training will be, but yes… you can still be a wizard.” Twilight said after letting out a rather loud sigh. “The important thing is that we’ve identified that the magic was coming from you and that there aren’t any spells still connected to you.”

“Huh… well that’s awesome… almost as awesome as being a wizard!” Andrew shouted, once again getting up and dancing around the room, this time making weird arcane gestures and vaguely magic whooshing sounds as he did. This continued for a good moment, while the ponies watched, expressions ranging from the bemusement on Applejacks face, to the exasperation that was practically oozing of Twilight. Suddenly, in a particularly grandiose movement, a spark of red magic flared from his hand, and a book across the room glowed. It jerked towards him at an incredible velocity, smashing into his chest and throwing him back onto the floor. The book ricocheted off to the side and smacked into the wall, leaving Andrew a groaning pile of hurt.

The ponies rushed to his side, most of them shouting various concerned words. Fluttershy was the fastest, rushing to his side, checking him for any serious injuries until he waved her off. She sat back as he got up into a sitting position, swearing heavily and rubbing his chest.

“God dammit Twilight, that’s what you call ‘poor results’?” He finally said after he was done cursing. He was looking at Twilight as he spoke. “Maybe next time you lay a little heavier on that one?”

“You mean like it going ‘terribly, terribly wrong’?” Twilight responded, looking at the human reproachfully, even when helping him up.

“Again with the logic and …” he groaned, trailing off as he got to his feet. He leaned heavily on Autumn as he did. “…you know what, I’ll let it slide this time. I’m in too much pain to be snarky or sarcastic.”

“Are you sure you’re ok Andrew?” Fluttershy asked, her face worried.

“Yeah, I’m ok. Just gonna walk it off…” Andrew said, as he made his way to the door, still holding his chest.

“Good idea, we should go talk to Princess Celestia about what we’ve learned anyway” Twilight said, following him out the door, with the rest of the entourage following behind.

“No. I need a drink. Then we can see Celestia.”

Andrew leaned against the ornately carved railing of the dining room balcony, holding an opaque bottle. Next to him, balanced on the rail, laid an apple core, as well as two empty bottles identical to the one he held. He stood there, occasionally taking sips from the mostly full bottle, admiring the view. In front of him lay a white and golden city, with mountains, rivers and forests beyond that. Far in the distance, in a small plain, he could see a town, barely visible in the distance. He watched the town, until his silent reverie was broken by the not entirely unwelcome return of a pair of ponies.

“We’re back Andrew” Autumn called, accompanied by an ever quiet Fluttershy.

Andrew had been surprised when Fluttershy had agreed to stay with them when Twilight and Applejack had announced they were going off to find Spike. Andrew could only assume was a friend of theirs. He turned around, now leaning against the balcony rail to great the two of them.

“Hey you two, enjoy your lunch?” He asked. The two ponies had elected to eat indoors, both out of preference and because they could both sense the human wanted some alone time to think about everything that was happening.

“Umm yeah, the hay salad was good.” Fluttershy whispered, looking from Andrew to Autumn.

“I suppose I’ll have to take your word for it.” Andrew replied, after chuckling quietly. “I’m pretty sure humans can’t eat hay, we can’t digest it.”

“Really? Well I’m glad I didn’t put that in your breakfast this morning” Autumn said, a smirk on her face. “Although it might have made the past three hours a bit more exciting”

“You’re telling me that meeting the first Equestrian human, watching said human learn he is the first human wizard, then watch him knock himself on his ass wasn’t entertaining?”

“You’re forgetting the three hours we watched you just lay on the ground.” She said teasingly

“Oh please, don’t pretend you weren’t asleep for most of that.” Andrew shot back, enjoying the distracting banter. “I saw you, I hope the librarian wasn’t angry for you drooling all over her book.”

“I do not drool!” Autumn said, a bit flabbergasted. “I am the image of a lady, even when I’m asleep.” Autumn tossed her head at the last part, mimicking exasperation.

“Oh, so do all girls snore here?”

“Okay, I know I don’t snore!”

“Umm… Autumn, can I uh… can I ask my question?” Fluttershy said, her quiet voice still managing to cut into the bickering banter of the other two.

“What? Oh yes, that’s right. Andrew, Fluttershy has an interesting question for you.” Autumn said, as both her and Andrew turn to the yellow pegasus. Fluttershy shied back a bit as they both looked to her.

“Uh yeah okay, sure. What’s up?” He said in the gentlest voice he could manage.

“Well… The thing is…” She started, standing a bit straighter upon hearing his tone. “Well I take care of the animals in Ponyville, so I have experience with lots of different kinds, including… well… meat eaters.” This got a wince out of Andrew. He looked over at Autumn, who simply nodded her head back to Fluttershy.

“I uh… kinda noticed that you have canines, and from what I’ve seen and read, those only show up in animals that eat meat.” She continued, looking nervously at the human. “So do you uh… do you eat meat?”

Andrew looked at the nervous pony, and then to Autumn. The auburn pony looked that the human knowingly, but still nodded back to Fluttershy, encouraging him to explain.

“I suppose that hoping this just wouldn’t come up was a bit of a stretch anyway” He sighed, sitting down against the railing. He took a long drink from the bottle, before beginning. “The truth is that humans are omnivores. We eat both meat and plants, balancing between the two to stay healthy. Now, from what I understand, in this world even the small animals are smart and like... alive in an emotional sense. Where I'm from that's not the case, even remotely. We aren't bloodthirsty monsters torturing our food either. I would never, and will never eat anything that is even remotely conscious on our level. Or even close for that matter.”

“Well than what are you going to do?” Autumn asked.

“I was getting to that Autumn, chill” he said, sticking his tongue out at her. “Luckily, I happen to have dated a vegetarian at one point, so I know what kind of changes I would have to make in order to survive without meat. So, I promise I will not be eating any of your woodland friends.”

As he looked at the two ponies, he was surprised to find Fluttershy wasn’t shying away from fear. In fact, if anything she seemed worried about him!

“Are you sure that’s healthy? It’s important to eat healthy, even if that means… eating meat” She asked, the last part coming out barely a whimper.

“As long as I eat a variety of vegetables, and plenty of protein from nuts and soy, I should be fine.” He explained, keeping to himself how much he would miss eating meat.

“Oh really? that’s good to hear. Should we tell Twilight and Applejack that when they get back?” Fluttershy asked. Andrew winced at that suggestion, not wanting to go through this again. Fluttershy was being very understanding, but he was worried that others wouldn’t be.

“I’m willing to bet that the Princess already explained this to Twilight and.... well I would rather not go into it if I don’t have to, especially if I’m changing what I eat to vegetarian already. But I promise not to hide it if it comes up in the future.”

“Oh I don’t know, I think…” Fluttershy started, but was quickly waved off by the human.

“I understand your concern, but this is my secret to tell, so please keep it between us.” He said the last part while looking at both Autumn and Fluttershy and they both nodded, albeit a bit hesitantly. Andrew took a long swig of his bottle, effectively ending the discussion. He turned back around to the view behind him, once again watching the small town in the distance. The two ponies made their way to the edge, and joined him.

“Hey, you can kinda see Ponyville from here!” Fluttershy said excitedly, grateful for a new subject. “It looks so small.”

“Ponyville? Seriously?” Andrew asked, holding back a laugh at the rather on the nose name.

“Yes, it’s where we live. Well me Twilight and Applejack.” She explained with a smile. “our other friends too.”

“You live in that small town, waaaayy over their?” he asked, pointing in the vague direction of the town. “What are you doing in Canterlot then?”

“Oh I was visiting a family friend, Doctor Steady Hooves. He’s actually the one who stabilized you after your… arrival. Whenever I see him, I share some of my natural remedies with him and he shares some stuff like bandages and more modern medicine.”

“Ah, gotcha. So I guess you’re kinda like a vet?”

“uhh… yeah, but not officially, I just like taking care of the animals.”

“Holy shit, is that a midget dragon?!” Andrew practically shouted, pointing dramatically. Spike had come in behind Applejack, munching on a red gem. He looked surprised and offended by Andrews outburst.

“Hey! I’m not a midget dragon, I’m a young dragon!” he shouted back indignantly. “and you don’t have the right to call someone a midget, you’re the runtiest minotaur I’ve ever seen!”

“Ooo, I like him!” Andrew said, breaking into a huge smile, and walked over to the young dragon and crouching in front of him. “Sorry about that little buddy, you’re the first dragon I’ve ever met!”

He offered the dragon his hand, which Spike reached out and shook.

“That’s okay, you’re the first human I’ve ever met. Sorry about the minotaur comment, I know that’s not what you are.”

“No harm no foul little dude” He reached out after the hand shake and rubbed the top of Spike’s head, as if he was mussing his hair. “So where have you been, I could have used another guy to talk to.”

“Oh, sorry, I know how that can be” Spike said, wincing. “I was out buying comic books, and getting a snack” the dragon held up his partially eaten gem, sticking the rest in his mouth and crunching.

“Woah, that’s metal.” Andrew said when Spike started crunching his snack, holding up a semi sarcastic horn sign.

“No, it’s a ruby actually. I don’t like metal, it gets stuck in my teeth.”

“Right.” Andrew said, more than a bit flummoxed by Spikes completely serious response. Instead he stood and turned to Twilight. “So introductions are done, shall we go talk to the Princess?”

“Uh, maybe we should wait a little while.” Twilight responded, looking at the bottle Andrew was holding, as well as the few empties.

“What? Oh, this?” he asked, shaking the still half full bottle before tipping it up and draining the whole thing in one go. “I’ll be fine”

“Andrew, take it easy!” Twilight said admonishingly “I understand you’re under a lot of stress right now, but drinking isn’t the solution to that. Self medica-”

“Whoa nelly, your certainly a stick in the mud! Lighten up Twilight!” Andrew said, smile evident and shared by Autumn and even Applejack. “Look, you don’t even know the drinking limits of a human, how could you know that I should ‘take it easy’? I’ll have you know that ‘this’” he said while shaking the now empty bottle “is very good for a human, especially if it’s all natural.”

“W-well that’s too bad. You’re in Equestria now, so you’ll follow our rules. From now on no drinking like this in public!”

“Damn. Fine, if you’re sure.” Andrew said, a small smile still on his face. He pushed off from the railing, grabbing two of the empty bottles and the apple core before walking to the balcony door. “I promise I’ll be on my best behavior, despite how much I’ve drank.”

With an aggravated sigh, Twilight relented.

“Fine, let’s get going, but don’t come crying to me when Princess Celestia gets mad at you.”

“Oh I’m sure I won’t have to worry about that. Oh and Twilight, mind grabbing that last bottle?” he asked, reaching the door and pushing it open. With another sigh, Twilight levitated the bottle, pulling it closer. Out of curiosity she brought it to her nose and took a tentative sniff.

“Hey! Wait a minute, this is apple juice!”

“You know” Twilight said, talking to Applejack as the group made its way to Celestia’s office. The two ponies were hanging back, with Autumn Song leading the rest of the group further along. “you could have told me it was just apple juice”

“ah know hun, but it was some harmless fun. Besides, ah had only jus’ recognized the bottle before ya started to talk about it.” The farm-mare said, trying to keep her friend from being to hurt. “Besides that, ya could have asked just asked him what it was, as opposed to jumping to conclusion…”

“Yeah, you right.” Twilight admitted with a sigh. “I suppose I should apologize at some point for jumping to conclusions like that”

Applejack nodded in agreement, before bumping her friend.

“Cheer up sugarcube. Next time ah promise to keep ya in the loop, okay?

“Thanks Applejack” Twilight said, leaning over to nuzzle against her friend for a moment.

“Uh it ah, no p-problem sugarcube” Applejack said, a slight tremor in her voice. “so you said the Archmage will be there to hear what you found?”

“Mhmm! The last time I met an Archmage was when I was a little filly. But back then it was Comet Light, and she retired a year or so ago.” Twilight said, following Applejacks attempt to distract her. “I’m excited to meet her replacement.”

The group re-formed in front of the familiar door, with familiar guard standing next to it. Stalwart simply nodded and opened leaned to open the wooden door, and the group filed in. Celestia was waiting inside, sitting behind her desk in full regalia. She looked the same, if not a bit happier. Twilight realized how much her sister’s disappearance must have been weighing on her for the relief to be visible even now.

“Welcome my little ponies, and Andrew as well! I hope your day has been productive?” The Princess asked. Her soothing, motherly voice put everyone at ease as they found places to sit. Spike chose to sit in the back of the room, opening up one of his new comics to read.

“To a degree Princess. Before I go any further though, shouldn’t we wait for the Archmage?” Twilight asked, not seeing any new ponies.

“Ah yes, that’s right.” Princess Celestia said, looked at the group in front of her. “unfortunately it seems she is unable to make it. She’s a busy mare after all. But do not worry, I will make sure she is kept in the loop.”

Upon hearing this the purple unicorn sagged noticeably.

“Well that’s kinda rude” Applejack said, mostly to herself. Her words weren’t missed by Autumn Song, who couldn’t help but giggle.

“Well in that case, I suppose we should just get into it” Twilight started. “My preliminary scan showed no signs of any still attached spells, so he is clean of anyone’s influence. Unfortunately, it also showed no sign of residual magic. I believe that whatever happened in the hospital, as well as the subsequent teleports overwhelmed and erased any signs of whatever spell might have brought him here.”

“So that means that we have no leads on how to return him to his world?” The Princess asked, looking for clarification.

“Unfortunately, that’s exactly it.”

The white alicorn turned to the human, who seemed intent on making sure his fingernails were clean.

“Andrew, you have my word that we will find a way to get you home. While this is a setback, we will not give up.”

“Thank you Princess” Andrew replied, finally meeting the Princesses eyes. “I really appreciate that.”

“You’re very welcome Andrew.” Celestia nodded, before again looking to her student. “and what about your more in depth scan Twilight? What did that turn up?”

Before Twilight could begin Andrew cut her off.

“Ooooo ooo pick me!” Andrew shouted, his hand raised as he rocked side to side in his seat. He looked hopefully at the Princess, until she motioned to him with her hoof. “I’m a wizard!”

“Really? Twilight, is that true?” Princess Celestia asked, after the rather surprised look passed from her face.

“It is. My in depth scan showed mana pathways very similar to those of a unicorn. We also witnessed it in a rather… spectacular way.” Twilight explained, a small smile working its way to her face. “So far it has been nothing but foal spells. Unfortunately, they have been backed by the same amount of power that a full grown unicorn could wield. Earlier he attempted telekinesis but only succeeded in launching a book into himself.”

“That is a very dangerous combination indeed…” The Princess said, thinking out loud.

“Very much so” Twilight agreed. “He needs a proper mentor to teach him control and soon, before he casts something very dangerous.”

“That seems like the best course of action. I will send out word for teachers who could tackle this amount of… unique circumstances.” The Princess said, looking to Andrew. “is that acceptable?”

“Of course, that’s great!” Andrew said earnestly. “Anything to keep my magic from hurting anyone.”

“Good, I’m glad to hear that Andrew” The Princess Celestia said with a smile.

“That just leaves figuring out how he suddenly has magical talent.” Twilight said, checking a list that seemingly appeared from nowhere.

“Actually, I believe I have an idea as to how this all fits together” Princess Celestia started. “Learning that he has magic is the final piece of the puzzle. As you all know Princess Luna used a rather unpredictable technique to heal our new friend after he was… damaged by his arrival.”

Nods and murmurs of varying levels of understanding went through the group as they listened to white alicorn. Twilight flipped over her list and almost instinctually began taking notes.

“I believe that that the wild magic used in that spell not only healed him, but also gave him magic.” The Princess continued, easily slipping back into lecture mode. “But while it gave him the ability to use magic, it did not fill his magical storage. This essentially created a vacuum, at least in terms of magic.”

“And nature abhors a vacuum!” Twilight almost shouted, excited to have figured out what her teacher was getting at so quickly.

“Exactly my student. And because a spell already connected this vacuum with a rather large amount of magic, namely Luna’s, it just pulled more and more of it in, causing resonance cascade of sorts. That is until Luna managed to cut it off.”

“But he had already absorbed too much. So even after she managed to sever the connection, he was in danger of…” Twilight let her sentence trail off as she turned to look at Andrew. “You must have been in incredible pain!”

“I don’t really remember anything in between impact and waking up on the moon” Andrew said with a shrug. “but by the sounds of it that may be a good thing.”

“Magical overload is one of the most painful things that can happen to a unicorn, and you were drawing from one of the largest pools of magic in Equestria!” Twilight exclaimed. “how you didn’t just explode is a miracle!”

“I think I might have actually, but after I got to the moon.” Andrew said, clearly not happy with himself. “There was a rather large crater not far from where Luna and I were. I checked it out while she was sleeping.”

“Ah, my sister was hoping you hadn’t noticed that.” Princess Celestia said, a rather sad look on her face.

“Wait just a minute here. You blew up?” Applejack said, thoroughly confused by this point. “that doesn’t make any sense”

“He didn’t explode per say, but all that energy would have had to have gone somewhere ” Twilight said, trying to explain to her friend. Behind applejack was an equally confused Fluttershy. Autumn Song on the other hand seemed to be having no trouble keeping up, either that, or she wasn’t paying attention at all.

Through all this Andrew didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t believe that he had been this close to causing that much damage. That crater had been massive, and if it had gone off in canterlot who knows how many peop-ponies may have gotten hurt. Now not only did he feel guilty for hurting Luna, but for almost destroying a castle! This was terrible, horrible, inexcusable and…

“Andrew Dike. Are you listening?”

The Princesses voice managed to cut into Andrews emotional spiraling, and he jerked his head up to meet her gaze.

“As I was sayingAndrew, you are in no way to be held responsible for what *could* have happened” Princess Celestia insisted. “in fact, you should be commended.”

“Commended? Commended for what?” Andrew asked, clearly confused.

“Somehow you managed to communicate with my sister that you needed to be far away from anyone you could harm” She explained. “You were in so much pain that you couldn’t speak, and yet you managed to communicate through
my sister’s horn that you needed to be far far away. That is extremely commendable.”

“Thank you Princess.” Andrew said, forcing a smile onto his face. “I’m just glad I don’t have to worry about that happening again.”

Celestia was about to reply when the stone on her necklace began to glow. She placed her hoof against the stone, murmuring something under her breath. A smile sprouted on her face, and she looked at her ponies with obvious happiness.

“I have good news everyone. Luna is awake, and she would like to see you all!”

Healing: 7

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The group of excited ponies, along with Spike and Andrew hurriedly made their way through the halls to Celestia’s bedroom, where Luna was waiting. They were led by Princess Celestia, though at this point they had spent so much time walking the castle halls the past few days, even Andrew could have lead the group there. The Princess walked with a spring in her step and a smile on her face. She was obviously glad that her sister was finally awake and had no problem showing her happiness. In fact, almost the whole group was in good spirits as they walked the marble halls. Autumn chatted with Fluttershy, talking about some of the people she had met while working at the castle. The auburn pony had integrated into the group remarkably well, aside from the occasional slight frown that would form on Applejack's face when she thought no one was looking. The happy chatting continued down the line, but petered out at the final pony in the group, Twilight. Andrew noticed this, and slowed down to walk beside her.

“You’re afraid she’ll still be angry for attacking me, aren’t you?” He asked. She looked at the human, worry and guilt plain as day.

“Yes, of course I’m still worried. I don’t know how you managed to forgive me so easily, but Princess Luna is…”

“Stubborn, spiteful and unforgiving?” Andrew finished nonchalantly. Twilight practically stumbling over her own legs from shock as Andrew so easily insulted one of her Princesses.

“Andrew! You cannot say things like that about-” she started, her voice angry and chastising despite it being a whisper.

“Alright, alright, just calm down.” He said, cutting off her tirade. “Look, the point is that Luna is a pony just like you. Her job may be important and she may be a bit taller than you, but she is still capable of getting agitated and saying things she doesn’t really mean, just like everyone else. I bet you anything that she is supremely distraught over how she spoke to you.”

Twilight looked at the human in surprise, not used to him being so… insightful. She mulled over his words as he patted her back and hurried to rejoin the group. Ignoring his oddly worded reassurance, she continued to look worried and nervous, though she didn’t hang her head nearly as low.

The group reached the door to the Princesses room not long after Twilight and Andrews conversation, and Princess Celestia hurriedly pushed the door open, ignoring the guards on either side. As they followed the white alicorn inside, Andrew got his first look inside her room. It was surprisingly simple, with an artistically shaped fireplace off to the side, a few tapestries hung from the wall and stacks of books and scrolls placed here and there. In the middle of the room was a large, circular bed where Luna sat. Immediately Princess Celestia swooped to hold her sister. The dark blue alicorn stood easily, happily returning her sisters hug. They separated after a long moment and Luna turned to the group, soon focusing her gaze on Twilight. Everyone was quiet as she walked to the nervous unicorn and stood in front of her for a long tense moment. Twilight looked at the ground, too nervous to meet Luna’s gaze. Suddenly Luna leaned in and wrapped her in tight hug, surprising her friend who let out a yelp at the sudden embrace.

“Oh Twilight, please forgive us for what we said. We were angry and surprised at what you had done, but it doesn’t excuse us for being so harsh.” Luna said, sadness and shame in her voice.

“Princess…” Twilight trailed off, shocked that Luna was apologizing to her, while not seconds ago she had been afraid she wouldn’t accept her apology. “but I was the one who acted so hastily.”

“Yes, that is true” Luna agreed. “but we don’t think you deserved such harsh words.”

“Well…of course I forgive you Princess Luna, as long as you forgive me for being so hasty.”

“Thank you friend.” Luna said, letting out a relieved sigh “Ever since we awoke we have been supremely distraught. We thought you may not forgive us.”

Twilight gave an odd look from the Luna to Andrew, but remained silent.

“We assume that you two have also made peace?” Luna, catching Twilight’s look but missing any meaning.

“Of course!” Andrew beamed, walking to the two and ruffling Twilights hair. She looked very annoyed, but Andrew pretended not to notice. “We’re best buddies now! She even helped figure out what happened when she tried to kill me.”

“Really?” Luna asked, looking to the pair, her curiosity peaked. “And what has thou learned?”

“I’m a-

“It seems that the spell you used to heal him gave him magic. He has mana pathways similar to a unicorns running through his whole body.” Twilight said, cutting off the human. She smirked when he turned to stare at her, his mouth agape at her betrayal.

“Next time tell me its apple juice first.” She said to him under her breath.

“Truly? You can perform magic?” Luna asked, her eyes wide. “We saw you cast your crude shield when we first arrived home, but we had not imagine thou was mage.”

“Wizard, I prefer wizard.” Andrew said with his arms crossed, still grumpy from Twilights revenge. “not that I have any control over it.”

“Control isn’t all he lacks at this point. He doesn’t have a unicorn’s instinctual understanding of magic.” Twilight explained. “Earlier today he attempted to levitate a book and only succeeded in knocking himself over with it.”

“It really hurt too” Andrew complained as rubbed his chest, wincing.

“That does sound most serious, levitation is one of the most basic spells and many foals learn how to do it safely at a few years of age.” Luna said, deep in thought. “We suppose he would need a rather good teacher to compensate for that…”

“Indeed sister, we decided upon that earlier. Word has already been sent to the Canterlot’s unicorn school, as well as Manehattan’s.” Celestia interjected. “We will have him a proper tutor in several days.”

“That long huh?” Andrew said, slight disappointment on his face. He had been looking forward to learning how to control his magic as soon as possible. “Well that kinda sucks. At least I can hang out with you guys.”

He looked happily to his new friends, only to find all four of them looking awkward and guilty.

“Seriously guys? You didn’t tell him?” Spike asked admonishingly. He had been sitting against the wall, finishing his comic book when he had heard Andrew.

“We were workin’ on it Spike” Applejack replied, looking a bit guilty. She turned back to the human. “Andrew we all gotta get home tomorrow. Ma brother needs help with the cider makin’, Fluttershy needs to get home fer the animals an’ Twilight needs to run the town library.”

“And I have work to take care of as well, I’m going to be real busy for the next few days.” Autumn Song added, while all four of them muttered apologies.

“It’s okay guys, don’t worry about it.” Andrew said, rubbing his face. “it just hadn’t occurred to me yet. I should have guessed as much when Fluttershy mentioned you all live in Ponyville.”

Fluttershy walked to the human, looking up at him worriedly.

“Are you sure you’re going to be alright by yourself? I would hate for you to be lonely.” She asked. “Maybe if I could find another babysitter for a day I could stay a bit longer?”

“No that’s alright Fluttershy, I can’t ask you to do that. I’ll be fine, I promise” Andrew assured her. She was about to tell him it wouldn’t be any trouble when Princess Celestia spoke.

“Actually Fluttershy, I have a better idea. What if Andrew went with you three, back to Ponyville?” She suggested. “Then you can introduce him to your other friends.”

“But what about learning about magic?” Andrew asked, looking back at Celestia curiously.

“Most likely we can find a tutor who will be willing to travel to Ponyville as a favor to the Princesses” she said, smiling. “and if not, then you can consider it a short trip.”

Andrew began to speak, but had the urge to look back at Luna, who had walked around the room, and seemed to be pacing, still deep in thought.

“Something on your mind Luna?” he asked, everyone turning to look at the alicorn. She returned the look, and she seemed to make up her mind.

“Yes, but we would prefer to have that conversation in private, between yourself, my sister and I.” she started, looking very serious. “My apologies friends, perhaps you could go and await us in the dining hall and we shall join you for an evening meal.”

The group of ponies looked at each other in surprise, before Twilight spoke up.

“Of course Princess Luna. C’mon everypony.”

As the group left, they cast curious glances back, while both Andrew and Princess Celestia looked at Luna quizzically.

“What is it Luna?” she asked. “I can’t imagine anything about this that we should keep private from Twilight or her friends.

“In short, we agree with you sister. We cannot think of a better place for Andrew than Ponyville” Luna said, jumping straight into what was on her mind.

“…That’s good Luna, but why-”

“But there is no need to find him a tutor, for we shall be his mentor.” Luna stated in no uncertain terms. “We trust no other in this task”

“…While I don’t disagree that you would be a great teacher dear sister, this matter requires near constant attention, which you cannot do from Canterlot.” The elder sister pointed out after pausing to consider what she had said.

“Once again we agree. That is why we shall be accompanying him until he is fully trained.”

Both Princess Celestia and Andrew looked at the dark blue mare in surprise. The room was silent, so much so that they could hear the sound of clinking metal at the guards outside in the hall shifted positions.

“Luna, I appreciate your enthusiasm for our new arrival, but you cannot-”

“But we must. For we caused his new predicament, so we shall be the ones to instruct him until he can control his magic.” Luna said, interrupting her sister.

“Luna you cannot just drop everything to go on another adventure, you have responsibilities here.” Princess Celestia replied.

“This has naught to do with adventure, it is about dealing with the repercussions of our actions.”

“I understand that Luna, but what of the night court? What of the ambassador from Saddle Arabia? You have responsibilities here that you must attend to.”

“No sister, we have busy work! Things you decided are easy enough for your little sister, and that won’t drag us out of your sight for more than a few hours.” Luna said, her voice rising slightly. Andrew simply looked back and forth between the two sisters, shocked at how this was developing.

“I’ve only been trying to ease you back into the world Luna, a process that would take much less time if you took it seriously instead of-”

“We are not a foal! While we may still not fit perfectly into this world, we do not require hoof holding!”

“Luna why must everything be an argument with you? I am only trying to help, but you refuse to change or accept your full responsibilities!” Princess Celestia said, matching her sister rising volume.

“We resort to arguments because you are oblivious to the more subtle attempts at explaining-”

“I am not oblivious Luna, you have just never-”

“Uh guys, why don’t we calm-” Andrew started, trying to diffuse the situation, but quickly being overridden by the rapidly escalating argument.

“You are! If you would stop working and listen to us you might understand that-”

“I understand just fine, you refuse to accept the responsibilities of being a leader, and-”

“Responsibilities as you define them sister, you know very well we disagree about our role-”

“C’mon you two, arguing won’t-”Andrew said as he tried again to interrupt, only to be completely drowned out by the rising volume. He could feel his frustration rise alongside theirs.

“Do not start that again! We are both leaders, we cannot just shirk our responsibilities-”

“It is not shirking responsibility to let our subjects take a more active role in governing-”

“It is when it leads to chaos!“

“Freedom is more important than-“

“Order leads to freed-“

“Oh for fucks sake shut up!” Andrew shouted, a spark of magic dancing across his throat for barely an instant. The two sisters were buffeted by his yell, their hair whipped around by its force. Stacks of books fell down behind them and scrolls were blown this way and that. The sisters stood in stunned silence, both staring at the clearly aggravated human.

“Both of you just shut up for one second!” He shouted again, after a loud cough. “Your arguing is pointless, so both of you just chill the fuck out and take some deep breaths.”

He waited and watched as the two alicorns looked at each other, faces still surprised. After a minute or so of silence, and once he was satisfied that they had done as he asked Andrew turned to Princess Celestia.

“Princess, you have no right to tell Luna what she can and can’t do. For one thing, she is her own woman and for another, she is the co-ruler of Equestria. You are equals and therefore you can’t demand anything from her.”

Celestia glumly nodded, seeming to realize how embarrassing their little argument had been. Luna began to smirk, until Andrew turned to her.

“However Luna, by that fact you cannot pretend you don’t have responsibilities. Whether you like it or not you are co-leader of this place, to jump up and run off to some quest, no matter how important the quest may be, is blatantly irresponsible.”

Luna’s smirk fell, and she looked as if she might balk at Andrews lecture. Thankfully however, she nodded in agreement after a moment or two. Once again Andrew turned to Princess Celestia and continued.

“Next up, Princess you need to realize just because you have her best interests at heart, doesn’t mean you know what’s best for her. Yes she seems to be having a hard time fitting back in, but you need to realize that your way of helping her back into the world isn’t necessarily the way she wants to be helped. Let her help herself, or ask how you can help”

Andrew immediately looked back to Luna, not even waiting for Princess Celestia to agree.

“And Luna, you need to understand that while it’s an older sibling’s job to help their sisters, they don’t always know how. So take her wanting to help as its intended, instead of focusing on the fact that she doesn’t know what she’s doing. Cause last time I checked, there wasn’t exactly a handbook on how to rehabilitate a sibling that you banished to the moon for a thousand years.”

He paused, taking a deep breath. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to solve this conflict before it sparked up again. Both Princess Celestia and Luna watched the human, still in shocked silence.

“Since you guys clearly need to work on compromising only a small amount less than a ton, I’ll show you how it’s done. Tomorrow I’m going to join Twilight, Applejack and Fluttershy and go to Ponyville. Luna, you are going to spend the next four or so days getting everything in order here, then you can join us. You’ll spend two weeks with us, then return to Canterlot for a week, taking care of all the work that has built up, and getting ahead of the curve. Then you can come back, and we rinse and repeat. Princess Celestia will make a list of events that you absolutely need to attend so you don’t miss anything important. And finally, because this is undoubtedly put your sister under even more stress, you have to promise to work harder on fitting back in Luna. Step one should be to try and stop switching your pronouns back and forth, it’s beginning to get a bit old.”

Again he paused, looking to the two alicorn expectantly. When they didn’t immediately respond, he impatiently asked “Hello? Thoughts? Opinions? Concerns?”

“We… I think it shall suffice…” Luna managed to get out after Andrew’s prodding. “it is… fair.”

“I… agree. While Andrews negotiations where a bit… brutal, the compromise is fair.” Celestia agreed. “If Luna takes her weeks here seriously, then I see no problem.”

“Great!” Andrew exclaimed with a loud sigh of relief. “Now, since you two have had plenty of time to calm down, anything you want to say?”

The alicorn’s looked at each other, embarrassment at having gotten so angry clear on their faces. Instead of talking they simply crossed the distance between them and hug, fully embracing one another. Their apologies wrapped over each other’s, and when they finally separated they both wore tired smiles, drained but content.

“Shall we join the others for dinner?” Luna asked her sister.

“You both go ahead. I find myself not very hungry at the moment. Please let Twilight and her friends know that I will see them off tomorrow.” The Princess said, turning to the door off to the side of her room. “And Andrew… thank you for your help”

They both nodded, Luna a bit sadly and Andrew in acknowledgment. Luna turned and walked to the door, with Andrew following close by. As they both walked through the door, Luna turned to Andrew and asked. “When did you learn how to use the royal Canterlot voice?”

As the turned the corner, Princess Celestia heard Andrew reply.

“The what now?”

Luna and Andrew were silent while they made their way to dining hall. The silence was awkward and oppressing, with Luna casting furtive glances at Andrew as she tried to figure out what he was thinking. As they reached an intersection Luna made to follow the path to the dining hall, but Andrew cut her off, continuing to walk until he reached a relatively familiar door. He pushed it open, entering his temporary room, and motioned for Luna to follow. As she walked past him into the room, he shut the door behind her and made his way to a chair. He spun it around and sat down, leaning against the back with his arms crossed. Luna stood not far away, trying very hard not to seem as shaken as she was.

“So…” Andrew began, clearly not sure what to say. “Want to explain what that was?”

“A simple spat between siblings.” Luna said dismissively “they are common enough that it shouldn’t be surprising.”

“Yes, I’m aware that small fights between siblings are pretty common, lord knows I had plenty with...” Andrew said, quickly starting again. “The point is that I sure as hell know wasn’t some simple spat.”

Luna’s eyes widened with surprise and she asked “Andrew, do you have a sibling?”

“Uh… kinda.” he answered with a wince. He hadn’t meant to say that.

“Why have you never spoke of them? And for that matter, why have you never mentioned your family at all?” Luna said, realizing it was true as she tried to recall any time he had mentioned them.

“Because I don’t talk about them.” Andrew explained. “and besides, we aren’t talking about me, we are talking about you. What was that about?”

“But Andrew, to not talk of your own family is-” Luna began, before the words died in her throat. The look on Andrews face was pleading, desperate for Luna to drop the subject. “Alright, I shall not pry”

“Thank you.” Andrew said, before rubbing his face and letting out a tired sigh. “Will you tell me what is happening between you and your sister?”

“We have been… at odds lately. When I returned from my banishment and was separated from Nightmare, my sister believed the problem to be solved.” Luna began to explain, as she walked around the room. “She never expected how broken I would be.”

Luna’s tone grew heavy, a slight waver in her voice that Andrew almost missed.

“In the beginning of our exile all we did was sleep. So deep was our slumber that we did not dream or notice the passage of time.” Luna said, her voice tight as she recalled painful memories. “But, during the end of our banishment the bonds weakened, to the point that eventually we were able to escape. But before we could manage that, our deep slumber ended. I awoke fifty five years before the spell that held Nightmare finally broke down, and she regained control. During that time all I could do was wait.

“Luna, I had no idea-”

“Tis alright Andrew, while the memory are not pleasant, the healing has been long in the making.” Luna said reassuringly. “When I returned, my sister wished to keep me close. For one month I stayed in the castle, trying to entertain myself. By the end of that first month, I almost cracked into insanity. I felt trapped, like I was back on the moon, counting the minutes and seconds with no end in sight. So I left.”

“Left were?” Andrew asked.

“Everywhere. In disguise I traveled all over Equestria, even outside of it. I would raise the moon from were ever I was and I would return to the castle to assuage my sister’s worries and to attend some important events. But mostly I tried to fill the void I felt in my heart for the many years I spent alone. When I finally returned to stay, not even a full year ago, I tried to fit into my sister’s world as a true co-ruler of Equestria, but by then…”

“Your heart wasn’t in it?” Andrew finished for her.

“Yes.” Luna confirmed. “During the almost two years I was traveling I connected with so many ponies. Some of them I trusted so much that I revealed who I truly was. I still correspond with quite a few of the ones that I did. But when I returned, and took a seat on the throne next to Celestia, I felt so disconnected. I was unapproachable, to be revered and respected. I do not blame them for it, but I do not enjoy it. Celestia understands this, but to her it does not matter. To her, it is our duty to rule and guide our little ponies and to maintain… order.”

“I can understand why that would cause some friction.” Andrew said, scratching his chin in thought. “Thank you for sharing all of this with me Luna.”

“Nay Andrew, thank you for listening, and for treating me like an actual pony, rather than an idol to put on the shelf.”

“Oh now that’s not a problem” Andrew said “I was never one for hero worship. I do have one question though.”

“What is it?”

“You spoke of nightmare as if she was a tangible being, but when others have mentioned it, and when you talked about it when we were on the moon, you explained it like it was part of yourself.”

Luna thought deeply on his question, and Andrew got the sense she wasn’t thinking of the answer, but deciding how much of the answer to tell him.

“Nightmare is a separate being. She took advantage of a time of weakness to convince me to merge with her in order to get what I wanted.” She explained. “I regret that weakness every moment of every day.”

“Why the smoke and mirrors then? And where is she now?” Andrew asked.

“My sister and I felt it was best to leave that part of the story out, in order to protect other secrets, as well as to prevent panic. As for where she is, we do not know and not for lack of looking.” Luna said, pausing over her words as she chose them carefully. “I am sorry, it is not that I don’t trust you, but there are some things that…”

“Don’t worry, I understand. You’re a princess, which means sometimes you just can’t share some things.”

“Thank you for being so understanding Andrew. And thank you for helping settle our argument. You handled it very well, even if you were a bit… loud.”

“No problem, I hate seeing siblings fight. Besides, seeing both sides of an argument is something I’ve always been good at.” Andrew said as he stood up and looked at the clock hung on the wall. “So, should we go meet the others?

“Yes, I believe that is a good-” Luna started, before being interrupted by a loud rumbling from her stomach. “-idea.”

Andrew laughed as he opened up the door and followed the dark blue alicorn through.

“We’d better hurry or I’m gonna end up having to carry you there.”

When the two finally arrive at the dining hall, Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy and Spike had all sat down on one corner of the large main table. When Applejack caught sight of them, she sat up and waved to the duo.

“Over here!” She shouted, easily getting their attention in the quiet hall. The two made their way to the group of three ponies and a dragon.

“Hey guys, what happened to Autumn?” Andrew asked as he plopped into the seat next to Spike, who’s head was still buried in his comic book. Luna sat beside him, getting comfortable before getting the attention of the waiter with a wave of her hoof.

“She left not too long ago, said she had some work to do.” Twilight answered as the waiter came around. “What about Princess Celestia, is she on her way?”

“No, she claimed she wasn’t very hungry.”

“Oh… well that’s okay, maybe I’ll see her tomorrow.” Twilight said, more than a little downtrodden.

“As a matter of fact, you will. Celestia asked for us to inform you she will be present to see you off” Luna said to the crestfallen unicorn. Before Twilight could respond, the waiter arrived and began taking everyone’s orders. He made his way around the group, spending extra time once he arrived at Luna.

“May I interest you in the chef’s special Princess Luna? The chef has created a lovely cabbage salad with-”

“No thank you, I will have the grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup.” Luna said, cutting off the waiter’s extravagant description.

“Ooo make that a two, I haven’t had that in forever!” Andrew included excitedly. “Oh and flour only in the bread, no oats for me. Gotta keep my girlish figure!”

The waiter gave the human a rather blank expression of annoyance before leaving to give the chef their orders. An awkward silence fell over the group, and both Luna and Andrew could tell that the others desperately wanted to ask about the private meeting. Applejack was the first to break the silence.

“Ah know you asked fer privacy but…”

“… Is everything alright?” Twilight asked, finishing Applejacks sentence before she could end it with something more intrusive.

“Yes, everything is fine, thanks in no small amount to Andrew.” Luna answered, momentarily brushing Andrews shoulder with her wing.

“Oh… well that’s good.” Twilight said, looking at Andrew with a raised eyebrow, who discretely waved off any more questions once again the group settled into silence, this time slightly less heavy.

“Are you still coming to Ponyville?” Fluttershy asked Andrew, breaking the silence again.

“We will both be going to Ponyville.” Luna answered for him.

“Really?! That exciting news Princess.” Twilight said after she recovered from her surprise, an emotion that her fellow Ponyville citizens shared. “Why is that though?”

“We… I shall be Andrews’s new teacher, until he has mastered his new abilities.” Luna explained “and that would be difficult to do from Canterlot.”

“That’s… fair enough I suppose” The lavender unicorn said. “Well… I’m sure Ponyville will be glad to host a Princess for a while. Celestia knows Rarity will love every minute that royalty graces our town.”

“Yer gonna get a lot of attention ma’am” Applejack said, a worried tinge to her voice. “not every day a Princess comes to town.”

“I am aware, it is something that I have grown… more used to over the years. I do not overly enjoy such treatment and I am hoping that over time it will subside.”

“You… you don’t enjoy being a Princess?” Fluttershy asked quietly.

“I…do not enjoy the separation from everyone else.” Luna explained simply after a pause. Again silence fell over the group, this time a thoughtful pause instead of awkward.

“Which is why you always insist I call you just Luna.” Twilight mumbled, having put it together in her head.

“I told you so!” Spike shouted, having put down his comic for a second. “See Luna, I’ve got your back.”

“Thank you young Spike, I appreciate your candidness” Luna said with a smile. “In all honesty I understand why our subjects treat us as they do. We-”

Her next words were cut off by the arrival of their food and drinks. The waiters quickly placed the sandwiches and salads around, placing drinks for each of them. Andrew took his sandwich and dipped it into his soup, before taking a large bite.

“Where are you going to be staying?” Fluttershy asked as she poked at her food.

“Uhh… good question”

“We keep a small house maintained in Ponyville for when ponies stay there on official business.” Luna answered. “It should suit our needs quite well.”

“That’s good, ah thought I was gonna have ta put him up in our barn” Applejack said with a grin, obviously kidding.

“Seriously? That was an option?” Andrew asked a tad worried.

“Of course not, you would have stayed in my spare bed” Twilight assured him. “Though I should point out Spike snores very loudly.”

“You’re not exactly quiet yourself!” Spike shot back, taking a break from gorging himself on a rather large plate of gem salad.

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Twilight shouted, a rather obvious blush on her cheeks.

“Well thanks anyway, I think I prefer it this way” Andrew said through a choked back laugh. “Though it’s gonna make paying for it a bit difficult.”

“Pay for it?” Luna insisted. “We already own the building, there is no need to pay rent.”

“Then I’ll pay for our food. I may be lazy but I’m not a freeloader. I’m sure I can find a job eventually… hopefully. And besides, it will give me something to do when you’re back here.”

“Well worse comes to worst, you can work at Sweet Apple Acre’s, I’m sure we can find something for you to do.” Applejack offered

“Thanks Applejack, I may have to take you up on that sometime soon.”

“Wait, what do you mean ‘back here’? Twilight asked out of curiosity.

“Luna is gonna have to commute back and forth every two weeks.” Andrew explained. “She may be my new teacher, but she still has responsibilities here.”

“For now, I shall remain here, while Andrew goes with you all tomorrow.” Luna said, continuing on Andrews’s explanation. “After a few days I shall join you.”

“Wow, this is exciting” Fluttershy said with as much enthusiasm as her quite nature allowed. “I can’t wait to introduce you to everyone!”

“And I can’t wait to meet them.” Andrew agreed. “Although I’m not sure how much more new stuff I can take.”

Goodbye: 8

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The group continued to chat, long after they had all finished their meals. Eventually Twilight, Applejack and Fluttershy decided to hit the hay, which left Luna and Andrew looking over the same balcony that he had eaten at earlier in the day. They watched the moon and stars in amicable silence for quite a while.

“I like your sky Luna, it looks amazing” Andrew finally said. “So do you control every star or...?”

“Not all, but quite a few.” Luna replied. “I would show you, but my horn is far from recovered.”

“Yeah, how’s that doing?”

“Imagine knowing you could pick up something, but not being able to because your arms are tied behind you back. And trying to move your arms causes no small amount of pain”

“Ah, so pretty good?” Andrew.

The two chuckled to themselves, before once again falling into a friendly quiet.

“I never did get to properly thank you for sparing me from Twilight's spell when we first returned” Luna said a few minutes later.

“Eh, it was nothing. I knew you were exhausted so I took one for the team.”

“Never the less, it was very selfless of you.”

“What can I say, I’m kinda an awesome person”

“I believe we should be the judge of that.” Luna said, teasing the human. “You are definitely losing marks for your less than clean language.”

“Hey, I’m an adult! I’ve earned the right to curse through years of being yelled at and grounded for cursing.”

“One would think that would dissuade you from foul language.” Luna said in between her laughter.

“What can I say, I’m a stubborn ass.”

Instead of replying, the princess of the night let out a loud yawn, accented by ruffling her feathers.

“Alas, it seems I am still recovering, else I would stay with you until you retired.”

“It’s okay, I should probably head to bed as well. It sounds like tomorrow is gonna be a hell of a busy day.”

“Sound reasoning my new student.” Luna agreed. “I trust you can find your way to your room?”

“Yeah, I got it. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, I shall see you tomorrow before you leave. Someone has to make sure Celestia makes it to the station in time.” The dark blue alicorn said as she walked through the balcony doors, giving the human one more wave before heading off. The human stayed for a few minutes after, before sighing to himself and heading to his room.

The next day, Andrew stood next to an anxious Twilight Sparkle, who was once again going through the contents of her saddle bag for what seemed like the hundredth time. They were at the railroad station, and head been there for the past two hours. She listed off supplies as she floated them back into the bag, while a bored Spike checked them off of a list, or at least pretended to.

“-Quills, ink, and parchment in case I want to make a list on the train, my coin purse to pay for the ticket, back up quills and ink, a few books from the royal library-”

Twilight continued to drone on, packing a surprising amount of things into her saddlebags, all while Andrew looked around the railroad station. Quite a few ponies were walking around, especially for this early in the morning. Many of them stared at the human, a few even cringing when he let out a rather large and deep yawn.

“I still don’t understand why you thought it was necessary to get here two hours before we can even buy tickets.” Andrew said, rather annoyed as he turned back to the lavender unicorn, who seemed to be poised to begin another re-check. “Clearly no one else thought that necessary.”

“Hmm? Oh, well you can never be too careful.” She said. “Besides, you didn’t complain when I woke you up.”

“That’s ‘cause I assumed you were a decent person and weren’t getting me up two hours early!” Andrew complained. “C’mon Spike, back a brotha up.”

“You probably shoulda mentioned we were going early Twi’” The young dragon agreed.

“Oh stop being such foals” Twilight said, rolling her eyes at the both of them.

“Twilight, if we are going to be friends you need to understand how seriously I take my sleep” Andrews said, his tone mockingly serious. “I’m a night person, so waking me up before nine is pretty dangerous.”

“Wow, you’re gonna get along great with Rainbow Dash” Spike said.

“Probably, if either of you stay awake long enough for me to introduce you.” Twilight said, as she rolled her eyes. “And by the way, the reason why no one else is here is because I volunteered to get here early to get everyone’s tickets.”

“So why did you bring me then!?” he said, clearly exasperated with her. Before she could answer him, a shout came from one of the many booths.

“Twelve-thirty south, now selling tickets for the twelve-thirty southbound train, Las Pegasus, Appleloosa, Ponyville and Dodge Junction!” The smartly uniformed stallion shouted.

“That’s us! I hope that not all of the private cars have been reserved.” Twilight said hopefully, as the trio got into line. A few ponies managed to get there before them, but they were still very close to the booth. Better yet, the line was moving relatively fast, and soon they were only behind two ponies.

“How much am I gonna owe you by the way?” Andrew asked Twilight as the couple in front paid for their tickets. “I can’t pay you now, but I want to eventually.”

“A private car is a lump sum, so you won’t have to worry if…” Twilight trailed off as two ponies walked down the line, heads held high, as they cut into the line right in front of them. As the couple before them walked away, tickets in hoof, the new duo walked up to the booth. Twilight shook her head and looked away, while Andrew looked from her to the new members of the line.

“Uhhh, am I missing something?” Andrew asked, wondering if there was some sort of cultural reason behind the two fancily dressed ponies cutting in front of them.

“Hush Andrew, don’t worry about it.” Twilight said under her breath.

“Oh, so they are just cutting? Fuck that, I ain’t havin’ it.” Andrew said, stepping closer to the booth, holding his hand up to stall the ticket vendor. “What are you-“

Andrew’s complaint was quickly cut out by a magenta glow around his head. The offending ponies looked back at the shouting human, as he attempted to be heard outside of the bubble Twilight had cast.

“I’m sorry about that, please go on ahead.” Twilight said as her magic expanded around him and pull him back to his original place next to her.

“Keep better control of your… pet” one of the two ponies, a mare, said before turning back to the booth. “Really, what use is a malformed minotaur anyway, so uncouth.”

Andrew looked at Twilight through the bubble that surrounded him. He crossed his arms, clearly upset with her. The unicorn ignored him however, patiently waiting for the line cutters to get their tickets and leave before releasing him. She half expected him to immediately shout at her, or even to go after the two fancily dressed ponies as they walked away. Instead he just stood there looking annoyed, his arms crossed.

“Oh don’t be so upset Andrew. I understand why you wanted to say something, but they were obviously part of the Canterlot nobility.” She explained. “They’re more trouble than they’re worth.”

“That doesn’t mean someone shouldn’t put them in their place. It’s not fair to let them get away with shit ‘cause they think their special!”

“It wasn’t worth the trouble Andrew, trust me. I used to live here, I know how trying to reason with them goes.”

“It has nothing to do with trouble Twilight, I just don’t like letting people off the hook like that. It isn’t fair.”

‘ “I know, I know.” Twilight said, clearly trying to placate him. “But that’s just how it is.”

Twilight talked with the vendor, who eyed Andrew warily as Twilight made her order. He gave her the ticket for their private car, and shouted “Next!”

The trio made their way to a nearby bench and Andrew plopped down on it. He stretched out wide, and yawned before slumping slightly. Spike hopped up next to him, while Twilight stood in front of them, putting the tickets into her saddle bag. Andrew still seemed annoyed at Twilight, and the silence quickly drove her to apologize again.

“Alright Andrew, I’m sorry I kept you from arguing with those ponies. But I was only trying to save you from making a scene.”

Andrew sighed loudly and rubbed his face, almost as if to work the tiredness from it. When he finally finished he looked at Twilight, his expression very serious.

“Twilight, I understand you wanting to help, and I appreciate it.” Andrew began. “but please don’t use magic on me like that again. I’m an adult and I’m perfectly capable of listening to reason, even when I’m angry. There is no need to force me to stop, just explain to me. If I choose to ignore you, that’s my choice and I’ll have to deal with the consequences myself.”

Twilight was once again shocked by Andrew’s the seriousness. Between his sage advice about Luna the day before, and the glimpses she was occasionally catching, Twilight was beginning to realize that there might be more to Andrew other than his sarcasm, humor and tendency to shout.

“Alright, I promise.” She replied simply. After a long pause she walked away from Andrew and Spike, giving the human some space. Spike looked at the human as he leaned forward, once again cupping his face in his hands. Twilight was soon out of sight, and the human sat up and turned to dragon sitting beside him.

“I wasn’t too harsh, was I?” he asked.

“Ummm… I don’t think so?” Spike said after tapping his chin in thought. “In all honesty, you probably had the right to be even angrier with her. Using magic like that on another pony is kinda frowned on. And on top of that Twilight can be… a bit pushy at times.”

“Yeah… I’ll bring it up later, when I’ve cooled down a bit.

“Good call” Spike agreed. “Twilight will probably bring it up again anyways.”

“Fair enough” Andrew said, before changing the subject. “So how long before everyone else shows up?”

“Well…” Spike looked at the notebook he was still carrying from earlier. “According to Twilight’s list, in an hour.”

“Perfect, wake me up when they get here.” Andrew instructed, as he put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes.

Andrew sat on a bench, in the middle of a long hallway. His hands shook from anxiety and he felt a lump in his throat, as if he was about to burst into tears. He no idea why he felt this way, just like how he had no idea why this hallway looked so familiar, or why that terrified him. The urge to get up and run screamed throughout his brain, but it felt like the air around him had thickened and was keeping him from doing so. He looked down the hallway, his head slowly turning as if in slow motion.

“Hello? Is anyone there?” He shouted down the hallway, but his voice sounded muted. The end of the hall was dark, and he couldn’t tell how far away it was. Suddenly he heard the sound of footsteps coming from the other end of the hall. Each thunderous step seemed to shaking him to his core, a sense of inescapable dread building with each one. A sudden realization flooded through him

It was happening again.

“NO! Go away, I can’t do this again! Please, I’m begging you, leave me alone!” He screamed, the muffled words doing nothing to slow the approaching horror. The footsteps got closer and closer, until finally they stopped, barely a foot away from Andrew. He struggled to turn his head, fighting the invisible bonds that held him still as a statue. Finally he managed to turn his head just enough to see the man standing beside him. He was clad in a dark blue uniform, a badge on his chest. He placed his hand on his shoulder and Andrew screwed his eyes shut, awaiting the words that would destroy his world all over again.

“Andrew, wake up!”

Andrew’s eyes shot open and practically leapt off of the bench. The sun was bright in his eyes and he was no longer in that terrible, terrible hallway. Instead he stood in a busy railroad station, surrounded by three concerned ponies and a rather confused looking dragon.

“You a’right big guy? You were mumblin’ and tossin’ somthin’ fierce.” Applejack asked from beneath her Stetson.

“Uh yeah.. sorry, just a bit of a bad dream” Andrew explained as he tried to slow his deep breaths. “No big deal.”

“Oh no, a nightmare? That’s terrible!” Fluttershy said, clearly very concerned. She put her hoof on his hand in an attempt to comfort him. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No it’s alright, I get them sometimes, I can handle it.”

“Wait, you get them often?” Twilight asked. “That’s awful. Maybe you should ask Princess Luna for help, she-”

“No!” Andrew shouted, surprising all of them, including himself, with his volume. “Uh sorry, No that’s not necessary. They aren’t that bad, and they don’t happen very often. I’ll be fine.”

By the look on their face, he could tell that Fluttershy and Twilight wanted to ask more, Applejack cut them off before they could.

“Well a’right sugarcube, if that’s how ya feel about it, we can’t force ya to.”

“I suppose that true.” Fluttershy reluctantly agreed. “But let us know if you change your mind.”

“I will.” Andrew agreed before changing the subject. “So how long was I out?”

“About an hour and a half.” Spike answered. “Twilight felt bad for getting you up so early, so we let you sleep.”

“Oh, well that’s nice I suppose” Andrew. “I’ll consider your apology complete if you get me something to eat”

Twilight sighed while rolling her eyes, but never the less she reached into her saddle bag and pulled out and apple, dropping it into Andrews outstretched hand. He took a large bite, and chewed hungrily.

“thish wone of yoursh?” He asked Applejack with a full mouth. The farmer pony leaned over and sniffed the apple.

“Yup, and ya got lucky! That ones from the northwest field, it came out pretty good this last harvest if I do say ma’self.”

Andrew’s only reply was a groan of enjoyment. He quickly finished the apple and threw it in a nearby trash bin.

“Apology accepted.” He told Twilight, after he patted her head. “So, when are we boarding?”

“Actually, boarding started a few minutes ago.” Twilight said, as she looked around anxiously. “We are waiting for-”

Twilight’s explanation was cut off by a commotion at the opposite end of the station. Gasps and mutterings of amazement made their way through the crowd as Princess Celestia and Luna made their way to the group. Ponies hurried out of their way, kneeling out of respect once they had.

“Friends!” Luna shouted as she increased her pace, making it to the group ahead of her sister. “I hope you are all well this afternoon?”

The quintet responded with agreements and greeting as Luna stopped to stand next to Andrew, who smiled at the alicorn. Twilight looked to her mentor as she made her way to the group at a much more… regal pace. Behind her walked three guards, all walking with rigid attention.

“Princess Celestia, I’m so glad you came to see us off.” Twilight said, smiling ear to ear.

“Of course I came my faithful student, I could not let you leave without saying goodbye” Princess Celestia assured her. “Especially after I missed eating with you all yesterday.”

“It’s a’right Princess, I’m sure you were busy.” Applejack said.

“Indeed I was, I had a rather urgent meeting.” She explained. “Though it still saddened me to miss the meal.”

“There’s always next time Princess” Andrew said.

“I suppose there is.” The Princess said with a warm smile. “Well, as always I am sad to see you all go, but I am sure I will see you again soon.”

Twilight walked to the Princess and gave her a hug. The Princess returned her embrace, wrapping her student in her large wings. She held her like this for a moment, before letting her go. Twilight made to return to the group, but Princess Celestia stopped her with a touch.

“Be safe my student, I shall see you soon.”

“I will Princess.” Twilight responded before returning to the group. Celestia turned, and made her way through the crowd, her guards following closely behind.

“I should take my leave as well, my next few days are going to be very busy.” Luna said, giving Andrew a slight shove to tease him.

“Hey, don’t blame me!”

“I jest Andrew, your compromise was fair and just.” Luna said, before turning to the others. “I shall see you all very soon, expect me in four or five days, depending on how much my control over magic improves over the next few days.”

To prove her point, she attempted to levitate a nearby piece of rubbish. The empty cup glowed, and lifted off the ground, but the spell sputtered out as she tried to move it to the trash bin.

“By the Creator is it annoying!” She muttered through a wince as her spell failed.

“Well, good luck” Twilight said. “And go easy, straining yourself will only make it take longer.”

“Listen to the mare” Andrew ordered, looking at Luna seriously. “Slow and steady wins the race.”

Luna opened her mouth to say something, probably a witty retort, when the train whistle blew, and a conductor shouted “All aboard the twelve-thirty southbound trip! Train leaves in ten minutes.”

“Oh no, that’s our train!” Twilight said anxiously. “I thought we had more time than that!”

“Relax, ten minutes is plenty of time” Andrew said, as he gave Luna a pat on the back. “See you soon Luna.”

“Goodbye Andrew, and goodbye my friends, I look forward to seeing you all in Ponyville.”

The homeward bound group said their goodbyes, before the Princess of the night spread her wings and flew away toward the castle. They all watched her go, before making their way onto the train.

Andrew sat in the private car, watching as trees whizzed by the window. The chairs inside the train were a bit different from what he had seen so far during his stay in Equestria. They were long with a sloping artistic back that made it impossible for him to sit on the inside row and lean back. In fact, he wasn’t sure there was an “inside row”, it seemed like everyone had their own seat. There was plenty of room for a pony to lay down on their stomach, which he now realized was really akin to sitting down to them. Spike was dozing in the corner and while he had tried to join him, Andrew had given up sleeping about an hour ago because the steady jostling of the tracks had kept him awake. So far though, he hadn’t minded much. The view was amazing, every inch of landscaped that passed his window was pristine and beautiful, like it was created from someone’s idea of paradise. Every plain was filled with flowers and every forest filled with greenest healthiest tree’s he had ever seen. Even the track itself seemed to avoid damaging the wilderness, avoiding the hills and forests and yet somehow remaining relatively straight.

“Hey Andrew, mind if ah ask you somethin’?” Applejack asked. She sat in the space across from him, and had been watching the human for a while now.

“Sure, what’s up?”

“Do ya really have no idea how you got here?” Applejack asked after chewing her words for a moment or two. “So far ya seem like a nice enough… human, but you seem awfully fine fer someone stranded in a totally different world. If ah were in your place… ah imagine ah would really be freakin’ out”

“Huh. You’re smarter than you let on, aren’t you?” Andrew said with smile.

“Ah don’t know about that…”

“Well to answer your question I did freak out, you guys just missed a lot of it. Luna did a good job calming me down before we came back.” He explained. “Also, I have some… experience being uprooted and thrown into new places. I’ve never reached terminal velocity during the throwing, but I have learned that it doesn’t help anyone to deny reality. I’m here, so I need to make the best of it.”

“Experience?” Applejack asked, raising her eyebrow. “What do ya mean experience?”

“I… moved around a lot when I was younger.”

“oh, ah gotcha.” The orange earth pony looked satisfied with that answer and she turned to stare out the window.

Andrew looked around the relatively empty car, and observed the other ponies. Twilight sat in the seat behind Applejack and was either asleep or doing a fairly good impression of it. Fluttershy sat in the same section and she was intently reading a book, which Andrew recognized as the same one she had been reading while she waited for Twilight to do her scans the other day. He decided to let the pony read in peace, and instead joined Applejack’s vigil. After a long while Applejack once again looked to the human.

“Do ya miss yer family?”

A long pause followed her question, and Andrew’s gaze remained on the passing scenery. After a while, long enough for Applejack to wonder if she should repeat her question, Andrew answered.

“Every day.”

Time seemed to be going in slow motion for Andrew. He resisted the urge to sigh loudly and instead started to drum his fingers against the side of the booth. The girls were all awake, with Twilight reading a book and Applejack talking to Fluttershy about a new rash of animals that had been eating her crops. So far neither of them had been able to figure out what kind of animal it could have been.

“How much longer Twilight?” Andrew asked at a wine, finally giving into the urge of boredom.

“About three more hours” Twilight said, without looking up from her book.

“What? You said three hours last time I asked!”

“Well, you asked about ten minutes ago.” Twilight shot back, finally looking up to fix Andrew with an annoyed look. “Ask again in ten more minutes and I’ll say ‘about two and a half hours’”

Andrew sighed and crossed his arms, sinking back into his seat.

“Ah know how ya feel Andrew, I don’t like sittin’ still fer so long either.” Applejack said, as she retook her seat across from Andrew. It seemed like her and Fluttershy had finished their conversation, and were now both looking at the human.

“It’s not the sitting still part that bothers me, it’s the freaking boredom!"

“Would you like to borrow a book then?” Twilight asked from behind Applejack. “I’ve got a Daring Do book that I’m bringing back for Rainbow Dash.”

“Nah. I like reading and all but I don’t feel like I could get into a book right now.” Andrew responded as he got up. He stretched his arms up and back, bending backwards as he did. The girls winced as way too many bones cracked and clicked back into place.

“Well, then what would you like to do?” She asked, watching the human walk to the seat across the aisle from hers.

“Why don’t you tell me about Ponyville?”

“Oh, that’s a great idea! Some back ground knowledge never hurt anyone!” Twilight said, easily slipping into lecture mode. “Ponyville was founded in-”

“No no no, not that kinda stuff.” Andrew said, cutting of Twilight. “Like, what are the ponies like, are strangers welcome? Am I gonna have to worry about pitchforks and torches? ‘Cause I’ll warn you now, not so good at running from angry mobs.”

“Oh! Yes, everyone is very nice. I mean, you may get some stares for a while, but they will warm up to you... uh… eventually.”

“Oh well that’s reeaally encouraging...”

“Don’t ya worry Andrew. It’s true that everyone may take some time to get used to ya, but ah can promise that we’ll keep you company until they do.” Applejack assured the worried human.

“And don’t forget about Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. I’m sure they will be your friends too!” Fluttershy said, joining in to support Applejack’s assurances.

“Exactly. Don’t worry Andrew, everything will be fine.” Twilight finished.

“…Thank you guys. I really appreciate all you’ve done for me the past few days.”

“Oh hush ya softie, what else are friends for?”

“I suppose that’s fair enough” Andrew said with a laugh. “So much has been going on, it will be nice to have some time to unwind and digest everything. I feel like my head might explode if anything new happens in the next few days.”

“Well I think you are doing an amazing job dealing with everything.” Fluttershy complimented. “Not everyone could say they calmly made friends after waking up in a new world.”

“It’s certainly ah one of a kind achievement” Applejack agreed.

Twilight slowly closed her book, suddenly looking a bit worried.

“What’s up?” Andrew asked.

“Well… not to change the subject, but I just had a thought. We haven’t warned you about Pinkie Pie. ” Twilight said, looking nervously at her other friends. “She may be a bit… excited to meet you.”

“Oh shoot… ah hadn’t thought of that” Applejack agreed. “I hope she doesn’t ambush you immediately off the train.”

“Wait ambush? The hell are you guys talking about?” Andrew asked, clearly confused.

“Pinkie throws huge parties for everyone new to Ponyville.” Fluttershy explained. "But she can be a bit… intense.”

“I can handle intense, but I’m not a big fan of big parties. I prefer small gatherings.”

“Well I’m sure that she’ll take that into account. She may be intense, but she really is a sweet…” Twilight paused, looking at Andrew, or more specifically the empty seat behind him. “What is that?”

“What is what?” Andrew said as he followed her eyes and looked behind him. There, behind him on his seat was a rather large cupcake on a plate. The cupcake was chocolate and it was adorned with pink frosting, with sprinkles and a few cherry on top. He carefully picked up the plate, holding it as he looked at the others.

“Uhh…that was not here when I sat down.” He said simply, not exactly sure what to think.

All three of the mares looked at each other and simultaneously said “Pinkie Pie.”

“What?”

“Pinkie Pie is ah bit… random.” Applejack said, as if that explained everything.

“Random?” He questioned, clearly not expecting such a simple explanation. “By random do you perhaps mean she sometimes breaks the laws of reality? Cause the seat was empty, and then it wasn’t. That doesn’t happen.”

“Pretty much” They all said together.

Andrew stared at the others, before shrugging and taking a large bite of the pastry. His eyes grew wide and he immediately took another bite. “thish ish amashiing!

“She does have a way with baking.” Twilight said as she levitated the tray to herself. “Huh, now what is this?”

She levitated an envelope that had been under the cupcake, opening it up and pulling out the card within. After putting the tray and the now empty envelope down, she began reading.

“‘Dear Andrew Dike. You are invited to a party to celebrate your arrival at Ponyville! The party will be at the Golden Oaks library at six o’clock tonight. Food and drink will be served, and then there will be cake. And party games, can’t forget the party games! Yours truly, Pinkemania Pie. P.S. I’m glad you like the cupcake, I’ve never put cherries on one before! P.P.S It will be a small party, I promise! P.P.P.S Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy and Spike, you guys are invited too! ”

The train was quiet after she finished reading, and the human sat there, his mouth hanging open full of the best cupcake he had ever tasted. He swallowed it loudly, pink frosting still at the corners of his mouth.

“Now that just seems like cheating.”

Three hours later Andrew could finally see Ponyville off in the distance. It was getting late, the sun set made it look like a scene out of a movie as the town got closer and closer. The buildings definitely had the ‘small village’ look, with thatched roofs and visible beamed walls. But small town looks aside, it was surprisingly big. As they got closer to the station, he lost count of how many houses they passed.

“Wow, this place is pretty big.” Andrew said as he turned to the girls. They were getting up and stretching, working the kinks caused by the five hour trip. Fluttershy nearly fell over as the train began to slow down in preparation for the stop.

“So” Andrew started after he helped steady the pegasus. “What’s the game plan for tonight? How long do Pinkie Pie’s parties usually last for?”

“Until the last person leaves usually” Twilight said, before giving Andrew a sly look. “Why, I thought you were a ‘night person’”

“I am, I’m just curious how I’m going to get into were I’m staying.” He said, which caused Twilights eyes to widen.

“I hadn’t thought of that…” She confessed. “Well… I suppose you’ll have to stay at my house and we can visit the mayor tomorrow. She will have the key for the house and it wouldn’t hurt to introduce you to her either way.”

As she talked, the train finally came to a stop, the brakes screeching. Spike, who was still asleep, rolled slightly from the stop and would have fallen off of his seat if Twilight hadn’t reached out with her magic and caught him, placing the slumbering dragon on her back.

“Alright, solid plan.” Andrew agreed. “Just please for the love of all that is holy, don’t wake me up until you have to.”

“No promises.” Twilight said as she walked away, a mischievous tint to her voice.

Andrew shook his head, following the three ponies as they made their way to the end of the car. On the other side of the door was another car, this one filled with random ponies, all headed to a different stations. They made their way through the populated car, all the while ignoring stares and the pointing hooves of ponies who had inevitably noticed Andrew. Eventually they made their way out onto the station. The Ponyville station was very small, especially when compared to the canterlot station they had left many hours before.

“Welcome to Ponyville!” Applejack said, bumping into Andrew teasingly as he looked around. “It may not be as pretty as Canterlot, but the people are friendlier, an’ the food is ah heck of ah lot cheaper.”

“It looks… quaint.” Andrew said. “I’ve never stayed long in a small town, I’m not sure how ill deal with no hustle and bustle.”

“I‘m sure you’ll love it here, just give it a chance.” Fluttershy said as she stretched her wings.

“I’m sure I will.” Andrew said as followed the three ponies down the ramp of the station.

As they walked he listened to the three talk about the shops and homes they passed, pointing to the best places to get this and that. The streets were mostly empty, which made sense considering it was around dinner time. However there were a few ponies walking the streets, and almost all of them stopped to stare at the group walked by. One of the ponies even tried to hide behind a row of shrubs.

“Ok, that’s it.” He muttered under his breath as he broke away from the group. He made his way to were the pony was hiding, walking around to squat behind the shrub next to him. From there he could see the pony’s cutie mark, a golden based hourglass.

“It didn’t see me, it didn’t see me, it didn’t-” the scared pony repeated to himself.

“I don’t think it saw us thankfully! Such a weird looking creature!” Andrew whispered to the pony.

“Uh…yeah, I think it might have been a minotaur, but I’m not-” The pony stopped mid-sentence as he turned to look at Andrew. The pony’s mouth dropped open and stayed there as he seemed to freeze in fright.

“Okay, I can tell by that look that you’re pretty terrified. But here’s the thing. I’m actually a nice guy, and I’m kinda new to… well the planet I think, so if you could just give me a chance to show you there is…” -The pony sprinted away at top speed, stumbling and tripping over himself until he rounded the corner- “…okay good talk, see-ya around.”

Andrew let out a loud sigh and returned to the road, shaking his head. When he finally made it to the dirt path and looked around, and saw the three ponies further down the road.

“Hey, wait up!”

“I can’t believe you guys almost left me behind” Andrew complained for the fifth time. “I would have been completely lost!”

“Well maybe you shouldn’t have gone off to scare Time Turner like that.” Twilight retorted as they rounded the final corner. In front of them stood the impressive library. The lights were on, and a large sign saying “Welcome to Ponyville!” was hung in the front.

“I wasn’t trying to scare him, I swear!” Andrew said. “He just flipped out and ran away.”

“Ah’ve gotta agree with Andrew, Turner has always been a bit of a chicken.” Applejack added.

“He’s very nice though. He helped me set up a clock that lets me know when it’s time to feed the animals.” Fluttershy said, defending her fellow meek pony.

The trio arrived at the front door, and Twilight turned to Andrew.

“So… Are you ready?” She asked.

“Nope, not even close.” He answered as he pushed past her. Without hesitation he threw the door open and walked into the room, throwing up his hands and shouting “Andrew is in the house!”

The once buzzing room turned completely silent as the entire group focused on the new arrival. The ponies, who had moments before been chatting happily amongst themselves, now stood in shock at Andrew’s sudden entrance. Eyes grew wide and jaws dropped and one pony, who Andrew would later learn was Rarity, fainted onto a couch. Twilight pushed her way in, and stood beside Andrew.

“Real smooth Andr-”

“Twilight, look out!” A light blue pony shouted, cutting off Twilight. The pegasus took off at incredible speed, aimed directly for Andrew.

“Oh for fucks s-!” Andrew shouted, before Rainbow Dash punched him in the chest at high speed, sending him flying right back out the door.

Hello: 9

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Andrew landed with a thud outside the library and the red disc that had appeared in front of his chest just in time faded. Rainbow Dash stood on top him, her two front hooves on his chest as she looked down at him. She stared at the human intently, her face cast in a nasty snarl.

“Why are you here and why were you attacking Twilight!” She shouted at the human. “Talk you hairless minotaur, talk!

“I wasn’t attacking her you crazy dumbass!” Andrew yelled back as he shoved the pegasus off of himself. “I wasn’t even touching her!”

“But you were going to! Don’t try and deny it!” Rainbow Dash fired back after a quick roll back onto her hooves.

“No I fucking wasn’t!”

Twilight, who had only barely managed to get out of the way of the two previously airborne agitators, ran outside and stood between them. Applejack and Fluttershy, who had until then been staring in shock, rushed to mitigate the shouting match. Both Andrew and Rainbow Dash stood in combative stances, ready to go at it again at the drop of a hat.

“Whoa there Andrew, let’s just calm down!” Applejack said, trying to keep Andrew in check as Fluttershy did the same to Rainbow Dash.

“I was calm, until a psychotic technicolor pegasus came out of nowhere and sucker punched me!”

“Shut up minot-”

“Rainbow Dash, Stop! This is Andrew! He is our friend and he isn’t a minotaur.” Twilight shouted over Dash’s rebuttal. “He’s the one who Pinkie Pie is throwing the party for!”

“That’s right!” Pinkie pie shouted, appearing from behind the human.

“Holy shit!” Andrew screamed as he jumped away from the pink earth pony. “Where the hell did you come from?!”

“From behind you silly filly!” Pinkie replied.

“That’s- but you- and I-” Andrew stuttered and stopped over his words. “You know what, fuck it, I don’t care.”

“Aww, that’s no fun” Pinkie said, mostly to herself.

By now the remaining party members had made their way to the street, seven or so ponies in total. They all watched the developing scuffle with shock and interest, even Rarity had levitated her couch to the street and cracked her eyes just enough to watch.

“Minotaur’s are nothing but trouble, you know that Fluttershy!” Rainbow said as she attempted to fly over her, but Fluttershy just followed her into the air. “Let me at him, I’ll get rid of him! When I’m done-”

“Rainbow Dash stop this instance!” Fluttershy shouted at her friend as she stared her down. “Andrew is our friend and we don’t hurt friends!”

“Wait… you’re serious?” Rainbow asked, looking to each of her friends in shock. “He’s your friend?”

“Yes and he is the one Pinkie is holding the party for, and you just punched him for no reason.” Twilight added, as she walked up to Andrew. “You okay?”

“Yeah, though I think I did some magic though, so… whoops.”

“Well it’s better than the alternative I suppose.”

Rainbow Dash drifted to the ground and Andrew stood up out of his lower stance, his hands now by his side. Rainbow Dash looked around at her friends confusedly before looking to the human.

“Dashie, maybe you should apologize?” Fluttershy suggested

“But I don’t understand… you look like…” She said clearly very confused, before desperately looking to Twilight. “Twilight he was going to attack you!”

“No Rainbow Dash, he wasn’t.” She responded gently, at least partly sympathetic to her pegasus friend due to her encounter with the human a day or so ago. “He is a friend, he wouldn’t hurt me, or any of us for that matter.”

“Unfortunately, it seems like most of them agree with Rainbow Dash.” Andrew said quietly, looking around the street.

As the group followed his eyes, they saw that the commotion had drawn the attention of quite a few ponies. The vast majority of them whispered and pointed, all of them looking at the now slouching human. He sighed and turned to Pinkie Pie.

“I’m sorry Pinkie Pie, I’m not in the mood for parties anymore.” He said as he turned around and walked down the street past her.

“But… what about the party games?” Pinkie asked, but not receiving an answer.

“Where are you going Andrew?” Twilight asked. “You’re going to get lost and its getting dark.”

“Don’t worry about it.” He said without turning around. “Don’t look for me, I’ll be fine.

And with that, Andrew walked away from the group, the ponies watching him walk down the street and out of sight.

“Consarn’ it Rainbow Dash, what possessed you to attack him like that?!” Applejack shouted at her friend, who was now sitting on the floor of the library. “He didn’t do nothing to make you act like that!”

Rainbow traced patterns in the floor with her hoof, avoiding eye contact with her friends. It had been an hour or so since Andrew had walked off into the night, and Applejack had yet to let up. The farm pony paced in front of her friend, with Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Big Macintosh sitting behind her. Big Mac had been at the party and had elected to stay when it had broken up. Twilight and Fluttershy were explaining things the crowd that had formed during the commotion outside.

“I don’t know really… when I saw him so close to Twilight I just assumed he was attacking her because…” Rainbow Dash explained trailing off at the end. “So I tackled him.”

“Darling I may not be much for a scrap, but I know enough that that was not just a tackle.” Rarity corrected.

“Fine okay! I jumped to conclusions and I sucker punched the mino-”

“For the last time Rainbow Dash he isn’t a minotaur, he’s a human.” Twilight corrected as she returned, shutting the door behind her and Fluttershy. “And he is Princess Lunas personal student.”

“Fine I sucker punched the hu-Wait what?!” Rainbow Dash yelled, jumping up. “I sucker punched Princess Luna’s personal student!?”

“Yes you did, but that isn’t all. Andrew doesn’t have full control of his magic yet. He said managed to cast an incomplete shield spell, but that spell could have easily been a lot less defensive and a lot more offensive.”

Rainbow Dash gulped audibly and shivered before looking back at the ground.

“…I really messed up huh?”

“Ya sure did.” Applejack said as she made her way to the door. “C’mon everypony, we’ve got human to find.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t look for him.” Fluttershy said, stepping in front of the door. “He seemed to want some alone time.”

“I agree with Fluttershy” Twilight said. “I’ve seen him… upset before. He is an adult, he can take care of himself until he feels like coming back.”

“Are you two serious? You want to leave Andrew out there by himself?!” Applejack yelled, flabbergasted. “It’s getting dark out there an’ he’s all alone. He could be out there all night!”

“I’m… I’m not sure…” Twilight said indecisively as she chewed her lip. “Alright, maybe we should go make sure if he is ok. But don’t try and force him to come back, he really will not like that… just let me leave a note for Spike in case he wakes up.”

“Finally yer makin’ sense!” Applejack said before turning to address everyone. “Alright, so Big Mac and Rarity are with me, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy with Twilight. We will check from here to the Sugarcube corner, then down around the town hall and then the park. Twilight, take your group back down the railroad station, then make your way to the park, where we will be waitin’. Hopefully one of us will find him. Rainbow Dash, you go on home. I suggest ya spend this time thinking of a proper apology.”

The teams split up and lefts the library, with Rainbow Dash moping her way out after. She took off into the night sky, heading towards her cloudominium at an unusually slow pace.

Applejack led her group away from the library and away from Twilight’s group. Soon the Golden Oak library was out of their immediate sight, as they all walked through town looking for the human.

“So Applejack, I think it may be time for a proper explanation?” Rarity asked as they walked. “While Dash’s actions were indeed rude, I must admit I found myself quite shocked by this ‘Andrew's’ appearance.”

“Ah suppose ah can’t argue there.” Applejack agreed after a pause. “Well… According to Twi’ he fell right out of the sky ah few days ago. Got pretty badly banged up in the process, an’ almost died. Luckily fer him Princess Luna was there to heal him, cept in the process he gained the ability to use magic… somethin’ called mana tracks…?”

“You mean mana pathways.” Big Mac corrected, receiving a surprised look from Applejack and Rarity. “We all got em.”

“Uhhh yeah, that’s the one. In the process of healing him he got those mana pathways, but he also drained the Princess’s magic somethin’ fierce. Apparently it destroyed ah whole hospital room…” Applejack paused as she looked down between two houses. “Anyway the princess managed to teleport them both to the moon, were they had a heart to heart. They came back half ah day later, which is when he and Twilight had a bit of a scuffle.”

“He got in a fight with Twilight?” Rarity asked, shocked. “That doesn’t inspire my confidence darling!”

“She jumped to conclusions just like Rainbow Dash, but he forgave her pretty quick for that one. He even admitted it looked pretty bad ‘cause he was leanin’ over the princess and all. She had collapsed from exhaustion and he was tryin’ to help her.”

“Oh no! Is she well?” Rarity asked worriedly.

“Yeah, she’s on the mend now, spent a whole day in bed.”

“Well I suppose that’s a relief...this story is quite astounding, I don't think I would believe it if it wasn't you telling me Applejack”

The group walked past Sugarcube corner, the smell of baked goods permeating the area even at that time of night. Applejack’s stomach rumbled, in all the commotion she hadn’t thought of eating, which meant her last meal was a small breakfast before they headed to the train.

“Anywho, after they came back, we spent some time hanging out. He’s a nice stallion, a bit of a joker, but a good stallion either way. Not to mention both of the Princesses seem to like him.”

“Well I suppose if Princess Luna and Princess Celestia both approve of him, I don’t see how I could think differently, despite his clashing wardrobe.”

“Oh, about that. He doesn’t wear clothes to be fancy.” Applejack said, very glad that the quickly darkening street hid her blushing. “He comes from ah place where clothes are worn all the time. It’s considered a cultural taboo to be seen without them on.”

“Really? That it is quite interesting.” Rarity “Maybe I shall make him an outfit more suited for a personal student of Princess Luna!”

“I’m sure ide like that.” said a voice off to the side of a street. “Just as long as it’s not gem encrusted, not a big fan of bedazzled jeans”

The three made their way to the bench the voice had come from, to find Andrew staring at the night sky. He had laid back on the bench, his arms folded behind his head.

“Thought I asked you guys not to look for me? Can’t a guy get some alone time?”

“We were worried about ya Andrew, It’s getting late an’ we weren’t sure if ya could make it back to Twi’s.”

Instead of answering Andrew pointed over the ponies without turning his head. The ponies followed his finger, which pointed in between two buildings on the other side of the street. There, plain as day, was the top of Twilights home cresting over a fence.

“Oh…well shoot.” Applejack said, muttering most of it. “I could’a sworn we were farther away than that.”

“Nope” Andrew answered simply before sitting upright. “So you must be Rarity, right?”

“That is correct, and may I say you certainly know how to make a first impression.”

“Yeah, well I didn’t exactly plan on being attacked by the world’s most adorable psychopath.” Andrew explained with a scowl. “I hope that didn’t color your opinion too much.”

“No darling, you don’t have to worry. I won’t lie, your arrival was indeed a shock, but I’m quite used to Rainbow Dash’s tendency to jump to conclusions, despite this instances severity.”

“Thanks, I appreciate that.” Andrew said as he stood up and walked to the largest pony in the group and stuck out his hand. “And you must be Big Mac?”

“Eyup.” Big Mac replied, reaching out to shake Andrew hand with his hoof.

“I’ve heard you don’t talk much.”

“Eyup.”

“Cool, some of the smartest people I know are silence enthusiasts.” Andrew laughed when Big Mac’s only reply was to lift an eyebrow. “So. You guys here to drag me back to the party?”

“Not quite, we sent everyone else home, including Rainbow Dash.” Applejack answered. “Twilight and Fluttershy even explained what was going on to everyone who was watching outside.”

“Well that was awfully nice of them.” Andrew said. “Alright fine, I’ll come back. But only ‘cause I’m starving.

“Sure Sugarcube, whatever you say.”

“Where are the others anyway?” Andrew asked as he looked around.

“Oh they’re makin’ their way through the town lookin’ fer you” Applejack answered before turning to her brother. “You mind Big Mac?”

“Nope” He responded simply as he walked away.

“You can prob’ly meet them at the station if ya hurry, otherwise the park is yer best bet.”

“Eyup.”

“So you’ll stop by soon for to be measured?” Rarity asked as the group entered the front door of the library. It was still covered in decorations, with streamers hanging from the wall and balloons tied to the furniture.

“Probably tomorrow, if that works.” Andrew replied. “This is the only outfit I have and I only trust Twilights magical cleaning so far.”

“That would be lovely dear, tomorrow is completely free. Now are you sure I can’t use jewels, I think a few Onyx gems will go great with-”

“Sorry Rarity, no jewels. Guys don’t wear jewels where I come from.”

“A pity, though I’ll admit a similar trend seems to be arising here as well. Why just the other day I had a stallion come in requesting to have the gemstones removed from a rather dashing outfit, so unfortunate. I almost couldn’t do-”

“Oh Rarity, stop torturing the poor stallion, he doesn’t want to hear about all your boring fancy fashion right now.” Applejack said before Rarity could get any deeper. “C’mon Andrew, let’s get somethin’ to eat while we wait fer the others to get back”

“Hmph! I seem to remember a different tune last time I had to repair your hat.” Rarity shot back as Andrew and Applejack made there was to a table laden with sweets and pastries. “Maybe next time I’ll be much too busy to fix it ‘Lickity split like’ while you wait.”

“Aw don’t be like that Rarity, you know ah appreciate yer talents, but maybe eight hours after our last decent meal isn’t the best time for it?”

“Oh my, I hadn’t realized it had been so long, my apologies Andrew”

“itsh okay you coul’nt hab known” Andrew replied, a rather large éclair hanging from his mouth.

Rarity looked disgusted at Andrew’s poor manners, but Applejack only laughed.

“Now yer speakin’ my language!” Applejack shouted excitedly before digging into the plate she had made for herself.

Rarity turned her head away from the confectionary slaughter as the two scarfed down cookies, sweets and pastries.

“So” Andrew asked in between bites. “Do you guys ever eat healthy here, or have I just been really lucky?”

“Healthy? At a party? Now that’s just silly!” Pinkie Pie shouted, jumping from behind the table that Andrew was sitting at.

“Holy shit!” Andrew shouted after spewing the cup of punch he had just sipped from. “Jesus Christ on a crutch Pinkie Pie! Don’t do that!”

“Aww, your no fun!” Pinkie complained after wiping her face of punch.

“I’m plenty fun, I just don’t enjoy heart attacks.”

Before she could counter, Twilight burst in the front door, breathing deeply and looking around anxiously

“Andrew watch out-” She started before noticing that Pinkie Pie was already standing next to the table. “-She’s already here. Did she…?

“Yup”

“Celestia help us, Pinkie Pie did you listen to anything I said? You can’t surprise Andrew like that, his magic is too unstable to be testing his self-control!”

“Oh don’t worry Twilight, he won’t do anything bad, he’s the good guy!”

The group looked at each other in confusion at Pinkie Pie’s declaration. Twilight’s reprimand stopped short as she tried to parse Pinkie’s meaning. Before she could manage that Fluttershy and Big Mac walked through the still open door, which Fluttershy quietly shut behind herself.

“Oh I’m so glad you’re safe Andrew.” she squeaked out. “We weren’t sure if we should go find you or let you have some alone time…”

“To be honest I’m kinda glad you guys found me. Now I’ve had some alone time and I still get dinner. Well if you call two and a half pounds of the best pastries and candy I’ve ever had dinner. Seriously Pinkie Pie, this stuffs amazing.”

“Thank you! The Cake’s helped me with the cakes, and Bon Bon helped me with the bon bons, but I made everything else myself!”

“You mean Punch didn’t help you with the punch?” Andrew joked, still finding the ponies naming conventions funny.

“Don’t be silly… She’s away on vacation!” Pinkie replied, oblivious to Andrew’s surprise. “But I’m glad you like it!”

“I- I do, thanks. I’m sorry your party got kinda ruined…”

“Oh that’s ok, it just means that I get to throw another one to make up for it! And cause getting ready for the part is half the fun, I’ll get a whole one and a half times as much fun from one event!”

A few ponies rolled their eyes at Pinkies excitement, but they kept their thoughts to themselves. Andrew recovered from his surprise and thanked the perky earth pony before excusing himself to wash up.

“The kitchen is around the corner, on your left.” Twilight explained when he asked. She watched him go before turning back to her friends. “So girls, what are we going to do about him and Rainbow Dash?”

“Ah don’t rightly know.” Applejack said as she sat back from the table, her plate clean. “But my guts say to leave it be. Rainbow Dash seems ta understand she did somethin’ wrong, an’ I trust Andrew not be stubborn about it.”

“I agree with Applejack.” Rarity added. “While I don’t know Andrew as well as you three, he seems like a nice enough stallion. I say we let them work it out at their own pace.”

“Yeah, and he would never do anything unfair” Pinkie Pie agreed rather
resolutely, drawing another weird look from Twilight.

“Alright… I suppose that’s fair enough.” Twilight said after seeing Fluttershy nod her head in agreement. “And lets all try and help him fit in over the next few days, he’s a long way from home and I’m worried his easy going attitude is hiding his real anxiety.”

They all agreed wholeheartedly, talking about what activities they could include human in. Rarity was considering if he would enjoy a trip to the spa when he returned, shaking water droplets from his hands.

“So, what I miss?” He asked as he sat down next to Applejack. “You guys figured out what you’re gonna do about me and Rainbow Dash?”

The girls looked at each other anxiously as they tried to bluff their way out, doing a variety of impressions from flabbergasted to shocked that he would assume they would talk behind his back. Rarity had immediately jumped to hurt, openly wondering how he could think they would do such a thing like talk behind his back when he held up his hand.

“It’s okay guys, I caught the beginning from the kitchen. I think it’s a pretty fair question.”

“We decided to leave it alone for the time being. You’re both reasonable ponies.” Twilight explained. “Just go easy on her okay? It may be hard to tell from your perspective, but she was just trying to help.”

“She’s been under a lot of stress lately as well.” Fluttershy added. “She applied for the Wonderbolt academy training program, and she still hasn’t heard back from them yet.”

“She did? How long ago was that?” Twilight asked.

“Uhh… a couple weeks ago?” Fluttershy replied uncertainly. “She didn’t mention it to any of you?”

“She never mentioned it me” Applejack answered looking at her friends.

Twilight and Rarity nodded, agreeing with Applejack, while Pinkie Pie scarfed down left over in the back ground, seemingly oblivious.

“Oh no, I hope I didn’t tell a secret.” Fluttershy said, worry and panic creeping into her voice.

“Ah wouldn’t worry about it Fluttershy, she probably just forgot ta mention it.” Applejack said reassuringly. “You know how forgetful she can be.”

Andrew sighed as he rubbed his face. It was beginning to become a habit with all this stress. He was beginning to feel lost among all the problems that just kept popping up.

“Well I’ll keep that in mind.” Andrew promised, leaning back in his chair and stretching. “What are the Wonderbolts anyway?”

“They are a branch of the royal guard, considered the best of the best when it comes to aerial acrobatics and combat.” Twilight explained. “Although the combat part is more or less ceremonial at this point, they mainly put on air shows.”

“Oh, so like the blue angels.” Andrew replied, receiving several curious and confused looks. “They are basically the same thing. Part of the military, but they don’t fight, just put on air shows.”

“I was under the impressions that humans were incapable of flight.” Rarity said curiously.

“You’re right, we can’t fly by ourselves. But we can fly planes.” He explained, only to get even more confused looks. “Planes are basically machines that fly.”

“Machines… that fly?” Applejack asked, obviously very skeptical. “Ya mean like a hot air balloon?”

“No no no, completely different principles. To be honest I’m not sure of all the details, but essentially the wings create differences in pressure that give the plane enough upward lift to stay off the ground.”

“That’s how our wings work” Fluttershy said, unfolding on of her own. “With magic and its natural shape.”

“Right, well we do it artificially. With big honking jet engines and lots and lots of gas.”

“That’s… mighty impressive, iffen yer tellin’ the truth” Applejack said, still clearly skeptical.

“Yeah, it is when you think about it.” Andrew agreed. “To be honest I kinda took it for granted, just another part of everyday life.”

“Ooo tell us another one!” Pinkie Pie begged, having returned from her binge. She was laying on the floor, looking up at Andrew like a child waiting for story time.

“Yes please, go on! This is all incredibly fascinating.” Twilight agreed, having floated over a quill and a stack of paper.

“Uh, ok… we have these things called computers…”

The “party” continued into the night, the group quickly falling into a pattern. Andrew would describe an amazing technology, which the ponies couldn’t understand and usually refused believe. In return the ponies would tell Andrew something about Equestria, an adventure or some amazing creature that Andrew would immediately wave off as impossible. They had just finished telling Andrew about a particularly amazing quest in the Crystal Empire when Spike came down the stairs, rubbing his eyes.

“Uh guys can you keep it down? It almost twelve o’clock.” He complained, letting a big yawn out after he did.

“Oh shoot, is it that late already? Me and Big Mac have ah early morning tomorrow, we’ve gotta go get some sleep.” Applejack said as she got up and made her way to the door, with Big Mac following close behind. “If ya got some time tomorrow Andrew, stop by the farm. I’ll introduce ya to the rest of the family!”

“Sure thing, I’ll stop by after I see Rarity, an hour or so after twelve.”

“Alrighty see ya then, bye everypony!”

“I believe it may be time for all of us to get some sleep” Rarity said after Applejack and her brother left. “I will see you tomorrow Andrew?”

“Yup, sometime around twelve probably. Don’t worry about you schedule, I can wait when I get there.”

“As I said earlier, tomorrow is a free day. Or rather a designing day, but I can pause my drawings long enough to take you measurements and show you some cloth.”

“Alright, see you then.”

Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie said their goodbyes as well, with Pinkie Pie promising to come by tomorrow to help clean up the decorations. She left with a few plates stacked with the leftover food, and a hopeful request that Andrew will stop by Sugarcube Corner soon.

“Damn, I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted.” Andrew said as he stretched out of his seat.

“It has been a crazy day.” She agreed, yawning deeply.

“It’s been a crazy three days, fingers crossed the next few aren’t like that.”

“C’mon, I’ll show you the spare bed, it sounds like you’ve got a busy day tomorrow.” Twilight said with a knowing smile. “But a good night’s sleep will help that be bearable.”

“Amen sister, lead the way.”

Andrew stretched, his back popping a few times before he released he straining muscles. He made his way to the bathroom and checked himself in the mirror. Stubble was starting to form on his chin and as he turned he could see the bruises on his back from his scuffle with Twilight, as well as new ones from his chromatic encounter with Rainbow Dash. He wasn’t overly concerned about the bruises, he had his fair share of them in his life so he knew these were mostly superficial and would be gone in about a week.

After brushing his teeth with a toothbrush Twilight had given him, he hopped into the shower. It was a bit shorter than what he was used to so he had to hunch down slightly to fit. He weathered through it though and soon stepped out feeling refreshed and awake. He got dressed, pausing when he realized that his clothes were literally the only things he owned Equestria. He tied his shoes and mentally promised to change that as soon as he got situated. Taking a deep breath he left the spare bedroom and made his way into main room, looking for Twilight as he went. He found her reading off to the side of the room, which Andrew was surprised to find was devoid of all decorations.

“Hey, you guys took down the streamers already?” He asked. “I would have helped if you had woken me up.”

Twilight looked up and fixed Andrew with a big smile.

“Oh, Good morning Andrew. Don’t worry about it, Pinkie Pie came over earlier and helped me cleanup” She explained. “She says hello by the way.”

“Oh… well I feel bad I wasn’t up to help, you still cou-”

“She was here at six in the morning.”

“-okay feeling a lot less guilty now.”

“I figured as much.” She said as continued reading. The conversation quickly died, leaving Andrew feeling a bit awkward.

“Uh… watcha reading?” He asked, breaking the silence.

“Oh, sorry! I guess I got a bit caught up. It’s a book about teleportation, I figured it was a good place to start in our research in trying to send you home.”

“Oh, well thanks I guess.”

“No need to thank me, we made a promise and I intend to keep it.” She said as she placed a bookmark and closed the book. “Speaking of homes though, we should go see the mayor now so that you can get to Rarity’s on time.”

“Oh, right, I completely forgot about that. I’m supposed to visit Applejacks farm after that as well. You wanna come with?”

“Sure, I haven’t been to Sweet Apple Acre’s in a while.” She said as she put the book on a shelf. “Spikes out doing ‘errands’, so maybe we will run into him along the way.”

The two started to get ready for their trip to the mayor’s office and then to Rarity’s and Applejack’s, which mainly consisted of Andrew watching Twilight pack, empty and then re-pack her saddle bags.

“I really don’t think we’ll need anything Twilight, we aren’t even leaving the town.”

“Well technically Sweet Apple Acre’s is outside the town so…” Twilight trailed off when she saw the rather amused look Andrew was giving her. “…Right, no need for the saddle bags.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought. Shall we?” He asked while motioning to the door with a wide gesture.

“Alright, let’s go.”

The two made their way through the streets of Ponyville, soon passing the bench were Andrew had laid last night. Unlike the night before the town was fully awake and ponies walked every which way. They all seemed busy as they went about their business, though it seemed like every single one had to stop and stare at the human as he and Twilight passed by.

“I’m beginning to understand why you find this annoying.” Twilight said as a mother pushed her child behind herself as they walked by. “I can’t believe they are so wary of you. You don’t even look that threatening.”

“I’m not.” Andrew replied. “You told me about how they reacted to your Zebra friend, and the only thing different with her is her stripes.”

“A fair point I suppose.” She admitted. “Well give them some time, I promise they will get used to you.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

The two passed by the final house before the town center, in the middle of which was the town hall. The market filled the far end of the town center, a bustling area filled with produce laden shoppers and fancy market stalls. Luckily for them most of the shoppers seemed focused on their errands, so they made it to the town hall without any incident. Twilight lead the way into the building, heading off to one of the rooms connected to the large center hall.

“You know where you’re going?” Andrew asked, receiving only a reproachful look back. “Alright, dumb question.”

“The mayor’s office is just through here.” Twilight said as she pushed a door open. On the other side a mare sat behind a desk, pecking away at a typewriter.

“Hello, how may I heeeeaaaawwwlp.” The mare said, her final world stretched and pitched into an almost yelp when she saw Andrew.

“We are here to see the mayor, is she in?” Twilight asked, her annoyance at the earth pony’s reaction clear.

“S-she is b-busy at the m-m-moment…” the mare stuttered out. “Would y-you like t-to make an ap-p-pointment?”

“Are you sure? She should have known we were coming…” Twilight said, pressing the secretary.

“S-she is b-busy.”

“Well then… perhaps we will try again later.” Andrew cut in before Twilight could say anything else. “We’ll be back, tell the Mayor Twilight Sparkle and Andrew Dike where here for her.”

“A-all right…”

Andrew pulled Twilight away from the nervous mare, leading the way out of the room and into the main room of the town hall.

“Why did you pull me away, I’m sure the mayor isn’t that busy.”

“Because I would rather not be the pushy new guy, which is exactly what it would look like if you forced her to meet with us, or we decided to sit and wait.” He explained as he made his way back to the town center. “Besides I’ve got other stuff to do today, so let’s go see Rarity and Applejack, then we can check here again after.”

“Well alright, I suppose that’s fair enough.” Twilight admitted. “Though I don’t know how you can be so nonchalant about everything.”

“She was just scared, can’t blame her for that.” He said with a shrug. “Besides I’m not always nonchalant. I’m still kinda pissed with Rainbow Dash.”

“Yeah… I’m still shocked she attacked you so suddenly. I mean she has always been a bit impulsive but never so… violently.”

“Stress does weird things to people. If she is as stressed about that academy thing as Fluttershy thinks she is…”

“I suppose, Celestia knows I’m not exactly the poster child of stress management.” Twilight admitted as she followed Andrew down the stairs of the town hall.

“So I’ve heard.” Andrew said before turning to Twilight. “Alright, which way to Rarity’s?”

“It’s actually right on the other side of the town hall. C’mon, I’ll show you.”

Andrew followed the lavender unicorn as they made their way around the large circular building. As they did Andrew got a much better look at the town market. Ponies of all types walked around, going from stall to stall. The fringes of the crowed noticed the human, who was a full head taller than them. Andrew gave a sarcastic wave as quite a few ponies stared at him, many of who were jostled by their neighboring shoppers as they stopped to get a better look.

“It’s just across this bridge” Twilight said as she stopped to wait for the human, who had fallen behind.

Andrew turned from the crowd and hurried to Twilight. He followed her across the stone bridge, looking over the edge as he did. A lazy stream flowed under the bridge, ducks, frogs and fish swimming almost as lazily as the water flowed.

“You know, I could get used to the small town easy going attitude” Andrew said loud enough for Twilight to hear further ahead.

“It takes a while, but this town grows on you.” She responded as Andrew finally caught up to her. “It grows on everyone.”

“I don’t doubt that.” Andrew said, almost under his breath. “Now what the hell is that?”

“That’s Carousel Boutique, Rarity’s shop.”

“…And I’m gonna have her make my clothes?” Andrew said, beginning to worry. “Maybe I’ll just have you duplicate them a couple times, that would work.”

“We’ve been over this Andrew, duplicating things is tricky. The newly created object can just disappear out of nowhere, not exactly something you want your clothes to be able to do.”

“… Fuck me, I’m so screwed.”

“Relax, if there is anything Rarity is good at other than gemstones, it’s catering to her clients

Andrew and Twilight entered the shop, a series of ringing bells announcing their presence.

“One moment please!” Rarity shouted from the second floor.

“It’s just us Rarity, take your time” Andrew shouted back, as he walked further into the room.

The Boutique was heavily decorated, with sparkling inlayed designs and drapes of frill lined cloth hanging from every available edge. Ribbon bows and gems further decorated the room, turning it into a lavish sanctuary of design. Andrew made his way past a small circular stage that occupied part of the shop, surrounded by mirrors. He stopped by a pony mannequin, which wore what he could only describe as a harness with a simple cloth covering the back.

“Huh…” Andre said as he pulled at one on of the straps that adorned the mannequins head. “Kinky.”

“No, that’s just Saddle Arabian fashion. I could show you much more provocative clothing if you want.” Rarity said as she made her way down the stairs, her joke leaving a sly smile on her face. Andrew spun around to look at the mare, mouth working but no words emerging. “Oh my, I believe that is the first time I’ve seen you speechless.”

“I…I just have no idea how I’m supposed to respond to that.” Andrew eventually said as Rarity finally made it to him and Twilight.

“Oh no worries darling, I was only teasing you.” The white unicorn said with a laugh. “So, are you ready to be measured? It may take a bit.”

“Really? But my measurements only took a few minutes last time you did them.” Twilight asked, following them as Rarity led Andrew to her modeling pedestal.

“Well that’s because I already know your measurements darling, as well as the average pony sizes.” Rarity explained as she levitated her measuring tape from a nearby desk. “I don’t know any of Andrews’s measurements, or the average for his species. I’ll need to make every measurement I can.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize it would be that difficult.”

“Not necessarily difficult darling, just time consuming...” She paused to chew her lip in thought. “…though if you wrote down the measurements for me it would take considerably less.”

“Of course, happy to help!” Twilight said enthusiastically, levitating a nearby scroll of paper and quill to herself. “Ready when you are.”

“Alright, let’s begin with your lower waist.” The fashionista said as she wrapped her measuring tape around Andrew’s waist. “Seems to be about…”

Rarity began to call out numbers for Twilight to copy down, efficiently making her way down Andrew’s lower half. Twilight’s list grew longer and longer as Rarity eventually finished measuring his legs and moved on to his upper half.

“So tell me darling, are you allergic to any kinds of cloth?” She asked as she wrapped her tape around her lower chest.

“Nope. Well none where I’m from at least, for all I know I could be deathly allergic to your equivalence to cotton.”

“Well I certainly hope not. While silk is an elegant material I don’t think I would recommend making an entire daily ensemble out of it. Spread your arms out.”

“I’ll take your word for it.” Andrew agreed, lifting his arms up as Rarity asked him to do so. “I should point out I don’t like tight clothing, or neon colors.”

“Hmm, well I suppose I can work with that” Rarity said, now measuring his arm length. “Any preferences in color, other than ‘not neon?’”

“Uh… red? Maybe blue? Oh and green. Shirts and pants tend to be one color each as well.”

“My word, for creatures that wear clothes so much you are very boring about it.” Rarity complained. “You can lower your arms dear.”

“Right, thanks.” Andrew lowered his arm, and the three once again went back to a steady rhythm of measurements and notes.

“Rarity, have you seen Spike today? Twilight asked, looking up from her list.

“Yes dear, he stopped by earlier to see if I needed anything from the market.” Rarity answered as lowered her tape, rolled it up and levitated it back to its spot on her desk. “But that was an hour or so before you got here.”

“Does he do that a lot?” Andrew asked. “Just get up and go?”

“Yeah, he has been really flexing his independence these last few months.” Twilight said with a sigh. “He’s growing up so fast.”

“I for one am glad to see him becoming more independent.” Rarity said with a smile. “He’s been my wittle Spikey Wikey for such a long time, it’s only natural for him to grow out of it eventually.”

“I suppose…” Twilight agreed reluctantly. “I’m just so used to having him around constantly. It’s … making me anxious how often he just goes off alone.”

“How old is he?” Andrew asked as he stretched out the kinks he had gotten from standing in the same poses for so long.

“He’s seventeen, eighteen in a few months. He may look young but it’s about this age that dragons hit their first real growth spurt.”

“Damn, dragon puberty must be a bitch and a half if it takes that long to hit.”

“Well dragons don’t age the same way we do, or how humans do from what I gather.” Twilight explained. “They can essentially live forever if they aren’t killed, getting larger and larger over time. Their first growths spurt marks the first of a half a dozen or so before they reach the continual growing stage.”

“Damn… note to self. Stay on Spikes good side.” Andrew said.

“Oh it will be hundreds of year before he get any larger than a carriage.” Twilight assured him. “Unless he get caught up in his own greed again, then he might get bigger than a house by the end of tomorrow.”

“Oh well in that ca-Wait seriously? There is no way that’s possible!”

“Oh it’s more possible dear” Rarity assured him. “One too many birthday gifts and he was bigger than the biggest building in Ponyville.”

“I did some research after it happened and apparently” Twilight said, beginning to explain before Andrew could even ask. “it’s an ingrained magical reaction that’s part of every baby dragons instincts. It’s in case a child’s parents are killed or go missing. The child goes through a magically enhanced growth spurt so it can either protect their parents hoard until they return, or protect its new inheritance.”

“Jesus Christ seriously?” Andrew asked, shaking his head. “You know what, I’m just gonna give up on being surprised by what magic can do from now on.”

“Well dragons are special. They wield wild magic like no other species can.” Twilight explained, as if that sentence made it all clear. Rarity picked up on Andrews growing anxiety over the complexities of magic and cleared her throat.

“Alright darling, let’s not confuse the new apprentice before his mentor even get here.” She said, further cutting of anymore of Twilights lecture. “Speaking of which, I should get back to work. I would like to get this draft done before Princess Luna arrives so I can present it to her in person. Perhaps I shall stop by later with some sketches for you Andrew?”

“Sure thing, if its not to much trouble.” Andrew said as Twilight escorted him to the door. “Thanks again for all this, I owe you one.”

“Oh don’t concern yourself with that darling, a chance to work on clothes for an entirely new species is payment in and of itself.”

The two left the boutique, with Andrew walking backwards out of the door, waving goodbye as he did. He closed the door behind himself and turned around, nearly bumping into Twilight as he did.

“Whoa Twilight, why did you-” Andrew began as he looked at the lavender pony. She wasn’t paying attention though, and Andrew quickly realized why.

“Uh… Hey you guys…” Rainbow Dash said, rubbing her right leg nervously. “Fancy running into you here…”

Andrew crossed his arms, looking rather annoyed at the light blue pegasus. Twilight looked from one to the other, worried there might be another fight. Thankfully when Rainbow Dash spoke again, she sounded distinctly embarrassed, not confrontational.

“Um Twilight, could I uh… could I talk to Andrew in private for a while?” She asked, before looking to Andrew. “If you don’t mind…”

“Sure Rainbow Dash. We were on our way to Sweet Apple Acres, so just show him the way there when you’re done.” Twilight said before shooting a look at Andrew and whispering “Be nice! I'll see you in bit.” before walking away, heading off to see Applejack.

The two remained standing, with Rainbow Dash refusing to make direct eye contact with the human and Andrew tapping his fingers in annoyance. Finally Rainbow Dash gave up and looked to the annoyed human.

“Walk and talk?” she asked simply.

After a long moment of pause, Andrew let out a sigh.

“Fine, but this had better be good.”

Apology: 10

View Online

Andrew followed Rainbow Dash as she hovered a few feet over the dirt road. He watched the light blue mare as she stubbornly avoided eye contact, attempting to disguise her glances as exaggerated stretches. They reached the top of a small hill and as they broached the crest Andrew saw a small park, complete with fountains and benches in the distance. A simple bench sat at the top of the hill a few feet from the road, overlooking that park. From their spot they could see ponies as they went about various activities, from walking their pets to having picnics. Rainbow Dash made to continue further down the road, but Andrew spoke up.

“Alright, that’s enough walking, time for the talking part.”

“Oh… right.” Rainbow Dash said awkwardly, clearly wishing she could have put it off longer. “Um… So how was your first night in Ponyville?”

“Sore” Andrew responded simply, his arms now crossed in annoyance.

“Right… I’m really am sorry about that…” Rainbow Dash apologized as she drifted down to the side of the road.

“I’m sure you are.” He responded, his arms still crossed.

“I don’t know what came over me… I just kinda…” Rainbow Dash began, struggling to find the words, but struggling with something else as well...

“Just stop, I’m not buying it.” Andrew loudly cut off. He was beginning to notice something, and acting on a hunch, he took a rather menacing step toward her. “Clearly something is up and I’m not buying your bullshit.”

“W-what?” She asked, taking a few rapid steps back. She looked nervously around, her wings ruffling as if preparing to take off. “I don’t k-know what you mean.”

“Well for one thing when you attacked me, you reacted immediately. No shock, no questions, just immediate violence. Now according to your friends you can be a bit impulsive. But that wasn’t impulsive. That was like… instinctual violence.”

Rainbow Dash just looked back at the human worriedly, but remained silent.

“And second… you’re absolutely fucking terrified of me.” He finished, taking a step back from the practically shaking pony. “Which again, from what I understand, is really weird for you.”

“N-no I’m not!” She denied, indignation overriding her obvious alarm. “Why would I be scared of a-”

“BOO!” Andrew shouted, interrupting her and jumping forward while waving his hands around.

“AHHHH!!!” Rainbow Dash screamed, rocketing up into the air as her wings beat furiously. She shot straight up, traveling a few hundred feet into the air before coming to her sense. She regained control of herself and stopped, slowly gliding back down to Andrew, landing a couple feet further away than before.

“Have I made my point?” Andrew asked, raising his eyebrow when she finally reached the ground.

“…Yeah, but you could have been a bit nicer about it…” She mumbled to herself.

“…You may be right” Andrew concede with a sigh. “But you could have just come clean when I asked.”

Rainbow Dash shrugged and looked to the sky, watching the clouds as the drifted past, the occasional pegasus fluttering around to push them this way or that. She still seemed extremely tense, so Andrew took a few more steps away, sitting on the nearby bench. He wanted to prove his point, not give the poor pony a heart attack. He gave her a few minutes of quiet contemplation before he spoke again.

“Will you tell me what’s going on?”

She sighed rather explosively, as if finally giving up a breath she had been holding in.

“Only if you promise never to tell anyone, ever!”

“Uhhh…No?” Andrew said with a humorless laugh, shaking his head, “I’m not gonna promise you anything. But… you do have my word that I will keep this between us, unless I feel like it could hurt someone.”

“…Fine.” She said as she chewed her lip. “I’ll tell you.”

She paused, her eyes once again watching the sky, like she wanted nothing more than to fly away from this conversation. Andrew finally grew impatient and cleared his throat to break her gaze.

“Oh relax, I was just thinking.” She complained. She took a deep breath and let it out before beginning. “I’ve been having nightmares for the past couple of months. And they’ve all been about you.”

“Wait… what?” Andrew asked, very confused. He wasn’t exactly sure what he had expected, but certainly it hadn’t been this. “Nightmares… about me?”

“Well not you exactly… you as in humans… I think…I’m not entirely sure what you’re supposed to look like.”

“You’ve been having nightmares about humans, even though you don’t know what we are supposed to look like?” Andrew asked to rhetorically . “I don’t see how that could be possible…”

“Well until last night they were just… nightmare things.” She explained. “Then suddenly you walk in the door and...”

Once again Andrew adopted a now very familiar pose. He cradling his face in his hands, rubbing his eyes as he sighed.

“Why can’t anything be simple?” He asked under his breath, before looking back to Rainbow Dash. “You realize how insane that sounds, right?”

“You’re telling me! Imagine chatting with a friend, waiting for the guest of honor to show up to a party then BAM! Literally your worst nightmare walks in the front door.”

“Well…I can see how that would be terrifying… and you attacking me would make a bit more sense … if you can claim anything in this place makes sense…” Andrew relented with a second sigh of exasperation. “But I don’t understand how you could be dreaming about something you’ve never seen before.”

“Like I said, before last night you… they were just nightmare things.” Rainbow Dash repeated.

“How much did they look like me?”

“I don’t know… their tall, they stand on two legs, have two arms and hands like yours… but they were all greyish. And they didn’t have faces…and they are always cold.” Rainbow Dash said as she described her nightmares, struggling to recall specific traits. “It’s hard to remember, I mean have you ever been able to describe a nightmare days after it happened?”

“Well… yeah but I understand what you mean.” Andrew agreed. “I just don’t know what to make of this.”

“But do you at least understand why I attacked you?”

“… If you’re telling the truth? Yeah I can understand it.”

“So you accept my apology?”

“Begrudgingly, yeah.”

“Thank you Andrew, maybe you’re more awesome than you look!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, oblivious to her insult.

“How often do you have these nightmares anyway?” Andrew asked

“Uh, kinda randomly actually, sometimes once a month, sometimes a couple times a week” Rainbow Dash explained. “So… will you keep this between us?”

“…Yeah I guess I will, mostly because I have no fucking clue what to make of it. But only on one condition.” Andrew said, his voice growing stern at the end. “Luna is coming to stay here in Ponyville. Apparently dreams are kinda her thing, she never really explained it to me personally. Anyhow, you’re gonna ask for advice about your nightmares, and you’re gonna follow it.”

Rainbow Dash thought about his terms for a moment, looking like she might try and worm her way out it.

“Fine, but this better stay between us until then!”

“You have my word I won’t tell anyone, unless it’s important.” Andrew agreed, shrugging as she began to complain. “Rainbow Dash it’s the best you’re gonna get. Get over it.”

“Ugh fine, whatever.” She said, spreading her wings once again. She took off at a much more leisurely pace, stopping after a couple dozen feet to look back at Andrew. “Thanks for… understanding and whatever.”

“No problem.” He said with a smile and a wave, continuing until she was out of ear shot. “Goddammit, this place is completely fucking insane.”

Andrew shook his head in bewilderment as he turned back down the road they had come from, his head hung low. He reached the bottom of the hill and kept walking, passing trees and a few ponies, with stares still aplenty, only now he was too wrapped up in his growing problems to notice.

“I honestly can’t keep up with all of this shit anymore.” He lamented to himself. “I swear to god if one more thing goes wrong…”

His muttering complaint drifted off as he reached an intersection.

“…Oh you sonovabitch!”

Andrew sat at the bottom of a tree, wedged in between too large roots, watching ponies trot by. After Rainbow Dash had left him to his own devices, he had spent a while fruitlessly trying to find his own way to Sweet Apple Acres. He had even tried to find the boutique again, but by then he had lost the road he had been on. Finally he had sat down for a break, both annoyed and tired. He was finding that the town was unexpectedly and frustratingly large. He had even tried to find someone who would talk to him long enough to give him directions, but everyone gave him a wide berth so he soon grew tired of that. So there he sat at the bottom of the tree, relaxing in the shade, ignoring the stares and points. He was musing at the variety of colors ponies seemed to come in while watching a particularly vibrantly shaded pegasus when he heard a voice from beside him.

“Umm… Hello…?” said the clearly male voice. Andrew whipped his head around, slightly startled by the newcomer.

“Woah! What? Huh?” Andrew said, surprised. His surprise only increased when he recognized the pony. “Oh wait, you’re Time Turner, aren’t you?”

“Uhh yeah… wait how did you know my name?”

“Twilight and Applejack recognized your description from last night… which reminds me, sorry for scaring you so much last night.”

“Oh…” Time Turner said, embarrassed by the subject. “I actually came over to uhhh… apologize for running away…”

“Seriously?” Andrew questioned, surprise still rampant. He pushed off the tree to stand up and stuck out his hand to the stallion. “Well, don’t worry about it, it was a lot better than some of the other greetings I’ve gotten so far.”

Time Turner hesitated before sticking out his hoof, which Andrew quickly wrapped in his hand and shook.

“Names Andrew Dike. Yes it sounds like decay, but it isn’t spelt that way I promise” Andrew said, continuing after releasing his hoof. “Just call me Andrew.”

“Umm, well I guess you already know my name. Just call me Turner” He said, taking a look up and down the tree Andrew had been sitting against. “So uhh…what are you up to? You uhhh…looked a bit lost…”

“That’s ‘cause I am. I was supposed to have someone to show me how to get to Sweet Apple Acres, but the dumbass left!” Andrew explained, shouting at the sky as if Rainbow Dash was up there listening. “And they aren’t helping ‘cause their all too scared to spare five seconds to help a stranger.”

Turner wasn’t exactly sure how to react to the Andrews outburst, or his wide gesture at the now staring Ponyville citizens. He nervously rubbed the back of his head and gave an awkward smile to those who noticed him, before looking back to Andrew. Andrew was giving the nearest pony, who was sneering at him, some sort of one fingered hand signal.

“Well I uhhh….could lead you to the main road, which goes to the apple orchard.” Turner offered. “I can’t show you all the way though… I’ve got plans to meet someone.”

“Oh man seriously?! That would be so helpful!” Andrew said, perking up considerably. “Are you sure you have time though?”

“Yeah, it uhhh… shouldn’t be a problem. It’s on the way and umm… Doo will understand if I’m a few minutes late. C’mon, it’s this way.”

Andrew followed behind the tan earth pony, quickly catching up to walk beside him. He was silently hoping that this olive branch was the beginning of acceptance in Ponyville.

“So who’s Doo?” He asked after they had walked for a while.

“Uhh… Doo is my marefriend.” He said, with only a hint of shyness.

“Marefrie-?” Andrew said slowly, before snapping his fingers in recognition. “Oh! You mean girlfriend.”

“Uhhh no… I mean marefriend.”

“Right right, no I gottcha” Andrew said, waving off the Time Turners weird look. “A date with your marefriend, sounds like fun.”

“It always is, she is uhhh…an amazing mare.” Time Turner said, getting a bit dreamy eyed. “We’ve been dating for four months, but it still feels brand new.”

“Well that’s always a good sign!” Andrew said with a smile, giving the pony a pat on the back. “Good for you dude!”

“Uhhh thanks Andrew. It’s funny, she’s uhhh… the one who said I should apologize if I see you again.” He explained. “She was one of the ponies at your party and she felt bad for you after Miss Sparkle explained your situation.”

“Oh really? Well then please thank her for me, I would still be sitting under that tree if you hadn’t.” Andrew said happily. “It’s nice to know not everyone is avoiding me right off the bat.”

“So… all that stuff Miss Sparkle said was true?” Time Turner asked, surprised.

“Well probably, I’m not exactly sure what she said though.”

“So you’re from another planet and you uhhh… fell from the sky, almost died and ummm… got taken to the moon? And you have magic?”

“Yeah, that pretty much covers it. Though to be honest not sure about the whole other planet thing, could be anything.” Andrew said, shaking his head. “After all I’ve seen and heard the past few day, anything is possible.”

“Sweet Celestia that’s… that’s… that’s insane.”

“Oh trust me, preaching to the choir.”

The two continued to walk through the town, passing houses and shops, making small talk as they went. Finally Time Turner stopped at a seemingly random street.

“Uhh alright. If you follow this street that way.” Time Turner said pointing down the road. “It will lead you out of the town and uhhh… eventually to Sweet Apple Acres.”

“Finally! Thank you so much Turner, you really saved my ass there.” Andrew said with a smile.

“Umm… don’t mention it, consider it making amends for running away the first time.” The tan earth pony said, sticking out his hoof which once again Andrew grabbed and shook.

“Right, well I’m sure I’ll see you around, it looks like I may be staying here awhile.” Andrew said after releasing his grip on Turners hoof. “You’ll have to introduce me to your girl- marefriend at some point.”

“Uhhh… sure! I’m sure she would love to meet you.”

“Alright see ya! Oh and have fun on your date!” Andrew said as he turned to walk down the road, waving as he went

Andrew was quite enjoying his leisurely walk down the relatively empty road. A few ponies walked past him on the way, but most were too wrapped up in their own business to even notice him. What’s more, as he got further and further from the town, less and less ponies populated the dirt path. Finally, awhile after the town slid out of sight behind a hill, the road began to run along a white fence. Row upon row of apple trees, broken only by a scattering of other crops, sat planted on the other side. Andrew resisted the urge to lean over the fence and pluck one of the lower hanging apples, remembering the amazing apple had had had the other day. Before long he reached opening in the pristine fence, a vine laden arch and an apple sign hanging down the middle. Somehow apples were growing from the tangled vines, a fact that would have flabbergasted Andrew if he couldn’t already clearly imagine Twilights explanation of “magic” without even having to asking her. As he walked through the arch, he could see Twilight and Applejack in the distance as they walked along the edge of the apple trees.

“Hey guys! I’m here!” He shouted to get their attention, waving as he did.

“Andrew, there ya are! We’ve been waitin’ forever!” Applejack shouted back as the two made their way to human. “We almost went lookin’ fer ya.”

“Yeah well, Rainbow Dash left without showing me how to get here.”

“Ha! That’s five bits Twi’, ah told ya she’d forget!” Applejack boasted, giving her friend a playful shove. “thats what ya get fer betting along with that mares memory!”

“Seriously?” Andrew questioned with an annoyed look at Applejack. “You bet Twilight that Rainbow Dash would leave me behind to get horribly lost in a town where most of the people are scared of me?”

“Well when you say it like that…” Applejack trailed off rubbing the back of her head, embarrassed.

“I can’t believe she left you all alone!” Twilight said as she shook her head. “Even after I explicitly told her she needed to show you how to get here.”

“Yeah well, I’m sure you can give her an earful next time you see her.”

“I will…” Twilight agreed. “So other than that… how did it go?”

“She apologized and I accepted her apology.” Andrew answered simply.

“That’s… it?” Twilight responded, surprised. “Somehow I don’t think it was that simple.”

“Twi’s right, no way it was that simple.” Applejack agreed. “Dash is too stubborn and your… well… you.”

“Normally I’d agree with you, but ‘simple’ is in short supply these days, so I intend to enjoy it.” Andrew added. “We had a heart to heart and I forgave her. Done and done.”

“Well a’right, if you insist.” Applejack said, turning away from the other two. “Let’s get go’in, family’s inside. Apple Bloom’s been dyin’ ta meetcha since Big Mac told her she couldn’t go to last nights party.”

“And Apple Bloom is your…. younger sister?” He asked, looking for confirmation as he followed behind.

“Mhmm, she’s got ah heart of gold, even if she can have ah bit of ah one track mind at times.” Applejack said with a proud smile. “Just uh… don’t mention her blank flank, it’s ah bit of a sore subject if ya catch ma drift.”

“Oh, is that a thing? Ponies not getting their marks?” Andrew asked as they made their way to the barn like house.

“Nah, she’s still young enough that it’s not unusual. Besides, Apples have a history of being late bloomers.” Applejack explained. “She just feels left out cause of it, both her an’ her friends, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.”

“Ah, gotcha.” Andrew said as they arrived at the front door of Applejacks home. Applejack pushed the door in and motioned the other two to come in.

“Hey yall, I’m back! And guess who ah brought with me!” She shouted.

As Andrew walked through the front door, he looked around with interest. The interior was simple and rustic, with pictures hanging from the wall and the amazing smell of apple pie flowing through the air. If it wasn’t for the two ponies standing in front of him he could have mistaken it for a southern farm house. His inspection was cut off by the clip clopping of a small filly running through the house and stopping in the kitchen doorway. The filly, who Andrew assumed was Apple Bloom, stared at him, eyes wide and legs frozen to the spot.

“… Yo.” Andrew finally said, looking to Applejack for help.

“Apple Bloom, wipe that look of yer face and say hello, starin’ is impolite.” Applejack said, lightly admonished her sister.

“Umm… sorry.” She said quietly. Her words carried the same southern accent her sister and brothers did, but with a lot less intensity. “So, you’re the human Applejack's been talking about?”

“Yup, names Andrew.” He replied, dropping down to sit on his haunches and sticking out his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

The little mare made her way to Andrew, placated by his good mood. She shook his hand, before taking a step back.

“Welcome to Ponyville I guess…” She said as stepped back. “You look kinda weird. Do all humans look weird?”

“Apple Bloom!” Applejack started to shout, but Andrew waved her off with a laugh.

“Well I’m not sure, depends on what you find weird.”

“You’ve got no fur on your coat!” Apple Bloom replied before her sister could cut her off.

“In that case, yes, all humans look weird. Not that we don’t have hair, it’s just not very thick.” He answered, extending his arm to show her. “See, same as you.”

“Riighhhttt…” Apple Bloom said, looking at the human skeptically. “So what are you doing in Ponyville Mr. Andrew?”

“Just Andrew Apple Bloom, and I’m going to be staying here for a while.”

“Oh, that’s cool, were ya from?”

“Uhh…. I’m from-” Andrew began, trying to think of a way to explain it to her when a light green pony hobbled into the room.

“Applejack? Whats takin’ y’all so long? Me and Bloom had lunch on the table fer an half an hour a’ready!” The white hared mare stopped when she noticed their guests, specifically the bipedal one. “Oh heavens me! If you aren’t the queerest looking minotaur this side of the Palomino Desert!”

“He isn’t a minotaur Granny, he’s a human.” Apple Bloom corrected, walking past her grandmother into the kitchen. “He’s Applejack and Twilight’s friend, pretty sure she already told ya that.”

“Well ah don’t quite know what a human is, but if he wants his apple pie still warm, he’d better get his butt to the table!”

The group quickly moved into the kitchen, Andrew following Apple Bloom, listening her describe her day at school. Big Mac was already seated at the large table, which was laden with more apple themed food than Andrew new existed. He took in a deep breath as they all sat down.

“This all smells amazing!” He praised. “It’s been way to long since I’ve had a good home cooked meal. Thank you for having me.”

“Oh it’s no problem Andrew, Granny always makes too much anyway.” Applejack assured him. “We’ll probably have you and Twi’ leave with a big bag of left overs!”

“Oh, Spike would love that!” Twilight said happily as she served herself an apple turnover. Soon everyone’s plates were full of aromatic apple-ly goodness.

“Were is Spike anyway?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Oh he was around doing errands.” Twilight answered, her anxiety on the subject clear in her voice. “He may even be home by now.”

“Awww, I haven’t seen him in a while.” She complained, poking at her food. “He stopped coming by the clubhouse when the Cutie Mark Crusaders tried to get our cutie marks in dragon taming.”

“Gee, ah wonder why…” Applejack said under her breath, but loud enough for Andrew to laugh to himself.

“Well maybe you three should visit him instead” Twilight suggested. “But uh… no nets in the library.”

This got the rest of the table laughing, minus of course Apple Bloom, who just looked around the table, very confused.

The meal continued for an hour or so, before Applejack and Big Mac had to excuse themselves to get back to work.

“Sorry about this, usually I’d at least walk you off the farm, but we’re mighty busy today.” She apologized before leaving, shouting at Big Mac to hurry up over her shoulder. After they left Granny Smith packed Twilight and Andrew a hefty bag of leftovers.

“Thanks again Granny Smith, that was some of the best food I’ve eaten in years.” Andrew praised.

“Oh hush ya flatterer, it was just some everyday fixin’s, stop by some other time with some warnin’ an’ I’ll make ya a real meal!”

“I might just take you up on that.” Andrew said before looking to Apple Bloom. “It was nice meeting you short stuff, I’m sure I’ll see you around town.”

“It was nice meeting you too, I can’t wait to tell Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo about it!”

And with that she ran out the door, no doubt in search of her friends. Andrew and Twilight followed her out after once again thanking Granny Smith. The two made their way off the farm, leaving under the same baffling apple laden arch that Andrew had gone through on his way in. They traveled down the road quite a ways, passing by the end of the white fence before Andrew broke the amicable silence.

“Nice family.” He said simply.

“You’de be hard pressed to find a kinder group of ponies.” Twilight agreed with a nod. “They’ve been through some tough times, and in the end it only brought them closer together.”

“I noticed. When did they lose their parents?” He asked solemnly.

“I’m… not sure to be honest, a long before I came to Ponyville I think. They never really talk about, and of course it feels wrong to ask. All I know is that they were gone at the same time.” Twilight explained, the amicable atmosphere gone, replaced by sadness that at the both of them. “How did you know?”

“I had Applejack pegged for an orphan five minutes into when we first met.” He said quietly. “We aren’t hard to identify when you know what to look for.”

“You... You’re an orphan?” Twilight asked, eyes wide as she stumbled a bit in surprise. She increased her pace to catch up.

“……Yeah.” He said simply, waving off her condolences before they could start. “My mother died ten years ago. Left me and my sister.”

“Oh, that’s terrible! What about your father?”

“He was never in the picture, bailed when he learned my mother was pregnant.” He rubbed his face. Twilight was shocked by how much older, how much more haggard he looked. “It was ten long years ago, I’m doing alright now.”

“What about your sister?”

“Alice is… Alice is the only reason I care about going home now.” He said, more than a bit cryptically.

“We will get you home, I promise.” Twilight said solemnly before stopping and wrapping Andrew in a hug, one that he saw no reason to avoid. They parted after a moment or two, and continued down the road. Ponyville was once again visible in the distance, looking quiet and peaceful.

“How did she die?” Twilight asked, before hastily adding “If that’s ok, I’ll understand if you don’t want to talk about it.”

“Its alright, I’m used to explaining it. She uh… she was killed in a mugging gone wrong. A group of punks tried to steal her money but she put up a fight, so they killed her.”

Twilight stopped again, this time not bothering to try and catch up and instead just stood, rooted to the spot.

“Oh Celestia Andrew that’s terrible! I’m so sorry I brought it up! I-I-”

“Relax Twilight, I said it was ok. It’s been ten years, I can talk about it without melting into a puddle of sadness.” He assured her, managing to look relatively unfazed. “I had my sister to focus on, keeping her safe and happy, that helped. That, and watching every single one of the bastards getting locked up.”

“Still… I’m sorry you had to go through that…”

“Yeah, me too.”

Silence fell over the two as Andrew began walking again, forcing Twilight to catch up. Andrew looked stonily at road ahead. Twilight, sensing the need for a different topic, racked her brain for a new subject.

“So… how did you manage to find your way to Sweet Apple Acres?” Twilight asked, finally breaking the solemn silence that had grown between them. “I’d be really impressed if you managed to do it by yourself.”

“Oh, I tried to find it on my own for a while, but I just got myself even more lost.” He explained. “This town is surprisingly large and confusing.”

“Well it’s grown a lot in the past couple of years, especially after the Canterlot Invasion.” Twilight replied, referring to the wedding mishap two years previous. “A lot of ponies moved from the city to smaller towns.”

“Makes sense I suppose. Well I was hopelessly lost when Time Turner stopped to say hello and apologize for running off last night.” He explained as they finally reached the town, crossing a bridge into the pony filled streets. “When I told him I was lost he led me to this road and pointed me in the right direction.”

“Time Turner? See I told you guys he was a nice pony, apologizing after you scared him so baldy.” Twilight gloated. “Though next time you should just not scare him at all.”

“I told you I wasn’t trying to scare him!”

“Right, okay sure, I totally believe you.” Twilight said sarcastically before pointing to the Town Hall, which had just appeared from behind another building. “C’mon, we are almost there, let’s get the keys to the house and get you situated.”

“Oh…. I completely forgot about that…” Andrew admitted.

Twilight led the way through the streets to the town hall, the afternoon hustle and bustle making the town a lively gathering of ponies. They walked through the town center and once again climbed the stairs into the building. Surprisingly there were quite a few ponies inside this time, going about their business, all of them watching him with shock. Andrew didn’t even notice them as he followed Twilight into the familiar office. The same mare sat behind her desk, this time reading a piece of parchment, a quill in her mouth.

“Hello again, we are here for-” Twilight began, but was immediately cut off when the mare behind the desk.

“Oh thank goodness you are back!” The mare practically jumped from her seat to stand in front of Andrew, even going as far to give him a small bow. “I want to sincerely apologize for how rude I was before Ambassador, it was totally unacceptable behavior.”

“Uhh… it’s okay, don’t worry about it?” He replied, looking to Twilight in confusion. She shrugged in response, equally confused. “But I’m not a-”

“Thank you Ambassador Andrew, you are too kind. Now I’m sure you’re anxious to see the mayor, so please come this way…” She motioned for them to follow as she walked to the largest door in the office, stopping with a hoof on the door handle and pushing it open. “Here you are, she is right inside, and once again I apologize for my behavior this morning.”

“Yeah… thanks…” he replied as he passed through the open door, Twilight right behind him. Inside the room sat a grey haired, tan hide earth pony. She sat behind a desk that put the desk outside the door to shame, covered in stacked documents and important looking binders. The mare looked up at the two as the door clicked shut behind them

“Oh hello there, Ambassador Andrew I presume?”

“Uh… Yeah, I think so?” Andrew responded, uncertain.

“Welcome back, I do hope Ink Well properly apologized for her earlier behavior. It was in extremely poor taste but you must understand we only just received word of your arrival this afternoon!” The mayor left her seat to greet the two, shaking Andrew’s hand and gesturing them both to sit. “Please, you must be tired, take a seat.”

“Thank you for seeing us Mayor Mare, but we are a bit confused.” Twilight said, Mayor Mare returned to her spot behind the behemoth of a desk. “Why the sudden change of heart?”

“Ah, the letter said that there may be some confusion. Well, not more than an hour ago, a rather tired royal messenger dropped off a letter marked by not one, but two royal seals. It’s not every day we see piece of parchment signed by both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. It explained that Andrew Dike has been recently elevated from a temporary visa all the way to foreign Ambassador. As befitting his new position, as long as he is in Equestria, which of course includes Ponyville, he shall receive all the benefits that position entails. That includes the use and temporary ownership of the Grand Home, our living space for important ponies and foreign dignitaries.”

“Ambassador, really?” Andrew said, complaining as he rubbed his face. “I didn’t want that kind of attention.”

“That was also mentioned in the letter.” The mayor said with a pleasant laugh “It is merely a formality in case of emergencies or, heavens forbid, you are harmed in anyway. Rest assured Ambassa-err… Andrew, You shall be treated the same as everypony else.”

“Thanks, I appreciate that.” He said, relief clear in his voice. “I just don’t want to create any trouble, you know?”

“I completely understand Andrew and I appreciate the effort. Now I’m sure your anxious to see your new accommodations, so is there anything you would like to ask before we make our way to them?”

Andrew began to stand, shaking his head no when Twilight spoke up.

“Actually Mayor Mare, I believe there is something you could help Andrew with. Nopony is interacting with Andrew, save the girls and a few others. Is there anything you can do to help?” She asked.

“Oh I was worried about that.” She said, looking to Andrew. “Please don’t take offense, I’m sure they don’t mean any harm.”

“Don’t worry about it, I understand how hard it can be to accept new and strange things.” He assured the mayor. “But I wouldn’t say no to any help you can offer.”

“Hmmm… Well I shall endeavor to come up with something to break the ice, so to speak. Perhaps a town meeting, or a small interview? Either way I shall see what I can think of, and let you know.”

“Thank you, I appreciate all the help you’re giving me, I know you must be a busy lady.” Andrew said.

“Don’t mention it, anything to help the new pony- erm, human in town.” She reassured him, before standing and opening up a cabinet next to her desk, fishing out a set of keys. “Now, let’s get you to your new home.”

Twilight and Andrew followed Mayor Mare through the town, walking behind the grey haired earth pony as she weaved through the streets. The mayor pointed to this and that, mentioning where important stores were, and where to get the best cauliflower soup in the town as they walked. Eventually the reached a quiet dead end lane, filled with some of the larger houses in Ponyville. At the far end of the street stood the largest of these homes, three stories tall and more windows than Andrew cared to count. The front gate bore Princess Celestia’s royal seal, carved into the wooden panel and inlayed with gold and silver. Mayor Mare pushed the gate open, walking along the stone pathway to the front door.

“Well here we are, a rather beautiful home don’t you think?” She asked with a radiant smile.

The home followed the half-timbered style of most Ponyville homes, with flower laden windows placed generously over the walls. The roof was not the town standard thatch, but instead sported a terracotta style, with orange red clay shingles tightly interlaced. The grounds were covered with green grass and a variety of flowers, with vines and bushes artfully covering almost all of the houses foundation. A large chimney dominated one corner of the house.

“It looks amazing, I really get to live in that?” He asked, doubtful.

As if to answer Mayor Mare held out the key to the front door, which Andrew reverently took. He turned to the door and slid the key into the lock, twisting it with a resonant “clack clunk”.

“Lucy I’m hooommmeeeee!” Andrew shouted into the house as he pushed the door open and stepped inside, getting odd looks from the mayor and Twilight. “It’s a reference to something… oh just never mind!”

“Right…. well what do you think?” Mayor Mare asked again, gesturing to the interior, which was very well lit by the large windows.

“I think it’s fantastic, certainly a lot better than my apartment.” He quipped, heading to room next to the entrance way. “Yeah, I could get used to this.”

He walked further out of the main hall, into what turned out to be the living room, and quickly putting down the bag of leftovers from lunch, plopping down on the inviting sofa.

“Ooooo comfy.” He said as he put his hands behind his and yawned. “I think I might take a nap.”

“You… You don’t want the tour?” The mayor asked politely.

“No, that’s fine.” he assured her. “I feel bad, I’ve wasted enough of your time today. Besides I like exploring.”

“Well in that case I’ll be off, if you have any question or concerns please be sure to contact me.”

“Alright, and thanks again Mayor Mare. I really appreciate the help.”

“Don’t mention it! Toodles!” She said as she shut the door behind her. A long pause of silence filled the room as Twilight stared at her hooves.

“Hey Twilight, I really think I’m gonna take a nap.” Andrew finally said, his arm now covering his face. “Thanks for showing me around today.”

“It was my pleasure. After all…” she said as she too got up to leave. “What else are friends for?”

Twilight shut the door slowly behind herself and walked away, leaving Andrew alone in his new home. He let out a haggard sigh, slipping into sleep before Twilight could even reach the end of the street.

Dream: 11

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Andrew awoke a few hours later, just in time to watch the sun set over the houses across the street. He pushed himself upright, stretching his arms out wide as his back cracked several times. For the first time since he had arrived at Equestria, he did not find himself confused as to where he was. With a shrug he mentally decided that this was an improvement and slowly stood up from the couch, stretching more as he did so. He looked around the room, observing the décor with a content eye. The fire place in the far corner of the room was very large, with flat stones covering the simple bricks that it was constructed out of. The furniture that filled it was relatively simple, seeming to focus on comfort rather than fancy designs. The window opposite to where he had laid, where he had seen the sun begin to set, was very large as well, taking up most of the wall. He left the room, exiting into the main hall. Looking away from the front door he saw a stairway to the second floor, as well as an archway into what looked like a kitchen. While he tried to decide which to explore first, his stomach growled loudly.

I guess that answers that question, he thought to himself as he returned to the living room to grab the bag of lunch’s leftovers, then back to the kitchen.

As he walked through the doorway, the first thing he noticed was that the rustic feel from the living room was probably theme for the rest of the house as well. The second thing he noticed was just how… normal the kitchen seemed. For some reason he had expected the kitchen to look different from the ones he was used to, although now that he was thinking about it he couldn’t quite put his finger on what he had expected.

He made his way further into the kitchen, opening random cabinets to see what they contained. Upon opening a standalone wooden box, he discovered that it was in fact the ice box, which was appropriately cold. It was also relatively empty, clashing heavily with the well stock cabinets around it. He put the left overs inside and started looking for something to have as a snack. The first thing he found was a glass bottle filled with brown and possibly carbonated liquid, which he pulled from the fridge and placed on the counter. Further inspection of the bottle found that it was a soda of some sort, potentially carrot if the label meant anything. He shrugged and popped the top, taking a swig. He smacked his lips, enjoying the beverage which he could only describe as cherry cola, but carrots instead of cherries. He began opening cabinets and draws, finding ingredients for cooking, plates, cups, bowls and utensils. Finally, he finally stumbled onto a container of cashews, which he deftly popped open. He grabbed a handful of nuts and his drink and walked around the peninsula and into the dining room.

The dining room seemed even more open than the living room, thanks to floor to ceiling windows that over looked the back yard. He made his way around the wooden table to this wall of glass, quickly realizing that some of it was in fact a door. On the other side was a short path which led to an outdoor patio, complete with a fire pit. Deciding to explore the rest of the house before going outside, he made his through the nearby door, which passed by the stairs to the main hall.

He threw the last few cashews into his mouth as he rounded the corner to the bottom of the stairs. He made his way up the stairs to the second floor, where he hoped the bedrooms would be. The first door he found was a simple yet spacious bathroom, which thankfully had a shower large enough for him to stand upright in. Behind the next door was the first bedroom. While not overly luxurious, it was much fancier than what he was used to living in, with big windows and an even larger bed. The bed was large enough for a real horse, or rather a horse from his home. He decided to check out the other rooms, certain that he wouldn’t know what to do with a bed that large.

The next room was a cozy study, with a large mahogany desk sat at the back end, adorned with quills, parchment and other seemingly important materials. The walls were lined with book shelves, filled with books and instruments alike. The books were serious and educational, from Equestrian law to foreign economics, while the instruments varied from a rather Galilean looking sextant to a globe, the continents of which Andrew did not recognize. He found more detailed maps and atlases in one cabinet, and upon sitting behind the desk, he spotted rather expensive looking collection of whiskey, complete with glasses and decanters. He checked some of the draws of the desk, and was surprised to find a heavy burlap sack. When he opened it, he found it was filled with what he assumed were Bits. He had seen Twilight use them to buy the train tickets, but he hadn’t realized they came in gold.

A bag of gold coins… This room looks like it belongs to a well-educated mob boss, he thought as he took a whiff of the whiskey, quickly realizing it was much weaker than what he was used to. Or maybe a Bond villain for Christ sake.

Resisting the urge to pull on every book in search of a secret passage, he sat up and exited the room, quietly closing the door behind him. Opposite this door was another, this one marked by an intricately carved griffon. Wondering what that could possibly mean, he pushed the door open and found himself even more confused. Once again he found himself in a rustically themed bedroom, simple but by no means meager. It was normal looking, vaguely unremarkable save for the bed, or rather were a bed would normally located. In place of a bed was a large indentation, surrounded by a large, and heavily cushioned, ridge that ran all around it. Andrew stood in the entrance for a whole minuet and a half, running possibilities through his mind before he arrived at the answer.

“It’s… a bird’s nest?” He asked out loud, not entirely sure if he was correct. Lacking a response to his question he just assumed he was correct, although he was still baffled as to why one would be here. Maybe that’s how pegasus’s sleep… pegasus’s?... pegasi?

He scratched and shook his head, which now rattled around with two new questions instead of one. He left the strange room, again quietly closing the room behind him. He made his way to the last door. Mentally crossing his fingers he entered the room, and let out a relieved sigh. Inside was a bedroom, much simpler than any of the others. The bed was a decent size, just large enough for him to sleep on. It was a simple bed as well, unadorned by hanging blinds or posts and most importantly it lacked any resemblance to a nest big enough for Big Bird. The furniture was well built and utilitarian, and although it all looked fit for any high class home, the room felt much more like a living space than any of the other rooms. He sat on the edge of the bed and after placing his drink on the night stand next to it. After a small internal debate, her crawled into the bed, quickly falling back to sleep.

By the time Andrew awoke for the second time, he had successfully cocooned himself under the comforters in his sleep. Lacking a way to tell what time it was, he sluggishly unwrapped himself and sat up on the corner of his new bed. He was surprised how well he slept, usually it took much longer for him to get used to a new mattresses.

Shows just how tired I really was, he thought to himself as he stood up and stretched.

He made his way to the window, unsurprised to find that the moon had risen high in the now night sky. It was a full moon, or at least close enough to it that he couldn't tell the difference from this angle. It was a particularly beautiful moon and it called forth memories of the past few days, of walking on that very same white circle and of passing the time with Luna. Eventually his neck grew sore from the awkward angle he was forcing it into, so he took a step back. Once again curious about what time actually it was and remembering a large clock down stairs, he shambled out of his room and down the hall. Once he stood at the bottom of the stairs he turned to study the grandfather clock, its pendulum swaying back and forth in time with the clicking hands. The face of the clock was distorted and misshapen, the numbers replaced with random nonsense symbols, the hands twitching in time from one to the other.

Huh... later than I thought it was going to be, Andrew thought to himself, nonplussed by the ridiculous status of the grandfather clock.

As he turned the corner into the living room, he was shocked to find Luna sitting on the large couch, a blue glowing tea cup drifting back down to its place on the tray.

"Luna, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be back in Canterlot?" He asked, confused.

"Indeed I should be, in fact I still am" She explained, floating her tea cup back up to take another sip. Andrew couldn't help but notice the cup seemed to refill itself on the way back down.

"...Uh are you feeling ok? ‘Cause last time I checked this wasn't Canterlot.”

Luna fixed Andrew with a curious look, as if deeply analyzing him.

"That is also correct. You are in Ponyville, while I still reside in Canterlot." She explained, continuing after Andrews confused face remained the same. "Am I to believe that you do not realize what is going on?"

"Uhh… I guess?" Andrew replied.

“Interesting…” Luna said, taking another sip of her tea before placing it back down, this time sliding the saucer away from herself. She seemed content in the silence, while Andrew struggled to catch up to what was happening.

“I’m sure it’s utterly baffling.” Andrew exclaimed after he had had enough of the silent treatment. “Wanna clue me in as to why?”

“Because my student, we are in the dream world. Your dream world to be exact.” Luna explained, once again setting her critical gaze upon Andrew. “And you called me here.”

“Wait… a dream?” Andrew insisted. “Is this what you meant by you being dream queen or whatever it was?”

“Guardian of Dreams, but yes, this is what I meant. Surely I explained this already?”

“Nope, pretty sure you left the part about invading dreams out.”

“I do not invade dreams Andrew, I assist those who ask for help. That is all.” She explained, clearly eager to make that distinction. “I help those in the throes of nightmares, and only when they truly seek the help of others.”

“Well I don’t remember asking for help, and I’m pretty sure this isn’t a nightmare.” Andrew pointed out. “Unless that closet there is full of clowns or zombies or something, then by all means…”

“Which brings us back to what makes it very interesting.” She explained. “When I slipped into my slumber and entered the nexus of dreams, I felt a very distinct sensation of pulling. I followed it and arrived here.”

“I didn’t do any pulling…” Andrew assured Luna.

“Which only adds a level of intrigue…” She murmured, practically to herself. “Andrew, do you have any experience with dream magic?”

“Uhhh no? No magic in my world, remember?”

“Yes, of course, just making sure.” Luna said, tapping her chin with her hoof in thought. Upon noticing Andrew’s continually confused look, she attempted to explain. “Dream magic is not exclusive to myself, despite what many might think. Any creature capable of dreaming has the potential to learn such magic’s.”

“Right, ok, I’ll take your word for it…”

“Well, the ability to pull another into ones dream world, as well as the construction of such a solid and logical dream are some of the more difficult abilities a student of the dream would learn.” The dark blue alicorn explained. “And yet you seem to be capable of it despite your utter lack of understanding even the simplest of principles.”

“Uhhh… sorry?”

“There is no need to apologize, it is merely curious. I wonder why I was pulled here, as opposed to any other pony.” She wondered.

“Uh well I was thinking about our little trip to the moon…?”

“I suppose that could potentially help explain why I am here…” Luna paused to think, closing her eyes. After a moment her horn glowed slightly, and her eyes opened again. “It seems my sister has entered the dream world as well. Why don’t you try focusing on her for a moment?”

“Seriously? C’mon I’m not gonna sit here and ‘focus’ on anything!” He complained, crossing his arms and leaning against entrance to the room. “How do I know you aren’t just messing with me? Maybe I’m not even dreami-”

Before Andrew could even finish his sentence Luna picked her cup of tea off of its plate, grasping the saucer in a magical field as well. With no warning she hurled the impromptu projectile at the window adjacent to her couch. With no time to even cringe, Andrew could only watch as the saucer slammed into the large glass window… only for the window to stretch like a sheet of rubber. The saucer pushed further and further before poking through with an audible pop. The window snapped back flat into place, and the saucer drifted away in a new bubble of glass. Andrew stared at the window, trying to internalize what had just happened. He walked to the window, putting his hand against it. It was cool to the touch, and felt just like any glass pane.

“…Right ok, concentrating on the princess…” Andrew hastily said when he finally pulled his hand away from the window.

“Good idea” Luna agreed, a smug smile on her face.

Andrew sat beside Luna, who shuffled over to make more room for the human. He barely even noticed that as she moved over, the couch seemed to elongate. Instead he closed his eyes and pulled up his memories of the Princess.

“Concentrate on her image, as well as her voice” Luna recommended quietly.

Andrew nodded as he rubbed his temples, deep in thought. He felt ridiculous doing this, especially with the image of the princess floating around in his head. He waited, his eyes screwed shut and thoughts focused on Princess Celestia. After what seemed like a few minutes, and right before Andrew was going to give up, he heard a new voice.

“Dear sister, why have I been summoned?”

Andrew opened his eyes to find Princess Celestia standing before him, in the entrance to the living room. She looked from Luna to him in her usual calm demeanor.

“Uh… did I do that?” He asked, looking back to Luna

“Nay, I summoned her myself once I realized she did not sense your attempts to contact her.” Luna explained.

“Sensed what attempts Luna?” Princess Celestia asked. “All I am aware of is you calling me here during a very relaxing dream.”

“I was testing a theory Tia, one that seems to have failed.” Luna explained. “I thought Andrew may have some sort of innate talent when it came to the dream realm, but it seems I was mistaken.”

“I see… And what made you think he had such a talent?”

“Apparently I ‘summoned’ her to my dream.” Andrew explained. “Unintentionally I might add.”

“That is…. curious…” The princess said to herself, sitting on one of the single chairs. “Were you dreaming about her?”

“Nope. Well I was remembering our stint on the moon, but that’s it.”

“Very curious…” She said again. “And you have no explanation Luna?”

“No I do not, besides maybe a talent for dream magic, but again that theory was discredited by his inability to draw you into this dream.”

“But it’s not like a bad thing… right?” He asked, slightly worried that he may break a rule or do something bad. “I’m not gonna get in trouble or anything like that?”

“No, it is most certainly not a bad thing. Curious, that is for certain, but not really worthy of scorn.” Princess Celestia assured him.

“Indeed. While it is possible to invade a ponies dream, and therefore violate their privacy, there is very little in the way of damage to be done when it comes to dream magic.” Luna explained. “It is nigh impossible to learn a secret through the dreams of an untrained pony due their usually nonsensical and illogical content. Furthermore you cannot effect anypony physically through a dream. The worst you could do without intense training is make a nightmare worse.”

“Oh, well that’s a relief I guess.” Andrew sighed, a short pause hanging over the trio before Princess Celestia stood.

“Well then… if I am no longer needed, I believe I shall return to my own dream.” She said, her horn glowing lightly.

“Dream well Tia, I shall see you when we wake.” Luna said, before the princess disappeared with a muffled puff of air.

Andrew stood, walking to the kitchen to grab a drink, only to find all of the cabinets, including the ice box, completely empty.

“Hey Luna? Is there any way I could get a…” he paused as he walked back to the living room to find Luna levitating a bottle of the odd soda he had been drinking earlier. “…drink. Thanks.”

He twisted the top off the soda off as he sat back down next to the alicorn, looking at the seat in which Princess Celestia had been sitting. He chuckled to himself as he took a sip, drawing Luna’s attention.

“Is there something funny my friend?” She asked, taking a sip of her own drink.

“No, not funny. At least not really, it’s more like humorous disbelief.”

“Please do not revert to insisting this is a drug addled hallucination again, I thought we were past that.”

“No no, not that. Back home I’m so used to being normal. Like less than normal really. No wait, just hold on.” Andrew insisted, holding off Luna’s disagreement at the apparent self-deprecation. “I’m really not that special. I’m one of 7 billion humans, with no special skills or anything. I mean for fucks sake I’m a cashier at a grocery store!”

“I fail to see how such sobering conclusions could be seen as worthy of laughter.”

“Well here I am, a grocery store cashier, sitting next to a princess, in a dream, in a world populated by ponies.” Andrew explained, shaking his head and chuckling. “It’s like a goddam movie. And not even a believable one.”

“I will admit, it does sound like a tall tale, especially when seen from your point of view.” She admitted. “But none the less it is reality. At least until we can send you home…Home to your family.”

“Right.” He agreed simply.

“Do you… still not wish to talk about them?” She asked, obviously curious.

“No. well kinda. It’s complicated. It’s not exactly light conversation.” He warned her, closing his eyes and leaning back in the sofa.

“I know.” She said simply

“You know?”

“What a poor teacher I would be if I couldn’t read my student.” She explained.

“Fair enough I guess.” The human said, pausing for a long moment before starting again. “My mother died when I was fifteen and my sister was ten…about ten years ago. Dad was a deadbeat and had abandoned us completely way before mom died. So with nowhere to we bounced around from foster home to foster home. By some miracle we managed to stay together throughout it all. When I turned eighteen I took my sister out of the system and we scraped a life together in Boston. It was very hard at first, but we managed to get by… barely. My sister Alice… well she’s the only reason I need to get home.”

Luna remained quite as Andrew explained exactly why he didn’t like talking about his family.

“You have my sympathy Andrew.” Luna said. “As well as my respect. Getting by at such a young age is worthy of praise, especially with a younger sister to take care of.”

“More like she took care of me. Alice was a force to be reckoned with when I started slipping into a slump a few years after we struck out on our own. She kept me out of trouble, or worse… an early grave.”

“Things were that dire?” Luna asked.

“…. For a while, yeah. I was just a kid, working every minute so I could to afford to feed myself and my sister. We had some help from the state, but outside that… I wanted to give my sister her childhood back, and I was failing horribly. Things were getting… dark. I was beginning to get desperate, asking around for some… shady loans. I almost found one too, but my sister stopped me in time.”

A smile grew on Andrews’s face as he called forth the old memory. Luna studied his face as she listened. She couldn’t help but notice that the smile was tainted by sadness, as if the memory was happy but recalling it was painful.

“I came home from work one day to find her standing in the kitchen, two piles of cash on the counter, one hell of a serious look on her face.”

“Were did she get the money?” Luna asked, after Andrew paused for a long moment.

“She had pawned everything I had bought her in the past two years, every birthday present and gift I had gotten her in an attempt to make everything seem normal, like we weren’t living from paycheck to paycheck, with food stamps bridging the gap. She said ‘No more pretending, no more trying to make my life perfect when you skip meals at work. We are a team and teams work together’”

“She sounds very strong.” Luna said simply. She was watching Andrew as emotions and memories flowed through him.

“Yeah, a lot stronger than me.”

The solemn silence hung over the room, the oppressive and dark. Andrew felt a warm pressure on his shoulder, when he opened his eyes, Luna had placed her head against his, her own eyes closed and her horn pressing against the side of his head.

“Andrew Dike you are not alone here. My sister has several of our greatest minds trying to figure out how you arrived here. We Will get you home and with your sister. You have my word.”

Andrew stood, walking away from Luna affection, once again lean on the doorway. He looked back at Luna, eyes dimmed by hidden emotions.

“Thanks Luna. Tell your sister I appreciate all the help she has given me so far.” He paused, turning to the hallway as he did. “And please, do not come in my dreams again. It’s been fun but my dreams are my own, and I’d like to keep it that way.”

Luna eyes grew wide as he drew his line in the sand, not understanding why he would say something like that. “That seems overly harsh my student, but I understand. I shall try to give you your priv-”

“No. No trying Luna. Please do not enter my dreams again.” Andrew emphasized, his face hidden as he made his way to the stairs. “No matter what I say in my dream, or nightmares for that matter. Please stay out.”

Andrew walked away, going up the stairs to his bedroom, leaving Luna on the couch, trying to figure out what had gone wrong.

The next morning, Andrew was sitting on the living room coach, resisting the urge to throw his plate at the window. He was enjoying the leftover food from his lunch with the Apple, particularly the prestigious slice of apple pie he had managed to reheat in the stove. He spent twenty minutes trying to figure out how the stove generated heat, and another twenty wondering if Equestrian temperature was Celsius or Fahrenheit. Eventually he gave up, shouting “Fuck it!” and turned the crank to any old number, watching it cook to make sure it didn’t burn. The pie tasted just as good the second day as it did fresh, a feat he found extremely impressive. He was grumbling about the lack of coffee when he noticed a familiar purple and green dragon outside, making his way down the road. He looked lost, so Andrew got up and made his way to the front door, opening it and shouting to the wandering drake.

“Yo Spike, you looking for something?”

Spike turned to his name, his expression changing from confusion to understanding, and waved to the human. He walked to the house, opened the front gate and up to the front steps.

“Hey Andrew, Good morning!” He said, sticking his hand out to shake, which Andrew took.

“Yeah yeah, good morning and whatever…” Andrew greeted, turning to into walk back inside the house, looking back over his shoulder. “C’mon in, shut the door behind you.”

“Twilight warned me you might not be a morning person.” Spike observed, as he followed Andrews instruction.

“It would be easier if I could find the damn coffee.” He said pointing to the kitchen, which looked thoroughly ransacked.

“Uh you might not have any, not many ponies drink it.” Spike said, wincing as Andrew gave him a deadly look. “Uh you can probably borrow some of Twilights until you can get some more…”

“Really? Spike that would be amazing.”

“Yeah, stop by the library later and I’ll get you a bag of beans.” Spike assured Andrew, as he looked around. “So how’s your new house?”

“It’s great, a bit fancy for my taste, but I’ll get used to it I suppose.” He replied. “Want the ten cents tour?”

“Uh… sure I guess, but what does this have to do with sense?”

Andrew sighed and shook his head, turning to walk into the living room.

“You know, the fact that that only happens occasionally somehow makes it so much more annoying…”

Andrew and Spike sat in the back yard, lounging back in reclining chairs and absorbing the sun that had just crested over the top of the house. They had finished the tour, and had decide to explore the patio since Andrew hadn’t had a chance to yet. They sat, occasionally sipping there cold sodas and enjoying the relatively cool air that had yet to burn off. Andrew looked around, admiring the beautiful landscape. They sat on a flagstone patio, an empty fire pit between them, a dozen or so feet from the back of the house.

“I still can’t believe you thought it was a bed for pegasi!” Spike said with a laugh, making fun of Andrew’s earlier confusion. “I mean it had a griffon carved right into the door!”

“Hey, lay off man, I didn’t even know griffons existed until ten minutes ago!”

“Still, pretty funny!” Spike insisted, taking a sip from his drink. An amicable pause reined for a moment or two before Andrew broke it.

“Hey, you never explained why you were looking for me” Andrew recalled, looking over at the teenage dragon. “not that I mind the company.”

“Oh… w-well I was in the neighborhood and… well I thought… and-”

“Twilight sent you to check up on me?” Andrew asked bluntly, interrupting Spike’s excuse.

“Yup.” The drake admitted without hesitating.

“She worries too much. But I appreciate it all the same.” Andrew said, shaking his head and chuckling at his new friends concern. It was a new feeling, having so many people worried about him. He decided he liked it.

“I should really find a way to repay everything you guys have done for me over the past few day.” Andrew said, thinking out loud as he rubbed his stubbly chin. His eyes lit up as an idea came to him.

“Hey buddy, what are you and Twilight up to later tonight?”

“Uh… nothing I think. She was doing research on how you could have got her when I left, but other than that not much else is going on.”

“That’s good! I’m going to cook for you guys, to show my appreciation.”

“You know how to cook?” Spike asked skeptically.

“Yeah I’m a great cook!” Andrew replied excitedly, before changing his mind. “Okay I’m a terrible cook, but I do a few things pretty well.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it.” Spike jokingly said. “You don’t strike me as a chef.”

“Well, prepare to be surprised!” Andrew said, stirred on by Spikes doubt, but faltering when he remembered something. “I’ll have to borrow some of the money I showed you, but it will be worth it, trust me.”

Revelations: 12

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A few hours after Spike had left, Andrew stood outside the wooden door of the Golden Oaks Library, having just knocked.

“Come on in, no need to knock.” He heard a familiar voice say from inside.

He opened the door, walking into the now familiar main room. Twilight Sparkle sat in off in one corner, a few small piles of books around her. She seemed intent on the one she had open before her.

“I don’t understand why everyone insists on knocking, I mean it’s a public library.” She said, never moving her eyes from her book.

“Because it’s also your home, which makes it kinda awkward to just walk into.” He explained to her, leaning on one of the book shelves.

“Oh, Andrew! Spike said you might stop by to pick up some coffee beans. Gimme a minute and I’ll go get them.” she said, standing from her small pile of books, knocking over one as she did.

The fallen book caught Andrew’s eye and he walked over to pick it up, turning it over in his hand. The title Intricacies of Teleportation: Long Distances and Complex Objects was inscribed on the cover, inlayed with gold leaf. He looked down at the other books in Twilight’s pile, noticing that they are all on teleportation.

“Alright, well here you go...” Twilight said as she returned, levitating a bag of coffee beans to Andrew. “Spike also said something about a house warming party?”

“Yeah, kinda. Part house warming and part thank you to you guys for helping me so much the past few days.”

“Wow Andrew, you don’t need to do that…” Twilight began before being waved off by Andrew.

“It’s ok, it’ll be fun. I just need to tell Applejack, Fluttershy and everyone else when to come over, assuming that they can.”

“I’m pretty sure everyone is free tonight.” She said, tapping her chin in thought. “And as for telling everyone, no need to worry about that. Pinkie Pie is dropping off a cook book later on today. I’ll tell her then, and she can take care of the rest. Celestia knows how she does it, but she has a thing for invitations.”

“Yeah, I’ve experienced that remember?” He said, calling to mind Pinkie Pie’s cupcake invitation. “In that case, tell her it’s just you six, plus Spike and Big Mac if he feels up for it.”

“Sure thing, I can’t wait.” Twilight said, before noticing the book that Andrew was holding. “I guess you noticed what I was researching huh?”

“Yeah, it all seems to be about teleportation, and spike mentioned you were doing research on my… problem.”

“Well of course, I’ve been trying to figure out what kind of massive spell could have brought you here from a different planet, and how to send you back!”

“Right, I gathered as much…” Andrew said, trailing off as he looked at the book, as if he wanted to continue.

“What is it?” Twilight asked curiously, noticing Andrew’s hesitation.

“Well… you just seem to be focused on this whole other planet idea.”

“Well of course I am, it’s our best theory so far… what else would I be focusing on?” She said, her confusion beginning to show.

“I don’t know to be honest, I’m not a scientist or anything so I can’t really say what you should be focusing on, but… I don’t think me being from another planet fits all the evidence?” He said, clearly unsure of himself.

Twilight looked at the human with a raised eyebrow, unable to parse what he was implying. Andrew noticed this and frowned.

“You mean you haven’t noticed?” He asked, his own eyebrows raising in surprise.

“Noticed what?”

Instead of answering Andrew gave a short laugh, shaking his head.

“You seriously haven’t caught on to it? That doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence.” He said lightly as he laughed. “I just hope the people… erm ponies Princess Celestia and Luna have on this have realized it at least.”

“Realized what Andrew?” Twilight asked, confusion beginning to mix with a small amount of annoyance.

“Twilight, this is a book.” He said as he held it up and pointed at it.

Silence fell over the duo, as Andrew let his friend absorb the “revelation”, while Twilight waited, clearly thinking that Andrew was going to elaborate. When he didn’t, her confusion only grew.

“…Yes, that is a book.” She said hesitantly. “I don’t really see how that…”

“No no no, listen to what I’m saying. This… is a book” He heavily enunciated the word “book”, before opening it up and pointing to the words in it. “and these are words.”

Twilight’s eyes followed Andrew’s pointing, clearly very confused and beginning to get worried about Andrew’s nonsense.

“Andrew, are you feeling okay?” She asked.

“Yeah I’m fine, you’re just not thinking far enough outside the box. Actually… maybe that’s not the problem. Maybe you’re already thinking too far outside the box, missing the simple detail that is literally staring you in the face as we speak.”

“Andrew, clearly I am missing something, so could you please explain it to me.” Twilight was beginning to get annoyed again, she didn’t like the idea of new knowledge being dangled in front of her face.

“Okay fine. This… is a book. B-O-O-K- book… but that’s not what’s important.” Andrew said dramatically, holding the book up. “What is important is that two different creatures who have never before interacted with each other, both call it that.”

For a moment Twilight didn’t register what Andrew had said. Then her jaw dropped, and her face went slack. She continued to stare at Andrew, but when he moved, her gaze did not follow him.

“This is a chair, that’s a table, and that’s an apple.” Andrew explained further, pointing to random things in the room. “But the crazy thing isn’t just that we call them the same thing, but that they are also actually the same thing. An apple still tastes like an apple. Hell, you even prepare them in the same ways.”

“Sweet Celestia, Andrew this changes everything!” She shouted, rushing up to him and looking at him intently. “How are you speaking Equestrian?!”

“No, Twilight I think you’re missing the point again. I’m not speaking Equestrian, I’m speaking English. All of this stuff exists in my world, right down to the names of your cities, minus the horse puns. I mean I have no idea what it means but doesn’t that kind of disprove me simply being on another planet?”

Andrew paused in his explanation when he realized Twilight was standing stock still, her mouth agape. He waved his hand in front of her face, with no reaction.

“Uh Twilight? You getting any of th-” Andrew was cut off as Twilight disappeared in a puff of purple magic. “Uhhh… I guess you did?”

Seconds later, Twilight reappeared in another puff, plus an extra dragon. Spike stood next to her, leaning over with his mouth open wide, as if he was about to take a large bite out of something. Realizing he was no longer in the same place he opened his eyes, arms dropping to his sides as he moaned in annoyance.

“Oh come on Twilight! I was just about to eat a gem Rarity gave me! What was so important that-” He began to complain, before Twilight interrupted him by pushing a quill and a roll of parchment into his hands.

“Spike this is extremely important, I need to send a letter to Princess Celestia immediately!”

To Spikes credit, he quickly stood at attention, wielding the quill with practiced ease, preparing to copy down Twilight’s every word. The only hint of annoyance was the quiet muttering of “could have brought the gem with us…”

“Ready?” Twilight asked Spike, waiting until he was ready to start talking. “Dear Princess Celestia. I have very important news concerning Equestria’s newest arrival, our new friend Andrew. While having a conversation about my research on how he arrived here, he brought something to my attention that I believe no one but he realized. At least not well enough to understand its possible importance. All this time, I believed him to be speaking Equestrian, when he is in fact speaking ‘English’.”

Twilight paused to mime air quotes with one hoof before continuing.

“Barring some slang words that seem to be different, this language that he is speaking is identical to our own. But what is even more shocking is that the words in our languages are describing the same things. His word for apple appears to describe the same fruit as our word, and his word for chair describes the same piece of furniture as ours. The more I think about it, the more I find it astounding that I did not recognize it sooner, or that no one else did either. His ability to interact and accurately name the things around him should not be possible, and yet he does it consistently. From recognizing a train to the point of predicting the need for a ticket, to an understanding of local food and fauna that rivals a full time resident’s. He demonstrates knowledge that a creature that is simply from another planet, no matter how intelligent and observant they may be, should not have. My first thought was that he is using some sort of advance translation spell, but then I remembered the magical scans and probes I preformed soon after he first arrived here.”

Twilight paused for a long moment, pacing around the room, mumbling to herself as she went. Spike quickly caught up with her dictation, and he patiently waited for her to continue. She seemed to be pondering what she was about to say. Andrew moved to say something, but Spike quickly caught his eye, waving him off.

“Andrew himself admits he lacks the understanding to actually know what this means… and I am annoyed to say that I am in the same boat as him.” Twilight continued, her pacing continuing as she dictates. “I am truly baffled as to what this new information tells us, though I can firmly say that our previous theory, that he was somehow teleported through space from another planet, is looking severely unlikely. Something else is going on, potentially something even more impressive that trans-planet teleportation. If you have any theories that fit this discovery please let me know, I am truly lost trying to explain it. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle”

Spike finished his writing, quill dancing over the parchment until he caught up, signing it in Twilights name with a flourish. After a quick once over he passed the parchment to Twilight, who spent a minute or so double checking it for errors, before making her way a desk and stamping it with a wax seal. This whole process was done at a panicked pace, Twilight rushing about. The hurried mare handed the rolled parchment back to Spike, who took a deep breath.

“So how are you gonna get it to the princesses, you seem pretty- HOLY SHIT FIRE!” Andrew began to ask, only to shout loudly and jump as Spike let out his breath, spraying green fire onto the parchment, which was immediately burnt to a cinder. “What the fuck was that dude?! Why the hell did you burn it?”

“I didn’t. Well I did actually, but it’s not that simple…” The green and purple dragon said before halting his explanation, instead only shrugging. “uhh… Magic?”

“Seriously Spike? You too?” Andrew said crossly and with a fair extra bit of volume as he came down from his surprise. “Why you gotta be like that?”

Ignoring his question Twilight turned sharply around and began putting away the pile of books she had been studying from. Andrew waited a moment before speaking up.

“So putting aside the scary green dragon fire that I’m assuming didn’t just burn your letter…. What’s gonna happen now?” Andrew asked Twilight.

“I don’t know. Our primary theory that you are an extraterrestrial is assuredly out the window now. Other than that… I just don’t know.” She explained, before adding. “And he didn’t burn it, he sent it to Princess Celestia.”

“Really? You don’t have a follow up theory or anything like that? Don’t scientists like… usually have one?”

“Despite what my friends might think I’m not really a scientist, I’m a mage. While they do cross over quite a bit, and I do love learning and science, my field of study is the arcane arts. But more importantly, like I said in the letter, I have no idea what’s going on. I don’t even know where I would begin to research.”

“Oh… well that sucks…I guess.”

“It’s certainly not a step forward. That being said, any progress we would have made would have been useless if we hadn’t found this out now.” Twilight said as she slid the last book into place, chewing her lip as she thought.

“So what do you think Princess Celestia will do about it?” He asked.

“I don’t know, hopefully she does have a back-up theory.” Twilight replied hopefully. “Barring that, she may be able to find someone who does have a way to explain how a species from a different planet could possibly have so much in common with us.”

“Huh… now I feel kinda bad about raining on your… research parade.” Andrew said, scratching the back of his neck with an awkward laugh.

“It’s ok, really.” Twilight assured him. “I just wish we had known this sooner, I could have discussed this with Princess Celestia in person…”

“Well Luna will be here in a few days, you can talk to her then?”

“Yeah… It’s really not the same thing.” Twilight said absentmindedly, before looking back to Andrew with wide eyes. “Not that there is anything wrong with Princess Luna!”

Andrew felt oddly inclined to defend Luna, but he bit his tongue. Instead he looked at Twilight with an arched eyebrow and waited for her to continue.

“Princess Luna is great, and a good friend. But…” Twilight paused before continuing, chewing her words to keep from digging her hole any deeper. “Princess Celestia is like a second mother to me. When I was younger I spent just as much time in the castle training with the Princess as I did at home.”

“So chatting about magic and whatever is like nostalgic?” Andrew asked.

“Yeah there’s that… and she knows just how to prod me to the right answer without making me feel like she helped me figure it out.”

“Assuming of course she knows the answer to begin with.” Andrew added. “She seemed just as lost as you were.”

“Yeah… That’s more unnerving than anything else that has happened so far.” Twilight admitted. “She has always been the one with all the answers. But now…”

“It’s always hard when idols fall off their pedestals.” Andrew said simply, walking over to Twilight to pat her back. “Unfortunately no one can have all the answers. You-.”

Before Andrew could say anything else, Spike let out a burp behind him. Andrew turned around to find that the dragon was holding another scroll, marked with a golden seal shaped like the sun.

“Twilight, the princess responded!” Spike shouted to get Twilights attention.

“Seriously? That was fast…” Andrew remarked.

“We got lucky, she must have been in her office!” She said excitedly, making her way to him, Andrew following behind.

Twilight grasped the letter with her magic, levitating it over to herself. She popped the seal and unrolled the scroll. She cleared her throat before beginning to read.

“Dear Twilight Sparkle. This is indeed a surprising revelation, one that will change our theories greatly. I am extremely shocked that no one, my sister and I included, noticed this enigma. So, while my sister and I are quite busy today, I will send word to several of our brightest minds, yourself excluded, with directions to come to Canterlot for a brain storming session of sorts, in an attempt figure out what this could possibly mean. I have high hopes that we will have a strong theory by the end of tomorrow, the day after at the latest. In the meantime, I suggest you focus on making sure Andrew is settled in and well adjusted. I shall contact you if we ourselves have any further revelations. Until then, best wishes. With love, Princess Celestia.”

“Well…” Andrew said after a moment or two of pause. “Looks like you really have tonight off now.”

“Twilight, I get it. You don’t like being out of the loop.” Andrew said, overriding the complaint Twilight had repeated for what felt like the thousandths time. “But I asked you to help me shopping because I figured it would help you get over it, not so I could listen to you bitch about it for an hour.”

Twilight, whose mouth was hung open from Andrew’s abrupt interruption, sighed and looked down in consternation.

“It hasn’t been an hour yet…” She said.

“I know, but if I hadn’t cut you off now you would have gotten there eventually, right?” Andrew challenged, continuing when she didn’t argue. “Exactly. Now, can we get back to shopping?”

“Yeah, I guess…” Twilight agreed, still dejected from Andrew’s admonishment. “There is a store over here that always has fresh produce. What do you need anyway?”

“Uh… well for tonight I need a couple of onions, cheese, some green peppers and maybe some black olives to start. It depends on what’s there and what I feel like.” Andrew said, rubbing his chin as he followed Twilight. “I should also get some stuff for myself. Maybe some tofu if they have it…”

“They usually do…” Twilight said as she turned the corner and pushed the door of the shop open. “But would it kill you to make a list next time?”

“Probably” He said as he stopped to examine the storefront.

It was quaint, just like everything else in Ponyville, with a feel just like every other mom and pop place he had ever seen. A sign with the words “Finders Fresh Food” hung over the door, Andrew had to resist the urge to jump and tap it. Instead he walked into the cool store, the door quietly squeaking as he opened it. The room was filled with rows and rows of food. The dry goods were stacked on shelves in the back, visible over the much lower produce displays, which were up to Andrew’s waist. Ponies stared at the human over the vegetables and fruit filled crates, and he stared back, wincing slightly as the door creaked shut, sounding much louder than when he had opened. With a sigh he shook his head, grabbed a basket from beside the door, and turned to find Twilight. He caught up to her as she walked through the store. She was shaking her head in annoyance.

“We really need to do something about all the staring.” She said, her annoyance replacing her earlier downtrodden mood. “This is getting ridiculous.”

“It’s getting better I think.” Andrew said with a shrug. “Nobody is diving to protect their kids anymore, so that’s a plus.”

“Don’t joke, this is not okay” Twilight responded, failing to hold back her smile. “We will go visit the mayor tomorrow and see if she has come up with anything to help.”

“Sounds like a plan I guess… maybe she will know where I can get a job as well, I’m uncomfortable enough using this money, never mind not being able to paying it back.”

Andrew patted his pocket for emphasis, the jingle of a few bits making Twilights ears twitch. He began to walk from display to display, inspecting various fruits and vegetables, placing the ones he wanted in the basket. He brought a few oranges to his nose, smelling them before adding them to his growing collection. Twilight followed the human around, watching him test the freshness of various fruits and vegetables.

"You guys have amazingly fresh food, this stuff puts the food I’m used to too shame.” Andrew said, after resisting the urge to take a bite of a pear.

“And you seem to know just how to tell how fresh it is.” Twilight observed.

“Yeah… I’ve worked at a grocery store for the past two years, among second jobs. You learn a thing or two if you pay attention.” He explained with a smile, moving along to the dry goods aisles. “That and bouncing around in foster care exposes you to a lot. Some of its even good things. I’m kinda a jack of all trades, master of none at this point.”

“That must come in handy…” Twilight said, following behind him.

“It does, it can be a big self-esteem boost too.” He replied.

“How’s that?”

“Well…” Andrew thought for a moment, pausing while holding two jars of olives. “When you break something around your house, you have to call a repair man. I spent a year living with a carpenter’s family, working with the father to make spending money. I can fix anything that doesn’t involve electricity. You know, within reason.”

He put the larger can of black olives into his basket, and followed the cool air to a set of ice filled containers.

“Not having to rely on a repair man is a nice feeling, makes you feel very independent. Cheaper too.” He explained as he fished out a formidable block of cheese from the ice, reading the label with squinted eyes.

“That certainly does sound useful.” Twilight agreed, making small talk. “Maybe you can take a look at one of the doors at home, it’s been getting stuck.”

“Oh, that’s an easy one. If it’s a wooden door then it’s just the humidity. The wood absorbs the moisture in the air it and expands in the door jam.”

“Huh… that makes since. It has been really humid lately.”

The two continued to make comfortable small talk as Andrew finished his shopping and made his way to the cashier, waiting behind the few ponies already in line. He got quite a few stares, but it seemed to be petering out by the time the two were face to face with the cashier. It was an older stallion, crow’s feet marking his eyes.

“Well hello there, never seen anypony like you before…” The stallion said, as Andrew put his full basket on the counter.

“Yeah, I’m kinda new here…” Andrew explained, not sure what else to say.

The aging stallion simply nodded, taking each item out and tapping on the brass register, before putting them into a cloth bag. Twilight and Andrew looked to each other, and shrugged, surprised that the old man was treating Andrew so normally.

“That will be forty six bits.” He said after he had finished packing Andrews food.

Andrew handed the old stallion a gold coin, which he happily accepted. He counted out five silver coins and four copper ones, before closing the register with a loud “ka-ching”. He handed Andrew the change, then slid the bag over the counter, which Andrew picked up by the handle.

“You have a nice day stranger, you as well Twilight!” the old pony said happily, waving as the two walked away.

“That was a nice change of pace.” Twilight said with a smile as the exited the grocery store. “I’m glad that at least Old Finder was nice enough not to treat you differently.”

“He definitely earned a lifetime customer.” Andrew said with a smile. “I’m gonna head straight back home no, I have some prep work to do before tonight.”

“Oh, alright. I need to get back to the library anyway, Pinkie will be there soon.”

“So see you guys tonight?”

“Yup! See you later!”

Andrew stood for a moment as Twilight trotted away, waving to her until she turned the corner. With a content sigh he turned to the opposite direction, pulled a pear out of his bag, and started the walk home.

Quite a few hours later, Andrew's new home smelled like melted cheese and rising dough. He had spent several hours preparing the food, dicing toppings and kneading several clumps of dough. Now three bowls of that dough sat on the counter, while the ovens were slowly cooking two cookie sheets full of cheesy, doughy goodness. He had spent nearly as much time cleaning the kitchen back to its spotless splendor as he had preparing the food itself. The counters had been covered in flour and chunks of sticky dough, and his clothes hadn't faired any better. They were covered in flour as well as several spilt ingredients, a large oil stain the most prominent of the messes. After he had turned the ovens off, leaving it closed to slowly finish the cooking, as well as to keep the pizza's piping hot, he went upstairs to get himself clean.

A quick shower later, he stood staring at his bed, where he had thrown his clothes before getting into the shower. In all the excitement of getting ready he had forgotten that these were the only clothes he had. They were completely soiled, sweaty from the cleaning and dirty from the cooking. With a depressed sigh he put them back on, and went down stairs to check on the pizzas and wait for his guests.

Not fifteen minutes later he heard a knock on the door, and he hurried to answer it. A familiar alabaster pony stood on the other side, a neatly tied parcel balanced on her back.

"Rarity, hey!" Andrew's said, slightly surprised. "Welcome, come on in!"

"Why thank you darling, I hope I'm not too early?" She asked, entering into the front hall.

"No no, I never really had a set time." He assured her. "Though to be honest I assumed you would be the last to get here. You know, like fashionably late."

Rarity gave a dazzling laugh, which spread to Andrew's smile infectiously.

"I must admit dear that normally I would be, though never on purpose." She admitted, looking slightly abashed. "But today I had a special purpose. To deliver this!"

She levitated the parcel from her back over to Andrew now outstretched hand. He held the parcel, weighing it in an attempt to figure out what it was.

"When Pinkie Pie stopped by with the invitation, it occurred to me you would need a new outfit." She explained, answering Andrews’s unasked question. "I admit I don't know human customs, but I’d think that wearing an outfit for several day in a row would seem questionable at best."

"And you'd be one hundred percent right." Andrew said, swallowing his nervousness about wearing Rarity's clothes. "I definitely need something to wear other than this."

Andrew pulled at his shirt, showing off the stains and discolorations he had gathered while cooking and cleaning. Rarity cringed as she noticed all of them.

"Well.... make yourself at home, I'll go get changed..." Andrew said as he gestured to the living room.

"Of course! And do hurry back, I'm excited to see how my creations turned out with a proper model!"

Andrew smiled and turned to climb the stairs. He tugged at the twine that held the parcel shut, wondering if had been right to trust Rarity with his clothes. From what he had seen her talent lay in jewels and... being fabulous. Andrew supposed there was a time and place for that, but he couldn't see himself ever being in that place.

"Guess I really didn't have much of a choice..." he mumbled to himself as he closed his bedroom door behind him and pulled out the clothes.

The cloth was extremely fine and soft as he rubbed it with his fingers, but seemed to be a relatively un-extravagant material. It was a maroon color, dark but not to dark. Andrew found himself nodding his head appreciatively as he unfolded the shirt. It was a relatively simple design, no jewels or fancy frills. The stitching was invisible, and the buttons that went up the chest matched the fabric well. If a pony hadn't just handed it to him he would have been hard pressed to distinguish it from any of his old clothes. The shorts were a similar story. The cloth was slightly thicker, which he assumed meant tougher. It had pockets in the same place that his other shorts did, two on each leg. It came with a simple loop belt around it, complete with belt loops to attach it to. She even included some boxer like underwear.

"Wow, how the hell did she do this…?" he asked no one in particular as he pulled off his dirty clothes, and hurriedly pulled on the new ones.

He headed to the bathroom down the hall, so he could see how he looked. He had to admit, they looked good on him. The angles of the collar were perfect, and he wondered how she had gotten those right. He patted down the shirt feeling the fine cloth and its utter lack of uncomfortable stitching or tags. He tightened the belt and smiled, leaving the bathroom behind and heading back down stairs.

When he reached the top of the stairs he was surprised to see Twilight and Spike standing in the hall, chatting with Rarity. Spike noticed him standing there and waved.

"Hey Andrew! Liking your new clothes?" He asked, as Rarity and Twilight turned to look at him.

"Yeah, they're amazing!" He said happily, walking down the stairs to join them. "Rarity is a miracle worker, she got everything perfect!"

"Oh I am so glad to hear that Andrew, I was fretting for hours on the neckline cut!" She said. "Are you sure it's not too tight?"

"No, it’s perfect, not to loose and not too tight." He assured her, running his fingers over the collar again. "Really, I've worn way less comfortable things made by other humans. Thank you so much."

"You're very welcome darling, I enjoyed the opportunity to work on something completely new." She said, her smile dazzling them, especially Spike, who practically fell over. "Now, enough about my work, we were just discussing what you could have made that could be creating this amazing aroma!"

"Oh, I just made some pizza, nothing major." Andrew explained with a shrug. "To be completely honest, it’s all I can really cook. Other than this I could pretty much burn water."

"Don't feel bad dude, Twilight is the same way, only she can’t cook anything. I’ve literally seen her burn cereal" Spike said. "But uhh... what’s pizza?"

Andrew laughed a bit, before noticing that Spike was completely serious, and that both Rarity and Twilight bore the same expressions. He stared at them, mouth agape, his brain momentarily stuck in neutral.

"You guys have never heard of pizza?" He asked clearly, not believing them.

"No, I can’t say I have ever heard of it." Rarity admitted, looking to Twilight and Spike, the latter who shrugged in agreement.

"Sorry Andrew, I've never read about it either" Twilight apologized. "What is it?"

"Of all the things not to have here…" Andrew said, shaking his head as he gestured to kitchen. "You girls are gonna love this.”

Andrew led the three into the kitchen and stood in front of the stove. With a flourish he opened the door, heat and the aroma of melted cheese and tomato sauce flooded out. He grabbed a nearby towel and pulled the trays out, one by one placing the two cooked pizzas on the nearby stove top. He pulled a knife from a nearby knife block, and began slicing it into squares. He struggled a bit, trying to keep the lines straight.

"This part is much easier with pizza scissors." He explained, finally finishing with the cutting. "Then you take a slice like this..."

Andrew pulled a still steaming slice of pizza onto a plate, licking the burning sauce off his fingers as he put the plate down.

"On second thought, we should wait until it cools off for a while” He said, wincing a bit. “I got a bit excited..."

Twilight was about to say something, probably sarcastically, when the doorbell rang. He hurried to answer the door, finding Applejack and Big Mac standing on the other side. Big Mac was balancing a large barrel on his back.

"Hey guys, glad you could come…” Andrew said, eyes drawn the barrel. “How the hell did you balance that all the way here?”

“Practice.” Big Mac said simply, letting the barrel fall off his back, somehow getting it to slide down his leg so that it landed gently.

“It’s ah small barrel of our famous apple cider!” Applejack explained happily. “First one of this season too! Figured it would make ah good house warmin’ present.”

“No shit…” Andrew said under his breath as he walked to the barrel an examined it. “Why does it look like its straight out of a distillery?”

“Cause it is. Well… it will be.” Applejack explained. “We re-use the barrels to make hard apple whiskey later in the year.”

“Damn… I’m glad you didn’t bring a barrel of that.” Andrew said jokingly. “… it would have been an entirely different kind of party.”

“Eyup” Big Mac agreed, pushing the barrel into the house past Andrew.

“You know what…” Andrew started as he followed his new guests inside. “Maybe we could crack it open tonight? I just realized I never got stuff for everyone to drink…”

“I reckon that’s fine by me, iffen ya don’t mind sharin’ your gift”

“Of course not, I couldn’t drink that much cider by myself anyway” He assured them as he cut ahead of the two siblings, guiding them into the kitchen. “Least not before it went bad.”

"Why don't we put it up here?" He suggested, tapping the counter top that looked over the dinning room. "Just pass it here."

Andrew attempted to take the barrel and lift it, heaving and straining at it, only managing to budge it slightly, its contents sloshing inside.

"Whoa... That's heavier than it looks." He remarked, nursing his back dramatically.

"Oh don't be a foal, it's not that heavy" Applejack replied, lifting the barrel with her hooves with seeming ease. "See, light as a feather."

Andrew shook his head in shock, muttering under his breath. He continued muttering as he turned around, opening a cabinet and pulling out several mugs, making a few trips back and forth from the cabinet. Big Mac had begun to fiddle with the tap, attempting to line up the mallet and tap he had brought with him. Applejack was nowhere to be seen.

"Here let me give it a try." Andrew volunteered, putting the cups down and grabbing the spout and the mallet.

Andrew tapped the spout a few times, loosening the seal of the prepared hole, before slamming the mallet against the tap, knocking it almost the whole way in, sealing the tap with minimum spray. He wiped up what cider did leak out, before handing the mallet back to Big Mac.

"Thanks" the farmer said simply, going off to put the mallet by the door so he wouldn't forget it on the way out.

"Alright Mac, let's get that spout-" Applejack said, stopping when she saw the tap already in. "Wow, he's a'ready done?"

"I did it for him" Andrew replied as he tested the pizza to see if it had cooled.

“How did you do it so fast? And with no mess?” Applejack asked, impressed. “It usually takes both of us to do that.”

“I worked as a bartender for a few months when I was living in New York.” He explained. “Plus opposable thumbs help.”

He picked up the trays of pizza and carried them into the dining room, placing them on the table. Rarity, Twilight and Spike had all sat down, shortly joined by Applejack, who sat down next to Twilight. Big Mac took the seat across from them next to Spike, who was happily sitting next to Rarity.

“Okay… The pizzas are almost ready to eat…” Andrew announced. “Let me go throw the next two in and then we can dig in.”

“What about Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash?” Rarity asked, trying her hardest to look polite and composed through her hungry eyes.

“Flutters and Rainbow Dash are on their way!” Pinkie Pie said happily, as she took a big sniff of the pizza nearest her, ignoring the startled looks of the others.

“Hey Pinkie Pie.” Andrew greeted nonchalantly as he continued to walk into the kitchen, talking over the peninsula. “Thanks for telling everyone about the party.”

“Aww! Why didn’t you jump?” She asked, in a slightly whining voice, a smile still clear on her face. “It’s much more fun when you jump and yell!”

“I saw you outside peeking in through the back window” Andrew explained, pulling out two more baking pans, and plopping dough on each one. “A big puff of pink is hard to miss next to a green bush.”

“Wait, you were trying to scare him again?!” Twilight asked. “I thought you understood that was a bad idea!?”

“I wasn’t trying to scare him!” Pinkie Pie assured Twilight. “I was just a distraction.”

“A distraction for what dear?” Rarity asked after her and Twilight shared an exasperated look.

Suddenly one of the windows in the kitchen was flung open, a blur bursting into the room. Andrew jumped and yelled, wielding a tomato sauce covered spoon in a valiant attempt to defend himself from whatever vile creature had just busted into his kitchen. Meanwhile Pinkie Pie fell off her seat, laughing hysterically.

“I SMELL APPLE CIDER!” Rainbow Dash shouted as she untangled herself from the curtains she had flown into, immediately running over to the barrel and pouring herself a glass.

Just before Rainbow Dash could take a sip, the glass was surrounded by a light blue aura and floated away from her hooves.

“Hey! Give that back!” The prismatic pony shouted.

“As soon as you apologize to Andrew, and fix those wonderful curtains!” Rarity instructed, hovering the glass to the table. “Honestly, what did either of them do to deserve such treatment?”

Rainbow Dash looked back at the mess she made, including at Andrew, who was leaning against the counter rubbing his face.

“Haha… Oops?” Rainbow Dash said, rubbing the back of her neck nervously. “Sorry about that…”

“Jesus Christ… What the hell was that for?” Andrew said when he finally recovered.

“Well…every year I miss Applejack’s apple cider!” Rainbow dash whined. “It’s so good and I hardly ever get any!”

“So you bust through the window and scare the shit out of me?” Andrew asked incredulously.

“Yeah… maybe wasn’t the best idea…” Rainbow Dash admitted, a bit skittishly, taking the long route around the counter to the window. “I’m sorry.”

“Is anything broken?” He asked with a sigh as she shut the window and rehung the curtains.

“No, not that I can tell at least.”

“Well then go sit down Spaz, we will all eat when I’m done with this.” He explained as he motioned to the half prepared pizza.

Rainbow Dash nodded and headed to the dining room, with Fluttershy right behind her. The yellow pony had come through the front door while they had been talking, looking worried. Andrew threw the finishing touches on the last two pizzas, muttering and shaking his head. He shut the oven a little harder than necessary and went to the cider keg to fill up seven glasses. He carried them to the dining hall, joining his friends.

“Umm… sorry I didn’t stop Rainbow Dash from crashing into your window Andrew.” Fluttershy quietly apologized from her seat next to Big Mac. “I couldn’t catch up to her when she flew off.”

“Don’t worry about it Fluttershy, it wasn’t your fault.” He assured her. “It’s no big deal anyway, I’m just glad I didn’t use magic again. Too many sharp and heavy things in the kitchen for me to do something unintentional.”

Rainbow Dash gulped and looked worriedly from the knife block that sat in the corner of the kitchen, to the pans that hung above the stove top.

“Anyway…” Andrew said, punctuated by a single clap. “It’s time to eat!”

The group dug in, levitating, grabbing and passing square slices of pizza and glasses of cider around until everyone had one. They all sniffed and poked at the pizza, while Andrew immediately took a large bite of his slice, moaning in edible ecstasy.

“I swear I was craving pizza before I even got here. I already miss being able to order it whenever I want.” He said after swallowing his large chunk, before noticing that no one had taken a bite yet. “C’mon guys, just try it.”

Big mac was the first to pony up, taking a bite of his slice. He chewed carefully before his eyes went wide. He immediately took an even larger bite, chewing it enthusiastically. The group collectively shrugged, everyone finally tasting the cheesy food.

“My word… Andrew this is absolutely delicious!” Rarity exclaimed, as she dabbed her face with a napkin. “I cannot believe I have never had this dish before.”

“It’s no apple pie, but it’s mighty tasty.” Applejack agreed, taking another bite.

“I really like the olives” Fluttershy said quietly. “And the mushrooms.”

“Olives and mushrooms huh?” Twilight said curiously. “Maybe I’ll try that one next!”

Words of praise and groans of enjoyment flowing through the dining room, Andrew trying to stay modest among them.

“It isn’t that good, it’s a solid five or six on the pizza scale back home.” He admitted. “Definitely nothing special.”

“Hush Andrew, this is a meal to be proud of!” Rarity assured him, everyone nodding in agreement. “Where did you learn to cook like this?”

“Well it’s kind of a long story…” He said a bit worriedly. “Not a very happy story either.”

“Well we ain’t goin’ anywhere!” Applejack shouted. “What goods a group meal if you can’t tell a story or two anyway?”

“It’s okay Andrew.” Twilight added, a bit more seriously. “We can handle it I’m sure.”

“Well alright, but I warned you.” Andrew looked at their curious faces and sighed. “My mother died when I was fifteen, so my sister and I were in foster care from then until I was eighteen. We stayed with a bunch of people, all over the country.”

The mood took a turn towards somber, but Andrew quickly waved it off, but not before noticing the look shared by Big Mac and Applejack.

“Don’t worry, it was ten years ago. It’s sad yeah but I’ve had a lot of time to heal from it. Besides, this story isn’t about that. I just wanted to explain why I was in foster care.” Andrew explained before continuing. “The first foster home we stayed at didn’t last long. I was lashing out from grief and my sister withdrew so far into herself she hardly responded to anything, or anyone. They couldn’t handle us, so we got shipped away. But the second one, we stayed there for eight months. It was this sweet old Italian lady who cooked the best damn pizza I have ever had. She cooked them with love and empathy and so many good feelings. Our first bite and my sister and I were balling our eyes out. She just held us for an hour until we stopped crying, patted our heads and reheated our food. That house… It was the only foster home that actually felt like a home.”

Andrew shook his head as old bittersweet memories danced through his head. The others respectfully waited through his pause.

“One day she demanded I learn how to cook. I went along with it but my heart wasn’t in it, mostly because it would always go terribly. But she was so patient with me, trying over and over again to teach me. Eventually I gave up even trying, but she never did. Until one day my sister and I come home from school to find a police officer sitting on our front porch.”

Everyone had stopped eating by this point, Rainbow Dash had even put down her glass of cider. They listened with bated breath to Andrew’s story, a worried look on most of their faces. . Twilight bit her lip as if to bite back her growing sense of dread.

“Apparently old Mary had been hiding her poor health from us. She had been diagnosed with cancer about three months after we got there. My sister and I were devastated. I was lost and terrified that my sister would shrink back into herself. So, that night I snuck away from the police station and made my way back to that little ranch house. I spent five hours trying desperately to make an edible pizza. When I was finally happy with it, it was four in the morning, but I walked all the way back to the station. The child services woman found us that morning snuggled together, both of us with pizza sauce all over our faces. I’ve been steadily improving my pizza since then.”

The room was very quiet for a string of long moments, until Fluttershy stood up from her seat and made her way to the human. She wrapped her hooves around him as best she could, giving him a tender hug.

“T-Thanks Fluttershy.” Andrew said as he returned the hug, managing to keep almost all of the tremor from his voice. “But really, it’s ok. It happened a long time ago.”

“Thank you for sharing such an important meal with us.” Big Mac said sagely, the rest of the room only managing to nod.

“Your welcome, it’s a meal I happily make for new friends.”

“A toast then!” Rarity said, lifting her glass high and wiping a small tear from her eye. “To new friends!”

“May they fall from the sky when you least expect it!” Andrew joked, clinking glasses with everyone before taking a long drought of his drink. The group laughed, and with the tension broken a mood of happiness returned.

The jovial atmosphere continued as the sun set and the night sky began to show the first stars. Rarity was the first to excuse herself, saying she needed to finish a few things at work before it got too late. Spike decided to walk Rarity home, claiming he wanted to have an early night. They were soon followed by Fluttershy who was obviously getting tired, drained by Andrew’s story and by keeping up in such a loud environment. The pizzas had long been consumed when Andrew suggested they all go outside to enjoy the cool summer night. Pinkie Pie even supplied marshmallows once the fire had been going for a while.

“This sure is a fancy house Andrew.” Applejack said, looking at the back of the house over the fire pit. “I can’t even imagine livin’ in somethin’ like this.”

“It’s certainly a step above what I’m used to.” He admitted. “I’m just happy one of the rooms wasn’t as decadent as the rest. A four post bed? No thank you.”

“Eyup.” Big Mac said in agreement, rotating a marshmallow tipped stick over the fire.

Andrew poked the fire with a branch he had found earlier, pushing the coals around absentmindedly.

“So what are you guys doing tomorrow?” He asked, making small talk.

“Me and Mac have to finish up summer cider makin’” Applejack said after swallowing a toasted marshmallow.

“Other than waiting for Princess Celestia to get back to us, I’ll just be hanging out.” Twilight said, perking up when she thought of something. “Maybe I’ll stop by and give you a hand Applejack.”

“You don’t have to do that.” Applejack assured her. “But I- we would enjoy your company.”

“I’d help too but I have weather patrol in the morning.” Rainbow chimed in. “Then soccer practice with the kids.”

“Soccer? You guys have soccer here?” Andrew asked, curiously.

“Yeah, I’ve been coaching a team this summer.” Rainbow Dash explained. “Wait, how do you know what soccer is?”

“I don’t know!” Twilight answered for him, suddenly aggravated. “And it’s driving me crazy!”

“Uh… What?” Rainbow Dash asked, clearly confused.

“Uughh! Never mind. I need to use the little filly’s room.” Twilight said, walking off still clearly annoyed.

Pinkie Pie watched attentively, as if waiting for something. She looked to Rainbow Dash, wordlessly telling her to drop her question about Twilight.

“Second floor.” Andrew called out to her as she walked away, before turning back to Rainbow Dash. “So you have soccer…What about baseball?”

“Uh no, never heard of that before…” Rainbow Dash admitted. “What is it?”

“It’s a sport I used to play back home.” He explained. “America’s favorite past time!”

“An’ how do you play?” Applejack asked, interested.

“Well… there are two teams. One is up at bat, and the other is playing the field. The team that’s up at bat hits a baseball and runs around some bases, trying to avoid the other team, who is trying to tag the runner out with the ball they just hit.”

All three of the ponies looked at Andrew, clearly confused by his description.

“It’s a bit less confusing than it sounds, and a lot more fun.” He assured them, standing up from his chair. “I was obsessed with it when I was younger. I remember my mom dropped a pretty penny buying me a professional Marucci bat for my birthday, engraved with my name and everything.”

Andrew took a batting stance, the top of the stick he was holding making small circles as he easily fell into the familiar position.

“Unfortunately it was lost somewhere along the line in foster care. I must have left it at someone’s home. To be honest I can’t really remember what happened to it. It felt like suddenly one day it was gone, without a trace. But boy let me tell you, I knew that bat like the back of my own hand.”

Andrew tightened his grip on the stick, closing his eyes as he envisioned being back on the field.

“Maple wood, with the top half painted black. My name was etched around where the paint ended on the barrel. About a three inch sweet spot, maybe an inch from the top. If you held it so you couldn’t see my name you would have a better grip on it because of a slight curl in the grain. It was perfectly balanced if you held it an inch high.”

Andrew lifted his foot, and swung the stick with all his might. It streaked through the air at an incredible speed, whistling and creaking. Half way through its ark, a red spark trailed around Andrew’s hand. The spark quickly grew into a red aura, covering the stick completely. When he finished his swing, theatrically holding the now glowing stick out in one hand, it disappeared with a loud pop. Almost instantaneously, before his fingers even had time to close around the empty air, there was another loud pop, and a baseball bat filled the void created by the disappearing stick. The three ponies looked on in shock, an emotion shared by Andrew. He stared at the bat intensely, before his eyes rolled back and he collapsed, completely and unequivocally unconscious.

Drained: 13

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Andrew lay face up on a bed, eyes closed and his hair disheveled. His skin was pale, barely a few shades darker than the eggshell painted walls that surrounded him. His breath was slow and raspy, the sound of a man on the precipice of being too weak to breathe. A single pony, Fluttershy, watched him with worry and anxiety clear on her face. Every once in a while she would look around, to the door and then to the window, before returning to her vigil. Finally a second pony, Twilight Sparkle, entered in from the open hospital door, carrying a small stack of books.

“Hey Flutters, I’m back.” The unicorn announced. “Any change?”

“I think he whispered something a few minutes ago.” Fluttershy answered. “But I couldn’t understand it.”

Twilight gave a loud sigh and a shake of her head, before setting the pile of books she was carrying down on a nearby table and making her way to Fluttershy and Andrew.

“Thanks for watching him Flutters, I know you were busy. Me and Applejack watched him all night, and for once Spike couldn’t find Rarity.”

“Oh that’s okay Twilight, the animals understood. But umm… what’s wrong with him… what happened?” Fluttershy asked. “I wanted to ask when I first got here but…”

“Oh! Yeah sorry, I was a bit frantic before I left. I had just realized I hadn’t sent a message to the princess yet. ” Twilight began to explain after she apologized. “He cast an incredibly powerful foal spell, making a branch disappear, replacing it with that.”

Twilight pointed to a baseball bat that was leaning in the corner of the room.

“There was so much energy being thrown around it made me dizzy almost thirty meters away, even though I was inside the house.”

“The spell magically exhausted him way worse than Princess Luna was the other day.” The unicorn explained. “His magical storage is completely empty and his mana pathways are heavily drawn. To be honest if he had been a pony… it might have killed him. The only thing he has going for him is that he didn’t strain his magic focal point like Princess Luna did.”

“Oh no… that’s terrible!” Fluttershy said, worriedly looking back to the frail looking human. “Is he going to be alright?”

“The doctor said there is no reason he shouldn’t make a full recovery…” Twilight said as she put a hoof on her friend’s back, watching the human take shallow breaths. “But he admitted he couldn’t be sure because he had obviously never treated a human before. The princesses replied when I was gone and they agree that he should be fine, but to keep them informed of any changes. Princess Luna is rushing through her tasks to get here as soon as she can.”

A long silence stretched over the three, continuing as Twilight left her friends side to retrieve one of the books she had brought. She sat down by the table and opened up one of the books. Soon the silence was only punctuated by the turning pages of Twilight’s reading and the occasionally deeper than normal breath from Andrew. After a while Fluttershy’s gaze drifted to the bat that was leaning against the corner.

“So umm… Any idea what it is?” she asked while pointing to what she could only see as a peculiar wooden rod.

“Well… on the surface it’s a hunk of maple wood that is filled with so much of Andrew’s magic it practically hurts to levitate.” Twilight responded, looking in the direction of her friends hoof. “Applejack, Big Mac and Rainbow Dash all claimed it’s a ‘Baseball bat’, which apparently is used in a sport Andrew was describing. It has his name inscribed on it, as well as a string of burnt on symbols I don’t recognize on the thicker end. I did some scans and it shows some hallmarks of being magically fabricated, but the interference is making it very hard to pin that theory down for sure.”

“Oh… so you think he made it?”

“Well…It’s the most likely answer, but the question is why did it take so much of his energy? And how is it holding on to it? After it was finished being built, the magic should have dissipated away or returned to him.”

Twilight continued to stare at the human for a minute or so, shaking her head. She re-opened her book, studying up on magical exhaustion and possible complications, while Fluttershy once again returned her gaze to the human.

Time passed, enough so that the sun shone through the west facing window as it began its slow descent. Fluttershy left to return to her cottage after her rabbit, Angel, stopped by to retrieve her. In the end, the small bunny practically dragged Fluttershy away to feed him and the other animals. After she left, Twilight continued to scan through her books, two or three having been set aside, already done. She was half way through one when she heard a long, soft groan from the bed. She quickly hopped to her hooves, rushing to the side of the bed. Andrew was struggling to force himself to a sitting position.

“Whoa Andrew, no reason to get up, take it easy!” She warned, pushing the human back down gently.

Andrew put up very little resistance, falling back from the little progress he had actually made. Twilight helped him slide back, leaning against a stack of pillows. When he was finally propped up, he rubbed his throat and coughed.

“Water?” He asked in a gravely and quiet voice

“Yes of course! Hold on!”

Twilight quickly levitated over a pitcher of water and a cup that had been resting in the corner and poured some of the liquid. She glided the cup to Andrew, who gingerly took it. He took small, paced sips until the cup was empty. Twilight poured another glass, which Andrew drank half of before putting it down on the nightstand beside the bed.

“Ugh… what is going on, where am I?” He asked in a hoarse and quiet voice, clearly confused. “Why do I feel like I got hit by a truck… and it gave me six different kinds of the flu?”

“You had an accident.” Twilight explained, trying to be as comforting as possible. “You’re in the hospital, but you’re gonna be fine.”

“Oh… okay.” He said as he slowly looked around, still a bit dazed. “What happened?”

“You cast another foal spell.”

“What? What did I do!?” He asked, his eyes wide with worry.

“Don’t worry, you didn’t hurt anypony. You didn’t even do any property damage.” She replied quickly, reassuring the human. “As for what you did…”

Twilight trailed of and made her way the corner, picking up the bat with her teeth. She carried it to the wide eyed human, dropping it lightly in his lap. Andrew looked down at the wooden bat, then looked at Twilight.

“Where… Where did you get this?”

“I pulled it out of your hands after you collapsed last night.”

“Collapsed? I don’t remember- oh wait no… now I do.” Andrew shook his head in an attempt to shake out the cobwebs, only succeeding in making himself dizzy. “Jesus Christ I feel like death! What the hell did I do?”

“Well… I’m not sure exactly, but I think you either made this…” Twilight explained, poking the bat with her hoof. “Or something.”

“Or something? Not very specific Twilight.” Andrew asked with a raised eyebrow, before looking back down at the bat “Vagueness aside… It’s my bat, but it also can’t be my bat. It doesn’t make any sense. ”

“Yeah, tell me about it.” Twilight agreed, clearly annoyed. “It seems like you can’t walk out your front door without doing something random and unexplainable. It’s driving me crazy!”

“Well…what can I say, I’m a mystery wrapped in an enig-” Andrew started to joke, absentmindedly putting his hand on the bat, instantly halting his sentence. “Holy shit what was that!?”

Andrew immediately jerked his hand back as if the bat had shocked him. His sudden shout startled Twilight, who quickly recovered.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“The bat… it feels really weird…” Andrew explained as he gingerly reached down and lifted the bat, shaking his head as he held it in his hands. “It’s… me?”

“I’m sorry, what?” Twilight said with a confused shake of her head. “It’s you…?”

“It… feels like me… like an extension of my arm.”

“Huh…. That actually kinda makes sense.” Twilight said, tapping her chin with a hoof.

“Seriously? How the fuck does that make sense?”

“Well it’s holding a large amount of your magic. ” She explained. “It makes sense that it would feel like it’s part of you because when enough magic is stored in something, feeling connected to the pony who’s magic is stored is actually a common phenomenon.”

Twilight had started pacing halfway through her first sentence, walking around in a small oval as she talked. Andrew watched her pace, nodding his head a she began to lecture.

“Because the magic came from you, doubly so because it happened so recently, it’s still your magic. Everyone’s magic is different, like horn spirals or feather angles. Externally projected magic is literally colored by our personalities. So when you put so much of your magic into an object, it’s easy to misinterpret the sensation. ”

“Right, okay. That makes sense I suppose…” Andrew said as he held the bat up right. “So… how much of my magic is inside it?”

“Umm… almost all of it.” Twilight answered with a wince. “Seriously, it almost completely drained you.”

“...I’m gonna go ahead and assume that is really bad?”

“Really, really bad.” Twilight corrected. “Originally I assumed it was just left over charge from an insanely inefficient foal spell, but it hasn’t dissipated at all. Is there anything special about bats? Something that would allow you to store energy in them?”

“No, it’s basically just wood.” Andrew replied. “Why? I thought you said storing magic inside something is normal.”

“It’s primarily only done with gems.” She explained. “And only high quality gems at that. A highly skilled and patient enchanter could store magic inside of some types of precious metals, but not very much.”

“Meaning…?”

“Meaning that what you’re holding shouldn’t be possible. If I funneled that much energy into any type of wood it would either burst into flames, or the magic would leak out… explosively. Probably both. But instead, it’s holding every erg of magic it could take…”

Andrew looked back to the bat, suddenly a lot less happy to be holding it. Twilight was lost in thought for a minute or to, before looking back to the human.

“Is it actually your bat, the one you lost?”

“Not a chance.” Andrew said confidently with a shake of his head. He slid the bat down in his hands to examine the symbols on the end of it. “Ignoring this weird looking stuff at the end, it’s too big. I was pretty young when my mother bought the original, which means I would have grown out of it by now. This is an adult sized bat, perfect for someone my height now, not two feet and ten years shorter.”

“So that means you did make it… probably.” Twilight thought out loud, add the final part unhappily. “I really hope we start getting some answers soon. Hopefully Princess Luna will arrive with some from the brainstorming meeting they had…”

“Any word as to when she is gonna get here?” He asked.

“Nope. Not that you should be focused on that anyway.” Twilight answered. “All you need to worry about is staying calm and resting.”

Andrew groaned under his breath as he leaned forward, pushing himself upright. Twilight once again jumped to keep him from moving, but he waived her off.

“Andrew, you shouldn’t be doing that.”

“I’m fine, a bit tired but fine.” He assured her. “Do me a favor and go get a doctor so I can check out.”

“No Andrew, you shouldn’t be moving around. Lay back down and get-”

Andrew cut her off with a wave of his hand, his feet firmly planted on the floor. He pushed off from the bed, standing slowly. There was a slight wobble in his legs, but he remained upright.

“See? No problem!” He gloated. “Now, let’s get the hell o-”

Andrew was cut off as he took a step forward, and his legs immediately gave out. His hands shot out to stop his fall, but the angle of the fall yanked him out of reach of anything to grab. Instead he slammed onto the ground, smacking his head on the wooden floors. His mind was quickly swallowed by blackness.

Andrew scratched at the bandage that was now wrapped around his head, trying to keep the cloth from tickling his ear every time he turned his head. His main focus, however, was on the book that was resting on his legs. Rainbow Dash, who was now sitting in a chair against the wall reading her own book, had brought it for him. She had arrived around lunch time, placing the book in his lap, and promised it would keep him from getting bored. Andrew was happy to have something to distract him from the headache, and the book wasn’t half bad. His reading was interrupted though, by a nurse knocking on the door.

“Andrew, Mayor Mare is here to see you.” She announced. “Along with Quill Well.”

“Hmmm… well I’m kinda busy but I could probably fit them in.” He joked, putting the book down on the table beside the bed.

The nurse nodded, moving aside to let the two ponies in. Mayor Mare was first, walking past the nurse and smiling at Andrew. Next was a smaller framed unicorn stallion with a short cut mane and an even shorter cut tail. He was light brown clayish color, his hair a golden tan. He had a red saddle bag strapped to his back, which was stamped with a logo of a horseshow and a wrapped up newspaper.

“Hello Andrew, how are you feeling?” Mayor asked, making her way to his bed. “Twilight came by this morning and explained what happened.”

“I’m feeling much better.” He assured her with a smile. “Though the doctor said I’ll probably be bed ridden for at least another day. I was lucky though, I didn’t strain my magical doohickey in my hand, so my magic is fine.”

“Well that’s good, I’m glad you’re feeling better. And Hello Rainbow Dash, I almost didn’t see you there.” She said with a smile and a wave to Rainbow Dash. “Oh, but where are my manners? This is Quill Well. He is a journalist from the Ponyville Express.”

The older pony gestured to the unicorn, who walked forward to the bedridden human.

“Ponyville Express… Isn’t that the name of the rail station?” Andrew asked with a raised eyebrow, lifting his hand to the stallion.

“Yes, but we had it first.” He explained with a grin, shaking the human’s hand. “Now Mayor said that you’d like to get your story around town?”

Andrew looked a bit confused, turning to Mayor Mare. She caught his look and quickly nodded.

“I think the best way for you to be accepted by the ponies of Ponyville is if they all know your story.” She explained. “After all, it’s much harder to be scared of something after you get to know them.”

Andrew thought for a moment, eventually nodding his head in approval.

“I guess that would probably work.” Andrew agreed, a bit hesitantly. “I just don’t want too much attention. I’m not a celebrity, I’m just lost.”

“I think we can definitely get that message across.” Quill Well assured him as he levitated his saddle bag to the table, taking out a notepad, a quill and a camera. “Some simple questions about you, some back ground information about your people, and then some silly stuff like your favorite flavor of ice cream, filler like that. Enough to let everypony know your just like everypony else.”

“Okay, that doesn’t sound too bad.” Andrew agreed. “How much do you know already?”

“Just a few things that Mayor Mare knew….which was surprisingly little…” He whispered to Andrew with a joking grin.

“I heard that Quill.” Mayor Mare said with a roll of her eyes. “If that’s all, I shall leave you two alone to chat. Rainbow Dash?”

“Uhhh… Yes Mayor?” Rainbow Dash responded, hesitantly looking away from her book.

“If you’d come with me, I would like to discuss a certain crater that showed up a few days ago by the bridge…?

Rainbow Dash looked nervous and solemnly got up, neatly closing her book before following the elder mare out. She closed the door behind herself, leaving Andrew alone with the stallion. Quill Well made his was to Andrews bed, now holding his notepad and his quill in his magic.

“Now... Andrew, let’s start off with some background information about yourself. How old you are, where you were born. That kind of stuff.”

“Well… I was born in Austin, Texas.” Andrew started, explaining further when Quill Well looked confused. “I’m not from around here… as in not from this planet… We think. To be honest nobody really has any idea how I got here. Princess Celestia, Princess Luna even Twilight Sparkle were all pretty stumped by it. But yeah, Austin is a city from where I’m from.”

Quill well nodded, scribbling down what Andrew said before looking back up when he had finished.

“These days Boston, Massachusetts is my home, another city on the east coast of America, the country that both Texas and Massachusetts are a part of. I’ve lived there for about 6 months, which is actually pretty long by my standards. I’m kinda a drifter.”

“Why’s that?” Quill Well asked, attempting to pull more information from the usually private human.

“Well a few reasons actually. The biggest one is that no place has really ever felt like home. I lost my mother when I was fifteen, so I was bounced around foster care. Moving around comes naturally I guess.”

Quill Well’s eyes become sad, but Andrew waved his sympathies off before he could voice them.

“It’s okay, really. It was ten years ago, I’ve had plenty of time to recover.”

Quill nodded at Andrews assurances. “So tell me a little about humans in general, a whole new intelligent species is pretty interesting.”

“Well… Humans are just like ponies as far as I can see. Maybe a bit more focused on the individual, rather than the whole picture, but other than that… Just like ponies we are capable of amazing and beautiful things, but there are bad eggs too.”

“Of course, no species is perfect after all.” Quill Well agreed, still writing things down. “Mayor Mare said something about you having magic. Is it true? Are you really Princess Luna’s personal student?”

“Kinda sorta yeah. It has nothing to do with my skill though, not like how Twilight became Princess Celestia’s protégé. My magic is pretty useless on a good day, and Luna doesn’t think anyone else could handle me. I’m uncharted territory I guess.”

“Really?” Quill asked. “I’m sure you’re not that bad.”

“The way Twilight explained it is that I have the power of a full grown unicorn, but the control of a child. Or a foal I guess. So if I’m not paying attention or I get startled I can cast spells by accident. They tend to go pretty wrong to.” Andrew explained, gesturing to the hospital bed he was laying in. “But basically, as long as no one tries to scare me, it will be fine. Hopefully when Luna gets here and we start training that won’t even be a problem. ”

“Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, Twilight Sparkle and the rest of the elements. You have some important friends.”

“Yeah, I’m lucky to have them. I’m obviously having some trouble integrating, so having them here is awesome.”

“Alright Andrew, why don’t we move on from the serious stuff for a bit.” Quill Wells said as he flipped his notepad to a new page. “How about we talk about some stuff you like. For example, what’s your favorite food?”

The questions went on for another hour or so, switching from simple things like whether he preferred orange juice with or without pulp, to more serious questions about his sudden arrival at Ponyville. By the time Quill Well began packing up, the slowly setting sun was visible through the window.

“I’m sorry I took up so much of your time.” Quill Well apologized. “But that was one of the more enjoyable interviews I’ve ever had. Shall we end with a photo for the article?”

“Yeah sure, try and get my good side too.” Andrew joked as Quill Well levitated the camera in front of him.

Andrew neatened his hair, suddenly nervous. He coughed and forced a reasonable smile before nodding to Quill Well, who snapped the photo. The flash was incredibly bright, Andrew rubbed his eyes and blinked.

“Well alright.” Quill Well said as he tucked his camera into his saddle bag. “If nothing goes wrong the article will be out on Wednesday’s publication.”

“Thanks Quill Well, I really appreciate this.”

“It’s my pleasure.” The unicorn walked to Andrew’s side, sticking out his hoof. “And please call me Quill.”

“Will do!” Andrew happily replied, shaking his hoof. “Have a nice night.”

The pony left the room with a final wave, which Andrew returned until the door closed behind him. He had been awake for a while now, considering the condition he was in, and he was beginning to get very tired. With a content sigh he slid down the bed, closing his eyes and quickly falling asleep.

Eve: 14

View Online

The sun was just beginning to rise when Andrew was awoken by a knock on his door. He groggily wiped his eyes and reached over to the lamp next to his bed, clicking it on. A quick look out the window told him it was still way too early to be awake.

“Yeah? Who is it?” He asked tersely, clearly more than a bit grumpy.

The door opened, the silhouettes of two ponies standing in the doorway. Andrew couldn’t quite make out who they were until one of them flicked on the switch by the door, removing the shadows and glare caused by Andrew’s still adjusting eyes, and the differences in light.

“Autumn Song! What are you doing here?” Andrew asked happily, pushing himself upright, sitting against the headrest of the bed.

“Princess Celestia sent me to help!” She replied, making her way to the bed. “She said you would need as many friendly faces as possible! Plus I’m keeping an eye on her.”

Autumn nodded to the second pony, who was still standing at the doorway. She was a unicorn, proud and sure in her hoof-steps as she entered further into the room. She was the closest to solid black he had seen yet, although as she walked into the room he could see she was just an extremely dark shade of blue. Her mane and tail were mostly white, with shades of grey worked in.

“Hello Andrew Dike, it is a pleasure to finally meet you.” She said as she made her way to Andrew’s bed, sticking out her hoof.

Andrew looked at the new mare and her extended hoof in confusion, looking back and forth between her and Autumn.

“Is there a problem?” The unicorn asked, watching the human’s confused looks.

“Uh… No… Sorry.” Andrew assured her, trying to hide his confusion. “Just a bit groggy Miss…?”

“Evening Primrose.” She answered with a nod of her head. “But please, call me Eve.”

“Umm… it’s nice to meet you…Eve, that’s a…. beautiful name.” Andrew complimented as he took the mares still outstretched hoof. “So what can I do for you Eve?”

“I am sad to report that Princess Luna will be unable to make it for another week.” She explained, watching the human closely, gauging his reaction. “To avoid your training being put off any longer, she sent me in her stead.”

“Oh? Is that right…?” Andrew murmured as his gaze fell onto Autumn, looking at her questioningly.

“Hey, don’t look at me!” She said with a shake of her head. “I’m just following orders!”

The earth pony jumped into a rigid salute, offset by her large warm smile. Andrew shook his head and smiled, looking back to the unicorn.

“So Luna sent you to take care of me?” He asked, studying the mare with slight smirk. “And what are your credentials?”

“I’m a trusted friend of Princess Luna’s and a teacher of the arcane arts.” She explained. “Rest assured you are in good hooves.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt that…”

“She’s from Manehattan!” Autumn added, cutting in while distractedly poking at the stack of books Rainbow Dash had left.

“Really? A city gir- er mare, huh?” Andrew asked teasingly. “Must be a real pain to be out here in the boonies then.”

“Not at all. I have several friends who… lived in Ponyville.” Eve said, somewhat cryptically. “It is a wonderful town.”

"Really? You should introduce us!" Autumn suggested obliviously. "The more the merrier, right?"

Eve looked very flustered at the suggestion, looking back and forth between the two. Autumn seemed oblivious to this, while Andrew just laughed to himself.

"Oh…perhaps, but not today. I... didn't have an opportunity to tell them I would be in town, and it would be rude to drop by unannounced!"

The mare finished off her explanation with a nervous smile, having hurried through her reason quite quickly.

"For now it is immaterial." She said, starting up again and changing the subject. "I was asked by Princess Luna to perform some in depth scans as soon as I arrived. It is the reason we have woken you at such an early time."

"Ah, well in that case I’m not going anywhere, so scan away I guess."

Evening Primrose nodded, tilting her head down and closing her eyes as she started her spell up, her magic a light blue color. The magic quickly spread out to cover Andrew, making it tingle as magical tendrils began to poke and prod his body. After a few minutes the aura disappeared, and Eve re-opened her eyes.

"The doctors seem to have been correct. You are clearly recovering from magical exhaustion." She said, seemingly satisfied. "Recovering quite well I may add. I would have liked to have performed a kinetic levitation test but as I understand that would be unwise. That shortcoming aside, I dare say that you should be fine to leave by tonight, barring any dizzy spells or any further... avoidable head trauma."

"Yeah, that wasn’t the highest point of the day." Andrew admitted while rubbing his head. "So, how are you going to tell Luna the results of your scans?"

The mare looked at the human confusedly, clearly not understanding the question for a moment or two.

"Oh! Well I suppose I will have to write her a letter when I get the chance." Eve said, tapping her chin to emphasize her thinking. "Though she did say not to worry unless something was wrong."

"You should probably send one any way. I’m sure she would really appreciate it." Autumn suggested, cutting off a similar remark from Andrew.

"Yeah, what she said." Andrew agreed. "Plus Spike can have it on Princess Celestia's desk instantaneously."

"Right... Spike." Eve replied a bit hesitantly. "Princess Luna explained that ability. I’ll have to write up a letter and bring it to the young drake."

"You could just write one up now" Andrew said. "Twilight will probably be here in an hour or so, especially since it seems like she took something of mine last night…”

“Oh? What did she take?” Eve asked curiously.

“My bat. The thing that caused this little stint in the hospital.” Andrew explained, gesturing around vaguely. “It’s no big deal, she probably just took it so she could study it.”

“Ah yes, Princess Luna mentioned that in our conversation. I would very much like the opportunity to study it myself.”

“Well unless she managed to vaporize it, you’ll get to take a look at it when she visits.” Andrew assured her, stretching a bit. “She’s been checking up on me bright and early the past few days. I hope she has been getting enough sleep.”

“Oh I’m sure she’s fine.” Autumn said reassuringly. “What’s a few early mornings among friends?”

Andrew shook his head and laughed, scratching the back of his head.

“You say that, but apparently she can get downright neurotic if she gets to into her smarty pants thing.”

“Really?” Autumn asked disbelievingly. “But she seemed so level headed in canterlot.”

“I don’t know, I’m just repeating what I was told.” Andrew explained with a shrug. “She even admitted it herself. Either way we can check when she gets here.”

“Well…until then, why don’t I go see if I can find us some breakfast?” Autumn asked. “I wonder if the cafeteria has pastries?”

The happy-go-lucky earth pony left the room before either of the other occupants could say anything, leaving them in silence. Andrew unabashedly watched the dark blue unicorn as she made her way to the room’s window, opening it. She took a deep breath of the morning air.

“Enjoying the small town air?”

“Very much so.” Eve admitted. “As serious as my task is, I will not deny that I was very excited to return Ponyville.”

“Return? When was the last time you were here?”

“I visited this town not too long ago.” She answered simply. “I was very sad to leave it.”

“Well you’re here now, so enjoy it.” Andrew suggested. “When you’re not, you know, teaching me.”

“I plan on doing just that.” She said with a smile, turning back to the lounging human. “Speaking of teaching, we should discuss your tutelage.”

“Sure, I’ve been looking forward to it the past few days.” He admitted. “Not to mention it would be nice to not have to deal with almost killing myself every other day.”

“Indeed.” Eve agreed. “I believe that you are well enough to begin tomorrow. However, just to be safe we shall keep the strenuous activities to a minimum. Focus on education rather than utilization.”

“That sounds reasonable.”

“We shall be training at our temporary royal accommodations, which I am told has a sizable back yard. I had some teaching apparatus sent ahead of us, they should have arrived last night.”

“Sure, yeah. It’s at the end of a dead end street so their isn’t- Wait what?! You’re staying with me?”

“Of course, and Autumn is as well.” Eve answered, looking a bit confused. “Where else would we stay?”

“I don’t know… I guess it does make sense…” Andrew agreed, nodding his head. “I haven’t had roommates in a long time.”

“Well it will only be temporary, until Princess Luna is finally free from her royal duties.”

“Oh I’m sure you could find an excuse to show up every now and then Eve.” Andrew assured the mare with a knowing smile.

“I shall think about it.”

The mare turned from the open window, returning to the Andrews bed. They sat in silence once again, until Andrew spoke.

“So, did you hear the result of the brainstorming session that Princess Celestia organized?” Andrew asked. “The one about what the hell is up with… all of this shit?”

Andrew made a large gesture to himself, and the room around him.

“As a matter of fact I took part in it. But in the interest of simplicity, I think it would be best until Twilight Sparkle arrived at least.”

“Yeah… that’s fair I suppose.” Andrew agreed. “Though it would be nice to lord it over her for a bit. I bet her face would be priceless.”

“That is probably true.” Eve agreed. “But I would not want my first impressions to be so cruel.”

“Ah, fair enough I suppose.”

Before they could continue, Autumn Song returned from her search for food. She came back into the room pushing a cart laden with fruit and pastries.

“Breakfast is served!” She said happily, bowing like a proud chef. “I had to bribe the cafeteria lady to give us enough for three, but I think it was worth it.”

“This is the second time you’ve brought me breakfast Autumn. Feel free to make it a habit.”

“No promises.” She replied with a smile. “Though to be fair I just told the chefs what not to serve you in canterlot.”

“So you fed me and kept me from getting sick. My previous statement still stands I think, feel free to make that a habit.”

“Maybe that means you should start getting me breakfast to pay me back?” Autumn joked back.

“Well considering that we are going to be roomies that won’t be too hard.” Andrew agreed. “Any requests?”

“Oh no I was just kidding!” Autumn assured him hastily, putting some fruit and a pastry on am plate and passing it to Eve. “You don’t have to do that.”

“I may not be much of a cook, but I’m sure I could pick something up sometime.” Andrew insisted, scratching his head. “It’s only fair after all.”

“How about you just focus on getting better for now.” Autumn suggested, deflecting the conversation and passing Andrew a plate of food. “Worry about future breakfasts later.”

Andrew nodded, lifting a piece of cantaloupe from the plate to his mouth, chewing it happily. The three ate in companionable silence before Eve spoke.

“Andrew, would you mind discussing what happened the other night?” She asked. “The letter Twilight Sparkle sent the princess understandably did not include your own words.”

Andrew quietly chewed his food, taking the time to think through his words. When he finally swallowed he shook his head slowly.

“I’m guessing it would be much easier to describe if I knew the first thing about magic.” He admitted. “Basically I was thinking about my bat, remembering what it felt like to hold and swing. I guess I wished I still had it. It was a special gift after all.”

Andrew paused for a moment, hiding his emotional thoughts by taking a large bite of an apple.

“I felt what I’m guessing is my magic, a tingling feeling in my hand, half way through my swing. It was extremely sudden, a spark and then poof. The last thing I remember thinking was ‘were the fuck did that come from?’ Then I was out.”

“Hmm…” Eve hummed as she tapped her chin with her hoof, deep in thought. “Is it your ‘bat’, the one you lost?”

“Nah, definitely not. It’s an adult sized bat, mine was child sized.”

“Very interesting… I am very eager to study this bat myself.” Eve admitted, pushing around a piece of fruit on the plate. “When do you think Twilight will arrive?”

“Well yesterday she was here when I woke up…So another-“

Before Andrew could finish the door creaked open slightly and Twilight poked her head around it. She smiled nervously at Eve before she noticed Autumn. With a confused look she pushed the door completely open and entered the room.

“Autumn Song? Is that you?” She asked.

“Of course, who else would it be?” Autumn said with a grin, walking over to give the unicorn a hug. “Good to see you again.”

“Y-yeah, it’s good to see you too.” Twilight agreed happily, if not a bit surprised by the hug. “And who is this?”

“My name is Evening Primrose, it is good to finally meet you Twilight Sparkle.”

The midnight blue unicorn walked closer to the new arrival and bowed her head slightly. Twilight hurried to duplicate the motion.

“Hello Miss Primrose. What brings both of you to Ponyville?”

“She’s my substitute teacher until Luna gets here.” Andrew explained. “Apparently something came up.”

“That is indeed correct. I shall fill in for Princess Luna until she is free.”

“And I’m here to help anyway I can!” Autumn added happily.

“Ah, well in that case welcome to Ponyville!”

“Twilight did you bring my bat back with you?” Andrew asked, noticing that she wasn’t carrying it with her.

“Oh, right! I did, it’s just in the hall. Gimme a second.” Twilight replied, going out and entering with a long sack levitated in front of her. “Sorry I borrowed it without asking. I just had an idea about what the symbols were and I *had* to check it with my books.”

“It’s fine.” He assured her. “I’m just glad you didn’t feel the need to wake me up and ask permission at whatever ungodly hour you had your idea.”

“About two thirty this morning.” Twilight admitted sheepishly. “But I had a major breakthrough. I figured out what the new symbols are.”

Twilight levitated the sack to Andrew, gently placing it on his lap. He untied the knot at one end, pulling his bat out. Eve stepped back next to the bed to get a closer look.

“I was reading up on symbology last night when I stumbled upon a depiction of the runic alphabet.” Twilight explained excitedly. “They looked similar so I came here to borrow the bat to confirm. Sure enough, they match exactly. They are runes.”

“You are most certainly correct, these are runes. Completely stable and charged runes” Eve agreed, leaning down to examine the end of the bat with an air of astonishment. “I’m assuming you were unable to translate?”

“Unfortunately.” Twilight admitted disappointingly. “The book I found only had the alphabet, not the meanings or uses of them.”

“Yes, rune magic is long dead and hasn’t been used by anypony for thousands of years.” Eve explained. “The books detailing them are so valuable that the Royal Library locks the originals away in a secret part of the castle vault.”

“A dead magic?” Andrew asked confused. “How’s that possible?”

“Well runes are an ancient form of magic used by earth ponies thousands upon thousands of years ago.” Twilight explained. “Its use was abandoned during the dark ages, a time when earth ponies abandoned all but the simplest of their natural growing magic.”

“Precisely. They abandoned it after a series of catastrophes convinced them that magic was corrupting those who used it.” Eve added. “They feared and exiled any among them that used it, runic mages and unicorns a like. Their distrust of magic can still be seen today, though it’s a taken on a much more civil tone. Few of them even know what their distrust actually stems from, as warranted as it was.”

“Warranted?!” Twilight asked with a gasp. “Miss Primrose, that’s an awfully ignorant thing to say, especially coming from a unicorn mage!”

“Forgive me Twilight Sparkle, I was referring to their distrust of runic magic, not magic in general.” Eve assured her. “Runic magic is extremely difficult and often unstable. It requires the utmost precision, and the memorization of hundreds of thousands of variables. One must know exactly how much magical energy to put into the runes, while also knowing how the runes will interact with each other. Each rune has dozens of meanings and uses, depending on what other runes they are paired with. And when the wrong runes are mixed, the results are often catastrophic.”

“Oh… I had no idea they were so dangerous.” Twilight admitted with a gulp. “That explains why Princess Celestia glossed over them so much.”

“Indeed. That and there are several laws in place controlling their use and teaching, including and age requirement.” Eve added. “They are so fickle that even Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are hesitant to use them.”

“Wow… they sound cool…” Andrew said, studying the end of his bat.

“Andrew!” Twilight admonished.

“What!? Tell me you weren’t thinking the same thing?”

“I wasn’t. I was thinking about how we should just destroy the bat if the runes on it are that dangerous!”

“NO!” Both Andrew and Eve shouted.

“Uhhh why not?” Twilight asked, an eyebrow raised.

“Because these runes are stable, meaning that they were created correctly. Possibly more important is that I’m not sensing any energy fluctuation. It appears to be safe.” Eve explained “…and because attempting to destroy them could potentially change all that. Something in those runes is holding Andrews magic. Remove those and who knows what could happen.”

“Yeah…. What she said!” Andrew said, his arms crossed. “And its mine, s’got my name on it and everything.”

Eve pondered, pacing quietly as she tapped her chin with her hoof. Finally she seemed to come to a conclusion.

“I shall send a message to Princess Celestia, detailing Twilight’s discovery. I will ask her to send copies of the books on runic magic. With them we can properly translate the runes, and possibly discern what they are intended to do. Until then…”

Eve’s horn glowed as she levitated the sack Twilight had used to carry the bat, putting it onto Andrew’s lap. With an unhappy shrug Andrew wrapped the bat up, retying the end. Eve picked the sac up with her teeth, placing it in the corner beside Autumn, who poked it experimentally.

“…It is probably best we keep physical and magical contact to a minimum. Just to be safe.”

“Well that sucks…” Andrew said with now crossed arms. “And here I was planning on magicking up some baseballs and going to town...”

Both Twilight and Eve fixed him with disappointed stares, both shaking their heads.

“Kidding guys, relax.”

Twilight opened her mouth to lecture Andrew thoroughly about the seriousness of his situation when Eve cut her off.

“Twilight, Andrew mentioned that you were interested in hearing the results of yesterday’s brain storming meeting.” She said, giving Andrew a knowing look. “I was there, if you’d like I could-”

“Tell me everything!” Twilight shouted, having teleported right in front of the mare, notebook and quill already levitating in front of her. “This has been driving me crazy ever since I sent Princess Celestia that letter!”

Eve jumped slightly when Twilight teleported, quickly recovering to her cool and collected look. She cleared her voice before beginning.

“Well… after Princess Luna and Princess Celestia managed to convince everyone what they were saying was true, we began discussing possibilities. The most popular one at first was of course that Andrew was lying, perhaps using a spell to disguise his true form.” Eve explained, looking at Andrew apologetically.

“I can’t really blame them to be honest.” Andrew said with a small grin. “I mean I’m pretty unbelievable if I do say so myself.”

Twilight rolled her eyes at his comment, attempting to hide her smile. Autumn giggled behind her hoof.

“Anyway…” Eve continued after a pause. “Once Princess Celestia convinced the skeptical to consider it a theoretical problem the real discussion began. There were many suggested theories, the most prevalent seemed to be the multiple worlds theory.”

“I’ve …never heard of that.” Twilight admitted, scribbling on her notepad.

“That is not surprising, it is a very theoretical concept. More science fiction than actual science at this point in time.” She continued. “The theory is that our entire existence runs alongside a possibly infinite amount of other existences. So for every possibility in a situation, there is a reality for each of them. Undoubtedly there are realities that parallel our own down to the most minute detail. On the other hoof, there could be realities vastly different from our own, where up is down and two plus two equals fish.”

Eve paused to examine the group. Twilight stood in front of her, mouth slightly agape, her quill pressed against the notepad, but not moving. Autumn nodded her head, still eating her breakfast and occasionally making sidelong glances at the cloth covered bat. Andrew was scratching his head, but gestured for her to continue when she looked at him.

“The theory that the group ended up more or less agreeing on was that Andrew is from a universe between those two extremes. Similar enough to share a language and other things, but different enough that the dominant species on Equs is different.”

“That’s…” Twilight stuttered as she attempted to think of an appropriate adjective. “a bit farfetched. ”

“I agree, but once you eliminate the probable, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.” Eve explained. “This certainly fits the criteria.”

“You see that’s what I’m having a hard time believing. You just quoted Sherlock Holmes.” Andrew pointed out. “I can almost see your theory explaining us speaking the same language. You know if I stop questioning my sanity long enough to do that. But all the way down to a quote in a book?”

“Sherlock Hooves actually.” Autumn corrected absentmindedly.

“That is beside the point.” Andrew pointed out, a skeptical look on his face. “You’re throwing around an awful lot of theoretical stuff. I mean I’m right here, that’s pretty concrete… right?”

“That is certainly true.” Eve agreed. “But it was the only theory that fit everything… other than you being a fraud.”

Andrew shook his head, waving away Eve’s second explanation. He was quiet for a while, looking at his hands as he fidgeted them.

“So what’s this mean for me getting home?” He asked, clearly not hopeful.

“Well…”

“Just say it.” He demanded.

“Understand that this theory is built on a theory itself, which is built on science that is barely months old. Our scientists are just beginning to fully grasp the realities of our world outside of superstition and purely magical abstracts. Contemplating the realities of other realties, and how we might travel between them is far beyond where we are today. We… We wouldn’t even know where to start.”

Andrew’s crestfallen face slowly lost all expression as Eve explained the situation. He shook his head and looked down at his lap.

“I think I need some time alone. To think.”

“Andrew, please don’t-” Twilight began.

“I said get out!” Andrew repeated harshly, his volume shocking both Twilight and Autumn. “Now!”

“As you wish.” Eve agreed, nodded solemnly as she turned towards the door. “Come you two, he has earned a moment of quiet.”

The trio quietly left the room, Autumn the last one out. She turned back to study the human from the doorway before silently shaking her head and closing the door. He sat in silence, looking down at his lap.

“I’m sorry Alice.” He said quietly to the empty room, his hands rising to cover his eyes. “I haven’t abandoned you. I promise.”

Evening Primrose, Twilight Sparkle and Autumn Song silently walked through the halls of the hospital. Twilight and Autumn followed behind Eve, with Twilight watching her hooves in sadness while Autumn looked slightly cross with herself.

“Do you think there is any way we could help him?” Twilight asked quietly.

“Other than send him home?” Autumn answered. “Giving him some space is probably our best bet.”

“That is true” Eve agreed, nodding her head. “I suggest we wait until he asks for help. I don’t think he will have a problem asking for it if he wants it.”

“No offense Miss Primrose, but how do you know that?” Twilight asked hesitantly. “You’ve only known him for a few hours.

“Well… Princess Luna described what he was like in great detail.” She explained. “Why, do you think I’m wrong?”

“No, not really.” Twilight quickly assured her. “I’m just curious.”

The group entered a sparsely populated waiting room. Nurses and doctors in uniforms walked through, going about their business. They made their way further, pushing out the front door of the hospital, the morning sun making them blink through its harsh rays.

“I’m going to talk to the girls.” Twilight said as the three walked down the path, away from the hospital. “Tell them what’s going on in case one of them had planned on visiting Andrew today.”

“That’s a good idea Twilight.” Autumn said with a small smile. “I’d go with you but Eve and I haven’t move our stuff in yet.”

“Indeed we haven’t.” Eve agreed. “I hope all of the equipment I had sent arrived undamaged.”

“Equipment?” Twilight asked.

“For Andrew’s education.” She explained. “We did not want to find ourselves lacking the necessary equipment for the coming lessons.”

“We?” Autumn asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes… we as in Princess Luna and I.” She explained quickly. “Most of it is on loan from Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns… At Princess Luna’s request.”

“Oh I’d love to take a look at all that.” Twilight said with her own small smile. “It would be like a trip down memory lane.”

“Perhaps you could stop by later… with your assistant, Spike.” Eve suggested. “I will have completed my report, as well as my request for books on runes by then. It would save a lot of time if he could…”

“Sure thing, He would be more than happy to help.” Twilight assured her as the three came upon a fork in the well-worn path. “I guess I will see you two later then. It was nice meeting you Miss Eve.”

“And you as well Twilight Sparkle.” Eve replied with a bow.

The three separated, with Twilight heading off toward the center of town and Eve and Autumn following the path to their new temporary home.

Worry: 15

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Andrew silently tied his shoes, pulling them tight before standing. He walked to the window as he adjusted his collar, looking out at the picturesque view on the other side. No emotion crossed his face as he watched the town, his eyes not focusing on anything in particular. Sometime in the past couple of hours he had decided he wanted to leave the hospital. He wasn’t really sure where he wanted to go, he only knew that he didn’t want to be there anymore. His original state of frustration and anger had quickly been replaced by an emptiness that now colored his face with neutrality. He didn’t know what to feel, so instead he just got ready to leave. He grabbed his bat from the corner of the room, and headed out into the hallway.

“Andrew?” What are you doing?” A nurse asked worriedly. “The doctor said you should be ready to leave by tomorrow morning. Why don’t you-”

“I’m ready to leave now.” He said clearly, leaving no room for debate. “I’ll sign whatever you want, but I’m walking out of here.”

The alabaster nurse nodded nervously, trotting away in a hurry to one of the desks. She had a short conversation with a unicorn stallion who Andrew recognized as the doctor who had been in charge of him. He looked over at Andrew nervously and nodded. The stallion picked up a clipboard, a quill and a few sheets of paper with his magic and made his way to the somber human.

“Hello Mr. Dike, Nurse Redheart informed me that you wish to be checked out?” He said questioningly. “Is that true?”

“Yeah. I’ve had my fill of hospitals for a while. Just give me whatever I have to sign and I’ll be gone.”

“Alright Mr. Dike, you’ll have to sign these papers.” The doctor explained as he passed Andrew the clip board. “They basically say that you understand you were advised to stay longer and that if anything negative results from ignoring that advisement the hospital isn’t liable.”

Andrew hurriedly signed the papers, reading through each page quickly. He struggled a bit with the quill, but managed to sign his name anyway. He silently passed the clipboard back to his doctor, who flipped through the pages to double check the signatures.

“Alright, looks like everything is in order.” The stallion said with a nod, sticking out his hoof. “Goodbye and be safe Mr. Dike.”

Andrew shook the doctor’s hoof and nodded, turning around and walking down the hall. He stepped into the bright sunlight, shielding his eyes for a moment as he pushed the doors open, blinking out the glare and exiting the hospital for what he hoped was the last time for a while. He followed the one dirt path from the building, heading toward the town, still not really sure if that’s where he wanted to go. He was pretty sure that if he want home at least one of his new roommates would be home, which was something he didn’t want to deal with. Even so he really didn’t have any other place to go. He didn’t even know a good place to hang out and be alone. Andrew mulled over his conundrum, so deep in thought he failed to notice the pony walking down the road towards him.

“Uhhh Andrew? Shouldn’t you still be in the hospital?” A familiar voice asked, breaking Andrew out of his thoughts.

“What?” Andrew said as he looked toward the pony who had spoken. “Oh, sorry Time Turner, didn’t notice you there.”

Time Turner was watching the human with a worried look, which he quickly hid behind a friendly smile.

“It’s uhh… alright.” The tan pony assured him. “So what’s up?”

“I just got sick and tired of lying in bed and doing fuck all.” He explained. “Plus I got some bad news and… I just needed out of that room.”

“Yeah… I ran into Twilight in town. She said I should put off visiting for a while.” He explained. “I figured I’d come find out for myself.”

“Well thanks, I appreciate the sentiment and everything but I would actually prefer to be alone.”

Andrew turned from the pony, heading down the road once more. He had barely gotten thirty feet before he realized that Time Turner was following him. He turned and looked at the earth pony with a raised eyebrow.

“What?” Time Turner asked with a shrug. “It’s uhhhh…. the only road back to town.”

Andrew shook his head and continued on, once again heading down the road. When he finally a well walked intersection he took a left, not really even paying attention to where it might lead. He made it a hundred feet down this new path before he realized he was still being followed. With a grunt of annoyance he picked up his pace, a brisk walk bringing him closer to the town, the path leading to a section he hadn’t been to before. He continued at his quickened pace until it was clear that Time Turner had sped up as well, easily keeping up with the human. At the end of his patience, Andrew stopped completely. Time turner closed the distance and then passed him by.

“Hey, don’t give me that look.” He said as he looked back at the annoyed human with a teasingly apologetic look. “it’s not my fault you took the shortest route to the bar.”

“…Bar?” Andrew asked, interest suddenly peeked. “Like a beer and greasy food bar?”

“Well uhh… they do have pretty good hay fries….” He admitted. “But I didn’t think you could eat those.”

“I can’t, but right about now I’d eat a chair if you fried it first.” Andrew said, practically drooling.

“You know…. I uhhh ….I could show you were it is…”

“I know what you’re doing Turner.” Andrew informed him after a long pause, a frusturated look on his face.

“Well… is it working?”

“…Yes.” Andrew admitted. “Lead away, I could really use a beer or twelve.”

The bar was located on the outer circle of the town proper and was advertised by a creaky wooden sign that hung above the front door. The afternoon was well past arrived by the time they were close enough to read it.

“The Thirsty Timberwolf?” Andrew read skeptically. “The fuck’s a timberwolf?”

“Well uhhh…. It’s like a wolf made of timbers.” Turner explained. “Everfree Forest is the only place in the world you can find them.”

“A wooden wolf?” Andrew asked doubtfully, shaking his head and pushing the door into the bar. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”

“It’s true.” Turner assured him, as he stepped past Andrew and lead him into the relatively dimly lit bar. “Just ask the owner.”

The two walked to the tables, sitting down in one of the closest. Andrew leaned the bat against one of the table’s legs, before scanning the bar in depth. It was mostly empty, which wasn’t surprising given that they had arrived during the lull after lunch but before dinner. As they sat down one of the waiters quickly came over to the two.

“Turner! Good to see you!” The earth pony mare said. “Haven’t seen you in a while. How’s Ditzy treating you?”

“She’s wonderful, thanks. We might actually stop by tomorrow after work.”

“I’ll have her usual waiting for her then!” The waitress assured Turner, before redirecting her attention to the human. “And you must be Andrew. Names Sunny Smiles, nice to finally put a shape and face to the stories.”

“Uh thanks, nice to meet you Sunny Smiles.” Andrew replied, a bit shocked by the mares lack of nervousness. “Nice to meet someone who isn’t instantly afraid of me.”

“I’ll be honest, if Quill Well wasn’t a regular here it might have been a different story.” She admitted sheepishly. “He stopped by last night, going on and on about your interview. You made quite the impression. I’m sure by tomorrow afternoon the whole town will finally come to their senses. Either way it’s good to see that you’re out of the hospital.”

The waitress stuck out her hoof, which Andrew shook. The middle age mare gave him a happy smile, before pulling out a notepad from her apron.

“So, what can I get you two?”

“You wouldn’t happen to have regular french fries… would you?” Andrew asked hopefully.

“You mean hay fries?” She asked with a raise eyebrow.

“No no, like fried potatoes.”

“Uhhh… what about sweet potato fries?” she suggested. “We don’t really have access to griffon food in such a small town.”

“Oh… well sweet potato fries actually sounds pretty good. I’ll have that and a beer, nothing too dark, other than that… surprise me I guess.”

“Sweet fries and a Saddle Strap Summer ale!” Sunny Smiles said a genuine smile, turning to Turner next. “What about you?”

“I uhhhh… I think I’ll stick with the usual.”

“Butter grilled portabella mushroom, hay fries and a Saddle Adams, coming right up!”

Sunny Smiles left, heading to the kitchen to give the cook their orders. When she was out of ear shot Andrew leaned in and whispered to Turner.

“Griffon food?”

“Potatoes are toxic to ponies.” Turner explained. “But not to griffons I guess.”

“Potatoes are bad for you, but not sweet potatoes?”

“I don’t know.” Turner admitted with a shrug. “I’m a clock repair man, not a doctor.”

“Fair enough I guess.” Andrew agreed with a similar shrug.

"Wait... That means I should have asked for french fries while I was still in Canterlot." Andrew said when the realization dawned on him. "Well that sucks."

Andrew toyed with one of the tables coasters, spinning it around with his fingers. Turner watched him do this, clearly interested in Andrew’s nimble appendages. Andrew ignored his looks, especially when Turner moved his look from his finger to his expression. When Andrew continued to ignore him, he coughed awkwardly.

"You know, I did warn you I didn’t feel like talking much." Andrew pointed out, finally looking up from the table. "I appreciate that you care enough to try, but it’s not really a good time."

"Oh I uhhhh... I know. Twilight seemed pretty shook up when I talked to her earlier." He explained. "You must have really snapped"

"I really did. Screamed at her. At Eve and Autumn too." Andrew explained as he shook his head in disgust, which was clearly focused on himself.

"Well I'm sure she knows you didn’t really mean it." Turner assured him. "Just like I know that even though you’re telling everyone you want to be alone, you don’t really want that."

Andrew looked at Turner, eyebrow raised. Turner met his gaze and grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry, my mother is a psychologist." He apologetically explained. "It kinda rubs off on you."

"Ditzy must love that."

"So far I've managed to avoid doing it to her." He said as if it surprised him.

"Lucky her."

Andrew was silent for a while, patiently waiting as Sunny Smiles dropped off there drinks. He thanked her somberly, which she noticed but decided to not bring up. After she had left again, Andrew began to explain.

"They came up with another theory about me, where I'm from. They have no idea how I got here, or why I'm here, so suffice to say it pretty much means they have no idea how they could possibly send me home. I'm stuck here in the land magical land of ponies, unicorns and pegasi."

"Well... There are probably worse places to be stuck." Turner pointed out with a hopeful shrug.

"It’s not about where I'm stuck. It’s who I've left behind." Andrew explained simply.

When Andrew offered no elaboration, Turner nodded his head solemnly.

"Alright, I won’t ask for any details. A stallion has his right to privacy."

"Thanks." Andrew said. "Not just for that, for coming with me."

"Your welcome." Turner said with a small smile. "So… what is that thing?"

Turner pointed to Andrew’s cloth covered bat, poking at it with his hoof. It began to slowly slide off of the legs it was leaning on.

"It's my baseball bat." Andrew explained as he deftly caught the handle, pulling it up and undoing the knotted cloth. "See?"

"I mean I see it, but what’s baseball? And what does that piece of painted wood have to with bats?"

"Baseball is a human sport from back home. And this bat was why I was in the hospital. We are a bit sketchy on the details, but essentially it drained me of a lot of my magic."

“I’ve heard magical exhaustion can be terrible." Turner commented with a sympathetic wince.

"Oh no, it was like going to a carnival." Andrew replied sarcastically. "It was kinda like having the flu, being dehydrated and recovering from the worst hangover in history, all at the same time."

Before Turner could comment on that Sunny Smiles arrived to drop off their meals. She had them skillfully balanced on her back, and easily placed them in front of the hungry duo. Andrew’s plate of sweet potato fries was massive and smelled amazing, while Turners meal looked equally appetizing.

“Thanks Sunny, its looks delicious as all ways.” Turner commented. “Tell Quick Cook I said thanks.”

“Sure thing. Andrew, you need anything else?”

“I’ll take a refill when you get the chance.”

“Round two coming right up!” She said with another smile, and headed off.

The table was quiet for a while, save for a mutterings of enjoyment as they dug into their food. Andrew, a ketchup dipped fry in his hand, was the first to get back to talking.

"So how was your date with Ditzy?" He asked.

"Oh the one the other day? It was a lot of fun, but then again it always is with her."

"You said you've been seeing her for three months? Things must be getting pretty serious."

"Four months in a week actually." Turner corrected with a happy smile. "We are trying to take things slow, but it all just feels so easy and normal. We've been trading off which of our houses we sleep in for two weeks now."

"Wow dude, good for you!" Andrew congratulated him, thumping him in the back. "I’m afraid I’ve never had to much luck in the love department, otherwise I’d probably have some sage advice for you."

"Sage advice? From you?" Turner joked, poking the human with his hoof. "No thanks, I'm good."

"Har har, very fucking funny."

"Right, sorry. Honestly I’d accept any advice, sage or not.” Turner admitted with a nervous smile. “This is uhhhh… my first real adult relationship and I'm so worried I’ll mess it up."

“Advice?” Andrew asked, obviously racking his brain. “Treat her like a person, then a princess, then a Greek goddess, then like a person again?”

“And uhhh… what’s that mean?”

“It means that she’s per- uh…pony, not a something to put on a pedestal. I mean yes, you should treat her special, because she is special to you, but don’t forget that at the beginning and end of it, she is a pony, just like you.”

Turner paused for a moment, looking at Andrew with slight shock. He nodded his head as thought what he had said through.

“Wow… Andrew that’s pretty good advice I think.” He praised. “Seriously, that might actually keep me from doing something stupid down the road…Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me, I stole it from someone else.”

Turner laughed at Andrew’s admission, shaking his head.

“Well either way, it’s uhhh… it’s good advice.”

“Happy to help I guess.” Andrew said with a shrug.

Andrew and Turner ate their late lunches while chatting about this and that, including Sunny Smiles in there conversations when she walked by, up until the bar began to fill with the beginnings of the dinner rush. Andrew had decided to stop around three beers, which meant he was smiling and laughing, his earlier worries gone from his mind for the moment at least. Turner however had stopped after two, saying that he had to get back to work after they finished. They were both smiling as Turner attempted to convince Andrew to accompany him and Ditzy on a picnic.

“I’m telling you, it would be fun!” Turner assured the human. “She would love the chance to meet you.”

“And I’d be happy to meet her, believe me.” Andrew agreed, but clearly unconvinced as a whole. “But a picnic seems like a rather… datey thing for me to drop in on. I would definitely just be a third wheel.”

“Nopony says you’d have to stay the whole time.” The stallion pointed out, finishing the last of his hay fries. “You could stop by, have something to eat then leave before sunset. It’ll be fun!”

“Oh I don’t know man…”

“You could always bring a friend?” Turner suggested. “You wouldn’t be the third wheel then. Just four ponies hanging out, having a picnic. Besides, Doo has been kinda busy lately, so this might be your only chance to properly meet her for a while.”

“Alright alright, I’ll stop by with a friend for a bit.” Andrew agreed, finally caving after a pause to think. “When is it?”

“Thursday. You could stop by at uhhh… four maybe? We’ll have an early dinner.”

“Sure, okay. Where again?”

“Doo has a favorite spot outside of town, a clearing called Blue Grass Meadows. It’s a walk but it has a great oak tree for shade, and the wild grass is amazing!”

“Oh… there’s gonna be food other than the grass… right?”

“Huh? Oh yeah, definitely! Especially if you’re going, Doo can’t resist the chance to show off her muffins.”

“Okay, just making sure.” Andrew said with obvious relief. “Blue Grass Meadows, four o’clock. I’ll be there.”

“Great!” Turner said happily, before turning to a clock on the wall of the bar. “Unfortunately it’s about time for me to get back to work, I have some orders to fill before the day is over.”

“Sure, that’s fine. Feel free to take off if you need, I got this.” Andrew said as he pulled out a small sack, jingling it for emphasis.

“Oh no, I can’t let you pay for me. Besides it was my idea to come here anyway.”

“No no, really it’s the least I can do. I really appreciate you dragging me out here.” Andrew insisted. “Besides, its courtesy of the Equestrian government, not me.”

“Well, when you put it like that I suppose I can allow it.” Turner finally agreed with a smirk, pushing his chair away and standing up. “Sorry to run off like this, but reality beckons.”

Time Turner made his way around the table, sticking out his hoof. Andrew stood and shook it heartily, giving Turner a pat on the back as well.

“Thanks again buddy. I’ll see you on Thursday.”

Turner nodded and headed to the bar door, waving once behind himself before pushing through the door. Once he had left, Andrew sat back down. Eventually Sunny Smiles noticed Turners absence and made her way over.

“Hey Andrew, Turner headed back off to work?” She asked as she took away the stallion’s empty plate and bottle.

“Yeah. I’m almost ready to leave as well.” He replied, finishing that last swig of his beer. “I’ll have a double shot of honey whiskey before that though.”

“Sure thing, I’ll be back in a moment.”

“Thanks”

Andrew began to peel the label off his bottle, staring at the amber glass. He ignored the looks of the slowly filling bar room, quickly falling deep into thought.

When Andrew finally left the bar it was about an hour later, the afternoon just about meting into night time. The bar was full and Andrew had eventually grew tired of trying to block out all of the whispering and the pointing. He had left, leaving two gold coins on the table, which was more than enough to cover the meal and their drinks. He waved to Sunny Smiles as he left, who smiled and returned his wave. As he left he heard the friendly waitress chastise a table full of ponies for pointing at him behind his back. He smiled as his big tip was validated by the waitress’s kindness.

The streets were surprisingly full, and Andrew quickly realized that this was the town’s version of rush hour, with all the ponies returning home from wherever they worked. The stores and stalls he passed were either closing or already closed, save for restaurants and a few other places. He once again ignored the weird looks, though he begrudgingly noticed there were far few looks of fear than before. Despite this meager achievement Andrew felt his sour and depressed mood returning, his mind once again dwelling on his inability to get home. He knew Twilight, Luna and everyone else wouldn’t give up trying to find a way to send him home, but with the recent revelations he couldn’t even try to keep thinking optimistically.

Before long he turned to the road that led to his new house. It was much later than he had intended, and he mentally kicked himself for pausing to sit lazily on the few benches that dotted the streets. When he realized he had arrived at his street, he was shocked that he had managed to find his way home without getting lost or asking or directions.

“Human one, Ponyville zero.” Andrew muttered to himself with a ruthful laugh.

The street passed quickly, fancy houses spaced far apart, with the place he was calling home waiting for him at the end. Along the way he realized just how tired he was, after almost falling on his face as he tripped over a barely visible hump in the ground. When he was once again stable after his stumble, he shook his head.

“Alright, tie game then.”

He managed to make it to the door without any more difficulty. He could hear the chattering of ponies inside, much more than the expected two voices of his new roommates.

“So much for getting some more rest…” He muttered, shaking his head and pushing the door open.

Andrew walked inside and kicked off his shoes, putting them against the corner of the doorway before heading into the hall. The house was now quiet, the voices having stopped when he had closed the door behind him. He made his way to the entrance to the living room, stopping when he realized just how many ponies where there.

In the living room were five ponies and a dragon. They all looked at him with varying degrees of shock and relief. Evening Primrose and Autumn both sat on one of the couches, with Applejack and Twilight on the other. Fluttershy sat in the single chair while Spike sat against the stone of the dormant fireplace. Twilight was the first to overcome her surprise, teleporting from the far end of the room to directly in front Andrew. To his credit he hardly jumped when she appeared in front of him with a pop.

“Oh thank Celestia! We were all starting to get worried!” She said at a half shout, concern evident in her voice. “Why did you check yourself out of the hospital? Why do you smell like whiskey? Where have you been!?”

“Umm…”

Andrew scanned the other occupants of the house, more than a bit thrown off by Twilights emotional surge. Eve looked as collected as she had been earlier, though a bit relieved. Autumn looked relieved as well, giving Andrew a happy smile when he looked at her. Fluttershy looked like she was still worried, as if he could still disappear at any moment, and now that he looked he was pretty sure Spike was asleep. Applejack just gave him a knowing look.

“Well?” Twilight asked again, regaining Andrew’s attention.

“I didn’t disappear, I just left early.” He explained, a bit defensively. “I couldn’t stand being cooped up any longer, I needed to leave. Met up with Time Turner by chance, he took me to the Thirsty Timberwolf. We had lunch and I hung out there for a while.”

“That’s very irresponsible of you Andrew, the Doctor clearly thought that-”

“The doctor was just being overly cautious, I’m fine!” He insisted. “All I was going to do there was rest and sleep. I can do that here. Besides I’m not a child, I do what I want.”

“Walking around town is not resting Andrew.” She pointed out. “And neither is hanging out at a bar.”

“Look...” Andrew started looking at Twilight then at the rest of the group. “I’m sorry that I made you guys worry. I was feeling antsy even before all the shitty news so I just needed out. I was going to go for a walk and just sleep under a tree but Time Turner convinced me to hang out with him. I’ll admit going from the hospital straight into a bar might not have been the smartest choice, but I’m fine, I swear.”

For a moment it looked like she may push the subject. But her face softened and she pushed into Andrew, wrapping one leg around him. She embraced him tightly, her eyes watering.

“I’m sorry, your right. We were all just so worried and…” Twilight trailed off, pulling out of the hug and wiping at her eyes. “I was worried you might blame us, for not being able to send you home.”

Andrew recovered from Twilights sudden swerve in mood, shocked out of it by her guilty admission. He kneeled in front of her so they were closer to looking eye to eye, with him looking slightly up at her.

“Whoa hold on there Twilight. I don’t blame you guys, that wouldn’t be fair at all.” He assured her, patting her neck. “You didn’t bring me here, so I could never blame you for not being able to send me back.”

“But we promised to send you home…”

“And I’m sure someday you will make good on it.” He said confidently, surprising himself in the process. “In the meantime don’t beat yourself up over it. It’s not your fault.”

This time it was Andrew who pulled Twilight into a hug, wrapping both arms around her. He released her and stood, mussing her hair up a bit as he did. He turned to the others, his hands held up pleadingly.

“I really am sorry if I worried you guys. I guess I’m not used to having so many people concerned about my well-being. I’ll try not to up and disappear on you guys from now on.”

“I reckon it’s a’right, I think we may have worked ourselves up a bit.” Applejack assured him. “You’re right. Yer ah grown stallion, an’ yer allowed to do yer own thing.”

“Thank you.” Andrew said with a nod, not sure what else to say.

“Grown stallion or not I think it’s about time he made good on his promise of rest.” Eve suggested. “I’m sure you all have things to do before the day is done.”

The group nodded and stood up, saying their goodbyes. Twilight poked Spike awake, who jumped with a start. He grumbled something about knowing everything was okay and walked out with Twilight and Applejack in tow. Applejack paused before leaving, turning to Andrew.

“Iffen you ever need a quiet place to think, ain’t no better place then under an apple tree.” She assured him. “Big mac don’t talk much and ah can tell when a pony needs some time to sort their thoughts. Stop by if you need some time to yer self.”

“Thank you Applejack.” Andrew said with a solemn smile. “I might just take you up on that sooner or later.”

“Umm… I’m glad you’re okay Andrew.” A voice, Fluttershy, said from behind him. “You really should listen to doctors, but as long as you’re careful… and ummm get plenty of rest.”

Andrew smiled at the shy pony, kneeling down to give her a hug as well.

“Thank you Fluttershy. And don’t worry, I’ll get plenty of rest.” He assured her.

The yellow pegasus nodded before leaving, gingerly shutting the door behind her, leaving Andrew alone with his two new roommates.

“So…” He started awkwardly, turning to face the two ponies who were still sitting in the living room. “That was a load of fucking fun.”

“They were genuinely concerned about you Andrew.” Eve emphasized as she got up and walked past him, heading to the stairs. “You would do well to take that seriously.”

Andrew could do nothing but nod as she headed up stairs, no doubt of to the room she claimed as her own. Once she was out of sight he turned and headed to the kitchen, grabbed a soda and headed back to the living room, sitting next to Autumn, who had curled up on the couch. They sat in silence for a while, before Autumn spoke up.

“I’m not going to ask if you are okay or not.” She said, raising her head to look at her human friend. “It’s not exactly hard to imagine the answer to that.”

Andrew visibly relaxed after she said that, his shoulder slumped and head sagging before he rubbed his face. He eventually leaned back against the sofa, spreading his arm around the top.

“Thanks. It gets old quickly.”

“I know.” She replied. “You'd just lie and say you were fine anyway.”

“Probably.” Andrew agreed with a nod, unable to deny that she was right. “So, how are you doing?”

“Me? I’m fine” She answered, looking at Andrew with confusion. “Why?”

“Well you got ordered to follow someone you barely know from Canterlot all the way to Ponyville.”

“Oh…” She looked away, out toward the window on the other side of the room. “I don’t mind that much, it’s fun to meet new people.”

“In between keeping tabs on me of course.”

Autumn looked at Andrew with shock and guilt, surprised that Andrew had realized her real purpose so quickly.

“It’s okay.” He assured her. “I would have done the same thing in Princess Celestia’s place. In fact, I probably would have sent actual armed guards. I certainly won’t hold you doing your job against you.”

“You mean that you don’t mind that I’m here to keep an eye on you?” She asked, her eyebrow raised in disbelief. “Even though I send reports to the princess?”

Andrew just shrugged and took a swig of his soda, setting it down on the table when he was done.

“I mean I’m not doing anything wrong so why would I be worried? It’s fine, really.”

“You’re… weird.” Autumn said, clearly at a loss for words.

“Yeah… can’t really argue with that.” He agreed with a laugh and a nod. “Oh well, worse things to be. Either way I just wanted you to know that I’m okay with it, in case you felt guilty about it or something.”

“Thank you… I guess.” She replied hesitantly. “How did you figure it out?”

“How could I not?” He asked hypothetically. “I mean why else would you really get sent here? Eve certainly doesn’t need to be watched. You following me around in Canterlot was one thing, but this is kinda obvious.”

“Well when you put it like that…”

He patted her back as he stood up from the couch, stretching his arms around. He cracked his neck and hands before turning to smile at Autumn.

“I hope we can be friends despite that." He asked. “Assuming that wouldn’t get you in trouble or something.”

“…No, I think that would be fine.” She finally said after a long pause.

“Good. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to pass out. The whiskey is catching up and I need to be horizontal. Night.”

She nodded as Andrew turned and left, still a little thrown off by what had just happened. As Andrew climbed the stairs to the second floor and out of sight she shook her head and smiled, happy despite her confusion.

Magic: 16

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When Andrew woke up the next day, it was to the sound of a loud thumping at his door. He groggily wiped his eyes as he struggled to wake up fully.

“Andrew, are you decent?” A voice Andrew easily recognized as Eve’s said from beyond his door.

“Yeah, more or less” He replied.

The mare quickly pushed the door open, entering the room and fixing Andrew with a rather professional and official look.

“It is time to wake up Andrew, your training should have begun an hour ago.” She explained. “I let you sleep a few extra hours, but don’t expect that concession in the future.”

“What time is it?”

“Seven in the morning.”

“…And why do you think my training should start at six in the morning?” Andrew asked as he resisted the urge to flip off the scholarly unicorn.

“Because the earlier we have these lessons the more privacy we will have.” She explained. “Plus there will be less thaumaturgic pollution.”

“Thauma-whatisit?” Andrew asked skeptically. “No way you didn’t just make that up thirty seconds ago.”

Despite his skepticism he slid himself upright, throwing the covers off of himself in the process. He stretched and stood, looking around for a shirt.

“I assure you I did not. Though for this morning’s lesson I don’t believe pollution can be avoided.”

“Why’s that?” He asked conversationally as he finally found his shirt.

“You shall find out soon enough.” She explained mysteriously. “Meet me at the back patio when you are finished getting dress.”

“Yeah yeah, keep your shirt on.” He dryly joked as he pulled his own shirt over his head.

By the time Andrew had finished tying his shoes he had woken up considerably, but was still ecstatic to find a pot of coffee already being brewed when he got down stairs. After having a quick cup and an apple with some peanut butter, he headed out the back door. True to her word Evening Primrose stood on the back patio, her eyes closed and her horn glowing. Beside her was a considerable pile of something, covered by a thick white sheet. He made his way beside her, keeping quiet lest he disturb her concentration. When she opened her eyes she began walking, gesturing Andrew forward with a nod.

“What were you doing?” He asked as he stepped to follow her. “and what was under that sheet?”

“I was scouting a suitable place for your lessons and training.” She answered. “And the sheet was protecting a few learning aids I brought from Canterlot.”

“Ah… well how far away is it?” He asked. “You made it sound like we would be starting just out back.”

Andrew asked this as they entered the tree line behind the house. Eve showed no signs of stopping.

“Far enough.” She said simply in a patient tone.

Andrew debated pushing for a real answer, but as they walked he realized how good it felt to stretch his legs after the past few days of being laid up in a hospital bed. Soon he was smiling, looking at the forest as he followed Eve. She seemed to know exactly where she was going, so Andrew didn’t question her. Finally she slowed, stopping in a decent sized clearing surrounded by massive oak trees. Small saplings dotted the relatively empty spot.

“Wow… This place is pretty cool…”

Andrew walked to the nearest tree, running his hand across the bark. Hardly more than a couple of feet away stood another tree, and another and another. The clearing was surrounded by them, their branches intermingled above it. Andrew finally looked back down, his eyes falling back to Eve.

“So, I’m assuming this is the special spot?”

“That is correct.” She replied. “However, it isn’t done yet.”

“Not done…?” Andrew asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Indeed. While discussing your teaching with Princess Celestia, She suggested that I start off by showing you the power of magic. What you one day may achieve if you work hard.”

“Uh… I’ve already seen some pretty impressive things so far.” He said skeptically. “I’m not sure what-.”

Andrew cut his sentence short as Eve closed her eyes, her horn glowing the already familiar light blue aura. He watched as she concentrated, the magic she was wielding pulsating around her horn. She released the spell, the aura leaving her horn and expanding into the clearing. It slid through the air like deliberate and hasty smoke, pouring into the trees that surrounded the clearing, and into the saplings that dotted its interior. They soon pulsed with Eve’s magic. Loud creaks and cracks echoed through the forest as the trees began to change, the wood growing and stretching as if it was living clay, reaching out to meet one another. Soon the area was almost completely closed off, with holes appearing in the wood that could only be a single door and a few scattered windows. The branches above them moved as well, weaving together tighter and tighter, until it was clear that it would hold against all but the most severe storms. The saplings quickly grew as well, coiling around themselves to form chairs and bookshelves. Andrew watched in stunned silence as the wood kept growing, a door dropping down and fixing itself in the doorway by growing rudimentary hinges that fit into the already existing wall. The windows were soon covered by impossibly thin leaves, so thin that light poured in through them, but strong enough that the sounds of the woods was soon muffled almost completely.

Before the trees had even finished moving, Eve’s horn glowed again, this time the magic poured into the ground, which rumbled and shook under Andrew’s feet. A giant slab of slate pushed up from the ground, carried by arm thick roots. They lifted the rock off the floor, the slab stopping at about eye level. It wasn’t until small pieces of white stone pushed up from the ground and rested on a small shelf at the bottom of the rock that Andrew recognized it as an impromptu chalk board. Another smaller chunk of slate pushed up from the ground, this one reorienting itself until it was parallel to the ground. A desk, held up by thick roots.

Again Eve cast her magic out, the wisps of magery once again pouring into the ground. Hundreds of rocks pushed through the dirt, ranging from fist sized to ones the size of Andrews head. Soon the entire floor was lined with these rocks, all of them rotating so that the floor was a relatively level and smooth surface. Andrew swayed slightly as a handful spun under his feet.

Eve took a deep breath, sucking in air greedily. She held the long breath as her horn glowed again, the last time in her performance. The spell glowed around her horn for a few moments longer than the other spells, dancing and sparking around it. Finally she released the held breath, the magic popping away. For a fraction of a moment Andrew thought the spell had failed, only to shout in shock as hundreds of items teleported into the room. Books popped into existence on the shelves, boxes with various labels stacked themselves in the corners and curious bronze contraptions filled the tables. The final touch was an apple appearing on the newly made slate desk.

For a long moment, Andrew stood with a gaping mouth, completely shocked by the impossibilities he had just witnessed. Eve inhaled deeply but evenly, strained but clearly not to the degree Andrew would have expected from a normal unicorn. He reached out behind him without looking back, pulling the natural wicker chair behind him and sitting down into it heavily.

“Wow…” Andrew said when he finally found his words. “That… That was… Wow.”

“Thank you, your graceful words honor me.” Eve said jokingly.

“Your welcome.” He joked back. “But seriously, that was really impressive. I’ve seen some interesting things so far, but this was the first time I’ve seen magic used to do so much.”

“Unfortunately that is to be expected. Many unicorns in this era are all too happy to only know the magic that applies to their special talent. Those who dedicate themselves to magic as a whole are comparatively far and few between.”

“That must have been some high level magic, right? I’m pretty sure I’ll never get to that level.” He guessed. “That’s fine, I’ll just be happy to not almost kill myself every time my hand glows.”

“I’m glad you said that, because in that assumption lays your first lesson.” She said with a smile. “Every one of the spells I just used was a class B or below.”

“And class B means what exactly?”

“Spells are classed in terms of difficulty. The lowest class is ‘D’. All healthy unicorns can cast the three D class spells, though they technically aren’t spells.” Eve explained, waving off Andrew’s question before he could ask it. “We shall delve deeper into that soon enough. D’s are followed in difficulty by is C, then B, followed by A, S, double S, Triple S and finally the forbidden spells. You are actually already familiar with a forbidden spell, one was used to heal you from your… arrival.”

“Yeah, Twilight mentioned it the other day, but didn’t go into much detail.”

“It’s not hard to imagine why. It was quite a dramatically tense moment.” She explained. “or so I’ve heard.”

Andrew rolled his eyes at Eve’s quick addendum, but said nothing, a mischievous smile on his face. Eve missed his response though and continued talking.

“Forbidden spells are closely guarded. A great many of them are illegal to even know, though proving one knows something has always been a… touchy subject. The morality of delving into one’s mind is a hotly debated subject. But I digress.”

Eve made her way to her desk, pulling a nearby sapling chair with her magic. She sat, frowned and used her magic to adjust the seat, before looking back to Andrew.

“The significance of the spells I just used being B or below is that it proves that being a good mage has very little to do with what spells you know, it’s all about experience and creative uses. A great mage may only know a few dozen spells, but will know hundreds of ways to apply each of those spells.”

“Okay, I suppose that makes a certain kind of sense.” Andrew agreed with a nod. “So what spells did you use?”

“The rock floor was a simple directional spell, a derivative of telekinesis. The desk and chalk board was a growing spell, as was the walls and ceiling. The only difference was the severity and dispersion. The roots are still alive because I was much gentler with them, choosing roots from a dozen or so different trees. The walls and ceiling however, were created with a much more empowered version. They were almost completely dead before I could even cast the second spell. Unfortunate but necessary, especially when considering how many trees we would have had to kill if we made this out of refined lumber.”

“Fair enough I guess…” Andrew said. “You think I can learn any of those? I mean I can brag all I want about being a wizard, but it doesn’t mean shit if everyone else can do magic that’s way better than mine.”

“Stallions” Eve joked with a small smile. “Always so focused on being better. To answer your question though, Yes. I believe you should be capable of learning those and more.”

“Really? I thought Twilight said I wouldn’t be able to learn much?”

“I believe her main concern was your apparent lack of magical instincts.” She corrected, standing up and walking to one of the boxes in the corner of the room. “And after some discussion with an expert on the subject… I believe she was at least partially wrong.”

“How so? I mean it kinda made sense to me.”

“To understand that, you need to better understand the basics of Unicorn magery.” She explained as she pulled the top off of a box, sifting through its contents.

Eve pulled a roll of paper from the container. It glowed with her magic as she unrolled it, pinning it to one of the walls. Printed on it was some sort of anatomy chart, with lines and arrows pointing at an intricately colored Unicorn. It showed rainbow colored lines running to every corner of the pony cross section. A great many of the lines converged on the brain, running alongside it before stretching across the gap between the brain and the horn. However, at some point all of the lines came in contact with a large oval in the middle of the pony’s chest.

“This is a rough generalization of the mana pathways of a unicorn. They can vary from pony to pony, especially if the pony has a particularly unique special talent. Notice how they run through almost every inch of the body, many of them branching to the surface of the skin. This is how a unicorns, as well as pegusi, earth ponies and even alicorns absorb the natural magic around them. The magic comes through their skin and is slowly pulled to their mana concentration, here.”

Eve tapped her hoof on the poster, pointing to the central oval that all of the mana pathways eventually connected too. Her horn glowed and another poster floated from the same box, unrolled itself and tacked itself alongside the already hanging picture. This one was a very simplistic picture of a human, clearly drawn and filled in by hand, rather than the rather professional looking pony poster.

“This is a rough sketch Princess Celestia had created with help from the information that Twilight Sparkle gathered during you’re examination. It is far from perfect but it will illustrate the point relatively well.” She explained as she motioned to the new poster. “As you can see your mana concentration seems to be in your chest as well. Your mana pathways were normal as of yesterday morning when I scanned you. The biggest difference between you and a unicorn at this point is that your mana focus is your right hand.”

“Wow, I got a mana concentration in my chest?” He asked more than a bit concerned. “What happens if it like… pops or something?”

“Pops..?” She asked, confused for a moment before realizing what he meant. “Ah I see, I suppose I assumed too much. You see magic is ethereally stored within your body. There is no physical part to the mana inside you.”

“So how does it stay inside you then? If it’s not physical, wouldn’t it just stay behind when you move?”

“That is because of the mana creation process. During the process of pulling in wild natural magic inside you, it is refined and tuned to an individual’s magical field. Your magical field, which is generated by your mana pathways, pushes the magic to a central spot. This is why draining your magic to the point of draining you mana pathways is so dangerous. If emptied completely you could lose the ability to store and gather wild magic and turn it into mana.”

“Oh, explains why everyone was so worried about me…”

“Indeed it does.” Eve nodded solemnly. “Advance magical exhaustion can be very serious.”

“Whoops.”

“Yes, whoops indeed.” Eve shook her head. “Shall we both strive to prevent such a thing from happening again?”

“I’m all ears.” The human replied, leaning forward, his elbows on his knees.

“Good. Now where was I?”

“My right hand?” Andrew answered, shaking his hand about.

“Ah, right, thank you. Your right hand is your focusing point, the bones in your arm seem to have been suffused with magic, just as a unicorns horn is. You will need to learn how to focus and direct your mana through your hand, something that comes second nature to unicorns. Then you will need to learn how to weave and will it into spells. I believe that learning to exert this much control over your magic will teach you how to control yourself. ”

“How exactly will I do that? If I have no magical instinct like Twilight said, how can I possibly learn any sort of control?”

“As I mentioned before, I believe that Twilight Sparkle was at least partially incorrect in her findings.” Eve explained. “Your scans clearly shows your mana pathways interacting with your brain.”

Eve pointed to the point on the rough drawing of Andrew where a handful of the rainbow colored lined met with his brain. She pointed to a similar point of the unicorn poster.

“This is generally considered to be where magical instincts are stored. However, at first I was concerned whether or not this alignment meant anything for you specifically.” She explained. “After all just because your mana passes through your brain doesn’t mean you can influence it. But, after discussing a surprisingly similar case with a specialist, I have come to the conclusion that you do in fact have some sense of magical instinct.”

“Similar case? I kinda find that hard to believe.”

“As did I. Never the less I believe this pony’s unique accident will be invaluable to teaching you how to control and eventually use your magic.”

“Accident?”

“About one hundred years ago, a railroad worker by the name of Phoenix Gauge was injured while on the job. An iron rod was blown completely through his skull, damaging a section we now know is associated with controlling magic.” She paused her explanation to point to the area were the mana pathways connected to the ponies brain. “Amazingly he survived, but as a result he was completely stripped of all magical skill, reduced to the most basic of class D foal spells. When threatened he was capable of casting a shield spell. When he desired something he would occasionally levitate it or even teleport it to himself. I believe that does sound familiar.”

“So what, I’m equivalent to a brain damaged unicorn?”

“To put it bluntly, yes.” She agreed with a nod. “Mr. Gauge was stripped of all magical familiarity, all the way down to how it felt to access his mana. But his magical instincts remained. I believe you have a similar problem.”

“And you think that in the same way that he was casting foal magic on instincts alone, you think that because I’m doing that same must mean I have instinct?.”

“Precisely!” Eve said happily. “If you had no instincts what so ever, you wouldn’t be able to access your magic at all.”

“So what does that mean for me exactly?” He asked, trying to hide his impatience.

“It means that with hard work and lots of practice we can build up your familiarity with the intricacies of magic, just as Phoenix Gauge once did. And we will even have a head start, for Mr. Gauge left detailed notes on his progress in the form of a journal, which was donated to the Royal library after his passing.”

Eve levitated another box from the corner, pulling the top off as it made its way to her desk. From the box she pulled a crudely bound book, signed with the name ‘Phoenix Gauge’ in large cursive lettering.

“I read through them before I arrived, it was truly fascinating. It seems Mr. Gauge had a similar problem with foal spells, just like yours. He was advised to relearn accessing his mana, which would hopefully in turn curb the amount of foal spells considerably.” Eve explained animatedly, opening up the journal delicately. “It took him several months, but once he was able to access his mana consistently, the number of foal spells dropped massively.”

“I hope he left a step by step instructions with plenty of pictures, ‘cause there is no way I’m lasting a couple of months just sitting here meditating.”

“Lucky for you it seems he was a detailed writer and a son of early sciences. His descriptions are detailed and he was surprisingly practical in his methods.”

“Fantastic.” Andrew said, clapping his hands together and standing up. “So, where do we start?”

Andrew laid back against the wooden chair, his eyes closed. His breath was slow and even, his mind focused and calm. It had taken him a good thirty minutes or so for him to achieve this state, most of that time spent sating his curiosity, asking Eve random question about magic that popped into his mind.

“That’s it, slow your breathing and empty your mind.” Eve said soothingly. “Focus on the second time you used magic. You reached out with your magic and levitated a book. Focus on how it felt, the emotions you had and the feeling of tapping into your mana.”

Andrew let out a long, drawn out breath. He did as Eve instructed, recalling the memory of when he had used magic for the second time.

“I was excited. I had just learned I had magic, which at the time sounded pretty cool and not dangerous at all.”

“And what else? What else did you feel?”

“I was… Scared. Scared because so many new things were happening and it felt like I have… had no control.”

“And then what? What did you do” Eve asked softly.

“I guess I reached out… Wanted to see my magic for myself. I thought if I could use it...”

“You might get some control back.” Eve finished when Andrew couldn’t find the words.

“I guess, yeah.” Andrew agreed solemnly, his eyes still closed. “Wasn’t nearly that conscious though”

“Focus on how it felt, reaching out. The sensation of the mana within you, pulling it forth and reaching out to grasp something.”

Andrew pursed his lips, his mind focused on recalling the sensations Eve was describing. He searched his mind for the same sensation, looking for the trigger. Seconds slipped by as he studiously searched his mind. After a long moment or two he let out a sharp gasp, drawing a deep breath in.

“What? What is it?” Eve asked, excited that he might have finally made progress.

“Nothing, I just forgot to breathe for a minute.”

Eve rolled her eyes and fixed Andrew with a lightly withering look. “I thought you were going to take this seriously?”

“I thought you had teaching experience, shouldn’t a teacher have more experience with unruly students?” Andrew teasingly fired back, his eyes still closed.

“It has been a very long time since I’ve had a student, I’m still a bit out of practice it seems.” She explained. “But I assure you I can be patient when it is required.”

Andrew smiled and shook his head, but once again turned his thoughts inward. He made sure to breathe, taking in long slow breaths.

“How did he describe it again?”

Eve looked down to the journal she had placed on the table, using her magic to flip through the pages. During the last hour or so they had searched through the book for hints on how Andrew could consciously access his mana. She found the page she was looking for and read it out loud.

“‘as I searched inward I finally found a place that emanated self, an undiluted pocket of my essence. It was warm, and somehow felt of home. I mentally reached for it, and it was as if it reached back to me, for it was no sooner that I had done so that my horn began to glow. I reach outward with my magic in an attempt to pick up the marble I had placed on the shelf. It glowed with my mana, and shot across the room, narrowly missing my head. It was a few hours before I had calmed down enough to try again. ’”

“Right, search inward, find a pocket of my own essence… god why does that sound so dirty?” Andrew said, mumbling the last part.

“What was that?”

“I said I hope this works.” He lied, unable to hide a small smile. “And I hope it doesn’t take a couple of months.”

“I’m sure with proper guidance you will achieve your goal soon.” Eve reassured him. “Now, focus, or it will take even longer.”

Andrew groaned as he stood, stretching his arms and back. He had been sitting in the chair for an hour or so since his last break, and he could feel his muscles tensing. He has spent the whole morning meditating, trying to access his magic. So far he had made absolutely no progress, and he could practically feel the frustration buzzing in the back of his mind.

“Think we can call it a day?” He asked his teacher as he stretched. “I’m getting too annoyed to keep my mind clear right now.”

“I suppose that’s a valid point.” Eve agreed with a nod of her head. “It’s around twelve anyway, and I suppose we have other things to do today.”

“We do?”

“Indeed. I believe the books I requested on runes should be delivered by this afternoon, tonight at the latest.” She explained as she stood, walking around her desk. “It would do us both well to have a meal and unwind before then.”

Andrew rubbed his cheek, fingers outlining the stubble that was growing there. He was weighing his choices carefully, something Eve did not miss.

“What is it Andrew?” She asked. “You look conflicted.”

“That’s ‘cause I am.” He responded cryptically.

The human looked at Eve, studying her closely. Finally, a choice having apparently been made, he sat back down in the chair. Eve regarded him with a raised eyebrow.

“So… Why are you hiding?” He asked simply.

“Hiding? I’m afraid I don’t understand…”

“Please, don’t lie. I can imagine a few legitimate reasons for whatever this…” He gestured to Eve. “… is, but don’t lie when I’ve clearly figured it out. Luna.”

Eve looked back at Andrew with a confused expression for a long moment or two before letting out an exasperated sigh. Her horn glowed for a moment and a barely negligible pulse expanded from it, passing through Andrew and through the walls of the newly made classroom. The pulse made him feel as if he was being watched by a nebulous presence. A few moments later the unicorns horn glowed again, this time there was a quick flash and the dark mare was replaced by a familiar alicorn. She continued to fix Andrew with a rather worried look.

“Much better.” He said simply, apparently satisfied. “So… why are you hiding? I’m assuming this has to do with that whole ‘I don’t like being a princess anymore’ thing?”

“Partially I suppose.” She began solemnly, head turned to look out one of the windows. “When I was traveling Equestria I made several friends who I felt I could trust enough to tell them who I really was. While they were understandably shocked, most of them forgave me. I still receive letters from the ones who did. However, when I felt it was time to return home and resume my duties I could not bring myself to… drag them into the spotlight. They remain my anonymous pen pals, never more.”

“How did they feel about that?” He asked as he watched the alicorn recall old memories. “Potentially being dragged into the spotlight that is.”

“Snow Blossom thought it would be exciting, Honey Bun and Cinnamon Twirl insisted that they could deal with it. The rest… I never even asked. They had no idea what kind of attention that would bring them, no matter how hard I tried to explain it to them.”

“So you didn’t get them involved.”

“Indeed. I could never forgive myself if my friendship ever brought a negative eye upon them.”

“That’s…unfortunate that you had to do that.” Andrew said with a shake of his head. “But what’s changed?”

“Well… I was hoping that I could treat the six bearers of the elements differently. They are all strong mares who have shown they can handle the attention of being affiliated with my sister and myself. Combined with the fact that they are already a sort of celebrity … I believe that adding personal friend to a princess wouldn’t be that much of an addition. I already consider them my friends, I just…Wish they saw me as simply”

“So you’re hoping that spending some time with them in disguise will be enough to prove that you’re just another pony?” Andrew guessed.

“Essentially, yes. It’s underhanded and perhaps more than a bit selfish, but I saw no other option. As kind as they all are, nobody has really ever listened when I simply tell them to be informal. I’ve been trying to convince Twilight Sparkle for years now and I’ve just now started to get the smallest bit of a reaction from her.”

“And you’re going to tell them the truth eventually?”

“Of course, I had planned to do so after I returned from greeting the Saddle Arabian ambassadors in a few days.” She explained. “But does that mean you will not reveal my secret?”

“No. I mean your gonna owe me cause I really don’t like lying, and I’m kinda disappointed you didn’t let me in on it considering I’ve never really treated you like a princess, but it’s kinda a last ditch thing, right?”

“It is. I do not enjoy lying to my friends either, but I could not imagine any other way. When they see me all they see is their princess. But when they see Eve…” Luna trailed off as her horn glowed and flashed, once again in the form of a unicorn. “they see me.”

Andrew studied Luna’s face, her disguise, and saw the sad desperation it held. Instead of answering he made his way to the princess and wrapped his arms around her neck. She leaned into his hug, returning it happily, one of her front legs around him.

“Your secret is safe with me.” He assured her after they pulled apart. “Be careful though, you might have a few difficult apologies after this is all said and done.”

Luna solemnly nodded her head, turning from the human to pick up the apple from her stone desk. It glowed in her magic then split into two halves, one of which she passed to Andrew. While still solemn she seemed very relieved.

“Thank you my friend. I will admit, I wasn’t sure how you would react to this.” She admitted. “Not that I thought you wouldn’t understand or empathize.”

“It’s fine, it’s for a good reason. I only hope it works.”

They both smiled, and Andrew took a bite of his half of the apple. Luna walked around him, opening the door with her magic. Before she could leave Andrew stopped her.

“Wait, before you go…”

“What is it Andrew?” She turned to face him, a bit worried. “Is something wrong?”

“No… well yes actually…” His serious face cracking a bit. “Your uh… your wings are showing.”

Luna’s eyes went wide and she craned her neck to look at her back. Sure enough attached to her barrel were to dark blue wings, both shuffling slightly. She spread them a bit before tucking them back completely.

“Gates of Tartarus not again!”

Intuitive: 17

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Andrew and Luna made their way through the forest, the clearing turned classroom slowly getting obscured by trees.

“So your horns still bothering you?” Andrew asked as he followed behind the princess.

“There is no pain, if that’s what you mean. But it does conflict with casting higher class spells.” She explained, once again turning her head to check her wings hadn’t re-appeared.

“And what class was that?”

“Transformation spells are all S class. I would not be able to perform it at all in my condition if I didn’t already know it so well.”

“Yeah, about that. Is Eve a new look or have you always used it?”

“I spent almost two years as Evening Primrose.” She answered quietly. “I’ll admit it felt… good to be her once again.”

The two were once again quiet as they walked through the woods, weaving around trees. Eventually they breached the line of trees that ran along the edge of their home’s back yard. Luna used her magic to fold the thick white sheet she had used to cover the teaching supplies she had brought from Canterlot.

“So… early lunch late breakfast?” Andrew asked Luna as they entered the house. “Any ideas?”

“I believe Autumn Song agreed to go shopping this afternoon. So until then I suppose we are stuck getting food from the town.” Luna explained as she entered the back door.

“Maybe a walk around town? See if anything catches our eyes?” He suggested.

“I supposed that shall work. It will be nice to explore the town when it isn’t covered with decorations.”

Luna walked around the dining room and through the kitchen with Andrew close behind.

“Decorations?” He asked curiously.

“Nightmare Night, a rather enjoyable holiday based around the legend of Nightmare Moon. Candy is given out to the children, who dress up in costume.” She explained. “It is quite entertaining.”

“Huh, sounds kinda like Halloween.”

“Is this a holiday from your home?” She asked as she opened the front door, let Andrew pass and shut the door behind him.

“Yeah. Sound like basically the same premise, ‘cept no Nightmare for inspiration.” He explained. “To be honest I’m not actually sure why we celebrate it. I think it started out religious and just got commercialized.”

Luna nodded her head in understanding as she walked beside the human. “Indeed we have a few holidays like that as well, twisted by commerce. Doubly so in the cities like Canterlot and Manehattan.”

Andrew returned his friends understanding nod as they turned the corner from their street onto a more main road. The two chatted and walked through the town, stopping a few places in their search for food. Andrew as usual noted quite a few stares. One pony in particular watched him go by, paying close attention as if debating something internally. Andrew brushed it off and walked on, only stopping when he felt a tap on his back. He turned to find the crème colored mare standing behind him.

“H-hello.” She greeted nervously around a paper bag. “I’m Sweetie Drops.”

“Uh… hello Sweetie Drops. It’s uh… Nice to meet you?” He responded, unsure.

“This is for you” she explained, passing the human the paper bag. “To apologize for all the rudeness you’ve had to go through.”

“Oh, wow.” He said, clearly very surprised. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“No, really it’s fine.” She urged with a friendly smile. “It’s the least I could do.”

“Well… thank you Sweetie Drops, this means a lot to me.” He assured her, opening the bag slightly to take a look at the candies inside. “These look amazing.”

“Thank you, I hope you enjoy them.” She looked over her shoulder at the shop she had been standing in front of. “I’d love to chat more with you Andrew, but unfortunately I have to finish opening up the store. Stop by any time, your more than welcome.”

“Thank you Sweetie Drops, I will.”

The crème coat mare walked back to her shop, Andrew and Luna standing in the street.

“Can’t say I expected that.” He admitted, reaching into the bag and pulling out one of the wrapped candies.

“Nor can I.” Luna agreed, grabbing the bag and the candy with her magic. “Wait until later, you’ll spoil your appetite.”

Luna started to walk once more, leaving Andrew to watch her go, shaking his head at the disguised Alicorn’s chastising. He smiled and followed behind her.

“You’re just saying that so you can eat them yourself.” He accused jokingly.

“And for that I might just.” She joked, laughing as she rolled the bag up with her magic. “Do not tempt me.”

Andrew laughed along as they walked. His encounter had left him in high spirits, a wide and genuine smile displayed on his face. The ponies that had witnessed Sweetie Drop’s attempt to make amends watched the human walk away with curiosity, many of them smiling. As the two turned onto yet another street their noses where greeted by the smell of freshly cooked breads.

“Hmmm… do you guys have bagels here?” Andrew asked, already heading to the bakery.

“Indeed we do.” Luna answered, following behind the human. “I do think a bagel would be quite satisfying right now.”

“Bagels it is!”

Andrew pushed the door of the bakery open, entering the humble yet well-kept shop. Inside the smell of baking bread was even stronger.

“Ah, I believe there are few smells more salivating then those freshly made bread.” Luna stated after taking a deep breath. “I suppose we should get in line.”

Andrew nodded and headed to the single line in the shop, which was curled around the glass display cabinets. Ponies hurried around behind them, carrying fresh bread from the ovens and taking orders from those in the line. A few ponies noticed Andrew from the corner of their eyes, but most at least tried not to stare.

“Maybe we should get some bread for later.” Luna suggested. “I doubt the bread that Autumn Song will find will hold a candle to this.”

“Wow, a bread fiend huh?” Andrew asked with a raised eyebrow. “I wouldn’t have guessed.”

“I assure you I am no fiend.” She insisted while looking into the loaf filled glass cases. “You should see my sister in a confectionary. Now there is a fiend.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

The lined moved relatively fast, despite the pauses the staff took to stealthily glance at the human that had gotten in line. By the time they were next in the queue the ponies behind them just about doubled the amount that had been there when they arrived.

“Looks like we got here just in time.” He said to Luna as they finally arrived at the counter.

“You sure did.” A dark pink pony answered from behind the counter. “We get busy right about now and don’t clear up for a quite a while.”

“Business is good?” Luna asked friendlily, still all but drooling over the displayed loaves and baked goods.

“Yup! Ever since we started making our famous Rosemary-Dill bread.” He explained. “Now, what can I get Ponyville’s newest member and his friend?”

“We were just going to get some bagels, but I think Eve here is going to get one of everything.”

“I am not quite that much of a glutton Andrew. I will settle for a loaf of that delicious sounding rosemary and dill bread, as well as a loaf of sourdough.”

“As well as the two bagels please. One rosemary and the other…” Andrew added, placing a gold coin on the counter before trailing off with a look towards Luna.

“Cinnamon raisin.” Luna finished.

“Coming right up!” The baker said happily. “Will you want cream cheese on that?”

“Plain please.” Both Luna and Andrew said at the same time, which got a short laugh from the worker.

The two waited quietly for their order to come, waiting among those who had ordered before them. Theirs came quickly, change was exchanged and the two friends left with their food, weaving through the line that now pushed out the door. Andrew passed Luna her food, which she deftly unwrapped with her magic, putting the wrapper in a trash bin. Andrew unfolded the wrapping half way, using it holder on the other half. They ate in amicable silence, leisurely walking about the town as they did.

“I don’t believe you ever explained how you figured it out.” Luna pointed out as they walked towards the town center.

“Figured out what, your new ‘hair style’?” He asked teasingly. “I don’t know, I kinda just knew. I could tell the second I saw you at the hospital. And let’s be honest, you’re not that great of an actor.”

“I suppose I’m not.” She admitted. “Then again I never had to be. This is certainly the first time I’ve been Eve in the presence of someone who I had already met.”

Luna said the last part at a whisper, looking around to check there was no one listening in. As she finished whispering she leaned in to steal a bite of Andrews’s bagel, which he allowed begrudgingly.

“Besides, ‘Evening Primrose’? Really? Might as well have called yourself Moon Moony.”

At his rib Luna tried to steal another bite, but Andrew quickly moved the bagel away, holding it above his head. Eventually she stopped trying, and they both continued walking through the town center. They enjoyed the early afternoon hustle and bustle, as ponies headed for lunch and the Market stalls started to peddle their wares. As they walked Andrew was greeted by quite a few ponies, most of them friendly and apparently eager to make up for their previous behavior. Andrew was more than happy to forgive, waving off the offers of free food or trinkets.

“Really, I appreciate the offer but I can’t.” He explained to a particularly guilty market owner who had insisted on giving him a bag of oranges on the house.

“It seems your status in Ponyville has drastically improved Andrew.” Luna said happily when they finally broke free of the crowded market. “Congratulations.”

“I have Quill Well to thank. I’ll have to think of some way to thank him.”

Luna nodded with a smile before turning to look back at the town hall, and clock tower that adorned the top.

“I suppose it’s about time to head back home.” She pointed out. “I would like to get started with your wooden toys translation.”

“You think the books will be there already?”

“I do indeed. My word carries a lot of weight as a close friend of Princess Luna’s.” She said with a small laugh. “I could have had them here by the end of last night, but I didn’t wish to be cruel to the messenger.”

“I hadn’t thought of that.” He admitted, shaking his head. “Fair enough I suppose. Back home then off to Twilight’s it is.”

Andrew arrived at the Golden Oakes a while later, knocking on the door before letting himself in. He had his cloth covered bat slung around his shoulder.

“Twilight, You here?” He called out. “It’s Andrew, I’m here to see if the books have arrived?”

When Twilight didn’t respond he walked further into the book shelf lined room. He made his way to the table at the center of the room, picking up a book at random, placing his bat in its place. A page was marked by a bookmark, so he opened it to that point. He immediately recognized a small list of symbols as runes as a handful matched the ones inscribed on the end of his bat. He read through the opened pages, quickly realizing that the book was only mentioning them in short.

“I hope this isn’t one of the books.” He mumbled to himself. “It’s not very informative.”

On a whim he flipped through the pages, reading some at random.

“The living rivers of the west… Ancient griffon magic… Holy Blood…” Andrew read, flipping from page to page. “Hey, the ancient city of Atlantis… no horse puns though.”

He flipped a bit more before settling on a page, sitting back in the nearest chair.

“The city of Atlantis is first described by the ancient philosopher Pollto…” He read out loud, switching to quietly reading almost immediately.

He was only a page or so in when the library door opened and Twilight walked in, saddle bags on her back.

“Oh, Andrew! You’re already here!” She said, surprised. “And I just sent Spike to get you and Evening Primrose.”

“Don’t worry, Eve is still there, so he won’t be stuck looking around.” He assured her, still sitting down. “I’m guessing you wanted us ‘cause the books on runes got here?”

“Exactly. I was going to go ahead and get started but I realized I was almost out of clean parchment and quills.” She explained as she levitated her saddle bags off, simultaneously floating paper and quills out of them and into their proper spots on a nearby desk. “Hope you weren’t waiting long.”

“Nah, only got a few pages in.” He explained, brandishing the book. “You guys have an Atlantis here? It’s just a myth where I come from.”

Twilight turned to look at what Andrew was holding out, squinting before her eyes widened in recognition.

“I’m afraid ours is a myth as well, that book is just filled with myths and legend, passed off as fact.” She explained. “Only a few are actually are true.”

“Oh, but it had a page or two about runes?”

“Yup, it’s where I recognized them from.” She replied, floating the book out from his hands and scrolling through the pages until she reached the bookmarked page. “See?”

The pages where once again displaying the short section on runes, including the depiction of the full runic alphabet.

“Yeah, I saw that. Not super helpful”

“Yes, unfortunately so. Although I wasn’t surprised when I remembered who the author was.”

She closed the book, spinning it until the spine was facing toward Andrew, the name Nickle Tesla written on the side.

“Oh, now that’s a name I recognize. He was an inventor, kinda eccentric.”

“Eccentric is putting it lightly. Many of his theories are ridiculous, and he died penniless after driving away everyone that cared about him with his wild ideas.” She explained. “I mean he has a hundred pages in this book alone about his ‘Holy Blood’ theory.”

“Yeah I saw that. What’s it about?”

“What, Holy Blood?” She asked as she closed the book and slid it back into the shelf, fter which she pulled a large parcel from under the table. “A wacky theory about how certain abilities that a few ponies have possessed over the last couple thousand years are given to them by the All Mother, who shares a drop of divinity with them if she thinks they are worthy.”

“Really? Pretty sure my Tesla was all about the technology. Like motors and electricity.” He replied. “What’s an All Mother?”

“She is were all life comes from, hence the name All Mother.”

“So like a religion?”

“No, it’s widely regarded as the truth. Though we all depict her differently, every species on our planet has the same belief.”

“Huh.”

Andrew replied to her explanation awkwardly, not really knowing how to respond to her answer as his opinions on religion meant little in a world of such magical whimsy. Instead he changed the subject.

“I didn’t take you as someone who would label a fellow academic as ‘wacky’”

“Normally I wouldn’t, but Princess Celestia knew him personally, and she assured me he was aggressive and annoying. Apparently they butted heads quite a few times, as he was born into a noble family.”

“Ah. Well at least he wrote about runes, right?”

“I suppose that is true.” Twilight admitted absentmindedly as she lifted the wrapped parcel. “Shall we go ahead and take a look at the books? Or should we wait for Eve?”

“I don’t think she would mind if we got a head start.”

Twilight nodded and untied the parcel’s twine strap with her magic, unfolding the paper that wrapped around it. Three books stood, stacked on top of each other. Twilight levitated one to Andrew, picking one up for herself. Andrew opened the book, scanning the first page.

“‘Journal of Runic Wizardry’” He read out loud. “This sounds like it might be helpful…”

“I think mines the best bet.” Twilight countered, turning it so the cover faced Andrew. “‘Translating and Reading Runic Inscriptions.’”

“Huh… Yeah I guess…” He replied hesitantly, putting his own book down on the table, taking the bat and untying the rope around its base. “Lets get this out and take a look.”

He pulled the cloth up off of the bat, laying it back down across the table and placing the bat on top of that. Twilight carried the open book over and laid it above the bat, then quickly carried some quills and parchment over as well.

“So… Where should we start?”

Twilight looked at Andrew, then back to the bat, then finally back to Andrew.

“I’m… not entirely sure actually… I don’t know anything about runes. I don’t even know which way to read them.”

“Maybe we should have waited for Eve.” Andrew joked as he rubbed his forehead. “She at least seemed to recognize them.”

“I suppose.” She agreed, before picking up the third book with her magic. “I’m going to start reading this one.”

Andrew nodded, but stayed quiet. He picked up the book that Twilight had originally levitated to him. He had resisted picking it up before, but now that he had he couldn’t deny just how much he wanted to read it. He was about to start, fingers brushing through the pages when the front door opened and Luna walked in.

“Ah, greetings you two. It seems you have started without me?” She said, toned as a question.

“Kinda.” Andrew started, hesitantly putting the book down. “We stopped when we realized Twilight doesn’t know enough about runes.”

“Hey, it’s not my fault.” She rebuked. “I’ve just never learned about them.”

“Indeed. While I have never used runes myself, I believe I know enough to start off from.” Luna explained, joining the other two by the table.

“Did you happen to run into Spike?” Twilight asked.

“I did, he was dragged off by a young filly on the way here, Sweetie Belle I believe.”

“Alright, hopefully he’s back by dinner time.” Twilight said with a nod, returning her focus to the bat. “So, Eve, were should we start?”

Andrew watched as Twilight and Luna poured over the books, sketched out ideas then threw them away. They were all making slow progress, not because they had to find what each rune was, that had only taken about thirty minutes. What was taking so long was that they had to figure what each rune meant in correlation to the runes it was paired with, rather than individually. With every rune having dozens of potential meanings, progress was very slow.

The inscribed runes were separated into about half a dozen small groups, which Twilight hypothesized were each small spells themselves, which would come together to perform a task or whatever the inscription was intended to do. In truth he hadn’t been sure how much of a help he was going to be, but so far he was enthralled by what he was learning. It was all so interesting. They had managed to translate the first four groups when Andrew decided he wanted a break.

“Twilight, you mind if I borrow a snack?” He asked as he got up, intending to find something to eat.

“Huh? A snack?” Twilight asked as she looked up from her parchment, turning her head to look at a clock. “Wow, four o’clock already. I guess that’s not a bad idea, I’ll go get something for all of us.”

“Don’t need to stop on my account, but sure I guess.”

Twilight waved him off and headed to the kitchen, leaving Andrew and Luna alone. He made his way to her side, leaning in to whisper.

“So…are you actually learning with us or are you letting us figure it out for ourselves like a good teacher would?”

“In all honesty I’m struggling just as much as you two are.” Luna admitted at a whisper, putting her paper down. “I was never very good with runes, and it’s been literally thousands of years since I last attempted to learn them. Tia was better with them, though not even she focused heavily on them. It’s an earth pony focused magic after all, disregarding a very specific few things, unicorn magic is much more powerful and finessed.”

“Ah, I see. Well that’s fine, I’m actually having fun.” He admitted. “It all seems… intuitive.”

“Really?” Luna asked, clearly shocked. “I find it all very un-intuitive. So many uses for a single symbol, it all seems to bleed together.”

Just then Twilight returned carrying a small plate of cookies and three glasses of milk, which she put down on the opposite side of the table.

“What bleeds together?” She asked before taking a small bite of a cookie.

“The many meanings for a single rune.” Luna replied as she made her way to the tray, Andrew right beside her. “Andrew thinks it is all intuitive.”

“Seriously?” Twilight asked, equally shocked as Luna had been. “I’m having a hard time separating all the meanings as well, especially between similar symbols.”

“Wait, really?” Andrew asked. “I’m enjoying myself, it’s like a word puzzle almost.”

“But what about similar ones, like Ansuz and Fehu? Which one means communication? What does it mean when its combined with another, like Perthro and Dagaz? It’s all hard to keep track of.”

“Indeed.” Luna agreed while nodding. “It’s not impossible, but I suspect it would be without a guide to continually check”

Andrew chewed the mouthful of cookie he had before washing it down with milk. He squinted in thought while putting the cup down.

“Ansuz is communication, and combining it with Perthro and Dagaz wouldn’t work, they would counter act each other. Perthro and Ansuz would be the first part of hiding something that you would read or look at, like a picture. You would probably put Isa in as well, and Nauthiz or Algiz to make it last longer.”

Luna and Twilight looked at Andrew, once again shocked. Twilight picked up the book and levitated it to herself, flipping through a few pages. She finally settled on one page and began reading. After a moment or so she looked back to Andrew.

“Your right, completely right. How on Equus did you remember that?”

“I don’t know. Like I said, it just seems intuitive.”

Twilight looked like she was going to press further, but she was interrupted by a knocking at the door. It opened to reveal a brown stallion who looked rather serious.

“Miss Sparkle?” He asked simply.

“Yes, that’s me” She answered, taking a step towards the newcomer. “What is it?”

“Spike and several other youngsters have gotten in a bit of trouble, would you mind coming in?”

“What? Is he okay? What happened?” Twilight asked with a gasped.

“Nothing serious ma’am, but you’re listed as his guardian so we need you to come in and fill out some paper work.”

“Of course! Give me a moment!” She replied hurriedly, turning to her two friends. “I’m sorry you two, but I need to take care of this, it sounds like the Cutie Mark Crusaders dragged Spike into some of their shenanigans. Feel free to keep going!”

Twilight hurried out of the door, leaving Andrew and Luna looking worried. Before the brown stallion left he nodded politely, following Twilight at a calm trot.

“Well… that was different.” Andrew finally managed to say.

“Indeed, I hope everything is okay.” Luna agreed. “I quite like the young drake.”

“I’m sure he is fine, he seemed like a good kid.” Andrew assured her. “Was that a police officer?”

“Police? I’m not sure, but assuming it is your word for Guard, it was.” Luna replied.

“Yeah, more or less right.” Andrew nodded. “Why wasn’t he wearing the uniform though?”

“He was part of the Off Duty Patrol.” She explained after closing the door with her magic. “Part of a program to help protect smaller towns without installing permanent bases. Guards are offered double leave if they spend it in a small town on semi off duty.”

“Ah, not a bad idea.”

“I should say not, I’m the one who came up with it.” Luna explained, with a proud smile. “Now, shall we continue?”

“Actually… As much as I was enjoying it I’m feeling a bit tired. Maybe we could call it a day?”

Luna became suddenly concerned, walking closer to him before. Her horn glowed for a moment, which made Andrews skin tingle.

“What are you doing?” He asked, a bit nervous.

“I’m scanning you.” She replied simply before dropping her spell. “You seem okay, but we should get you home so you can rest.”

“It’s no big deal, I can just take a break before we con-”

“Andrew, do you not remember our discussion about how serious magical exhaustion is?”

“I do, but-“

“No buts, we are going home so you can lay down.” She declared. “Don’t make me carry you there, because I will.”

Andrew looked into Lunas eyes for a moment, trying to debate if he should try and push the subject. Luna’s look back was unyielding, so he relented.

“Fine. But I’m bringing this book with me.”

He picked up the book he had been dying to read, and tucked it under his arm. He walked out of the library, followed by Luna, who shut the door and turned off the lights behind them.

Progress: 18

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Andrew took a deep breath as he struggled to recall the level of zen he had achieved the day before. His tiredness was making it harder, a wall of grogginess holding him back from achieving the semi focused state he wanted. He was also more than a bit grumpy from the lack of sleep, though he had managed to bite back the rising annoyance every time it started to spring up. It was his fault he was so tired after all, he was the one who decide to trade sleep for time to read the book he had borrowed. He had spent hours reading, finally reaching the end a mere hour before Luna was to wake him up for training.

The entire morning since then had been a drag, in that he felt like he was dragging his feet the whole way. In fact, it felt as though if he slunk any lower his hands would drag along the floor as well. Luna had been quite adamant though, doubly so when she realized that he had been up late reading, despite her warnings that that was not a good idea.

“I’m glad you have taken an interest in this.” She had said. “But I will be sticking to our training schedule, whether your rest properly or not.”

Despite her unrelenting words, he could feel her scan him every thirty minutes or sure, to make sure that any grogginess was from his lack of sleep, and not from his accident. She denied it when he had caught her the first time, but he could tell she was worried, which of course made him feel guilty for not sleeping.

“Perhaps next time you will follow your teacher’s advice?” Luna had suggested, when he apologized before they had began.

“Yeah yeah, no need to rub it in.”

Andrew opened his eyes for a moment to look at the incognito alicorn. She was reading through the pages of Gauges journal, eyes scanning the page. She was rolling a blue rubber ball in her hooves. He closed his eyes and attempted to focus once more. He counted his deep breaths, in and out, in and out, in and….

“Andrew!” Luna shouted when she realized the human had fallen asleep. “If you do not stay awake I will teleport you into a river!”

Andrew jumped up from his chair, obviously startled by Luna’s shout.

“Jesus Christ” He shouted as clutched his chest dramatically. “Don’t bother drowning me, I’ve already had a heart attack!”

“Andrew.” Luna said, shaking her head in mild disappointment. “You need to take this more seriously. I warned you that you needed your rest.”

“I know I know, and I said I’m sorry. I couldn’t stop reading, it was so interesting.”

“Well, I am glad you’ve taken such an interest in magic, even if it’s not the proper place to start.” She admitted before gesturing to Andrew’s seat. “Now, let’s keep trying.”

Andrew grumbled quietly before sitting back down, once again going through the process of calming down and equalizing his breathing.

This is never going to work. He thought to himself after his breathing returned to normal. How does someone even look inside themselves? It’s not like there is an actual big red button in the back of my mind. When you really think about it, it makes no sense at all. My thoughts are just thoughts after all, not some 3D area I can reach into…

Andrew’s thoughts continued on their pessimistic path for a while, his frustration rising steadily. He wanted to stand up or shout or anything other than sit like an idiot in a chair, pretending to understand what “searching inward” meant. The buzzing frustration in the back of his head was getting more and more noticeable as he struggled with his conundrum.

Magic. How the fuck am I going to do magic?

He could practically feel his whole body hum with annoyance, his head and his right hand in particularly felt like they were pulsing with it….

…. No… It can’t be…

Andrew squeezed his hand, focusing on the tension he felt in it. He resisted the urge to take deeper breaths, afraid he might lose the thrumming pulse in his head and hand. It was a strange sensation, not unlike a barely detectable case of pins and needles. It wasn’t wholly unpleasant either, mostly just… alien. Strange and new, foreign to his previously sufficient catalogue of sensations.

He tightened his empty grip, hard enough that his fingernails bit into his palm. He studied the sensation, mentally shifting his focus further and further up his arm. Finally he was focused on the sensation in his head, a buzzing center that was completely unfamiliar to him.

How am I doing this? I can feel it, as if it was a perceivable spot. Like a new muscle.

Determined to follow this to its end, he prodded the area mentally, ignoring how such a concept shouldn’t be possible. It resisted his poking, almost as if it was shying away from the attention. He screwed his eyes shut, mentally pushing. He strained against it, shoving and jabbing, failing to make even a scratch until suddenly… he was in.

He let out a gasp as his mind was flooded, the previously separating bubble completely popped. A calming rush filled his body, quenching the frustration he felt. Mentally he reached further into the broken shell that had once held him back, reveling in the sensations. He opened his eyes, his hand already glowing with energy. It felt so natural, now that the wall that was holding him back was shattered. He reached out to the desk, sparks dancing around his hand and between his fingers. Luna looked up from the book, her eyes wide.

“Andrew! That’s fantastic!” She said happily, putting the ball she had been idly playing with on the desk. “Now reach out toward the ball. Visualize it hovering, will it to lift off slowl-”

The rubber ball glowed, the same red color that pulsed and sparked around Andrew’s hand. It slowly lifted off the ground, and before Luna could finish her sentence, it rocketed toward Andrew. It crossed the distance between Andrew and the desk in less than a blink, accelerating at an almost impossible pace. Andrew attempted to dodge the ball, tipping his whole body back, which rocked the chair backward. The rubber ball made contact with Andrew’s forehead making a startlingly loud thwock, bouncing off at an impressive speed. The impact threw his head back even further, pushing his tipping chair past the point of no return.

“Andrew!” Luna shouted again, rushing out from around her desk to his side. “Are you alright!?”

Andrew groaned and rolled out of the chair, holding his forehead with one hand and giving Luna the thumbs up with the other.

“Andrew I’m not familiar with that hand signal, are you okay?”

“Yeah… I’ll be fine.” He said, sitting up slowly and rubbing his head. “Get the chair, will you?”

Luna nodded, using her magic to quickly flip the chair right side up. Andrew sat down heavily, groaning a bit.

“God, I have shitty luck don’t I?” He lamented. “Two steps forward one and a half steps back.”

“Andrew I fail to see where this is bad luck.” She replied, walking around him, checking his head for any serious injuries. “You’ve done something amazing in an incredibly short period of time! Despite your inability to control it, the mere fact you were able to tap into your magic so quickly is nothing short of fantastic!”

“Well when you put it that way.”

Andrew put his hand on Luna’s back, leaning on her to stand upright. She watched him closely, as if expecting him to fall over at any moment.

“I’m fine.” He said, partly to assuage the worried look from Luna, and partly to convince himself. “Let’s get back to it. Who knows what kind of progress I’m going to make now?”

“I can’t fucking believe we made absolutely no more progress.” Andrew complained. “Other than getting slightly better at dodging rubber balls, absolutely no progress.”

He stretched out his arms and yawned from the couch. Surprisingly he was mostly over his tiredness by now due to his earlier break through, then by the subsequent failure to progress further. He could still feel the exhaustion though, he knew he would crash if he stayed inactive for too long.

“I told you Andrew, you made amazing progress today.” Luna assured him. “But you can’t expect control all at once. Even with your revelation you have much to learn about harnessing and controlling your magic.”

“Yeah yeah I know.” He replied, still a bit annoyed. “I guess I just hadn’t anticipated the work *after* I figured out how to access my magic.”

Luna nodded, but remained quiet, instead watching the human from her seat across the living room. She remained calm on the outside, but internally she waged war against herself. She could practically feel the sadness and worry emanating from Andrew, and yet he to remained outwardly calm. Many questions about this human remained un-answered, but despite everything all she felt like doing was wrapping her hooves around him and assuring him that everything would be okay. The thought struck her as odd as well, she hardly ever felt like that about anypony, save maybe her sister during times of stress. Her thoughts, and potential questions were cut off as the human stood and began stretching his legs.

“Okay, it’s about time to start getting ready.” He said. “I hope I don’t regret agreeing to hang out like this.”

“I am sure you shall enjoy yourself.” Luna assured him. “In the meantime, I think I shall go for my own walk, explore Ponyville some more.”

With an uncommitted shrug and nod he left the living room, heading to the bathroom upstairs to start getting ready. About thirty minutes later he was walking back down the stairs wearing one of Rarity’s new outfits, his hair still slightly damp from the shower. Once again he was shocked by the quality and feel of her work. He mentally promised himself that he would pay for the next outfit, this kind of work shouldn’t ever be done for free.

As he passed the clock, Andrew realized that he wasn’t nearly good on time as he had thought he was, especially considering he really didn’t know how long it would take him to get there. In fact, he quickly realized he had no idea how to get to Blue Grass Meadows at all.

“What’s up Andrew?”

Autumn Song’s familiar voice came from the doorway into the kitchen, breaking Andrew out of his thoughts.

“Autumn! Perfect timing!” He exclaimed happily. “How well do you know the town? I made plans with Time Turner but I just realized I have no idea how to get to it.”

“Pretty well, I studied a couple of maps before I left Canterlot. Where are you trying to get to?”

“Some place called Blue Grass Meadows. Ring any bells?”

“Uh yeah, that’s not too difficult to get to, though it’s a bit outside of town proper.” She said, tapping her chin in thought. “Do you want me to write down some directions?”

“Nope. You can show me yourself.” He answered simply, heading to the door and opening while stepping to the side. “You’re gonna come with me, keep shit from getting awkward.”

“Awkward? I thought you got along with Time Turner?”

“I do, swimmingly in fact. But it’s a picnic that was originally just a date with him and his marefriend.” He explained. “He insisted, said I could bring a friend so that I wouldn’t be the third wheel.”

“His marefriend?” She asked, biting her lip a bit as she thought about it. “I don’t know, that sounds fun and all but I’m not sure I should…”

“Look, if it’s terrible, I promise I’ll make it up to you somehow. Besides, it’s hard to keep an eye on me if you’re not actually with me, right?”

“I haven’t had a problem so far.” She replied quickly, with a mischievous grin.

“Uh… how’s that? This is our first conversation since the other…” Andrew trailed off as he studied Autumn’s face. “Wait… have you been following me?”

Autumn didn’t reply, instead she walked out the front door, her tail flicking Andrew as she went. He watched her walk out, his eyes wide with surprise.

“Hold on, you’re joking…. right?” He called out after her, shutting the door behind him as he went. “Please tell me your joking?!”

By the time Andrew and Autumn made it to the outskirts of the main town it was almost three o’clock. With an edge of hurriedness in their step they made their way down the dirt road.

“So she gave you a bag of candy? How was it?”

“I don’t know. Eve took it before I could try any, said I would spoil my appetite.”

Autumn laughed into her hoof, a singsong giggle that made Andrew smile.

“Don’t laugh!” Andrew teased, a big grin on his face. “She’s probably already eaten it!”

“I hope not, Sweetie Drop is supposed to be the towns best candy maker, I even know a few nobles in canterlot who get their orders shipped to them.”

“Really now?” Andrew said, more than a bit surprised. “I had a brief run in with a couple of them at the train station. Didn’t seem like the kind of ponies to eat something made in a small town shop. Might have poor on it.”

“I’m afraid you may be right” She agreed with a laugh and a nod. “What kind of run in?”

“Twilight and I were waiting in line to get train tickets when two of them cut us, and everyone else in line. I was just about to start chewing them out when Twilight interrupted.” He explained, suddenly a bit cross at the memory.

“Yeah. I’ve lived in Canterlot for a while now, and I wish I could say that was an outlier.” She replied with a shake of her head. “They can be a real pain to deal with.”

“I was just as pissed at Twilight for stopping me as I was at them to be perfectly honest.” Andrew admitted.

“Really? I mean I understand being angry with the nobles, but I’m assuming Twilight was just trying to keep you out of trouble.”

Autumn paused as they reached a split in the road. She pointed to the sign in between the separating roads, and began to follow the one labeled Blue Grass Meadows. Andrew followed close behind her before continuing their conversation.

“Yeah, I know. I still need to apologize for getting so upset.”

“Why did you get upset at all?” She asked, watching the humans face. “You’re usually so relaxed.”

“I don’t like things being unfair.” He explained simply after a long moment’s thought.

“The world isn’t fair Andrew.” Autumn responded, her voice a bit subdued. “It’s sad but true.”

“No, see I have issues with that statement.” Andrew replied adamantly. “It’s not the world that isn’t fair, its reality. Reality is a cold hearted bitch, a roll of the dice, a shuffled deck. But that doesn’t mean the world can’t be fair. Fairness is a human… or a pony concept I guess. It’s up to us to force fairness... justice really, onto the world. Without that it’s just anarchy.”

“And that’s what you were going to do? Force justice?” Autumn asked, watching the human even more closely.

“Kinda, I guess?” Andrew agreed weakly, wincing. “It sounds a lot more ridiculous and potentially violent when you say it out loud like that. It’s really not that complex. I just don’t like watching the world be unfair.”

“I guess that’s not all too uncommon among ponies either.” Autumn admitted.

Andrew shrugged, quickly changing the subject to friendlier, and less personal, topics. They chatted amicably for a few minutes before Autumn noticed something off of the road.

“Isn’t that Big Macintosh? Applejacks brother?”

Andrew followed her look, and sure enough Big Mac was working in the field next to the road. A cart was filled with rocks of various sizes, and the red earth pony himself was dragging another small rock, lugging it to the cart. It looked heavy, but not nearly as big as some of the other boulders that were still in the field. Andrew walked off the dirt path, leaning on the fence that lined the edge of the field.

“Hey Big Mac! Whatcha doing?”

The stallion turned his head, and waved. He wiped his brow and walked to the two, joining Andrew and leaning on the opposite side of the wooden partition.

“I’m clearin’ rocks.” He said simply, which made Andrew roll his eyes. “Expandin’ the oats field fer next season.”

“Sounds like hard work.” Autumn said sympathetically. “You’re not gonna move those big ones by yourself, are you?”

“Eynope. AJ should be done with her section by tomorrow, then we’ll move those together.”

“Good, they look like pulled muscles or strained backs waiting to happen.” Andrew added, before pushing off the fence. “Well don’t work too hard big guy. If you’re still at it when we come back this way I’ll lend you a hand. Least I could do for lunch the other day.”

“Thanks” He said with a nod, getting off the fence as well. “Though I’m almost done fer today, be outta here in an hour or so.”

The two returned to the road, Big Mac returning to the field, sliding into the harness he was using to pull the rocks. Andrew glanced over his shoulder before setting his sights further down the road.

“I feel bad for leaving him alone to do all that work.” Andrew explained unhappily when Autumn caught his backward glance. “’Specially because so far all I’ve done is mooch of everyone.”

“Mooch? Andrew don’t be ridiculous.” Autumn admonished. “You were sucked into a completely foreign world, fell from who knows how high, did your best raindrop impression, was healed by the princess of the night, and then you became a wizard. Which could potentially kill you if you don’t figure out how to control it. I don’t think anypony will hold it against you if you let the Princesses pay for some necessities for a while.”

“Well… Shit.” Andrew replied, a bit flabbergasted by Autumn’s friendly reprimand. “When you put it like that…I mean I still don’t like it… but thanks.”

Before Autumn could continue Andrew squinted, shading his eyes with his hand as he looked out over the field that had just become visible over the hill. Sure enough, beside a great oak tree were two ponies sitting on a large blanket.

“Hey, I think that’s them.” He answered, turning off of the dirt path, heading straight for two other ponies. “C’mon, we are already late.”

The two cut through the meadow with a spring in their step, reaching the tree rather quickly. Time Turner saw them coming and waved.

“Hey Andrew! Good to see you!” The tan earth pony shouted when Andrew was in earshot. “Hurry up, the ice tea is getting warm!”

“Hello Turner, good to see you.” Andrew greeted when he got closer, stopping at the edge of the blanket. “Sorry we are late, I didn’t realize how far the walk would be. Hope you guys haven’t been waiting too long.”

“Oh no, don’t worry about it!” The second pony assured him. “Besides, there isn’t a better place to wait than under the old oak.”

“Oh, Right!” Time Turner said, gesturing to the mare with a hoof. “This is uhhh… the ever beautiful Ditzy Doo.”

The light grey mare blushed, a wide smile on her face as she gave a small friendly wave to the newcomers. Andrew returned her smile happily.

“It’s nice to finally meet you Ditzy.” Andrew said, kicking off his shoes to stand on the blanket. “I hope you don’t mind that Turner invited me and a friend to crash your picnic.”

“Of course not! I was sad when I didn’t get a chance to meet you the other day, at your party.” She said, sticking out a hoof to Andrew. “I hope everything worked out okay…”

“Oh yeah, it was just a misunderstanding.” He explained with a halfhearted smile, shaking her hoof before sitting down cross-legged “Though I’ll admit Rainbow Dash is hardly my favorite person right now.”

“He means pony.” Autumn explained, responding to Ditzy Doo’s slightly confused look. “He speaks Equestrian obviously but personal pronouns seem to be a bit different.”

“Ah, I see.” She responded, nodding happily. “And you’re a new arrival to Ponyville as well?”

“Oh right, my bad.” Andrew said, speaking up when he realized he hadn’t introduced his companion. “This is Autumn Song. She’s here from Canterlot to help me stay safe in Equestria while I settle in.”

“It’s nice to meet you Autumn Song.” Ditzy said with another winning smile as she sat back down in her spot. “I’m glad Andrew has some one taking care of him. I can’t imagine how weird it must be.”

“Well so far I’ve done very little to help.” Autumn insisted modestly. “Other than a few stumbles he’s pretty much good.”

Andrew sat in one of the corners, opposite of Ditzy and Turner, who was now sitting beside the grey mare. Autumn sat next to Andrew, curiously sniffing one of the baskets.

“Oh, you guys must be hungry!” Ditzy said happily. “Turner, why don’t you pour us some iced tea and I’ll get us some sandwiches.”

Turner nodded, passing Andrew and Autumn a cup from one of the baskets. The ice clinked in its pitcher, a few cubes plopping into the cups as he filled them. Andrew took a sip, his eyes opening in surprise, quickly taking a long draught.

“Wow, this is pretty good!” He said, a bit surprised before taking another sip, this time savoring it. “Seriously, delicious.”

“Thanks, I made it myself” Turner explained, putting the pitcher down on the flat part of a rock next to the blanket. “Its all about the timing.”

“Timing?” Andrew asked as Ditzy passed him a wrapped parcel, a letter A

“Yeah, the tea leaves have to steep for exactly the right amount. Too long and it’s too strong, not enough and it’s too weak.”

“Damn, next level tea game.”

“It’s his talent.” Ditzy explained while unwrapping her sandwich, which Andrew promptly copied. “Timing things that is.”

“Right, okay. I remember reading about cutie marks and special talents when I first got here. I get the feeling it was a kid version of the explanation, so wanna clue me in?”

“Well… to be honest you might be better off getting Twilight Sparkle to explain it to you.” Ditzy admitted, Turner nodding his head in agreement, mouth full of his sandwich. “But Turner’s talent is timing. He just seems to know when something is done, or when to do something to get is just right.”

“Right okay… and that’s represented by a hour glass? I guess it’s not that complex.”

“Well it varies from pony to pony. Some ponies have very literal marks.” Autumn chimed in. “Others are much more interpretive.”

“Mines like that actually.” Ditzy volunteered, moving one of her wings to show off the bubbles adorning her flank. “I’m no better with blowing bubbles than any other pony.”

“So what? Are you particularly buoyant?”

“No, though that would be funny.” She said admitted with a giggle. “I’m good at following air currents. I’m not the fastest flier, and I can sometimes follow the wrong gusts of air which makes precision flying a bit wonky, but it’s great for long distance flights.”

“She’s being modest.” Turner added with a proud smile. “She holds Ponyville’s distance record. Not even Rainbow Dash can beat her in distance.”

“Oh hush honey, you know that’s only because she hasn’t challenged me yet.”

“Horse apples, I know you could take her.” Turner insisted, giving Ditzy a peck on the cheek, making her blush.

Andrew shook his head, a rather big smile on his face, which he hid by looking down at his sandwich, pretending to inspect what it was made of.

“But yeah, when I was younger my mother used to blow bubbles for me when I got upset. They seemed so… happy floating through the air, taking them where the wind blew. So while it makes sense to me, there’s nothing really connecting bubbles to air currents.”

“That’s really sweet.” Autumn said, with Andrew nodding beside her.

“Oh it’s nothing special.” Ditzy said modestly before changing the subject. “So you guys are living in the royal estate? That’s pretty high class, one room looked like it cost more than my whole house.”

“Tell me about it, I feel so out of place in it.”

“Yeah, I keep worrying I might break something and be in debt for the rest of my life.” Autumn added. “Even the bed seems too expensive.”

“I’m glad I got here first so I could grab the simplest room.” Andrew said happily. “It reminds me of my first apartment.”

“Mine reminds me of some of the noble houses in Canterlot.” Autumn said, frowning in distaste. “Have you seen the whole thing Ditzy?”

“Oh Celestia no, I just delivered a few packages there once.” She explained. “I’m a postpony.”

“Really?” Andrew said excitingly. “I applied for a mailman job a few years ago, thought it would be fun. Got passed for a more experienced guy though.”

“It’s a lot of work, I can’t imagine it’s any easier when you don’t have wings.”

“We manage.” Andrew said with a laugh. “I’m sure you’ve got earth pony or unicorn mailmen.
Or postpony’s I guess.”

“Mhmm, we do. We have a couple of earth ponies in our team.” Ditzy answered. “No unicorns anymore though, not after Paper Pusher transferred back to Canterlot.”

A lull in the conversation lasted long enough for them to drink and eat a bit before Turner spoke up.

“What do you do Andrew?” Turner asked. “I don’t think it’s ever come up.”

“Ah well its nothing illustrious. I bounce around a lot, especially the last few years.” He explained after swallowing his bite of sandwich. “I’ve been a firefighter, a bouncer, a bartender, handyman, even a construction worker. But the moving the past couple of years has made it hard to hold a real job, so I’ve been a cashier mostly, at a small Italian shop in Boston.”

Andrew went on to describe the city that he had been living in for the last six months, with Turner, Ditzy and Autumn listening with interest. Autumn herself seemed to love the way he described the docks and the ocean, while Ditzy was astounded by the description of the city’s airport. Meanwhile Turner asked him to repeat the description of parking meters several times before Ditzy finally put an end to it. From there the conversation flowed freely, amicably moving from subject to subject. Before long the sun began to set, something that Autumn had been watching closely. In a moment when both Turner and Dizty were focused on each other, she leaned in to whisper to Andrew.

“I need to get home.” She said quietly. “Princess Celestia expects me to send her a report not long after the sun sets.”

Andrew nodded understandingly, which got the attention of the other two.

“Everything okay?” Turner asked.

“Yup, Autumn just has some stuff to do before it gets too late.” He explained. “And I’m kinda due for a super-sized night’s sleep.”

“Oh, that’s okay.” Ditzy said, a bit disappointed. “It was very nice to meet you both. I hope we see you around.”

“I’m sure you will, not going anywhere anytime soon.” Andrew said, the dip in his smile not missed by Autumn. “Stop by the house sometime, I’ll show you around and we can hang out.”

“That sounds like fun.” Ditzy said, her smile returning. “Oh! Before you go, take some muffins with you.”

The grey mare stood up and picked up a paper bag, passing it to Andrew. He took a peek inside, the smell of fresh baked sweets meeting his nose.

“These look amazing, thank you so much.”

“They taste even better, trust me.” Turner assured them, standing beside his marefriend. “Best muffins in the world.”

“Oh hush you…” Ditzy jokingly admonished, taking a loving swipe at Turners shoulder. “But any way you to, have a safe walk home!”

Andrew put on his shoes easily, turning and waved again walking away from the picnic blanket and the two ponies who sat on it. They returned his wave, and Autumn followed behind him. After they made it back onto the road she caught up to him.

“They were great, so adorable.” She said with a smile.

“Mhmm, they seemed great together.” Andrew agreed. “Certainly explains why Turner talks about her so often.”

“You didn’t have to come with me you know, you could have stayed a bit longer.”

“I know, didn’t want to make you walk back on your own.” He explained. “Besides, I think Turner wanted to be alone with Ditzy for the sunset.”

Autumn nodded, taking the lead slightly as they headed up the hill. As they made it to the top, they could once again see the field in which Big Mac had been working with. As they began walking down the other side, the breeze, which had been negligible most of the day, picked up. It blew into them, and Autumn’s demeanor instantly changed. Her legs spread slightly and her eyes widened. She bent he front legs slightly, and her entire body tensed. She seemed like a coiled spring, ready to pounce.

“What is it?” Andrew asked, a bit worried.

“I smell blood.”

“Blood? Where is it…” Andrew began but trailed off as he looked around. “Oh no.”

Without a word Andrew began to run down the hill, as fast as his legs could carry him. Autumn followed, her head on a swivel, seeming to watch all directions at once. When he finally reached the bottom of the he leapt over the fence that ran along the semi cleared field.

“What is it Andrew?” Autumn asked loudly as they ran.

“Big Macs cart!” He said. “He said he was going to be done soon, he shouldn’t still be-”

Andrew’s explanation was cut off before they could even reach the cart. As they had gotten close, Andrew spotted a flash of red, and he skidded to a stop. He ran to the nearby boulder, and as he cleared one side he saw Big Mac, laying on the ground, one of his back legs pinned under the massive rock.

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“Oh shit!” Andrew shouted as he slid down to his knees beside the large earth pony. “Over here Autumn!”

Autumn rounded the side of the boulder at a gallop, barely managing to slow down in time. She lowered herself to Big Mac’s side, opposite of Andrew.

“Big Mac, buddy, are you alright?” Andrew asked, gingerly nudging him. “C’mon, I know you can hear me.”

When the big pony remained silent, Autumn leaned in, pushing her hoof against his neck.

“His pulse is weak, he must have hit his head when it happened.” She guessed, putting her head onto his chest for a moment before looking at Andrew seriously. “We need to get him to the hospital.”

Andrew nodded, standing up from Big Mac’s side, putting his hands on the boulder. Autumn mimicked him, her front hooves looking for purchase. With a nod they both pushed with all their strength.

The rock didn’t budge.

“There’s no way we can lift this…” Autumn finally concluded, her breath coming harshly from the strain.

“Go… Go get Turner and Ditzy.” He said, once again kneeling next to his friend. “Hurry!”

Autumn tore across the field at an impressive speed, cleanly clearing the fence in a single leap. Andrews focus returned to the injured pony, who seemed to be getting even paler. He checked his pulse again, cursing when he could barely find it.

“It would be nice if I knew what a good pulse for a pony was…” He muttered to himself, looking around, waiting for Autumn to return.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, Ditzy appeared over the hill, her wings pumping. She soared directly to him, Turner and Autumn galloping on the road behind her.

“Oh sweet Celestia!” Ditzy said with a gasp, covering her mouth with her hoof when she finally landed next to Andrew. “What happened?”

“We don’t know but he isn’t waking up, he might have hit his head.” He explained as the two earth ponies arrived. “We need to get him out from under the rock, and to a hospital.”

The couple nodded, and the four ponies positioned themselves around the boulder.

“On the count of three!” Andrew said. “One… Two…”

Andrew strained as hard as he could, the “three” driven out as a barely unintelligibly grunt as he put every ounce of muscle into the task. They strained for what seemed like minutes before they sagged, defeated by the boulder.

“Fuck!” Andrew swore, kicking the boulder angrily before taking a deep breath. “Okay, okay…Ditzy, I need you to fly back to town, the nearest group of ponies you find you send here. Then get to the hospital and do the same.”

Ditzy nodded, giving the pinned pony one more sad look before taking off. She flapped her wings as fast as she could, soon disappearing around another hill.

“Any idea how long-”

“Seventeen minutes, give or take.” Turner answered, as if by instinct. “Fifteen if the wind is with her.”

“I don’t think he has that long.” Autumn said with a dull voice, once again kneeling beside Big Mac.

Andrew followed her look to the area directly around the pinned leg. His heart sank when he realized what he was looking at. A dark red stain had spread around, almost completely hidden by the dark earth around it.

Blood.

“Should have realized after I smelled blood but didn’t see any on his head.” Autumn admitted in the same dull voice. “He didn’t get knocked out, he passed out from blood loss.”

Andrew looked at Autumn, shocked by her brutal description and empty voice. He shook his head and focused, now was not the time. After a moment he jumped up, quickly tugging the belt from around his waist off. He rushed to strap it around Macintosh’s leg, then looked to Autumn.

“Where should I tighten it?” He asked, shouting when she didn’t respond. “Autumn!”

The pony started slightly, finally meeting Andrews eye’s. He saw a raw moment of pain, some wound that had never healed. But it was gone in a flash, replaced by determination.

“Right here.” She explained, pointing to an area close to Big Mac’s hock.

Andrew fastened the belt around the limb, pulling it tight until it bit into the skin. He held it firmly, tugging it to make sure it was as tight as possible. Satisfied he began looking around, trying to think of a way to free the trapped leg.

“Can’t you use magic Andrew?” Turner asked, breaking his shocked silence. “You can do magic, right?”

“Not reliably, and definitely not on something this size.” He explained. “Magic is not something I’m good at, I can’t lift a fucking rubber ball without giving myself a concussion. No, spells are not going to fix-”

“What is it?” Autumn asked after a long moment of silence.

“Spells won’t fix this… but runes might.” Andrew said quietly, his mind racing. “Quick, Autumn come here and hold this tight, I have an idea!”

“What do you mean runes?” Autumn asked as quickly moved to take Andrews place. “How are they going to help?”

“Runes work differently than unicorn magic.” Andrew explained as he looked around the field wildly. “No emotions, no controlling magic. The only thing you need to know is what runes to use and how much energy to put into them. ”

Andrew finally spotted a sharp looking tool attached to the side of the cart by twine. He tore the twine with a single jerk, rushing back to the rock. With a grimace he began carving into the stone. The metal on stone made a horrendous sound which made his bones ache but none the less he continued. Turner and Autumn covered their ears as best they could, both visibly blanching at the sound. Never the less Andrew continued carving runes into the stone, hurriedly finishing group after group, mumbling to himself as he did.

“Nauthiz… then an Ehwaz… or Gebo? No, definetly Ehwaz, with Tiwaz then ending with an Algiz!”

Andrew finished it all off with a star in the middle of the groups of runes. He studied the carvings for a moment, then threw the tool away. It bounced across the dirt, unneeded.

“What’s the star for?” Autumn asked, her puzzlement clear.

“It’s a focus point, it should feed my magic out evenly.” Andrew explained simply, placing his hand on the star, then looking from Turner to Autumn. “Tie the belt off as best you can, you guys need to be ready to push.”

“You’re not going to lift it?” Turner asked as he put his hooves on the boulder.

“Nope.”

Andrew closed his eyes, and let out a long, slow breath. He focused on the now familiar spot, calling out his magic. His hand glowed, but instead of trying to focus the magic into a spell, he let the magic flow out into the runes, the red glow syphoning off into the star. He poured more and more magic into the carvings, and they began to glow the same color. They grew brighter and brighter, draining more and more of Andrews magic. After only a few moments he could feel the energy leave him, it was a lot but not nearly as much as he had expected. Finally the runes pulsed, and Andrew cut off his magic, stepping away from the boulder.

“Now! Push!”

Autumn and Turner both heaved, pushing with all their strength. Andrew could see the muscles in their hind legs bulge and cord, their faces contorted in effort. Finally the boulder began to roll, slowly at first then finally over the divot it had dug when it first moved. It rolled a few feet, releasing Big Mac’s leg completely. The two ponies slumped, breathing deeply as they held the boulder for a moment, making sure it wasn’t going to roll back, which had stopped as soon as the runes blinked and went dark. Andrew grabbed Big Mac’s front leg and pulled him farther away, just in case, half falling and half sitting when he was far enough.

The unconscious earth pony’s leg was clearly broken, fractures of bone poking through his leg. Blood steadily oozed, pooling on the already blood drenched leg. Andrew hurried to it, pulling off his shirt and pushing it against the gash the bone had created, taking care to not push on the bone itself.

“That was incredible Andrew.” Autumn praised, rushing to his side. “Did you actually make it weigh less?”

“I don’t think so.” He answered offhandedly, tearing off a sleeve and using it to fasten the already bloodstained shirt to Big Mac’s injury. “I think it was more like giving it extra energy to move. But can we focus?”

“Right okay, one thing at a time.” Autumn stated, before checking Big Mac’s pulse. “Buck me! I can barely feel it! We need to get him to the hospital, like right now!”

“It’s a twenty minute run from here.” Turner pointed out, trying very hard to not look at the mangled leg.

“That’s too far.” Autumn replied quietly, looking to Andrew. “Andrew I don’t think he has twenty minutes in him. I don’t think he has five. ”

Andrew chewed his lip, and stood after fastening the cloth to Big Mac’s leg as best he could. Autumn quickly resumed putting extra pressure on it.

“Fuck it! In for a penny, in for a pound!” Andrew shouted after a moment of chewing his lip. “Can either of you guys carve a good circle in the ground, around Big Mac?”

“Uhh, I can do a pretty good circle, probably?” Turner answered uncertainly. “I have to do it when installing sundials, it’s not gonna be perfect but…”

Andrew picked up a nearby stick and tossed it to the earth pony, who caught it in his mouth. He began to carve a circle around the prostrated pony, angling his head to carve into the ground. When he was done a pretty well made circle ran around Andrew, Big Mac and Autumn. When he was done Andrew took the stick from him and once again began carving runes, this time into the dirt around the inside of the circle. He drew four lines, dividing the circle into four sections, the lines running until they reached Big Mac. He marked runes around the earth pony as well, before kneeling beside him.

“Okay, go stand by Turner.” He told Autumn, helping her stand.

“What are you going to do?” She asked nervously, only moving when Andrew half pulled her up and forced her out of the circle.

“I’m going to teleport us.”

“What?!” Autumn shouted, stopping half way to where Turner stood. “You said yourself you can’t even levitate something, how are you going to teleport?”

“That’s what the focusing circle is for!” He explained, annoyed and exasperated. “Look, you said yourself there isn’t much time!”

“But you could hurt yourself! Teleporting is not something you mess around with!”

“The runes will stabilize the spell, make it more accurate and much safer.” He assured her, pausing and looking down at Big Mac. “For whatever is in the center.”

“What?!” Autumn shouted, taking two steps back toward the circle. “That sounds really dangerous, Big Mac wou-”

“I’m not doing this for him.” He said quietly, cutting her off. “I won’t let another sibling go through... I won’t let a family like the Apples go through losing another member. Not when I can help it.”

Without another word he began pouring magic into the seal, the runes and the lines glowing as he did. They grew bright with red magical energy, finally pulsing after a moment. He pulled his hand from the lines and looked up again, locking eyes with Autumn Song. His hand glowed with a bright red light, crackling with energy.

“Seeya on the oth-!”

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“-er side!” Andrew shouted, the crackling magic dissipating completely from his hand. “Dammit, should have timed that better.”

The passed out form of Big Mac was still in front of him, now laying on a clean tiled floor. The field was gone, replaced by the hospital waiting room, and a score of stunned ponies. They stared at him, frozen by his sudden appearance.

“Hello? Bleeding guy on the floor?!” He said, waving to the doctors. “Maybe you should help?”

His words shocked the ponies into action, a flurry of activity filling the room. A gurney was rushed in, and Big Mac was quickly hoisted onto it. A nurse applied the proper pressure to the injured ponies leg, while a doctor pressed a stethoscope to his chest.

“He had been bleeding for a while when we found him.” Andrew explained, shouting over the loud room. “His leg was pinned under a rock.”

One of the tending doctors nodded, then lead the nurses as they rushed him from the room. Another doctor kneeled beside Andrew, scanning his left arm with magic.

“No no, I’m fine, just the delivery service.” Andrew assured the unicorn doctor, shrugging him off, his adrenaline still pumping. “Just take care of Big Mac.”

“I beg to differ.” The pony insisted. “You seem quite injured to me.”

“It’s probably just the big guys bloo-.” Andrew started, looking down to where the doctor was focusing. “Oh…”

As he finally looked down he noticed he had in fact not made it through the teleportation unscathed. From his shoulder down to his fingertips was an increasingly severe burn, from what looked like a sun burn on his shoulder to a few inches of blistered burns on his fingers. He flex the toasted digits, still not quite understanding what he was looking at. They hurt to move, a dull throbbing ache that was getting rather hard to ignore.

“Huh…Well I kinda wish you hadn’t pointed it out, because now it’s starting to really hurt.”

Another gurney was pushed into the room, sidled alongside Andrew. He shook his head, trying to stand on his own. The doctor helped him stand but gestured to the gurney.

“Humor me, it doesn’t look that severe but until we are sure…”

“Fine fine, whatever. But I’m not staying overnight again.”

The doctor nodded and let Andrew hop onto the small wheeled bed. His feet hung off the end, but he hardly noticed as the rush of adrenaline began to ebb, tiredness filling him as the dull ache of his arm pulsed with his heartbeat.

Andrew sat on the end of an examination table, the doctor treating the worst parts of his arm. He dabbed a blue salve onto it, which stung at first but slowly dissolved into a cooling sensation.

“This potion was made for us by Zecora.” The unicorn explained as he went. “I don’t know how she does it, but that zebra has a way with potions.”

“Zecora… she’s the one who lives in the forest, right?” Andrew asked, happy for the distraction.

“That’s right, though she isn’t there now.” He continued as he finished the last patch of untreated skin. “Back home in Zebrica I believe, visiting family.”

“Oh, good for her I suppose.”

“Indeed, though not so good for you.” He explained. “The potions she last made us are getting a bit stale. They are still better than anything we could make mind you, and perfectly safe, but it’s the difference between a recovery time of a few days or a week.”

“A week huh?”

“Indeed, you should be mostly healed by then.” The doctor said with a smile. “Now, let’s get this all covered up.”

The doctor’s horn glowed as he floated a roll of gauze over to Andrew’s arm, carefully wrapping from his elbow down to his fingers, wrapping them together with a few layers of gauze in between. He struggled for a minute as he tried to figure out the best way to wrap around the dexterous digits, but soon he was done, taping off the end around his elbow.

“Alright, that looks good. Now I want you to move it as little as possible until its done healing, so I’m going to give you a sling.” The doctor said as he levitated a cloth sling over and around Andrew’s neck, helping him into it. “You shouldn’t get any scarring, the blistering makes it look worse than it actually is. Just take it easy, re-wrap it every other day, every day if the blisters burst or it starts weeping. If it looks infected when you open it, come back and we will take a look at it.”

“Thanks. Any news about Big Mac?” Andrew asked as he stood and stretched carefully.

“He’s still in surgery now.” The doctor explained as he walked Andrew out from the room. “His family and friends are in the emergency room waiting area, I’ll take you there.”

Andrew grabbed a sheet as he followed the doctor out, fitting it around himself as best he could, tying it off to create an impromptu poncho. By the time he had finished tying it all off they had arrived at the waiting room. The doctor stopped before they turned the corner, putting his hoof on Andrew’s side.

“Remember what I said, take it easy and move your arm as little as possible while it’s healing. If you can’t find gauze anywhere, come to us and we will give you some.”

“Thanks Doc’, I appreciate it.”

The pony nodded and turned to walk back the way they came, leaving Andrew to cross the remaining distance by himself. Applejack was pacing the room, eyes on the ground, while Twilight watched the earth pony closely, her eyes filled with worry. Autumn was the first to notice Andrew, jumping from her seat and rushing to give him a hug. Andrew hissed through his teeth as she pressed against his hand.

“Oh, I’m sorry!” Autumn apologized, pulling away from him. “Are you okay? The nurse wouldn’t tell us what room you were in and I was worried and I-”

“I’m okay, I’m okay I promise.” He assured her, patting her head. “Just a bit burnt from the teleport.”

“It’s called thaumic scorch.” Twilight explained as the other two made their way to him. “It can happen when spells get misaligned, which is exactly what happens when a single pony teleport is used to teleport two at once.”

“Huh. Well as long as Big Mac didn’t get any it’s fine.”

“How bad is it?” Applejack asked, her voice soft and her eyes red.

“Not bad at all. Most of it’s like a bad sunburn.” He explained, pulling up the poncho to show them his upper arm. “The worst part was my fingers and they were hardly second degree burns. Doc said I’ll be good in a week or so.”

“Then you were lucky.” Twilight assured the human. “Thaumic scorch like this has been known to… well…. burn limbs off.”

“Then I’m glad I used the runic circle.”

“How did you use the runic circle?” Twilight asked. “And the runes you used to move the rock. You borrowed that book for one night, how could you know how to-”

“Twilight… Maybe we can figure that out later?” Autumn suggested, standing close to Andrew. “Now might not be the best time.”

“Right, sorry.” Twilight solemnly agreed, biting her lip.

Andrew patted Autumn’s neck before sitting down in one of the chairs with a tired grown, the blonde pony sitting on his right side. The waiting room was sparsely decorated, a painting or two on the white walls. Twilight sat down in her original spot, watching Applejack as she began to pace again.

“Turner left a bit ago after we managed to convince the nurse to tell us you where okay.” Autumn quietly explained after a few minutes of tense silence. “Ditzy flew herself ragged and Turner wanted to make sure she wasn’t beating herself up about it.”

Andrew nodded, his eyes focused on the white double doors that led to the operating room, occasionally changing to watch Applejack pace. He was startled out of his revere when Autumn poked his side.

“What’s up?” He asked, finally tearing his eyes from Applejack and the doors.

“You did everything you could.” She assured him quietly. “Actually that’s not true. You did all you could and then some. Everything is going to be okay.”

“I know, I hope so. I just wish I could have gotten there sooner.”

Andrew returned his gaze to Applejack and her pacing. He shook his head after a long moment, rubbing his face with his healthy hand.

“I fucking hate hospitals.”

After an hour or so of worry filled waiting, the double doors were finally pushed open. A single Earth pony doctor came out, heading straight for Applejack. Everyone quickly stood and headed to her, with Twilight pressed tight against Applejacks side, supporting her with a reassuring hoof.

“First thing’s first, Big Macintosh pulled through.” The doctor said quickly to allay every ones fears. “He’s weak, but alive.”

The group physically sagged with released tension, with Applejack nearly falling over with relief. Autumn leaned against Andrew’s thigh, smiling up at him when he looked down at her.

“He lost a lot of blood, but thankfully it looks like he was brought to us before it did any serious damage.” The doctor continued after giving Andrew a knowing look. “Unfortunately the breaks were fairly severe.”

Applejack chewed her lip nervously before speaking. “You didn’t have to…?”

“Oh no, I’m happy to say the leg is definitely going to heal.” He corrected happily before getting more serious. “All in all, it could have been worse. The compound fracture, the one responsible for all the external bleeding was his Metatarsus, the lower back leg bone. However, there was quite a few hairline fractures on his Tibia, and his joint was damaged as well. But like I said, it could have been worse.”

“Thank you doctor.” Applejack finally said from behind her hat, having pulled it down to hide what was definitely not tears of joy. “Any Idea when I can see ma brother?”

“Well the other surgeons are closing up the wound now, and he is going to be out for a while.” He explained. “You can see him in two maybe three hours, but we are going to keep him under a sleep spell to keep his blood pressure stable and his leg still.”

“When will he wake up?” Twilight asked.

“Well we will probably remove the spell sometime tomorrow morning. After that it’s up to his body when he will wake up.” He explained. “As tough as it may be, my recommendation would be to go home and get some rest then come back tomorrow morning.”

“Thanks Doc, but I can’t leave ma brother alone here.” Applejack said with assured finality, before turning to the others. “But Y’all should get some rest. I appreciate you staying with me fer as long as ya did.”

“I’m not leaving you alone either.” Twilight said, with equal determination. “Like I could get any rest with you here anyway.”

Applejack gave Twilight an appreciative smile, before turning to Andrew and Autumn.

“You should get some rest, you probably need it the most out of any of us.” She said, pointing toward his injured arm.

“I’m fine, I-”

“Will be going home with me, if I have to get one of these nurses to knock you out with your own sleeping spell, then carry you home on my back.” Autumn said, cutting off any assurances Andrew had been about to say. “You’ve been through a lot the past few days, you need rest.”

“She’s right.” Twilight agreed. “We will keep you in the loop, and let you know when he’s awake so you can visit him.”

“But-”

“Andrew, you’ve done more than ah could ever ask for.” Applejack assured him, looking at him with a tired, but finally happy look. “Go home, get some rest.”

“Well… fine.” Andrew relented. “I guess I could use it.”

The two left the mares alone after a few goodbye’s, following the doctor to complete some paper work. After that they began the slow trek home.

When Andrew and Autumn finally reached home night had fallen and the moon was up. The living room light was on, and as they walked to the front door Andrew could see Luna in her Eve disguise pacing back and forth.

“Eve, we’re back!” He shouted after opening the front door. “We uh… have a bit of a story.”

“I should hope so, I didn’t-” She started before turning the corner into the main hall. “Andrew! What happened to you?!”

“It’s a bit of a long story…” Andrew started. “Can I sit down first?”

Luna nodded, moving to the side so he could make his way to the living room, watching him closely as he did. Autumn followed close behind, as if worried to let him out of her sight. Andrew sat down in the chair heavily, hissing in annoyance when doing so bumped his burnt arm.

“So, what did you do to yourself?”

“Well, it happened on the way home from hanging out with Turner and Ditzy…”

Andrew began to explain the afternoon’s events, running through them in his mind as he did, letting Autumn chime in when she wanted to. Eventually Luna seemed satisfied with the duo’s retelling.

“You really can’t go a day without either making trouble or sniffing it out, can you?” She asked Andrew with an exasperated shake of her head.

“I’m just glad he was there to help.” Autumn said. “Though I wish he didn’t get hurt in the process.”

“Indeed. You were very lucky to get off this light Andrew, thaumic scorch from misaligned teleporting can cause much more than some severe surface burns.”

“I know, Twilight said it’s been known to burn off limbs.”

“Indeed it has, it’s been known to do worse as well.” She added before changing the topic. “I’m also shocked with how well you utilized the runic magic. I would very much like to examine the boulder, as well as the “focusing circle”, as you called it.”

“I didn’t call it that, it’s what the book called it. It was originally created to help stabilize runic enchantments that were either complex, unstable, or being set into weaker materials. I just kinda rejiggered it to stabilize the teleport.”

“You did all this after only reading one book on runes?” Luna asked. “That’s either unbelievably lucky, or a miracle.”

“Either way I’ll take it.”

Andrew answered, standing up slowly, holding his back as he did.

“Everything alright?” Autumn asked, noticing him hold his back.

“Yeah, my backs just a little tight, must have strained it when I was trying to push the boulder. It doesn’t hurt, just feels stiff.”

“Well what did the doctor say about it?” She asked.

“I uh… I didn’t tell him. Like I said, probably just a strained muscle, it’ll be gone in a few days.”

Andrew headed out of the room, and into the kitchen. He pulled open the ice box, pulling out an apple. Luna and Autumn followed him into the kitchen, watching him closely as he took a large bite, chewing it loudly.

“What?” He asked around the food, moderately annoyed by their hovering “I get it, strange shit’s going on, I’m lucky to have all four limbs and I need to be more careful. Don’t worry, I’m fine”

“Well… yeah, I guess.” Autumn replied, rubbing the back of her head nervously. “We’re just worried about you. So much has happened…”

“I’m fine, really.” Andrew assured her, taking another bite of his apple. “I just need some sleep.”

“I suppose that’s only natural, given what you’ve done and experienced today.” Luna agreed. “Go, sleep, so we may examine this in more detail tomorrow.”

Andrew nodded and left the kitchen, taking his apple with him. When he reached the top of the stairs he pulled off his impromptu covering and threw it back down.

“Burn that for me, will ya?” He shouted down to the other room, heading down the hall to his room. “It smells like a hospital.”

Luna, still in her Eve disguise, sat in the living room the next morning, quietly reading a book she had found in the office. It was almost ten o’clock, and the sun well on its way to the highest point in the sky.

“Oh, Hey Eve” Autumn greeted as she rounded the corner into the living room. “I didn’t realize you were still home, I thought you would still be out training Andrew.”

“Normally I would.” Luna agreed, flipping a page. “I decided that in the interest of Andrews’s sanity I would give him the day off.”

“He’ll appreciate that, I’m sure.” She replied, pausing for a moment, gathering her nerve. “Eve, could I ask you a question?”

“I believe you just did, but I suppose I could allow you a second.” Luna joked as she marked her page and put down her book, next to a cup of tea.

“Do you think… Andrew is going to be alright?” She asked. “I know you haven’t known him very long but…”

“I know him well enough I should think. And as for your question… I suppose it depends on what you would define as alright.” Luna explained, looking wistfully out the front window. “He is going through a lot, as I no doubt you know. He has revealed some old wounds, but I believe he is still hiding others.”

“Yeah, makes sense I suppose.” Autumn agreed, sitting in one of the chairs across the room. “I just wish there was something I could do to help.”

“I suspect he will ask for help when he wants it, rather than when he needs it.” Luna guessed, taking a sip of her tea. “All we can do is help when he lets us.”

The two sat in contemplative silence, with Luna sipping her tea and Autumn fidgeting in her seat, watching the disguised alicorn. After a long pause Luna continued.

“I do realize that I haven’t answered your question.” She said, answering Autumn’s nervous looks. “I hesitate because in all honesty, I do not know. I know quite a few ponies who would react much worse to so much dramatic change, and so much pressure. Pulled from his home, given new power, told that power could hurt the ponies around him. Then told he may never see his home again. And let us not forget the poor luck he has had since he has arrived…”

Luna let her voiced concerns hang in the air as she finished her tea. She picked her book back up, resuming her reading. Finally she looked back to Autumn.

“I think someday he may be alright. Time will heal almost all wounds. How much time it takes… that is entirely up to him.”

“It’s just that sometimes he seems so tough, and other times it’s like he’s about to explode and-”

“What the actual FUCK!?”

Autumn’s sentence was cut off by Andrew, who was screaming from the floor above. His voice was strained and filled with confusion. The two in the living room looked at each other, then hurriedly got up and rushed to the stairs, climbing them two at a time. When they finally arrived at the top, Andrew was standing in the hallway, having just exited the bathroom. His eyes were wide, filled with surprise and confusion.

“What’s wrong Andrew?” Autumn asked, clearly concerned. “Is everything okay?”

Instead of answering Andrew simply turned in place, his hand pointing at his lower back. There, clearly printed on his skin was the image of a rose colored stone marked with a runic letter. Andrew had earned his cutie mark.

Andrew sat cross-legged on the living room couch, facing away from Luna and towards the kitchen. He was hunched over, holding his injured arm in his lap as Luna scanned his back, and his new cutie mark. The spell Luna was using made his back tingle, like the layer of skin under the surface was getting tickled. The scan had been going on for what seemed like ages before Luna leaned back with a sigh.

“Well…” she finally said, her scanning spell deactivating. “You don’t have the cutie pox.”

“Well… that’s good I guess.” Andrew replied. “But then how do I have a cutie mark? Humans don’t get cutie marks!”

“To be perfectly honest my student, I don’t believe it is that strange that you found your special talent, or that it caused your cutie mark to appear.” Luna admitted, levitating Andrew’s shirt to him as he turned to sit normally. “You may be human, but magically speaking you’re a perfectly average unicorn pony.”

“You don’t get it! I’m a human, we don’t suddenly get tattoos on our backs!” He shouted. “Not without a long night of alcohol and mistakes first!”

“You aren’t just a human anymore. You have magic.” Luna explained. “You are part of this world, which means you’re subject to its whims and rules.”

“At least it explains how you’ve taken so well to runes… Right?” Autumn asked, trying to slow down Andrews rising emotions. “Assuming that’s what it is…”

“Yeah it’s a rune.” Andrew answered, rubbing his face again. “It’s called Tiwaz.”

“And what does it mean?” Luna asked curiously.

“By itself it means justice.” He answered. “It can mean honor, leadership, rationality or a bunch of other things when used with other runes.”

“It fits you.” Autumn said, looking to Andrew with a hopeful smile. “At least I think it does. I’m not sure if your name fits since I don’t know what your name means…”

“Neither do I.” Andrew answered with a shrug. “Some human names have secondary meanings but they tend to be from older languages. Mine could mean something I suppose, but I never really bothered to look it up.”

“Oh.” Autumn said sheepishly. “Sorry.”

“Andrew, everything is going to be okay.” Luna tried to assure him. “You-”

“No! Everything is not okay!” He shouted, finally exploded. “Every day I stay here I get more and more attached to this place! I am a human, from a different universe! I don’t belong here! What would happen now, if I made it back home? After all no magic means nothing being pulled into my mana pathways! Would I just keel over and die if I used any? Would I just die right off the bat?”

Autumn shrank back, surprised by Andrews sudden anger. Luna, on the other hand, simply watched the human as he ranted.

“I don’t know Andrew, I don’t have a way to know that-”

“Well I can’t just accept it and stay here! I need to get home!” Andrew shouted at no one in particular.

The upset human stormed from the room, through the kitchen and out the back door, slamming the glass sliding door shut. He jumped down the stairs three at a time, angrily stomping through the yard and into the trees.

Lost: 21

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By the time Andrew’s anger began to fade he was well into the forest. His legs grew weak, both from the impromptu jog, and the loss of the emotion that was fueling it. The trees seemed to surround him as he half collapsed, half sat on a moss covered stump. His breathing came in slow, deep pulls that seemed to resonate within his skull. His quickly disappearing anger was just as quickly being replaced by a deepening sense of hopelessness that threatened to overwhelm him. The warm summer air rolled through the trees, making them creak and groan. Suddenly Andrew became startlingly aware of how alone he was in the forest, and how he had no idea where he was.

“Well…. crap.”

He stood up from the stump and looked around through the old trees, trying to ignore the growing worry. He was pretty sure which direction he had come from, but every second that passed made him less and less sure. This, combined with the natural randomness of the trees and underbrush made the idea of finding his way home himself seem hopeless.

I didn’t go that far. He thought to himself. Worst comes to worst I have to wait a little while before they come looking for me.

As this thought occurred to him he realized how much he had connected with his new friends.

A year ago I would have never even considered rely on anyone else like this. Before that I would have only thought to trust Alice to come looking for me.

Andrew retook his seat, ignoring the fact that the stump wasn’t entirely dry. He watched as the sun peaked between the leaves, the summer breeze once again rolling through. His mind drifted to what had happened the last few days, wondering if he would ever make it home. He slid down the stump a bit, leaning back against it. He put his uninjured hand behind his head and closed his eyes, trying his best to relax and wait patiently.

“Ummm… Andrew?” A quiet voice said from behind the human a few minutes later.

“Woah!” Andrew yelled, jumping up and spinning around. “Jeez Fluttershy, you scared me!”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” She apologized, looking like she was going to continue before getting closer to the human and noticing his injury. “Andrew, what happened to your hand?!”

The mare closed the remaining distance between them quickly, gingerly lifting his arm and inspecting it. She sniffed the bandages slightly, scrunching her nose from the smell of the potion as well as the damaged skin.

“Oh my Andrew, how did you get a burn like this?”

“Umm… Twilight called it thaumic scorch…” Andrew answered.

“It looks painful, did the doctors give you one of Zecora’s potions?”

“Yeah, he put some on the worst areas, said I should be all set in a week.”

Fluttershy let go of Andrew’s arm, still staying close to the human.

“What happened?” She asked with obvious concern.

“Well… Wanna sit down and I’ll tell you?”

As they both sat against the stump Andrew retold the previous day’s adventure for what felt like the hundredth time. He made sure that Fluttershy understood that Big Mac was okay as quickly as he could, as Fluttershy looked as if she was about to cry when he even mentioned that Autumn has smelled blood.

“I’m g-glad everypony is okay, I wish I had heard sooner.” She said, voice quivering with worry for her friends. “And Big Mac will be awake soon?”

“If his body feels like waking up, yeah.”

“You s-should be resting too.” Fluttershy said, getting to her hooves again. “In a nice comfy bed.”

“I did, slept all night, even slept late this morning.” Andrew assured her. “I just went out for a… walk, to clear my head. Before I knew it I was lost.”

“Well you did the right thing by staying put.” The yellow pegasus said worriedly. “I’m glad I found you so soon.”

“Me too.” Agreed Andrew. “I was already getting bored.”

“Well then, we get you home so you can rest.”

“That would be amazing Fluttershy, I would owe you big time.”

“Oh no, that’s fine.” She assured him. “It’s nothing, really. Just follow me.”

Fluttershy turned a bit and began walking away. Andrew followed closely, noting that the way she was going had been the opposite he had thought was the way home. The usually timid pegasus walked confidently through the woods, so Andrew assumed she was correct.

“I haven’t seen you in a while.” Andrew said. “You been busy?”

“Mhmm, very very busy.” She responded. “The animals have been very… active the past few days.”

“Active? Like what, spring come early or something?” Andrew joked.

“N-n-no, nothing l-like that.” She responded, an adorable blush coloring her cheeks. “They all seem very upset lately, agitated almost.”

“That’s weird…” Andrew replied, his eyebrows knitted. “Is it seasonal or…?”

“No, I don’t think so.” She said. “I think some new predators moved into the forest, maybe even out from the Everfree.”

“Predators?” Andrew asked, suddenly a bit nervous. “What kind of predator?”

“I’m not sure.” Fluttershy admitted guiltily. “Something relatively big. Nopony has reported anything so far, and I can’t seem to find them. They are scaring the rest of the animals though.”

“So what are you going to do about it?”

“There isn’t much to be done, except try and calm the animals that are scared.” She explained. “Eventually the forest will adapt, as long as the predator isn’t too greedy.”

Andrew nodded his head, looking around at the trees they passed. The slowly rising sun could be seen through the leaves again, especially when the wind blew through.

“Do things just come out of the Everfree like that?” He asked. “I thought all the animals in there were like monsters.”

“Well it depends on what kind of animal.” Fluttershy explained, the familiar topic giving her confidence. “It is rare for predators to leave for such a length of time, especially in the summer when food is so plentiful.”

“Aren’t you worried about your animal friends?”

“Yes, of course.” Fluttershy answered with a nod. “But… part of loving nature is understanding that predators need to eat...I may not like it but it wouldn’t be right to stop it. It’s why I was so worried about you when you said you weren’t going to eat meat anymore.”

Andrew stopped and cocked his head, quickly replaying everything he had eaten in the past few days.

“Huh…”

“What is it Andrew?” Fluttershy asked, stopping when she notice. “Is everything alright? If you’re tired we can-”

“No no, I’m fine.” Andrew assured her. “I just… I had completely forgotten I haven’t been eating meat. I have to make sure I get some extra protein today.”

“Oh no, that’s terrible Andrew! You need to take better care of yourself, if you want you can come to my house. I have some fish I keep around for the bears.”

“No its okay, I feel fine. I have some tofu at home, I’ll fry it up when I get home.” Andrew assured her. “Wait, did you say bears?”

Fluttershy nodded, her pink hair covering half her face as she turned and continued walking. Andrew followed quickly behind, happy to have left the forest quickly.

By the time Fluttershy and Andrew made it back to civilization it was a little past noon, the sun beginning its descent through the sky. They emerged from the forest not far from a street that lead further into town. Luckily they didn’t have to cross anypony’s yard in order to reach it. They made their way closer to the center of the town, until they reached a three way intersection, one heading off toward what would eventually lead to Fluttershy’s cottage, cutting through the middle of town, and one that led back to the Andrews home.

“Are you sure you can make it home alone?” Fluttershy asked, concern clearly in her voice. “I really don’t mind walking back with you.”

“It’s fine Fluttershy, really. It’s only a short walk.” He assured her. “Really, I’ll be fine. You’ve got enough on your plate already by the sounds of it.”

“Well… okay. But take it easy okay?”

“Will do.”

Fluttershy turned and headed down the road, Andrew turning and heading the opposite way, walking until he rounded the corner. Once out of sight of the street he leaned against the corner, pausing for a minute or so while ponies went about their business around him. He peaked around the corner, and once he was satisfied that Fluttershy had moved on he left the cover of the wall, heading down the way he had just come. He followed the path his yellow pegasus friend had taken, veering off in the direction of the library as soon as he could.

The streets were busy with what Andrew could only guess was a lunch time rush, with pony’s waving hello as he passed, quite a few of them noticing his bandaged arm. He handily brushed off those who wanted to chat, trying his best to be polite but firm. Eventually he made it to the library, pushing the front door open and entering the well-lit first room.

“Hello? Who’s there?” A familiar voice called, Spike appearing from another room. “Oh, hey Andrew. Twilights not here, she’s still with Applejack at the hospital.”

“That’s okay, I figured that’s where she would be.” Andrew admitted, looking around at the books, especially those on the desk. “I actually came looking for some of the books that came in the other day, the ones about runes?”

“Runes?” He asked, tapping his chin. “Oh! Okay, I’ll go look around for those, hold on.”

The drake turned around and headed the way he came in, disappearing from view. Andrew looked around at the bookshelves, eyes finally resting on an open book on the desk.

“Huh.” He said to himself. “Could have sworn I saw her put this away.”

Open on the desk was the book Andrew had picked up a few days ago, the one written by Nickle Tesla. It was open, so Andrew picked it up and read to himself.

These shards of divinity, often referred to as royal blood, are not the explanation of spectacular traits or unique talents, as it is often said. In fact I believe that these shards of divinity are behind the most powerful beings on Equus, from the ancient Discord to our own shining Princess Celestia.

Those who bear the shards are chosen by the All-Mother herself, and are tasked with guarding and maintaining a concept, idea or even an emotion. In a few examples, like our Princess, or the rumored queen of the sea ponies, physical objects are guided as well. I have traveled far and wide in hopes of uncovering a being, be it pony, zebra, griffon or dragon, who bears a shard of divinity and is more willing to talk about their gift than a certain royal princess. Alas it seems that those easily found are not so easily convinced to admit their duty, while those who remain hidden have yet step forward. I grew close in Zebrica, stumbling onto a village that worshiped-

“Any good?”

“OH Jeezus Christ Spike!” Andrew shouted, slamming the book shut and whirling around to face the young drake. “What is with every one trying to give me a heart attack?!”

“Sorry, couldn’t pass up the chance.” Spike apologized, putting a book filled box down. “Anyway, I found the books for you, Twilight had them up by her bed.”

“Ah, thanks little dude.” Andrew replied, pulling a book out and flipping through the pages. “Speaking of which, have you heard from her at all?”

“Yeah, she was here this morning for a while to tell me what was going on, take a quick shower and grab some breakfast.”

“How’s Big Mac?”

“She said he’s fine, they are just waiting for him to wake up.” Spike explained. “Are you going to visit him?”

“I will when he wakes up. Until then I figured I’d do some reading.” Andrew explained, holding one of the books up. “I’m gonna borrow this. If Twilight comes around again tell her I’ll be at the Thirsty Timberwolf.”

Spike nodded and waved as he left, Andrew smiling and waving back. The smile, clearly false, fell before the door even latched shut.

Andrew sat in the farthest corner of the bar, the rune marked book open on the table. Around him sat empty bottles and glasses, as well as a few plates of mostly eaten food. The book was more read than un-read, pages scanned and understood at what was at first a disturbing rate. Andrew wanted to hate it, wanted to hate the runes, how easily he was learning about them, and most of all he wanted to hate his unnatural cutie mark. But in the end he couldn’t. It was all too enthralling, to interesting and to damn cool for him to not crave each new page. The knowledge felt natural, as if patching a gap in his brain that he hadn’t even known he had.

A few time Sunny Smiles passed him over, which Andrew was thankful for. He could see her checking up on him every once in a while, as if she could feel his dark mood. He wanted to be alone, but he appreciated the sentiment. He mentally noted to give her a large tip when he eventually left. It seemed like it was a slow night, the bar quiet, especially back in the far corner like he was. At some point in the night a fresh drink slid in front of him, which he murmured his thanks for. He had been surprised when this one wasn’t alcoholic, like many of the ones before had been. He looked up in confusion, finally noticing that someone had slid into the seat on the other side.

“It seemed as if you could use a more reasonable drink” Luna explained, gesturing to the other empty cups. “The waitress admitted she was on the fence about serving you so many.”

“Her names Sunny Smiles.” He responded blankly. “Nice girl. Well pony.”

“Indeed.”

A silence fell between the two, Andrew content to continue reading his book, and Luna, still wearing her Eve disguise, content to wait. After a few minutes Andrew finally looked up.

“Okay, what do you want?” He asked tonelessly, taking a sip of his new drink.

“Big Macintosh is awake.” She answered. “I thought you would like to know.”

“Thanks, but I can’t visit him now. Too much to drink.” He explained, pointing the stacks of beers and cocktails. “I’m more drunk than I look.”

“Self-medicating with alcohol is never an intelligent choice Andrew, you are better than that.”

“I’m not self-medicating. I’m drinking socially.”

“Yes… Clearly.” Luna agreed, woefully sarcastic, looking around at the table and mostly empty bar. “You’re the life of the party.”

“Whatever.” He stated with finality, looking back down at the book. “I’d rather just read in peace actually.”

Luna’s horn glowed as she closed the book with her magic, marking the page with a coaster. Andrew looked up at her, stone faced.

“What?”

“Andrew.” Luna started, voice soft. “None of us can really imagine what you are feeling right now. But as much as it may hurt, please don’t push me… push us away. We are your friends, and new as we may be we care about you. Don’t close us out.”

A long pause stretched between them, Andrew almost visibly churning his thoughts. Finally, he spoke, his voice gravelly as it fought back a more dramatic tone.

“I’m not pushing you away Luna. I’m mourning.”

Luna studied the human, her eyes were wide with sympathetic pain. She ignored his slip up, leaning forward.

“For whom do you mourn Andrew?”

“Myself. The old Andrew” He explained as he played with his drink. “My past life, before I came here. The old Andrew is dead.”

“That is not true Andrew, you may have changed over the past weeks but you are the same Andrew. You still-”

“Will I ever return home? Will I ever see another human being for as long as I live?” He demanded, now staring the alicorn down, eyes hard with anguish. “Truthfully, with no embellishments or false hopes. Will I ever go home?”

Luna stared back at the human, her gaze faltering as she realized she had been about to do exactly what he had predicted, stretch the truth to give him hope.

“Truthfully?” She asked with a pause, as if hoping he would change his mind. “No. It is not very likely that we will be able to send you home. We just don’t know-

“And that’s why the old me is dead.” He explained coldly. “I left behind friends, jobs, my home, and… my sister. I will never see them again, never see her again. I may be alive but I left my life there.”

“I know it hurts Andrew. To an extent I do know how being thrown into a new world can feel, though not to this degree…” She began after a long pause, trailing off soon after she started. “She will hurt, just as you have. But if she is as strong as you have said she will make it. It may not be easy but she will make it.”

Andrew’s face broke into an ironic, miserable smile, one that betrayed a deep running wound despite his fragile attempt to seem unharmed.

“My sister is probably already dead. Not because I’m here though, all that did was kill any hope I had of proving that wrong.”

Luna watched the human stare down at the book, knowing he wasn’t reading by the way his eyes were still, and the small drops of water that fell from his face, small marks appearing on the cover. She could not fathom the story behind what he had said, despite her best efforts to fill in the gaps of his past with the few scraps he had let slip out by accident. With a sigh she gave up, pushing out from her spot. Her horn glowed as she walked to the other side of the booth, pulling a few gold coins from Andrew’s pocket, placing them on the table. With a pop the bar disappeared, replaced by Luna’s temporary room, the seat replaced by her bed. In a blink she had teleported them both to her room, so smoothly that Andrew hardly noticed.

Silently Luna slid behind him, pulling him back gently until his head rested on her side. Her head turned so she could look into his eyes, and Andrew could only stare back, eyes wet. His mind wandered to the first moment they had met, stuck on the moon. He had awoken like this, head pressed against her wing, feeling her heart beat and her slow breathing. He vaguely realized that her disguise had vanished, Eve’s green eyes replaced by Luna’s teal pools. Silently he stared, his tears slowing as her warm, compassionate eyes stared back. Andrew knew what she was going to say before she opened her mouth to speak, but he let her ask anyway.

“Andrew. Let me in.”

He nodded, closing his eyes for a long moment, organizing his thoughts. Finally, he opened his eyes, and began to speak.

“About a year and a half ago Alice and I were living in a shitty apartment complex in Boston. It was tiny, loud and built like crap but it was all we could afford near the city. I worked a couple of jobs, and Alice was working and taking a few classes at a nearby community college. All things considered we were doing pretty well. She was working so hard and was doing so well in school. I was so proud of her.”

Andrew chewed his lip, his eyes beginning to well up again.

“Why not move out of the city?” Luna asked, helping him through. “Life is expensive near city hubs.”

“I wish we had, but we both just felt connected to it. We actually lived not far from where we grew up before mom died.” He explained after a deep breath. “Boston was home, no way around it. Plus the landlord gave a huge discount because he felt bad for us.”

“I see. I suppose home is home.”

“Yeah.” Andrew agreed sadly, before continuing. “The neighborhood itself wasn’t home though, and the shithole we lived in wasn’t either. God, we should have moved the day I realized how bad it actually was.”

Andrew closed his eyes again, fighting the memories as they poured back through his mind.

“Just an average day. I was heading home after work, dead tired. I got off at the wrong floor and immediately noticed a bunch of shifty looking guys huddling around, talking in hush voices. Finally, one of the guy’s walks into a room and walks out with a backpack. He passes it to another guy, who hands him back a couple of huge wads of cash. I couldn’t tell for sure, but it was a lot. The one with the backpack just walks away, heading away from me and his friends. One of the guys, holding the huge roll of money notices me and just stares.”

“What did you do?”

“I left. I should have called the cops, should have packed up and left, should have done anything but instead I did nothing!” Andrew answered, practically shouting with frustration over his mistake. “I had always told Alice that doing the right thing is the most important thing a person can do, that making sure that justice is served is… well… everything! Then I see what was almost one hundred percent a huge drug deal going down and I did nothing! Proof that that man was a criminal and I did nothing!”

“I’m sure you had a good reason.”

“I was scared, and that isn’t a good excuse.” Andrew responded adamantly. “I should have reported it.”

Andrew rubbed his face, wiping his tears away and rubbing his eyes. Finally, he continued, voice defeated.

“A couple months later I got home early from work, I found the apartment door wide open. I rushed inside, just in time to watch that same sick fucking bastard bash Alice’s head against the counter for the last time.”

Andrew jumped up from the bed, his anger brought forth as he remembered the worst day of his life.

“I snapped! One second I was in the doorway the next I had my hands around his throat! I broke three fingers pounding the fuckers face in!” Andrew shouted, only to suddenly change his volume before starting again. “He tried to scramble away, reached for a knife that was on the counter. I grabbed it first and...”

“Did you kill him?” Luna asked seriously, after watching the human for a long moment.

“Yes. I killed him without even hesitating, without a second thought. He hurt my sister and I killed the bastard for it.” He said quietly, clearly conflicted. “By that time someone had already called the cops. My sister barely made it to the hospital.”

“She lived?” Luna asked, her voice full of hope.

“Barely, but yeah.” Andrew responded. “She was in a coma for a while, but the doctors were tracking her progress and it looked like she was going to recover, though it was touch and go at first. They made sure to tell me that with that level of trauma, there was no way of knowing is she would ever be the same but…”

“Did she recover?” Luna asked.

“Eventually, yeah.” He answered. “But I never got to see it.”

“What do you mean?”

“I came to visit her one day, only to find the hospital in a panic. In the middle of the night she had woken up from her coma. At two in the morning she got out of bed, stole some clothes from a break room and walked out the front door like she was checking out of a hotel. The doctors said that when she woke up she must have been confused, panicked and bolted.”

“They just let her leave?”

“She managed to find the only path out of the hospital where she couldn’t be seen.” He explained. “The cops couldn’t explain it. They looked for months and couldn’t find her. I’ve spent every free minute since then looking for her. That’s why I’m so desperate to get home, I need to find her. The cops more or less gave up after a year, I’m the only one looking for her. The closest I’ve gotten is a hobo who swore he saw her hanging out near a statue in a city park.”

Andrew fell back, sitting on the edge of the bed. He cradled his head with his healthy hand, his memory overwhelming him.

“It’s all my fault! I should have done something! I could have done something long before she got hurt and I fucked up! We should have moved, I should have reported him, anything other than fuck all! Now my sister, the only family I have, is alone and homeless, or worse. Not only that, but now I’m stuck in another universe! I can’t even find her anymore!”

Luna listened to Andrew tell his story, watching him the whole time with sad, understanding eyes. She watch him cradle his head, and when put her head against his side, she felt him shake as he held back sobs. She rubbed his back with her hoof.

“I’m sorry Andrew, truly sorry you had your sister taken from you like that.”

“I could handle this, all of this.” He said, gesturing vaguely. “If I could just know that my sister was safe.”

Luna continued to reassure the human, trying her best to soothe his ragged, sobbing heart. The truth had broken the flood gates, and the anguish and worry he had been holding came out. He cried openly, for his lost life, and for his sister.

Storm: 22

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Andrew awoke to the smell of jasmine. He pondered for a long while, his eyes still closed, on how he knew what jasmine smelled like. He eventually concluded that it had been one of Old Mary’s favorite tea flavors. He remembered brewing a cup for himself one morning, remembered it being okay, though he also remembered thinking that it smelled a lot better than it tasted. With that nostalgic memory dancing around his head, he nuzzled his chin into the blanket he was holding, only to have fur tickle him back. Confused, he opened his eyes for a moment, shutting them again once he figured out what he was looking at.

I’m sleeping next to Luna. He thought calmly to himself, slowly waking up, memory of the previous night returning. Right. I guess I must have fallen asleep after all… that.

Andrew opened his eyes again, watching the alicorn sleep peacefully, though he couldn’t really see her face. She was curled up beside him, her back to his stomach and her head on his arm. His free arm was draped around her and he could feel her stomach move as she breathed.

There’s no way I could get out without waking her up. Though I suppose with her still sleeping the only reason for getting up early is out the window.

Fortunately, while Andrew was debating what he should do, Luna woke up and decided for him. She woke up slowly at first, stirring against him. When she finally realized she wasn’t alone she tensed against Andrew’s stomach. Before he could speak up to explain more or calm her down she relaxed on her own, her breath slowly returning to normal.

“I do not remember falling asleep in such a position Andrew.” She said, when she finally recovered from her surprise.

“Well, if I had known I was going to sleep here I would have warned you that I’m a snuggler.” He admitted abashedly. “Sorry.”

Luna pulled away a bit, spinning around so that she was facing him.

“Do not apologize, if I wanted to I could have carried you into your bed.” She pointed out, lifting the blanket over both of them for emphasis. “I had planned on doing just that actually, only you where…”

“Nightmares, right?” He finished for her, pulling the covers tight. “Yeah, they happen sometimes. Did I keep you up?”

“Not exactly.” She said vaguely, looking away and, a slight blush on her cheeks.

“You stayed up all night, didn’t you?”

“No, not all night. Just until you seemed to calm down…”

“You really didn’t have to do that. I’ve dealt with nightmares for years, even before Alice…” Andrew started, trailing off quickly as he looked down. “Sorry. It’s still hard to talk about it.”

“It is alright Andrew, I understand.” She assured him, her hoof lifting his chin. “As for staying awake, it is my duty to watch over those who suffer in the dream world, even if I am banned from helping them directly.”

“Well… in the future… I suppose you could help me with your fancy pants dream magic.”

“Truly?” Luna replied, surprised. “Well… thank you Andrew. I am honored.”

Andrew nodded, a happy smile on his face. Luna mirrored his smile, before slowly sitting up, stretching her front hooves.

“It is time we begin our morning I think.” She suggested, levitating the blanket off them both. “We should visit Big Mac today, seeing as neither of us did yesterday.”

“Yeah. Wanna go after some breakfast?”

“You mean lunch I assume?” She said teasingly, nodding to the wall clock.

“Lunch, Breakfast. Hell lets skip right to dinner and go get some beers.” Andrew joked back, which got him a sour look from Luna. “Yeah yeah, don’t worry. I don’t actually drink that much normally.”

“I should hope not.”

Andew stood and walked to the door, only to pause with his hand on the door knob. He turned , fixing Luna with a serious look.

“Thank you. Really, you were there for me even when I didn’t want you to be.”

“I will always be here for you Andrew.” She said with a solemn yet happy smile. “You would do well to remember that.”

“I’ll try my best.” He assured her, opening the door and entering the hall. “See you in a bit.”

He closed the door, turning towards his room when he heard the floor creak behind him. He hunched over in surprise, turning to find Autumn staring at him with wide eyes. He stared back for a long moment before standing up straight.

“What? I’m only human and that flank is perfect.” He explained with a goofy grin, making curving motions with his hands.

Autumn’s eyes opened even wider, and her face reddened even deeper than it was normally. Just before Andrew doubled over in laughter, Luna came out of her bedroom, now wearing her unicorn disguise.

“Yours isn’t bad either.” She teased with a wink, heading to the bathroom before Andrew could process what she had said.

Autumn bolted to her room, leaving Andrew alone in the hallway. He frowned and scratched his head, having the distinct feeling that though he had started it, the joke was definitely now on him.

Andrew and Luna entered the hospital a bit later than they had intended. Andrew had insisted on eating a large block of tofu for lunch, which took a while once he immediately remembered how much he hated it. Luna quickly finished a respectable tomato sandwich, which Andrew drooled over from the other side of the table. Once she was done she rewrapped Andrew’s hand, carefully covering his burn with gauze. By the time they had finally left it was about one in the afternoon, arriving at the hospital about fifteen minutes later. They made their way to the counter, getting a nurses attention.

“Hello Andrew, how can I help you?” She asked with a smile. “Everything all right with your arm?”

“Yeah, feels better already.” He assured the earth pony mare. “We are here to visit Big Mac?”

“Right, of course.” She nodded with a polite smile. “This way.”

The nurse guided the two through the unfortunately familiar halls, eventually leading them to a closed door.

“How is he?” Andrew asked as the nurse turned to leave.

“He’s doing as well as can be expected, he is due for a few more nights of observation before we release him.” She assured him. “The leg is a major break however, so he will need to keep the cast on for quite a while, which by the way hasn’t been put on yet, so don’t jostle him.”

“Thanks” He replied simply, pushing the door open and entering the hospital room, Luna right behind him.

Unsurprisingly, the room was almost an exact copy of the room that Andrew had stayed in earlier that week, save that this room had no window. Big Mac occupied the bed, while Applejack sat next to him in a chair she had pulled from one of the corners. The red stallions leg was elevated on a stack of pillows, wrapped in gauze and some restrictive braces.

“Well howdy you two!” Applejack greeted with a smile. “How y’all doing?”

“We are well Applejack, just wanted to stop by and check how your brother is doing.” Luna explained.

“I’m do’in fine, all things considered.” Big Mac answered, giving them a tired but happy wave.

“It’s the Apple in em.” Applejack explained proudly. “Ain’t nothing that can keep us down fer long.”

“cept a boulder.” Big Mac said with a grin, garnering a glower from his sister.

“That’s not funny ya big dummy.” Applejack said, thumping him gently on the shoulder. “Ignore him, he has a terrible sense of humor.”

“Oh yeah… totally, terrible.” Andrew agreed holding back his laughter. “Shame on you Big Mac.”

“Stallions.” Applejack said, rolling her eyes. “Anyway, me an Big Mac were going over the farm numbers, figuring out how many farm hands we are gonna have ta hire this season.”

“Oh, damn. I didn’t even think about that.” Andrew admitted. “Are you guys gonna be okay? Because I could pitch in if you need some help around the farm.”

“No no no, the insurance company is gonna cover everything.” Applejack assured him. “The paper work is gonna be like pulling hoof nails though. Thankfully, Big Mac will be able to handle all the books until he heals up completely.”

“Eyup, I’ll be hobbling around, filling out paper work before ya know it.” He said confidently.

“Well that’s good.” Luna said happily. “If you need any assistance financially, I’m sure I could convince Princess Luna to-”

“Oh no, Princess Celestia gave us enough when she handed us the deed to our land way back when.” Applejack cut off adamantly. “We couldn’t rightly accept any more charity.”

“Better person than me.” Andrew admitted with a self-deprecating laugh. “Back home I would have grabbed that and ran.”

“Well by the way ya tell it, you had your sister to take care of.” Applejack pointed out. “Family comes first, way before pride.”

“Fair enough I suppose.” He admitted, a bit awkwardly. “But yeah, sorry for not coming by yesterday.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Big Mac said, waving off his apology. “Was too busy anyway.”

“Did the whole town come visit?” Andrew asked jokingly.

“It certainly seemed like it.” Applejack agreed with a laugh. “Most my brother has talked in years.”

“With the least variety.” Big Mac added. “Hello, I’m doing fine, thanks for coming, bye.”

The group shared a chuckle, trailing off while Applejack adjusted Big Mac’s pillows.

“Nurse said you’d be out of here in a few days, looking forward to it?” Andrew asked.

“Ya know it.” Big Mac. “Ah miss Granny Smiths cookin already.”

“I know what you mean, I miss it too and I’ve only had it once.” He agreed. “Best apple pie I’ve ever had.”

“Truly?” Luna asked. “That certainly is some high praise.”

“She’s earned it.” Applejack insisted. “You should come around and try it out, a friend of Andrews is a friend of ours.”

The four talked for a while, about the Sweet Apple Acres, Luna’s stay in Ponyville as Eve and finally about Andrew’s progress in his magical training.

“He has made great strides so far.” Luna said proudly. “My student had the odds stacked against him, but he has made amazing progress.”

“She means I can access my magic, then use it to give myself a concussion.” Andrew translated. “Except when I’m using runes.”

“An’ why exactly is that?” Applejack asked curiously. “What’s so different?”

“Well runes are actually made for ponies and creatures with magical energy but no ability to cast spells.” Luna explained. “Earth ponies pioneered their creation, and were among the first runic mages”

“Now that’s sillier than a pig wearing flying goggles.” Applejack started with a laugh. “Who ever heard of ah earth pony using magic?”

“Now AJ, don’t go saying things you don’t know the truth of.” Big Mac said, chastising his sister, his expression hiding excitement. “You were too young to remember, but Dad used to tell stories of earth pony wizards, claimed that a few were even loosely connected to apple family line far far back.”

The other three gaped at the red stallion, Applejack in particular almost falling out of her seat.

“Seriously?” She asked when she finally found her voice. “Earth pony mages?”

“Wait, your father knew about runes?” Andrew asked, before looking toward Luna. “What happened to it being a dead magic?”

“Well not runes really. Just earth pony wizards…” Big Mac corrected, before abashedly adding. “Generally fighting evil pegasus or greedy unicorns.”

“Well, old folktales do often walk the line of prejudice.” Luna volunteered. “A different time I suppose. Still, very interesting. I think there are quite a few scholars that would love to hear those stories, if you’d be willing.”

“I’ll have to think ‘bout it.” Big Mac answered. “Some of those stories were passed down from his father’s father.”

“So if you can use runes, and earth ponies can too…. Why aren’t they still around today?” Applejack asked, changing the subject. “Seems like if earth folk like us could use magic more of us would.”

“A small handful of catastrophes are linked directly to improper rune usage.” Luna explained. “They quickly garnered a cursed reputation, as did all magic.”

“Basically runes have a primary meaning and a dozen or so secondary meanings. Connecting different runes into a string will kind of access those secondary functions.” Andrew explained. “The problem is that sometimes this will access a meaning that wasn’t intended. With hundreds of potential variables with only two runes, using them in strings can get messy real quick. Seems I have a talent in it though.”

“A talent, you mean like…?” Applejack asked, trailing off with a raised eyebrow.

“Yeah, I mean like that.” Andrew answered, turning and lifting his shirt, his cutie mark clearly visible.

“Oh… well congrats.” Big Mac said. “and here I was thinking that ponies where the only ones to get cutie marks.”

“You are.” Andrew explained, letting he shirt fall down. “I’m just kind of an exception.”

Before either Applejack or Big Mac could ask any more questions, there was a knock on the door, which promptly opened, a unicorn doctor entering the room.

“Oh, hello.” He greeted. “Sorry if I’m interrupting, but Big Macintosh’s bandages need to be re-applied, and we need to check his leg for infection.”

“Well alrighty then, I’ll go walk these two out big guy.” Applejack told her brother, getting up from her seat. “Be back in a bit.”

Big Mac waved as they left, the doctor heading over to the bed as the three closed the door behind them. Andrew and Luna followed behind Applejack, who was quiet as they walked through the halls. On the way to the exit they passed through an empty waiting room, and Applejack stopped.

“What’s up?” Andrew asked, pausing beside her.

“I was wondering if ah could talk to Andrew privately.” She asked, looking at Luna. “Ah promise I won’t keep him long.”

“Of course.” Luna replied, nodding her head. “I’ll wait by the entrance.”

Luna headed on her own, eventually turning the corner, leaving Applejack and Andrew alone.

“Look, AJ, it’s no big deal, I just did-” Andrew started, stopping when Applejack looked back at him, tears in her eyes. “Oh. Oh okay, shutting up now.”

Applejack wrapped her front legs around Andrew, giving him a bear hug so strong that it cracked his back. When she finally released him, she fixed him with another watery eyed, serious look.

“Andrew Dike. You saved ma brothers life.” She stated. “Putting yer life on the line, you saved him.”

Andrew tried to speak again but Applejack waved him off, so he remained silent.

“I heard exactly how it happened, Autumn visited yesterday.” She assured him. “From the bottom of ma heart. Thank you. I could never…. without him I-”

Andrew kneeled in front of Applejack, his hand sliding around her neck and pulling her into another hug. Applejack put a hoof around him, her face in against his neck.

“Don’t think of the if’s.” He told her, trying to reassure her. “You have him, he’s going to be okay.”

“Because of what you did.” She replied into his shoulder. “Ah can never repay you.”

“Oh no, none of that. I don’t want any attempts at repayment or anything like that. I only did what was right.”

“Oh stop being so modest and just listen you dunderhead.” She said, smiling through the few tears that had fallen. “I can’t repay you, nothing ah could give you would be enough. An’ I know that you’re not the kinda stallion to ask fer a reward, or even take one if ah offered. But I want ya to know that whenever you need help, us Apples will have your back. Don’t matter what it is, whatever serious or silly, us Apples will help any way we can.”

“Wow. Applejack, that’s…” Andrew started, losing his words half way through. “That’s… Thank you.”

Applejack hugged Andrew again, before pulling back and wiping her eyes. She sniffed and looked around as if checking to make sure no one had stumbled into her little speech.

“An iffen you tell anybody that ah was cryin’ I’ll hog tie ya and throw you in the Everfree.” She joked, thumping Andrew in the shoulder.

“Your secret is safe with me.” He assured her, standing up and ruffling her hair. “Now get back to your brother.”

Applejack nodded, walking around him and heading back the way they had come. She turned and waved to him, which Andrew mimicked, before turning a corner.

“I swear, these ponies are going to make me soft.” He said to himself, before rubbing his shoulder, where Applejack had thumped him teasingly, and hissed. “Or kill me with super human strength, whichever comes first.”

“How did it go?” Luna asked when Andrew finally arrived at the entrance of the hospital. “I am assuming she wanted to thank you?”

“Yup, it was very touching.” Andrew answered vaguely.

“I suppose those things are private.” Luna said, agreeing with his unspoken sentiment, nodding her head. “So, what shall we do now?”

“I don’t know, it’s getting a bit late to do anything isn’t it?” Andrew pointed out. “Maybe we should just head home. Besides, don’t you have a lunar activity to attend to?”

“Not for several hours.” She responded. “Though I suppose your right, it is a bit late in the day to start anything elaborate.”

The two walked side by side as they made their way back to town, cutting through the market place. The shop keepers were packing up quickly, many having already cleared out. Andrew and Luna shared a look, and they both headed for the nearest shopkeeper.

“Hello sir.” Luna called out when they got close. “You seem to be alarmed, is all well?”

“Huh?” The stall owner asked, turning around. “Oh, hello Miss. And you must be Andrew. I’d shake your hoof but I’m in a bit of a rush.”

“Yeah, that’s what we are curious about.” Andrew clarified. “Everyone’s running around, what’s up?”

“Oh, you haven’t heard?” The earth pony asked, surprised. “A freak thunderstorm was spotted brewing over the Everfree. Weather ponies say it’s gonna sweep over pretty soon.”

“Well crap, definitely going home now.” Andrew said grumpily. “I hate rain storms.”

“Truly? That is interesting.” Luna said, with a small smile. “Is my student afraid of thunder?”

“No, they are just stressful.” He insisted. “Bad shit happens during storms. Around me at least. Fucking bad omen.”

“Well you should get home as soon as you can.” The stall owner insisted. “It sounds like it’s going to be a doozy.”

Andrew nodded, and turned to go, stopping in his tracks and turning back around.

“Wait, Applejacks been with her brother the whole day, no way she’s heard about this.”

“Oh my, that may be true.” Luna agreed, her eyes wide. “Do you suppose we should head over, see if Granny Smith needs help preparing for the storm?”

“No need, Rainbow Dash insisted that the mayor send over some workers to help prepare the farm. They’re probably better off than the rest of us at this point.” The earth pony explained before turning to Andrew. “Which reminds me, I heard what you did for Big Mac. He’s a big part of this town, we owe you a lot for saving him.”

“Oh, well it was no problem, just doing what was right.” Andrew assured awkwardly. “Well if the Apples are all set, we should get home. I don’t want to get stuck in the rain.”

“Good luck!” The earth pony shouted after them as they hurried away, before returning to his work.

Andrew and Luna hurried down the streets of Ponyville, passing a few ponies as they went. The town was closing down rapidly, everyone preparing for the coming storm. When the two finally reach their home thunder could be heard rumbling in the distance, the clouds just beginning to open up.

“Whew. So glad we didn’t get caught in the rain.” Andrew said wearily as he shut the door behind him. “Walking in soggy clothes sucks.”

“I must confess I don’t know the feeling.” Luna teased, walking further into the house and turning into the kitchen. “Should we have some dinner?”

“I think I’ll just grab a snack and head to my room.” Andrew said halfheartedly, following behind her. “Not really hungry and I want to finish reading that rune book.”

“Well alright, have fun.” Luna said. “Oh, I believe your book is in my room, I brought it back with us when we left the bar.”

“Oh. Right. Thanks.” Andrew replied, opening the fridge and grabbing a few carrots. “I didn’t even-”

Andrew’s words were cut off as the kitchen was lit by a bright flash, almost instantly followed by a sharp retort of thunder that seemed to shake the house. Andrew let out a string of curses that lasted long past the rolling echo of the thunder.

“Andrew, are you sure you’re not afraid of thunderstorms?” Luna asked, worriedly. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of if you are…”

“No, I’m not scared of thunder.” He answered, turning and heading to the hall, stopping at the entrance. “Bad things happen during storms.”

Before Luna could respond Andrew left, climbing the stairs with slow, deliberate steps. Luna could hear him shut the door to his room, and the click of the door lock.

Terror: 23

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Lightning blazed above the trees, the bright flashes so intense that it cast shadows even through the usually impenetrable canopy of the Everfree forest. Thunder shook the trees as the white flashes hit the ground, more often than not through the trunks of the twisted behemoths that made up the dark woodland. In the center of the storm, standing at the mouth of a deep running cave, stood a tall pony, covered in a dark cloak.

The pony watched the raging storm, barely visible through the small clearing that marked the entrance to the cave. Slowly they began to smile, the malicious grin growing to manic proportions, a laugh eventually bursting forth. The forest seemed to shy away from the cackling, save for the darkness, which somehow seemed to swirl around the cloaked pony. Their mirth echoed even above the thunderous storm, above the creaking trees and the hammering rain. The chilling sound continued even as the pony began to move, heading into the dark, dense forest. The laughter echoed through the roiling rain, the last of the pony disappearing into the night, her path pointed directly to the town of Ponyville.

Andrew was sitting upright in his bed before his mind had even registered that someone was pounding on his door. His bat, something he was pretty sure he hadn’t gone to bed with, was already in his hands, laid across his lap.

“Andrew, wake up!” He heard Luna shout from the hall. “Our friends are in danger and we are needed!”

Andrew’s eyes widened and he threw off his covers. He was disheveled but dressed, having fallen asleep while studying one the runic books. He opened the door hurriedly, finding Luna in her Eve disguise.

“Come Andrew, there must be no delay.” She said with urgency. “The element bearers have been forcefully summoned to the market square.”

Without a second look Luna turned, running down the hall and leaping down the stairs, four steps at a time. Andrew followed, bewildered but awake enough to understand the tension and distress in her voice. He barely had time to shove his shoes on before being pulled outside.

“What the hell is going on?” He asked, following behind Luna as she galloped down the street, barely able to keep pace with her. “What do you mean forcibly summoned?”

“Somepony came for them in the middle of the night.” She explained, not slowing down. “They dragged them to the market place.”

“Okay one, seriously? Can I not get a freaking day of peace without the next day becoming a catastrophe?” He complained. “And second, who the hell would do that?”

Luna stopped at the edge of a house, peering along corner. Timidly at first eventually she scanned the road completely.

“I do not know my student” She assured him, walking out from around the house, hurrying down the street. “But I intend to find out.”

Before she could turn another corner, Andrew sprinted to catch up to the disguised alicorn, stepping in front of her.

“Andrew, we must hurry, the element bearers could be in danger.”

“Okay, I get that.” He nodded, putting his bat down on a nearby porch, starting to remove the bandages on his hand. “But I don’t do following blindly. What’s going on, what do you know, and what are we going to do?”

For a moment Luna looked like she might argue, but she bit her lip and nodded. Andrew continued stripping the bandages off his hand. Once he was free he flexed his fingers, wincing a bit as he did. When he was done he picked up his bat again.

“Shortly before I woke you the town guards stopped by to warn us to stay indoors, as they have been doing to everyone in Ponyville. I convinced them that I was a personal friend of the princess’s, and they explained that under the cover of the storm, someone invaded the town and took the element bearers hostage, dragging them to the town center.”

“Were the girls hurt?” Andrew asked. “Did the guards do anything?”

“They seemed relatively unharmed.” Luna explained. “And they did attempt a rescue, but there were heavy casualties. They have evacuated the few building that aren’t shops, but they don’t want to risk another attempt if no one is being hurt. As such, they have sent word to my sister, and await reinforcements. Unfortunately, it will take some time to even notify Celestia.”

“So what are we going to do?” He asked. “Can’t we just get Spike? He can-”

“Unfortunately it seems that the mastermind of this incident knew of Spike’s abilities, as he has been put under a sleep spell, a rather powerful one at that. He is safe in the library though, so I consider ourselves lucky.”

“Well if no one is being hurt, we should wait for back up.” Andrew suggested. “No need to go in gung-ho.”

“Agreed. However I will not base my decisions on second hoof information when it comes to my friends.” Luna explained. “We will go there and see for ourselves.”

“Alright, sounds good. Let’s go see what’s going on.”

Luna nodded with Andrew’s assent, slowly peaking around the corner. Seeing nothing dangerous, she headed around it, starting off at a gallop. Andrew followed close behind, shaking his head.

“Really, is two days in a row two much to ask?” he muttered to himself, catching up to Luna as she paused to look around the next corner. “This is what I mean about storms and bad shit.”

“What?” Luna asked back at a whisper.

“Nothing, we just need to hurry.”

“Agreed.”

Before Andrew could say anything else Luna stopped, perking her ears. She skidded to a stop, standing very still for a moment, listening. Andrew, realizing what she was doing, strained to hear as well.

“What is it?” He asked when he heard nothing. “What did you hear?”

“I heard…” She said after a moment, face confused. “My name..”

Luna headed off again, with Andrew following as quickly as he could, falling slightly behind disguised alicorn. Luna eventually stopped, peering around the corner of the final house before the market place. Andrew hurried to join her, peering around the corner.

“Luna! Why would you do this?” He heard and saw Twilight shout, her front hooves pulling on the bars of a thick iron cage.

Confused, Andrew studied the scene as it unfolded. In the center of the market place, beside the now drained fountain where six large metal cages, each one containing one of the hostage mares. Twilight, the only one awake, stood with her front hooves on the bars, trying in vain to shake her way out. In front of her stood a tall cloaked pony, staring down the scared mare, her face still hidden by her attire.

“I am not your precious Luna.” The cloaked pony corrected, the voice of another mare coming from under it. “You could not be more wrong, poor Twilight Sparkle.”

“You are Luna! I don’t know why you’ve become Nightmare Moon again, but you can change back!” Twilight shouted back, still struggling with her cage.

In the other cages the mares struggled to stand, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were first to climb to their hooves. Rainbow Dash immediately tried to take off, but just as quickly stumbled to the ground as her wings struck the metal bars of her prison. It looked like she was yelling, but as far as Andrew could hear, no sound came out. Applejack began shouting as well, but her voice was equally silent.

“What did you do to them?” Twilight asked pleadingly, watching her friends talk but not able to hear them. “Luna why are you doing thi-”

“Will you just shut up already?! I already told you, I am not your idiotic Princess!” The voice shouted again. “I am the All Powerful and Mighty Nightmare Terror!”

Lighting stormed from the sky as the cloaked pony shouted her name to the sky. All at once her cloak burned, pale red flames licking at the cloth, revealing the large mare underneath. She was a light blue, clad in purple armor around her legs, face and head down to her withers. Her horn was sharp, much like Luna’s normally was, and like the alicorn she stood a full head taller than Twilight. Odder still was the mare’s wings, ethereal and see through, they seemed to be formed from clouds of light red smoke, coiling and roiling in the shape of wings.

“I don’t understand.” Twilight said meekly, confused and frightened by the clapping thunder. “What happened to Luna?”

“Luna, what’s going on?” Andrew asked. “Is that…”

The unicorn threw its head back and laughed, a long maniacal cackle that chilled Andrews’s heart and stopped him mid-sentence.

“Yes Andrew” She answered, her eyes watching the mare solemnly. “It appears that Nightmare has found a new host.”

“Well… fuck.”

Andrew watched Nightmare stand in front of Twilights cage, laughter still echoing through the market. He watched her return her gaze to Twilight, smiling all the while.

“You have no idea how long I have been waiting for my chance at revenge!” She said, beginning to pace. “I was so weak after our little fight years ago, wracked with pain and laid low by your damned Elements! I was stuck, a whispering tickle in the back of ponies minds, looking for a suitable host!”

By now all six captured mares were awake, all of them watching Nightmare Terror closely as she paced back and forth. While she walked, her necklace glinted, a large red gem in the center. It looked more intricate than that, but at their distance Andrew couldn’t make out what the design was. Rainbow Dash, having recovered slightly from her initial stumble, was trying her best to punch her way out of the metal cage.

“Imagine my surprise when I stumble upon one such host searching for the Alicorn Amulet! A strong unicorn mage who hungered for the same revenge that I did.” She shouted happily, spreading her wing facsimiles. “I used her hunger for revenge to crack open her mind, bending her to my will in a way that even your weak princess never was! And now I am so close to my revenge, the element bearers all in my hooves, and now their precious Elements can’t hurt me!”

“Whoever you are, the princesses will never let you get away with this!” Twilight shouted back. “You’re no match for them!”

“Silly silly Twilight, did you not hear what this amulet is called?” The light blue mare said, voice dripping with false saccharine. “It is the Alicorn Amulet, surely one of your books mentions the most powerful artifact ever known?”

“Alicorn….” Twilight looked confused, before suddenly gasping. “The Alicorn Amulet, but that has been lost for centuries! You have to take it off, it corrupts the user and-”

“Oh please, don’t make me laugh. A curse, corrupting me? There is nothing left to corrupt!”

Again the faux alicorn threw her head back and laughed, lightning once again thundering in the distance. Twilights eyes grew wide, her back legs collapsing as she watched the mare in fear.

“Unfortunately, I fear you are correct about one thing. I cannot defeat both of your princesses at once.” Nightmare Terror admitted, grinning. “Which is why I will be long gone by the time they arrive!”

“No… We will stop you!” Twilight shouted back.

“Poor little Twilight, You don’t seem to understand. You won’t have to watch me beat your beloved princess, just like you won’t have a chance to stop me.” She assured the scared unicorn, barely containing her manic laughter. “You and your friends will be long dead by then! I won’t make the same mistake twice!”

“Fuck me!” Andrew hissed under his breath. “That sounds like our cue.”

“Indeed it does my student.” Luna agreed. “I shall battle Nightmare. You free our friends.”

“Right, okay. You get the crazy pony, I get to bust open a cage.” Andrew repeated, nodding. “Are you going to be able to take her? She seemed pretty confident that she could beat you one on one, and your horn-?”

“Is perfectly healed.” She assured him. “I shall not be defeated by the likes of Nightmare. Not again.”

“Okay, we will back you up once everyone is free. Anything else I should know?”

“No!” Luna half shouted. “Andrew you must promise me that you won’t interfere. This is my fight, I will not let anyone fight it for me.”

Andrew chewed his lip, studying his mentors face.

“Fine, we will stay out of it.”

“Thank you my student.” Luna said, hesitating after. “Andrew I know I ask a lot, but I would not think lesser of you if you did not wish-”

“Don’t even finish that thought.” He cut off, putting his hand on her back. “They are my friends too. Besides, brash charges into stupid danger, ignoring ominous circumstances and possibly looming death seems to be on the fast track to being my second special talent. I say fuck it, let’s kick some ass.”

“If-…When we defeat Nightmare, I shall do my best to bestow you with a second mark.” Luna joked, before looking back at Andrew. “Be careful, my student.”

“I will be. The same goes to you.” He said back. “You still have a lot left to teach me.”

With a nod, Luna turned back to the scene in front of them. With a quick spell, Andrew found himself teleported alongside Luna, going from the outskirts of the market into the middle of it, his back to the large iron cages. In a flash Luna fired up another spell, this time firing a beam of magic that scorched the earth in front of Nightmare, carving a crater in the process. Rocks and debris was thrown into the air, and Nightmare Terror jumped back out of harm’s way. When the last chunk of magic burned stone fell, Nightmare looked at Luna, her manically joyful face now colored by surprise.

“My my my, what a brave unicorn you are...” She said with a coy smile, looking at the large crater. “And so powerful too… Who are you? And your strange friend there?”

“You are not worth our names fiendish Nightmare.” Luna spat. “You will not hurt my friends!”

“Oh, is that so? You think you could stand up to me?” Nightmare Terror said, mirth twisting her lips into a wide smile, showing off her sharp teeth. “How unfortunate, I seemed to have mistaken bravery for stupidity.”

Nightmare punctuated her insult by firing a light red beam of magic at Luna, who had dropped into a more defensive position, spreading her front legs to a more solid stance. She leaned her head into the beam, her horn glowing just before it made contact, a shimmering effect absorbing, then firing the magic back at Nightmare, who in turn deflected the spell with her hoof. The spell rocketed away from her, slamming into the nearby fountain. The stone sculpture exploded into tiny shards, small pieces of it peppering the ground. Nightmare watched the showering rocks, looking backed to the disguised alicorn.

“Hmmmm, it seems that you are even stronger than I thought.” She admitted. “Still, you’re no match for me. Not even your precious alicorn princesses could match-”

Luna cut off Nightmares speech, firing her own spell, lightning dancing across the ground after leaping off her horn. The sparks danced and jumped, almost impossible to follow, rushing toward the twisted villain. Nightmare flapped her hazy wings, taking off into the air, but not before one of the sparks zapped her leg. She shouted in pain, but remained in the air, her leg smoking but largely unharmed.

“You insolate cretin!” She screamed down at Luna. “I will make you pay in blood!”

Fiery pale red magic lanced from the flying mare, slamming into the ground and blowing chunks of it into the air. Luna dodged and jumped around the blasts, quickly making her way away from the cages. Andrew, who had been waiting for the fight to start in earnest before starting his task, ran to Twilight’s cage.

“Twilight, are you okay?” He asked, examining the cage door, jiggling the large metal lock. “I’m going to get you out.”

“What are you doing here?” The lavender unicorn asked urgently. “You and Eve are no match for Nightmare Moon, you should be getting word to Princess Celestia!”

“First off that’s not Nightmare Moon, trust me. Well it’s not Luna at least. Look I didn’t really get the chance to clarify it so let’s just agree that’s it’s not the Nightmare Moon that you knew and move on.” Andrew tried to assure her, still examining the lock. “Secondly, don’t worry, Eve has crazy whats-her-face handled, I’m just here to bust you out and offer moral support.”

Andrew maneuvered the lock so that it hung off the door at an angle, raised off into the air. He took a step back and cocked his bat, getting ready for a huge swing.

“Andrew its metal, there’s no way that wood is going to-”

Andrew cut off Twilight by swinging as hard as he could, the bat making perfect contact with the lock, and continuing on through, the lock shattering. A shower of metal shards and sparks flew out, hitting both Twilight and Andrew, stinging but doing no real damage.

“break it…”

“Do you get tired of being wrong?” Andrew asked as he kicked the remaining ruined pieces off the door, swinging out so Twilight could escape.

“Shut up, how did you do that?” She asked, exiting her cage quickly.

“I haven’t the foggiest.” Andrew admitted, turning to watch Luna and Nightmare Terror battle. “Well I mean some of the runes denote protection and strengthening, so I had a hunch. Also, I may or may not have tried it by smashing rocks into the woods the other day.”

“Wh-“ Twilight looked as if she was going to ask a question, but she quickly shook her head. “That’s not important, what’s important is-”

Twilights words cut off as she watched Nightmare Terror fire off another barrage of pale red magic, this time focusing them closely on Luna. Twilight gasped when the powerful projectiles slammed the ground, and into the shield that Luna managed to conjure up at the last second. Dust consumed the bubble completely, and Twilight made to move toward the unicorn she was sure had been already defeated, only to gasp when the dust settled, revealing an unfazed Luna, still in her Eve disguise.

“See, I told you, she can handle herself.” Andrew emphasized, pushing Twilight along. “Now go, I’ve got these two, break out the others.”

Andrew turned and rushed to the next cage, this one containing Rainbow Dash. The mare watched from inside the cage, hopping from hoof to hoof anxiously as he hurriedly lined up the lock just as he had done before. When Andrew finally smashed the lock to pieces, a quiet zap marked the end of the spell keeping the occupant quiet. Immediate the prismatic pony tried to bolt past him into the air. Andrew barely managed to grab her back hoof, and with his hand still holding the metal cage, pull her back down with a yank. She landed in a heap, immediately glaring at Andrew.

“Hey, what did you do that for?” She demanded, looking at him, rubbing her back leg. “I was going to help Eve!”

“She has things covered.” He assured her. “Trust me, the rest of us would only get in her way. Besides, I need your help with Fluttershy, I don’t think I will be able to get through to her alone.”

Andrew nodded his head towards the last cage on their end, a trembling Fluttershy huddled inside. Rainbow Dash immediately rushed towards the cage, pounding on the door.

“It’s okay Flutters!” She shouted. “We’re gonna get you out!”

Andrew followed right behind Rainbow Dash, pushing the mare out of his way. With a long wind up he once again smashed the lock to pieces. With the lock destroyed a quiet whimpering flooded from the cage. Rainbow Dash tore the door open, rushing inside to comfort the mare.

“Fluttershy, it’s okay, we’re here now.”

Andrew looked around nervously, looking back to watch Luna’s battle with Nightmare. The disguised alicorn was doing her best to avoid all of the flying magical bolts, her opponent furious as she missed again and again, with the few spells that got close being deftly blocked. Looking back to Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, Andrew moved closer and kneeled.

“Fluttershy.” He said softly. “I know you are scared, but I need you to get up. We need to move, before this gets any more dangerous.”

Fluttershy slowly pulled back her hooves, peaking around her own mane to look up at him. She still whimpered, flinching at the sound of the battle.

“Fluttershy, please.” He tried again, brushing her hair aside so he could get a better look at her face. “I know you have courage inside you. Stand up, be strong, we need you.”

The yellow mare trembled a moment more, then slowly nodded, pushing off the ground until she stood on unsteady hooves. Rainbow Dash stood beside her, encouraging her as the three left the cage, hurriedly heading towards Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Applejack.

“Okay girls, you’re all out, let’s get you to a safe distance before-”

“Wait, you want us to leave?” Twilight asked in hushed tones, taking a step forward towards the fight. “We need to help Eve!”

“No no no, she made me promise we wouldn’t intervene.” Andrew explained. “Really she can handle herself, we just need to get out of here before-”

“NO!” Nightmare terror shouted from the air, having finally noticed the empty cages. “NO I WILL NOT FAIL!”

Nightmare Terror started to fly towards them, her horn already charged for her attack. Andrew stepped forward, hefting his bat in both hands.

“The biped thinks it can stop the All Powerful and Mighty Nightmare Terror?” She screamed down, in indignant rage. “I will wipe you all from existence! No matter the cost I will have my revenge!”

“Go no further Nightmare! Your fight is with me!”

The shout echoed through the market, snapping the direction of the flying mares rage from one side to the other. Luna, Eve, stood tall on the other side, a determined grimace on her face. For the barest of moments, Andrew saw her look at him and the ponies behind him, regret coloring her face before it was gone again. Her horn glowed, and her façade began to fall. Her coat shimmered and faded, her whole body growing as she released her disguise. With a shake she uncoiled her wings, nestling themselves back into place. When her transformation was done, the market was silent, save for a surprised gasp from Rarity.

“My my my, isn’t this a development.” Nightmare finally said through her now grinning teeth. “Poor Princess Luna, come to save her friends.”

“I will not let you hurt them.” Luna stated back, putting a defiant hood forward. “I will erase you from this world, as I should have done long ago.”

“Oh come now, poor Lulu. We both know you can’t do that.” She said, her voice sickly sweet and mocking. “You never had the stomach for killing. Always had to have me do it for you…”

Luna visibly flinched at Nightmares jab, her determined gaze faltering for a moment. A moment later however, it returned, her stance dropping low as she prepared for combat.

“Many things have changed Nightmare.” She rebuked. “I think for you I can make an exception.”

Nightmare landed softly, her hoofs clopping on the ground as she walked around Luna. Luna followed suit, the two circling each other, each waiting for the other to attack first, both of their faces creased by a hate fueled snarl. When Luna passed by Andrew and the girls, she paused.

“Andrew, my student. Get the elements out of here.” She said quietly, her eyes not leaving Nightmares. “This battle is no place for them. Or you.”

“Luna…”

“Go!” She ordered, much harsher this time. “You made me a promise.”

After a long pause, Andrew nodded, turning to the six mares.

“You heard her. We need to go.” Andrew repeated, gesturing with his hands. “Now!”

“But, I don’t understand…” Twilight started, looking past Andrew to Luna and Nightmare beyond her.

“Yeah join the fucking club. We need to go, Luna has this handled.” He assured them stepping toward them and gently pushing Twilight back. “C’mon, move your shit and go!”

Twilight hesitantly moved back from Andrew’s push, the other girls slowly moving as well. Andrew took a step forward and pushed again, forcing Twilight to turn. The girls followed suit. Slowly leaving before picking up the pace, running away from their Princess and Nightmare. Andrew followed them, pausing as they turned a corner. He hesitated, shook his head, and followed them away.

“Now that was just touching!” Nightmare mocked. “Sacrificing yourself to save your precious friends… Too bad I’ll just kill them all when I’m done with you!”

“You think you are a match for me?” Luna asked shaking her head. “You have fallen deeper into your insanity.”

“Have I? So I suppose the rumor of a particular Princess injuring her horn quite badly must not have been true.” Nightmare shot back, the two resuming their circling. “Oh well, must have been some other princess…”

“I am healed.” Luna insisted, her façade cracking slightly. “I will defeat you!”

“You’ve gotten so good at lying my poor Lulu, perhaps even to yourself.” Terror teased. “But you can’t fool me.”

“I-”

“Enough talk!” The manic mare shouted, her front hooves slamming into the ground, cracking the earth. “Time to meet your fate!”

Andrew followed the six elements of harmony closely, making sure that none of them left the group. They ran and ran, eventually arriving at Twilights home, the Library. They rushed inside, Andrew slamming the door behind them.

“What was that!?” Rainbow Dash shouted, poking Andrew in the chest harshly. “Why did we just abandon Eve, I mean Princess Luna? What the hay is going on?”

“Luna needed us out of the way, she can handle Nightmare by herself.” Andrew assured her, not completely convinced himself. “I was… Twilight, what are you doing?”

Twilight had immediately headed to a book shelf, tearing books from the shelf as she franticly searched for one.

“Sugarcube… I think this might not be the best time for checkin’ the books…” Applejack pointed out, walking to the mare’s side. “Ah reckon we need to figure out what is going on and come up with a game plan.”

“That’s what I’m doing hun, I just need to find… Aha!” She said, opening a book and quickly scanning through the pages. “Here! The Alicorn Amulet!”

Twilight put the book down on the table, Andrew, Applejack and Rainbow Dash moving in to look over her shoulder, while Rarity hung back to comfort Fluttershy. Pinkie Pie chewed on her hoof, torn between the two before heading to Fluttershy. Sure enough, on the open pages was a picture of the amulet the Nightmare Terror had been wearing around her neck. The lavender mare began reading from the book out loud.

“The Alicorn Amulet is one of the most powerful artifacts known to pony kind, with the astounding ability to magnify any unicorn’s magical ability multiple times. Said to bestow an average unicorn the ability to stand toe to toe with even an alicorn, it has been long sought by those who would abuse it, and those who wish to keep it from being abused. The stories surrounding its creation are shaky at best, but many historians believe that originally it was not the Alicorn Amulet, but another powerful artifact of unknown intent. The stories claim that this original purpose was corrupted, tainted to fuel a long forgotten feud. It is this taint that makes the amulet so dangerous, for the longer one uses it the more the corruption spreads from the amulet to the user. Furthermore there are only two known ways to remove the Amulet. The first is for the user to voluntarily remove it themselves, the second is to kill the user. The amulet was last seen about….”

Twilight trailed off, reading the passage quickly to herself, flipping to the next page, then the one after that. Finally, she put the book down, turning to the others.

“The rest just talks about its history, who’s worn it, when they wore it and what they did.” She explained. “None of its good.”

“Okay, so we need to get it off her… But how?” Applejack thought out loud, beginning to pace. “Nightmare is clearly insane, she ain’t gonna just give it up.”

“Yeah, about that.” Rarity added. “What exactly was that? I was under the impression that we took care of Nightmare Moon years ago.”

“It doesn’t matter!” Rainbow Dash shouted over the others. “No way am I letting Princess Luna have all the fun!”

“I just can’t believe Princess Luna was pretending to be Eve…” Fluttershy mumbled, barely heard with every one talking at once.

“Loud noises!” Shouted Pinkie Pie.

“Okay, Everyone SHUT UP!” Andrew shouted as he rubbed his temples. “We need to focus here!”

The group of mares stared at the human wide eyed and surprised before Twilight and Applejack nodded their heads.

“Okay, good. So the first question that needs answering is really important.” He started again. “Twilight, how long would it take for an alicorn’s horn to heal?”

“How long…” Twilight looked confused for a moment, before her eyes opened wide in realization. “I’m not sure. Depending on how bad it is it could take months for a unicorns horn to heal fully. I’m not sure how long it would take for an alicorn’s…”

“A week or so?” Andrew asked, scared that he already knew the answer.

“…not likely.” Twilight answered quietly.

For a moment Andrew did nothing, staring at the ground, gripping his bat tightly. Finally, after his pause he spoke.

“I just abandoned Luna to fight against a ‘roided out amalgamation of her absolute worst nightmare and she can’t even defend herself.”

The room was silent as the severity of the situation hit everyone. For a moment no one moved. Suddenly, Andrew hefted his bat, smashing it into a nearby chair.

“GOD FUCKING DAMMIT SON OF A BITCH PIECE OF SHIT MOTHER FUCKER!” He screamed, reducing the chair to splinters with his bat, his eyes wide with fury. “I fucking LEFT HER THERE!”

Andrew spun and rushed to the door, desperately trying to open it. Finding it locked he slammed his shoulder into it, trying to get out, get back to the market place. Twilight, Applejack and Pinkie Pie rushed to him after recovering from his violent outburst. They tried to calm him down, with Twilight holding the door shut with her magic.

“Andrew! Andrew calm down! We need to come up with a plan!” Twilight shouted. “ANDREW!”

Twilight’s final shout was emphasized by her using her magic to shock Andrews arm, making him stumble backwards. He reached out with his hand to steady himself, his breath coming in deep, long pulls. The room was quiet again, Andrew doing his best to calm down. When his breath was finally normal he looked up, staring at Twilight.

“What are our options?” He asked.

“Well…” she said, wracking her brain for an idea. “We could go around town trying to find some unicorn volunteers, work together on a spell. We might be able to cast something powerful enough to hurt Nightmare Terror then.”

“Nightmare Terror?” Applejack asked, having been sealed in a magical cage for most of Terrors monologue. “Is that her name now?”

“Yeah, So Nightmare Moon was Luna and something else I guess.” Andrew tried to explain. “She didn’t go too far into it, but I guess you guys separated them when you beat her awhile back. But the Nightmare part was something separate… like a parasite.”

“A parasite?” Rarity said nervously. “How uncouth.”

“Down right disturbing iffen you ask me.” Applejack answered. “Unnatural as a tap dancin’ snake!”

“So… can we separate Terror and whoever she’s infecting?” Fluttershy asked. “Using the Elements?”

“… Maybe?” Twilight answered uncertainly, tapping her chin.

“Maybe? That’s not really good enough.” Andrew pointed out.

“Sorry, I’m just… not sure how the elements work.” Twilight explained. “Besides, we don’t even have the elements, they’re in Canterlot.”

“That’s… not entirely true…” Came a new voice from the now opened front door.

Autumn Song stepped into the library, saddlebags on her sides. She shut the door behind her, locking it. Andrew watched her locking the door, and looked at Twilight, confused.

“It’s pull, not push.” She explained sheepishly.

Andrew shook his head, focusing on the new arrival.

“Autumn, I’m glad you’re okay, but why are you here? You should be at home, where it’s relatively safe.”

“Well… I needed to find them… and give them these.” Autumn explained, nodding to her pack.

Twilight used her magic to pop open the buttons on the saddle bags, gasping when she lifted the flaps.

“The elements of harmony!” She shouted, quickly levitating them to her friends, hers coming out last. “Where did you get them? How did you get them?”

“I’ve had them since I got here.” She explained sheepishly, suspiciously unable to look Andrew in the eye.

“But why!? They should be in Princess Celestia’s private vault!”

“Umm… well… the princess entrusted them to me… in case… well.”

“In case you had to use them on me.” Andrew finished for her, watching Autumn. “Looks like the Princess trusted me even less than I thought.”

Autumn nodded, looking sad and worried before apologizing. “I’m sorry.”

“The Princess doesn’t trust you?” Applejack asked. “Why in tarnation not?”

“Well I am an alien, from another universe.” He explained sympathetically. “A bit of distrust is expected I guess. But that’s not important! We have the elements now, we can use them on Nightmare Terror! Separate her from her host!”

Twilight nodded, putting her jeweled element on her head. The other mares did the same, fastening theirs around there neck. When they were all done, Twilight walked to the door, standing beside Andrew.

“Are you ready?” She asked nervously.

“Of course not.” He answered before opening up the door and walking out, the others close behind him. “Lets go.”

Element: 24

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The group ran quickly through the town, taking the same path that they had ran not minutes ago. Before they even got close to the market square, they could feel the town shake from the battle, bursts of light visible above the houses. Eventually they made it to the final corner, Andrew and Twilight slowly peaking around it. There, in the center of the square where the two mares, Luna and Terror. Andrew bit his lip and Twilight held back a gasp when they saw the battered Princess of the night.

Luna stood unsteadily, cuts and scrapes covering her body, bruises beginning to form on her face. Blood dripped down onto the ground from a wound that started on her lower neck and ran all the way down low on her shoulder. Her left wing was tight to her flank, the other was burnt and drooping as if she couldn’t control the muscle. Her breath came in slow pulls as she labored for each breath.

Meanwhile Nightmare Terror was still in the air, cackling as she lorded over Luna’s broken state.

“Look at you! You can barely stand!” She shouted mockingly. “How pitiful! Maybe if you beg I will just kill you quickly, put you out of your misery!”

“I will never beg! You are a monster and as a Princess and protector I will defeat you!” Luna shouted back, standing tall despite her injuries. “I will prevail.”

“Oh you will huh?” Terror teased. “Prevail through this!”

Nightmare terror punctuated her last word by hurling a magical lash at Luna, who struggled to dodge, her back leg giving out at the last second. Unable to move properly, the attack struck her thigh, lifting her and sending her spinning across the market, slamming onto the ground. There she lay, unmoving. Nightmare Terror could only laugh, her manic mirth echoing across the square. Andrew tore his eyes away from the living nightmare he was watching and turned to the mares behind him.

“Okay, here’s the plan. I’m going to charge in and distract her. You guys circle around and hit her from the side.” Andrew explained seriously. “I need you guys to promise me. Whatever happens, and I mean whatever happens, focus on Nightmare. Use the elements on her, then worry about me. Got it? We only have one shot at surprise and we can’t waste it because she gives me a scratch. Understand?”

“Are you sure that’s ah good idea Andrew?” Applejack asked with a worried and unsure expression. “She just took down Princess Luna.”

“I’m not going to instigate her, just distract her.” Andrew assured them. “Now hurry, Luna doesn’t have much time.”

The mares reluctantly nodded, Twilight leading the other five away back down the street, turning to another road and out of sight. Autumn remained beside Andrew, watching the others go.

“Go with them.” Andrew said simply. “Seriously, I don’t know how there magic jewelry works but I’m assuming they need to concentrate. Cover them so they can do their thing. And after that, make sure Luna is stable. Got it?”

Andrew ordered Autumn when she at first refused to leave. Slowly she nodded, putting a hoof Andrews hip before running off to catch up to the others. After she disappeared around the same corner, Andrew shook his head and took a deep breath.

“Alright Andrew, time to be an idiot.” He mumbled to himself. “Again.”

With another deep breath he turned the corner, walking into the square, his bat in his hand. Nightmare Terror hovered in the air, still laughing as she slowly made her way to where Luna was laying unconscious.

Luna was in an incredible amount of pain.

She had known the moment she had started fighting Nightmare that she couldn’t defeat her. But what she hadn’t realized was how quickly she would be over powered. She had fought evasively, attempting to draw out as much time as she could in hopes that Celestia would come to aid her, or at least arrive in time to save her friends.

Instead she now lay on the ground, bruised, battered and beaten into it. Her horn pulsed with a dark, mind numbing throb, and she was pretty sure one of her back legs was broken, while the other one was refusing to listen at all. Her eyes were heavy, her mind foggy from Nightmares last attack. She was sure, as Nightmare floated closer, that she had reached her end. She prayed that her friends had gotten far enough away that-.

“Hey Nightmare.” She heard a familiar voice shout. “I’d like a word.”

Luna’s eyes shot open and she struggled to lift her head, but she was too weak. Instead she only managed to partially slide her head along the ground, watching as Andrew Dike crossed the square. Nightmare had turned away from her, her attention now on the seemingly unperturbed human as he walked toward her.

By the all mother, why didn’t he listen! She thought, trying desperately to command her muscles to move, but failing. Please, let him realize it would be idiotic to antagonize her.

“And what, pray tell would you like to talk about.” Nightmare asked, facing away from Luna. “Come to beg for your precious Princess Luna’s life?”

“Beg?” Andrew said before a short laugh. “No no no, I’ve just come to chat.”

“Chat?” Nightmare Terror asked incredulously. “And why would I just chat with you, talking ape? No I think you are doing the same as poor little Lulu. Buying time.”

“Buying time?” Andrew replied with a scoff. “The fuck would I do that for?”

Luna could see Nightmare cock her head as she stopped hovering toward the human. Andrew stopped as well, looking up at Terror with an amused expression. After a moment Nightmare Terror floated to the ground, standing only a couple dozen feet from Andrew.

“What are you creature?” She asked curiously, walking around the human slowly, sizing him up. “You don’t appear to be scared of me.”

“I guess I don’t buy the hype.” He explained, hefting his bat. “Call me a skeptic.”

“A skeptic?” She asked, standing tall and sneering. “I defeated your precious princess, how can you deny my-”

“Well, let’s be honest.” Andrew said, cutting her off. “We both know she isn’t at the top of her game right now. You’re basically bragging about beating up a cripple.”

“And who are you, talking ape?” She demanded, the anger in her voice clear. “I beat Princess Luna, and even with her injury she is undoubtedly more powerful than you!”

“Okay, first off that’s racist. I know your evil but do you have to be a bigot too?” Andrew mockingly scolded. “I’m a human, not an ape. Second there are different types of strength Nightmare. Sometimes it’s not how much power you have, but how you use it.”

“And how can you use what little power you undoubtedly have?” She asked, slowly moving further away from Luna, getting closer and closer to Andrew until she was in arms reach. “I can sense your magic, it’s strange but hardly more than an average unicorn.”

“Ah well you see, Human magic is-”

Andrew started to explain, but a sound behind Luna distracted him. It seemed to get Nightmares attention as well, because she began to turn her head around. Luna could see Andrews eye widen, looking at something before his hand clenched around his bat. He gripped it with both hands, swinging it from his shoulder, trying his best to smash it into Nightmare Terror’s head. Before the bat could make contact it glowed with pale red magic, stopping it mid swing. Nightmares head whirled around, staring into the humans eyes.

“Do you really think I wouldn’t expect that!?” She shouted, the red pale glow extending around Andrews body. “Do you think the All Mighty and Powerful Nightmare Terror would not see that coming!? Do I look that stupid?!”

“Well… I wasn’t going to say anything but…”

The magic around Andrew pulsed and he rose into the air, his feet dangling as Nightmare Terror lifted him. She looked up at him and laughed as he struggled.

“Look at you! Poor weak human!” Nightmare mocked. “You talk with confidence but you are pitiful.”

Luna tried in vain to stand again as she watched Andrew struggle in Nightmares grip. No matter how hard she pushed she could not stand.

“I can feel your weakness creature.” Nightmare continued. “I could snuff out your life with a single twist! But I think that would be too quick. Perhaps we could try…”

The magic holding Andrew afloat began to fade, so much that Luna could see his own weight pulling him down. However, another spell immediately replaced the previous, the light red magic appearing around his neck. Andrew neck bulged and corded as he suddenly choked, his bat falling to the ground with a “thunk” as he tried to pry off Nightmares magic with his hands.

“Look at the human squirm! This is what happens when you dare stand against me you repugnant creature!”

Andrew desperately pried and pulled at his neck, his fingers passing right through the magic that held him up and strangled the life from him. His mouth formed words that were unintelligible through his gasping and struggling.

“Hmm? What was that ape? Trying to say something? Your last words perhaps?” Nightmare loosened her grip, her pale magic lifting Andrew slightly so he could breathe. “Speak!”

Andrew breathed deeply, pulling in breath after breath, fighting the still tight grip on his neck. He looked at Luna then looked back to Nightmare.

“Fuck You.” He gasped, a smug smile on his lips.

“This is what I get for being nice.” Nightmare sighed, shaking her head. “I suppose I-”

Nightmare stopped once again cocking her head in confusion. Luna saw this and was herself confused as well. She tried to move her head once more, but failed, even as she felt the magic behind her. It was familiar magic, strong and growing stronger, pulsing and throbbing. It tugged and tickled a part of her being, her mind struggling to put together what was happening. Finally, it all rushed together.

“The elements.” She moaned. “No…”

Nightmare whirled around, finally noticing the mares that had snuck up behind her. They stood in formation, glowing as they focused on their elements. Nightmare’s face coiled in fear, then anger. She looked back to Andrew and snarled.

“You wretch!”

Nightmare’s scream echoed through the square, her magic pulsing as she spun Andrew above her in one long arc. She cut off her spell, and in that moment Andrew shot through the air, hurled across the square, impacting the side of a small store. The impact reverberated through the square as the wall buckled and gave way, the now gaping wall swallowing Andrew into darkness.

Instinctively Luna tried to reach out to Andrew with her magic, trying desperately to catch him. Luna looked deep and dredged up whatever magic she could find inside herself. Her horn glowed with whispey sparks, before going dark as her magic failed her. Pain wracked her body, and with a final groan her body went slack, falling silent. Autumn Song rushed from the other six mares, reaching Luna’s side quickly.

Nightmare spun around before the wall of the store had even finished collapsing, pale red magic pulsing around her horn as she fired spell after spell at the mares, only to watch them be deflected by the elements growing power. The Alicorn Amulet pulsed, glowing around her neck as she desperately put a shield around herself, pouring her power into it.

Twilight, standing at the center of the mare’s formation, concentrated on her element of magic, letting the familiar pulsing flood her body with energy. She could feel her tiara hum with power, her body glowing magenta, matching her element perfectly. The other mares elements glowed as well, the auras of power slowly reaching towards each other as all six of the elements pulsed together.

“Now girls!” Twilight shouted, closing her eyes tight again.

Together the six element bearers focused, the energy swirling around them before firing off. A rainbow beam, fired from the combined glows off all six mares, cut across the square and smashed into the pale red bubble that Nightmare had erected. It poured against it, the bubble shaking, trembling and cracking before finally giving way, the beam of harmonious magic roiling in to fill the space. For a long moment, Nightmare could not be seen through the glowing power that surrounded her, and continued to pour from the elements. Finally she appeared.

Completely unharmed.

She stood at the center of the rainbow colored magical energy, her eyes wide and her face shocked. Her mouth hung open as she undoubtedly screamed, no sound to be heard over the roiling energy around her. The magic continued to dissipate around her as if it was flowing towards her neck. Finally, all the magic that had pooled around her disappeared, sucked into the Alicorn Amulet, which glowed brighter and brighter. The magic continued to pour into the amulet, now being fed directly from the beam of energy that crossed the square. The element bearers swayed as there elements glowed brighter, their pulsing growing faster. The Alicorn amulet pulsed as well, slowly gaining speed as it was fed immeasurable amounts of magical energy.

“What!” Nightmare Terror screeched, seemingly unable to move. “What are you doing to my amulet?”

“What are you doing to the Elements?” Twilight fired back, now gritting her teeth from exhaustion.

The pulsing of the alicorn amulet continued to speed up, until finally its frequency matched that of the elements. The now synchronous pulsing continued to increase, until it seemed to be one continuous shining, casting long, dark shadows along the square. Autumn closed her eyes tightly, but the blinding light shone threw her lids. Just as it was becoming completely unbearable, when Autumn began to worry if she would be struck blind, the light ceased with shockwave that washed over the whole square, shoving the elements to the ground.

All six of the elements struggled to stand immediately, all disoriented and weak from what had just happened, all breathing heavily as if they had galloped a marathon. Twilight struggled to rise onto her shaky hooves, only to see that Nightmare Terror was already standing. Her appearance had changed, her alicorn features fading, now only slightly larger than your average unicorn. Her armor was gone, as were her fake wings. Despite the changes she seemed in relatively good health, unharmed from the blast or from what had happened before. That is, until she screamed.

“IT BURNS” She shouted, her hooves struggling with the Alicorn Amulet. “Get this thing off of me!”

Smoke rose from around her neck, the amulet glowing as if had just been pulled from a fire, red hot and crackling from heat. Finally the tortured mare succeeded, unclipping the amulet and throwing it to the ground, where it skidded away. Her neck was charred and burnt, smoke still rising

“What did you do!” She shouted at the unsteady mares, her eyes red and bulging from pain and anger. “What did you insufferable mares do!”

“What did we do?” Twilight shouted back, now leaning on Applejack to stay upright. “What did you do?!”

“You ruined my plan!” Nightmare screeched, ignoring the unicorn. “Damn you to Tartarus!”

Nightmare took a step forward, her eyes wide and manic. The mares stumbled back, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie unable to stay upright in their weak state. Nightmare saw them stumble and fall and she stopped, her manic snarl slowly turning into a smile.

“I suppose you really didn’t do that on purpose.” She guessed, looking over the six mares as they stumbled, ignoring Autumn as she tended to Luna. “After all, you look particularly… weak.”

“So are you!” Rainbow shouted back, her wings drooping. “We destroyed your Alicorn Amulet!”

“That is true.” Terror admitted, examining her now unadorned hoof. “But other than that…”

She suddenly reared back, her horn glowing before firing a bolt of magic in the center of the group, which exploded, digging a crater into the ground. The mares were thrown aside, Rarity and Pinkie Pie catching more of the blast than the rest, skittering away over the ground.

“It seems as if I have retained my normal powers, which should be more than enough to beat you all!”

Nightmare took several menacing steps toward the group, her horn already glowing as she readied another attack.

“Any last words?” She asked, her insane grin wide on her face. “Perhaps you could beg for mercy? Cry for-”

“Beg later. I’m not done with you.”

Nightmare Terror turned around, her eye wild as they searched for the origin of the voice. They settled on the gaping hole in the side of the store, the same store she had sent Andrew threw not minutes before. She watched as the rubble shifted, a battered Andrew slowly walking out from the darkness. He was bleeding profusely, his chest covered in cuts, the blood making it hard to see them at all.

“How are you standing Human?” Terror asked incredulously. “And why do you return? I have already proven that I am stronger than you.”

Andrew ignored her, and continued to walk out of the store. When he was finally out of the shadow he stopped. His right hand opened, and from it fell a blood covered shard of glass. He raised his right hand and placed it on his stomach, gritting his teeth. His eyes locked on Terror’s as he called upon his magic, pouring it into his own flesh. Immediately the cuts that covered his front began to glow, clearly showing that they were carved with purpose, runes shining clear as day. Uruz lay in the center, surrounded by a circle of Kenaz, Eihwaz and Ingwaz. Other smaller runes connected them all, save for two identical runes that he had carved higher on his chest. Two bloody Tiwaz symbols were carved carefully near his neck, quickly glowing as he charged them with his magic.

Not a second after they began to glow they began to burn, his blood sizzling and splattering as he poured magic into the markings. Andrew’s neck corded and bulged, his teeth creaking as he bit down, fighting back a scream, the magic literally burning itself into his skin. Smoke began to form, rising up as he continued to pour magic into the markings. His left hand was curled into a tight fist, his whole body coiled until finally the runes on his skin pulsed. He stumbled forward, catching his breath, eventually standing up straight.

“I’ve made improvements.” He gasped out.

Nightmare stared at the human, mouth agape, eyes wide in shock once more. She stood in stunned silence while Andrew slowly walked across the square, eventually reaching his fallen bat, picking it up and holding it one handed over his shoulder.

“Y-You think your twisted self-mutilation will intimidate me?” She asked when she finally regained her senses. “I will break you!”

Nightmare’s horn glowed once more, her face in a grimace as she fired bolt after bolt of magic at Andrew. Andrew deflected the first bolt with the bat, smashing it out of the air and sending it careening into a nearby building. Shot after shot of pink magic fired from the mare’s horn, Andrew blocking them with surprising speed.

“JUST DIE!” Nightmare terror screamed, her horn now continuously glowing as she wildly attacked. “YOU BROKEN APE JUST DIE!”

Andrew said nothing, only jumped to dodge a particularly dense barrage. His leap carried him a dozen or so feet into the air, far from the blasts. He continued to dodge and deflect, ignoring Nightmare Terror’s screams and insults.

“I WILL END YOU” She screamed again, now hovering several large rocks, hurling them at Andrew. “I WILL!”

Andrew dodged the rocks easily, smashing one to pieces with his bat. He skidded to a stop, watching Nightmare Terror closely, failing to notice an approaching shadow

“Andrew! Watch out!”

Andrew whirled around at Autumn’s shout, catching sight of the massive boulder moments before it impacted him. At the last second he brought up his hands, dropping his bat in the process. The weight of the giant rock pushed him back, feet carving tracks in the dirt, his muscles corded. The stone glowed with magic as Terror tried her best to crush him beneath. With a grunt Andrew dug his feet in, his arms bulging and the runes on his neck pulsing as he pushed back, his whole body straining as he struggled. The force of Andrews push fed back into Nightmare Terrors spell, her magic failing. The boulder crashed to the ground, shaking the square. Nightmare Terror faltered, her legs shaking, threatening to give. She pulled in breath greedily, her eyes flush with rage.

Andrew pulled away from the boulder, slowly turning around to watch her struggle to stand, struggle to breathe. He turned away from her, walking towards the Autumn and Luna, going to check on them.

“DON’T TURN YOUR BACK ON ME!” Terror screamed, furious at being so nonchalantly ignored, charging up her horn. “I’ll KILL YOU A-”

Andrew stopped as Nightmare Terror’s horn glowed, calling upon his own magic. Sparks glowed around his hand as he reached for his bat, which had rolled away from him. It glowed with his magic, leaping off the ground and rocketing towards Andrew. He ducked, the bat missing by inches, continuing its beeline trajectory over his head, across the square and directly at Nightmare Terror. She reacted fast, her horn glowing to create a bubble of protection around her, instantly surrounding the mare. Just before the bat smashed into the shield her horn crackled, and a small hole appeared.

The bat passed through the hole easily, striking Terrors head, the thick wooden end smashing her jaw at an incredible velocity. The impact knocked Terror on her back, silencing her and cutting off her spell. The bubble disappeared, and Andrew turned back to Autumn and Luna, walking to them.

“How is she?” He asked Autumn, kneeling beside her. “Is she going to be okay?”

“S-she will make it, as long as we get her some h-help soon.” Autumn answered, her eyes wide. “What about you, you-”

“I’m fine for a bit more, don’t worry.” He answered calming, cutting of her further protest with a pat on her back. “I’m going to check on the others. Keep an eye on her, this isn’t over yet.”

Andrew stood and made his way over to the other mares, rushing slightly to meet up with Twilight, who immediately cast as scanning spell over his chest.

“What in tarnation did you do to yerself Andrew?!” Applejack asked, shaking her head. “There’s so much blood!”

“It just looks like a lot.” He explained, looking down at his blood soaked chest and stomach. “Are you guys okay? How are Rarity and Pinkie Pie?”

“Out cold.” Rainbow Dash answered, standing next to Rarity worriedly.

“They need medical attention.” Fluttershy added, pushing her muzzle into Pinkie Pie. “But their pulses are steady.”

“It’s almost over now.” Andrew assured them, looking to Rainbow Dash. “Can you fly to the hospital? Get some doctors down here?”

“Yeah!” She answered with a nod, taking off and flying away, clearly still tired from using the elements.

“Fluttershy, could you take a look at Luna?” Andrew asked the pink haired Pegasus. “She took a pounding.”

Fluttershy nodded, nuzzling her friend one last time before walking to Autumn and Luna, the former standing to make room. Andrew turned back to Applejack and Twilight, the latter having finished her scan.

“I’m going to finish this.” He explained simply.

“What do you mean, finish it?” Twilight asked. “She seemed-“

Twilight’s sentence was cut off by a quiet moan coming from Nightmare Terror. The beaten mare stirred, moaning and groaning as she did.

“When I’m done, I need you to do something Twilight.” Andrew explained, ignoring the noise and movement. “You aren’t going to like it, but I need you to promise me you will do it.”

“What is it?” The unicorn mare asked, watching the human closely.

“I’ll explain when I’m done. I just need your word.”

“I promise I will help you.” Twilight agreed, nodding hesitantly.

. “But what are you gonna do?” Applejack asked.

“What I was brought here to do.” He explained, walking past Twilight and Applejack, toward the slowly waking Nightmare Terror.

Punishment: 25

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Andrew crossed the distance between his friends and Nightmare Terror at a deliberate pace, the runes on his stomach and chest still glowing. He stopped only feet away, watching the mare struggle and moan. Her eyes opened and she fumbled with her hooves, trying to stand up. She managed to get her front hooves under her, trying her best to get her back hooves working as well. Finally she stood on all fours, blood steadily dripping from her mouth. Her knees shook, and her horn sparked as she tried to cast magic and failed.

“The fight is over Nightmare.” Andrew said definitively, watching her struggle. “You lost. Accept it and ease your punishment.”

“Punishment?” She snarled, spitting a glob of blood onto the ground. “Who are you to pu-”

Andrew cut off the beaten mare, raising his hands and clapping a single time. As the loud sound echoed, chains sprung into existence and wrapped themselves around her, pulling tight. No glow of magic could be seen as more iron links sprung out of the ground, wrapping around her hooves and holding them down. Once she was secure, Andrew closed the final distance between them.

Nightmare Terrors eyes widened, and she struggled against her newly formed chains.

“What are you?” She shouted, looking at the chains, searching desperately for a way to escape. “I scanned you, you were nothing special!”

“Your right, I wasn’t.” Andrew agreed. “and like I said, I made improvements.”

“That’s impossible! I know this type of magic! You can’t just carve runes into yourself and get that kind of power!

“Your right.” Andrew once again agreed, looking down at the panicked mare. “It’s a complicated story, and to be honest…”

Andrew clapped his hands again, the chains around Terrors chest getting tighter. The mare let out a gasp as the air was squeezed from her for a moment.

“I don’t have time to explain it to you.”

Nightmare Terror squirmed within the chains, trying to overcome the iron shackles. Andrew looked down on her, waiting for her to give up. Eventually she did, breathing heavily from the effort. She stared back at Andrew, her mane wild and her eyes bloodshot.

“Defeated as I may be, you can’t punish me properly. The Elements failed to hurt me, and you can’t separate me from my host without them. I know your rules, you can’t hurt an innocent pony!”

“First, she isn’t innocent, I can tell.” He explained. “And second…”

Andrew wrapped his fist around Terrors horn, and with a grunt, yanked on it. He pulled to the side and away, the force pulling Terror against the chains, before something inside her gave. Suddenly his pulling kept going, a light blue mare emerging from the chains, stumbling and collapsing a few feet away. Inside the chains Nightmare was shaking, her fur changing from the light blue had been to a pale gray, her thigh bare of any mark. The weight of the chains forced her to her knees, while ropes grew out of the ground to hold the blue pony in place.

“What… what did you do to me?!” She demanded, weakly struggling against the chains before finally catching sight of the mare Andrew had separated her from. “No! That’s not possible!”

“Clearly it is.” Andrew countered. “You yourself said you recognized the type of magic I was using.”

Before Nightmare could speak again, Twilight and Applejack rushed to the newly freed pony.

“Well I’m as surprised as an apple in a barrel of oranges, its Trixie!” Applejack pointed out when they finally arrived. “How in tarnation did she get caught up in all this?”

“She isn’t innocent.” Andrew explained simply, looking back over his shoulder. “I’ll get to her after I’m done with Nightmare.”

Applejack and Twilight shared a confused look, walking closer to Andrew until they stood on either side of him.

“Is that Nightmare? How did you manage to separate them without the elements?” Twilight asked. “What kind of magic are you using?”

“Ask Princess Celestia when this is all over, she can explain it. Now step back.” Andrew responded. “Please, I don’t have a lot of time left.”

Twilight and Applejack stepped back, watching Andrew carefully as he clapped his hands again. The chains holding Nightmare disappeared, the now gray unicorn floated into the air, straining to fight the magic that was holding her.

“Do your worse ape.” she said back venomously, finally giving up her struggling. “There is nothing you can do to really stop me. I will never stop seeking revenge, and now you’re on my list. You may put off my plans, but I promise you someday I will return! A week, a month, a year, a decade, time means nothing to me!”

“It seems that you still don’t understand what my purpose is Nightmare. Let me show you.” Andrew responded quietly when Nightmare finished her rant. “For two hundred and fifty nine murders, including a carrier of royal blood, innumerable crimes against nature and equinity, the torture of hundreds and for attempting to doom Equestria to death by blocking out the sun permanently, all with magic that is forbidden, taboo and unnatural, I find you guilty. The punishment is as follows.”

Andrew clapped again, once again wrapped his fist around Nightmares horn. Like before he pulled, only this time he strained, pulling until the horn itself came off. Like an uncorked champagne bottle grey smoke poured from where the horn had been, fading and disappearing just as fast as it came out. Andrew dropped the horn on the ground, and stomped it into dust.

“I strip you of your magic. Never again will you bend nature or pony to your will.”

Nightmares eyes bulged out, and her mouth opened wide, but before she could scream, Andrew clapped again. She strained, her mouth open wide, her eyes bloodshot and tearing, but no sound emerged. Twilight gasped from behind Andrew, but said nothing.

“I strip you of your voice. Never again will you seduce the weak to do your bidding, only speaking when asked a question.”

Again Andrew clapped, this time watching as Nightmares body became smaller, her muscles shrinking and her once pointed fangs falling out.

“I strip you of your strength. No longer will you threaten or scare innocent ponies.”

Nightmare feebly flailed around, opening her mouth to shout, growing more and more upset as no sound emerged.

“Do you feel guilt Nightmare?” Andrew asked simply

“Guilty? Don’t be ridiculous!” She immediately shouted back, snarling and spitting. “Getting what I want is all that matters, I’ll kill as many worthless ponies as I want! Guilt is for the weak and those who don’t deserve power!”

“Exactly. You’ve twisted your soul with your unnatural magic Nightmare. You have destroyed your conscience from centuries of ruthlessness and cursed rituals. But don’t worry, I’ll just have to bring it back.”

Andrew clapped again, then put his hands around Nightmares head, his palms on her temples. He stared deeply into her eyes, his gaze piercing.

“Your final punishment is that you will live with the burden of what you have done with the conscience you had before you became this twisted husk. You will remember every crime you have ever committed in perfect clarity, viewed through an untainted morality. You will not escape this fate through death, life will not leave you until you have endured enough. For every day you stole from innocents, you will live two.”

Nightmares jaw clenched as Andrew closed his eyes, a barely audible groan coming from her throat. Andrew held her head steady in his hands, closing his eyes and breathing out a slow, steady breath. Nightmares eyes shot open wide, her whole body beginning to shake as if she was having a seizure. Andrew held her head tightly as her pupils shrunk to pin pricks finally rolling back after a long tenuous moment. The broken mare sagged, the strain of Andrew’s punishment knocking her out.

“Andrew, what did you do?” Twilight asked, rushing to his side. “Is she…?”

“I ended the cycle.” Andrew explained simply. “And no, she is alive.”

“How are you doing all of this Andrew?” Twilight asked again. “This is not normal magic! You’re acting strange, your even talking differently.”

“I know. And like I said before, ask Princess Celestia to explain it to you when this is all over, I don’t have time to do it now.”

With another clap, Andrew summoned large shackles that latched on to each of Nightmares legs, another strand of links connecting to a thick iron band around her neck. After he checked the chains he turned, making his way to Trixie’s restrained form. He kneeled behind the collapsed mar, patting the ropes that needlessly held her down. They uncoiled and retreated into the ground, like weeds growing in reverse.

“What are you going to do to her?” Applejack asked, having followed him with Twilight. “She ain’t ma favorite pony, that’s fer sure, but the mare don’t deserve punishment if she was the victim.”

“Trixie Lulamoon.” Andrew called, ignoring Applejack. “Wake up.”

The mare stirred under his hand, her eyes fluttering before opening wide, her limbs flailing in panic.

“Trixie, calm yourself.” He insisted, holding her down gently. “You are free.”

The mare slowly came to her senses, pulling her hooves under herself, looking up at Andrew. She looked around confused, then focused back on the human.

“This… Is this a trick?” She asked weakly, timidly. “She is tricking me again, isn’t she?”

“No, Nightmare has been defeated.” He assured her, gesturing to the shackled form not far away. “You are free.”

“I’m… free?” The mare asked, seemingly confused. “And you… You are the one who freed me?” She asked nervously. “You beat her?”

“I did.”

“Thank you!” Trixie finally gushed, tears welling in her eyes. “You saved me, I was a captive in my own mind! I could see everything and… and… and!”

The tears that had threatened to fall streamed down Trixie’s face, wetting her fur as she cried. She pushed against Andrew, who did his best to keep her calm.

“I’m sorry.” She eventually said, looking up at Andrew, then to Applejack and Twilight. “This is all my fault. I wanted… I wanted to get back at this town for humiliating me… but seeing what she did… hearing how uncaring she was, how insane…”

“Now don’t you worry, I’m sure that it ain’t rea-”Applejack started before Andrew cut her off, holding his hand up.

“I’m sorry Trixie.” Andrew said instead, patting her head. “But I know the whole story. I can’t just let it slide.”

Trixie stared up at Andrew, her eyes wide, before looking down defeated. Tears continued to fall, wetting Andrew’s legs and ground beneath her with pinpricks of moisture.

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked. “I mean sure you were kind of a jerk last time we met but she was clearly using you… right?”

“When you saw her… yes.” The crying mare explained. “But at first…”

“She realized who Nightmare was the minute she entered her mind.” Andrew continued. “Nightmare was still weak from your last battle, she couldn’t do anything other than whisper in a ponies ear.”

“Yes.” Trixie agreed, slowly nodded, to guilty to meet anyone’s eyes. “I knew who she was… but she promised me power… and revenge. I was so blind to think that she would stop at just humiliating. I’m so sorry I hurt everyone.”

“You didn’t hurt anyone Trixie.” Andrew countered. “Not directly at least. I know Nightmare was in control by the time you got here. I also know it was you who helped me beat her.”

“Wait, it worked!?” Trixie’s asked excitedly, her eyes opened wide. “I couldn’t tell if it did anything, she had me locked up so tightly when she was in control.”

“It worked.” Andrew assured her. “I know you never gave up, once you realized what she had planned. Despite how much she tortured you mind.”

Trixie shook when Andrew mentioned torture, her whole body tensing at once. Her eyes widened and she struggled for a moment, Andrew trying to calm her down. Eventually she did, breathing heavily.

“Sorry.” She said meekly. “I just… can’t stop the memories…”

“I understand.” Andrew said softly. “Which makes this all the harder.”

He clapped once, a ring materializing, dropping into his open palm. He rolled the ring around his fingers, the iron circle black and perfectly smooth.

“You are not innocent in this, I can’t just ignore it.”

“W-what does it do?” Trixie asked, obviously nervous.

“Nothing nearly as harsh as what I did to Nightmare. Nothing permanent either.” Andrew explained. “It keeps you from casting spells of any kind. You will still have magic, meaning you won’t feel disconnected or anything like that.”

Trixie stared at the iron ring that Andrew held out to her. The tears began to slowly stop, and she wiped her eyes with her leg. Finally, she nodded.

“Trixie Lulamoon, for the use of taboo and unnatural magic to aid a murderer and fiend, I ban you from preforming magic.” Andrew said, dropping the ring down Trixie’s horn. “You will regain your ability once you no longer want it back.”

The ring fell down to the base of her horn, glowing slightly as it fell. Trixie’ horn glowed in response, her magic feeding into the ring. The ring pulsed, then began to shrink, tightening around Trixie’s horn until it was snug, fitting into the grooves that spiraled up the side. Andrew clapped then, and with a quiet moan, Trixie’s eyes shut, the mare falling into a deep sleep.

“Did she pass out?” Applejack asked, biting her lip.

“No, I put her to sleep.” Andrew explained, standing slowly.

The battered and bruised human took two slow steps away from the now sleeping mare, and wobbled slightly. He stopped, pausing to regain his balance. The runes on his stomach dimmed slightly, save for the ones higher on his chest, which continued to glow. H tried again to continue his way to Luna before his legs gave out again. He fell to his knees, starting to collapse before Twilight caught him in her magic, laying him down on his back. Both she and Applejack rushed to the collapsed human’s side. The runes on his stomach had grown dark, leaving behind grotesque blackened lines.

“Andrew!” Applejack shouted, nudging his leg. “Y’all alright?”

“No. I am at my limit.” He explained. “I’m going to pass out, and I won’t be waking up for a long time. I need you to help me Twilight, as you promised.”

“What is it?” She asked, stepping closer. “What do you want me to do?”

“I need you to burn these runes off.” He explained, pointing weakly to the two Tiwaz runes that still glowed with his red magic. “Use your magic and burn them off completely. I would do it myself but I don’t trust my magic to be that precise.”

“Burn them? Off?!” Twilight asked, clearly upset at the concept. “I can’t hurt you like that!”

“You have to.”

“Why? You haven’t explained any of this!”

“When I carved these runes, I started something that wasn’t meant to start yet. My body isn’t strong enough for these changes. In all honesty I didn’t understand why I included those two but I did, and now they will kill me if I don’t remove them.”

“Kill you?” Twilight gasped. “How?”

“The longer they stay active, the more likely it gets that the changes won’t disappear when they do.” Andrew explained. “Twilight I need you to do this, please.”

“A-alright.” She finally agreed. “Let me put you to sleep first, then I will-“

“No! I need to be awake, so I can tell you if the connection has been severed.”

“What?! I can’t do that!”

“Twilight you have to!” Andrew shouted. “My life literally depends on it!”

“Fine!” She said, tears welling in her eyes. “I’ll do it!”

The lavender pony pulled a rock from the ground, shaking the dirt off of it. Her horn sparked again, the rock cracking down the side, exposing a relatively smooth face. With a grimace her magic, pulsing again, the rock slowly heating up as her energy swirled around it. The stone creaked and groaned as it slowly heated up, soon exuding a slight red glow.

“Are you ready?” She asked when she was done, hovering the reddish stone above Andrew.

Andrew nodded, and with a gulp Twilight lowered the heated stone, until it was inches from his skin. She hesitated for a moment, before finally taking a deep breath and lowering the rock against Andrew’s skin. His flesh sizzled as the stone burned him, the humans back arching as he struggled to hold back a scream. He gritted his teeth, his hand balled into fists. Revolting smoke poured from his chest once again, obliterating one of the runes.

“Enough” He managed to hiss out after a long moment of burning, his jaw clenched shut.

Twilight immediately pulling the stone away, tears pouring down her face. Applejack stood beside her, her face a bit green but refusing to look away as she comforted her friend.

“Next one” Andrew said simply, breathing heavily.

Twilight nodded, lowering the rock against the second rune, the sizzling starting immediately. Andrew tried to bite back a scream again, this time failing. The pain born yell echoed through the square, reverberating and reinforced by his gasping. He clawed at the ground under him, eyes staring up at the cloudy sky as acrid smoke rose to meet them.

“That’s it!” He shouted, scaring Twilight, her magic almost faltering. “It’d done!”

Twilight hurled the rock away from herself, turning and running to a nearby bush. She retched and gagged, the terrible smell and guilt making her sick to her stomach.

“Go, comfort her.” Andrew told Applejack, who was watching her from her spot next to him.

“What about you?” She asked, stopping herself from immediately going to help her.

Andrew didn’t respond, only closed his eyes, oblivion over taking him.

Questions: 26

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The Ponyville hospital was slowly recovering.

It had been four days since Ponyville’s latest disaster, and for two of them the Hospital had been a blur of activity. With several guards, Andrew, and Princess Luna all in critical condition, and with the six elements of Harmony battered and bruised, the small town hospital had to call in doctors from Canterlot to assist with the sudden increase in patients, and keep up with the regular day to day. Now, four days later, with the critical patients finally stable, the on loan doctors gone, and the elements discharged, the hospital was slowly resuming its normal pace, not including the frenzy that occurred during the frequent visits from Princess Celestia.

“How is she?” She asked one of the nurses assigned to Luna. “Any change?”

Luna lay unconscious on the hospital bed, her face bandaged. She breathed steadily, the blanket that covered her rising and falling to match. The morning sun cast shadows in her room, slowly lighting up the room.

“She is still stable Your Highness.” The mare answered nervously. “Princess Luna is beginning to slowly recover from almost complete magical exhaustion. Mana scans show that she may wake up in a day or so. Her other injuries are healing on course with the information we received from her personal doctor in Canterlot. Would you like me to get the doctor? He could do another scan now for you…?”

“No, that’s alright.” Princess Celestia responded, shaking her head as she watched her sister breathe slowly in her bed. “Thank you my little pony. If there is any change I will be in Andrew’s room. I believe Twilight is waiting for me.”

The nurse nodded, turning back to Luna’s bed. Princess Celestia left the room slowly, pausing to look back at her sister before entering the hall. She crossed it, heading to a nearby room on the other side, pushing the door open. Inside lay Andrew, Twilight Sparkle sitting on a chair in the corner. The unicorn turned to the door as Princess Celestia entered past the assigned nurse, her eyes lighting up as she saw her mentor.

“Princess Celestia!” She greeted, her eyes lighting up. “I’m glad you’re here, I have so many-“

“Questions, I know my student.” She finished with a small smile, walking further into the room. “I’m sorry if I have kept you waiting.”

“Oh, it’s okay.” Twilight assured her mentor. “I know you must be busy with everything that’s happened.”

“Indeed I have been.” Princess Celestia agreed, before turning her head towards the door. “Nurse? Could I have an update on Mr. Dike?”

“Of course Your Highness!” The nurse said, rushing to the princess’s side. “Mr. Dike is still in a coma, with no signs of when he will wake up. His injuries are set and bandaged, including his seven broken ribs, the small hairline fractures in his left femur and another hairline fracture on his right tibia. His muscles are slowly healing, including the torn ones that we repaired yesterday.”

“What about the burns on his chest?” Twilight asked meekly. “are they okay?

“Well the burns on his chest show no signs of infection, and should heal fine. However, those burns, as well as those on his stomach are magical in nature, so the scarring will most likely be permanent.”

“Oh, okay.” Twilight nodded sadly. “Thank you.”

The nurse nodded and turned back to Princess Celestia, who nodded in return.

“Thank you nurse. If you don’t mind I would like a private word with my student.” She explained. “We will alert you if there is any change.”

“Of course Your Highness.”

The nurse turned and left the room, closing the door behind her. Once it had clicked shut, Princess Celestia turned, her eyes back on Twilight.

“Before I begin, are you sure none of your friends would like to hear this as well?”

“Applejack might want to.” She admitted. “But I can explain it to her later. Rarity and Pinkie Pie are still at home recovering, Rainbow Dash is to cool to admit she is curious and Fluttershy doesn’t really know how to behave around Andrew right now.”

“Very well.” The princess agreed with a nod. “Then before I begin…”

Princess Celestia’s horn glowed, a golden mist expanding from the tip. It flowed out to all four corners of the room, sinking into the walls, windows and door. When she was finished, she sat slowly into the only other chair in the room.

“Was that a muffling spell?” Twilight asked.

“Indeed it was, I’m impressed, though not surprised you recognize it.” The alicorn said with a small smile. “What I am about to tell it is one of Equestria’s best kept secrets, one that has stood for hundreds of years. I need you to promise me that, besides the other elements, you will not whisper a word to anyone.”

“Of course Princess, I would never betray you.”

“I know my precious student, but revealing this secret is not just about my trust. I had to ask many others to trust you and your friends as well.”

“Others?”

“Indeed.” The princess responded simply, watching her student closely before beginning again. “Twilight, what do you know about the Holy Blood theory?”

“It’s an old crackpot theory, spearheaded by Nickle Tesla…” She answered, looking confused. “The All-Mother gifted ponies with great gifts and talents…Why?”

“Well, to put it plainly my student, he wasn’t entirely wrong.”

“But… You always told me he was crazy, that he was a kooky old stallion who liked being right even if it meant bending the truth.”

“And for the most part that is true. He was an ornery pony, and had a habit of taking maybe for yes and no for a cover up.” The white alicorn explained with an annoyed look as she remembered a long passed thorn in her side. “But Holy blood, or the All-Mothers Children, as we liked to be called, absolutely exist.”

“We?” she asked, her mouth dropping open at her mentors last line.

“Yes. But perhaps I should start from the beginning?” She asked, starting again when Twilight nodded. “A very long time ago, before I was born, before ponies even existed, there were only dragons. They lived at peace with the world, living to exuberant ages before passing on, becoming the bones of what have since then become the world’s largest mountains. But as you know, dragon magic can be almost as wild as untamed magic.”

Celestia paused now, standing from her seat and walking to the window. She looked out it, watching her little ponies walk along the paths that ran from the hospital back to town, before beginning again.

“Over time, it became clear that many dragons feared passing on. Their greed for riches, the will to live was too strong. Many dragons strong in magic lived thousands of years longer than they were meant to, their wild dragon magic answering there deepest desire. To live forever.”

“Forever?” Twilight asked. “They were immortal?”

“It certainly seemed that way.” Princess Celestia answered. “But such prolonged life was dangerous. Souls are meant to pass on into the ether, keeping them here can twist them, foul even the purest of intentions. They tilted the balance, and the All Mother saw this. She knew she needed to do something, but she wasn’t sure what. She detests interfering directly, as she values our free will over all else. So, instead of fixing the problem, she chose two dragons and gave them the power to fix it themselves. The first of the All-Mothers Children.”

“What kind of powers did they have?”

“The powers of Life and Death. Death was charged with ensuring that unnatural magic did not end the lives of innocent dragons before their time, while Life was tasked with making sure that powerful dragons did not greedily hoard more life then they were given.”

“Life… And Death?”

“A daunting concept, I understand.” The alicorn agreed with Twilights unspoken question. “One that I found quite scary when I was first introduced to it.”

“Have… Have you met them?” Twilight asked, her mind still reeling.

“I have visited where they sleep. They entered a deep slumber long before I was born.” She answered, turning to once again look at her student. “Not entirely uncommon for some of my older brothers and sisters. But they are still alive, and if they were needed they would wake.”

“Oh.” Twilight nodded, slowly processing what she was learning.

“Should I continue my faithful student?” The princess asked. “I’m afraid this is only one part of the story.”

Twilight nodded quickly, reeling but eager to learn more. She mentally kicked herself for leaving her notebook and quills at home.

“Eventually, The All-Mother began to create again, breathing life into a world previously only inhabited by dragons. I know you know the story, I remember assigning an essay to you about it.”

“Yes Princess, the story of creation. She created the wildlife of the world, filled it with beautiful nature. She saw the world and was sad that no pony was enjoying it with her, so she created the three pony tribes, gryphons, the Zebras and all other sentient creatures.”

“Very good, and all exactly right. She created us to enjoy the paradise she had created, wanting to share in the wonder with us.” She agreed, explaining further. “But with each species came new problems. Once again magic was being twisted by emotions, doing things that where unnatural, throwing off the harmony of the world. So once again she chose among the sentient creatures her Children, giving them small portions of her power so that they might solve the problems themselves.”

“Portions of her power?”

“The powers of a goddess.” The alicorn explained. “Incredibly small fractions of her power, put pieces all the same.”

“D-did it work?”

“All in all, yes. There were hiccups, and catastrophes, but overall yes.” The princess answered. “Though you must understand, my sister and I are at large, exceptions. The vast majority of us are only needed once every dozen or so years, to rebalance smaller accidents.”

“So, you being in charge of the sun, and Princess Luna being in charge of the moon was…?”

“A responsibility given to us by the All-Mother.” The princess responded, nodding her head. “It took a very long time to get used to.”

“I can’t imagine…” Twilight murmured. “Are all… Children of the All-Mother as powerful as you and Princess Luna?”

“It depends on how you define powerful. The powers and responsibilities given to us vary greatly from pair to pair.”

“Pair to pair?”

“Yes, each Child is created in pairs, to maintain balance and harmony. I was getting to that.”

“Sorry.” Twilight squeaked, blushing. “I’ll be quiet.”

“Don’t worry Twilight Sparkle, I know you just can’t help but be curious.” The princess explained with an affectionate smile. “Each Child is part of a pair, two halves of a whole. Opposites that keep the balance, keep the other in check. Luna is my opposite. When the world is thrown off balance by greed, by magic or by sheer accident, the Children responsible for that balance steps forward and restores harmony.”

“Why… Why is this a secret?”

“Because despite being bestowed with an immense responsibility, many of my brothers and sisters are simple ponies, who only wish to live their lives in peace. Imagine if the whole world knew you were capable of sending a pony back, or even forward in time, with no side effects or limits. Would you ever get a moment of peace?”

“I-is that possible?” Twilight's eyes widened at the mention of time travel. “I mean…”

There was a slight twinkle in Princess Celestia’s eye as she smiled at her student. She walked to her, and patted her back with her wing.

“I won’t say anything to that, though I will say that a very close friend of mine may or may not have been cursing your name not too long ago, I believe it was around a Tuesday?”

Twilight bit her lip and nervously looked away, trying her best not to look guilty but failing.

“It’s alright my student. My friend assures me no harm was done, though I should suggest you try your best to forget that particular spell.”

Twilight nodded, embarrassed but reassured by her mentor. Eventually the lavender pony met her gaze again.

“How many are there?” She asked.

“There are a dozen or so pairs awake.” Princess Celestia answered. “it has been awhile since our ranks have grown.”

“Grown… you mean Andrew is…” Twilight asked, clearly not believing what she was being told. “But he isn’t even from here.”

“I won’t pretend to understand how the All-Mother chooses her children, only that she does.” The motherly alicorn explained. “And she chose him.”

“So that’s it? He is destined to be a… a child of the All-Mother?”

“Someday, yes.” Princess Celestia answered again, this time holding up her hoof, Twilight shutting her mouth before her next question could come out. “Perhaps I could explain further?”

Twilight nodded abashedly, sitting back in her chair, her lips pressed tightly together as if to hold her questions inside herself with pure force. Princess Celestia nodded back to her student before beginning again.

“When a Child is chosen it happens immediately. They carry the spark of divinity, a piece of the All-Mother inside them. But it has yet to turn into a flame.” She explained, beginning to pace. “This process takes decades. Their body changes slowly, over time until they are ready to inherit their gift, their responsibility. From then they are taught how to utilize their gifts, the rules it dictates and how to resist the temptations it will offer. By this time the flame has been born, and they become full-fledged Children. Andrew manage to skip all of those stages, and now he is paying the price.”

Princess Celestia walked to Andrew’s bed, using her magic to adjust his pillow slightly before turning back to her student.

“The runes on his chest, the ones you burned off, they were called Tiwaz. He bears it on his cutie mark.” Celestia paused. “Once, it represents justice. Repeated twice, at the angle he carved them, they invoke something different.”

“What?” Twilight asked softly.

“Punishment. The pulling down of the scales, to even them until harmony of justice is reached. That is what Andrews charge will someday be.” She answered. “And it’s what nearly killed him, it’s why he is in this coma. His body, soul and mind was not ready for that power, will not be ready for many, many years. The flame of full blown divinity burned through all three, mind body and soul, every second that he possessed it. The runes that you burned held onto the flame, if you had not destroyed them he would not have survived.”

“What’s going to happen to him?” Twilight asked, after a long pause.

“Well, eventually he will wake up. He will be weak and confused, and most likely angry for being lied to, mostly by me. Given time, he will recover to his full strength. And then he will pass that. Over the next thirty or so years he will get stronger and stronger. Someday he will be ready to bear his gift, but for now he is only Andrew, Ponyville’s human.”

A silence stretched over the two, both of them watching the humans slow quiet breathing. Eventually Princesses Celestia looked away, to her student, watching her instead.

“Why was he so different? The lavender unicorn asked finally. “He was so cold, and brutal. I-I’m not sure that Trixie her deserved punishment either…not after what she has been through.”

“I think there is a very large chance that Andrew will agree with both of those statements.”

“Then why did he do it? Why was he like that?”

“I can’t know for certain.” The alicorn answered. “But my guess it has to do with his sudden introduction to his power. I was not joking when I said there was a temptation involved. Each pair has rules, each pair has different twists and guides, different responsibilities and gifts. But they all share a want, a need to fulfill their jobs. Andrew just wasn’t ready to deny punishment to somepony, even if they had suffered enough at someone else’s hand. In all truth, we are lucky he resisted the urge to punish the whole town of every misdeed and law its citizens have broken.”

Silence once again ruled the room, the two mares sitting together, both of them watching Andrew’s bandaged face. Eventually Princess Celestia stood, her wings rustling before tucking themselves back into place.

“I know this is a lot to take in my faithful student.” She said sympathetically, pausing a while before starting again. “I need to tend to some things around Ponyville before I return to Canterlot for the rest of the day. We can meet again, in your library before I return home. Beyond that, if you have more questions, feel free to send me a message through Spike, I will write back as soon as I can.”

Twilight nodded mutely, her eyes not moving of her friend. The Princess walked past her, hoof on the door handle when Twilight spoke again.

“Andrew… Who is his partner?”

Princess Celestia turned back to face her student, a sad look in her eyes.

“We don’t know. We have been looking but so far… we have found none. It should have been someone close, a few of us think that it was meant to be his sister. But we don’t know where she is.”

“Alice? Is she here? In Equestria?”

“If she is… we haven’t been able to find her.”

Twilight nodded, turning her head back to Andrew. Princess Celestia gave one final, long look at her student, before opening the door and leaving the room.

Author's Notes:

Hey guys!
So, first things first, a lot of criticism has been voiced about the last two chapters. Tight off the bat i want to thank everyone who as voiced their opinions, it means that you have become attached enough to my story that a such a sudden change in tone generated so much emotion. Honestly, it means a lot! Now i sincerely hope, dialogue stuffed as it is, that this chapter has assuaged some fears about Andrew and his adventure in Equestria. if it hasn't... well i suppose learning experiences aren't supposed to be easy, and this my first story after all. >_<

I am slightly nervous that this massive influx in information will just spark more questions, and potentially more doubt about the stories validity. all attempts to predict peoples reactions have failed so far, so who knows. Fingers crossed i suppose.

Please, continue to voice your thoughts, and if you have questions that would be better served in a back and forth, please feel free to message me!

Marula: 27

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Pain.

A burning pain that pulsed with renewed vigor with every heartbeat. She could feel fire on her skin, digging down deeper as it marked her body. She heard a male voice scream, realizing with dulled confusion that it came from her. She looked down and saw herself… or whoever’s eyes she was looking through. She watched as red sparking light poured from their own hand into their body, filling gruesome shapes carved into their skin.

The world flashed again, she saw a town around her, simple homes and buildings in a quaint town. A destroyed square and flashes of light as they arced across it. The world flashed again, and now she felt a new burning pain in her chest, and saw a glowing red hot rock grind against her. Again the male voice cried out in agony, sparks dancing around her vision as they strained against the burning stone. In the moment before it became unbearable, the moment before she could feel her host crack under the pain he shouted, and the heat pulled back, and darkness overtook her.

Slowly she felt herself returning, felt the constant burning agony slowly disappear. Soon an oppressive and constant heat was all she could feel as she awoke from her dream. It hung on to her body like a wet blanket, weighing her down, so intense even this early in the morning. Every time she thought she had gotten used to it over the past year, another heat wave swept through almost breaking her spirit each time. Every activity was immeasurably harder than it should have been with this sweat inducing heat. And as life was, everything was already hard enough.

“Are you awake Marula, friend of mine? If you sleep much longer your teacher will whine.”

The drenched form on the bed groaned and did its best to prop itself up, the wood and woven fiber bed creaking softly. The woman hunched over at the edge with a tired and grumpy look on her face. Her bare skin was darkly tanned, contrasting heavily with the pale scars that covered her body. They crossed her skin, over her stomach, legs and arms. The most prominent ones marked the end of her left arm, just above her elbow, and her left leg, which ended half a foot below her knee. Her hair was short and light blonde, just long enough to keep her scalp from burning under the sun. Despite her scars and her haphazardly cut hair she was still beautiful, her eyes blue and piercing, a smart mind hidden behind them. She was muscular, having spent almost the entire last year training with her teacher.

“Elder Rorzo said I was done with training, so there isn’t really a reason to wake up until your father needs me. Not that he needs me today anyway.”

“That is indeed true, but maintaining your habits is good for you.”

The girl sighed and nodded, leaning over to grab a nearby wooden contraption. “Yeah I guess. I should start saying my goodbyes anyway.”

The zebra mare nodded, turning around to busy herself. She was packing up her stuff, various bits and baubles, almost all of them concerning alchemy and potion making.

“With your struggle to arise, I assume your dreams still reprise?”

“Yeah, just a replay every night the past month.” She responded, stretching her arm and leg. “Close my eyes, dream of that dumb town, wake up, repeat.”

“I am sorry my potions do not soothe your dreams.” The mare apologized. “But Ponyville is much more than it seems.”

“Sorry Zecora, I’m sure it’s great and your pony friends are great too. But I can’t forgive such a terrible pun.”

“It’s true the name is terrible.” The zebra said as she nodded, her smile almost audible. “But I assure you the citizens make it bearable.”

The girl shook her head, a small smile on her face as she raised her crippled leg, sliding the cloth and wooden peg that served as her prosthetic. She tied a myriad of straps and latches, securing the prosthetic tightly. Once she was sure it was secure, she rocked back and then forward, using the momentum to stand with practiced ease. She still winced however, and reached for a long wooden staff that she used for extra support. She used the staff expertly, stepping forward with her right foot, using both the wooden peg and the staff to walk.

“And you are sure that this Twilight pony can help?” She asked with noticeable anxiety after a long pause. “These dreams are driving me crazy.”

“She is a kindhearted mare and will help any thinking creature.” Zecora answered. “But if you are unsure there is always her teacher.”

“Not a chance, I’m not stepping foot in Canterlot until I know that they aren’t gonna just freak out and throw me in jail.”

“They would never do something so cruel hearted. Unless of course for something you started.”

“So you keep telling me. But you also told me about how they treated you when you first started living in Ponyville.”

“As much as their behavior was unkind, I was not within my best mind. I was not looking for friends to make, though I should have been for my own sake. Instead I was happy they avoided me, their fear giving me a perverse sense of glee.”

“Will you ever tell me why you left for so long?” Marula asked her friend and roommate. “Your father just says that it is your secret to tell.”

“It is a story for another day, perhaps when we are well on our way. For now I must finish packing, and it is long past time for you to get cracking.”

“Yeah I know.” Marula said with frown. “I think I hate goodbyes.”

“Though your goodbyes will bring much pain, we cannot miss tomorrows train.”

The girl cracked her neck, stretching languidly, keeping her balance easily. She turned to watch Zecora pack, surprised at how much stuff she had brought with her in the first place.

“Do we have to leave tonight? Can’t we just get up early?”

“It will take many hours to travel there, and the trains coming this far south is very rare.”

The girl nodded again, glumly accepting the schedule they needed to keep.

“I’m going to say goodbye to Elder Rorzo and your father, maybe help him with some last minute things.”

“I will join you at my father’s when I’ve finished my task, if he remembers enough to ask.”

The girl nodded over her shoulder, heading to the door. As soon as she pushed it open heat rushed in, the oppressive sun already high enough to beam down on the entire village. She hung her head for a moment, before stepping out further. Zecora, who had turned to watch the human leave, shook her head and chuckled. The human turned her head back and stuck out her tongue before stepping forward and shutting the door.

Eventually, after a long moment, Marula’s eyes adjusted to the bright sun as she slowly began to make her way through the village. She knew it well by now, having plenty of time to explore it the past year. The small huts, gardens, dirt paths and the Zebras that walked them were all familiar. She waved to the ones she knew well, and nodded respectfully to those she was indebted to, of which there where many.

When she had first arrived in this strange but somehow familiar world she had been broken to an almost unimaginable degree. Her lost limbs, while the most obvious injury hadn’t even been the most serious. The village had all pitched in together to help her, giving freely to support the broken human.

She had apparently fallen from the sky, landing in one of the few trees that populated the clearing that the small zebra village sat in. She remembers waking in incredible pain, begging and pleading for it to stop. Beyond that she remembered nothing from her first month of Zebrika.

Not that she remember much from before she arrived here either. Bits and pieces of her past life floated through her head. Friends, places, sometimes even glimpses of an average day. But in the end it was always just that, glimpses. She couldn’t even remember her own name, hence taking the name of the tree that had saved her, a Marula tree.

Marula steadily made her way to the edge of town, eventually reaching a small hut connected to a large roofed area. The roofed area was marked with sparring dummies and racks of poles. A few zebras practiced there hoof to hoof combat as an elderly and grizzled zebra watched.

“Good morning Elder Rorzo.” Marula greeted with a smile.

“Who is that?” He asked, without turning around. “It sounds like my student Marula, but she would never come visit me so late.”

“I apologize Elder Rorzo, my dreams have been making sleep difficult.”

The wise zebra nodded, his ears flicking as he talked.

“You are leaving tonight?” He asked simply, blunt as always.

“Yes.” Marula responded, an awkward pause floating around. “Thank you for all you’ve done for me Elder. I know I wasn’t the easiest student.”

“You did your best, and I did as well.” He responded, his ears flicking to listen to Marula. “Together you learned just fine.”

Marula nodded, watching the zebras as they practiced, some fighting each other, some practicing on the handful of wooden dummies. She had learned a lot here in the training yard. Before Elder Rorzo had made it his job to help her, she was barely able to walk a few feet before losing her balance, or collapsing from pain.

“I owe you a lot Elder. I…”

“It is my job to train those with the fire of survival in their hearts.” The elder zebra said when Marula’s words failed her. “You never gave me a reason to doubt your fire, so what else would I do but train you?”

Marula smiled and nodded, knowing that the grizzled old zebra was complementing her in his own way.

“Thank you for treating me like every other zebra Elder Rorzo.”

“As before, you gave me no reason not to. However…”

With a pained groan, the old zebra stood up on his hooves, slowly making his way to his shack. Marula’s first instinct was to help the time worn stallion, but she bit her lip. In her current condition she would only make things harder. Eventually the stallion returned, a long staff balanced on his back. He pulled it off his back and swung it at Marula with no hesitation. Marula easily brought her own staff to block it. The long sticks of wood collided with a resounding crack, Marula’s letting off quiet creaking noise, vibrating painfully in her hands.

“I think it’s high time I set you apart. You’ve earned it.”

Elder Rorzo pulled back from his strike, the dark grey shaft of wood unharmed, while Marula’s had a sizable dent. He slid the staff to her, holding it out for her to take.

“For… Me?”

She asked, taking the end of the staff and passing her old one back to her teacher. The new staff was heavy, and clearly new as it still had yet to absorb the last traces of treating oils.

“Yes. A shared parting gift from me and Azerith. I carved it from the heart of a young Leadwood tree myself. It is heavy, but you’ll never have to worry about it breaking by your own hooves. I’ll let the potion master explain his own additions, I don’t pretend to understand why he was so proud of them.”

“T-thank you Elder Rorzo.” Marula stumbled out. “I…I don’t know what to say.”

“Then say nothing.” He responded, holding out his hoof.

Marula ignored his outstretched and stepped closer, wrapping her arm around the Zebras head. She held him tightly, the zebras head against her chest. After a long moment she released him, a hand lingering on his back.

“When I return I will bring you a gift as well.”

“In the meantime I think I’ll keep this.” The zebras said, holding Marula’s old staff. “Something to remind me of my most interesting student.”

The grizzled old stallion nodded, a light smile playing on his lips. He patted her arm, before turning back to the sparring zebras. Marula remained by herself for a while, watching the training stallions and the elder as he chastised them for pulling their blows. Eventually she turned away, heading off with a sad smile.

She walked slowly away from her teacher’s home, enjoying the heft of her new cane. It was the perfect height for her, slightly longer than any cane or staff that the zebras would ever use, for fighting or support.

Eventually she reached her destination, the smell of cooking ingredients, boiling potions and exotic medicines heavy in the air as she reached the door. She knocked before pushing the door open, stepping inside the home.

“Azerith, are you home?” She called out.

“In the back!”

Marula nodded and followed the familiar voice around back, her staff and prosthetic leg made dull thumping noises as they hit the wooden floor. She opened another door and stepped inside a small brewing workshop. Two small cauldrons sat boiling against the far wall, various ingredients and plants hanging from the ceiling. A middle aged zebra leaned over a counter, slowly cutting a red flower.

“Good morning Azerith, been busy?”

“Very much so. I finally got my hand on some devils thorn.” He explained, gently lifting the pile of chopped flowers and sliding them into one of the cauldrons. “Just putting the finishing touches on Zecora’s going away gifts.”

Marula nodded, watching the zebra mix the ingredients into the cauldron, watching its contents turn a muted red.

“Hmmm… good color and at the right temperature… good .” Azerith said with a nod, touching the side of the cauldron gently with his hoof to test the temperature. “Now what can I do for you?”

“I came to see if you needed any help today… and to say goodbye.”

The old zebra nodded, waving the girl over. She pulled over a stool, her stool considering that no zebra could sit on something so high, and leaned her new staff against the corner of the counter. Azerith placed a pile of yellow flowers in front of her, and slid her a knife.

“Not to fine, the heat will dissolve it”

Marula nodded at his instructions, positioning the flowers into a tight group with her hand, picking up the knife and cutting them quickly. Meanwhile Azerith examined a small potted plant on the far end of the workshop, picking a few leaves off.

“I see you visited Elder Rorzo already.” Azerith asked, pointing to her new staff as he took the pile of chopped flowers, putting the leaf in its place. “Nice and fine with this one.”

“Yeah. He said that this was a shared gift?” She replied without looking up, dicing with practiced slicing. “He said you were awfully proud of your work.”

“Of course I am, it was good work!” The zebra stallion replied with a smile. “It took a few days to figure out how to treat the wood so that nothing reacted with each other.”

“What did you treat it with?”

“Quite a few things!” He replied with a happy smile. “It should be fireproof from anything short of dragon fire and it will never rot or dry out. But that’s not what was really difficult.”

Azerith walked around Marula, picking up the staff and sliding it down towards the beveled end. He then held the end near the fire that sat under the cauldrons. Immediately the end caught fire, surprisingly bright in the already well-lit room.

“Hey! What are you doing?” Marula shouted, standing up and walking along towards Azerith, leaning heavily on the counter. “You said it was fire proof, why is it burning?”

“It isn’t!” Azerith replied with a wide grin. “The oil absorbed into the bottom is!”

The zebra stallion dunked the end in a nearby bucket of water, putting the fire out with a quiet hiss. He passed Marula the staff, letting her examine the end.

“I managed to treat the end so that it would absorb a special kind of bright burning oil. It won’t harm the wood itself, only burning the oil. It can burn for almost a half hour before running out, then all you need to do is let it absorb the oil over night, and it’s ready to go again!”

“That’s… pretty incredible” Marula admitted, looking close at the beveled bottom of the staff. “What happens if I run out of oil?”

“It’s a simple recipe, Zecora can make it easily while you’re away.” He explained, heading back to the cauldrons. “It’s like an emergency torch!”

“It is very impressive, thank you Azerith.”

A long pause stretched over the two, Marula bus chopping more ingredients while Azerith prepped them. Eventually Marula turned to look at the potions master.

“Thank you Azerith. Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for me over the past year.” She said, looking down at her feet. “I wish I could repay you…”

“I don’t want to hear anything about that.” Azerith said, waving off her words. “All the help I’ve given you freely given.”

“I know, I know. I just wish there was some way I could repay, reward everyone who has helped me!” She explained, shaking her head. “I feel so wrong not giving anything back.”

“You most certainly have! You’ve helped me run this shop for many months, which has more than payed for any help I’ve given you.”

“But what about Elder Rorzo and the rest of the village? And Zecora? She may have only been here a few weeks but I’ve been living in her home since I got here.”

“Elder Rorzo considers it his mission to pass on his knowledge. I’m willing to bet he feels indebted to you. And as for Zecora, she was just glad that her home wasn’t just sitting empty.”

Marula shook her head slowly, continuing to follow Azerith’s instructions in silence. He watched her with a diligent eye, silently checking to make sure she was doing everything right. It wasn’t that she was unskilled at the tasks she was given, only that so far she had shown no talent in potion making, only learning the absolute barest of basics over the past nine months she had been helping the potions master. She rolled his eyes as he watched her closely, knowing that he was doing his best to do so undetected. She debated whether to call him out like she usually did, but with a smile she just shook her head, getting back to work.

The moon was high over Ponyville, watching over the slowly healing town. It slowly traveled across the sky, full and bright as it cast gentle shadows on the streets and houses. The town was almost fully repaired from the conflict with Nightmare, which happened just over a month ago. The only thing that was still noticeably broken was the statue that sat upon the fountain. It was still being carved, and would arrive in the coming weeks.

Luna stood over Andrew’s hospital bed, watching the human take slow, peaceful breaths. Since the battle with Nightmare Andrew’s body had been healing nicely. The magic burns on his stomach and chest had begun forming scar tissue, aided by more of Zecora’s healing potions. They worked regardless of the magical nature of the burns, though seemingly at a slightly reduced pace. His other injuries were healing naturally, the doctors opting to not use magic to heal the various fractures and breaks. His body was still wrapped in bandages, his chest completely covered. Both of his arms had been covered as well, splints still attached. The doctors at Ponyville had gotten very stern talking too when Twilight discovered that both of his arms had hairline fractures running along them, previously missed by the doctors. Luna shook her head, glad she hadn’t been the one to discover them. A stern talking to wouldn’t have been the first thing on her mind.

A nurse opened the door, and nearly dropped her clipboard in surprise when she spotted Luna on the other side of the bed.

“Princess Luna! I’m sorry I didn’t realize you were here.” She said nervously. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Has there been any change?” She asked simply, looking at the light grey pony.

The nurse walked to the end of Andrew’s bed, picking up the folder attached to it. She read through it before shaking her head.

“I’m sorry Princess Luna, there hasn’t been any change since last night.”

Luna nodded, returning her look to the bedridden human. She shuffled her wings, the right one feeling the stiffness of both healing muscle and new feathers. She shook her head, looking back to the nurse with a light smile.

“Thank you Nurse, I’ll just be a moment.”

The grey mare nodded and walked out the door, closing it gently behind her. Alone once again Luna watched her student breath slowly. She found herself wondering how she hadn’t noticed his spark when they had first met. She shook her head, trying her best not to dwell on it. There was no reason for her to scan him looking for that, so of course she didn’t find it. And if she had, what would she have done differently? She shook her head again, this time successfully driving the what if’s from her mind. She sighed, resisting the urge to scan Andrew herself, knowing that her magic wasn’t even close to fully healed. Instead she used her hooves to make sure that he was comfortable, adjusting his pillow and blanket before pulling back.

“Please wake up soon Andrew.” She said quietly. “Life has gotten awfully boring again, and your friends miss you. I miss you.”

Silently she leaned over, laying a gentle kiss on his forehead before pulling away. Her eyes watered gently, but she blinked away the threatening tears. Instead she turned and exited the room, closing the door slowly, watching her student for a moment more, before the door clicked shut.

The room was motionless, save for the blinking instruments and the gently swaying trees outside. For a long moment this stillness was perfect, until subtly, almost invisibly, Andrew’s eyes fluttered.

Awake: 28

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Why does it smell like chocolate milk? Andrew thought to himself, his eyes still closed as he slowly came back to consciousness. And why aren’t I in pain? Shouldn’t I be in a lot of pain?

Andrew opened his eyes, and was greeted by the dull ceiling and walls of the now familiar hospital. He groaned and tried to sit up, his arms sore as he slowly managed to push himself upright, sliding back to lean on the headrest of the hospital bed. As he was leaning back he froze, his eyes drifting to the closest corner. There, in a recliner Andrew was pretty sure wasn’t standard hospital furniture, was a large… creature. It was haphazardly shaped, with a long midsection and mismatched parts that left it looking very unsymmetrical. The creature slowly thumbed through a magazine as Andrew stared for a long moment before finally finished his movement. Beside the creature on a small floating tray was a tall glass of chocolate milk.

“Uh… hello.”

“Just a minute, I want to finish this article.” The creature said, adjusting his glasses.

Andrew opened his mouth to respond, but he couldn’t quite force himself to say anything. Instead he just stared at the creature, waiting for him to finish. As he watched he realized that the magazine depicted a human on the cover, but the words were just gibberish, like some sort of movie prop. The amalgamation threw the magazine across the room, finally turning his head to look at Andrew.

“All done!” He said with a grin, the magazine disappearing before it even hit the floor. “Now, I’m guessing you want to know who I am?”

“You’re Discord, right?” Andrew answered, leaning back and closing his eyes, trying his best to seem calm. “Luna described you pretty well.”

Discord visibly drooped, before crossing his arms and huffing loudly.

“Everyone’s a party pooper these days.” He mumbled. “It’s bad enough that no one jumps and screams anymore”

“If it makes you feel any better I would have jumped if I could.” Andrew assured him, stiffly gesturing to the bandages and casts on his body. “I only just recognized you.”

“It doesn’t, pity just makes it awkward.”

“Well… what can I do for you Discord?” Andrew asked, moving his arm around to test its mobility. “Are you meeting Fluttershy here?”

“No, she doesn’t even know I’m in Ponyville.” He explained. “I’m here for personal reasons.”

The creature, the draconeous Andrew remembered, stood up from his chair and stretched, the tray following him. He walked to the door, jiggling the doorknob before pulling it off the door completely. With a snap, the door itself disappeared, replaced by a painting on the wall. He tossed the knob onto the bed between Andrew’s legs.

“Personal huh?” Andrew asked emptily, watching the door disappeared with a shocked and worried look. “What kind of personal?”

“Well, personal followed by official business.” Discord explained, snapping his fingers, a pitcher of chocolate milk appearing. “Something to drink?”

“Yeah, sure.”

Discord poured the pitcher into nothing, the chocolate milk filling up an invisible cup. The draconeous handed the glass to Andrew, who tentatively took it, taking a small sip. He coughed, the invisible glass spilling slightly as he regained his composure.

“Grape soda?” He asked, flabbergasted and still coughing. “What the hell?”

“Delightful isn’t it?” Discord said happily, chugging the rest of the pitcher. “Fizzy and refreshing.”

“Do they have grape soda here?” Andrew asked, taking another sip. “Where did you get this?”

“Probably.” He answered. “And I have no idea!”

Andrew sighed and looked down at the remaining liquid, draining it in one gulp. He then looked at his seemingly empty hand, suddenly concerned with what he would do with a glass he couldn’t see. Before he could do anything though, Discord took it, threw it in the air and caught it in his mouth, crunching loudly and swallowing before sighing contently, patting his stomach.

“Now that we’ve had some refreshments, let’s get down to business.”

Discords demeanor changed quickly, his body dropping into the chair nearest Andrew’s bed. Gone was his usual smile and the glint of mischief in his eye, replaced by a solemnity and seriousness that surprised Andrew.

“You beat the snot out of Nightmare” He stated with absolute seriousness. “Pretty good for the Prince of Punishment, you didn’t even have the title yet. She’s lucky though. If I had found her she would be dead.”

Andrew rocked back slight, wide-eyed in surprise. His mind struggled to understand where Discord’s sudden brutality was coming from. Finally, a few bits and pieces of that night came forward.

“Order?” He asked tentatively “She killed Order?”

Discord nodded, stroking his goatee. He turned to look out the hospital room window and the adjacent woods.

“It’s one of the first things she did when she started her twisted path.” He explained, pausing for a moment, still watching the slowly swaying trees. “Does that mean you remember your brief stint as my brother?”

“Bits and pieces I gu-“ Andrew stopped, finally connecting the dots in his head. “So you’re a royal blood guy?”

“We tend to go by ‘All-Mother’s Children’ but yes, I am.” He confirmed, his gaze finally returning to Andrew, smirking at the humans skeptical look. “What? Don’t believe me? Why do you think Celly was so Tartarus bent on rehabilitating me rather than just keeping me as a statue?

“I don’t want to hear about her right now.” Andrew said with an annoyed shake of his head. “She lied through her teeth every time we talked.”

“She does that.”

“Do you think Luna…” Andrew trailed off, worried about what the answer might be.

“Poor little Lulu had no idea, she was as in the dark as you were.” Discord assured him. “She was banished when we first caught wind that you would be coming. Granted I was still encased in stone but a few of my brothers and sisters came to talk to me while I was imprisoned.”

“Wait, you guys knew I was coming?”

“There were visions, hinting that the next addition to our ranks would be a strange creature.” Discord explained. “But it’s not like we’ve got the script or anything.”

“Right… So you were saying?” Andrew prompted, rubbing his face. “About... Order?”

Discord nodded, taking a deep breath and releasing it. “She was my other half. We were inseparable and pretty reliant on each other, as are every pair. ”

“I’m sorry…”

“It was a very very very long time ago.” Discord said, his eyes blank as he relived ancient memories. “And I had a grand old time grieving. Nearly destroyed the planet if the sisters are to be believed. Went a little crazy after Nightmare got away.”

“And that’s why you were locked up in stone.”

“I couldn’t be reasoned with.” He said with a shrug, as if he was describing something trivial. “They did the right thing, and I had time to grieve in peace.”

“The way Luna told it you came out a bit crazy too.”

Discord snapped his fingers and two pears appeared, one in Andrew’s hands, the other in his own paw. He took a bite absently, chewing a bit before continuing.

“Are you telling me you wouldn’t try your hand at world domination if you had been locked up for that long?”

“Not judging.” Andrew said, before shaking his head. “Though we should probably not meet when I get my deus ex machina back.”

“You’ll learn to control it.” Discord assured him, patting him on the shoulder. “And it’s more of a useful curse than a cheap plot device.”

“God… it’s all so jumbled in my head.” Andrew complained, rubbing his temples. “Parts of it are crystal clear, and others are foggy and confusing.”

“Considering the circumstances I say you're handling it pretty well” Discord pointed out, taking another bite of his pear.

“Yeah, I guess…” Andrew agreed begrudgingly, taking a bite of his pear, only to scrunch his face in surprise. “Lemon? Really?”

“Not a fan of citrus then?” Discord asked, a smile curling his face. “Oh well.”

The tall prince threw his pear into his mouth, chewing quickly and swallowing before snagging the second pear from Andrew.

“Anyway, back to the point. First off… Thank you Andrew, for catching and depowering Nightmare. You did a good job on her punishment too, though I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. Prince of Punishment and all.”

“I guess I was just doing my job?” Andrew responded, not entirely sure what to say. “She earned that punishment through her actions I suppose.”

“That she did.” Discord agreed, taking a bite of the second pear. “So, that’s the personal out of the way. For business, I’m here to answer any questions you might have about everything. We figured that you might not trust Celly very much right now and Lulu is… well she isn’t very impartial when it comes to you.”

Andrew nodded, rubbing his temples as he thought of the many questions he had. Eventually he dropped his hands and looked at Discord.

“I remember understanding everything that was going on, like it was crystal clear. Now it’s all fuzzy and a lot of it doesn’t make since. ”

“Tell me about it.” Discord suggested, waiting patiently. “How did it make you feel?

Andrew looked over at the Prince of Chaos, shaking his head when he saw that he was now wearing glasses and was jotting down notes in a binder.

“It was like a huge amount of knowledge was dropped into my head.” He started. “It felt natural at the time but now it all feels foreign and alien. I’m glad most of them are fading.”

“An instinctual knowledge about the balance of the world, certain aspects of your brothers and sisters that share similar tasks is normal.” Discord explained. “Well, normal for the final stages of your growth into a Child. The problem is that you skipped all the way to the end, got all the perks and the draw backs, and then cut off your connection completely. A lot of us were worried you would wake up crazier than me.”

“Jury is still out.” Andrew joked. “Who knows, maybe-“

Andrew stopped talking, his eyes growing wide as another memory flooded his mind. He grew pale, suddenly looking like he would be sick.

“Trixie! Oh god what did I do to her?” He asked, looking at Discord pleadingly. “Please tell me she’s alright?”

“Lulamoon is… surviving.” Discord answered, his somber look returning. “She struggled for the first week, but she found a purpose in helping to repair the town. After that, she’s been helping Sparkle at the library.”

“So… no one reversed what I did?” Andrew asked, not sounding very hopeful.

“I think you already know the answer to that.” Discord responded. “In forty, maybe even fifty years, you’re going to be the absolute final word on punishment. Not Celestia, not Luna, not even I will be able to break or change any punishment you decide to dole out. That night was like a preview to that.”

“That’s… that’s too much power…”

“It sounds like it, but you’re forgetting a few things.” Discord assured him. “For one, your eventually gonna have another half, and they will be able to undo anything you do.”

“Right… I remember knowing that… I think.”

“Second, ‘punishment’ is a very specific concept. You can’t punish someone before they do something. So you won’t ever be able to use your powers during a conflict, only after. ”

“That… that’s right, I remember knowing that I needed to stop Nightmare completely before I could… you know…”

“Exactly. And finally, the Elements of Harmony will be able to undo anything any of us will ever do. It’s why they exist after all.”

“Wait… the elements? I thought they just banished evil or whatever?”

Discord laughed, shaking his head and snapping his fingers. A board appeared, covered in drawings of the elements and a rather crude stick figure drawing of Andrew, an alicorn and a draconeous. They were grouped separately, on either ends of a see-saw. He stood up and pulled out a long extendable pointer, suddenly wearing a lab coat.

“The Elements of Harmony are the balance against us.” He explained, tapping the board with the pointer. “They were created so that normal ponies, and occasionally other Children could fight against a Child. Celestia and Luna used them against me, then Celestia used them to banish Luna, so on and so forth. They were even used before that against other Children that grew out of control. Checks and balances kid. Mom loves them.”

“So we can use them to undo Lulamoon’s punishment!” Andrew said excitedly. “… Right?”

“Of course…Right after we find the seventh bearer.”

Andrew rubbed his eyes, wincing as his braces fought his movement. He groaned loudly before taking a deep breath and looking back at Discord, who had somehow lost his lab coat.

“Why is there another element?” He asked, exasperated. “I’m pretty sure there was only six.”

Before Discord could open his mouth to respond, a dull thrumming echoed in the room. Andrew cocked his head, watching as the doorknob that Discord had thrown onto his bed floated up, hovering midair for a moment before making its way to the wall. With a dull thump the non-handle end stuck into the wall, causing the door to suddenly re-materialize. It was flung open, immediately letting in the sounds of a hospital into the room. On the other side of the door stood Luna, looking very cross.

“Discord, what is the meaning of this?” She asked, walking into the room, her eyes focused on the Prince of Chaos. “I told you that you could speak to Andrew once he is…”

Luna’s stern words trailed off when Andrew waved to her, a smile on his face. Her eyes widened in shock, frozen in place for a moment before rushing to the bed bound human. She stopped by the side of the bed, looking at the many casts and wraps on his body in concern before Andrew lifted his arms. She pushed into him, her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his casted arms around her neck.

“Andrew! You’re finally awake!” She half shouted, excited, still leaning on her student. “We were all so worried!”

“I’m sorry about that.” He apologized, his hand rubbing her neck. “What do you mean finally?”

Luna pulled away and looked to Discord, seeming to have missed Andrew’s question. Her eyes were wary, worried what the Draconeous had been doing while he and Andrew had been alone.

“Could you really not wait until he was fully awake Discord?” She asked accusingly. “Surely you didn’t need to ambush him the second he awoke?”

“Come Lulu, you know this is important-”

“Do not call me that!” Luna said, her annoyance slowly growing into frustration.

“I kinda like it.” Andrew said, only for it to be missed in the growing tension. “And what did you mean by ‘Finally?’”

“You know I’m here on the request of the others.” Discord reminded, his smile only getting wider. “They wanted him to learn some of the basic facts. And since your sister decided to hide his arrival from everyone else we didn’t exactly trust her to do it.”

“She had a good reason for doing that.” Luna countered, before mumbling to herself. “Though she has yet to explain it to me.”

Discord laughed, shaking his head and standing up from his chair. He snapped his fingers and ruler appeared in his hands. He passed it to Andrew before heading to the door, still giggling to himself.

“Well Andrew, it’s been fun.” He said with a wave. “If you have any questions, just snap the ruler in half and I’m sure I’ll get around to stopping by eventually… probably.”

Andrew nodded dumbly, not sure what was going on and a bit stunned by the sudden escalation of the argument. Discord disappeared through the door, only to pop his head back around.

“Oh and you’ve been unconscious for a bit over a month now. Tata for now!”

Andrew’s eyes opened wide and Luna looked angrily where Discord had been before returning her look back to Andrew. She winced when she saw his flabbergasted look.

“A whole month?” He asked, more than a bit dazed. “Holy hell…”

“I’m afraid so.” Luna nodded, putting a hoof on his shoulder. “While I was hoping to break the news with a bit more finesse, Discord spoke the truth.”

“How… Was I in a coma?” He asked, rubbing his head.

“I’m afraid so.” Luna explained. “After the seizures ended and the muscle damage was healed you-“

“Seizures!?” Andrew shouted. “The hell was I having seizures for?”

. “The runes that you carved into your stomach.” She explained, putting her hoof on his abdomen gently. “They forced magic into your muscles, making you extremely strong, tough and gave you reflexes that rivaled my own at full health.”

Her hoof slowly slid up until it was gently on his chest.

“The ones you carved here lit the spark that wasn’t meant to burn for a very long time.” She explained. “The magic in your muscles caused tissue damage, magical searing and micro tears in almost every muscle in your body. The runes on your chest caused the seizures, as your brain wasn’t ready to handle all the information and connections you forced it into.”

Andrew sat in silence, looking down at his hands and the bandages over his body. He looked to Luna with a blank face, his eyes filled with fear.

“I almost died again, didn’t I?”

“You came very close.” Luna answered quietly, studying her students face. “We weren’t sure if you would ever wake up, and if you did we weren’t sure what would be left.”

Andrew nodded, before looking down at his hands again. They shook, the seriousness of what he had survived pushing everything aside. Luna pushed her head against his, putting her leg around him as best she could.

“Thank you Andrew.” She whispered. “For coming back.”

For a long moment it looked like Andrew hadn’t heard what Luna had said. Eventually he nodded though, and he leaned back into her. He closed his eyes, putting a shaking hand around the alicorn, a few tears dripping down his face as he held her back.

Travel: 29

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The train ride had been extremely boring. She could tell that the train was a lot slower than those she remembered from her home, but she hadn’t expected it to take nearly as long as it did. Zebrica was massive but much to her disappointment, it seemed to be made of exclusively dry plains. Boring, empty, completely unordinary plains. They crossed a few rivers, a few small forests like the ones that the village had been next to, but mostly it was grass, dirt and the occasional patch of trees. Which only added to the shock when she stepped off the train and into the humble station of Appleloosa.

“Wow… That’s a lot of colors…” Marula said, her eyes wide.

From the top of the wooden platform she could clearly see a dozen or so ponies walking through the town, each one a drastically different color. She watched as they went about their business, chatting and smiling as they walked. The town itself looked like a shot out of a movie set, the definition of a Wild West town. The only difference she could see was the vibrant colors that the buildings were painted, much too bright for anything that would have happened in a cowboy movie.

“Indeed it is truly a sight.” Zecora agreed from beside the human. “A drastic change from zebra black and white.”

Marula nodded, watching as one pony went along the street, lighting the lamps that lined the dirt road. She looked up to the sky, realizing how low the sun was getting.

“Wow, I slept longer than I thought.” She stated, tapping her staff on the wood beneath her bare foot. “Should we find the inn now or check on your patient first?”

Zecora tapped her chin as she thought, her saddle bags clinking mutely as the mostly cloth wrapped instruments it contained jostled slightly. She had explained to Marula, when the idea of her joining her to Ponyville had first come about, that she needed to stop at Appaloosa for a night to check on someone she had treated on her way to the village.

“When I left the Mayor’s daughter showed no sign of returning sickness.” Zecora finally said. “But that does not mean I should not move with quickness. I will show you to the inn so you may rest, or enjoy a drink if you so request.”

“I could use something to drink…” She trailed off as she saw a pony staring at her. “Uh oh, here we go.”

The pony, a stallion in a vest and a cowboy hat poked the pony beside him, pointing to the pair. Soon the attention of quite a few ponies was focused on Zecora and Marula, causing the human to grind her staff into the ground in annoyance. She hated being stared at, it made her feel like her scars and her handicap was all anyone could see. Zecora noticed her companions change in mood, and stepped forward, walking down the train station ramp. Most of the eyes focused on the zebra, many of the towns people recognizing the alchemist. Marula used the temporary distraction to pull a cloak from her pack, putting it on quickly. It would help her cope whit the stares, and besides, it was getting colder as the sun sank below the horizon. Plus it would cover the scars that covered her body. It wasn’t easy to get the pack back on her back over the cloak, especially with one hand, but she managed.

“Howdy Zecora, welcome back to Appleloosa!” A stallion said as he walked up to Zecora, hoof outstretched in greeting. “Stopping by to check on Heated Sands?”

“Greetings to you Sherriff Fair, and yes I am here to check on the mare.” Zecora greeted, accepting the Sheriffs offered hoof.

“That’s great, last I heard she’s been at home mostly, still enjoying the time off from school.” The stallion explained, releasing Zecora’s hoof and turning to Marula. “And who is your friend here? I don’t mean to be rude but the cloak is awfully foreboding. Not to mention how tall he is…”

“You don’t have to worry she’s as harmless as a fly.” Zecora assured him. “A bit grumpy at times, and more than a bit shy.”

Marula rolled her eyes. She was grumpy because apparently she was a nervous traveler, a fact that apparently didn’t care that she couldn’t remember ever traveling before. She hated when her amnesia did this to her, hiding something an ordinary person would know about themselves. She had been grumpy for weeks when she found out she was afraid of heights soon after arriving in Zebrica.

“Well… since you’re vouching for her… A friend of Zecora’s is more than welcome!” the sheriff said happily, extending his hoof out.

“Thanks.” Marula replied simply, hesitating before reaching out of her cloak and shaking his hoof.

The stallion watched her hand and arm with a raised brow, but kept his thoughts to himself. Instead he turned, gesturing for the duo to follow him. Marula re-shouldered her bag, and followed behind Zecora.

“Things have been going pretty well for the town since you left. I hear the harvest’s coming in great this year, an’ the mine finally hit a vein of iron shortly after you left.” The Sheriff added casually, walking beside Zecora. “Everypony is in good spirits, in fact we’re getting ready for a festival in a few days if y’all feel like sticking around.”

“That is truly good to hear, but we must move on quickly I fear.” Zecora explained, looking up at the signs that hung out from the shops and building on the long street.

Sheriff Fair nodded understandingly, continuing the conversation as they went. Marula’s attention drifted as she followed behind the two equines. She was vaguely aware of Zecora explaining that she wanted to go to the Inn first as her eyes followed the many ponies that they passed. The initial attention of being new arrivals seemed to have passed, the long analyzing stares turning into curious glances as ponies went about their evenings. Marula bumped into Zecora as the zebra stopped, stumbling slightly as her prosthetic caught on the ground. Zecora instinctually stiffened her legs, letting Marula lean against her as she used her staff to regain her balance. Marula cursed under her breath, while Zecora only politely ignored the stumble.

“Well, here’s the inn.” Sheriff Fair explained with a wave of his hoof. “Y’all have a good night, I’d walk you to the mayor's house Zecora but I have my rounds to make.”

“Do not worry Sheriff Fair, I will have no trouble getting there.” Zecora assured him, giving the stallion a quick hug.

The stallion blushed and tipped his hat as he left, turning around the corner and out of sight. Zecora waved with a smile, turning to Marula and motioning inside.

“The mayor’s house is not that far, so feel free to wait for me at the bar.” She explained, adjusting her saddle bags. “Or you could rent a bed, if you just wish to sleep instead.”

“I’ll grab a drink, though I’m not promising I’ll be up when you get back.” The human explained.

“You slept enough on the train to last you for days.” Zecora teased, turning to leave. “Be careful, too much sleep will put you in a daze.”

Marula shook her head and waved her friend off before turning and entering the Inn. She couldn’t help but smile as she pushed the saloon doors open and the whole room grew quiet as its occupants studied the human, before the majority turned back to their conversations. It was like a scene out of a bad western. The young woman made her way to the bar, leaning her staff in a notch on the counter. She could practically feel the stares on the back of her head, but she took a deep breath and waved to the bartender. The tawny colored unicorn looked her up and down, but nodded.

“You want a drink?” She asked with an unsure smile.

“Yeah… I’ll have whatever’s cheap and popular.”

Marula took her pack off of her back, setting it on the stool beside her. After a quick look through she pulled out a small satchel, and from within that pulled out a small coin. She was about to slide it down on the counter when she realized something. Zecora, who had been nice enough to lend her some equestrian money never explained what coins were worth what.

“Umm… Is this enough?” She asked the bartender as she put a bottle in front of her. “I’m kinda new to the area…”

“More than enough, give me a minute and I’ll get your change.”

Marula nodded and placed the coin on the counter, sliding it closer to the bartender. She reached for her drink, turning it to see the label. She obviously wasn’t familiar with the brand, but as far as she could tell it was some sort of fruit blend. She sipped it slowly, nodding her head in appreciation and put the drink down. She watched the bartender tend to another patron before charging her horn and taking the coin off the counter.

Zecora had explained unicorn magic to her before, but this was her first time seeing it in person. Part of her hadn’t really believed it was possible, despite being exposed to various types of magical plants during her time working with Azerith. She had come to terms with the fact that in this world magic was real and just about common place. But she was still surprised by how easily and nonchalantly the unicorn mare levitated the coin and placed it into the register.

The mare looked over her shoulder at her, and Marula looked down at her drink before taking another sip. Marula watched as the mare walked closer, placing a few different coins on the counter in front of her. She could see the mare try and peak around her hood as she did, and with a defeated sigh decided that enough was enough. She placed the drink on the table and lifted the hood off her head, shaking her head gently to get her hair into it usual messy place. The unicorn gasped, covering her mouth with her hoof, blushing when she realized how loud she had been.

“Sorry, I know it’s not the prettiest face in the world.” Marula joked with a smirk.

“N-no, it’s not that. You just surprised me…” The mare admitted, clearly embarrassed and trying to hide it by busying herself with cleaning a glass. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

The rest of the room slowly returned to its normal volume, having quieted down quickly after the reveal and the bartender’s reaction to it. Eventually, Marula felt confident enough to swivel on her barstool and examine the modest inn. There were only a few ponies in the room, most engaged in private conversations. Everyone seemed to be happy, with smiles on most of the ponies faces and laughter frequent over the din of voices. Marula closed her eyes, and for a moment she was home. A memory, foggy as usual, drifted through her mind. It felt familiar, the laughter and the warmth of the room. Not in a specific way, but in the way made her feel, for a moment, like she wasn’t surrounded by talking ponies or strange magic. The moment passed as quickly as it had arrived, and the human spun back to lean on the counter.

She took another sip from the bottle, holding it in her hand as she let out a long sigh, her shoulders slumping as she did. Memories, even the ones that were as nondescript and vague as this always left a bittersweet taste in her heart. She shifted her left shoulder, trying her best to adjust the cloak. Her body wasn’t used to wearing clothes anymore, and the constantly shifting fabric was getting distracting. And itchy.

Before she could really start to obsess over the rough cloth that Zecora had stitched together, a small plate of food was pushed in front of her. Marula looked at the bartender, who was looking rather sheepish.

“I didn’t order…” She started, trailing off as the mare smiled.

“On the house, as a sorry for being rude.” She explained before turning away and tending to another customer.

Marula looked down at the plate, poking at it with a finger. What looked like pan toasted bread turned out to be a rather delicious looking grilled cheese sandwich, with some apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon next to it.

“Thank you miss…”

“Warm Light, but you can call me Light, everyone does.” The mare explained over her shoulder.

“Okay, well thank you.”

The young woman took a small bite out of the sandwich, rolling her eyes as she chewed. It was like heaven. While she had never gone hungry, and quite a few members of the village were fantastic cooks, including Azerith, she had always known that their style of cooking was very different from what she had been used to before she came here.

“This…” She started, before stopping to finish her mouth full. “This is amazing!”

“Well, I’ll be sure to…“

The young mare trailed off as the few groups of ponies who had been sitting down around the room made their way out, into the streets. Warm Light waved down a stallion who was at the back of the pack.

“Chisel, what’s going on?”

“Somethings going on with the sky. We could see it a bit through the windows but we are getting a better look.”

The stallion turned and walked through the doorway, leaving Marula and Warm Light alone. They looked at each other, both a bit confused before Light shrugged, laying down the cup she had been cleaning and tossing the rag into a bin. She made her way around the bar, walking past Marula, who took another bite before grabbing her staff and following the mare out.

Everyone was looking up at the night sky, looks of awe and wonder on their faces. As Marula and Warm Light walked out from under the covered porch they too looked up. Marula gasped, her jaw dropping as she looked up into the sky.

The moon was full, glowing brighter than Marula had ever seen before. It seemed to radiate its silver essence all the way down to the town itself, bathing them all in soft, pale white. The stars shined just as bright, easily visible despite the moons incredible glow. The milky way ran across the sky behind the silvery moon, painting the it in an incredibly light orange and red that seemed to emphasize the twinkling stars it contained. The town gasped in unison as a shooting star streaked across the sky, leaving a brilliant tail that lingered before finally fading away.

“I suppose Princess Luna must be happy about something.” Warm light guessed in a hushed whisper. “I’ve never seen a night sky this intense.”

More shooting stars streaked across the sky, each one shining bright against the already brilliant dark horizon. Part of Marula wanted to respond to what Warm Light said, but she just couldn’t bring herself to do anything other than watch and smile. They stood there for a long time, the whole town stopping to watch the magical display. Eventually, the shooting stars slowed and stopped, and the town slowly dispersed, though Marula stayed until Zecora returned. The two headed into the inn and rented a room, a sense of happiness and relief in them.

Andrew waited impatiently for the doctors to return, propped up against the headboard of his bed. Luna sat close by, slowly going through a large stack of papers, signing a few as she went. The papers were a special early release form, specifically releasing him to the care of Luna and a private doctor she had brought to Ponyville to watch over her own slow recovery. Luna placed the papers down on the table and looked over to the human.

“Are you sure you feel fine? The doctors wanted to keep you a bit longer for observation.”

“They already went over me with a fine tooth comb yesterday.” He reminded her. “You heard them yourself, I’m fine. Everything serious is healed, and there is no reason for me to stay just because I’m a bit weak. That will get better with some physical therapy and your doctor is more than capable of doing that without me confined to the hospital.”

“Well I won’t stop you. Doctor Glow is an incredible doctor who will take good care of you.” Luna agreed with a nod. “And the house hasn’t been the same without you.”

“What have you been doing since I took my little nap?” Andrew asked, peeking over at the papers Luna was reading. “I mean I assume you were healing for a chunk of it.”

“I am still healing in all honesty” She admitted, stretching out her right wing. “My feathers have only recently stopped itching and this wing gets tired very quickly. My magic is still a bit strained as well, though that’s getting better every day.”

Luna’s horn glowed and several things around the room glowed with her magic levitating into the air before getting laid back down. Straightened the sheets on Andrews bed as well, which he immediately kicked back to their original placement.

“Show off.” He teased, sticking his tongue out.

“Very mature.” Luna admonished with a smile before continuing. “Other than that I’ve been settling into Ponyville.”

“Settling in?”

“I’ve been living in Ponyville since Terrors attack.” Luna explained.

“And Princess Celestia was okay with that?”

“She didn’t have to be. It was my choice.”

“I thought we had this all worked out?” He asked, an eyebrow quirked. “The whole going back and forth thing?”

“I couldn’t exactly do that while I was injured.” Luna pointed out, returning to the paperwork. “And the deal was to return to that schedule after you woke up.”

“I’m glad you healed up fine” Andrew added after a pause. “You were pretty banged up”

“I could say the same to you.” Luna said, putting the paperwork down on the table, and the pen in its well.

“Eh, I’m tougher than I look.”

“Of course. And are delusions of invincibility standard in humans or…?”

“Pretty much. I just got lucky that I’m actually invincible.” Andrew answered with a cocky smile that made Luna roll her eyes.

Before Luna could say anything there was a knock at the door, followed by the door opening. In walked Andrew’s doctor, as well as a nurse pushing a rather welcome contraption.

“Is that a wheelchair?” Andrew asked. “For a human?”

“Technically it’s for a minotaur.” The doctor admitted. “But other than maybe being a bit big for you, it should work fine.”

The nurse pushed the wheelchair further into the room, pushing a metal bar with her magic. She slid the contraption up alongside Andrew’s bed, then set to work pulling off the sheets. Then, when that was done he did a final check of his remaining bandages. Magic had greatly sped up his healing, but the second to third-degree burns on his stomach and chest still needed to be bandaged and treated carefully. His muscles also felt incredibly weak.

“Now Andrew, I know you will feel the urge to stretch your limits.” The doctor started as he flipped through some papers. “But as I’m sure Doctor Glow will agree, the key to these types of recoveries is patience. Your muscles need to recover naturally, and your bones, while mostly healed, still need some time to finish.”

The doctor put his clipboard to the side, pushing his hoof against the wheel lock on the chair, repeating for the opposite wheel. He helped the nurse finish her task, then helped Andrew slowly get up to a sitting position. Luna straightened out her stack of newly signed papers, using her magic to stack them next to the doctor's clipboard. She made her way to Andrew, looking him up and down.

“How do you feel?”

“Weak, but not in any sort of major pain.” Andrew answered, moving around in place, experimenting with his muscles.

“Unfortunately that will probably change. Your muscles have a lot of strength to regain, they will most likely ache as you work them.”

Andrew nodded, stretching before putting his hand on Luna’s back. He strained a bit, standing up for the first time in a month. His legs wobbled but he caught himself, leaning against Luna, turning slowly until he could sit back against on the wheelchair.

“You don’t have to stay in the chair twenty-four seven.” The doctor continued, unlocking the wheel locks while Andrew adjusted his position. “In fact, I’m sure Doctor Glow will have you out of it quite frequently. But any time you leave the house you should be using it.”

Andrew pulled and pushed the large wheels on the side of the chair experimentally, moving a bit as he did. Luna took a step back and Andrew pushed himself forward past her, maneuvering around the room. He was struggling a bit, visibly working to move. Eventually, Luna’s horn glowed, holding the push bar and steering Andrew back.

“Hey, I had that.” He commented with a light scowl.

“The doctor was just finished telling you to take it slow.” Luna countered. “That includes your whole body.”

“Princess Luna is correct.” The doctor agreed, now going through the paperwork that Luna had just finished. “You are in the wheelchair because the damage you did a month ago is still healing, as well as the atrophy from being bed ridden for so long. Magic can do a lot for that, but it can’t fix it completely. That means taking it easy on your arms as well as your legs.”

“Yeah yeah, I get it,” Andrew said begrudgingly, crossing his arms. “I just don’t like being babied.”

“Please, do you really think that I’ll be babying you, my student?” Luna asked with a smile, shaking her head. “You have much to learn, and Doctor Glow was adamant that your magical studies can continued unfettered by your physical recovery. You’ll be working hard to regain your strength, as well as learning to control your magic.”

“Well… Good… Glad we sorted that out then.” Andrew said, clearly a bit unsure if he had actually won. “So, are we good to go?”

“Yes, I believe everything is set. Good luck with your recovery Andrew.” The doctor said with a smile, reaching out with his hoof. “If you feel like something is wrong, don’t hesitate to come back in for a checkup.

Andrew nodded and shook the stallion's hoof, returning his smile. The doctor walked towards the door, the nurse following close behind. He passed his clipboard to the nurse, who started going through the file as she left the room, shuffling through the pages.

“So… let me change and we can go home?” Andrew asked, looking at Luna over his shoulder

“Sure, I’ll be just outside the door if you need me.”

It took much longer than Andrew had anticipated to get changed into normal clothes. The outfit was brand new, delivered by Rarity at some point during the last month. A simple t-shirt and shorts combo, it was just as comfortable as her first designs. Eventually, Andrew plopped back down into his seat, more than a bit annoyed with how difficult it was for him to even get dressed.

“Alright Luna, come on back in.” He called out.

Luna pushed the door open and entered, wordlessly grabbing his chair with magic and pushing him slowly into the hall, walking beside him as she pushed. She seemed to sense his annoyance and did not say anything, waiting for Andrew to talk. He eventually did, though it wasn’t until they were entering the main lobby. He snapped his fingers as if recalling something suddenly.

“Hey, I forgot to ask, was last night some sort of holiday or something?”

“Holiday? I don’t believe so.” Luna responded, multitasking with her magic to push the main doors of the hospital open and guiding Andrew outside. “Why do you ask?”

“Well last night’s sky was incredible, I thought maybe you were celebrating something.”

Luna blushed lightly and smiled, shaking her head in an attempt to quell the slight warmth in her cheeks.

“I was celebrating the return of my student.” Luna explained, looking back to Andrew as she walked beside him, guiding the wheelchair with her magic. “Surely that warrants such a show?”

“I’m not sure anything was worth that show Luna, it was the most incredible thing I have ever seen.” He said as he stretched out and leaned back in the chair. “Seriously, how do you do that?”

“It’s all rather complicated.” She assured him. “Part of it is on purpose, but a lot of it is just in tune with my emotions.”

“Well… either way it was incredible.”

“Thank you… Though I’m sure there are quite a few astronomers in Canterlot who are pulling out their manes.”

“What? Why?” Andrew asked in surprise.

“Well… while I was banished the skies became rather stagnant. The stars had never changed of course, and the moon had always been set on the same path before… well you know.”

Andrew nodded supportively, reaching out and putting his hand on her back. Luna looked at him and smiled, before clearing her throat.

“Anyway, while I was gone the night sky became predictable, and many ponies took it upon themselves to track when certain things would happen. Some of them take it very seriously, especially since the truth about my existence was lost to time. Everypony eventually just assumed that the events of the sky were just as stable as the stars.”

“But why freak out? I mean if the stars are the same who cares? I know where I was from people had charted most stuff that went on up there but that’s in a world without magic.”

“I think you will find that sometimes ponies can be spectacularly resistant to change.”

“Yeah… Humans can be like that as well.”

“I suppose it is the nature of living creatures.” Luna admitted. “I try not to hold it against them.”

The two moved down the path in amiable silence, finally reaching the town proper. Immediately the ponies closest to them stopped and bowed before continuing on their business.

“If you’ve been living here for the past month that must be getting super annoying.” Andrew guessed. “For you and them.”

“You should have seen them a few weeks ago, they wouldn’t get up until after I had passed."

Before Luna could continue, a pair ponies approached them. They were clad in purple armor, which was curved and very different from the armor Andrew had seen during his stay at Canterlot. The decorations seemed to flow, which matched nicely with the featherless, almost dragon like wings that sat on their backs.

“Greeting Princess Luna, may we escort you home?” The bigger of the two asked, while they both bowed their heads.

Luna hung her head and sighed, before eventually nodding. “You may Swift Night and Dark Skies, but stay in the Ambassador formation, all conversations between me and Andrew are considered private. “

The two ponies nodded and saluted, before walking around Luna and Andrew, taking up a position behind them, far away enough that it at least seemed as if the two had some privacy. Luna started to walk again, pushing Andrew beside her.

“Ummm…” Andre started, looking at Luna with a raised eyebrow.

“They are my personal guards.” Luna explained with a quiet sigh. “A platoon of night guards, my personal guard, was stationed here after it was decided that I would be staying while you recovered.”

“Yeah okay, that makes sense…” Andrew agreed, looking over his shoulder to observe the two ponies. “But what are they?”

“They are bat ponies”

Andrew just stared at Luna blankly for a moment, before she nodded.

“Fair enough, no reason why you should know what that means.” She agreed with Andrew’s silent sentiment. “They are the ancestors of an ancient race of pegasus who dwelled deep inside of massive caves. When Equestria was in its infancy I saved their villages from a few greedy dragons. As thanks they volunteered for my personal guard, a tradition that has stuck with them as their villages grew to entire subterranean cities. ”

“So they are a fourth race then?”

“No, bat ponies can be unicorns and earth ponies too. These two just happen to be pegusi.”

“Okay… then why are you so annoyed with them?”

“I’m not… not with them individually at least.” Luna admitted. “It’s just tiresome to be escorted everywhere. It’s just another wall between me and everypony else.”

“It’s funny, I never saw you with them at Canterlot.”

Luna nodded, the two turning down a familiar road. The amount of ponies died down and it was easier to navigate the streets with Andrew’s chair.

“The majority of them are nocturnal, both for obvious reasons and because with their night vision the darkness suits them.”

“So this must suck for them too.”

“Indeed, they find the heat and light of the day distracting to say the least.” Luna responded, looking back at the two, concern on her face. “I just wish they would wear the eye protectors I had made for them.”

“You made them sunglasses?

“Indeed, it was to help them cope with their occasional daytime duties, but most prefer to not wear them.”

Finally the two stopped in front of their home. Andrew smiled as he put his hand Luna’s back, looking up at his teacher.

“So, what are the chances that Pinkie Pie planned a welcome home party for me?”

“I’m not sure…” Luna responded with a mischievous grin.

Andrew shook his head and put his hands on the wheel, pushing himself down the front walk.

“C’mon then” He called back to Luna. “Can’t let them have a party in my own home without me!”

Harmony: 30

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Andrew sat heavily in the wheelchair, his breathing a bit deeper than usual. He tried his best to remain calm, despite the annoyance at how difficult it had become to walk out of his room and down a single set of stairs. Luna was not far behind him, waiting patiently for Andrew to make his way down coming down before following.

“You know there isn’t any shame in asking for help.” She pointed out, walking past him into the kitchen.

“I know but I’m still in the denial phase.” He explained, wheeling behind her. “I’ll be asking for help soon, don’t worry. And besides, you’re going to be pushing me around all day today.”

“Not as much as you might think. I will be teleporting us most of the way to our destination.”

Andrew frowned, a bit frustrated. Luna had explained to him that she had something to show him last night, after everyone had left the welcome home party. So far, however, she had remained secretive about their destination. Luna floated Andrew a piece of buttered toast as well as an apple, which he caught and took a bite from.

“Not that I’m not excited for this little adventure, but couldn’t it wait? Despite my stubbornness I’m not really up for much other than sitting around until my muscles heal.”

“Unfortunately time is of the essence. My guards have been patrolling the area since you awoke, keeping the area secure so we may visit in relative safety.” She explained, using her magic to prepare her own meal. “And while they are perfectly capable, I would prefer not having my guard in the Everfree any longer than they have to be.”

“We are going into the forest? What’s in there?”

Luna ignored his question, rolling her eyes and pouring herself some tea from a kettle. She sipped it, before turning back to Andrew.

“Patience Andrew, it is not that much of a rush, I would like to enjoy my morning tea.”

Andrew sighed and shook his head, exaggerating it enough to let Luna know that he was kidding. The two ate their food quietly, Andrew happily taking a cup of coffee for himself after it was finished brewing. When they were both done, Luna stood and guided Andrew out of the dining room.

“This isn’t gonna be like last time you teleported me, right?” Andrew teased.

“Probably not.” Luna said with a smile. “Twilight is getting ready to greet her friend Zecora at the station, so she probably won’t be waiting at our destination to blast you into a china cabinet.”

“Zecora? She’s the potion maker, right?” Andrew asked, stretching a bit in his chair.

“Indeed she is, she has been away visiting her home since before you arrived.” Luna explained, stopping when they reached the center of the main hallway. “Are you ready?”

“Sure, I g--”

With a pop Andrew and Luna disappeared from the hallway, instantly reappearing in a clearly ancient castle. Vines crawled in through broken windows and large cracks in the wall, and sunlight lit up the large hall they were in through holes in the ceiling, rubble from those holes cluttering the floor. Andrew blinked at the bright light, looking around the room.

“-uess” He finished, shaking his head and looking back at Luna “Right, okay, that still felt weird.”

“Sorry, some ponies take longer than usual to get used to long range teleportation.”

“So I guess this must be Everfree Castle?”

“That is correct, I assume Twilight Sparkle mentioned it?”

“Yeah, a bit ago.” He answered vaguely. “So this thing your showing me is in the castle?”

“No, but it is nearby.”

Luna used her magic to push Andrew along, weaving around the dust covered piles of rubble. Andrew spotted a few guards near a particularly large hole, which Andrew could only guess was once a door. They stood rigidly at attention, only stopping when Luna paused by them and motioned towards them.

“Your fellow guardsmen have been patrolling the west gardens, correct?”

“Yes Princess Luna, as you ordered.”

Luna nodded and pushed Andrew through the broken doorway, soon after followed by the guards as they took position behind them. Andrew watched Luna closely, watching as she looked around the broken castle.

“You used to live here, right?” He asked. “Way back before… everything.”

“I did. Some of my earliest memories were made in this castle.” Luna smiled a bit, reminiscing. “It’s also where Nightmare finally took full control.”

Andrew put his hand on Luna’s back, patting her reassuringly while smiling. She returned his smile, continuing as they navigated the thick overgrowth. Shredded bushes, vines and other flora littered the ground, clearly having been hacked back by someone recently. The alicorn pushed Andrew through the pushed back bramble before entering a small clearing. Several more guards patrolled the area, with two standing at attention near a wide crumbling statue. Most of the statue had been cleared away, leaving just the base behind.

“The west gardens?” Andrew guessed, looking around.

“Yes, though I would hardly recognize it.” Luna replied.

Andrew put his hands on the wheels of his chair, pushing himself further into the clearing. Other crumbled statues, much smaller than the one that had been cleared away, dotted the clearing. Vines crawled around most of them, and all of them were in crumbling shambles. Luna followed Andrew, sighing as she looked around with him.

“It was a lot more impressive when I was younger.” Luna assured her friend. “This was one of my favorite places in the castle. I could always find peace here.”

Luna shook her head, turning away from Andrew and faced the large broken statue. She nodded to her guards, who nodded back, stepping away from their posts to join their fellows in their patrol. When they were at a safe distance Luna closed her eyes, focusing and calling on her magic. Her horn glowed, her magic surrounding the large statue as she slowly lifted it off of its large stone base, floating it to the side, letting it slowly drop to the ground. Her magic faded, before she cast another spell, the now exposed base shimmering before revealing a rather ominous looking opening with stairs leading down into darkness.

“Wow… stairs… great…” Andrew said as he rolled closer to Luna, looking down the dark hole.

“I could levitate you down?” Luna suggested her horn glowing.

“No no, I’ll walk.” Andrew assured her, standing up and walking forward. “We might have to take a break though.”

“It’s not far down” Luna assured him, stepping ahead, her horn glowing brighter now.

Andrew followed his teacher as she walked down the stairs, lighting the way with her horn. Soon, however, her light was not necessary, as small gems set into the wall began to glow, lighting the stairway down. Soon the smooth walls transitioned into bumpy, natural cave walls, the crystals growing from the wall in natural patterns. Andrew ran his fingers along the stones as he walked past them admiring the large, multifaceted formations.

“Hey these are pretty cool, are you making them glow or-“Andrew started to ask, turning to look at Luna before noticing the large room they had entered. “Holy hell…”

“It is a sight to behold, isn’t it?” Luna asked with a smile, looking back at the human as she made it to the end of the stairs, gesturing to the massive cavern. “Welcome, my student, to Sanctuary, home of the Tree of Harmony.”

Twilight squinted, focusing on the distant turn in the railroad tracks that led them out of her sight behind a small forest of trees. Her ears flicked slightly as she listened for the familiar sound of the locomotive making its way down the tracks.

“Twi, it’ll get here when it gets here.” Applejack said, sitting nearby on the platform. “You know the trains are late sometimes.”

“I know, it’s just annoying!” Twilight exclaimed with an exasperated sigh. “It’s gonna mess up the whole schedule, and then she said in her last letter that she was bringing a friend from her village…”

“A friend? Ya never mentioned that before.”

Twilight looked back at Applejack, her eyes wide. “I didn’t? I could have sworn I mentioned it….”

“Nope, I actually forgot y’all were pen pals.”

“Well a few letters asking about potions and Everfree plant life hardly qualifies as pen pals.” Twilight explained as she made her way to sit beside her friend.

“Ah suppose.” Applejack agreed, nodding. “But what was this about her friend?”

“Oh, right. She mentioned she had made a friend, and that she was having trouble with nightmares. She mentioned that I might be able to help, and her friend agreed.”

“Well that’s mighty nice of you, do you think you can help?”

“I’ll certainly try, and if I can’t, Luna is still here, she will certainly be able to help. I would have sent them to her immediately, but apparently her friend is a bit nervous to meet royalty.”

“Well you’ve gotta admit, they can be a mite intimidating before you get to know them.” Applejack pointed out, giving Twilight a teasing nudge. “Well to those of us who aren’t personal students of Princess Celestia at least.”

“No I understand that, it’s why I agreed to take a look at her first.”

Before Applejack could respond a distant whistle echoed over the train station. Twilight immediately perked up and stood, once again peering down the tracks. This time however she noticed a billow of steam floating above the trees, and after a few moments the train itself appeared around the bend.

“See, only…” Applejack paused to look at the clock behind her. “Twenty minutes late.”

Twilight nudged Applejack gently, who only laughed back, smiling as she stood beside her friend. The train thundered down the track, its brakes squealing a bit as it stopped at the station. Its whistle blared twice while ponies from the station tended to the doors, some ponies stepping off the train on to the platform.

“Do you see Zecora?” Twilight asked Applejack as she looked around. “I don’t see her.”

“She would be kinda hard to miss darlin’” Applejack pointed out, looking around as well. “’Specially if there are two of them.”

“What if she missed the train? She could be stuck in Appleloosa!” Twilight wondered worriedly.

“Look don’t go worrying your pretty head, she’s getting off right now.” Applejack said, pointing over at the far end of the train. “See over…what in tarnation?”

Twilight followed her friends pointing hoof, spotting her zebra friend stepping off the last passenger car. She waved happily before stopping mid wave when Zecora’s friend stepped off as well.

“Twilight… is that…?” Applejack asked, not finishing for a moment. “Is that Andrew?"

"I don’t think so… Andrew is a bit taller than that…”

Zecora noticed her two friends and waved, slowly making her way to them, her friend close behind. The human like creature was covered in a thick cloak.

“Hello Applejack and Twilight, this is such a wonderful sight.” Zecora exclaimed happily, giving Twilight and Applejack separate hugs.

“It’s good to see you to Zecora.” Twilight replied with a smile before turning to the cloaked figure. “And… who is your friend?”

“I’m Marula.” She responded. “Zecora said she mentioned me in a letter…”

“Oh she did, I just figured you’d like to introduce yourself.” Twilight admitted. “Though I’ll be honest… I didn’t expect somepony like you. Are you perhaps… a human?

Andrew gaped for a long moment, his eyes traveling around the massive crystal studded cavern. They glowed and twinkled, a few of them pulsing with some sort of energy. In the center of the room stood a large crystalized formation, which Andrew could only assume was what Luna had been referring to.

“It doesn’t look all that much like a tree to be honest.” Andrew said as he walked the last dozen or so steps. “More like…. Well I don’t know but it’s not a tree.”

“What do you mean, it’s clearly a tree.” Luna disagreed, motioning with her hoof. “Look, there is the trunk and the branches. It even has leave formations.”

“Alright alright, I guess it kinda looks like a tree if I squint…” Andrew admitted, before adding at a whisper. “And if I had never seen a tree before.”

“I heard that.”

Andrews only response was a shrug as he made his way to were Luna stood, much closer to the tree. He sat down a bit heavily onto a flat rock formation that had formed on the ground, his legs starting to get tired. The tree was an incredible formation for sure, his eyes following the shining branches that made their way from the heart. Luna stepped closer, motioning for Andrew to stay sitting when he started to get up.

“You can stay sitting. I have some important things to explain while we are here.”

Andrew sat back down, his head still swiveling around to examine everything around him.

“So… what does it do?”

“The Tree of Harmony is the nexus of power behind the Elements of Harmony. Every hundred or so years they must be brought here to be recharged.” Luna began to explain. “It also serves as place of healing should any of them be damaged, in battle or otherwise.”

Lunas horn glowed lightly, as if she was gingerly reaching out with her magic. One of the six outer branches glowed slightly in response. Luna sat, her horn still glowing.

“There is a place for each Element, six around the outside, and the Element of Magic in the middle.” She explained, gesturing with her hoof. “The Element of Magic is the final focusing point of the Elements, a sort of controlling lens.”

“Okay… But I thought there were only six?”

“For a long time there was. The seventh element went missing before Tia and I were even born. Our brothers and sisters have been looking for it but could never find it. Now we know why, because it had been corrupted into the Alicorn Amulet.”

“Soooo…. That’s why the Elements went so wonky when Twilight and the gang used them on Nightmare Terror?”

“Yes and no. The Elements wouldn’t have worked on Nightmare even if she hadn’t been wearing the amulet-“

“Because she isn’t a Child of the All-mother or whatever… one of us.” Andrew finished, putting the pieces together. “So all that magic swirling around was…?”

“The Elements attempting to purify one of its counterparts.” Luna said with a nod. In truth we never considered that the Alicorn Amulet might be the seventh Element because we simply did not think it was possible to corrupt an Element. Damage it, maybe, but corrupt it…”

“Why is that so hard to imagine?”

“You have to understand that they were gifts from the All-mother herself.” Luna explained, pausing for a moment to focus on the magic she was using. “The Elements of Harmony are the purest type of magic known by any living creature on this planet. The magic surrounding them is so simple and solid that the idea of something corrupting it was... unthinkable.”

“Well someone clearly did…”

“Indeed. The Alicorn Amulet has been recorded showing up dozens of times though out history, always in times of strife, always finding someone to wear it, always corrupting that wearer. We think it was a side effect of the spell that corrupted it in the first place. We believe that the Element was corrupted so that anyone could access its power, giving the wearer alicorn like abilities. That corruption would have been so powerful that tainting the user would have been inevitable.”

“If it has been gone for so long, how did it still have any energy left? You said they needed to be charged.”

“In all honesty Andrew, we haven’t been able to figure that out yet.” Luna admitted. “It is still a mystery, as is the type of spell that was used to corrupt it. The other Elements destroyed all traces of the corruption.”

Silence settled over the two for a few moments while Luna continued to use her magic on the tree, the glowing beginning to pulse slowly. Eventually Andrew broke the silence

“So how do the Elements work? Why can’t we just use them to get that stupid ring off of Trixie’s horn?”

Luna turned to look back at Andrew, focusing on him while she talked.

“The Elements of Harmony are a source of great power. They find a pony, or any other species for that matter, who embodies their aspect. The Element of Hope, for example, finds Pinkie Pie to be a perfect match.”

“Hope? I thought she was Laughter?”

“The titles specifics sometimes vary, though they all exhibit the same core aspect. I suspect while we may not find the difference between Kindness, Empathy and Mercy to be all that different in practice, the bearers find great importance in the difference.”

“Yeah… Though I can’t really imagine Fluttershy being the Element of Mercy.”

“Nor could I.” Luna agreed before resuming her explanation. “The Elements bond with their bearers, allowing them to tap into their powers. The bearers let the magic of the Elements flow through them to the Element of Magic, which focuses and direct that energy through the bearer of the Element of magic.”

“Again, so why don’t-“

“Because Andrew the Elements must be, above all else, in harmony, in perfect balance with each other and the bearers themselves. Every imbalance reduces their power, their abilities, and their finesse. It is why my sister could only banish me to the moon, while Twilight and her friends could separate me from Nightmare. Tai surely embodies all of the Element aspects, but not nearly as well as the Element bearers do now, and even they don’t have enough control over their Elements to do something as delicate as undo your work, not without the added balance of the seventh bearer.”

Andrew sagged, putting his head in his hands and sighing loudly. “Well then we need to find the seventh bearer. There is no way I am letting Trixie suffer ‘cause I couldn’t control myself.”

“Normally the Elements find their own way to their bearers, through magic we don’t quite understand. Whether in groups or individually, when one of our brothers or sisters loses control, the Elements arrive where they are needed.”

“Well they are needed now.”

“And they have arrived Andrew. When the seventh Element is finished healing we will start searching for a bearer. Trixie knows this, she has accepted it and is patiently waiting. She is a very strong mare.”

Andrew was silent for a while staring at his hands while Luna concentrated on her spell. After a long moment the magic surrounding her horn disappeared, followed by the magic around the branch fading. She made her way back to Andrew, who was still sitting silently.

“The Element is almost completely healed, maybe only a few more days. After that we can begin searching for its bearer. It won’t be long before-”

“How do I face her?” Andrew asked softly. “She had experienced so much pain… and I just made it worse.”

“Andrew… my student.” Luna started, putting her hoof on his hands. “You weren’t in complete control of yourself. Trixie understands that. I will not lie, the mare still struggles with what Nightmare did to her. I spend most of my nights fending off all too familiar shadows from her dreams. Her absent magic is making her recovery hard, but she still has hope in her heart. She doesn’t blame it on you, in fact, from what I understand she wishes to thank you. For stopping Nightmare and separating the two.”

Andrew shook his head, sighing loudly before sniffing and blinking his eyes. He looked into Luna’s eyes, closing his own and leaning forward, pressing his forehead to hers. Luna did the same, her horn running along his face.

“Thank you.” He whispered, his eyes still closed. “Thank you Luna.”

“Anything for my student.” She replied, just as quiet.

The two stayed silent for a long, unending moment, before Luna slowly pulled away, her hoof still on Andrew’s hands.

“We should return home, Doctor Glow will be there later this afternoon.”

Andrew gave a quiet nod, leaning on Luna as he stood. Together they slowly made their way back up the steps, leaving the glowing crystals behind.

“God, going up is waayyy harder than going down!” Andrew said with a huff, plopping down in his wheelchair heavily. “My legs are killing me.”

“I told you I could carry you.”

“Denial phase, remember?” Andrew reminded his teacher, still breathing a bit heavily. “You should really get that place up to code. Put in a ramp at least.”

“Yes, let’s install a ramp in the super-secret cavern that holds the most important magical construct on the entire planet.”

“I’m glad you agree.” Andrew said with a smirk, his breathing finally normalizing. “So… back home?”

“Indeed, are you ready for another teleport?” Luna asked, waving over her guards.

“Yeah, as ready as I’ll ever be.”

Luna nodded, waiting a moment for the nearest pair of guards to make their way to them. The two stood at attention for their princess eyes forward.

“Gather your fellow guards and have do a final sweep of the castle. Once you are done, group off into your assigned triads and make your way back to the barracks. The Lieutenant will have your assignments for the rest of the day.”

The guards nodded, throwing up a precise salute before turning to find their peers. Luna grabbed Andrew’s wheelchair with her magic, guiding him to the center of the garden. Her horn glowed again, and with a pop the two arrived home, this time in the back yard.

“Huh… why back here?” Andrew asked. “You’re gonna have to bring the chair inside.”

“It’s best to have a set area for long distance teleports, anyone close to the target area can be knocked aside rather harshly.” Luna explained, pointing to the four red dowels stuck into the grass. “I set these up before we left this morning. Most ponies know to stay out of marked areaa like this.”

“That’s handy, I hope I didn’t hurt anyone when I teleported Mac, that would really…”

Andrew’s words petered out as a sound came from inside the house. The distinct sound of a groups laughter came from within, making Luna cock her head.

“It would appear we have-“

“Shut up!”

Luna blinked, taken aback by Andrew’s sudden rudeness. She opened her mouth to retort, but Andrew stood quickly, listening as if the world hung on the sounds coming from their home. Luna listened with him, barely audible murmurs all she could hear before laughter rang again, slightly louder than the talking. Without another word Andrew leapt forward, lurching across the ground as he rushed, his body still weak but clearly driven to move. He stumbled across the patio, falling harshly as he slipped up the stairs. Luna rushed to follow him, wincing as he fell.

“Andrew are you-“

He ignored her, jumping up again and fumbling with the door, throwing it open. He shoved chairs out of his way, stumbling over one as it fell, barely making it. He made it through the kitchen and under the doorway, Luna hot on his heels. He stopped, dead in his tracks, Luna almost knocking him over as she stopped behind him.

“Andrew what’s going on with-“

Luna once again halted her words as she looked into the living room, and saw who occupied it. Twilight and Applejack sat on the farthest seats, with Autumn sitting by herself on a small chair. On the largest couch sat Zecora, and next to her sat a hooded figure, tall and slender, very similar to Andrews human shape. The conversation quickly died down as the occupants noticed the new arrivals, most of them standing up. The hooded figure stood last, turning towards them. Luna’s eyes widened as she saw her face, noticing the scars immediately.

“Hello.” Marula said simply, wearing a smile but still clearly nervous.

Andrew shook, his legs trembling and failing. He dropped to his knees before the human, unable to hold himself up any longer. Luna stepped forward and saw his eyes were wide, tears pouring from them. His mouth moved to form words but no sound came out.

Marula stepped forward, kneeling down awkwardly.

“Are you alright?” She asked. “It’s nice-“

“Alice.” Andrew finally whispered.

Andrew lunged forward, grabbing Marula in a bear hug, knocking her to the ground. She shouted in alarm, instinctually trying to shove Andrew off of herself. Zecora rushed to aid her friend, while Luna rushed to hers.

Marula, finally recovered from her surprise, broke Andrews grasp easily. She moved with trained precision as she broke his hold, shoving him off and sliding on top, pinning him to the ground, her hand raised in a fist. For a moment it seemed as if she would strike him, but Luna stopped her. Magic wrapped around her body as Luna tore her off of her student, tearing Marula’s cloak off in the process and using it to wrap up her up and immobilize her, keeping her levitated in the air for good measure. Luna wore a snarl on her lips, one focused on Marula.

“How dare you attempt to strike my student? I’ll-“

“Luna! Stop! Put her down!” Andrew pleaded, leaning heavily against her, pulling himself up. “Please! It’s Alice Luna! My sister!”

Luna’s mouth gaped, her eyes widened as she looked from Andrew to Marula. Eventually she nodded mutely, slowly letting Marula down to the ground. The girl stumbled against the stairs as her prosthetic failed, caught in her cloak. The group sat in silence, Andrew finally managing to stand up, tears still pooling in his eyes. Applejack and Twilight finally stand, joining Zecora at the entrance of the living room. Marula stares back at Andrew, her own eyes filled with emotions, dropping her gaze after a moment.

“I-I’m sorry.” She finally said. “I… I don’t remember much of anything before coming here Andrew… I don’t remember you. I’m sorry.”

Moments: 31

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Andrew watched Marula closely, as if she might disappear at any moment, as if she would fade away and cease to exist. Luna watched closely as well, sitting next to Andrew on the small couch opposite from Marula and Zecora. One hoof rested on Andrew’s leg, his hand on that. Despite his refusal to look away he stayed silent, even as the rest of the group talked. It was awkward at first, but once the excitement had died down, Marula began retelling her struggles for the past year or so, eventually talking about her lost limbs.

“If you fell from the same height as Andrew did, you were lucky to survive.” Twilight said when Marula explained how she had lost them. “He only survived because Luna was there to heal him.”

“And ‘cause you were there to catch him.” Applejack pointed out. “Don’t forget that.”

“I was in the right place at the right time.” Twilight explained, before turning to Marula. “I just wish we could have helped you.”

“The recover was hard.” Marula admitted, rubbing the stump of her arm. “But I had plenty of friends to help. Zecora’s father kept me alive long enough to start healing on my own. After I woke up Elder Rorzo helped me recover physically, trained me in a few Zebrican martial arts to help me build my strength.”

“I thought I recognized your movements from earlier.” Luna added, her face unreadable. “You moved well.”

“Thank you. It was hard learning with my handicap, but Elder was a good teacher, very patient.” Marula explained with a small smile. “His constant training was all I would get up for in the beginning.”

“What do you remember?” Andrew suddenly asked. “About home.”

“Well umm… not much. Sorry.”

There was silence for a minute, before Twilight, Applejack and Autumn returned from the kitchen carrying a pitcher of water, cups and a plate of apple wedges with peanut butter spread on them. They looked nervous to be returning, clearly wondering if they should leave. Eventually they settled on staying, the three mares returning to their original seats.

“I guess I remember some faces, a few friends I think. But most times it feels like I opened a book and read everything I could about our world and that’s it.” She explained, crossing her legs on the couch, her amputated leg held in place by the other. “Like I know what a cellphone is, but I don’t really remember ever using one. I know what a bus is but I don’t remember ever being in one.”

“That sounds terrible.” Twilight commented solemnly. “I can’t imagine not remembering my friends.”

“Well luckily I don’t remember any of them enough to miss them. It was hard but I’ve made new friends in the village, Zecora being the most recent.” She said, smiling at the zebra, before looking to Andrew. “Though… do I know an Alex?”

“Yeah… he was your ex-boyfriend.” Andrew explained hollowly. “You were just starting to get over him when you- When you had your accident.”

“Oh… that explains that I suppose.” She responded, before raising an eyebrow. “Wait, accident? You mean coming to this world?”

“No… not exactly.” Andrew said, seeming to return to himself, chewing his lip. “You were in the hospital when you disappeared, some serious head trauma. To be honest your amnesia could stem from that, not the fall. We weren’t sure you were going to make it.”

“What, for real? What happened?”

“It was a… car accident.” Andrew said, getting a subtle look from Luna. “Someone swerved to avoid something and lost control, slammed into you.”

“We should have Doctor Glow take a look at you when he arrives.” Luna added, keeping Marula from asking any more questions. “If that’s alright with you.”

“I’m not sure what else you could do, the best potion master in Zebrica tried quite a few times to bring back my memories. Still, couldn’t hurt I… guess.”

She trailed off as Andrew stood up suddenly, stumbling slightly as he tried to leave the room. Luna zapped beside him, a quick and silent teleport that startled Marula. Andrew on the other hand silently put his hand on Luna’s back, using her for support. Autumn looked as if she was going to stand as well, stopping when Luna teleported.

“I need some air.” He said simply, both him and Luna leaving out the front door.

The room was silent for a while after they left, Marula watching them leave before turning to the three ponies.

“Is he okay? I mean I know this is crazy and I can’t imagine how he feels. I mean I feel like crap and I don’t remember him at all and…” Marula stopped, closing her eyes and taking a breath before starting again. “What I mean is, he looks sick. Is he healthy?”

‘He’s recovering from Nightmare’s attack on Ponyville.” Twilight explained. “He was caught in the thick of it. He’s been in a coma, only woke up a few days ago.”

“Ponyville was under attack?” Zecora asked, eyes wide in shock. “If I had known I would have come back.”

“Nightmare came back for some revenge.” Applejack explained, picking up an apple slice and eating it. “It was mighty messy, Andrew… Well he got hurt pretty bad.”

“Nightmare Moon returned? And yet Luna sat here undisturbed?” Zecora asked, clearly confused.

“Yeah… to be honest Luna could explain it in much more detail, but simply put Luna and Nightmare are two different mares, with Nightmare being some sort of spirit parasite.” Twilight explained. “They kept it all under wraps because they didn’t want ponies panicking and accusing each other of being possessed by Nightmare. “

“But Nightmare came back lookin’ fer some revenge. She caught all of us in cages and was plannin’ on killing us when Luna and Andrew came and rescued us.” Applejack continued, starting off when Twilight paused. “We… regrouped while Luna held her off, then we tried to use the Elements of Harmony on her. Andrew took one for the team keeping her distracted while we got ready. ”

“Only it didn’t work well as we wanted, and we were all weakened in the process. Andrew-

“Carved some symbols into his chest, infused them with some sort of magic and then went toe to toe with a crazy looking mare.” Marula finished.

“Yes… That’s right.” Twilight responded, her face colored with confusion. “How on Equs did you know that?”

“Because that attack is what I was having nightmares about! Looking down at those symbols glowing and filling, feeling them burn with some sort of energy, magic I guess, then kicking some pony butt! I even-“

She stops, looking at Twilight with wide eyes, pointing a finger at her.

“You! You attacked him with a hot stone! You burned him after he worked so hard to save you! Why would you-”

“Stop!” Twilight yelled, putting up a hoof urgently, looking nervously at Zecora and Autumn. “Just hold on, don’t say anything else. Luna needs to hear this.”

And with that, she rushed out the door, looking for Luna.

Andrew and Luna walked out the door, Andrew leaning back against the thick wood after Luna closed it behind them. His eyes were closed, his breathing deep.

“Would you perhaps like to go for a walk?” Luna suggested, standing in front of her student. “Marula is in good hooves for now.”

“I…” Andrew started, originally intending to say no, but changing his mind as Marula’s voice echoed softly behind him. “I would need my chair.”

Luna nodded and turned, quickly walking around the side of the house, returning not a moment later with the chair ensnared in her magic. She placed the chair down for him, and Andrew sat down heavily. Wordlessly Luna gripped the handles of the wheelchair with her magic, pushing it slowly past the fence and down the street.

“Did you hurt yourself?” She asked, breaking the silence. “Running into the house?”

“No.” He responded simply, not even turning his head. “I’m fine, maybe a bruise or two but nothing worse than that.”

The two were silent again, Andrew looking down at his lap, while Luna traded of from looking ahead to watching the human closely. The two made their way around a corner, neither of them really noting where they were going.

“It’s alright, isn’t it?” Andrew asked quietly after a moment. “Alice is alive. She’s alive and she’s here. So what if she can’t remember me. It’s still Alice, right?”

Andrew finally looked over at Luna, his eyes almost begging for what he had said to be true. Luna stopped, the magic around Andrew’s wheelchair fading.

“She is here, and it will be alright Andrew.” Luna assured him, stepping closer and nuzzling his cheek.

“It’s just… I thought finding my sister would be the happiest day of my life.” Andrew explained, not moving as Luna nuzzled him. “Instead I just feel… hollow.”

“Your life was just flipped upside down, for what must be the fifth time since you’ve been here.” Luna responded, pulling back to look Andrew in the eyes. “You have a lot to process, give it some time.”

“Yeah… alright.” Andrew said, nodding while before taking a deep breath and rubbing his face. “I guess with Alice here… I guess I have plenty of time.”

“And if you need any help, I’ll be right here for you.” Luna added with a soft smile, prompting Andrew to look back up towards her.

“I know Luna, thank you.”

Andrew put his hand on the side of her neck, his own smile spreading as Luna leaned her head forward, their foreheads pressing together, Luna’s horn laying against the top of Andrews head. She hummed, a reassuring sound that seemed to travel through her into him. He closed his eyes, letting go of another deep breath. A small part of him wondered when such an intimate gesture had become so normal between the two of them. The rest of him didn’t care, simply letting the reassuring contact cool his rushing emotions. The smell of jasmine tickled his nose, and he smiled.

“There you two a-“

Twilight started, her words dying with a squeak. Her eyes widening a bit, her words stumbling while the two turned towards her, Andrew spinning his wheels to do so. Luna blushed, suddenly very interested at the wall of a nearby house. Andrew seemed undaunted by the interruption.

“What is it Twilight?” He asked, missing Luna’s embarrassment but picking up on Twilights stuttering. “Is everything alright?”

“Y-Yes, everything is fine, it’s just that…” Twilight struggled for a moment before starting again. “You need to hear what Marula is saying Luna.”

“What do you mean?” The alicorn asked, looking back to Twilight, her blush fading quickly. “What is she saying?”

“She’s talking about Nightmare’s attack, and she is getting very close to talking about… that thing that involves you two, Princess Celestia, Discord…”

“Truly? And she learned about this how?”

“She says she’s been having nightmares about it for the past month.”

“Nightmares…. Interesting.” Luna responded, tapping her chin with her hoof. “Andrew, I am sorry but we must return, this is not something I can ignore.”

“No I understand. Important business.” Andrew says with a nod, starting to wheel himself toward Twilight. “Plus I’m pretty sure I’ll want to hear this, it involves me to right?”

Luna nodded and used her magic to push Andrew along, rushing home with Twilight right beside them. Once they had made their way to the house, Twilight pushed open the door and walked inside, while Luna stopped by the door to help Andrew. He had stopped in front of the front steps, but waved Luna off while Twilight continued on, walking around the corner and out of sight. Luna nodded and gave Andrew a final glance as she turned the corner. Andrew paused a she left, not sure what to make of the tender, almost shy glance Luna had given him. He shrugged, stepping up out of the chair and pushing it to the side, locking it and entering his home. He was about to close the door when Autumn spoke from behind him.

“I got it Andrew” She said, closing the distance and walking out the door, Zecora in tow, both of them carrying packs. “Luna wants me to help Zecora get her things back to her house. I’ll talk to you guys later.”

“Ah, gotcha.” Andrew nodded, stopping Zecora as she walked by. “Look, Zecora. I know you didn’t know you were doing it but… Thank you for bringing Alice back to me. I didn’t think I would ever see her again.”

Andrew stuck out his hand, taking Zecora’s hoof as she extended it.

“I am glad to have brought you such a happy surprise.” Zecora responded. “But I don’t think calling her your sister is wise.”

“What? Why not?” Andrew asked, pulling back his hand.

“Princess Luna trusts you, so what you say must be true.” Zecora explained quietly, looking up at Andrew. “But even so she is still Marula, completely and all the way through.”

Autumn, having stopped on the front porch, looked back at the two, biting her lip as she listened and watched.

“She has been herself for such a long time, to tell her otherwise is not very fair.” Zecora continued, still speaking softly. “Pulling on her past does more damage than you are aware.”

“So, what are you suggesting I do?” Andrew said, clenching his fist but managing to sound mostly civil. “Nothing?”

“No, that would be cruel, just do your best to not be a fool.”

Andrew’s eyes widened and he took a step forward, prompting Autumn to step forward and hold up her hoof in front of him. He stopped, but looked very angry.

“A fool? I find my sister after she has been missing for more than a year and you tell me not to act like a fool? Do you have any idea-”

“Please do not misunderstand what I have said, I know the pain you must feel in your head. But Marula is my dear friend, be careful of the fall with the bridge you must mend. Please just be kind, don’t tear at her mind.”

“Alice deserves a chance as well. Should I just forget about my sister? Let her die even if she is somewhere inside her head?”

“I think what she is trying to say Andrew…” Autumn interrupted. “Is that you shouldn’t try to force Marula to be your sister, or try and force her memories to return. Let it happen naturally, if-“

Autumn stopped suddenly, her eyes wide. She pulled back her hoof and covered her mouth, before looking down.

“If it happens at all.” Andrew finished, his fist slowly unclenching.

Zecora nodded, though she looked much more sad about having to say what she did then happy that Andrew had finally understood and calmed down. Andrew took a deep breath and half leaned, half collapsed against the wall, rubbing his eyes with his hands.

“Alright, I understand what you mean. I’ll try my best.”

Zecora nodded and silently left, exiting the still open door, leaving just Autumn and Andrew. Autumn clearly wanted to apologize, but before she could Applejack poked her head around the corner.

“Andrew, everything alright?”

“Yeah, I’m coming.”

He smiled reassuringly at Autumn before turning and walking away from the front door, eventually hearing the door shut behind him. He followed behind Applejack into the living room, sitting back down next to Luna a bit more heavily than he had intended to.

“So… what’s going on? Why did you send Zecora away?” Marula asked, looking at the others a bit nervously. “I didn’t do anything wrong did I?”

“Oh no, nothing wrong. I just thought that Zecora might want to offload her bags.” Luna explained simply. “She will return in a bit.”

“Oh, alright. So should I tell you about my nightmares?” Marula asked. “I mean you all already know the story, you were all there.”

“Indeed, we were all there.” Luna agreed with a nod. “But the question is how long where you there for?”

“Well I saw it from Andrews point of view, from the moment he started… doing that magic on himself.” Marula said, her eyes widening a bit. “Holy crap, you did magic! Now that I know you’re real that’s… That’s incredible!”

“Yeah… it’s kind of a side effect of Luna healing me when I fell out of the sky.” Andrew explained. “It’s come in handy a few times but mostly it’s kind of a pain. I can’t really control it.”

“You seemed in control of it to me.”

“That’s ‘cause I was using runes, they work differently than Unicorn magic. I’m pretty good at them.”

“Before we get off track, I would like to return to our original subject, Marula’s dream.” Luna cut in, stopping Marula’s follow up response. “We have plenty of time to talk about that later.”

“Right, fair enough.” Andrew agreed, sitting back in the chair.

“Well… They always start there, though I’ve always gotten the sense that the story starts a bit before that.” Marula continued. “The dreams show me different parts, bits and pieces, but never before Andrew starts… using his magic on himself, and never after Twilight… burns his chest.”

Twilight looks down at her hooves at the second mention of her actions in the end of the conflict. Andrew notices her guilty look, and speaks up.

“Just to clear it up, Twilight was doing that to save my life.” Andrew began explaining, but stopped when he felt Luna nudge him subtly with a hoof.

“Why?” Marula asked. “It felt like the pain itself nearly killed you.”

“The runes he carved into his chest were drawing power from him, and couldn’t be stopped by simple means.” Luna explained, again nudging Andrew before he could continue. “His body couldn’t handle the drain, nor could it handle the strain that the abilities the runes were putting on him. Much more of either and he might not have woken up.”

As Marula was focused on Luna, Twilight and Applejack shared a look, beginning to pick up on what Luna was doing as she avoided mentioning certain parts of the story. Andrew, to his credit, quickly realized what she was doing as well and managed to keep a straight face.

“If you would have to say, what moments felt like they had the strongest connection in your dreams?”

“Well… when he started filling the… carvings with magic and when Twilight burnt them off.” Marula answered, scratching her neck as she thought. “Even then it was hazy. I couldn’t even understand what everyone was saying ninety percent of the time. There are a few patches I think I’m missing too.”

“Hmmm… I may have a theory as to why you have been having these dreams.” Luna explained after a moment or two of thinking. “If you would allow me to do a few magical scans first, I could confirm it.”

Marula nodded and Luna closed her eyes, her horn glowing. However, instead of Marula glowing, Andrew glowed in Luna’s typical light blue magic. He jumped a bit, sitting up straight before rolling his eyes after he realized what was happening.

“A little warning next time Luna.” He said, relaxing back into the couch.

“Sorry Andrew, I’ll be sure to ask next time.”

Luna smiled at her student before her horn stopped glowing, quickly starting again as she scanned Marula. She looked at her arm nervously before looking back as the spell faded, only to have another one make her body glow. Eventually that glow stopped as well.

“Well, the first scan confirmed it.” Luna started, looking from Andrew to Marula. “You two are siblings.”

“We are?” Marula asked, a bit surprised. “I mean it’s not like I thought you were lying Andrew, it’s just…I don’t rememeber… And”

Andrew bit his lip for a moment, watching Marula grapple with the revelation, seeing the confusion in her eyes. He took a deep breath before standing up, making his way to his sister, taking a knee in front of her.

“Marula, it’s fine, you don’t have to remember all at once.” He assured her, his hand on hers. “There’s no pressure here. If the memories return, that’s great… I won’t lie that I hope they do. But, I understand that this is a lot to come to terms with. Don’t feel like you have to be Alice, or that you can’t be Marula. You don’t have any obligation to me, all I want is to be your brother again, no matter what you remember or what I call you.”

Marula listened with wide eyes, slowly watering as Andrew reassured her. She squeezed his hand and leaned forward, hugging him tightly and sniffling. When she leaned back she wiped her eyes, Andrew wiping his own.

“This… This is all so crazy. Thank you for understanding Andrew. It’s gonna take me some time before I get used to it, but I promise to try my best. And… I hope the memories come back too. I think I’ve been hiding from them for a long time… it was… less painful that way.”

“I know how that feels.” Andrew said simply, standing and returning to his spot near Luna.

“So… What did the second scan say?” Twilight asked, causing Marula to perk up.

“Well… It seems that Marula and Andrew shared a sibling bond. During the time that Andrew was in immense pain he bridged between his own mind and Marulas, sharing his memories with her. I believe that while he was in his coma his subconscious was forcing Marula to dream of it, over and over. Tell me Marula, have you had the nightmare in the last few days?”

“No… I haven’t. I was blaming it on the travel.” She explained. “I don’t sleep well in new places, so I figured I just wasn’t dreaming.”

“You think it was because I woke up?” Andrew asked Luna, pointedly cutting off a confused question from Twilight.

“It’s very possible.” Luna agreed with a nod. “The bond could have broken down simply because Andrew was experiencing more, creating new memories, eroding the bond until it fell apart.”

“That’s… pretty far-fetched.” Marula commented. “Are you sure?”

“As sure as I can be. The link is broken now, but there are definite signs that it existed.”

“I’m sorry I put you through that then.” Andrew apologized, rubbing the back of his neck. “If I had known.”

“Then I hope you would have done nothing different.” Marula responded strongly. “That mare, Nightmare, she was bad. I could just tell by the way she was acting, her tone of voice. I’m just glad you all made it out, a month of some nightmare is a small price to pay.”

“Thanks.” Andrew said simply, nodding before taking a deep breath. “Let’s just hope that the nightmares actually stop.”

Marula nodded in agreement before slowly leaning back into the couch.

“So how does you having magic work? How did you get it? I mean is it something that you just learned or…?” Marula asked. “I mean you don’t look like you have a horn, far as I can tell.”

“Well… It’s actually a long story…”

“And by that, he means he doesn’t understand it very well.” Luna added, poking Andrew in the stomach teasingly.

The group laughed as Andrew begrudgingly agreed with her, and began explaining his magic. Eventually, when explaining how he had gotten it, Twilight chimed in, as did Luna, describing how she had healed him after he had fallen from the sky. The group chatted amicably for a while, talking about what had happened in the past month, and the past year for Marula, laughing happily as the tension and stress from a surprising day slowly unwound. Eventually Marula leaned down and tightened the straps of her leg prosthetic and stood, stretching her arms a bit.

“Is it alright if I go for a walk?” Marula asked. “I would like some time to think, maybe stretch my legs a bit. I’ve been sitting a lot today.”

“Somepony ought to go with ya.” Applejack pointed out starting to stand. “Wouldn’t want you getting lost.”

Before Marula could protest, Andrew waved the farm mare off.

“Don’t worry, she’ll be fine. Plus she’s always had a great sense of direction” He explained before turning to his sister. “There’s a bench under a tree not far from here. Left, right then right again. The first left is a long one.”

Marula nodded, giving a small bow, then a smile before leaving the four remaining ponies alone, the door shutting after a moment. Twilight began to immediately speak, but Luna held up a hoof, halting her words while they waited in silence. Eventually she lowered her hoof, her horn glowing as she cast a muffling spell on the room.

“Was that all true?” Twilight asked, after Luna nodded and gestured for her to talk. “Sibling bonds are extremely rare and while theoretically possible between normal siblings its only ever been observed in twins, and generally only when they are teenagers or younger.”

“No, it was not all true. The fact that they are siblings, and that they shared a bond was in fact true. What kind of bond it was however…”

“She’s my other half, isn’t she?” Andrew asked simply.

“Indeed she is.” Luna replied, before continuing. “A strong bond attaches pairs of Children together, one that has been known to transfer powerful memories during times of duress.”

“Why didn’t ya just tell her that?” Applejack asked. “Lyin’ like that… it ain’t right.”

“Applejack, while empathize with your deep aversion to lying, understand that this is done to all new members of our ranks. Andrew is, as seems to be the norm for him, and exception to the rule.”

“Why? Hiding something like that seems cruel.”

“Eventually, as her power grows and she begins to show the hallmarks of a Child of Royal Blood, all will be revealed. As of now, she is not finished growing, and she has much to learn about life.” Luna explained. “Imagine the affect that being told of your destiny, learning that you will hold immense power, that you will gain immortality. Imagine what that could do to a young pony. While I admit she seems like a mature and capable mare, it would still be a poor decision to inform her.”

Twilight seemed to be grasping Luna’s logic, twisting her lip as she thought about what the alicorn said. Applejack on the other hand seemed to be seriously struggling between the logic and her overall disgust with dishonesty.

“Think about it like this Applejack.” Luna offered. “If Apple Bloom suddenly came to you and asked for you to explain the true meaning of the ‘birds and the bees’ to her, what would your reaction be?”

“Ah… Ah would probably tell her that it’s how foals are made, and only between two ponies who love each other.” Applejack answered, clearly confused.

“An acceptable explanation that would most likely satisfy her curiosity, without delving to deep. But what if she asked this question ten years from now, when she is well into the young adult phase of her life? Surely then the discussion would change drastically reflecting her maturity and the potential for her to find a partner?”

Applejack nodded, though clearly wincing at the idea of Apple Bloom being a teenager and having to discuss such a topic with her.

“This is s similar situation. While yes, what I told her today may not be exactly true, it was necessary because she is not ready for the full and truthful explanation. Just like Apple Bloom’s age means that you might hold back details and facts from her, we must hold back this information from Marula. It is for her sake, not mine that I hide the truth.”

“I… I understand.” Applejack said, frowning but nodding her head. “I won’t tell her, as much as-“

“Uh, Luna…” Twilight said, cutting off Applejack and pointing towards Andrew. “Andrew is…”

Luna turned to follow her pointing, finally noticing that not only was Andrew silent, his eyes were wide, his mouth slightly agape. He was stunned, and it took Luna a moment to realize what had caused it. She turned back to Twilight and Applejack, a frown on her face.

“I believe this would be what you might call ‘case and point.’ I think you should both go find Marula, offer to show her around the town if she is up for it, then maybe bring her to find Zecora, I am guessing that she will be staying with her.”

Applejack and Twilight shared a look before both of them nodded, standing up quickly and heading out of the room. They both paused, looking back with worried looks before leaving, the sound of a closing door once again echoing through the house.

“Andrew…”

“I’m… I’m gonna be immortal?” He said, turning to look at Luna. “How did I not connect that together?”

“A type of immortal Andrew, but yes, you will be.” Luna confirmed before continuing. “In about ten to fifteen years you will slowly stop aging. You won’t get sick any more, and you’ll get stronger and more durable. Your mana stores will increase until you are eventually as strong Tia and I are, which is about two or three times as strong as the average unicorn. But you can still get hurt and you can still be killed, as my battle with Nightmare clearly showed. But time will never touch you again, once you become a full-fledged Child.”

“That’s…. That’s insane… I can’t…”

“But you won’t be alone Andrew, never again will you be alone.” Luna explained, using her hoof to tilt his head to look at her, eye to eye. “Your sister will be with you now, as will your new family, your fellow Children.”

Andrew closed his eyes and breathed deeply, slowly calming himself. When he opened his eyes again Luna was still there, looking at him with care and worry in her eyes. He returned her gaze, studying her teal eyes, watching them watch him.

“And you, you’ll be there too.” He said with a smile, raising a hand to hold her cheek.

“I will Andrew, I will always be here for you, no matter what.” Luna assured him. “For as long as you’ll have me I will be here.”

The moment hung forever as the two sat alone, staring into each other’s eyes. Andrew could feel the pull, feel her gravity drag him, feel his heart push him from within as his mind ran ragged. Every touch, every hug and every moment of closeness suddenly made sense. Every word of encouragement and assurance and support suddenly fit into place.

Arguments of species, of appropriateness and of all manner of things ran through his head, raging and shouting, all in this impossible moment. Time seemed to stop as he fought this internal battle, as he watched, realizing that she was waiting, pleading with her eyes. Everything raged and screamed in his head, filling him with doubt and uncertainty until…

A smile danced on her lips, one that filled his heart with hope.

And it all disappeared.

He leaned forward and kissed her, feeling her press into him, feeling the warmth and electricity pass through him like a wave that crashed in his head, making his world spin as he felt her touch his cheek. He could feel her pull back as the second impossible moment passed, as he too pulled back and opened his eyes, his hand still on her cheek.

They stared at each other once again, only this time they both smiled, a grin that held back an infectious giddiness that bubbled and popped within them both. A third moment passed, and they both leaned in again.

Always: 32

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Andrew stood in the kitchen, slicing cucumbers and pushing them into a pile. When he was done he lifted the cutting board and slid the pile into a small bowl. He washed the knife quickly, cleaning the blade before sliding it back into the wooden block that he had pulled it from. He opened the fridge next, grabbing two sodas before turning and taking the filled bowl, carrying everything into the living room. He sat beside Luna, who immediately slid closer to the human. She levitated a few slices of cucumber for herself, the two quietly munching. Andrew watched Luna from the corner of his eye, the alicorn doing the same. When they finally made eye contact, they both smiled and eventually laughed.

“It is shocking how quickly a dynamic changes from a few simple kisses” Luna finally said, nuzzling her head on Andrews shoulder.

“I wouldn’t have called those simple in any way. Or a few.” Andrew said with a smile, though it slowly faded to a frown as he put down the bottles of soda on the table in front of him. “You realize why I hesitated, right?”

“You once explained that humans were the only dominant species in your universe.” Luna said with a nod, chewing her lip nervously. “And I seem to recall you calling me a horse several times when we first met. I assume that is some kind of animal?”

“Yeah… I mean I obviously know you’re not an animal Luna, but it’s still… A lot to take into account. I eventually decided I didn’t care…” He explained, his hand running up and down Luna’s back, between her wings. “But… you need to understand that it isn’t a switch I can just flick. I’ll need to work on it.”

“So we are taking it slow then?” She answered the unspoken question. “I believe that should suit us both, considering I haven’t been this close to anypony in many years.”

“I think that might be for the best.”

“Well, at the danger of starting another break down… we do have all the time in the world.” Luna pointed out, nuzzling Andrew’s neck, prompting the human to turn and kiss her cheek.

“I guess that’s true.”

“When we say ‘take it slow’ do you mean that you wish to hide our relationship from our friends?” Luna asked after a moment, once again looking a bit nervous.

“No, that just leads to problems down the road, and I don’t want to have to pretend that this isn’t happening… I’m enjoying it too much.” Andrew explained with a smile, his hand sliding back up and coming to rest higher on Luna’s back. “I’ll admit though, I am worried about Alice.”

“And why is that?”

“I’m just afraid that she might… default to old taboo’s if you catch my drift.” He explained. “I mean she has been here so much longer than I have… and with no memories? She must have gotten over stuff like that by now… but I’m still worried.”

“I cannot say how she will feel for certain.” Luna admitted. “But she seems like accepting mare.”

“I hope.” Andrew said simply. “But what about you? You’re a princess and… holy shit I kissed a princess.”

“Indeed you did.” Luna agreed, using her hoof to close Andrew’s mouth, which was hanging open from shock. “Are you now regretting it?”

“What?!” Andrews head whipped around, looking at Luna with wide eyes. “Of course not, not even close!”

“Are you sure?” Luna asked, pulling off Andrew’s shoulder to look at him directly. “I won’t lie, there will most likely be quite a stir about this.”

“Are we talking about privacy invading reporters or rioting in the streets?”

“To be honest I am not entirely sure.” Luna admitted. “Though ponies rarely resort to rioting in the streets.”

“Well that’s good, never been a big fan of death by pitchfork.”

Luna chuckled, absentmindedly shuffling her wings as she did. With her magic she lifted one of the sodas from the table, popping the top off and passing it to Andrew before claiming her own. The alicorn princess took a small sip before returning it to the table.

“So when is Doctor Glow gonna show up?” Andrew asked, taking a sip of his own drink. “And should we see if we can find Al- Marula?”

“Doctor Glow will be in town for a long while, I suspect Marula would like some time to relax and settle in.”

“Yeah, fair enough.”

“You know Andrew… You should be proud of what you did earlier. I know how badly you want your sister, your whole sister back. Letting that go for now must have been very difficult.”

“It was, but it’s what she needed to hear. I’m just glad Zecora talked some sense into me before I fucked it all up.”

“I had faith that you would figure it out on your own.” Luna assured him, getting a look and a raised eyebrow from Andrew. “Though a friendly push is always welcome.”

“Yeah… I need to thank her.” Andrew admitted, rubbing the back of his head. “I was too upset at the time to think about it.”

Before Luna could respond, there was a knock on the door. Luna stood and made her way around to the door, opening it shortly after the second knock. The doctor, an aging unicorn stallion had arrived, laden with saddle bags and a stethoscope around his neck. Luna and Doctor Glow both chatted about the train ride from Canterlot as the alicorn guided him into the living room. Andrew quickly realized, as Luna left the room to do some paper work in the study, that the doctor, while kind and gentle, tended to get straight to business. Soon after a short introduction and an explanation of what they would be doing, Doctor Glow started his work. As far as Andrew could tell with his limited knowledge of medicine, it was a combination of physical therapy and magic, with exercises that worked large muscle groups in order to strengthen and stretch them, with magic helping the process be more efficient.

He struggled with quite a few of the exercises, and by the time Luna came down to check up on them he was feeling plenty sore. She offered encouraging words to Andrew and made her way to the kitchen. Doctor Glow, to his credit, took it easy on the human for his first check-up, perhaps detecting the weariness that Andrew was already feeling from the excitement and high emotions form the day. Even still, Andrew was thankful when the doctor finally declared that they had done enough. By the time the aging doctor said goodbye, Andrew was more than ready for bed.

“You do realize that you are going to be even more sore tomorrow?” Luna pointed out when Andrew slumped into the kitchen, leaning against one of the counters.

“Yeah, I know. I suppose that’s the cost of getting back in shape.” Andrew responded with a groan, rolling his shoulder. “Don’t suppose you got a pain blocker spell or something?”

“I do, but they are usually only used for extreme circumstances.” The alicorn explained as she levitated a dish, scrubbing it with a cloth. “Playing with our senses directly is delicate magic that is not often used.”

“Ah, gotcha. Yeah now that I think about it that would set a scary precedence.”

Andrew made his way over to Luna’s side, catching the bowl she was scrubbing and drying it with a towel, continuing with the next dish and the next. He bumped Luna with his hip, sharing a smile with her as they worked.

“Are you alright?” Luna asked eventually, about half way through cleaning the dish filled sink. “Today has been… eventful to say the least.”

“I’m… not dead?” Andrew responded with a shrug, receiving a teasing scowl and a gentle hip shove. “To be honest Luna, I’m still processing. I probably will be for a while.”

Luna paused, her current dish sinking until it was just above the dirty water. She looked at Andrew, who returned her look with a raised eyebrow.

“Was this… the wrong time to…” She asked nervously.

“Make out with your student?” Andrew finished, causing Luna to blush and open her mouth to respond. “It’s alright Luna, I’m just teasing you. We hardly had the teacher student dynamic that makes that something to avoid.”

“I suppose that is true.” She agreed with a nod, turning her head back to her task, passing her dish to Andrew and starting another. “And you didn’t answer my question.”

“Was it the perfect time? Probably not.” Andrew said, drying the saucer and placing it in a cabinet. “But it wasn’t a terrible time, there could certainly be worse times. And… with how much is changing… everything that is happening… I’m glad to know you’re here. With me.”

“You did not have to return my affection for that.” The alicorn pointed out. “I would have stood by you regardless.”

“I know, I know. But this is different.”” Andrew replied, before wincing. “Sorry, that’s all a bit more serious than ‘take it slow’ should be.”

“It is fine.” Luna assured him. “I think it’s safe to assume that with all we have been through since you’ve arrived, taking us seriously is more than okay.”

“Guess that’s true.” Andrew agreed with a shrug.

The two continued making their way through the dishes and silverware in the sink, Luna eventually handing the last fork to Andrew.

“There, all done.” Luna said happily as Andrew hung his towel to dry. “Thank you for your help”

“No problem. It’s been a while and I’ve always found it therapeutic to be perfectly honest.”

“Really? Well if you enjoy them so much maybe you should be in charge of cleaning the kitchen?”

Andrew laughed, shaking his head as he craned his neck to look at the clock. He frowned and looked out the window.

“It’s only 5? It’s a lot earlier than I thought. I already feel ready for bed.”

Luna's horn glowed for a moment, and Andrew felt the slight sensation he now easily connected to being scanned. He smirked and looked towards Luna.

“Aren’t you supposed to ask permission before you do that?” He teased.

“Technically… I suppose…” Luna answered with a blush. “I’m just worried. Sorry.”

“It’s alright, I understand.” He assured her, patting her back and leaving his hand there. “So, what’s the verdict?”

“You’re just tired, which is understandable.”

“Yeah… but it’s kinda still early to go to bed if I’m just a bit tired, isn’t it…”

“We haven’t had dinner yet… Perhaps we could go to town and get some?”

“Why Luna… Are you asking me out on a date?” Andrew asked mockingly, a wide grin on his face.

“Why Andrew, I believe I am.” The alicorn replied, not missing a beat.

“Good.” Andrew responded simply. “Sounds perfect. But you’re driving.”

Luna raised one eyebrow as Andrew made his way out the front door, following behind him. He plopped down in his wheelchair. She laughed when she realized what he meant, her horn glowing as she guided him down the front walk with her magic.

“So I’m assuming you’re past the denial phase?” She teased as they made their way down the road. “Does that mean you’ve moved on to anger?”

“I’ve always preferred bargaining myself, maybe we could skip to that? Then maybe skip right to acceptance?”

Luna laughed and nodded, nuzzling Andrew for a moment as they walked, turning down another road, heading for the center of town. Before Luna could reply, two silent bat ponies fell in line behind them, a discrete but obvious distance away. Luna stopped and turned, the two guards closing the distance when they realized she was waiting.

“Yes Princess Luna?”

“There is no need for an escort tonight, you may return to your patrol.”

The two stallions bowed slightly before leaving, following their princesses orders. Luna shook her head as they walked away, resuming their pace.

“What’s wrong?” Andrew asked, casting a glance back at the retreating ponies.

“Captain Steel is not going to be happy that I told them to leave.”

“So? You’re his boss aren’t you? I mean you must lead the military in some fashion, right?

“Together my sister and I do, but my personal guard is different…”

“Different how?” Andrew asked, shrugging when Luna looked at him. “What? My girlfriend’s problems are my problems.”

“Well… I explained how they are all bat ponies? Before my banishment they were the most loyal ponies you would ever meet. I cared for all our subjects, but my little cave dwellers held a special place in my heart.”

“But?” Andrew asked, sensing her hesitation.

“When I was controlled by Nightmare I abandoned them, left them to fend for themselves. For a long time they were treated quite poorly. Tia did eventually help them once she realized what was going on, partially by reforming the lunar guard.”

“That sounds like a good thing, right?”

“Well they still are looked down at by many of the nobles of Canterlot, but beyond that they are seen as respectable guards and skilled miners. They provided much of the marble and granite used to build Canterlot.”

“Still sensing a kinda strong ‘but’ here.”

“I have no right to lead them anymore.” Luna admitted quietly, looking away. “I abandoned them and they suffered for years. Merchants refused to trade with them, and they had grown to rely on trade enough that they practically starved. Their connection to me left them ostracized, quite a few got ran out of various towns. If Tia hadn’t started the lunar guard again they would have never regained a footing in society.”

“I suppose pointing out that Nightmare abandoned them, not you, wouldn’t really change how you felt?” Andrew asked, watching Luna closely, who nodded. “Have you talked to them? Asked them if there is anything you could do to make it up to them?”

“They don’t remember it, the time period was so tumultuous that no records survived. It was a thousand years ago after all. The only reason I know is because I demanded that Tia tell me the truth. ”

“So you don’t feel right bossing around Captain Steel because you feel you’ve lost that right?”

“No, Captain Steel isn’t a bat pony. Princess Celestia appointed him from her own guard.”

“That seems a bit… sketchy…”

“It isn’t a prerequisite, she promotes based on merits and he is a brilliant soldier. There have been plenty of bat pony captains as well. No, dismissing him would be wrong because he earned it and because… they follow him. They trust him and follow his orders without question.”

“That’s better I suppose. But you still shouldn’t let your subordinate walk all over you. It’s bad for moral for one thing.”

Luna said nothing, her head still turned away. Andrew frowned and leaned over, flipping on the wheel chair’s simple friction brakes. Luna stopped, noticing the extra resistance, and looked over at him. Andrew stood, groaning slightly at his stiff muscles. He walked over to Luna and wrapped her in a hug, his arms around her neck, pulling her head against his chest. Her horn poked over his shoulder as he ran his hand up and down her neck.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have pushed.”

“No, it’s alright.” She responded, pushing back against Andrew. “I know you mean well. I’m alright.”

Andrew pulled back slightly so that he could look at Luna, who was looking back up at him. They both smiled before pulling apart, Andrew sitting a bit heavily in his chair.

“The Thirsty Timberwolf?” He asked, his hand on Luna’s back.

“Sounds good.”

The two entered the bar, looking around at the ponies waiting to be seated. None of them had noticed the two yet, at least until Sunny Smiles came to greet them.

“Your highness!” She said with a wide eyed look, bowing to one knee before starting again. “W-welcome to the Thirsty Timberwolf, w-would you like a seat?”

Luna and Andrew looked around at the other ponies waiting in line as they too rose from their bows. The bar was busy, though Andrew was glad to see that everything was spaced out enough that it didn’t feel cramped.

“What about everyone else waiting?” Andrew asked hintingly.

“N-nonsense, they would happily wait a bit longer for the P-princess.” Sunny assured them nervously. “How m-many will be with you tonight?”

“Just Andrew and I.” Luna answered dejectedly, clearly not enjoying the attention.

“Somewhere in the back if you don’t mind.” Andrew added as Sunny led them away.

Luna, following behind Andrew as he slowly weaved his chair through the restaurant. She watched as other sat up straighter, silence and stares following her as Smiles led them to a back corner, one of the more private tables.

“Andrew.” Luna said, getting her boyfriend’s attention, pointing a hoof at the bathroom door. “I shall return in a moment.”

Andrew nodded and continued to follow Sunny to their table, standing from his wheel chair with a groan and pushing it out of the way before sitting down. He held up his hand when Sunny began to speak, cutting her excited look off.

“Sunny, can you do me a really big favor? I know everyone takes the princesses really seriously, and I know meeting her is a really big deal… But could you please try and treat her like a normal pony?”

“Normal? What do you mean? She’s a Princess shouldn’t I-”

“Sunny not so loud.” Andrew said hurriedly, looking around nervously before turning back. “Please, I would really appreciate it, Luna would really appreciate it as well.”

“But why?”

“Cause it’s been a long day and we both want to just relax.” Andrew insisted. “Please, I would owe you big.”

Sunny Smiles looked over at the bathroom door, chewing her lip nervously before looking back at Andrew.

“You promise she won’t be insulted?” She finally asked.

“I promise, just you watch she will love it. Just take a deep breath and treat her like you would any other customer.”

“… Okay, fine. I’ll try my best.” She said, finally relenting. “But Andrew if this is some sort of joke I will not be very happy.”

“It’s not, I swear, just a long day. Just come back in a few minutes and to get our orders and everything.”

Sunny nodded and gave Andrew a tense but agreeable smile, heading off to the nearest private booth. After a while Luna returned, sliding into the seat beside Andrew. She leaned on him gently, which Andrew did in return.

“Sorry that took so long.” She whispered. “I was raising the moon.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize, fair enough.”

Luna chewed her lip a bit, looking out at the semi secluded back corner they were in, looking at the few other tables that were close by, all of them seemingly oblivious to who they were in the presence of.

“Maybe we should have stayed in.” Luna said quietly after a moment. “I don’t like interrupting pony’s plans just because I want to eat at the same place they do.”

“It will be fine.” Andrew assured her, putting his hand on her hoof. “Besides, not much we can do about the ponies we cut in line now. And nobody can see who is sitting here so nobody else will freak out.”

Luna nodded glumly, before taking a deep breath and shaking her head to break away from her stupor.

“So when would you like to continue your magic lessons?” She asked, changing the subject. “Next week? After the weekend?”

“Maybe the day after tomorrow?” He replied with a noncommittal shrug. “I kind of like the idea of having another day off, but I would like to get back to it.”

“You don’t have to jump back in so quickly.”

“I know…” Andrew said, thinking a bit before shrugging again. “I’m looking forward to learning and there’s no reason not to start now. Not like I have other responsibilities. Which reminds me, now that I’m awake are you going to start going back and forth between Canterlot?”

“Eventually. But I find myself very determined to drag my hooves and spend as much time as possible here.”

“You won’t find me complaining.” Andrew said with a chuckle. “Though you shouldn’t wait too long, your sister won’t appreciate it.”

“Once I explain what’s going on Tia won’t complain too much.” The alicorn explained. “At least not for a few days.”

“About that… Princess Celestia isn’t going to freak out about us… is she?”

“She might want to talk to you about it…” She admitted after a moment of silence. “I don’t think she will freak out about it though.”

Andrew frowned at the thought, not looking forward to that conversation in the slightest. He nodded though, squeezing Luna’s hoof smiling at her when she turned to look at him. Before either of them could say anything Sunny made her way to their table.

“Hello Andrew, P- Luna, would you to like some drinks?” She asked, stumbling but recovering quickly.

The mare watched the two with a bit of a nervous smile, switching from Luna to Andrew. Andrew looked at Luna as well and noticed her frozen expression and gave her a nudge to break her out of it.

“Oh! Yes I would like a glass of wine, red please.” She finally answered.

“And I’ll have that sweet drink you served me last time I was here, what was it… pineapple cherry something?”

“The Pineapple Cherry Twist?” Sunny confirmed, jotting down the order when Andrew nodded emphatically. “Okay, now what about food?”

“Umm I’ll have the mushroom burger please, with extra hay fries.” Luna answered, her tone almost more a question than anything.

“And I’ll have the same, with- “

“Sweet Potato fries, and a no oats bun.” Smiles finished, flipping her order book shut. “I’ll get those out to you shortly.”

The waitress gave Andrew and Luna a smile, though her smile towards lune still looked a bit shy. Luna looked to Andrew, an eyebrow raised.

“Did you say something to her?” She asked.

“Say something? Yeah, I ordered my food. You were right here when it happened.” Andrew responded, smile, suddenly very interested in his fingernails.

Luna opened her mouth as if to ask again, but instead she just smiled, leaning up against Andrew and nuzzling him. The two sat in silence for a moment, enjoying each other presence.

“So. Does red wine pair well with burgers and hay fries?” Andrew asked, his smile mischievous as he teased her.”

“Quiet you, I was flustered and couldn’t think.” She replied, poking his side. “and besides, red wine pairs well with everything if you drink enough.”

Andrew’s eyebrows raised in surprise as he turned to look at Luna, who was now taking her turn to stare at her hoof and feign innocence. After a moment she looked at Andrew with her own mischievous smile.

“What? I told you I spent a long while traveling as Eve after I returned from my banishment.” She explained. “Did you think I became a monk?”

“Fair enough I guess.” Andrew said with a long chuckle before sitting up straight. “Hey wait, if you spent so much time being Eve, why did you still talk like… well you know.”

“I may have… exaggerated a small amount.” Luna admitted with a grin. “Mostly to poke and tease my sister.”

“I guess that explains how you stopped so quickly.” Andrew said with a smile and a shake of his head. “You know I-“

Andrew stopped mid-sentence as he saw Sunny returning, carrying their drinks on her back. She stopped when she saw Luna leaning against Andrew, her eyes widening. She shook her head though, a smile returning to her face as she got to their table. She placed their drinks down in front of Luna, who levitated Andrew’s to him.

“Alright you two, here are your drinks. It’s getting a bit busy, but wave me down if you need anything or want a refill. Food should be done in fifteen minutes or so.”

“Thanks Sunny.” Andrew said, raising his mug in a toast to his waitress before taking a sip from his straw. “Ooo, that’s good.”

“It’s certainly colorful.” Luna commented, taking a sip from her wine. “A bit too sweet for me I think.”

“Yeah, normally I would agree with you but I love cherries and pineapples.”

“Really? I do love cherries, but my favorite would have to be…”

Luna and Andrew continued to talk to each other for quite a while, only stopping to eat when their food finally arrived, but quickly starting again after that. Quite a bit of time passed as they sat next to each other, laughing and enjoying each other’s company. Eventually, after their food was done and their tab was payed they left the bar with a bit more bounce in their step. They walked the town, happily chatting and smiling, Andrews hand on Luna’s back as she pushed him. After taking the long route they made their way home, entering the house quietly to avoid waking their roommate.

“Andrew, that was truly wonderful.” Luna whispered happily as she closed the door behind them. “Thank you.”

“I’ve definitely had worse first dates.” He teased quietly before smiling and nodding. “It was a lot of fun.”

“We should get some sleep though. I’m surprised you’ve lasted this long to be perfectly honest.”

As if to confirm her words Andrew covered his mouth as he yawned, nodding his agreement.

“Yeah I need to be horizontal in like two minutes.”

The couple slowly climbed the stairs, trying their best to be quiet as the steps creaked. When they got to Luna’s room they both stopped, looking at each other.

“Today has been absolutely insane.” Andrew said, his hand sliding on Lunas neck as she leaned on him. “But amazing too. It’s going to take a while to get used to everything but… I’m so glad to have you here with me.”

“Always” Luna said simply, leaning up to give Andrew a kiss, which he returned after a barely noticeable hesitation. “Now we both need our sleep.”

Andrew nodded and took a step back, looking from her too his door, then back to Luna. She cocked an eyebrow, a mischievous smile on her lips.

“Now Andrew, what happened to taking it slow and needing to adjust to me being a pony?” She asked, poking his stomach. “I thought you had more honor than that, trying to take advantage of a princess.”

“I- I wasn’t –“Andrew stammered before frowning as Luna giggled. “Ha Ha very funny Luna. I wasn’t suggesting… that specifically. I told you I was a cuddler.”

Andrew rubbed the back of his head, blushing in the dark hallway. Luna smiled, blushing as well.

“As tempting as it may be, we should stick with our plan to take it slow.” Luna, clearly conflicted.

“It’s okay Luna, it is up to you.” Andrew assured her, leaning down and kissing her cheek before taking a step back. “Goodnight Luna.”

“Goodnight Andrew, I will see you tomorrow.”

Andrew nodded and watched as Luna turned and entered her room, shutting the door behind her. He shook his head, a smile on his lips as he headed to his own bedroom, shutting the door behind him. The hall way was silent for a long moment, save for the muted sound of the grandfather clock at the base of the stairs. After a few minutes had past however Luna’s door cracked open, and the navy blue Alicorn looked up and down the hall before creeping to Andrew’s door, slipping inside without a sound.

The Human Condition

by Gilded Tome

Impact: 1

Cost: 2

Boredom: 3

Arrival: 4

Autumn: 5

Examination: 6

Healing: 7

Goodbye: 8

Hello: 9

Apology: 10

Dream: 11

Revelations: 12

Drained: 13

Eve: 14

Worry: 15

Magic: 16

Intuitive: 17

Progress: 18

Risk: 19

Reward: 20

Lost: 21

Storm: 22

Terror: 23

Element: 24

Punishment: 25

Questions: 26

Marula: 27

Awake: 28

Travel: 29

Harmony: 30

Moments: 31

Always: 32