> Broken Family, Healed Family
>  by Amos Anon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1: The Portal (rewrite Updated June 14th 2021)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ten minutes. That’s all the time we had left. The countdown on our phones could be clearly heard over the din of the ongoing war outside.  

	How did it come to this?

My dad, Otto, pulled us all close, the sound of planes screaming by overhead barely drowning out the air-raid sirens and intermittent smattering of gunshots.

“I love you.” Panara, my mom, leaned against Otto, and placed her head on his shoulder. The rest of us waited in the dark, the coldness of the concrete basement which we were currently residing in seeping into our bodies, causing us to shiver.

There was a pause.

Of all the places we could be on this day, it just had to be my place.

A distant explosion shook the earth, causing dust to shower down on us from the vintage joists above. I watched as a picture frame slowly teetered back and forth, then back, and then forward… until it slowly keeled over, falling from the shelf. I winced in anticipation of it hitting the floor, but was blissfully saved that unpleasantness by the hand of my eldest brother, Maelstrom, who caught the picture, and glanced at it before placing it back on the shelf face down.

“Well,” stated my other brother, Percy. “I guess if there’s anything anyone wants to say before… well, you know, I guess now is the time to say it.” He hesitated, and then took a deep breath. “Since I suggested it, I guess I’ll go first.” He turned to us, and regarded us in turn. “I haven’t always been the happiest person, and I’ll admit I can be abrasive and opinionated, but I just wanted to say that I care for all of you; I love you all very deeply. And Mom and Dad?” He looked into their eyes directly. “Thank you. For everything. You raised us all to be the best we can be, and I couldn’t have asked for better parents.”

A tear rolled down my cheek, and I sniffled. “That’s exactly what I was going to say.”

Other quiet sobs and murmurs of agreement echoed around the room, periodically interrupted by an explosion, or by the sound of a jet breaking the sound barrier.

Silence suddenly fell upon us, the explosions and gunshots petering down to nothing. The sound of fighter planes receded as they fled the area.

Seems like they’ve realized the folly of continuing to fight.I glanced down at my phone, at the countdown timer displayed, and my heart sank. Eight minutes. I tore my gaze away from the screen, only to see the rest of my family meeting my eyes, having just checked their phones as well.

I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it. “Well, here we are. Who knew that the thing that would kill us all would be the same thing to warn us about it. I never thought that technology could be so sadistic.” Nervous chuckles met my statement. “I guess I should probably say something, too. You all know the struggles we’ve faced, and the adversity that we’ve had to go through. I just wanted to say that, in the midst of my roller-coaster of a life, and during the worst parts of my many mental health breakdowns, I’m glad, and thankful that we were all there for each other. I mean, look at us now; after all this, we’re still together as a family.”

My parents blinked away tears, and motioned us to gather into a hug.


	...Lord I come, I confess, bowing here, I find my rest. 
And without you, I fall apart, you’re the one, that guides my heart…






Four minutes left.I looked up from my phone one last time. “I’m turning mine off. There’s really no point anymore.”

A chorus of agreements met my statement, and the chiming sounds of phones being switched off filled the otherwise still air. Eerie silence filled the room; Even the air sirens that had been wailing their keening song not too long ago had been turned off. It was as if humanity had realized its folly, and in the last minutes of its existence, was reflecting on its mistakes.

It was in this silence that something caught my attention. A sound, a presence that provided a backdrop to the stale air of the atmosphere. It was hard to describe, but it was somewhat similar to the sound a bubbling brook would make, only far quieter. It was only by focusing that I was able to notice it at all.

What is that? I turned to investigate and, following the sound, crept up to an old dresser that had been in the family for years. It had been my grandmother's, and had been passed down from her to my parents, and from them to my sister, Tumak. It was an old Victorian-style piece with a large mirror that had been painted over an umpteen number of times, and was currently in the process of being restored. The fact that it was in my basement was a matter of pure coincidence;
Tumak, Hawk, and their girls had been in the process of moving, and had needed a place to store the dresser, as well as the few other matching pieces of furniture, and my dwelling happened to be the most convenient place for them to be temporarily housed at. But that was before the war began…

I lovingly traced the etchings along the edge of the mirror, admiring the craftsmanship that had been somewhat marred by the many coats of paint. So much for restoring this.

“Moto? What are you doing?”

I held a finger to my lips. “Everyone, stay quiet for a minute…” Oppressive silence once again fell on the room, but then… “Do you hear that?” In the absence of any sound, the bubbling brook once again made itself known. I crept along the frame of the mirror in the dresser, inspecting the chipped paint.

It was then that my youngest brother, Ixisten, spoke up. “Are you sure it isn’t just a burst pipe somewhere?”

I shook my head. “I don’t think so. I think it’s… coming from here.” I gestured to the mirror, accidentally brushing my finger along the glass surface, only… Instead of my finger tapping the mirror and leaving an unsightly fingerprint, the surface…

Rippled? 

...What in the world???

“Are you all seeing this, too?” I tentatively sank my hand into the mirror up to my wrist, and then pulled it back out again. The surface clung to my skin, almost as if wanting to pull me back in again. The surface tension of the mirror snapped away from my hand, reforming itself into its former state. I inspected my hand, rotating it back and forth, and opening and closing my fingers before looking back up at my family. I laughed, somewhat maniacally. “I’m dreaming. Yep, that’s it. The stress has finally got to me, and I’m hallucinating.”

“Well, if you’re hallucinating, then we must all be having the same hallucination, because I’m seeing it, too.” Karra, my eldest sister, grabbed my hand, examining it for herself as the rest of the family gathered around the old piece of furniture. “I don’t see any damage. Do you feel any pain?”

I shook my head no, and gestured to the dresser. “What do you think it is?”

No one answered immediately, but the same thought ran through all our minds;

What if this is our way out of here?  We’d all seen Stargate, after all.

Percy, Ixisten, Maelstrom and I glanced between each other, and by unspoken agreement, we all came to the same conclusion.

“Let’s go through.”

Tumak, my older sister, gasped, and backed away from the dresser. “Are you insane? What if there’s nothing there? What if we just end up back in this same room? What if we end up somewhere there’s no air? We don’t know if we’ll die in there.”

“Maybe so,” I answered, “but we know that we’ll die for sure if we stay here, so why not take the one-in-a-million chance that we might survive over the 100% chance that we’ll die?”

Tumak frowned. “But if we stay here, we die quickly with minimal pain. What if we end up somewhere where we die slowly, and with a lot of suffering? Do you really want to subject our kids to that possibility?”

Hawk, her husband, placed his hand on her shoulder. “I think we should go.” When he saw her look of incredulity, he raised his hands in a placating manner. “Look, I don’t like it any more than you do, but don’t we at least owe it to the next generation to try? Yeah, there might be suffering on the other side of that thing, but at least there’s a chance of survival. Isn’t that worth the risk?”

Tumak breathed a heavy sigh, then turned and ran her hands through her hair in frustration. She looked down at their two girls, and bit her lip.

“I still don’t like this. I don’t think this is the right decision to make, but if you’re all sure this is the best thing to do, then I’d rather we all do it together. At least if we suffer, then we’ll suffer as a family.”

Otto pushed his way to the portal, and put his hand through. After pulling his hand back out and examining it closely, he turned to the rest of us.

“Okay, so we’re all sure we want to go through?”

Steely gazes and determined nods met his question.

“Okay, then if we’re doing this, then the youngest go first. We don’t know how much time we have left, so let’s move!”

We scrambled to usher everyone through, the children going first. I swallowed a lump as I saw them crawl through the mirror, their small bodies disappearing in a flash of light.

I sure hope we didn’t just send them to their deaths.

Next was Mom and Dad.

Come on, come on!

Then the spouses.

My sisters next.

Maelstrom and Percy disappeared, leaving just Ixisten and I.

“Moto... What do you think our chances of survival are?”

I shook my head. “I don't know, man. Either way, this is our only chance. Just go. If we survive, we’ll talk about it.”

He nodded, then dove through the mirror, myself following suit.





The sight that greeted my eyes upon being unceremoniously ejected from the portal was one of confusion. 

A lavender horse was staring at me in disbelief.

Wait… Are those wings? And a horn? I stared at the vaguely familiar form, and she stared at me. I reached out a hand.

“Close the portal, there’s a…” 

That was all I could get out before my world went black.
> Chapter 2: Strange Meetings (edited June 14th 2021)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I stirred, and opened my eyes, watching as a pastel, light purple blob in front of me slowly gained focus.
"He's coming to! Check the others, and see if they're okay!"
I reached out my hand, only it felt... wrong. My whole body felt wrong, but my focus was elsewhere. 
"Close the portal. There's something coming..."
"Oh, good, you're okay. It seems everyone else was just knocked out."
"No, you don't understand..." I blinked as my vision suddenly cleared.
For the first time in years, I found myself speechless. 
Is that who I think it is? But it couldn’t be. That world was fictional; A figment of my imagination. Heck, even the voice actors weren’t alive anymore.
“What is this? Twilight, are you sure you calibrated the portal correctly?”
My eyes snapped over to the speaker.
Starswirl?
“I’m sure of It! These ponies came out of nowhere!” the lavender alicorn snapped back. 
I heard a loud POP, and looked behind me to see a very familiar mirror with what looked like an assortment of wires, electrodes, and tubes hooked up to a book. 
Ah. The portal to Canterlot High. A line of smoke began pouring from the top of the mirror, a few sparks flying out of the infernal contraption before a bright flash lit the room and the slight shimmering in the mirror faded.
Looks like that problem sorted itself out.
“Well, isn’t that just wonderful? Now we have to fix the blasted portal!”
“Hey! It wasn’t my idea to recalibrate the geodes so as to open a portal to another dimension other than Canterlot High!”
“Well I'M the one who originally built this mirror, but it was YOU who tampered with It!”
I raised a hoof to intercede in their argument…
Wait… a hoof?
Twilight stamped the ground with a forehoof.
“Yeah? Well I made it better! Who sets a portal to only open for 3 days every 30 moons?”
I examined myself slowly, twisting around to view my body more clearly. 
Uh, okay… I must officially be dead. 
As the argument continued behind me, I took in the sight of my chestnut colored mane and tail with a lighter brown streak in it, and my white coat slightly tinged with grey. I also had wings. That's interesting.
Starswirl rounded on Twilight;
“I did that so that the portal would stay stable for generations! And now it’s broken because YOU tampered with It!”
Oh, now this was a surprise. My cutie mark was the same as my OC on YouTube. In fact, apart from the missing motorcycle gear, my body was exactly the same.
Well now. I looked up and surveyed the room. Dad, Mom, Karra, Eren, Maelstrom, Anima, Ente, Hawk, Percy, Ixisten, Blaze, Chwerth, Vivid, Grove and Tumak. Looks like we all made it. I seem to be the only one awake. And we're all ponies... We're all ponies. We. Are. All. Ponies.
Initiate freakout in... 3. 2. 1...
"I am a pony. They are ponies. Everyone is ponies. Except for Spike. Oh, hey Spike. Oh, and you're here, too, Starlight. How delightful. Please tell me this is a dream and we're not in pastel ponyland, because if we aren't, then I'm clearly going nuts. Am I going nuts?" I turned to Spike and Starlight, who were staring at me with worried looks. "We come in peace."
Spike knelt next to me, and placed a claw on my forehead. "Hey, dude. You've been through a lot. Let's just check your temperature to make sure you're okay." His hand on my forehead felt hot, as if magma itself were coursing through his veins, to be radiated through his thick hide like a warm furnace. It was oddly comforting, and calmed my nerves.
I breathed deeply in, and then out. Existential crisis can wait
"Hey, Spike? I think I'm okay now. I was just freaking out a little."
He frowned, but nonetheless removed his claw. "You don't have a fever, at least." He glanced up at Starlight, who was still watching the fight unfold between Twilight and Starswirl.
Twilight jabbed a hoof into Starswirl's chest.
“Tampering with it was YOUR idea!”
Starswirl scoffed, and knocked Twilight’s hoof away.
“I merely suggested we expand the parameters of the modifications that you had already made!”
I sighed. When two nerds start fighting… ah who was I kidding, I’m the very definition of a nerd.
I cleared my throat. "Um, Starlight? Maybe someone should intercede?" She looked over at me with a bored expression.
"Nah. They get like this sometimes. If they come to blows, then I'll hop in." I raised an eyebrow. "What? This is pure entertainment. They're like an old married couple." I glared at her. "Alright, fine."
Starlight cleared her throat. “Hello!" Still no response. “Caw Caw! Caw Caw! Rrrrrrriiiiiicolaaaa!!!" 
Really, that didn’t get their attention? 
“HEY, LOVEBIRDS!”
The two scientists abruptly ceased arguing, and, upon realizing what Starlight had said, shuffled away from each other with looks of disgust on their faces.
Gotta admire her gumption. It got their attention, at least. 
“Can you two maybe discuss this later? Right now we've got 15 unconscious ponies on the floor of the library, and they could wake up any minute. How do you think they’re going to react when they realize they’re in a different dimension?”
Otto- or who I assumed was Otto anyways, Kinda hard to know who's who with these new bodies.  stirred, and mumbled something.
Twilight froze.
“...Different dimen…? Ohmygosh I’m so sorry!” She quickly rushed over to me, Starswirl following her at a slower pace. "Are you okay? Where are you from? Do you have any injuries? What does your cutie mark mean? WHERE’S MY QUILL AND PARCHMENT???”
I winced from the sudden onslaught of questions. Seeing my distress, Starlight laid a hoof on Twilight's shoulder, effectively silencing her.
"Twilight. Chill. How about you and Spike see to getting everyone to the hospital while Starswirl and I have a little chat with..." She looked at me questioningly.
"Uh, Motodrop. Or just Moto, but I'd like to stay with my..."
Starlight raised a hoof. "Don't worry about them, they'll be fine."
"But I..."
She placed her hoof on my shoulder. "They'll. Be. Fine. We have some of the finest doctors and nurses in Equestria right here in Ponyville, and three of the strongest magic users in the nation are in this room. If anything were to happen at all, I think we'd be covered, and besides," she removed her hoof, and began to walk to the door, "this won't take long, and then you can go back to your friends."
"Family.", I corrected.
She paused, but quickly nodded. "Right. Family."
I sighed nervously. “Okay, I’ll answer any questions you might have.”
Starlight studied me for a moment, and then nodded. With a gesture with her head, she indicated that Starswirl and I follow her to an adjoining room off of the library.
"Wait, can't we talk here?"
Without breaking stride, Starlight looked over at Starswirl, who until this point, hadn't said anything to me. 
"We just need you away from any distractions. We need you focused."
My suspicions immediately shot up, but since I'd been a brony for quite a while back on Earth, I felt like I knew Starlight and Starswirl well enough to know that they wouldn't try any funny business with me.
They're probably just worried about their safety, I reasoned.
I hesitantly nodded, and attempted to stand, only to stumble.
"Um... a little help? I'm not exactly used to four hooves."
Starlight blinked, but lit up her horn, and carried me along like a sack of flour in her magic.
Well... this isn't humiliating at all. 
As I was carried into what looked to be a study, I looked back at my family laying in the Castle library, and swallowed a lump. My view of them was blocked off as Starswirl closed the door behind us with magic.
I glanced around the room. It was, in a word, messy; piles of paper covered the single desk, with stacks of books piled in every conceivable empty space available. Writing utensils seemed to have been placed wherever convenient, and the only empty space on the floor was occupied with three cushions. 
“You'll have to excuse the state of this room. It’s been a long week of research, and I haven’t had time to clean up this chamber.”
I raised an eyebrow at Starswirl.
“Is that why you and Twilight Sparkle were arguing earlier?”
He chuckled.
“I suppose lack of sleep would cause anypony to lose patience with those they care about." Starlight snorted, and Starswirl momentarily glared at her, but continued. "She has such a brain, that child does. It’s a shame she doesn’t fully utilize it.” I wasn't sure if Starswirl was talking about Twilight or Starlight, but I wasn't about to get in the middle of it; The tension in the room was palpable.
The aged stallion shook his head ruefully, and sat down on one of the cushions. He motioned for me to take the other one, which I did awkwardly. Starlight elected to stay standing.
“But enough about that. For now, I wish to hear about you; where are you from?”
I answered as honestly as possible;
“A planet called Earth. The country of Canada, to be specific.”
The bearded unicorn summoned a quill and notepad from within the messy confines of the room, and began to take notes. Starlight did the same, though she stared at me with far more suspicion than Starswirl did.
It creeped me out.
Wait a second, are they trying to do good cop/ bad cop? 
“…And how did you and your family find yourselves to be here?”
“Um, do you want the long version, or the short version?”
“For now, the short version. We can get into details at a later time.”
I raised a shoulder in a half-shrug.
“Simply put, we needed an escape from certain death, and I happened to find the portal in the mirror of an old dresser. We took a chance, and next thing I knew, I stepped out of the portal here at Twilight’s castle.” I shuddered at how close we'd come to destruction, but quickly pushed that thought into the back of my mind.
“I see.”
There was an awkward moment where the only sound that could be heard was the scratching of the quill. Something seemed to occur to Starswirl, and he stopped writing, tapping the feathers of the quill against his mouth in thought. “Does this… Earth have some form of Equestrian history? You seem to be somewhat acquainted with this castle.”
I frowned.
"What he means," Interrupted Starlight, "is how did you know who Spike and I were?" She glared at me, her horn alight with prepared magic.
I gulped. How do I answer that in a way they'll understand? And in a way that doesn't make me look like a creep? “In a way, I guess we did have an historical archive of recent events with Twilight Sparkle and her friends. Not too many people from my world took the time to… investigate them as it was seen as a lower form of entertainment.”
Starswirl hummed, the quill dancing across the notebook, while Starlight merely stared at me.
Seriously, that's creeping me out.
“Fascinating.”
“Starswirl? Starswirl!” The door cracked open, and Twilight stuck her head in. "I teleported our guests to the hospital. They were starting to show signs of waking up when I left..."
She trailed off as she took in the situation. 
"Um, is this a bad time?"
I made eye contact with Twilight with a silent plea. Please save me from these mad ponies!
Twilight blinked, and broke eye contact.
Coward.
Starlight extinguished her horn, and reluctantly plopped her rump down on the one remaining cushion.
"No, it's okay Twilight. Go ahead."     
Twilight took another moment to take in the situation, but seemed to put it out of her mind. "I sent a dragonfire letter to Princess Celestia; We're going to need her help if we’re going to get that portal fixed and send our guests back home.”
I winced. 
“Um… about that…” All three equines gave me their full attention as I continued; “The mirror that we were sent through was most likely… actually I’m 99% sure it was destroyed. Actually, come to think of it, that may be why the portal fizzled out on this end."
Starswirl scoffed.
“That is of no consequence. We shall simply open a portal to another receptacle once our portal is mended."
Twilight nodded her head in agreement to this, but I ran my hoof through my mane in exasperation;
“No, I don't think you understand… there ARE no more suitable receptacles, and even if there were, the moment we’d step foot in that world, we’d die from radiation poisoning anyways.” I dropped my hoof down to the floor in finality. “I don't think there's any way to go back.”
Starswirl and Twilight exchanged puzzled looks.
“Radiation poisoning?” 
I sighed. How do I explain that? “Well…”
I was interrupted by a familiar voice;
"Um, Twilight?" Spike popped his head in the door to the study. "I got a message from Celestia, and..."
He trailed off as he took in the situation. 
"Um, is this a bad time?"
I made eye contact with Spike with a silent plea. Come on, man. Be a bro!
Spike blinked, and broke eye contact.
Coward.
Starlight sighed. "No, Spike, I think we're done here anyways."
"Oh! Well, Celestia said that she trusts you to handle the situation yourself, and that she has complete faith in you."
Pfft, why am I not surprised?
"She also said that you need to learn to clean up your own messes."
Twilight blushed, and Starswirl groaned.
"That's the first time I've ever been scolded by my own student."
Starlight suddenly stood, causing everyone in the room to flinch. "Well, if that's everything, I think Motodrop here wants to go back to his family."
I nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, please."





We appeared in the hospital lobby with a flash of bright, purple magic. Smoke poured off my singed wings and fur, and I coughed out some sparkles.
"A little warning next time?"
Twilight winced, while Spike and Starlight flopped over, laughing hysterically.
Very funny.
Starswirl rolled his eyes, and walked up to the front desk, where a crabby-looking nurse was doing a crossword puzzle.
"Excuse me, but earlier a number of unconscious ponies were brought in..."
The nurse pointed down the hallway to her left. "Rooms A10 through A13. Five beds to a room."
"Oh, well, thank you, ma'am."
"Sure."
I raised an eyebrow at Starlight. "Finest doctors and nurses in Equestria, eh?"
Starlight ignored me, instead following Starswirl and Twilight toward the rooms indicated. I did my best to follow, but yet again ended up flat on my face. I scrambled back up to my feet, er hooves, and quickly looked around to see if anyone had seen my little blunder. The nurse was staring right at me, with one eyebrow raised.
"Heh, I'm still learning how to use these."
She blinked, but shook her head and looked back down at her crossword.
I'm going to have to have a talk with whoever is in charge here. That's just unprofessional. Then again, this IS what universal healthcare looks like.
I snorted humorlessly, and then began to put one hoof in front of the other, slowly making my way to the first of the indicated rooms, where my escorts were already waiting for me.
"Hey, thanks for the help, much appreciated.", I snarked.
"Well, you're going to have to learn how to use those hooves at some point, might as well start now.", snarked Starlight right back.
"...WHAT THE (CENSORED SWEARWORD)?!?" Suddenly filtered its way through the door to the hospital room we were all standing at, causing most of us to flinch.
Well… that’s the first time I’ve ever heard Otto explicitly swear.
I smiled sheepishly.  “I… should probably go explain what’s going on.” The two equines nodded dumbly, following me into hospital room A10 with shocked looks on their muzzles.
Guess swearing isn’t something they usually hear in Equestria. Well, that'll suit my family just fine, seeing as we rarely swear anyways I slowly stumbled my way over to Otto's bedside. 
“Dad? Dad, it’s okay.” The sight that met my eyes would have been comical if not for the look of terror on Otto's face.
There was my father, staring down at his slate-grey fur, dark brown mane and tail with subtle black highlights, and his cutie mark; A simplified eagle overlaid on the shape of a shield. He looked up at me, trembling, and squinted.
“A horse…? A horse that talks?”
No wings or horn...an earth pony. Makes sense I guess. “Pony, actually.” I kneeled down on my front legs and nuzzled him. “It’s me, Dad. Motodrop.”
He frowned in confusion.
“Moto? But…” he looked around the library, observing the ponified versions of the other members of our family in the other beds, until his eyes settled on the lavender alicorn and the aged wizard who had followed me into the room.. “Who are they?”
Twilight spread her wings regally, holding her head high.
“I am the princess of friendship, Twilight Sparkle. It is my honor to welcome you to Equestria, Mr…?”
“Um... Otto..."
“Welcome to Equestria, Otto.” Twilight then took hold of my father's hoof, and shook it excitedly.
How do they grasp things with their hooves like that? 
“And I am known as Starswirl the Bearded.” The old unicorn bowed respectfully. “After having spoken with this young stallion…” he pointed at me. “… I understand you probably have questions, and they shall be answered in due time. For now, however, perhaps it would be best if you spent some time with your son.”
Otto slowly turned to look at me.
“Moto... I'm dead, aren't I?”
“Uhh, no. No, I don't think we are, Dad."
“Son, you got some ‘splaining to do.”
I rubbed the back of my head with my hoof, and whispered back;
“Remember when I said I liked watching My Little Pony?... Yeaaah…”
> Chapter 3: Clinical Musings (Edited June 14th, 2021)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“So basically, that show you used to watch before the war...”
“My Little Pony.”
“Right. That one. It's... somehow become reality, and we’re all stuck in this world called... Equestria?”
I nodded. “Pretty much.”
“And this tattoo thingy on my rear end is a... Cutie mark?” My older brother, Percy, tilted his head, an eyebrow raised skeptically. “...And this cutie mark represents my special talent... basically what I’m good at?”
“There’s a little more to it, but basically, yes.”
“Huh.” Percy laid in a bed in Ponyville Hospital, where he’d recently woken up after my entire family had been moved there; Some more conscious than others. He was the last to awake, and so I took it upon myself to explain our little... situation. “You know, if I wasn’t currently looking at my own body, which happens to be a horse...”
“Pony.”
“Whatever. A PONY with red fur and a freaking brown curly mane, I’d recommend you for phsychiatric evaluation.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” I was smirking. Man, how I’ve missed these fun little conversations over the last year.	
“Hey, can you blame me?” Percy smirked back. “You’d do the same if we’d ended up in one of my favorite anime worlds.”
Touche “Touche.” We chuckled together for a bit, before awkward silence once again reigned.
“So... What now?”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Well...” Percy raised a hoof to gesture at the room. “A few hours ago, we were all prepared to die. Well, we survived, and now we’re all in this place.”
“And...?”
“So now what? Where are we going to live? How are we going to eat? How does the economy work here?” He dropped his hoof back on his bed. “Moto, we very well might still die in this place. Sure, we escaped instant death, but now we might be facing a slow death by starvation. We have no jobs, no food, no way to support ourselves. We jumped out of the proverbial kettle and into the frying pan.”
I considered this, silently regarding my wings. “Percy, If I know anything about Equestria, it’s that it’s one of the friendliest, most helpful countries on this planet. I highly doubt we’ll starve here. As for accommodation and the economy, I’m sure Princess Twilight and her friends will be more than happy to help us get on our feet as soon as possible.” I shuffled my wings into a more comfortable position, and sat down on one of the provided chairs by my older brother’s bed. “There’s an entire castle on the edge of Ponyville... Don’t say a word, yes it’s a dumb name for a town...” I ignored my kin’s smirk. “That castle is a lot larger than it looks; It could probably house an army, let alone a family of sixteen. As for jobs... I’ve been meaning to speak to Twilight about it, but there’s a farm here in town. It may be a little more primitive than what we’re used to, not to mention the ridiculous thing that is applebucking.”
“Applebucking...?”
“...You’ll see... Anyways, my point is that if we play our cards right, I’m hoping that we might be able to help out at Sweet Apple Acres in exchange for some bits... Oh, yeah, bits are this country’s currency.”
“Like Bitcoin?”
“Ha. Funny. Yeah... No. They don’t have computers here, so guess what? That means no more anime, videogames, Google, Fanfiction... Manga...” I laughed at Percy’s outward groan. “Oh, you’ll get over it, you big baby. So no. Not like bitcoin.”
After recovering from that particular revelation, Percy rubbed his forehead.
“Darn headache. That portal really did a number on me.”
I rubbed my own head sympathetically.
“Yeah. I still feel a little nauseous.” 
“So... When are we going to be discharged?”
I looked around the room, hoping that maybe a doctor or nurse would be nearby.
“I’m... not sure. You’re the last one awake. I’ve already been checked over and cleared to leave, so...”
At that moment, a white earth pony with a pink mane and a red cross for a cutie mark stepped into the room.
The waifu of many has arrived. I chuckled, ignoring the frown from the nurse.
“Ah, you’re awake Mr...?”
“Percy.” My brother regarded my merriment with confusion, much to my own amusement, which only added fuel to the fire. He leaned over and whispered; “What’s so funny?”
“I’ll tell you when you’re older.” At this I began to laugh out loud, though I tried to stifle it with a forehoof.
“I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to leave, Mr. Motodrop. I need to run a few tests before I can clear your relative to leave the hospital, and we require some privacy.”
I nodded, still chuckling to myself.
“Is there some joke that I missed?”
“I have no idea. He gets like this sometimes.”
I closed the door to the room behind me, still chuckling, and made my way down to the main waiting area where the rest of my family, along with Twilight and Spike sat, in the chairs that had been provided for them. Busy day at Ponyville Hospital, it would seem.
As soon as I entered into the room, my parents stood, or at least, they tried to stand before tripping over their own hooves and nearly crashing into the floor.
“Blinkin’ hooves! This is nearly impossible!” Otto managed to scramble up first before helping Panara to her feet... I mean hooves.
Ugh, 25 years of saying it one way, and now I have to try to learn it another. I can only imagine how Mom and Dad must be coping with this.  “He’s awake. I’ve already informed him of what’s going on. He took it a little better than most of you did.” I trotted over to where the rest of my family was currently trying to gain basic control over their motor functions. Amusingly, it was the younger ones who’d figured it out the quickest, and even little Vivid was now running around with her cousins and sibling.
That horn of hers is going to get her into trouble sooner or later, mark my words. I shuddered. That little terror with magic? Well, she seems happy enough for now anyways. Unlike a certain brother of hers.
Young Blaze was sitting with his parents. He seemed... dejected? No... maybe a little more embarrassed... angry, even. Or perhaps a little of all of them. I made a mental note to speak with him later. For now, though, my folks were in need of answers.
“How soon do you think he’ll be discharged?” Panara implored me.
“Well, when I left, nurse Redheart was just about to run some tests on him, so it shouldn’t be too much longer. Based on how soon our results came back, and assuming all goes well, I would assume that he’ll probably be discharged in the next hour or so.”
My whole family breathed a sigh of relief at this. We were all ready to leave the sterile confines and clinical atmosphere of the hospital.
Spike grinned. "I'm just happy you're all okay. You're some of the few that have survived a Twilight experiment."
I burst out into laughter as Twilight swatted Spike over the back of his head, eliciting a yelp. Unfortunately, her ire was turned on me with a very pointed glare.
Oh. Was I the only one laughing?
"Anyways, we haven’t really had time to get acquainted yet, but maybe we should wait until the final member of your family joins us.” 
We all agreed, and settled down to wait. I glanced over at my nephew. 
I should really talk to him. I moved over to Maelstrom, and sat in the empty seat between him and Blaze.
"Hey, Blaze, what's going on, man?" 
Blaze just glared at me, and turned away awkwardly.
I looked questioningly at Maelstrom, who glanced over at his son before turning his attention to me.
"Is he okay?", I whispered.
Maelstrom shook his head. "I don't know what's going on, but he won't open up to us no matter what we say. Personally, I think he's too embarrassed to talk about whatever's bugging him."
I hummed, and considered my nephew. "Um, I'm not going to try to tell you how to raise your son, but I do know more about this world than any of us, so maybe I can help him with whatever he's dealing with? I don't know if it'll make any difference, but I can try, maybe."
Maelstrom shrugged. "Maybe it'll work. I know that sometimes going to your parents with... issues can be too embarrassing. Might be a good idea."   
I nodded. “I’ll do my best.” I turned to Blaze, and quietly got his attention. "Hey, can we talk?"
He just glared at me. "I don't want to talk about it."
I lowered my voice. "Is it because of where we are? You're worried about everyone else overhearing?"
His eyes darted around the room, and he gave an almost imperceptible nod.
"Do you want to speak in private?"
He nodded again, this time more firmly.
I turned to Maelstrom. "Hey, can I take Blaze somewhere more private to speak?"
Maelstrom nodded.
I stood from the bench with only minor difficulty, and Blaze hopped down beside me. Together we made our way to an empty section of the waiting room, and sat down on a secluded bench.
"Alright, so what's up?"
Blaze glanced around the room one more time before answering; "Um, this is going to sound weird, but... everyone is naked."
Say what?... Oh. OH! I paused. "Huh. You know, I never really thought about it, but I guess we are. Weird."
Blaze raised his voice a touch. "How is no one embarrassed about it? Like, you didn't even notice?"
I placed my hoof under my chin in thought. "I guess we've been so busy with everything that the thought hadn't really crossed our minds. That, and we have fur, so I never really felt like I was undressed."
The little earth pony blushed. "But I can see everyone's junk."
Oh. Right. "Umm, well, does it really bother you that much?"
"Not really, but the fact that I'm not bothered about it bothers me! It's just so unnatural."
I tilted my head. "Um, I'm not really the one to talk about pony physiology, but is it really so unnatural?"
It was Blaze's turn to tilt his head in confusion. "What? But we're naked! I can just stare at a lady's parts all day if I wanted to. What's stopping me from doing that?"
My gaze turned serious then. "Do you consider yourself a man, Blaze?"
"Uh, yeah?"
I snorted. "Well, then, do you know what the mark of a true man is?"
He blinked. "Uh, no?"
I turned to him, with seriousness etched onto my muzzle. "The mark of a true man is in knowing that they could do something, but choosing not to, because they know that it would be wrong. A true man knows the meaning of restraint, and self-discipline."
Blaze frowned. "So what you're saying is that the only thing stopping me from looking at other ponies' junk is restraint?"
I shook my head. "No, restraint is born of something much more important than that. Restraint and self-discipline come from respect; Respect for the opposite sex, respect for your peers, respect for your parents, and respect for yourself." I shifted in my seat. "It's important to not mix up self-esteem and self-respect. Self-esteem is about making yourself look good in your own eyes. Self-respect is about being able to look in the mirror and know that you did all you could to do the right thing. Self-Esteem is about elevating your opinion of yourself, self-respect is about elevating yourself to your opinion."
Blaze leaned back in his seat, his brows furrowed. "So how am I supposed to never look at... THAT when it's everywhere?"
I chuckled. "You won't be able to avoid it altogether. I accidentally caught a peek at a few today myself. But you're missing the point; it's not about never seeing it, it's about knowing what to do when you do accidentally see it, and avoiding it the rest of the time." I tapped my head with a forehoof. "It's all in here. You need to train yourself to not dwell on it when you do accidentally see it. Let it slip from your mind. It's the same with women on Earth. We could spend all day staring at a woman's derriere, or her breasts, but what good would that do us? Any self-respecting man is able to not dwell on it. Otherwise we'd be walking around with stiffies all day."
Blaze chuckled. "Yeah, and with us being horses, that might be a little harder to hide." We both laughed at that. "But seriously... why ponies?"
I laughed. "What, are ponies not manly enough for you?"
"Well, I mean... they are kinda cute and cuddly, and I know that for you, being the way that you are, that's fine and all..."
I froze. "What do you mean by 'the way you are', Blaze?"
He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Well, I mean you're into that kinda girly gay stuff, right?"
I squinted at him. "Blaze, do you think I'm gay?"
He blinked. "You're not?"
My mouth dropped open, dumbfounded. "No, of course not! I've been straight all my life." I shook my head. "Why would you think that?"
He shrugged. "Well, you like shows about ponies, and you kinda act weird when you watch it, so I just assumed..."
"... What does that have to do with my sexual orientation?"
Blaze shrugged again, not really committing to an answer.
I sighed. "Okay. Yes, I liked watching MLP. And yeah, it definitely was not aimed for my age or sex demographic, but so what?"
He raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
I smiled gently. "I liked the show because I felt a connection with the characters. They reminded me of myself in many ways, and I understood many of their struggles. Why would that have any bearing on my sexual orientation? I liked the show because it's what I liked. Nothing more, nothing less." My smile relaxed somewhat. "You know, there used to be a lot of bronies that wished they could go to Equestria and start a life there, and I'll admit I always would have enjoyed a visit here, but I never wanted to leave Earth permanently. Do you know why that is, Blaze?"
He shook his head.
"It's because my family was there. Why would I ever want to leave the people I love for a fantasy? If I couldn't take my family with me, then it would be pointless. Do you know why I now consider Equestria my home? It's because it's where my family is. The fact that we happen to be in pastel ponyland is just secondary."
Blaze snorted. "Ha, 'pastel ponyland'. It sounds like a bad theme-park." 
I laughed out loud at that. "Heh, you're right about that. But seriously, Blaze, are we cool now?"
He nodded. "Yeah, we're cool."
"It's okay to think that my interests are weird, but don't ever assume something about someone just because of what they like, okay?"
He nodded, and together we hopped off the bench, and shared a hoofbump. As Blaze wandered back to his parents, I couldn't help but wonder...
How many other people think that way about me?
> Chapter 4: Applebucking... Is a lot harder than it looks (edited June 15th, 2021)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

THUMP!

“OW! WHY DOESN’T THIS WORK?!?” I stifled a laugh at my brother’s expense.
Well, now he knows what applebucking is.

“Ya gotta find the sweet spot.” Applejack, who was teaching a group of us how to applebuck, turned her back to one of the apple trees situated at Sweet Apple Acres, and kicked up her rear legs, delivering a powerful kick to the intended tree. Apples rained down from the tree, and Applebloom- Applejack’s younger sister- quickly darted around with a basket on her head, catching the falling apples with expert precision.

It had been a few days since our sudden exodus from Earth, and after having spoken to Twilight about getting us jobs during our stay in Ponyville, I suggested that perhaps we could help out at Sweet Apple Acres in return for food and lodging. Our family was not one for burdening someone- Monarch or otherwise- without some way of paying said person back, and Twilight agreed to speak with Applejack about it. Needless to say, Applejack had agreed, and all of us had congregated at the farm to help with the fall harvest in any way we could.

“I hate to break it to you, Applejack.” Otto spoke, gesturing to the tree. “But as much as we want to help, I don’t think we can all do that.”

Applejack wiped sweat from her brow, and turned to face my father.

“That’s quite alright, sir. Ah know some ‘o’ y’all might not be able to applebuck, but y’all were farmin’ folk in your world at one point or another, so ah know y’all will be able to find something around here worth doin’.” She smiled, and re-adjusted her hat before lining up for another tree. “The reason ah’m showin’ ya this is so that everyone knows everythin’ that goes on at this here farm so that everyone’s on the same page.” She swiftly delivered another kick, and Applebloom once again darted into action.

Yeah, that makes sense. If everyone knows what everyone is supposed to do, it makes it easier to predict what needs to be done, therefore helping the farm run smoother. I wish some of my employers had done that back on earth... Memories of that place flooded in, and anger threatened to overtake my consciousness, but I pushed it down. Focus, Moto. There will be time for that later.

“Now, I know some of y’all won’t be able to do this, and that’s fine, but maybe by watching mah sister and mahself, ya can see our teamwork. If any ya wanna give catchin’ a shot, you can grab any 'o' the empty buckets layin’ hereabout and give it a whirl; Some of ya might be better at doin’ that than the buckin’.” She shot a glance at Hawk and I.

... Is she implying what I think she's implying?

“Thanks for doing this, Applejack.” Maelstrom stepped forward, preparing himself to try applebucking. “You didn’t have to do this for us. Housing and feeding 16 peo... I mean ponies can’t be easy.”

Applejack smiled and waved him off.

“Well, y’all seem like decent ponies, and ah just can’t leave fellow farmin’ folk to starve. Besides...” She hugged her grinning sister closely. “Y’all remind me of mah own family in some ways. When Twilight came to me about your request for some way to earn a living, ah couldn’t turn it down. To be quite frank, It’ll be nice to have a little help durin’ this fall’s harvest... But don’t think ah’m doin’ this for free. Y’all are gonna earn your keep around here.”

Percy took another kick at a tree, and this time missed completely.

“Oof! Darn it... Applejack, We wouldn’t have it any other way. We’d hate to impose on someone without some sort of compensation. I don't think we could have felt comfortable staying at the castle for any longer.” He picked himself up from the ground, and took his stance in front of the tree again, preparing for another swing. Applejack quickly trotted over, and made some adjustments to his position before gesturing for him to continue.

Percy kicked, and was rewarded with a shower of apples, one of them bouncing off my head.

Ow.
“YES! Finally!”

“Ya have a similar build to mah brother Big Mac, so ya need to stand a little further from the tree than ah do.” My brother smiled gratefully, and lined up at another tree. “Alright. Who’s next?”

My turn. I stepped forward. “I’ll give it a shot.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow.

“You?”

“Um... yeah...?”

“Well, okay, if you’re sure.”
“I am.” I backed up to a nearby tree, and Applejack trotted over.

“Now, you pegasi don’t have as strong a build as us earth ponies, so don’t expect to get all the apples out of the tree in one go.” I merely nodded, and listened patiently as Applejack went through the instructions one more time. I’d already heard them when she’d explained to Percy, but I made sure to ask more questions. I liked to have a good understanding of something before trying to attempt it myself.

Applejack made some adjustments to my stance, and stood back.

“Alright... Whenever you’re ready, give it a shot.”

Whew... Okay... I lunged forward, lifting my hind hooves off the ground, thereby placing all my weight on my front hooves, and jerked my rear hooves toward the tree.

Needless to say, I failed miserably, and I heard a snicker from Ixisten.

“It’s alright, nopony gets it on the first try.” Applejack helped me up to my hooves, and I checked myself over for any injuries.

That hurt a lot more than I was expecting it to. I shook my head, and rubbed my sore hindquarters. “Ow.”

“You alright?”

I nodded hesitantly.

“I think so. What did I do wrong?” Applejack then went through a rather embarrassing list of all the things I’d done incorrectly, and then watched as I tried again. I actually connected the second time, though I only managed to drop about a quarter of the apples from the tree.

“It seems you pretty well got it figured out. You keep on practicin’. Ah’m gonna go and help some of your kin learn how to do this.” She began to trot away, but stopped and yelled over her shoulder: “Don’t overdo it, alright? If ya start hurtin’, ah’d prefer it if ya stopped before ya go an’ injure yourself.” I waved, and lined up with the tree once more.

This is a lot harder than it looked on the show.

The morning passed with all of us trying our han... I mean hooves at applebucking, with varying levels of success. Percy, Ixisten, and Maelstrom took to it fairly easily, but I had to admit after having bucked my fourth tree that I just wasn’t physically fit enough for the strenuous task, and I contented myself- along with Hawk and Blaze- with catching the apples that fell from the trees, though with not nearly the precision of Applebloom. 
Ente held Tumak while watching over the foals with Karra, and Otto, having tried applebucking, understandibly stated that he’d only manage to hurt himself if he continued any further. He instead took up the task of collecting any apples that Hawk, Applebloom, and myself had missed, placing them in a few buckets that had been placed around the trees.

Applejack and Big Macintosh proved themselves to be formidably strong, easily clearing over double the trees that my family had, though they assured us that we would become better at it over time.
Percy and Bic Mac seemed to hit it off, and the two worked side by side, the former chatting to the big red stallion about the differences between the farms of Equestria and Earth, though Big Mac seemed content to just listen, with just the odd “eeyup” or “nope” whenever my bro asked him a question. I smiled to see the interactions between the two.

It’s good to see them getting along. I took a short break from my toil, and wiped the sweat from my brow, taking the opportunity to observe the rest of my family at work. A content smile made its way onto my muzzle. This is what home feels like.

My dad noticed my expression, and moved to stand next to me, a hoof rubbing a shoulder. “I gotta be honest. When we first ended up in this world, I thought it would take a lot longer for us to find happiness again... Especially after everything that happened.” My smile disappeared as I thought of all the relatives and friends we’d lost, a stabbing sensation disrupting the peace that had filled my heart. “It's nice, isn't it? I'll admit, I wasn't expecting us to get back on our feet... or hooves so quickly." We observed the orchard in silence for a moment, before he turned to me. "Moto... Thank you."

I blinked. "... For what?"
"For doing what you did back in the basement."
I shrugged. "I just did what any one of us would have done, had they heard what I heard."
He smiled. "That may be true, but they weren't the ones to do it, you were."
"Dad... it doesn't feel right to be accepting thanks for something that basically amounted to chance."
Otto hummed. "I suppose that's true. Still, without you around, I doubt that we'd be working on the farm here."
I snorted. "Yeah, right. It may have taken a little longer, but I guarantee you that you would have ended up here, anyways. It's just common sense, given our farming background and the way ponies are in general."
Otto smirked. "That, right there. Why do you do that to yourself? Why not just take the compliment for what it is?"
"Because I don't feel like I deserve it. I did what I did because it was right. No more, no less."
Otto patted my shoulder. "You're too hard on yourself, son. You have knowledge of this place that none of us do. Sure, it may be incomplete, but at least we're not flying completely blind here. It's because of you that we have a sense of security. Sure, we may have ended up in the same situation, but we would be without our guide in this world; someone who has knowledge of this world, but also can relate to the people he grew up with. Maybe Twibright..."
"...Twilight, Dad."
"...see? That's what I mean! Anyways, as I was saying, maybe TWILIGHT could have been our guide in this world, but she doesn't understand where we come from. She doesn't know who we are or what our world was like. She doesn't understand the horrors of war, or the sadness of watching people die that you love." Otto sat down beside me, and pulled me into a hug. "Moto, right now we need you. Not only as a guide, but as a sort of anchor. You represent hope to us, and that's more precious than any knowledge you might have. All I can say is that, as a father, I am proud of you."
I sniffled. “Thanks, Dad. I needed to hear that.” The hug continued for a while, until we sensed that the moment had passed.  We pulled apart, and Otto patted my shoulder.

"I love you, son."
I smiled. "I know. I love you, too."

“Well, it’s mighty fine seein' family like yers.” The two of us turned to see Applejack trot up. The farm mare smiled, and gestured with a hoof. “C’mon, yer kinfolk have lunch waitin’ fer us. I hope y’all don’t mind if a few guests join us.”
Otto and I turned to look at each other, and then shrugged.
"I don't mind"
"Me neither. Hey, just out of curiosity, who is it, exactly?"

“Well, a good friend ‘o’ mine happened ta be in town, so invited her along. Twilight and her friends know her, so they'll be joinin' us, too.”

“Is she someone we know?”

“I highly doubt that, sugarcube.”

“Try me.”
> Chapter 5: Ponies are Vegans?!?!?!?! (Edited June 15th, 2021)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As it turns out, I did know Applejack’s invited friend, but to say that I expected to see a famous singer- within Equestia, at least- dining with my family... That turned out to be a bit of a surprise.

“So Rara, how’ve you been?” Applejack inquired. “Ah don’t think ah’ve seen ya since ya went and fired that awful manager of yours.”

The off-white mare with the loosely curled dark blue mane lowered her cup of apple juice, and winced slightly at that particular memory. “I’ve been pretty free lately, actually. Songbird Serenade has taken the music industry by storm, so Sapphire Shores and I have taken a bit of a back seat. It’s one of the reasons why I finally had time to come and visit you.”

Applejack rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment. “Ah’m awfully sorry ta hear that.”

“Oh, don’t be.” Coloratura waved her off. “Songbird Serenade is a fantastic singer. She deserves her time in the limelight for a little while. It’ll pick up for Sapphire Shores and I pretty soon again, and besides...” She lifted her cup of apple juice, and took a sip. “...it gives me an excuse to get some quality time in with my friends.” She placed her cup down again, and glanced over at Starlight Glimmer, who'd just walked through the farmhouse door. “Although it seems that there are quite a few new faces here that I haven’t seen before. Would you mind introducing them to me?”

Applejack chuckled nervously. “Ah would, but ah don’t know everyone’s names yet. How ‘bout we go ‘round and introduce ourselves instead?” She then pointed at my youngest brother. “Why don’t you start?”

We took it in turns to introduce ourselves, and Coloratura acknowledged each of us in turn, until it was Starlight Glimmer’s turn.

“Hi everyone. I’m Starlight Glimmer. Reformed villain and former student of Twilight Sparkle.” The room went unnaturally silent at this proclamation, and I facehooved while Starlight grinned at me evilly.

Dang it, Starlight.
Rara blinked, but quickly recovered, and extended a forehoof. “It’s very nice to meet you Starlight Glimmer. 
Wow, she recovered faster than I thought she would. Gotta hand it to her, that takes some guts.
“Soup’s ready everyone!” Eren Stepped out of the kitchen, along with Panara and Granny Smith, who’d been busy with meal preparations for most of the morning.

“Now don’t y’all be comin’ in all at once, ya hear me?”

You tell em, Granny.

“Y’all strappin’ young bucks can just wait yer turn! Young ‘uns and their parents go first!”

Chatter resumed as the main six, my family, Starlight Glimmer, and Coloratura lined up with bowls in hooves to enter the kitchen. I ended up in front of Coloratura, with Otto behind her, and Panara taking up the last spot in line.

“So I hear you’re a singer here in Equestria?”

Coloratura turned to look at my father. “That’s right, although I also write music and play the piano.”

This got Ixisten’s attention, who was in front of me. “You can play the piano?”

Coloratura nodded. “I use it to help me compose my music and come up with harmonies to the melody.”	
I decided to chime in; “Uh... How do you play the piano with hooves?” Everyone looked at me in confusion. “What? I just asked the question you all were thinking.”

Ixisten blinked. “I think we all assumed that since you know so much about this world that you’d have at least some idea .”

“Just because I watched MLP doesn’t mean that I know everything.”

Coloratura tentatively lifted a hoof in confusion. “Um... Are you folks not from Equestria?”

I began to chuckle. Darling you have no idea.

Otto ignored my amusement, and turned to the baffled mare. “No, we’re not from Equestria. We’re actually from a different dimension.”

“... uh...”

Rara.exe has stopped working.

Seeing Coloratura’s expression, Otto quickly tried to explain; “We're not crazy. Please don't think we're crazy." Otto turned to Starlight. "Please, Twilight, tell her we're not crazy."
Starlight smirked, and I felt a sinking feeling in my gut.
Please don't make this any more difficult than it has to be. Just before she opened her mouth, Starlight caught my stern expression, and the slight shake of my head. She pouted, but sighed.
"Oh, fine. I was going to say that you're all crazy just to see your reactions, but no; they're not crazy. Also, my name is Starlight, Not Twilight."
"It's not my fault all your names sound so similar"

“Twilight and Starswirl decided it would be a good idea to tamper with their portal thingy, and now we have 16 aliens running around."
I sighed. "What Starlight was TRYING to say," I glared at her "is that Twilight and Starswirl altered their dimensional portal to open in our dimension rather than the one that it was originally set to. We just happened to be in the right place at the right time to cross over. Due to some unfortunate circumstances, it's not really a good idea to go back right now."
"Yeah, yeah, and don't forget to mention your creepy knowledge of all of us because of some kid's show in your dimension that shows literally every detail of our lives, and..."
“UNFORTUNATELY...” I interjected, “My knowledge of Equestria is fairly lacking. I only know what’s happened here since Twilight first became an element of harmony bearer, and only the important details at that. So, no, I don't know everything about your life, but I do know a little bit to kinda guide us along. I still have no idea how the portal even worked or how it ended up in my basement in a dresser mirror, but... well, we're here now, and we're making the best of it."

Coloratura shook her head in disbelief "Are you guys serious?" we nodded, and she inhaled sharply. “That’s... wow. Um, yeah."

Yep. Time to change the subject. “Enough about ourselves. I want to hear more about Equestria! So how exactly DO you play the piano with hooves?” Please, just let it go.
"I'm sure my husband would like to know that, too. Who knows, maybe he'll be able to play guitar here." We all turned to see Anima trotting up with Chwerth and Vivid in tow, balancing a few bowls of soup on her wings.

Coloratura broke out of her stunned trance, shaking her head. “I... I’m around for most of the week, so maybe in between your chores I could show him? I’m not very good on the guitar, but I know some basic chords.”

My jaw dropped. “That’s... very generous of you.”

“That’s my line!” Rarity yelled from further up the queue.

Coloratura chuckled. “I’m not doing this out of generosity, to be honest. I’m indulging my own selfishness with this offer.” She tilted her head in thought. “Not that I hate being on vacation, but watching you all work would just drive me to restlessness, and since I can’t help out because I have a show next week and I can't afford to risk any injuries, I might as well help you all become accustomed to this world.”

Modesty in a celebrity? Never thought I'd see the day. 
The line moved ahead a few paces, and my stomach grumbled.

Coloratura smiled. “So how many of you are musical? I know that... um, sorry, what was your name again?”

Heh. We might have to start wearing nametags.
“Ixisten.”

“Right, Ixisten. Sorry, I’m not good with names.”

You too, eh?
“Anyways, I assume Ixisten can play piano, and I know that whatshisface can play guitar...”

“You mean Maelstrom?” I smiled.

“Yes... him. Are there any other musicians in your family?”
Panara smiled and jumped into the conversation. “Pretty much all of us are musical to some degree. Tumak, Karra, and I all play the piano with differing degrees of skill. Hawk can play keyboard, Maelstrom Plays guitar, Otto here sings, along with Percy. Motodrop plays the drums and sings, and Ixisten plays the piano and sings.”

The line moved forward until I was level with the entrance to the kitchen. I eyed the bowl of soup in Tumak’s hoof as she passed by me into the dining room, closely followed by Grove and Hawk, who was holding Ente.

“Wow. Do you guys sing together, then?”

“Otto, Percy, Motodrop and Ixisten sometimes sing together as a quartet with myself playing the piano. Sometimes we’ll get Maelstrom to join us on the guitar.”

“...That I’d like to hear. What do you usually sing?”

“We used to sing quite a few different styles and genres. Unfortunately, our sheet music didn’t make the trip through the portal with us, so we can only sing what we have memorized.”

“I'm sorry to hear that, though I’d love to hear music from a different dimension. I’m mostly aquainted with the music from Equestria, so it’ll be nice to hear something different.”

The line moved forward again, and I made my way into the kitchen, holding out my bowl while Granny Smith doled out a generous portion of soup into my bowl. She winked, and pinched my cheek with her hoof.

How does one pinch a cheek with a hoof?

“Young feller like yerself needs lotsa grub to build up them muscles. Gotta attract them young mares, ya know.”

I tripped, nearly dropping my bowl of soup in the process before I quickly recovered, and turned to glare at Granny. I’m in Equestria for what... three days? And already I’m getting comments from my elders about getting a girlfriend. I shook my head, and sighed. She's just trying to look out for you, drop it. I thanked the old mare before making my way back into the dining room. I sat between Blaze and Ixisten, and set to consuming the delicious mixture out of my bowl. I took my time, savoring the flavor.
Could use some meat... Wait a minute, horses don't eat meat... Does that mean that ponies don't eat meat, either? Oh my goodness, I hope Percy doesn't know yet.

Panara and Otto took their seats across the table, and I raised my glass of apple juice.

“My compliments to the chefs.”

“Hear hear.”, concurred Rainbow Dash from across the room, moving over to make room for Coloratura next to her.

The chatter in the room quickly died down as everyone enjoyed their meals, the sound of slurping and hums of satisfaction taking its place.

I finished my bowl, making sure to lick it clean, and set it to the side.

“So, Moto. I can't help but notice all the girls here.”

I raised my eyebrow at my mom. "... And?”

“So, have you had your eye on any one of them?"
I nearly spat out my drink. "What? Isn't it a little early to be thinking about that kind of stuff? We've only been here a few days!"
Panara shrugged. "So? If not now, when?" She tilted her head toward Coloratura. “She seems nice."

Oh, you can’t be serious. “Mom. She’s a pony.”

“Yeah, we all are.”

... She has a point, but still... “Mom... That would be a little weird. I may have the form of a pony, but I still think like a human. It's just... too soon.” I looked over at the white mare in question, and found my eyes lingering just a little too long. “...A- Alright, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t find her somewhat attractive, but I’m not ready for that kind of relationship. Besides, do you know how famous she is?”

Panara hummed in thought. “Nope.”

I facehooved. “Mom, You know Lady Gaga? Sia? Kelly Clarkson? That kind of famous.”
“Oh.” Panara regarded the mare in question, who was busy conversing with Rarity, likely over something related to fashion. “Who’s Lady Gaga, Sia, and Kelly Clarkson?”

"... You know what, never mind. I don't want to talk about this." I picked up my empty bowl, and fled from the table before the conversation could go any further.

I made my way over to the kitchen, and dropped my bowl in the sink. Ixisten and Percy came in behind me, and followed suit. The three of us lingered by the entrance to the kitchen, all of us seeming to be thinking the same thing.

I glanced over at Percy. “Someone was trying to set you up, too?”

He nodded. “Anima kept trying to get me to talk to Rarity.”

HA! Rarity is waaaaay too high maintenance for you, bro.

Ixisten rubbed his brow. “Yeesh. Karra was trying to set me up with Fluttershy... What about you, Moto?”

“... Coloratura. Mom and Dad.”

The other two winced, and sympathetically rubbed my back.
Is there something in the air here in magical pastel ponyland that makes everyone think of love or something?

“You know, If we do the dishes, we won’t have to go back in there.”

“...”

“...”

“I’ll wash.”




The sound of clinking dishes filled the kitchen as the three of us brothers cleaned up after the meal.

“Can I lend you a hoof?”

We turned to see Starlight enter the room. I smiled, and gestured to a tea towel, which she levitated with her magic. She began to dry the dishes that Ixisten and I had washed, while Percy put the dried dishes in their respective cupboards.

There was a moment of silence as we all worked.

“So Starlight, where’s Trixie at? I haven't seen her around since we came to this world.”

She paused. "You know, that's kinda creepy, you knowing things about us. Twilight has been going around talking about you like you're some kind of anomaly." She waved the dish in her magic above her head. "The creepy one that knows stuff about us."

I coughed. “Is that how Twilight phrased it?”

“Yep.”

“That mare needs to learn how to curb her words.”

“You have nooooo idea.”

“Actually, I do.”

We shared a chuckle at this, while Ixisten and Percy just rolled their eyes.

Starlight set the dish in her magic onto the counter, and picked up another, beginning to wipe it with the towel. “But to answer your question, Trixie is currently on tour. Apparently ‘The Great and Penitant Trixie’s Apology Tour’ was such a smash hit that she decided to take it to multiple cities.”

I could pretty much taste the sarcasm in her words. “It’s that bad, huh?”

“She tried to practice a card trick on me, and it failed... Multiple times...”

“Ouch. So she’s no Penn and Teller, then.”

“Who?”

Ixisten began to laugh, his sides heaving in mirth, and Percy whacked me on the back of the head.
“Moto, stop making references only we know about." He turned to Starlight. "Sorry about that. Penn and Teller were two very famous Illusionists. They used to have a show where they would invite other illusionists to come and try to fool them."

“Huh. So your world had illusionists, too.”

I chuckled. “Just don’t tell Twilight. She might decide to write a scientific journal about it.”

Starlight giggled. “That she might. Twilight can get a little... obsessive over stuff like that, and don’t get me started on her adoration for Celestia.”

“You don’t have to tell me.”

“Oh, I know. I’m saying this for their benefit.” She gestured with her head to Percy and Ixisten, who were both staring at us with glazed-over eyes.

...Sorry, guys. 

At that moment, Pinky decided to stick her head into the kitchen, observing our smiles. “Ooh, are you guys all having a party in here? DISHES WASHING PARTY!”

Oh dear goodness me, no. ANYONE but Pinkie Pie, please.

“Hi Pinkie. Nope, no party in here.”

“Okie dokie lokie!”

And she was gone. I nodded my thanks to Starlight, who just shrugged.

Thank goodness. I need a few alcoholic beverages before I can deal with that amount of energy.
> Chapter 6; Music is Good for the Soul (Edited June 15th, 2021)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thump! Apples rained down around me, and I rubbed my sore hindquarters as Eren trotted around to gather the apples that had fallen from the tree. We had decided that I would do the bucking until I ran out of steam, at which point we would switch places.

“Ugh. I think I ate a bit too much at lunch.”

“Yeah. Granny sure filled those bowls to the brim, didn’t she?”

My stomach shifted, making an odd gurgling noise, to which my brother-in-law chuckled. I turned to the tree again, and lined up my next kick.

“The soup was good, although...” Thump! “It could’ve used some meat.”

Eren once again ran around doing his best to catch as many apples as he could, before setting the basket down as the two of us began picking apples up off the ground.

“Oh, I asked granny if we could, but she looked horrified by the idea. I guess Ponies are herbivores... Who knew?”

“Well, I guess we’re just going to have to get used to the idea of never eating meat again. Dang, I’m sure going to miss it, though.” I backed up to the next tree, and prepared another kick. “Hey Eren, you mind if I sing while we work?”

The red stallion shrugged, and picked up the basket, balancing it on his back. He gave me the signal that he was ready, and I lunged forward...

Thump! As the apples came down again, I began to sing...


...I was born in the land of the sun
Of tall green grass...







As the last note faded into silence, I sighed.

“That... was beautiful. Did you write that?”

My head jerked sharply up to see an emotional Coloratura watching us work.

“I wish I had.” I laughed sadly, trying to hold back my own tears. “It brings back memories.”

“Memories of home?”

I nodded. “I started learning that one just before the war started...”

The musician trotted up to me, and pulled me into a hug. I stiffened, but didn't pull away.

“It’s okay to grieve, you know.", Rara whispered. "I spoke to Starlight. She told me everything... and everyone your family left behind in that other world.”

I sighed, voice shaking slightly. I felt another set of hooves encircle me, and I attempted to smile my thanks to Eren, whose expression was wavering as well.

Coloratura rubbed a comforting hoof over my back, and spoke into my ear. “But you have memories of them. Those memories can still give you joy, long after they’re gone.”

I sighed, and we separated. I blushed slightly, and smiled. “Thank you.”

She flicked her tail in embarrassment. “It... was nothing.”

Awkward silence.

"A-Anyways, I should probably get back to work."

Coloratura smiled. "Then I'll leave you to it." She turned, and started making her way to the farmhouse.

"Oh! Rara?"
She paused mid-step, and turned her head questioningly.
"Thank you."
She smiled, nodded, and trotted away.





I wiped the sweat from my forehead. Eren and I had switched places shortly after Coloratura had left, and we slowly had caught up to the rest of the group, his enviously stronger body able to clear all the apples from each tree in one go, rather than the multiple kicks it took for me to do the same. Admittedly, I was far better at catching the apples than I had been at bucking them, and we slowly became better at working together as a team.

“Alright, y’all! Nice work today! We got over half the orchard cleared!” We all sighed in relief as Applejack directed us to collect all the full barrels of apples and bring them to the barn, where they’d be stored until they were sold at market.

‘Winter wrap up, winter wrap up.’ ...Dang that song is catchy.





I hummed the tune to myself as I stepped into the barn, prepared to drop my cargo of apples that were presently precariously balanced on my back.

“So how was your day?”

“GAH!” Apples spilled everywhere as I jumped at the voice, who proved to be a certain Cyan pegasus mare with a rainbow mane. “Rainbow Dash. Good grief, you scared me.”

She chuckled. “Sorry. Here, let me help you with that.” She helped me pick up the apples that I’d dropped, placing them back in the basket.

“Thanks.” I studied her from the corner of my eye. “Is there a specific reason you decided to surprise me... in the barn?”

The boastful mare rolled her eyes, and pointed at my wings with her hoof.

Oh. Right. I have those.

“Twilight asked me to train all the pegasi in your family how to fly. I’m going around and trying to figure out who here are all pegasi so I know who I’m training.”

I frowned in thought. “Well, there’s me, Hawk, and Anima for the adults. As for the kids... there’s Grove, Chwerth, and Ente, though Ente is probably too young for flying yet.” I glanced up to see the glazed-over look in the mare’s eyes. Yeah, we’re probably going to need nametags. “You know what, it’s probably better if I just show you.” I placed the basket of apples on the stack, and waved a hoof for Rainbow to follow, beginning the short trek to the house.

“You know you’re lucky to have a full blown Wonderbolt showing you how to fly, right?”

I rolled my eyes. Modest as always, I see. I humored her by smiling back at her. “And we’re very thankful to you for taking a break from napping to help us out."

She took on an offended expression. “Hey! An athlete needs their rest!” She glared at my amused glance before her lips slowly curled upward in a mischievous smile. “You know, I happened to see a certain someone hugging Rara a short while ago..."

Ohhhhhhh, no. I facehoofed. “You saw that, eh?”

“Yup. Real smooth, buddy.”

“... It wasn't like that, okay?”
"Sure it was."
"...Look, can we just drop it? I don't want to talk about it."
Rainbow shrugged, and followed me to the farmhouse door.

We made our way inside to a very busy living room. We’re going to have to find places of our own soon. This is getting ridiculous. I nearly tripped over Chwerth as he zoomed by me, little wings buzzing away.

“Heh. Looks like someone’s an early learner.”

“Yep. And smarter than most rainbow-maned pegasi, too." I got a smack to the back of the head from her wing for that comment. I smirked, and rubbed where she’d hit me.
The sound of a piano filled the room, and I froze. Wait... that sounds like Mom’s playing. I followed the sweet notes, ignoring the protests from Rainbow Dash, whose legs had become entangled with a rather clingy Vivid. I passed through the dining room, making my way into the living room, where I distinguished Panara at an old upright piano, Coloratura standing beside her giving her instruction. I sidled up beside Mom, laying a hoof over her shoulder. She smiled, and returned the hug.

“Practicing?”

“Yep. I’m getting some pointers on how to play with these things.” She held out a hoof, swirling it around in the air before placing it on the piano in front of her. “Turns out it isn’t overly difficult. There’s some sort of magic that allows me to imagine fingers spreading out from my... appendages.”

“Well, that’s mostly right. For you it’s easier to imagine it that way, but for me it was much more difficult.” Coloratura played a few notes, her hooves dancing across the keyboard.

"It's been too long since I've heard that." Otto stuck his head into the room, and smiled at the sight of his wife on the piano.

“Hi honey.” The two trotted up to each other, and shared a quick peck.

“I thought I heard a piano in here.” Percy trotted into the room, grinning at Mom and Dad.  He greeted me before turning to Coloratura. “Was that you playing a minute ago?”

The earth pony nodded, a graceful smile adorning her features. “Yes. I was teaching Panara here how to play with hooves before she got distracted.” I chuckled at the hint of annoyance in her voice.

“Cool. I didn’t know you played, Coloratura.”

“Didn’t Motodrop tell you...?”

“He neglected to mention that to me.” Percy regarded me with a raised eyebrow.

“Hey, you can’t expect me to recall every little detail at once. I’m only human, you know.” I said the second part with mock dramatic flare.

“Hoo...man...?”

Oh yeah. Different world. “That’s what we called our species on Earth.”

“Oh.”

Panara and Otto separated, and trotted back into the room to join us.

“Except for Motodrop here, I don’t think any of us have heard any of your songs, Coloratura.” Panara gestured to the piano. “Do you think you could play one for us? If you don’t mind, that is.”

The mare smiled, and took up a position at the piano. “Most of my music needs a larger band to play, but there’s one song I wrote a while back that only needs piano.”

She began to play a few notes, and I immediately knew which song it was. As her voice filled the room, I joined my own voice to hers, much to her surprise. I sang with her during the verse, but split off to harmonize on the chorus.







While the two of us had been singing, the rest of the family had filed into the room, watching us perform arguably the best song in all of MLP. I was so lost in the enjoyment of the music that I didn’t even notice the crowd until I heard applause at the conclusion of the song. Embarrassed, I rubbed the back of my head as Coloratura approached me.

“That was pretty good. I’ll admit I wasn’t expecting anyone to join me for that song, but I’m glad you did.”

I coughed, and smiled gratefully. “It happens to be a song that I like a lot.”
“I can tell. You know, you have a nice voice. With some coaching, you could make a career out of performing.”

I smiled my thanks... ...Wait... is she offering...?

At that moment, Panara sat down at the piano, and looked at Ixisten, Percy, Otto, and myself. “You guys want to sing ‘The Rose’?”

Saved by the Momster.

We all gathered around the piano as Panara began to play the familiar chords.







The room filled with the sound of stomping hooves and cheering voices.

Ah, it felt good to sing like that again.

“Y’all are mighty talented. Why, you fellers ought to sing more often.”

“I’d say!” Rainbow Dash staggered into the room, Vivid still clinging to her legs. “You guys sounded awesome!”

Coloratura concurred. “I agree. Families’ voices often blend together well, but you guys have the skill to back it up, too. It’s nice to hear a quartet every once in a while. The only other group I know of that sings like that is the PonyTones. You’ll have to introduce yourselves to them some time.”

Ixisten tilted his head. “The PonyTones? Are they based here in Ponyville?”

“Yes. Actually Rarity is in charge of them. Big Mac and Fluttershy are both members, as well. Isn’t that right, Big Mac?”

“Eeyup.” We all chuckled at the eloquent stallion, and then Applejack spoke up.

“Y’all know any country western music?”

Someone shoot me now.
> Chapter 7: Feather Flu is a Dumb Name for a Sickness (Edited June 15th, 2021)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I ran. Faster than I had ever run before.

Have to get away!

I looked over my shoulder, and my heart froze at what I saw. I ducked my head in fear, and pushed myself to go even faster.

Go, go, go!!!

I jumped over a log, its form twisted and bent beyond all semblance of its original shape, its color leeched out as if the very life had been ripped from it.

Grey. Grey everywhere.

A high-pitched whistle, piercing and haunting, filled the air, inciting my hooves to run at an even faster pace. I tripped, cutting my foreleg on a broken piece of glass. I looked down, seeing my reflection in the shimmering surface... along with something else.

My blood ran cold.

Sweet Celestia!

I stumbled to all fours, beginning to run once again, this time with a slight limp. I shuddered as I passed by what looked like the remains of a human, but didn’t stop to investigate. That could wait for later. Right now, I just needed to get away from... whatever that thing was.

Another whistle, this time much closer.

No! I won’t give up!

I increased my pace, trying to push through the pain of my wound, but to no avail. Tears of hopelessness began to run down my face, fear coursing through my equine body.

No! This can’t be happening!

Why don’t you give up?

I can’t! I won’t!

But you’ve already lost. You’re the very last.

No! I refuse to believe that!

Look around. At all the dead and dying. This place is lifeless. Admit it, you brought this to this world through your own ignorance. 

No! It was an accident. How could I possibly have known?

You are a hopeless fool. Doomed to be lost and alone for all eternity. Why not let me handle it? Let me take you in. I can comfort you.

I...

You are a failure. You are alone. You cannot be anything more than a hopeless, heartless fool. All those you love are dead.

The area around me was suddenly surrounded by the ghosts of all those I loved. Some in human form, some in pony. Dad, Mom... Rainbow Dash, Ixisten, an aunt, a cousin... They were all there. I stopped, and fell to my knees in despair, somehow having returned to my human body.

What happened to your world will happen here, too. And it’s all because of you. You brought humanity to this world, and it will be humanity that destroys it.

You might be right. I can’t do it. I can’t fight it...

“ENOUGH”

The dark shadow, having nearly overtaken my bipedal form, was washed away, the dreary, grey, windswept landscape turning into a lush, green wheat field, planted in tight rows. The wind whipped at my mane before steadily dying down into a pleasant breeze. I looked down, seeing my Equine form once again.

A dark figure appeared to my right out of thin air, observing the scenery.

“A curious landscape. One, I don’t think, to be found in Equestria.”

I glanced over to the figure, recognizing it as Luna; princess of the night. I beheld her tall form, ethereal mane waving in the air. I dipped my head respectfully, though I resisted the urge to kneel in her presence.

“Princess Luna.”

She gazed at me, a curious expression on her muzzle. “I don’t believe we have met, Motodrop of the Hillberry clan, but I am aware of who- and what- you are. Is it not customary for our subjects to kneel before my sister and I?

I winced, but stayed standing. "I don't mean any disrespect; I only kneel to one entity, and I'm pretty sure His mane doesn't wave in the air like that."

She smiled faintly. "I am not offended, young one. I was merely curious. I have grown accustomed to my little ponies always bowing to our will. It is a breath of fresh air to see one such as yourself; One who has a spine, such as our subjects did in the distant past. But enough about that." Luna sat before me, somehow managing not to flatten any of the wheat in the process. My attempt was met with less success. "Young Moto, you can probably guess why I have come to you."
I glanced around at my surroundings. "Well, considering you're here without any guards, and the fact that I'm literally sitting in a wheat field that I remember from Earth, I'm going to assume this is a dream."
Luna smiled. "Indeed. Your body at this exact moment in time is sleeping off the effects of what is commonly known as the 'feather flu'. It is an unpleasant sickness that affects the body, as well as the mind." She shuddered. "I remember my first bout of feather flu. Celestia was unable to console me during the worst of it."
I chuckled as I mentally pictured Luna ralphing up her guts into a toilet, with Celestia patting her back. Really, though. Who named it Feather Flu?
Luna swept a hoof through the unripened wheat, studying the swaying stalks and the plump, hairy heads. “But that is neither here, nor there. Let us get to the true reason I am here. This place," Luna gestured to our surroundings. "is a reflection of your subconscious; lonely, true, but also beautiful in its simplicity."
...Did she just call me simple? She totally just called me simple-minded, didn't she?
"This place reveals to me your deepest desires, your greatest regrets," Luna pointed with a hoof to some distant storm clouds. "...and our deepest, most suppressed fears."
My breath hitched, and I quickly swallowed, trying to dry my throat. What do I say? “T-thank you for saving me from that nightmare.”

Luna turned to me, and looked directly into my eyes, as if they could read my soul. “You are very welcome, though I am but a temporary solution. You keep much from your loved ones, Moto. My presence here will only serve to hold off those feelings unless you confront them yourself.”

“Is that what I saw? Was that what that... thing was? What about that voice that was tempting me?”

Luna frowned, and paused, looking down as if deliberating on what to say. The air grew still around us as the wind eddied, and my mane fell limp. I was about to speak, my hoof raised, when Luna suddenly met my gaze. My hoof hovered in mid-air as Luna replied;

“I suppose it could be described as a form of death.”

The wind once again picked up, and I began to breathe heavily, panic rising in my chest. I was that close to dying? “But... How? A dream can kill? I don’t understand! That’s impossible...”

A sudden hug nearly knocked me off my hooves, the action causing my breath to catch. My heart rate steadily dropped as I slowly relaxed, melting into the embrace. "I did not mean Death in the literal sense. Rather, it would be more appropriate to consider it your temptation for it. You blame yourself for leaving all those you loved behind; All those you could not save perished in that final blast, and you fear having the same happen to those that you love in this world.” The lunar Alicorn pulled out of the hug, looking directly into my eyes. “You are tempted to give up, to give in to despair. This will eventually consume you if you do not take action."

“How... how do I fix this?”

Luna smiled in understanding. “You remind me of myself in some ways, Motodrop Hillberry. I, too, have dealt with guilt and sorrow at past mistakes, and at what those mistakes caused me to become. I let my guilt consume me, and gave birth to a monster of dreams.”

“The Tantabus.” I whispered. Luna nodded in agreement.

“A grave mistake. It was only by the friendship and love I received by confiding in those I cared about that I was able to defeat it.” She pointed her hoof at my chest. “As I shared my burdens with those I love, so must you share your grief with those whom you love. Do not carry this burden alone, Motodrop. Your family holds the same grief in their hearts that you do. Know that you are not alone in your pain, and that those you love are at this moment struggling with the same fears and anxieties that you are. They are your greatest allies, and your closest friends. Your family are the first friends you make, and the ones who stay closest to you. Never forget that, young stallion.”

Luna’s form began to fade, and I reached out with a hoof.

“Luna, wait!” But it was too late. The wind picked up, the wheat blowing haphazardly around as the scenery began to turn whiter and whiter...

Why do I feel so cold?







“Looks like he’s waking up.”

“Moto... Hey Moto, you okay?”

Ugh. I groaned, a splitting headache lancing my skull. “Water.” I felt a glass pushed into my outstretched hoof, and brought the liquid to my lips. “How long was I out?”

“The better part of twelve hours. After you threw up that last time, you really conked out.” I sipped the drink, slowly opening my eyes.

Cursed sun. Couldn’t you just hold off for one day, Celestia? I blinked, and my vision cleared. Tumak and... Starlight? “What are you doing here?”

“Nice to see you, too.”

I winced, and slowly sat up, the pain in my head doubling as the room spun around me.

“I can take care of myself, you know. I lived by myself for three years before we came here.”

“And miss out on the sleeptalking? I don’t think so!”

Sleeptalking? I looked at Starlight warily, just now noticing a notepad laying on the bedsheets. “Starlight... What were you doing?”

“Twilight wanted me to document your sickness. She wasn’t sure how someone from another world would react to pathogens not found on your home world. As it turns out, whatever magic in the portal transformed you into your current forms also instilled the average amount of immunity to each of you. Pretty interesting stuff.”

I held out a hoof, and Starlight placed the notepad in my hand. I began to read it, and my face promptly turned red. “Please tell me I didn’t say that.”

Tumak grinned. “You definitely did.”

I am SO screwed.

My sister, who was doing her best impression of a cheshire cat, pulled out an envelope. “Coloratura had to leave early this morning, but she didn’t want to wake you, so she asked me to give this to you.”

Really? Hmm. A thought occurred to me, and I blushed deeply. It couldn’t be... one of THOSE could it?... Nah... ...I snatched the envelope away from Tumak, and tore the top open. I froze, and turned to the two mares, who were holding innocent expressions. “Would you two mind leaving? I’d like to read this in private, if that isn’t too much to ask.”

“No, we don’t mind, do we Starlight?”

“No, not at all. Have fun reading your love letter, Motodrop.”

...I am going to kill them.

As the two busybodies left the room, and left me to myself, I sighed, and pulled out the contents of the envelope. I unfolded the page, and began to read the hoof-written script.



Dear Motodrop.


	I had planned to speak to you about this in person before I left for Manehatten today, but unfortunately, you looked to be in a pretty poor state, so I decided to let you rest. The past few days have been fun for me, and it was great meeting you and your family. The other day when we sang together I couldn’t help but notice that you have a true passion for music. When I said that you could have a future in the music industry here in Equestria, I meant it, which is why I have a proposition for you.
If you are willing, I may be able to get you in as a backup singer either with Songbird, Sapphire, or myself. You will be expected to be vocally trained in Manehatten, and as such I have set up a vocal coach for you through my agent. Lodging and food will be supplied, as well as a generous stipend for your time. This does mean, however, that you’ll be away from your family for months at a time. Tours often last between three to six months, and there will be little personal time during those months. I’m not trying to scare you away from the job, Moto, I just want you to understand what you will be doing if you decide to accept my proposition. 

I’ll be on tour for the next few months, so I’ll drop by Sweet Apple Acres after my final show to get your answer. I’m not going to push you to take this position if you don’t want it, but I will remind you that it’s very rare for these opportunities to present themselves, so make your decision wisely.

Your friend:

Rara.


She’s right. If this had happened on Earth, I would’ve jumped on it in an instant, but... things have changed. My family... I sighed. This decision wouldn’t be easy. I placed the letter on my lap, and rubbed my forehead. Darn it, Rara. Why’d you have to spring this on me?

I glanced out the window, my headache somewhat relieved, but a dull ache persisted. Well, no point in dwelling on it now. I wonder what time it is. I did some mental math. Huh. Must be pretty close to 10. Last time I slept that late was... years ago. I swung my hind hooves over the edge of the bed, and instantly, the room began to spin around me

...Oooookay. I promptly laid back down, and pulled the covers up, placing the letter on the bedstand.







You ever get those days where everything goes perfectly? Where nothing goes wrong, and everything just works out?

Yeah, me neither.

And so I found myself treading water in a pond, with Rainbow Dash holding her gut laughing.

“Um... Mind giving me a hand? Not that you’re busy right now or anything.”

“H-how does... oh, haha!... how did you manage to... oh, HAHAHAHAHA!!!”

I grumbled, and slowly made my way to the shore of the swimming hole. Hey, flying is harder than it looks, okay? Wasn’t my fault that I managed a complete backflip by total accident, only to plow straight into the lake. If anything, Rainbow should’ve been concerned, not laughing herself to death.

Said mare was gasping for air, pounding the ground with a hoof as I pulled myself from the water, moisture dripping from my fur.

“You know, you could get me a towel or something.”

Rainbow slowly calmed herself, a stray giggle escaping now and then as she wiped the tears out of her eyes. “Ah, just get up there in the air again, and you’ll dry off fast enough. Still, though. How in Equestria did you manage that?”

I shrugged. “I was just trying to do as you suggested.”

“I told to to flap harder, not flip yourself completely upside down!”

“Well I’m sorry for not picking this up right away, Okay? In case you haven’t heard, I only got these wings a week and a half ago!”

Rainbow giggled, and simply motioned to the sky, where Hawk and Anima were both maintaining a simple hover with looks of concentration on their faces. Neither had noticed my little predicament, being too focused on their task. “Just get up there and keep going. You’re not hurt, are ya?”

Oh. NOW she asks. “Yeah, I’m fine, no thanks to you.”

“You’re welcome. Now get up there.”

Unbelievable. But I complied, slowly flapping my wings until my hooves lifted off the ground. I began to sweat, and pushed a little harder, my wings flapping at a faster rate. Alright. That’s ten feet.

“Good. Now maintain that height.” Rainbow Dash hovered next to me, giving me instruction. “Good, now slowly tilt your wings forward as you flap to move forward.” I did as she asked, and I began to move forward. “Okay, now tilt your wings backward as you flap to come to a stop... Nice. You’ll be dry in no time.”

I glared at her in annoyance, but refrained from saying anything. This mare can really get on my nerves sometimes.

“Hey, at least you’re not stuck learning magic with Twilight. You think I’m intense? She’ll put you to sleep.”

Fair enough.

“Okay, now slow your wingbeats, and land just like I showed you earlier.” I began to descend... a little too quickly. "Don't slow them that quickly! You’re coming in too hot... Moto!”

Ah, (Censored).

WHAM.

“Pffffft... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!”

Rainbow, when I get my head out of this tree, I’m gonna kill you.
> Chapter 8: A New Direction (Edited June 15th, 2021)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way that a pony should be able to fly. Its wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground. The pony, of course, flies anyways. Because ponies don't care what humans think is impossible."



	

Why did no one ever tell me how much freedom flight granted to a pony? I pulled a barrel roll, wind rushing through my mane. I grinned, enjoying the feeling of my heart pumping adrenaline into my muscles. If someone had told me that the feeling of flight for a pony was similar to motorcycling for a human earlier on, I would’ve learnt how to do this much sooner! I dropped into a dive, folding my wings against my sides to decrease the wind resistance.

“Woohoo!” I glanced over to see my brother-in-law diving alongside me, a huge smile plastered on his face. My own grin widened, and I snapped my wings out, pulling out of the dive to avoid crashing into the pond below me. I trailed a hoof through the water as I skimmed over the surface, a stream of water rising into the air behind me. I pumped my wings a few times, muscles straining against gravity as I began to rise up into the air once more. A bug smacked me in the face, and I wiped it off with my hoof.

As I levelled out at altitude, Hawk pulling up beside me, I took a moment to consider the letter that Coloratura had left for me before she went on tour. Do I take her up on her offer or not? Honestly, I was leaning toward taking it. After all, how often did an opportunity like this come along? And yet... What about my family? Would they be okay with me leaving for months at a time? True, things had settled down over the last month since our arrival in Equestria; The foals had begun school at the Ponyville schoolhouse at Twilight’s insistence, and they had all settled in there. They seemed to be doing well in their studies, and had begun to make friends; Blaze especially seemed to take a shine to the Crusaders.

Upon seeing Applejack’s ‘repair job’ at the Ponyville spa, Dad and Percy had insisted on inspecting everything around the farm that Applejack had ‘fixed’ over the years, and were both shocked at the state of disrepair on many of the watering and feeding systems around the farm. Otto insisted on going around the farm with Percy, and had spent the better part of the last month removing all the duct tape and bubble gum from various apparatuses, repairing them properly.

Ixisten had taken up playing the piano once more, even offering to tune the one at the Apple family homestead, which in turn prompted other ponies from town to offer him a job tuning their pianos as well, which turned into ponies from the surrounding areas and Canterlot asking for his services now, as well. He, along with Eren and Maelstrom, had taken up magical tutelage under Starswirl and Twilight.

I did not envy them.

When not caring for Ente, Tumak and Panara spent their time helping Granny Smith around the house with the cooking and cleaning. They somehow always managed to prepare meals for all of us, which I felt a little guilty about, but Granny Smith had insisted that she, Applejack, Big Mac, and Applebloom were happy to have us around.

Karra had taken up a job at the Ponyville spa helping the two owners, Aloe and Lotus Blossom, with the many treatments offered there.

Yep. Pretty much everyone had found a place here in Equestria.

Everyone but myself. Oh, sure, I helped around the farm as much as I could, but I found myself not needed more and more often, and with more and more free time on my hooves, which I spent either flying with Rainbow Dash or Hawk, practicing my singing, or brooding. I hadn’t told anyone about Coloratura’s offer yet, opting to keep it to myself until I’d made my decision, but it was getting harder and harder to stay silent on the matter.

The two of us circled over the farm, and then set off toward town, riding the updrafts to conserve energy.

“Hey Moto, is everything okay? You’ve been awfully quiet.”

I glanced over at Hawk, who was peering at me quizzically.

“Sorry, Hawk. I have a lot on my mind right now.”

He frowned, and flew in closer. “I'll bet. You’re pulling a pretty serious face there. You wanna talk about it?”

“... I honestly don’t know, man. I’m trying to decide what to do with my future here in Equestria... I just don’t seem to fit in here at the farm.”

Hawk paused for a moment, considering this. He suddenly barked out a laugh, and smirked. “You’re not the only one. You remember what my job was back on Earth?”

“Yeah, you worked in a turkey butchering plant... Oh... Oh dear. Did you tell anyone?”

“Oh, Yeah. Imagine the conversation I had with Applejack when she asked me what I did before we came here. That... was awkward.”

“I’ll bet.” We both chuckled, and then flew together in silence for a while, circling around the tallest spire of Twilight’s castle. “Hey... I just had a thought.”

“Hmm?”

“Why does the Apple family keep pigs?”

“.. That’s actually a good question. What is it that pigs produce again?”

“Meat.”

“... I’m confused.”

“You and me both, brother. You and me both.”





“Good news everyone!” Starswirl gestured to the mirror behind him. “We have successfully recalibrated the portal so as to provide means of interdimensional travel once again!”

“Uh... Translation?”

Starlight rolled her eyes. “The portal has been fixed. Canterlot High is now accessible.”

“Oh.”

Twilight pranced in place, a giddy grin plastered on her muzzle. “Isn’t it great? Now your family can go to a world where you’ll be more comfortable!”

A few crickets chirped as the room fell silent.

...Oh dear me. I completely forgot about the Equestria Girls world. I glanced over at my father, whose mouth was hanging open. “Hey Dad... Dad?”

Otto turned to me, his expression unreadable. “Moto... what are they talking about?”

Uh oh. “Dad... the portal that we came through a month ago wasn’t originally set to our world. It was set to another one.”

“Yes. Twilight already explained that to me. The mirror is supposed to bring anyone to a place called ‘Canterlot High’. I don’t see how that has anything to do with us... unless there’s something that you neglected to tell us...?” He openly glared at me, and I placed a hoof over my eyes, mentally kicking myself.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to keep it from all of you. I just... never even considered that world. I completely forgot about it...”

“Moto...” Panara frowned at me in confusion. “What’s going on? What’s so special about this ‘Canterlot High’ Place?”

I sighed, and looked pleadingly at Twilight for help. She looked back at me in confusion, and motioned for me to go on.

“Alright... Where do I start... Okay, well, you all know I was a brony back on Earth, right?" They all nodded, and I continued. “Well, there were a few spinoff movies of the main show where the main character, er, Twilight, was sent to another world. This world was... basically an animated version of Earth, but it’s set up like a parallel world to Equestria.”

“Wait wait wait... so you’re basically saying that the world that Canterlot High is set in is like a humanized version of Equestria?”

“Pretty much.”

“Man, I need a drink.”

Percy sat down, and rubbed his forehead with both hooves.

I was beginning to wish I had a mug of cider myself when Otto spoke up.

“This world... Is it modern?” I nodded the affirmative. “... And the people there are shaped like humans...?”

“More or less. The legs are longer, but...”

“...I’m going to need some time to think on this.” He glanced up at the rest of the family, his face troubled. “We all are.”

Right then and there, I felt like the worst person ever. Not only did I fail in my duty to my family, I had completely neglected to even consider other possibilities besides settling down at Sweet Apple Acres.

I was so excited to show my family the wonders of Equestria; I was so happy to see everyone finally settling down into a life here that I never even thought that maybe not everyone else was happy about it. I sighed shakily, on the verge of tears. I’m such a selfish jerk.

I buried my face in my hooves as the rest of the family, along with Starlight and Starswirl filed out of the room. They were probably angry at me, and rightly so. It was my job to be telling my family about these sorts of things. I had one duty, one single task, and I failed. I couldn’t even be of help on the farm. I was... useless.

I felt a hoof on my shoulder, and looked up to see Karra with a look of sadness on her muzzle. She pulled me in for a hug, and I began to cry.

“I’m so sorry. I completely forgot... I was just so excited... I’m so selfish!”

“Hey. You’re not the only one to blame.”

I felt another set of hooves encircle me, and I recognized them as Twilight’s.

“She’s right, Moto. If anything, I’m just as much to blame as you. I should’ve told the whole story when I mentioned Canterlot High to your dad.”

“But... they’re all angry at me...”

“I don’t think so, Moto. Well, okay, maybe they are a little, but I think they’re more confused than anything. They suddenly had this giant decision dropped on them by me, and that fault lies on my shoulders alone. I should’ve approached this with more tact.”

“I know I’m not angry at you, Moto. Yeah, I wish I’d known about all of this sooner, but you’ve helped us all so much already that it’s only natural that you would’ve forgot about a few things.”

I swallowed. “But, Dad...”

“I’ll talk to Dad. I don’t think he’s angry at you, Moto. I think he’s just confused and conflicted about what to do now. I don’t think he meant to hurt you.”

Twilight pulled out of the hug, and sighed. “I should probably write a letter to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna about all of this. Maybe they could share some insights to your family to help them make this decision.”

I swallowed. “That’s a good idea. Thank you Twilight. I don’t think I ever thanked you for all you’ve done for us over this past month.”

She waved me off, blushing slightly. “I merely took responsibility for mine and Starswirl’s mistake.”

Karra pulled out of our hug, and turned to Twilight. “Without that mistake, Twilight, we would’ve all died in a nuclear blast. You’ve done more for us than you think.”

Twilight stuttered, trying to come up with a good rebuttal, but eventually just accepted the thanks for what it was. She turned, and made to leave the room, but not before turning to me.

“By the way, Moto. Coloratura sent me a letter a few days ago. She says she’s currently in Vanhoover, and sends her regards to you and your family. Have you made your decision on her proposition yet?”

I shook my head. “I was pretty sure I was going to take it, but now with the portal being fixed...”

Twilight raised a hoof, cutting me off. “Don’t worry about it. Take your time with this decision. Maybe talk to your family about it?”

I smiled, and nodded as she trotted out of the room.

After the lavendar alicorn had disappeared from sight, Karra turned to me with a quizzical expression. “Proposition?”

Crud. Well, I guess the cat’s out of the bag now. I turned to Karra, and sighed. “I need you to keep what I’m about to say a secret... at least until I feel comfortable with telling the rest of our family. For now, this stays between you and me.”

“Okay.”

I blinked. Didn’t really expect her to agree so easily. “Okay. Well, before Rara left a while back, she left me a note.” Karra lifted an eyebrow, a mischievous look in her eye. “Don’t be getting any ideas. It wasn’t THAT kind of letter.” I rolled my eyes. “Anyways, she offered me a position as a backup singer with her agent. I have until she’s finished her current tour to make my decision.”

Karra’s jaw dropped. “She’s offering you a job?”

I scratched the back of my head. “Well... Yeah, I guess.”

“Moto, that’s amazing! That can’t be something that happens commonly! Even here!”

“Yeah. I know. But.. Karra, what about our family? If we all decide to go to that other world, then if I take that job, then we’ll all be in completely separate worlds. I don’t know if I’m prepared to face that eventuality.”

Karra place a hoof under her chin in thought. “Well then, maybe you should make your decision after we all decide on whether or not we’ll be staying here in Equestria. I’m not going to try to convince you one way or the other, Moto. This is your decision, and your decision alone to make. In the meantime, I need to talk to Eren; It seems we have a decision to make, too. Speaking of... where’d he go?”

As Karra left the room to search for her husband, I sat alone staring up at the portal. All of this started with a complete coincidence... or was it a coincidence? I stood, and trotted up to the mirror. A device for travel between worlds. Made from a mirror, a bunch of wires, and an enchanted journal. Tch! It’s so ridiculous I would laugh if it weren’t true. I stared at my reflection, my nearly white fur standing out in stark contrast to my chestnut and chocolate swept-back mane. I noticed my blue eyes, still red-rimmed from my crying earlier. I wasn’t too bad-looking if I did say so myself, minus the goatee. Gonna have to get rid of that. It worked on Earth, but it kinda looks silly on me now. I raised a hoof, and touched the surface of the mirror, watching as ripples spread across the surface, distorting my reflection.

The ripples eventually smoothed out, my reflection returning to its undistorted state, and I turned, lifting my wings to better reveal my Cutie Mark. My reflection smiled back at me as I thought about what that symbol meant to me. A year ago I was working on a farm, desperately struggling to survive in a wartorn world. What would I have done without MLP and my family? I shudder to think.

Was my hesitation to take this position really out of a desire to help my family?... Or was it because I was afraid of losing them? Am I really so helpless that I need them to be there for me every moment of every day?

That was easy to answer. In fact, It gave me an idea.

It’s time for me to stop running away from my trauma... It’s time for ALL of us to stop running from it. I think I’m going to need Luna for this...
> Chapter 9: Time for a Decision (Edited June 15th, 2021)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------



I can see a rainbow

in your tears as they fall on down

I can see your soul grow

Through the pain as they hit the ground

I can see a rainbow

In your tears as the sun comes out

As the sun comes out.
Sia- MLP Movie 2017








Sweet Apple Acres was oddly quiet. Everyone was going about their business as usual, but the cheerful conversation and friendly debate that usually accompanied our work was absent; everyone seemed to be thinking the same thing.

Stay or go?

Applejack and her family respectfully kept their silence, opting instead to leave us to our brooding. I, on the other hoof, after making a quick stop at Twilight's castle to send off a dragonfire letter, decided to go for a flight to clear my mind. 

There was something about the open sky, the feeling of the wind through my mane that cleared my head and allowed me to think. It was eerily similar to the feeling of being on a motorcycle on Earth; that sense of freedom that allowed me to let off steam and relax my anxieties and stress.

I passed over Ponyville, watching the inhabitants go about their afternoon in seeming bliss. I smiled as I watched the CMC leave Sugarcube Corner with Blaze following after them, and wondered how hard it would be on him if Maelstrom and Anima decided to move to the other world. I thought about Chwerth and Vivid, who had both been ecstatic about meeting friends in their new school. I sighed. 

Ultimately, It’s not up to me. Of course, if I’d remembered to inform everyone about the EQG world in the first place, we wouldn’t be in this situation. Yep. I was still feeling guilty about that, despite Twilight and Karra’s assurances otherwise. Maybe that was the real reason I was out flying, and not spending time with my family. 

“Hey Moto. Out for a flight?”

I smiled at Rainbow’s sudden appearance beside me. “Hi Rainbow. Yep. I just needed some time to think.”

“... You want to talk about it?”

I looked at her askance, grinning mischievously. “You? Offer sound advice?”

She looked offended, and flipped around, pulling me up short, forcing me to hover. “Hey! I may not be an egghead like Twilight, but that doesn't mean I don't have life experience! And besides," She crossed her forehooves over her chest. "I never said anything about offering advice, I just asked if you wanted to talk about it."

Can’t argue with her there. I should know that better than anyone. “Right. Sorry... In all honesty, I could actually use a friend right now. I’m... a little afraid to face my family.”

Rainbow frowned, but spun around to fly beside me once again. “Why would you be afraid to face your family? Aren't you guys, like, really close?"

I hummed in thought. “Yeah, we are, but sometimes the people we're closest to are the easiest to let down... Especially with the kind of mistake I made."
"...Mistake?"
"It's a long story."
"I have time, and seeing that you're up here flying around, and not down at the farm helping out, I'm thinking you do, too."
...Rainbow is a lot smarter than I gave her credit for.
Rainbow caught my surprised expression, and glared at me cooly. "Just because I'm awesome, and am too cool for school doesn't mean I'm an idiot, Moto."
I winced. "I'm sorry. I haven't really been giving you enough credit."
"S'a'ight." She replied. "Sooo..." Rainbow rolled a hoof.
"So what?"
"So what happened? What mistake did you make?"
I sighed. "You know how we came through the portal, right?" Rainbow nodded. "Well, you're also aware of where that portal originally went to?" Another nod. "Well, Twilight, Starlight, and Starswirl got it working again."
"Okay, and...?"
"Well, guess who neglected to tell everyone that there was another world out there that was somewhat similar to their old home, because he was too excited about getting everyone settled in here in Equestria?"

The cyan mare winced. “Oh. Ouch. You seriously didn't tell them?”
"Well, it's more like I forgot to tell them."
"What... but how?"

“...Bad writing?”
“...”
We continued to soar around Ponyville, using the thermals to lazily drift above the clouds.

“So, how did they react? Were they angry?”

I sighed. “I think they were. At least a little. Like, how could I have forgotten about something so important? Of course, they’d never outright just tell me that they were angry at me.” I snorted. “My family isn’t exactly vocal about that kind of stuff. Sometimes I wish they’d just confront me and get it over with.”

“Is that why you’re avoiding them?”

“...”

“Of course, I could be wrong, but if you want to get something out in the open, that usually involves actually talking to them, not avoiding them.”

You know what... she’s right. But... “To tell the truth, Rainbow... There's more to it.”

“If it’s about your creepy knowledge of us six friends, Twilight told me about that already.”

I shook my head. “No, this is something completely different. You remember when Coloratura was here?”

She eyed me mischievously. “Oh yeah. I remember your little ‘friendly hug’ moment.”

I rolled my eyes. She’s never going to let that go, is she? “No. Look, Dash, Rara offered me a job.”

That got her attention. “She what?” Her mouth hung open, her wings flapping by instinct alone. “She offered you a job?!?” Like, a secretary job?”

“No, like a singing job through her agent.”

Rainbow stopped completely, coming to hover. “That’s so cool! So are you going to take it? Please tell me you're going to take it!"

I sighed in exasperation, coming to a stop beside Rainbow. “Believe me, I want to. But... I’m afraid of how my family will react."

“How could you not take that offer? That kind of thing is unheard of! That’s like... Getting into the Wonderbolts without having to go through the academy!”

Is everything about the Wonderbolts with you, Dash? “I know.” I felt like pounding my head against a wall. “I know, but what about my family?”

“What about them?”

“Are you serious? My family means everything to me! And if they decide to leave Equestria, then I’ll be stuck here on my own if I take that offer!”

“Sounds to me like you're more worried about being left alone than you are of what your family thinks of you." I raised a hoof to object before I realized that... she was right.
"...Is it pathetic that I think that?"
Rainbow snorted. "A little, but I wouldn't be too worried about being left alone in Equestria." Rainbow pointed downward. My eyes followed her outstretched hoof to see a yellow stallion with a brown and black mane sitting on a bench in the park... 

Ixisten next to... Octavia? What..? When did that happen?The two seemed to be having a pretty serious conversation. “Yeeeaaaah, hey Rainbow, maybe we should give them some privacy.”

She shrugged. “Meh, they can’t see us up here. Why don’t we go closer and listen in?”

I glared at the rainbow-maned menace. “Not. A. Chance.”

“Aww, you’re no fun.”

“Rainbow, I take my siblings’ privacy very seriously. I would never jeopardize their trust in me like that... And don’t you even think about going down there behind my back. Seriously, Dash, I will break your neck if you even so much as try it.”

“That assumes you can even catch me.”

“Rainbow...”

“Alright, alright, fine. I won’t go down and spy on them.”

“Also, me getting an offer from Coloratura stays between us for now.”

“Not a problem. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." Rainbow performed the motions of the Pinkie promise. "Happy now?”

“Absolutely delighted."

“Whatever, dude.”

We continued our flight, taking a turn toward the Everfree Forest.  

“Hey Rainbow...”

“Hmm?”

“I know this might seem a little out of nowhere, but do you trust Princess Celestia?”

“...Um, yeah?”

“I...” I placed my hoof on my chin. “Well, it’s just that I met Princess Luna in my dreams a while back, and she seemed...” Rainbow raised an eyebrow, as if expecting me to continue, so I complied. "Well, she was kinda mysterious, and dark, I guess? But also friendly in a motherly sort of way. I know from what I've seen of her that she can be mischievous, too, but I have to wonder if Celestia is like that, too, or maybe she's completely different?”

"...Don't you usually know this kind of stuff from your creepy..."
"...From my creepy knowledge of this world, yes, but I'm talking on a deeper level. I've only ever seen her on television, but you've actually met her. What can you tell me about her? I just don't know what she thinks of us; is she worried about us taking over? Is she actually concerned about us, or will she put the good of the whole of Equestria before the wellbeing of our family? I know the rest of my family doesn't really think about this, but I've seen enough of Celestia dropping all her problems on Twilight to know that she always has an agenda. I guess I'm just wondering what plans she might have for our family." 
Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "Tele-what...? Dude, how would I know what Celestia's plans are? Look, there's only one thing I can really tell you from personal experience; Celestia will do anything to protect those she sees as her little ponies. I don't know if that includes you guys, but I don't see why it wouldn't."
I sighed. "I don't really know what I was expecting, asking you that. I'm sorry, I guess I'm just a little worried."
Rainbow snorted "Hey, don't worry about it. It sounds to me like you're just stressed out. We all need a break from time to time, like come on, you guys are always so serious about everything. You need to chill out! Take a chill pill every once in a while, you know?"
I frowned. "Rainbow, there's a reason we are the way we are. It's fine and dandy to say that we need to relax, but when you've lived through a war like we have, it changes you."
Rainbow froze. "I'm sorry... I didn't..."
"No, it's okay. I don't expect you to understand, Rainbow, and I can't blame you for not knowing. I know you're just trying to help, and I'm sorry for putting all this on you all of a sudden."
"So.. are we cool, or...?"
"Yeah, we're good. Just... in the future, it might be a good idea to tread a little carefully around my family when it comes to... that. I think we're all just trying to put it out of our minds, you know? Like, maybe keeping busy is our way of coping. It's our way of putting up a wall."
"You know, that gives me an idea.... Like, you can take or leave this if you'd like, but the only two ponies in Equestria who have ever gone through war like you guys have are Celestia and Luna. Maybe you should talk to them?"
I lost my balance, and nearly plummeted to the ground before I managed to catch myself. "That's... actually a really good idea."
“Well, Celestia puts up a better wall than most, but you know what they say about walls; the bigger they are, the more stuff there is behind them."

I smirked. “Speaking from experience, are we?” That got just the reaction I expected.

“What? It's not like that! I mean, that's not what I...”

I chuckled. “Hey, look at the pot calling the kettle black.”

“...”

“Consider it payback for the constant teasing about me and Rara.”

Rainbow smacked me topside the head with her wing, but smirked. “You’re good company, you know that?”

I shrugged. “I have my moments.”

A bug flew into one of my nostrils, and I began to gag and sneeze, much to Rainbow’s amusement. “Plegh. Stupid bugs.”





A hill covered in an endless field of green wheat, with a stormy sky as backdrop.  

I breathed in the warm sweet scent of the growing plants, and surveyed the scene before me, the wind caressing my almost-white fur and brown mane, bringing me a sense of peace amidst the storms of life.

“We meet again, young Motodrop.”

I turned, and dropped my head in acknowledgement of the royal mare before me.  

“Thank you for doing this, Luna. I don’t think I would have had the courage to bring everyone together without someone to guide me through it.”

“It is no problem.” Another figure appeared beside Luna, and I recognized the other monarch as Celestia. “Sister.”

“Hello Luna.” The tall white alicorn then turned to study me, casting her eyes up and down my trembling form. I nodded respectfully, but did not kneel.

It’s as if I can taste the power that she wields. It was a daunting feeling, and I couldn’t help but feel slightly cowed by her presence.

“Hello, Motodrop. So we finally meet." Celestia regarded me with a warm smile. “So you’re the one that has the ‘creepy knowledge of this world’ that I’ve heard so much about.”

I groaned. “I really need to tell Twilight to stop telling everyone that.”

The white mare chuckled. “My former student can get a little overexcited sometimes when it comes to the pursuit of knowledge.”

I agreed wholeheartedly.

“So this is where the meeting will take place?” Celestia glanced around the stalks of wheat, brushing a hoof through the heads in a similar manner to what Luna had first done when she had first beheld this dreamscape. "It is beautiful in its simplicity."
...Simplicity?!?

“It is a reflection of Motodrop’s subconscious.” Luna glanced around at her surroundings. “It is indeed beautiful.”

Oh, compliments will get you nowhere now. Not after calling me simple. I huffed in annoyance. Beautifully simple my tattoo-riddled flank.
Luna tilted her head. "Is everything alright, Motodrop?"
I waved her off. "I'm fine. Can we just get started already? Do you know when they'll start to arrive?"

“This dream realm is not relative to time, Moto.” Luna smiled. “We have as much time as is needed. Do not worry. They will be here soon enough.”

“I know, but I’m just a little jumpy. I did this without telling them, so I’m not sure how they’ll react to suddenly being in a shared dream with me.”

Celestia placed a hoof on my shoulder in assurance. “That is why I am here. I will offer any assistance that is needed, and help mediate in any way I can.”

“Indeed.” Luna stepped up to stand beside her sister, her form shorter than Celestia’s, and yet still taller than most ponies. “Your idea of a shared dream was an impressive one, Motodrop. When you had Twilight send that message detailing your plans, I was admittedly somewhat skeptical, but quickly saw the logic in such a stratagem.”

I exhaled nervously. “I just hope they’re alright with us invading their dreams.”

“I’m sure they’ll forgive you. Have faith in yourself, Motodrop. Your family does not seem like the type to hold grudges.”

“Mhmm.” Silence fell on the dreamscape, and I found myself studying Celestia. Just what is your endgame? Celestia happened to glance my way, catching me staring at her. I quickly glanced away, but not before seeing Celestia smile in amusement.
"..."

“What... Hey, I was enjoying that dream!”

Ah. Our first customer. 

“You are Ixisten, correct?”

“Yes. Um, where am I? I was having a really nice dream about... well, that’s not important right now.” I turned to face my younger brother, and he regarded me with a raised eyebrow before turning his eyes back to the two princesses. “Who are you..? Wait, hold on... Alicorns, which means you must be princesses."

Luna stifled a giggle. “I am Luna, the Princess of the Night. This is my sister Celestia, who raises and lowers the sun. The rest will be explained when the rest of your family arrives. For now, it would be best to have patience.”

The yellow stallion blinked, but settled himself down to wait. I strode up, and sat myself down beside him in the sea of green.

“Hey.”

“Hi. This is a dream, isn’t it?”

I chuckled. “Yep.”

“So this is all just a figment of my imagination, then.” He glanced around. "I have no idea how my subconscious came up with this."

I chuckled. “Nope. This is a shared dream, which means my consciousness is actually here, as are the two princesses.”

“Huh. Shared dreams. Is that a pretty common thing?”

“Only when Luna sets it up.”

“Oh.”

A gust of wind caused the unripened stalks of wheat to ripple like the waves of the ocean.

“So...” I smirked at my brother. “You and Octavia?”

Ixisten’s head jerked my way. “What... how did you..?”

I stifled a laugh. “Rainbow and I spotted you two in the park this afternoon.”

“Ugh.” His head dropped into his arms, and I patted him on the back with a hoof.

“How long you guys been dating?”

My brother turned to look at me, his expression unimpressed. “Look, we’re not dating, alright? I just... she happened to be playing her cello when I stopped by to tune her and Vinyl’s piano, and we got onto the subject of instrument construction. After that, we’ve been meeting up every once in a while to talk. As friends.”

Yeah. I’ll believe that when pigs fly... Actually, that already happened thanks to Discord. “Whatever you say, bro.”

He rolled his eyes, but our conversation was cut short by the arrival of Maelstrom, Anima, and their kids. They all blinked, disoriented by the scene presented to them.  

“Hey.”

“What... Moto? Ixisten?” Anima’s eyes were then drawn to the two princesses. “Uhhh...”

“I’ll explain later. For now, let’s just wait for everyone else.”

Anima and Maelstrom nodded dumbly, while Vivid squealed her delight at the sight of the two alicorns. She immediately ran over, and attached herself to one of Luna’s legs, who was initially surprised, but soon grew a large smile on her muzzle.

“Hi.”

“Hello there, young one. What’s your name?”

“I’m Vivid. This is Chwerth, and he’s Blaze.” She pointed at her brothers in turn, introducing them to the much delighted Luna. “CHWERTH! LOOK AT THE BIG HORSES! CHWERTH! HEY CHWERTH!”

I smiled. Maybe I should stop her? Meh, Luna doesn’t seem to care.

“Okay, okay, I’m coming!” The little pegasus buzzed over to where his sister was still clinging to the midnight Princess’ legs. He gazed up at the two monarchs in pure awe, and then: “You guys are really big.”

Heh. Subtle, buddy. Subtle.

I watched in amusement as the two foals ran around the two princesses, who didn’t seem to mind the attention. Blaze, meanwhile, came over to where Ixisten and I were resting, and joined us.

One by one, the rest of the family appeared in the dreamscape, all gazing around in confusion. Ixisten and I stood, and made our way to the group. 

Looks like we’re all here. I looked over to Luna, who nodded sagely... or at least attempted to as best she could given the pink clingon that seemed content to hold on to her legs.

I chuckled, and quickly cleared my throat. “Hi everyone. Can I get your attention? I promise I’ll explain everything, but first I need you all to calm down and listen.” I waited until everyone was looking at me. Here goes.

I breathed in deeply. “Okay, first thing; Yes, this is a dream. No, I’m not a construct of your mind. This is a shared dream, which means all our consciousnesses are here. Two; The two alicorns standing over there are Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. I’ll let you figure out which one’s which. Three; What you’re seeing is a dreamscape; It’s a reflection of my subconscious, so don’t break anything, alright? Four; ...I set this up with Princess Luna to talk about what happened today. Celestia is here to moderate and offer her advice. Five; Because this is a dream, time has no meaning here, so we can spend as much time as needed here without losing any time in the real world.” I paused, letting the information sink in for a moment. “Look, guys, I really need to apologize to you. Not telling you about the EQG world was an oversight on my part... a really stupid, really selfish oversight. I just assumed you’d all be fine with living in Equestria, and didn’t even consider the possibility that maybe some of us would have a harder time adapting to this world than others.” I bowed my head in shame. “I’m very sorry, and I’m sorry for invading your dreams without your permission.”

Silence.

“Moto. What makes you think we were angry at you?”

What? “But, I... I forgot about the EQG world. I... failed all of you.”

Otto and Panara pulled me into a group hug. “Moto, we weren’t angry at you. Maybe a little frustrated and conflicted, but not angry.” 

“Yeah, but I...”

“Moto, none of us regret the time we’ve spent in Equestria.”

I looked around for confirmation. Everyone was nodding or grunting their agreement. Karra was giving me a look that said: “See? I told you so.”

“Sure, it was a little weird at first, but we have food, shelter, steady jobs, and a place for the foals to go to school. We’re blessed to have spent the time we have here. Knowing about the other world sooner wouldn’t have changed that anyways. Either way, we’re all here alive and well.”

	I... Never thought of it that way before. “Huh.”

“So Moto, you still haven’t exactly told us why we’re all here. You said you wanted to discuss what happened today?”

I shrugged. “More specifically, I want us to figure out what we’re going to do. Do we all go to the other world? Do we all stay in Equestria? Do we split up and go our separate ways?”

Panara and Otto glanced at each other, and then dipped their heads in accord. “Moto... Everyone, we discussed our options before we went to bed, and we’ve decided that the two of us are going to go to that other world.”  

I studied their expressions, waiting for them to continue.

Otto lifted a hoof, inspecting it sadly. “As much as we like this world... It’s... Just a bit too much to adapt to. Panara and I have lived on Earth for over half a century, and it’s hard to break out of those old habits. I’m sure we could make a life for ourselves in Equestria, but... I don’t think we’d ever really be comfortable.” He lowered his hoof, and then beheld the entirety of our family. “Whatever you guys all choose is up to you. We won’t force you guys to come with us or stay in Equestria. You’re all adults now, and can think for yourselves.”

Celestia stepped forward. “A very noble and wise decision, Mr. Otto and Mrs. Panara.” She turned her attention to the rest of us. "Before the rest of you make your decision, keep in mind how your decision may affect your children. I'm not going to force you one way or another, but as someone who has seen war for myself..." She shook her head. "Always remember the next generation." Celestia stepped away, and I found myself once again studying her. Why would she say that now?

I didn't get the chance to finish my thought, because it was at that moment that Anima and Maelstrom began to speak.

“We’ll stay.” Anima looked at Vivid, who was still clinging to Luna’s legs, and smiled. “The kids seem to like it here, and they’ve already made friends in Ponyville. It wouldn’t be fair to them to force them to leave so soon after we’ve just settled in. It’s a little uncomfortable being in these bodies, but for the sake of our kids, I think we can make do.”

Percy then stepped forward. “I’d like to go with Mom and Dad. Not that I hate it here, Moto, but I don’t really have anything keeping me here other than family.” He grinned. “And if that world is anything like Earth, then I’ll finally be able to have a proper steak.”  

We all chuckled, and Percy went over to stand by Otto and Panara, giving Otto a hug.

Can’t say that surprises me. It’ll suck to see him leave, but he’s always stuck with and supported Mom and Dad.

There was a moment of silence as we all waited on the next person to speak. Hawk and Tumak were in deep discussion, so Karra and Eren stepped forward.

“We’ll be going with Mom and Dad, too.” Karra looked lovingly at her husband. “We like it here in Equestria, but it just doesn’t feel like home to us. If we lived in a world similar to Earth, Eren could utilize his computer skills toward our living. I like my job at the Ponyville Day Spa, but I can just as easily get a similar job in the other world, too.” Eren wrapped a hoof around Karra, and they nuzzled.

Admittedly, I was somewhat surprised, but it made sense to me. Eren had always been a computer guy, so obviously a world with computers was a better fit for them. And Karra’s studies in reflexology and nursing were better suited to bipedal creatures. 

Heh. Guess those skills don’t really translate to equines.

Hawk and Tumak seemed to finally have come to agreement, so they stepped forward, Grove shyly hiding from the two princesses behind Hawk’s legs.

D’awwe.

“We’ll be staying in Equestria.” Tumak looked somewhat uncomfortable with their decision, but spoke with conviction. “I’ll admit that I’m having a much harder time adapting to this world than Hawk and the kids are, but I’m willing to make that sacrifice for the sake of Grove. The war really took a toll on her, but this world has been bringing her out of her shell. I don’t think that we could leave without hurting her again.” They moved to stand next to Maelstrom and Anima, and I nodded at them.

Celestia smiled gently at Grove, and the little pegasus smiled shyly, but stayed behind Hawk.

And now... I guess it’s between me and Ixisten. The two of us looked at each other, waiting for the other to go. I almost lost my nerve to speak as the butterflies in my stomach caused a lump in my throat. Has he... not made his decision? I walked over to him, and leaned over. “You need some time to make your decision yet?”

He nodded, his eyes clouded with indecision.

I hear ya, bro. Alright. “Okay. Take as much time as you need, man. I’ll go first, then.” I turned to face the group. “To everyone who’s leaving... I’m going to miss you.” I shrugged. “I guess it’s not much of a surprise that I would stay here in Equestria, but I have a good reason for doing so. I’ve kept something hidden from most of you this last month, but I didn’t want to say anything until I’d made my decision. Honestly, I only finally decided a few moments ago.” I pulled the note from Coloratura out of thin air. Dreamscape, remember? Heheh. “I got this note from Coloratura when she left a while back. I’m seriously considering taking her offer.” I handed the message to Panara, who scanned it with Otto reading it over her shoulder.

“This is...” Panara looked up from the note, her eyes wide in disbelief. “This is an offer to start a career in the music business... Moto, how did you keep this hidden for a month?”

“The same way I hid the fact that I was a brony for over five years.”

I was suddenly engulfed in a hug from my mother, who had tears streaming down her cheeks.

“I am so proud of you, son. You can’t pass up this opportunity.”

“I know, but...”

“Go, Moto. We’ll be okay.” She pulled out of the hug, and gave me a maternal peck on the cheek. “And this isn’t goodbye forever. We can always visit through the portal.”

I nodded dumbly. “That's true... Okay... Okay, I’ll do it.” I smiled, taking back the note from Panara, and went over to stand with the others who’d decided to stay in Equestria. 

Our attention turned to Ixisten, who looked to be desperately trying to come to a conclusion, his expression pained. I moved to go to him, but Celestia beat me to it.

“Ixisten, correct?”

My brother looked up at the tall figure, and bowed his head respectfully. “Yes.” 

“I’ve heard of you. The canterlot nobles have been pleased with your business there. It seems that ponies who can tune a piano correctly are in short supply, and according to them you do good work.” The yellow equine smiled slightly at the compliment, and Celestia continued. “Losing a talented  individual such as yourself would be a shame. I would be willing to help you out, if you were to decide to stay.”

“...Help out?”

Celestia placed a hoof on her chin, wearing an unreadable expression. “There’s not much more valuable to a business pony than a royal endorsement.”

Stunned silence, all of us speechless at this proclamation.

“You... you’d do that?”

“Only if you were to decide to stay. Of course, the final decision is up to you, but this offer stands for however long you decide to stay in Equestria.”

Oh, you sly devil, you. I trotted over to Ixisten, slightly amused by the cartoonish smoke rising from his ears. “Don’t let her pressure you, bro. It’s a good offer, for sure, but don’t let that make your decision.” I glanced up at Celestia, unamused. “Celestia is thousands of years old. She knows that having you around is good for PR with her nobles, which in turn makes her job easier.” Ixisten turned to me, an dubious expression adorning his features. I patted him on the back. “She’s a nice pony, but she has a nation to think about, too. If you’re going to stay, do it for yourself, not because you were pressured to.” I elbowed him in the ribs playfully. “And maybe for a certain mare...?”

At that, a smile crept over Ixisten’s muzzle, and he elbowed me back. “I have no idea what you're talking about.”
I smirked. "I do."
Ixisten rolled his eyes, and then turned to Celestia. “I’ll take your offer, but I’m not moving to Canterlot. I like Ponyville, and would prefer to stay there.”

Sure. You want to stay in Ponyville because you like it there. Right. That’s the only reason, I’m sure.

Celestia nodded sagely. “That can be arranged.” She regarded me with a look akin to... amusement, and leaned over to whisper in my ear; "You're a thousand years too young to outwit me, young man."
I growled at her. "I don't know what your endgame is, Celestia, and I don't like you meddling in the affairs of my family, but for now it seems that I have no choice but to trust you." I glared at her. "Let me get one thing straight between us; pride is cheap, but trust is expensive. That's especially true for my family, after the things we've seen. If you ever cross us, your 1000 years of experience will mean nothing, because you will never receive our trust again." Celestia's expression turned from one of amusement to one of troubled contemplation. "I don't dislike you, Celestia, but I've seen how you constantly unload your problems onto Twilight. I won't let you do that to my family. You need to remember that, as much as we resemble your little ponies, we still come from a different dimension. We've seen things that none of your pony subjects have seen, and experienced grief and pain far beyond what any of them have ever even conceived of. Don't ever forget that, because we sure won't."
Celestia schooled her expression into one of calm serenity. "Very well, Motodrop Hillberry."
That doesn't sound like a promise to me, but that's probably the best I'm going to get.  I decided to let the matter drop, and turned my attention back to the rest of the family. I looked at the two groups of ponies; One staying, one leaving. Well. That’s that, I guess.

The rest of the dream was spent making preparations. Who would be living where, how we would all support ourselves, and what we would do to visit each other. We decided that the final move would take place after Coloratura had returned from her tour, and I accepted her offer. I left the rest of the decisions to the rest of the family, and instead stepped back to enjoy the view of the dreamscape, my eyes tracing the outline of the distant clouds. I was finally... at peace. I had made my decision. I was nervous, sure, but at the same time hopeful.  

“It was wise of you to do this.”

I turned to Luna, who unhurriedly strolled up beside me. I bowed my head appreciatively.

“It was necessary. My family isn’t the best at taking the initiative when it comes to decisions, so I needed a way to get us all together and figure this out once and for all. Otherwise everything would happen at the last minute, and we’d be unable to say our proper goodbyes.”
“There is still one more thing to deal with, Motodrop.”

I tilted my head in confusion. “There is?”

Luna pointed a hoof at my chest. “Your heart. You still haven’t dealt with the pain of your losses... None of you have.”

I sighed. “You’re right. It’s just that we’ve been so busy...”

“Business is no excuse, my friend.” Her expression hardened. “If you don’t gain closure soon, this will consume you”

I dropped my head in defeat. “Yeah... but how?”

The midnight blue mare smiled gently at me.

“I may have an idea.”

“I’m all ears.”
> What are Heavy?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Ch.10
What Are Heavy?
By Christina Rossetti
What are heavy? Sea-sand and sorrow;
What are brief? Today and tomorrow;
What are frail? Spring blossoms and youth;
What are deep? The ocean and truth.
Source: https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/what-are-heavy-by-christina-rossetti 


.
“Is it finished?”
“Yeah. I put the last few touches on it last night.”
Ixisten and I stood back, admiring his handiwork.
“That.. looks really good. I’m sure this will honor them.”
Ixisten sniffed, and swallowed. “It was... probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
I placed a hoof around my brother’s shoulders, and pulled him close. “I can imagine.” The two of us regarded the wooden sculpture in its entirety, breath hitching in our throats. My heart felt heavy as I comforted my brother. Eventually, the moment passed, and I pulled away, taking the opportunity to examine the art piece in detail. As I ran a hoof across the wooden swirls and minute details, admiring the care Ixisten had put into it, I thought about everything that had happened up to this moment in time. 	It had been quite an adventure. A crazy, illogical, improbable adventure, but one that I wouldn’t have changed for the world.
Actually... I kinda did change it for the world in a way. Funny how that works. I straightened up, and turned to Ixisten, who’d been sitting on the wooden shaving-covered barnboards. “I guess it’s time to call Twilight.” He nodded, and together we stood, leaving the dark barn behind as we made our way to Twilight’s castle.





Music played as ponies from the town and beyond silently took their seats in Ponyville town hall. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVe2_0blWkg

I sat in the front row with my family on the right side of me, eyes straining to see through the black sheet covering the enlarged sculpture that sat on the stage. Princess Celestia sat to my left, with Luna on the other side of her. 

The only noises were the sounds of the rustling of the dark clothing that many of us wore, and a few scattered coughs. I tore my eyes away from the sculpture, and instead began to study the vaulted ceiling, counting the tiles.

Inwardly, I was thinking long and hard. Not about anything specific, but rather flitting from subject to subject, trying to keep my brain busy with anything but the unwanted emotions threatening to take hold of my mind.

There would be time for that in a moment. For now I wanted to keep my composure for the sake of my family. It occurred to me that they were probably thinking the same things as me, and I nearly looked over at them to confirm this, but resisted the urge, and instead tried to calculate the size of the room we were sitting in based on the size of the tiles and how many there were on the ceiling. 

I don’t remember how long I sat there for, but I was snapped out of my inner musings by the music slowly fading out.

All the ponies in the room stilled, and the rustling that had pervaded the room lessened drastically. 

Mayor Mare appeared from behind the curtains on the stage, and made her way up to the podium. She tapped the microphone with a hoof, and then slowly cast her eyes around the room, taking in the number of ponies filling the town hall.

“The last time we all came together like this, it was for a much happier occasion.” Her eyes misted over slightly as they passed over my family. “Today we do not celebrate a union, but instead mourn the loss of friends and family, and a civilization.” She paused, and turned her eyes toward the curtain behind her. “I would now like to invite Princess Twilight Sparkle to speak on behalf of the Hillberry family.”

I gulped, and felt Otto’s comforting hoof settle on my foreleg.

Twilight lit her horn, and levitated a stack of cue cards onto the podium in front of her. She glanced up at the audience, and cleared her throat.

“When my good friend Starswirl the Bearded and I set up a portal that would take us to another world, we never imagined in our wildest dreams that it would bring a family to our dimension instead.”  She smiled at us, and wiped a tear from her eye. “It has been my pleasure getting to know all of you. Instead of us ponies gaining knowledge, we instead gained sixteen precious new friends.” Another tear fell from her eye, and she apologized as she wiped it away. Her voice trembled as she read the next part. “Little did we know of the many precious ones you had left behind.”

My breathing became hoarse as I heard that part, and I bit my lip in an attempt to hold back the tears. 

What am I doing? If there’s any time to open yourself up to your emotions, this is it.

Twilight continued on; “An entire people. A Place called Earth has passed away. The ponies you see here are the last of them.” She was outwardly crying now, and I finally couldn’t hold it in any longer. I burst into tears, leaning against my father for comfort as I silently wept, my body wracked with sobs of pain for those we had left behind. I could feel the jerking motions from Otto as he, too, was swept up by the emotions.

Twilight then drew in a large breath, attempting to regain control of her emotions as the room filled with the sounds of sniffs and quiet sobs. “I would now like to call Motodrop up to the podium to say a few words.”

I wiped my tear-stained eyes as best I could, gratefully taking a stack of tissues offered to me by Panara. Twilight pulled me into a hug as I stepped onto the stage, and whispered in my ear;

“All of us are here for you and your family.” She then stepped back, and I nodded my thanks to her as I moved up to the mic. I adjusted the device for my height before regarding the room before me. I saw many ponies in the crowd that I recognized. I saw Bon bon, Lyra, Octavia, even Vinyl Scratch, and a great many more. I locked eyes with Coloratura, who had returned from her tour the day before. She faintly smiled, offering encouragement.

I let silence ring in the room for a few moments before breathing deeply. “Thank you all for coming here today. Many of you barely even know us, and yet you chose to come and support us anyways. You have no idea how much it means to us knowing that we have such good friends here in Equestria.” I glanced down at my family, barely able to make out their features through the blinding spotlights centered on the stage. “Most of you don’t even know what this place called ‘Earth’ is, where it is, or even how it perished.

“I grew up on Earth. I was born there, raised there, and had a steady income with a place to call home... That was before the war.” Okay, keep it together. “War destroyed us. It tore us apart. It broke my family, and it took many of the people that I cared for.” My voice hardened, and my resolve grew firm. I stared hauntingly at Celestia and Luna, my eyes boring into theirs. “Don’t let that happen here. Learn from what we went through, and never let it destroy your world like it did ours.” I then softened my tone, and smiled wistfully, recalling fond times. “We may not be able to ever go back to Earth again, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t carry the love and happy memories with us as we start our new lives in our chosen homes. I have a good friend to thank for reminding me of that.” 

I paused, and once more took in the ambience of the room; The brown walls, the salmon doors, and the balconies. “If not for a seemingly random chain of events, we wouldn’t be here. If not for the exact circumstances that led us here, I doubt we would have ever found peace. It’s even likely that we wouldn’t be alive at this very moment. And yet, thanks to all your support, friendship, and love, we’ve come to find a place for ourselves here. I’m proud to call Equestria my new home.” I turned my attention down to my family, and smiled. “I would like to call Ixisten up to the stage, and Princess Luna, you should come up, too.”

Luna looked surprised at this, but she followed Ixisten up the stairs to stand beside me. I turned to face the two of them as they stepped up to my right side. I hugged Ixisten closely, and I bowed my head to Luna in respect. The dark blue Alicorn dipped her head in return, and I looked toward Twilight, nodding.

The sheet that had been obscuring the sculpture was pulled away in a magenta aura, revealing the figure of two humans in an embrace, the wooden marbling and veins lovingly enlarged and preserved thanks to a petrification spell from Twilight. A collective gasp was heard from the audience as they beheld the beautiful curves and sharp lines that had been placed in great detail upon the statue.
Twilight stepped up to the lecturn. “This sculpture was carved to remember all the lost citizens of Earth. It will serve as a reminder to all of us that these people once lived. Together, we will remember the legacy of the Humans of Earth.” She turned to Ixisten and I, who were both weeping silently. “I would personally like to thank Ixisten here for carving this stunning statue. And Motodrop has requested that I extend his and his family’s thanks to Luna for her support, and for setting up this event.” 

Luna blinked, but a warm smile formed on her muzzle as I grinned at her though my tears.

You thought I was going to let that go unsaid? Not a chance in Equestria. “You’ve helped us in so many ways.” I whispered to her. “I just thought that deserved a little recognition.” 

A tear formed in the corner of Luna’s eye, which she quickly wiped away with a hoof. 

“It was my pleasure to be of help to you and your family.” Luna stated, and we turned to leave the stage as Twilight finished up her speech, placing a hoof on her chest as her wings flared out ceremoniously.

“And so, on this day, I; Princess Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship, now sanction this monument to be placed in the town square of Ponyville to be a memorial to the citizens of Earth, that they never be forgotten.” She paused, glancing down at her notes before looking back up at the audience. “This concludes our memorial ceremony.”

She stepped away from the microphone, and ducked behind the curtain as the music swelled once more. The audience took this as their cue, and slowly stood to made their way out the main entrance of the town hall, leaving just my family, Luna, Celestia, and Twilight, who had joined us shortly after her disappearance behind the stage curtain. 

Celestia stared at the sculpture on the stage, her expression unreadable. She seemed... Contemplative. 

She is over a millenia old. I guess seeing thousands of aquaintences pass away would do that to a pony.

“You have a truly extraordinary family, young Motodrop.”

We all jerked our heads in Celestia’s direction, surprised at the comment. She slowly turned her head to meet our gazes, and one-by-one, took it in turn to study each of us until her eyes settled on me.

“I have seen many countless friends, lovers, and children be born, grow old, and pass away. I have taught and raised up so many pupils, some of whom pleased me greatly with their accomplishments...” Twilight blushed, and hid her face in embarrassment. “...And some who disappointed me to the verge of tears.” She breathed in deeply, savouring the autumn breeze that was now entering through the open doors of the auditorium. “I’ve seen villains destroy, and heroes save. I’ve even seen heroes reform some villains.” She smiled kindly, and turned her gaze back to the statue. We all waited in rapt attention, eager to hear what Celestia had to say next.

Eventually, the monarch sighed. “But losing the people dear to you never gets any easier. It’s one of the curses of being immortal, and It’s why I’m glad I no longer have to take up that mantle alone.” She leaned against her sister Luna, and the two shared a quick nuzzle. “Still, to see a group of ponies so close to one another... I suppose this is how war affects families. It tears them apart, but also drives them closer than they ever could have been without it. War is something that Equestria has not seen much of since the days of the Windigos. We have had our fair share of disturbances and threats,
but not a war among our own species. Watching your family has strengthened my resolve. Motodrop Hillberry, I took the words you spoke to heart. I promise you that I will not let what happened to your world happen here in Equestria.” 

“We both do.” Luna spoke with firm resolve. “If what I have seen from your dreams is any indication of what happens when a world is consumed with war, then I am all the more determined to avoid the same fate. You have our word, friends.”

I nodded firmly. It would do. 

“Well.” Otto sat staring at the monument. “I suppose that’s it.” He smiled proudly at Ixisten. “That’s one incredible sculpture, son. I’m proud of you.”

Panara laid a hoof around Otto’s shoulders. “We all are.”





“So... I guess it’s time, eh?”

Ixisten, Maelstrom and Anima, Hawk and Tumak, myself and the kids stood facing Otto and Panara, Karra and Eren, and Percy in Twilight’s castle library. The mirror portal glowed behind them while Twilight, Starswirl, Starlight, Coloratura, Octavia, and the Apple family stood to the sides.

“I guess so.” I swallowed a lump as the two groups regarded each other. I suddenly galloped over to Panara and Otto, hugging them closely.

“I know we’ll be able to visit, but I can’t help but think that our family is splitting apart again.” I sniffed away my emotions, and was relieved to feel the rest of the Hillberry family join in on the hug. I looked up to see the others in the room regarding us with smiles, and beckoned for them to join in. “You guys, too. You’re as much a part of this family as the rest of us are.” I heard some assenting ‘mhm’s from my siblings, and reluctantly, the other ponies in the room were slowly pulled into the group hug. There was more than one tearful face in the group as Otto began to speak.

“Don’t think of us as splitting apart. We’re all family, and that will never change. I like to think of this as us maturing as a family. It’s a good thing when a child leaves their mother and father, and starts out a life on their own. It’s a source of pride to us as parents. We’re sad that you’re not around, but seeing you all mature into lives of your own fills us with such gratitude that we were blessed to bring you into the world.” Otto kissed the side of Panara’s face, happy tears running down his muzzle. “A number of years ago, it was just the two of us with six children. Now we have six adults with three spouses, and five grandchildren. You have no idea how fulfilling it is to see you how you’ve all grown in different ways.”  

Otto pulled away, and the group hug broke apart.  

This is it. The five who’d chosen to leave Equestria looked over to Twilight, and she nodded to them.

“Sunset Shimmer will be waiting for you on the other side of the portal. I’ve given her instructions to help you all find places to live, and to help you become integrated into the society there. I wish you all luck.”
Percy smirked. “Don’t need luck.” He breathed deeply, and waved a hoof to us. “The most painless way to remove a bandaid is to just rip it off and get it over with, sooo... See you guys!” With that, he stepped backwards through the portal, disappearing from sight.  

He’s gonna regret backing into the portal like that.

Karra rolled her eyes. “That is so like him. Anyways, we’ll see you guys soon. Maybe around Christmastime?”

I smiled. “I believe you mean Hearth’s Warming, don’t you?”

She laughed. “Aaaaand that’s our cue to go. Shall we, honey?” She looked to her husband, and he curled a hoof around hers.

“Yep.”

The two stepped through the portal, just leaving Otto and Panara.

Our parents regarded all of us with smiles on their faces, and then turned to Twilight.

“Make sure Moto finds a girlfriend.” And then they were gone through the portal.

Those sneaky... I chuckled, as did the rest of the siblings left standing in the library. I turned to Twilight, and quickly dispelled any plans she may have been cooking up regarding my state of singleness. “Don’t even think about it, Princess. I’m perfectly capable of finding a girlfriend on my own.”

“I believe you mean marefriend.”

I facehooved.

“You are hopeless.”

These ponies are going to be the end of me.
> Into Manehatten
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ch.11

I watched the countryside whizz by, my hoof propping up my chin as I lay on my chosen seat on the train. Coloratura sat next to me reading a book; something I wished I’d brought with me. Unfortunately, I’d had to make a run for the station from Sweet Apple Acres when I realized that the ticket I’d been given by Coloratura had said 9 AM, and not 9PM like I’d originally thought. The only things I’d managed to pack in my panic induced rush had been my toiletries and some horseshoes.
A vaguely familiar rock farm came and went by the window, and I sat up, trying to get a better view. I craned my neck as the vista slowly receded behind the train.
Was that the Pie family’s rock farm?
Coloratura glanced up from her book, and cocked an eyebrow at me quizzically.
I just shrugged. “I thought I recognized that farm. It looked a lot like Pinkie’s homestead.”
“It’s possible. I’m afraid I don’t know Pinkie all that well.”
“Be glad you don’t. She’s like a firecracker that won’t stop exploding. But yeah, apparently she grew up on a rock farm.”
Coloratura blinked, her jaw agape. “A... rock farm?” her baffled expression quickly morphed into a suspicious frown. “Are you pulling my hoof?”
I snorted. “I wish I were.” My face flushed red as I pictured what I’d just said in my head. That... was a stupid thing to say. Luckily, the white-coated mare remained oblivious to my social blunder, too caught up in her own thoughts.
“And what, exactly, is a rock farm supposed to be for?”
I coughed, trying to shake off the mental image that had invaded my mind, threatening to cause my wings to stand out stiffly. 
Curse my single-ness. “I have no idea. But when it comes to Pinkie Pie... and I guess her family, it’s best to not question it.” Coloratura seemed dissatisfied with that answer. “Hey, you should ask Twilight about Pinkie Sense some time. She has one heck of a story to tell you about that!” I chuckled. That had been one of my favourite episodes, despite the controversy surrounding it. Personally, I found the whole episode to be rather funny in a Looney Tunes sort of way.  
Coloratura just stared at me, and slowly began to shake her head back and forth.
“You know what... I believe you. Forget I asked.”
I half-grinned as she looked back at her book, and I resumed staring out at the scenery.
The train chugged into Manehatten just as Celestia lowered the sun beyond the horizon, and Coloratura and I disembarked at the station closest to wherever it was she was taking me to. It looked to be the chic section of town, with multiple clothing, craft, and fashion stores lining the streets in medium to tall buildings stacked closely together. I felt distinctly out of place as I saw the ponies going about their daily business wearing various forms of professional and fashionable attire. I glanced down at my own body, and was embarrassed to remember that, in my rush to get to the station, I had neglected to wash up that morning. Normally that wouldn’t bother me, but in a city like this, I stood out like a sore thumb.
Having been raised in the countryside, I was never really comfortable in large cities. Oh, I didn’t mind visiting every once in a while, and I’m sure I could get used to living in Manehatten, but I’d always been a country stallion at heart. Even before the war on Earth, I’d been living in a small town with access to the rolling farmland any time I desired.
Man, do I miss that place.
Coloratura noticed my discomfort, and appraised me with a critical eye. She did not look impressed.
“Your meeting with my agent is tomorrow, so I’ve found a place where you can stay the night...” She sniffed the air, her face grimacing. “... and for you to wash that smell out of your coat.”
I sniffed myself, and blanched. Good Grief! It didn’t seem so bad on the farm, but I guess it really stands out here.

“Really, Motodrop, I expected that at least Rarity would have made sure you’d kept yourself in decent shape. Has no one taught you how to care for your fur? Not to mention your wings look a little raggedy. I’ll have to have someone teach you how to preen properly...”

Preening? Seriously? That’s a thing here?

“...Honestly, Moto, I didn’t say anything on the train because I was trying to be polite, but here in Manehatten, you have to make a good first impression.”

I had nothing to say in my defence. Frankly, it was my fault that I’d been running late in the first place and neglected to clean myself up properly, so I just nodded and, after she donned a disguise, the white mare led me to a fairly posh hotel. The bellhop took my bags, and the stallion sitting at the front desk regarded me with a fair amount of confusion until Coloratura removed her disguise.

“Ah, Countess. Is this the special guest you booked a room for?” The receptionist quickly plastered an impassive look on his face, and I chuckled a bit.

Not what you were expecting, eh?

Coloratura passed the opulent stallion a number of bits, and with the key to my room in hoof, I stepped into the elevator beside Coloratura, who’d booked a room next to mine, and pressed the required number on the keypad. Just before the doors closed, I saw the receptionist press a perfumed handkerchief to his nose, and I couldn’t help but take a bit of twisted pleasure in the fact that I had caused the seemingly unflappable stallion to break his mask of professionalism. 

“And what are you laughing about?”

I grinned at Coloratura standing next to me. “Oh nothing, just enjoying someone elses disomfort.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m surprised he didn’t outright kick you out of the hotel. I think the only thing that stopped him was that you were with me.”

“Still, it’s amusing to see pony’s reactions, wouldn’t you agree?”

“...It was kind of funny.” Coloratura cracked a small smile.

“Imagine what was going through his head...” I pretended to pull up my tie in the snootiest way possible. “Ahem, fine sir, I believe you smell like dung.”

Coloratura giggled, and raised a hoof dramatically. “Nah, ah’m just tryin’ out ah new perfume!”

I widened my eyes in mock wonder. “My, is that the new scent from Prance?”

“Why yes! It’s called ‘essence a la methane’.” The two of us broke out into laughter as the doors slid open on our floor. “You really do stink, though.”

“I know.” I stepped out of the elevator, and followed the numbers on the doors in ascending order until I found the correct door. I pushed the key into the lock, and stepped into the room.

“Make yourself presentable, and meet me out here in an hour. There’s a restaurant on the second level here, so we can grab a bite to eat before retiring for the night.”

I nodded, and waved to Coloratura as she opened the door to her own room.  

My room was, in a word, fancy. Ornate rugs decorated the hardwood floor, gold-trimmed white drapes complimenting them nicely. The walls were painted a cream-yellow colour, and an ornate door led into the bathroom. The space in the center of the room was dedicated to a king-size bed. I whistled in amazement. 

How much did this cost, I wonder? I was broken out of my admiration by the sound of the bellhop with my bags. I tossed a few bits to the stallion, and took the luggage into my room. The young porter tipped his red cylindrical hat, thanking me, and pushed his cart further down the hall toward Coloratura’s room.

I turned back to my room, and placed my luggage next to the bed.

Well, guess I’ll make use of that bathroom now.





I emerged from my room exactly 45 minutes later freshly cleaned, and no longer smelling like a pigsty mixed with body odour. The bathroom had been huge; I practically swam in the tub, and had spent at least a good half hour in there. I made good use of the various shampoos and soaps that had been provided, and now my coat shone in the dim lighting. My mane had been combed, and I had also taken the time to shave my beard off. I could’ve sworn I felt two pounds lighter, and smiled at Coloratura’s expression as she stepped out from her room.

“You clean up nice.” She tilted her head. “You also shaved off your beard. It looks good.”

“Thank you. Imagine what that receptionist would think if he saw me now.”

The mare smiled at that, and motioned for me to follow her.

I had once gone to some fancy restaurant on Earth. I’d paid an arm and a leg for what amounted to a massive plate with a few square inches of tasteless mush on it that had been decorated with a sprig of parsley. I had not enjoyed that experience. Thankfully, the food at the restaurant in the hotel was of high quality, but was served in generous portions.

Coloratura and I chatted as we dined, and the night passed quickly. As the clock chimed ten, the two of us quickly stood, and Coloratura paid the bill. 
Now, I'm aware that in a dating situation the stallion is supposed to pay the bill, but this wasn’t a date, so it didn’t count. And besides, there was no way I could afford the meal I’d just eaten.

We made our way back to our rooms, and as I was unlocking my room, Coloratura called over her shoulder; “Our day starts at 8 tomorrow sharp. Make sure you’re ready to go before then.”

“Okay. See you tomorrow.” I stepped into my room, and closed the door behind me. I stumbled over to the bed, and collapsed into it with a sigh.

What a day.



DINGALINGALINGALING!!!

UUUUUUGGGHHH... Can’t I sleep for a few more minutes? I rolled over in bed, and glanced over at the alarm clock. It said 7:15 AM. Crud. I smashed the button on top of the alarm clock with my hoof, effectively silencing it, and pushed the sheets off my body. I yawned, smacking my lips before stretching the sleep from my body.

Well, up and at ‘em, I guess. I rolled out of the bed, which took a fair bit of time seeing as it was about four times as big as the bed I’d slept in at Sweet Apple Acres. Seriously, I felt like I was swimming in the thing. Again, I’m glad I’m not footing... hoofing? The bill for this place. I dragged myself to the bathroom, and, out of a desire to stay awake, forwent the bathtub, opting instead to use the walk-in shower. I scrubbed myself clean of sweat and, embarrassingly, drool, and applied the shampoo to my mane. The label read ‘shampoo with coconut oil and hints of shiitake’  

Whatever. If it made my mane and coat look good, then I was happy with it. I lathered it in as I began to sing a random collection of music; nothing specific, it was more like a mishmash of a bunch of different songs all put together. I guess it could be called ‘Motodrop Remix’.  

Trademark Pending.

I smirked at the thought, and let the water run over my equine body as I flared my wings, spraying a mixture of water and soap off of them onto the walls of the shower. It was strange how much I’d become accustomed to my new equine body over the last couple of months, though I’d discovered that the physical ailments that I’d had on Earth had been transferred over to my new body.

For instance, I’d had a black spot in my right eye before, and... Yup. It’s still there. After having it examined by a doctor, he’d stated that it was harmless, and to leave it be, though it was still somewhat annoying.  

Even the scars that I’d accumulated over the course of my life had been transferred to my new body. For that, I was somewhat thankful. My fur hid pretty much all of them, but the scars were like permanent little memories to me. All the nicks, dents, and slashes reminded me of something that had happened on Earth. Like the scar under my eyebrow that I’d aquired from my older sister who’d thought it a good idea to use a seesaw to launch stones into the air. It worked great until I happened to be standing over top of the seesaw; That one had needed stitches. Or the small indent in my shin that was a remnant of the time I’d had to have surgery to remove an abscess. Or the jagged line across my kneecap from an unfortunate encounter with a zebra mussel from when our family had been swimming in the lake by our cottage. Or the scar under my left eye... actually, I don’t know where I got that one from. Hmm. I’ll have to ask Mom and Dad about that.

I turned off the water, and shook the water from my coat and wings. I stepped out of the shower, and wrapped myself up in the pure white towels that had been left for me by the hotel staff. After a thorough rubbing down, I proceeded to the mirror, where I tamed my mane back to my preferred state. Satisfied, I stepped out of the bathroom, and glanced at the clock.

7:50. Perfect. I heard a knock on my hotel room door, and upon opening it, found Coloratura wearing a... dress? Oh dear. I hope she doesn’t expect me to wear a suit. Aaaaaaand the nervousness hit. I breathed heavily as Coloratura gave me the once-over.

“You look ready to go. Want to catch an early breakfast, and then head out?” She cocked her head as she saw my nervous expression. “Ah.” She smiled in understanding. “Yeah, starting a new career can do that to a pony.”

I stuttered a bit, and attempted to regain my composure. “I.. should I wear a suit? I mean, you’re wearing a dress, so it would only fit... oh! Should I get my wings fixed before we go? I don’t want to leave a bad impression on your agent.” My babbling was brought to a sudden and unceremonious halt by a hoof against my muzzle.

“We’re meeting my agent, not going to see Princess Celestia. Relax. If there’s something they don’t like about you, they’ll teach you how to fix it. You already have the job, Moto. You just have to be trained.” The white mare removed her hoof from my surprised visage, and smiled. “You’ll do fine. If it’s the state of your wings you’re worried about, just remember that you’re not the first country bumpkin to start a music career.” She smiled knowingly, and I relaxed, though the nervousness stayed settled in the pit of my stomach. “We have a few minutes yet, so why don’t we get breakfast? I don’t know anypony whose nerves aren’t settled by a decent meal.”

Then you clearly don’t know me. “I’m more likely to throw up if I have breakfast.”

Coloratura facehooved, and sighed. “How are you going to survive on stage?”

I laughed bitterly. “I’m more comfortable on stage than I am before a test. I’ll be jittery right up until the moment I meet your agent. Let’s just grab something light that I know I can stomach.”

Rara shrugged, but acquiesced, and once again we went to the restaurant in the hotel for some breakfast. I ordered some toast with an egg, and ate it in silence as my companion devoured her full-course meal in five minutes flat. I was impressed.

Coloratura once again paid for the meal, and together we made our way down to the lobby of the hotel, where I glanced over at the receptionist. 

Darn. A different one than last night. I was hoping to mess with that stallion receptionist.

The mare at the counter bowed respectfully as Coloratura once again donned her hat-and-sunglasses disguise.

“Have a nice day.”

The two of us nodded back to her as we stepped out the front door. Coloratura hailed a cab, and we jumped aboard. The stallion pulling the hansom began to trot forward, and I took in the sights of the city as the yellow carriage pulled into the traffic. I marveled at the similarities to downtown Toronto. Yeah, yeah, I know Manehatten was supposed to be a pony version of New York City, but I’d never been to New York City, so to me it looked like Toronto. I had a small chuckle at the ponified version of the Statue of Liberty, which Rara gave me a curious look about, but didn’t comment on. We soon entered into the downtown proper, and I couldn’t help but feel dwarfed by the skyscrapers around me. We even passed through what I recognized as Times Square, though I’m sure it was called something different in Equestria. I’d have to make sure to ask about that later. 
We shortly came to a stop in front of a tall, modern-looking building clad in glass windows and ornate granite pillars. There was that nervousness again. I swallowed it down as best I could as we dismounted from the hansom, Coloratura tossing the required fare to the Taxi-stallion, along with a generous tip. The buff pony tipped his hat in thanks, and pulled his carriage out into traffic again, looking for his next fare.

We entered into the gargantuan building by way of glass doors, and I struggled to maintain my composure. Good grief, man. Get a hold of yourself. Coloratura greeted the mare sitting at the front desk, and stepped into the elevator, stepping to the side to make room for myself. I trotted in beside her, and the doors closed behind us before the elevator began to move, giving that strange momentary feeling of increased gravity. 

“Is there anything I should know about your agent before I meet him... or her?”

Coloratura hummed in thought. “Well, HER name is Harshwhinny...”

I raised a hoof, cutting her off. “I know all I need to know.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You’ve met?”

“Nope. But I’m familiar with her.”

“Ah. Your creepy knowledge of Twilight and her friends, right?”

“Oh come on, it’s not that creepy, is it?”

“It kind of is.”

“Well, there’s not a whole lot I can do about it now, is there?”

“Mmm, guess not.” She scratched behind her ear. “Still, it’s kind of scary to think that a bunch of ponies on another world could see what was happening in Equestria.”

I frowned darkly. “Well, you don’t have to worry about that any more.” I sighed. “Either way, I’m surprised Harshwhinny of all ponies is your agent. Given her previous... positions, it seems a strange place to end up.”

Coloratura simply smiled. “Her job as the ambassador for the Equestrian Games was temporary. She was actually hired by the Games committee because of her experience with putting on big events for singers like myself. She’s a bit of a grump, sure, but she’s very capable.” I nodded, and the doors to the elevator opened before us. I stepped out into the hallway, and Coloratura led me to the wooden door at the end. “You go on in. I’ll be waiting here for you until you’re done speaking with her.”

“You’re not coming in with me?”

The white mare smirked. “What, you’re scared?”

“Honestly?... I’m terrified.”

“Oh, you’ll be fine. What’s that saying... ‘Bravery isn’t not being afraid, but acting in spite of your fear’?”

I laughed. “Fine. You have a point.”

“Now go on. Don’t worry, Harshwhinny doesn’t bite... Usually.”

Oh, that’s supposed to make me feel better?
> First Impressions are Important
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ch.12
“My answer is no.”

I froze, my hoof just about to open the door to Harshwhinny’s office. I turned to Coloratura, and raised an eyebrow.  

“Did we come at a bad time?”

She just shrugged a shoulder. Just then a voice that sounded suspiciously similar to Hercule Satan boomed through the closed hardwood door.

“WHAT  DO YOU MEAN, NO?!? IRON WILL DOES NOT TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER!”

Ah. This clown.

“I mean what I mean. Your business ventures so far have all failed. You have nothing to offer this agency, so my answer remains no.”

“IRON WILL IS VERY ANGRY!”

“I noticed. Now, if you DON’T mind, I have more important things to attend to than to listen to a blue-furred oaf with less brains than the average minotaur, so perhaps you could leave.”

The door slammed open in front of me, revealing a livid Iron Will, who had to duck below the doorframe to exit the office behind him. He turned, and pointed a thick finger toward Harshwhinny, who sat behind her desk with a wall of windows behind her.

“YOU HAVE NOT HEARD THE LAST OF IRON WILL!”

The brown mare with a yellow mane and trophy cup for a cutie mark raised an eyebrow.

“Out. Now.”

Looks like she needs to be the one giving assertiveness lessons.

The bulky minotaur stepped by me, and I couldn’t resist raising a hoof in a half-wave. “Hi Iron Will. Seen Fluttershy lately?”

“Iron Will does not know you.”  

I chuckled as the humanoid figure stomped down the hall. Coloratura gave me a curious look.

“What?”

The mare coughed. “I’m not even going to ask.”

I turned back to the door, which had been left open during Iron Will’s hasty departure, and tentatively knocked on the doorframe.

“Enter.” I carefully stepped over the threshold, hearing my hooves make a ‘clop’ noise on the hardwood floor. “Close the door behind you, please.”

I did as she asked as Harshwhinny flipped through a few papers, and I made my way over to the front of her desk. I opened my mouth to introduce myself, but the mare raised a hoof to silence me. Awkwardly, I shut my mouth, and waited for her to finish whatever it was she’d been working on. I used the time to take in the ambience of the office. Hardwood floors, and completely bare except for the desk. It was very Tony Stark-ish.

After what felt like an eternity, the ill-tempered Harshwhinny looked up, and appraised me silently. Her eyes narrowed, and I gulped down the nervous lump that had formed in my throat. A vague feeling of nausea grew in the pit of my stomach.

She’s a lot more intimidating in real life compared to onscreen. I recalled my amusement at how eager Rainbow Dash had been to appease this mare. Now I understood why.

“Name?”

I stammered, but managed to get out; “Um, Motodrop... Motodrop Hillberry.”

“A mouthful.”

I nodded my agreement. "Yes Ma'am."

The mare scratched a few notes with a quill held in her mouth. “Coloratura says you can sing. Can you dance?

I hesitated. I’d never been all that good in interviews. “I’ve never had any training in it, but I’m willing to learn.”

“That would be a no, then.” Harshwhinny scratched a few more notes, and then glared at me like Granny Smith glares at a rotten apple. “Frankly, if it weren’t for Coloratura vouching for you, I would never even consider you, Motodrop. According to my files, you have no history in the music industry, you have no job, you don’t have a citizenship in Equestria...” She flipped through a few more pages. “...You don’t even have any family relations listed, and yet Coloratura says you’ve lived in Equestria for months with your family. I find that to be very suspicious.” She dropped the papers back on her desk, and raised an eyebrow. “Explain yourself. If I find that you’ve been decieving one of my top three earners, I will not hesitate to protect her from you.”

This is not going how I expected. Dang, she really has me in a corner here. I groaned, and closed my eyes in exasperation. On one hand, I could reveal everything and risk the chance that she might not believe me, in which case I would have to get the princesses involved to validate my story which would be both annoying and time-consuming; on the other hand, I could keep certain parts of the story a secret, which would fast track my application, but if I was ever found out, then bye-bye career.

Shoot.

“Well?” Harshwhinny glared at me expectantly.

Applejack would be proud of me “I... ugh... Fine. You win. You want the truth? I’ll tell you everything. I guess there’s no point in hiding it even if you might not believe me.” The brown mare tilted her head, but gestured for me to continue. “You probably already know that I wasn't born in Equestria. The reason there’s no records of my family is because up until a few months ago, we technically didn’t exist on this planet.”

“...What...”

“I was born in Canada. On planet Earth.”

“So you're aliens, then."

“Interdimensional beings, in point of fact.”

“... You’re seriously trying to tell me that you and your family are aliens?”

I sighed. “No. I’m saying that we come from an entirely different plane of existence, and that we came here by accident through a portal that Twilight Sparkle and Starswirl the Bearded were experimenting on.”

“...You’re insane.”

“Perhaps, but that has nothing to do with the truth.”

“You really believe what you’re saying.”

I groaned. “Look, if you don’t believe me, just ask any of the Princesses or Coloratura. They can back up my story.”

Just then there was a knock at the door, and the two of us turned toward the interruption as a mare in a business suit stepped into the room.

“My apologies, but I have an urgent letter for Harshwhinny from Princess Celestia. I was told to deliver it to you as soon as possible.”

Harshwhinny frowned, but stood up from her desk, giving me a wide berth as she trotted over to the businesspony to take the message. I watched in silence as Harshwhinny opened the envelope, her eyes scanning the message before they widened. She looked up at me, and then back down to the message, and then back up to me again. She opened her mouth in disbelief as the door to the office clicked shut behind the businesspony.

“It... It can’t be. That’s impossible!” The letter fell from her hooves as she regarded me with awe. “You were telling the truth... and the Princesses actually corroborated it.”

Wow. Impeccable timing, your majesty. It’s almost like I’m living in a cartoon world... oh wait... “Sooo... does this mean that I’ll be getting the job?”

The brown mare plopped her rump down onto the floor.

“So that green mare from Ponyville was right, after all... Everything we thought we knew... all those conspiracy theories... my goodness...”

I waved a hoof in front of her face, trying to get her to snap out of her trance. “Hellooo... Are you okay?” But it was to no avail. The poor mare looked like she’d seen a ghost, so I trotted to the door, and peeked my head out at a nervous-looking Coloratura. “Hey... um, so your agent kinda just learned that I’m an interdimensional being, and I think she might be broken.”

Coloratura facehooved.

“Of course.”





After we managed to snap Harshwhinny out of her trance, the baffled manager- after seeing the state of my wings- assigned me a stylist to get me prepared for my assignment. Apparently I would be working with Songbird Serenade, and she had some very specific rules about how her background singers were to look. After signing a few papers, Coloratura and I left the room and made our way down the hallway back to the elevator.

“Well... That could have gone better.” I said dejectedly.

“Mmhmm. Why did you tell her about your origins? You could’ve just lied about it.”

I shook my head. “No way. She backed me into a corner, and there’s really no reason to keep it hidden. If I had, she would’ve found out eventually either from you, the princesses, or myself. Better to tell her now and get her used to the idea rather than breaking her trust in me later.”

“Makes sense, I guess. Still, that message from the princess came at exactly the right time.”

“Indeed. Suspiciously so.” I frowned, and pursed my lips in thought. “It makes me wonder if Celestia’s messing with me.”

“That’s PRINCESS Celestia to you, and I highly doubt that she would do something like that. The message’s timing was probably completely coincidental.”  

	Sorry to burst your bubble, honey, but your benevolent princess isn’t as perfect as you make her out to be. There’s a reason us bronies call her Trollestia. Case in point: the first Grand Galloping Gala the Mane Six attended. I decided to drop it, however, and contented myself to simply walk alongside Coloratura. “So I guess I’m going to be a backup singer for Songbird.”

“You nervous?”

“A little, but if she’s anything like her human version, she’ll be much nicer than most ponies expect.”

“Human version... Earth had a Songbird Serenade?”

I smirked. “Well, to be fair, Songbird is more like the Equestrian version of Sia.”

“Her name was Sia? That’s a bit strange.”

“Says the mare formerly known as ‘Countess Coloratura’”

“Touche.”

The elevator dinged, and the doors opened in front of us. I blinked as a light blue unicorn mare with a dark two-toned red mane stepped out. She scanned the two of us, and dipped her head in respect to Coloratura.

“Good afternoon, miss. I have been requested to tend to Mr. Hillberry’s appearance in preparation for his debut.” She turned to me. “Are you Mr. Hillberry?”

Taken by surprise, I stuttered, but quickly regained my composure. “I... ahem. Yes. I’m Motodrop Hillberry.”

The mare held out a hoof. “I am Rose. I will be your stylist and makeup artist starting today. I have been informed of the state of your wings, and would like to rectify it posthaste.”

I smirked in amusement. Harshwhinny works quickly. I shook the mare’s hoof, and turned to Coloratura. “Meet you at the hotel later?” The singer smiled and nodded before stepping into the elevator.

As the doors closed with a slight ‘whirring’ noise, obscuring Coloratura from view, I turned to Rose. “Are you always this professional?”

The mare breathed out, seeming to release her nerves. “She’s gone.” She turned to me. “That really was her, wasn’t it?”

“What... Coloratura? Yeah, that was her.”

The mare squealed with delight. “I can’t believe I just met Coloratura! The Countess! Oh, I’m so glad I got this job!”

I stared at her, somewhat baffled. “You’re new here?”

“Yes sir. Started yesterday.”

“Oh.” I smiled pleasantly. “Well, I’m new here, too.” I scratched the back of my head. “Look, I’m not much for titles, so I’d prefer if you just call me Moto. If we’re going to be working together, I don’t want you calling me ‘sir’ or anything. It’s a waste of breath.”

Rose blinked once. Twice. Thrice. “Oh. Well in that case, my name is Rose Williams. But you can just call me Rose, or Rosy.”

Rose Williams? That’s an odd name for Equestria. “Nice to meet you, Rose.” The two of us smiled at each other before Rose took a look at my wings. Her pleasant expression turned sour, and she tutted at me.

“Honestly. Have you never cared for your wings? They look like they’ve been through a hurricane. Twice.”

I blushed. “Well... I’ve been cleaning them...”

The mare sighed, and gestured for me to follow her. “Then I guess It’s up to me to make sure you care for them properly. Wouldn’t want my first assignment to look like a half-plucked chicken, now would we?”

“Whatever you say; You’re the stylist.” Rose led me down a side hallway, the wall of windows to my right giving me a nice view of the city below. Of course, I was somewhat distracted by the view in front of me, despite my efforts to avoid staring at... 

“We’re here.”

Curse my singleness.

“You weren’t checking me out, were you?”

“Ungh... N... Nope!” Smooth. She rolled her eyes, but gestured for me to enter the room in front of her. I hustled past her, trying to hide my red face. The room we stepped into had a chair, a mirror, and another wall of windows. I’m beginning to see a common theme throughout this building. Rose closed the door behind us, and trotted up beside me.

“I’ll need you to spread your wings.” I obliged, and the unicorn moved closer to inspect them. She reached out a hoof, but stopped just shy of touching my feathery appendage. She looked up at me. “May I? I promise I won’t make this weird.” I nodded, and she proceeded to rub a hoof over my limbs, poking and prodding, and rubbing the muscles at the base. She hummed in thought, and stepped back. “Well, beyond them looking a little rough, your wings seem to be healthy. Muscles are all well-developed and healthy in tone.” She glanced at me. “Do you fly often?”

“As often as I can. It’s one of the few things that relieves stress for me.”

“I see.” She proceeded to my other side, and after getting permission, she began to inspect that wing, as well. I’d hate to admit it, but it felt... nice. Not in a weird way, but more like getting a relaxing massage. I found my eyes beginning to droop as I relaxed. I hadn’t realized just how tense I’d been that morning.

“Hey. Don’t fall asleep on me.” I groaned as Rose pulled her hooves away from my wing. Reluctantly, I folded them back to my sides as she gave her verdict. “Basically, you just need to preen them. I know it sucks, and it takes forever, but you can’t neglect your preening just because it’s inconvenient. Now get to it.”

“Now?”

“Yep. I’ll wait.”

“Um... just one problem...”

The mare’s face turned red. “I.. If you want me to leave...”

“No! No, it’s not that. I...” I rubbed a hoof against the back of my head. “How does one preen their wings?” Rose stared at me for a few seconds, then her face split into a smile as she began to laugh.

“You’re kidding, right?”

“...”

“...right?” The smile faded from Rose’s face as it slowly dawned on her that I was actually being serious. She smacked a hoof against her face. “... HOW DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT???”

“I’m sorry...”

“EVERY PEGASUS FOAL IS TAUGHT HOW TO PREEN! WERE YOU LIVING IN A HOLE OR SOMETHING???”

“Um... I can explain...”

“THIS IS RIDICULOUS!”

Alright, enough is enough. “Can you PLEASE calm down?” Rose looked as if she’d been slapped, and she sucked in a deep breath, her face flushed in anger.

“I need a minute.” The door slammed behind her as the blue mare left, and I winced.

Well... This day can’t get any better. First I traumatize my boss, and now I tick off my stylist. Wonderful. Just great. Good going, Moto. I sighed, unsure of what to do with myself. I found myself thinking about Sweet Apple Acres, and the life I’d been living there. Was... this a mistake? I stomped the floor like a colt having a temper tantrum. I swore, and plopped my rump down on the floor. Admit it. This life isn’t for you. You’ve always been an awkward hick. I sniffed, attempting to keep my emotions in check. Screw it. I’m going home. I stood, and made my way over to the door. I placed my hoof on the knob, but hesitated. I glanced back at the room behind me, now eerily quiet. It suddenly occurred to me that I had no idea where home was. I removed my hoof from the doorknob, and sat back down.  

I don’t have a home.

The realization hit me like a metric tonne of bricks. I don’t have a home. In short, there was nowhere for me to go. Aaaaand... there it was. My emotions felt like they were being compressed; squeezed out of existance. I couldn’t feel anything anymore, the world seeming to turn grey around me. Neither anger, happiness, sadness, or any other emotion affected me anymore. I was left an empty void, numb to the world around me, with only a dull ache in my chest where my heart used to be.

Depression.

Dang, it hit hard this time. The door to the room opened, and I looked up to see a much calmer Rose entering the dressing room. She froze when she saw my state, and the two of us regarded each other for a moment.

“Are... you okay?”

I shrugged. What’s the point?

“I didn’t mean to upset you. It’s just that...”

“...I’m fine.” Rose studied me, and seemed to come to a realization. She stepped up to me, and drew me into a hug.

“You’re not fine."

She... She knows.

“I lost my parents at a young age when I was forced to come to Equestria. Even now I don’t know where they are, or if they’re even alive. The fact is, Moto...” She pulled out of the hug, and stared at me. “You’re not alone. I feel it, too. Nobody’s perfect, and I’m sorry I snapped at you. I had no idea...”  

I swallowed. “It’s okay... It's not the first time this has happened.”

“Are you okay now?”

“No, but I’m better than I was. It...” I breathed in, forcing myself to all four hooves. “...I’ll be okay in a while.”

“Do you want to continue with your wing care? We can postpone if you want.”

“No. No, I’m good. I need to do something to keep my mind busy, anyways.” Rose stood on all fours, and nodded.

“Okay. Preening.”

“Hey, Rose... what did you say your last name was again?”

“Williams. Why?”

“That doesn’t sound like an Equestrian name.”

“It isn’t. I was born outside of Equestria.”

“It sounds like a common name you’d hear in my home country.”

Rose tilted her head. “And what country would that be?”

“Canada.” I watched Rose’s reaction very closely. Her eyebrows shot up, and she sucked in a deep breath.

“I’ve heard that name before... but that’s... that’s impossible!”

“Rose, where were you born?”

“The USA.”

Twilight’s going to want to know about this.
> The Lost Girl
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------



Ch. 12

A little girl held her mother’s hand, her other hand holding a stuffed animal close as she tottered along behind, her wide eyes beholding the blinking lights, the striped tents, and the twisted, rotating movements of the various rides available.

“Come on, Rosy, we need to meet up with your father at the bingo tent soon.”

Rose nodded, and moved her little legs faster, struggling keep up with Mother’s long gait. Her red wavy hair bounced along behind her, and she nearly tripped on her bib overalls. As the two passed by a tent filled with the sound of lottery numbers being read off, Rose found herself spellbound by the man at the entrance to the tent wearing a full military uniform. She caught the man’s eye, and quickly hid her eyes away from him. Soldiers were scary, and she desperately hoped that Father wouldn’t have to go away to fight like some of her friends’ fathers had.

Rose and her mother quickly made their way to the bingo tent, and there at the entrance awaited Father.

“Daddy!” Rose pulled away from Mother, and ran to Father, giggling as he picked her up and hugged her close.

“And how is my little girl?” Father kissed Rose’s cheek, and she beamed widely.

“I got a teddy bear from a nice man. All I had to do was throw a ball to knock a bottle over to get it.”

Father grinned. “And of course you did it with no problem at all.” He laughed. “That’ll teach that stall owner to underestimate you.” He looked over to Mother with a questioning, if slightly worried look. Mother’s smile dropped, and she slowly dipped her head in confirmation. Her smile came back on, though, as Rose looked her way again. Father couldn’t keep the worried look from his eyes, though he continued to force a smile for Rose’s sake.

“Hey, Mommy, can we get some food? I’m hungry.”

Mother smirked, and poked Rose’s tummy. “Well I don’t know. Do you think we can fill this endless pit called a stomach?”

Rose giggled and pulled away from her mother’s touch. “Hey! That tickles!”

Father put Rose down. “I think we can get some food. Besides, I’m hungry, too. I know! why don’t you choose the next food place, Rosy?”

The little girl gasped, and looked at Mother, who nodded her assent. Rose squealed in happiness, and immediately took off running to the nearest funnelcake booth, her parents walking along  behind at a slower pace.

“That’s the third meal we’ve had since she woke up, and it isn’t even noon yet.”

“She did it again?”

Mother sighed. “Yes. And every time she does, she gets hungry. She’s been sleeping for 16 hours a day, and she hasn’t gained any weight in over a month now.” A tear rolled down her cheek. “I don’t know how long we can keep going like this. I’m afraid of losing her.”

“Why don’t we take her to a doctor?”

“We’ve discussed this, honey. You know why we can’t do that.”

“I know, but at this rate...”

“No.” Mother shook her head determinedly. “If they found out what she can do, we’d never see her again. At least, not until the Vietnam War is over.”

Father covered his eyes with a hand, the stress showing through. “About the war...” Mother looked at him sharply.

“They didn’t...”

He looked at his wife sorrowfully. “I’ve been selected. I leave next month.” He bit his lower lip, and cast his eyes away from Mother. 
“Isn’t there a way to get out of it? Like...” She glanced around, desperately searching for inspiration. “Can’t you claim sickness or something?”

“They already did my physical. According to the slip of paper they gave me, I’m in perfect health.”

“... Mental disability?”

“Already checked out for that, too.”

“What about homosexuality? They ask that, right?”

He ran his fingers through his hair. “They’d know I was lying when they find out I have a wife and daughter, anyways.”

“Honey... we need you here.”

“I know.” He pounded a fist into his hand. “I know, but I don’t have a choice.” He pulled his wife into an embrace. “I can’t leave you, but I can’t stay here, either. Alternative arrangements will have to be made. What about... what about your homeland?”

Mother’s eyes went hard. “I told you that there’s no going back to that place. Even if I wanted to go back... I can’t. That way closed the moment I came here.”

“I...”

A sudden explosion rocked the fair, and screams filled the air as dust rose from the ground, causing Mother and Father to cough violently. They looked at each other, only one thought passing though their minds.

“ROSY!!!”

The two parents wasted no time, rushing toward where they’d seen their daughter last, desperately trying to catch sight of her through the dust-laden air.

“ROSE, WHERE AREYOU?”

No answer... but then...

“Mommy, Daddy!”

“HOLD ON, WE’RE COMING!”  

“DADDY!”

“JUST HOLD ON, ROSY!”

“NO! NO!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOooooooo....”

“ROSE!!!” Mother and Father ran as hard as they could, only stopping when they realized that the dust had settled. The two looked toward the funnel cake booth, and their jaws dropped when they saw that it had been sliced cleanly in half, as if a giant creature had taken a bite out of it.

Their daughter was gone.

Rose had disappeared.





Rose groaned, and opened her eyes when she felt raindrops pelting her eyelids. The cold liquid caused her to shiver, and she attempted to sit up, only realizing that she couldn’t. Something about her body felt wrong, like it didn’t belong to her.

“Mommy?” The small figure turned her head, trying to see where she was. “Daddy? Are you here?” She turned her head to the other side, and frowned at what she saw. A fur covered leg with a blunt end filled her sight. She froze, though, when she realized that it might be dangerous. If an animal was nearby, it might hurt her. She whimpered, and shivered in the cold, but froze again when the appendage in her sight shivered, too. Not wanting to anger whatever animal was near her, Rose kept very still, staring at the leg beside her. The rain began to fall more heavily, though, and Rose was freezing cold. She could feel her lips going numb, and she was starting to feel sleepy. She involuntarily shivered again, and once again the leg shivered along with her. It began to dawn on her that maybe the leg was touching her, and she cautiously turned her head to take in her surroundings a little better.

She screamed.
Without even understanding how she did it, she pulled herself up to her rump, scrambling to get away from the curious faces surrounding her. She whimpered as she felt something hard against her back, preventing her from backing away any further.

“Please don’t hurt me...”

Murmuring filled the air as the faces conversed amongst themselves. They all looked... concerned? Although with the way their bodies and faces were shaped, she wasn’t too sure about that.

“Alright, all of you, back off! Can’t you see you’re scaring the poor thing?” A single figure pushed her way through the crowd, a frown on her face. “All of you go home unless you’re here to help!” The crowd dispersed, leaving Rose alone with the creature, who knelt down on her forlegs, and gently nuzzled her face. “It’s okay now, little filly. I’m here to help. My name is Charity Kindheart. What’s yours?”

Rose stuttered. “Mommy always told me to not speak with strangers.”

Although taken aback, Charity quickly regained her composure and chuckled.

“Your mother sounds like a very smart pony. Do you know where your mommy is now?”

Rose screwed up her face in confusion. “Mommy’s not a pony. Mommy’s a girl.”

It was Charity’s turn for confusion. “Your mommy’s a...” She shook off her confusion, and decided to humor Rose. “I’m sorry. Yes, your mother is a... gurl. Do you know where your mommy is?”

Rose looked around. She was surrounded by tall buildings with a street in front of her. The scene was made eerie by the falling rain obscuring the night sky.

“I... I don’t know. We were at the fair, and I was getting some funnelcake because I was hungry, and then... and then...” She began to cry, and lunged forward, burying her face in Charity’s chest. She wrapped her forlegs around Charity’s shoulders, and cryed into her shoulder. “Mommy. Daddy.”

“Shhh... It’s okay. Wherever your parents are, I’m sure we can find them.” Charity patted Rose’s back, and allowed the little filly to weep. She would need a good shower to get the tears and mucus out of her coat later, but she didn’t mind. The filly was trembling, and not just from her emotions. It was a cold night, and Charity couldn’t help but wonder how a filly ended up on the streets on a cold rainy night like this. “Tell you what. Why don’t you stay at my place overnight, and in the morning we can go to the police station.”

Rose sniffed. “Okay.”

Charity stood, and reached out a hoof to Rose. “My house is this way. Why don’t we hold hooves?”

Rose attempted to stand, but only fell flat on her rear. She looked at her own forhooves, and blinked. “What are these?” She turned them about, inspecting them. “Where did my hands go? Were they chopped off???”

Confused at Rose’s panic, Charity attempted to placate her. “Of course not, silly! You’re a pony just like the rest of us.” She didn’t have a clue what ‘hands’ were, but chalked it up to an overactive filly’s imagination.

“I’m a pony? But... I’m a girl! Just like Mommy.”

This is worse than I thought. Maybe she hit her head on something? Charity frowned. “No, you’re a filly. Look at yourself. See? You have four cute little hooves, a snout, a mane and a tail. Just like me, see?” Charity pointed at herself, and then at Rose, identifying each part that she named; First on herself, then on Rose.

The filly tilted her head, seeming to want to say something else, but was interrupted by a violent sneeze. She wiggled her nose.

“Oh dear!” Charity laid down, and gestured for Rose to get on her back. “I hope you don’t get a cold! Come, I’ll give you a ride to my house, and then I’ll get you a nice warm bubble bath. How does that sound?” Rose struggled her way onto Charity’s back, and the older mare stood. She began to trot to her house, and smiled tenderly when she heard soft snoring.
We’ll find your parents soon, young one. Mark my words, I’ll do the best I can for you.





“The Vietnam war.” I furrowed my brow. “My history on the Vietnam draft lottery is lacking at best, but if that was happening when you were on Earth, then that means that you would have been born sometime between the1960s and 1970s. But... How old did you say you were again?”

Rose smirked. “You know it’s considered impolite to ask a mare’s age, right?”

I waved her off. “Come on, this is important!”

She sighed. “I turned 24 a few months ago. I was somewhere around four years old when I left Earth.”

“But... That’s impossible! That would make you one year younger than me, but you were born at least 20 years before me! When my family left Earth, it was the year 2018.”

Rose looked up from her cup of coffee, her eyes conflicted. “You know, I gave up on trying to get back to Earth years ago. I... Nobody believed me, so I finally just decided to keep it quiet, and make a life for myself here.” She rubbed a hoof over her mug, her eyes glued to mine. “But now... with you and your family... I might have a chance to go back.” She laughed bitterly. “I don’t remember my parents’ names anymore. Even their faces are a little blurry after all this time.”

I closed my eyes, and sighed guiltily. “I’m afraid that there’s no going back to Earth, Rose. There’s nothing there anymore.”

“But... how do you know that for sure? Maybe the portal still works...”

“Oh, it works alright. Twilight Sparkle made sure of that.” I hesitated, unsure of how Rose would take my next words. “Look, Rose. Before we came to Equestria, there was a war on Earth. A big war. It... it killed everyone. We were lucky enough to stumble on the portal that Twilight and Starswirl had accidentally opened, but for everyone else on the planet...” I swallowed. “...there’s no way they could have survived. The radiation alone would kill anything left living after the bombs went off.”

Rose stared at the table in front of her, her face ashen. “So... After all this time. My second chance is wiped out just like that.”

I raised a hoof. “Rose...”

She pushed me away. “No... No, I... I think I need...”

I grabbed her with my forehooves, pressing my head into her shoulder. “No. I won’t leave you alone, Rose. You were kind enough to show me compassion when I needed it. Now it’s my turn to return the favour.”

Tears ran down her face. “I’d given up, Moto. I’d finally accepted my life here in Equestria.” I said nothing, allowing the light blue mare to vent. “I had resigned myself to never seeing my parents again. I’d finally accepted that there was no going back. Nobody believed me when I was a filly. They all thought I was just making up stories. I got scolded in school!” She pulled me closer, surprising me. “And now, I thought maybe I could finally rekindle that dream, only to have it ripped away before I had the chance to act on it!”

“I’m sorry, Rose. I’m so sorry.”

She chuckled through her tears. “Why are you apologizing? You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I know... but I’m sorry anyways.”

Rose pulled out of our hug, and wiped her nose, still chuckling. “You’re so weird.”

“Um... Thanks?” I rubbed the back of my head in confusion. Mares. “So, anyways...” I started, changing the subject. “... Um. I’m thinking maybe we should tell Twilight about this. She might be interested in someone else from Earth.”

Rose shook her head. “It doesn’t matter anymore. It seems I’m stuck here, so it doesn’t make sense to keep harping on it. I’d rather not bother the Princess about something like this, anyways.”

I rolled my eyes. “Oh trust me. You wouldn’t be bothering Twilight at all. If anything, she’s thorough in her research.”
Rose shrugged. “I have a life here in Equestria, Moto, and based on your assignment with Songbird Serenade, so do you. I’d actually prefer to keep my origins a secret for now, if that’s okay with you. I just don’t want anypony to make a fuss over me.”

That I can understand. I nodded. “Okay. But you know, I’m going to have to tell someone sometime. We can’t keep this a secret forever. Especially from Coloratura.”

“How did you two meet, anyways?”

I smiled. “She and Applejack are good friends. My family happened to be working for the Apple family when she came to visit, and I sang with her a few times. She liked what she heard, and now here we are.”

“Huh. So are you two, like, an item or...?”

I blushed, and nearly fell over backwards off my chair. “What? How did you... I mean I never even considered... Daugch!”

Rose giggled. “Sorry, you two just seemed so comfortable around each other, I just assumed...”

I raised a hoof in self-defense. “There’s nothing between us. Besides, do you know how scandalous it would be if I got this job just because we had a relationship like that? No. We’re just friends, nothing more.”

“Well. Okay... So does that mean you’re single?”

“Uhhhhh, yes?”

“Oh. Okay.”

“...”

“What?”

“Nothing. Nevermind. Anyways, about preening my wings...”

“Right... that’s why you came here in the first place. Okay, so what you want to do is...”





I stepped through the Hotel’s front door, and greeted the receptionist, who I recognized from last night.

Heheh, maybe I can mess with him again. I puffed out my freshly preened wings, now sleek with all the feathers in place. To my utter disappointment, the stallion remained unperturbed.

“Good evening, sir. I hope you are enjoying your stay?”

“Ummm.” Suddenly I had an idea. I snickered, and in my best impression of Applejack, began to speak. “Ya betchya. Why, this fancy place is prob’ly worth double tha farm!”

“Ah. Quite.”

Ooh, he’s goooooood! I decided to let him win this round, and stepped into the elevator. I pressed the required number for my floor, and waited until just before the door closed to take one last peek at the receptionist. I was rewarded with an amused smile from the posh stallion. I chuckled. Next time, my friend. Next time. Arriving at my floor, the doors to the elevator opened, and I made my way down to Coloratura’s room. I knocked, unsure if she would be back yet. The door opened slowly, and the singer popped her head out.

“Oh! Moto, you’re back.”

I nodded. “Hey, um... can we talk about something?”

She studied my face, and then stepped out from behind the door into the hallway. “Okay. Go ahead.”

I glanced around. “Can we talk somewhere more private?”

Coloratura blushed. “Well, okay... I didn’t know you wanted...”

I’m pretty sure I blushed right down to my hooves. “NO! I didn’t mean it like that! I just meant that something happened today that I think you should know about.”

“Oh.” Coloratura’s blush deepened, and awkward silence filled the hallway.

“Aaaaaanyways... Um, maybe after dinner?”

“After dinner.”
“Okay.”

“Okay.”

“See you at dinner.”

“Yup.”





I stared at my veggie soup. What I wouldn’t give for some meat right now. Although my body probably wouldn’t be able to digest it... wait a second. The EQG world has meat, right? I smiled. Next time I visit Mom and Dad, I’m gonna make sure I have my fill. Lucky Percy.

“So... Something happened today?”

I glanced up at Coloratura. “I thought we were going to wait until after dinner.”

“Well, we’re pretty isolated here, so I don’t think anyone will overhear us.”

I glanced around. Sure enough, we’d chosen a booth that was a ways away from the only other patrons of the restaurant, and they seemed to be engaged in a rather intense conversation from the look of things.

“Alright, I’ll bite. So where do I start?”

“How about at the beginning?”

“Okay. When a mare and a stallion love each other very much...” I started laughing at Coloratura’s unamused look. “I’m sorry, I just couldn’t resist.”

“Moto...”

“Alright, alright, I’ll behave.” I picked up my spoon and dipped it into the bowl of soup. I brought it to my mouth, and swallowed the substance. Not bad. Could use some salt, though. As I reached out for the salt shaker, I began. “So, you know Rose, my stylist?”

“Yeah. As I recall, she started here recently.”

I nodded as I began to shake salt into my soup. “Well, we got talking...”

“Yes?”

“...and we found out a few things about each other...”

“...Yes?”

“... and it turns out we have more in common than we thought...”

“...Moto, If you say that you’re going out on a date with your stylist, I’ll beat the snot out of you right here and now.”

“Nonononono!!! I mean that she’s also from Earth.”

Coloratura spat out her soup. “WHAT?!?”
> Interlude 1: Ixisten in Ponyville
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Okay. That should be... Finished.” Ixisten stepped back from his most recent project, and wiped sweat from his eyes. He placed his hoof on the keyboard of the piano, and played two keys a full octave apart, checking to see if they were in tune with each other. He nodded his head in satisfaction, then continued to check every key on the piano to make sure every one was in tune with the other. It took a good ten minutes, making minor adjustments as he went, and once he’d finished, he breathed a sigh of relief. Tuning a piano was extremely difficult, and took up hours of time; especially if it had to be done by ear.  Contrary to popular belief, most pianos have multiple strings per note, which compounds the issue of tuning. Rather than having just one string per note to tune, there were usually two or three per note. Unfortunately, most of the nobles he’d had to tune pianos for hadn’t had theirs tuned in quite some time, so it often took longer than he’d like to get their instruments up to snuff. It was a shame, too, since most of the pianos in the nobles’ homes were beautifully made pieces. In a perfect environment, between isolating each string, tuning each string of each note, and then tuning each note to the rest of the piano should take about four to five hours, but for Ixisten, It usually took much longer than that.

Of course, magic would help with that, but Twilight’s magic lessons hadn’t really done him all that much good. He could still barely lift a pencil off the ground, much to his embarrassment. It didn’t matter all that much to him, but he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealosy at seeing Vivid moving objects around like it was nothing. Twilight said it was something about her being younger and being able to learn quicker than an adult, but Ixisten couldn’t help but doubt her word; Maelstrom seemed to be picking up the magic lessons without difficulty, and even he could lift a broom.  

Still, it wasn’t all bad. Even though it wasn’t really what he’d wanted to do for the rest of his life, tuning pianos was a lucrative business in Equestria, and he’d met some interesting people... Ponies. Whatever. Heck, he’d even tuned a piano for Prince Blueblood, who had turned out to be less of a jerk than he’d anticipated. From what Motodrop had told him, you’d think that the stallion would have been a total prat, but he’d treated Ixisten alright. Well, he’d been a bit demanding and a bit snooty, but Ixisten had put up with much worse than that before.

“Is it finished?” Ixisten nodded and stretched, his spine cracking and popping in multiple places. “Fantastic!” The mare- a local from Ponyville- sat down at the piano bench and played a simple tune on the upright piano’s keyboard. The sounds reverbrated through the small house, and Ixisten allowed a small smile to form on his muzzle. “It sounds great! I haven’t head this piano sound this good in... well, years!” The mare jumped up, and glomped Ixisten, who just stood there with a blank expression. “Thank you so much!”

That was another thing about Equestria that took some getting used to. The openness and general cheerfulness from everyone... everypony? Whatever. People on Earth didn’t just openly hug someone they didn’t know. Well, at least not in Canada. But ponies? It was like they couldn’t help themselves. Glomping had become a rather frequent event after every tuning, and Ixisten had learned to just take it at face value, and chalked it up to simple expressions of gratitude. Of course, he wasn’t about to complain if a pretty mare...

Nope. Not gonna go there. After all, he and Octavia were... well, he didn’t really know what they were, but whatever they were, he wanted to keep it that way. For now.

The mare pulled out of her hug, and ran into the kitchen to fetch her bag of bits. As he waited, Ixisten sat down at the piano, and played ‘To Zanarkand’.



“Wow. I’ve never heard that one before.” The mare had reentered the living room, a smile on her face and a bag of bits suspended in her magic.

She’s a unicorn. Huh, I didn’t even notice. “It’s a song from a different country. It’s kind of my go-to song for when I just want to play something.”

“Well, I’d love to learn it sometime.” The mare pulled out the required coins, and held them out in her magic for Ixisten to take, only to blink in confusion as he reached out with his hoof and manually placed them in his money bag. “... um... well anyway, it was nice to meet you, Mr. Ixisten. Thank you again for the piano tuning.”

Ixisten nodded, and tossed the bag of bits, along with his tuning tools into his saddlebags, which he pulled over his back, cinching it tight into place.

“Thank you for your business. If you ever need tuning again, you know how to find me.”

The mare smiled, and opened the door for him. “I’ll be sure to do that. See you later!”

With that, the door closed, leaving Ixisten standing in one of the side streets of Ponyville.

Well that was a bit abrupt. He shrugged, and glanced at the sky, taking note of the position of the sun. Looks like I finished that one a little sooner than I thought I would. Seeing as he had some time before he had to go to the market to pick up some food for dinner, Ixisten decided to go and see what Octavia was up to. He grinned as he trotted along the streets of Ponyville, making his way over to the shared abode of Octavia and Vinyl Scratch. 

Much to his confusion, Ixisten had found out on his first visit to Octavia’s place that the two inhabitants were sisters. How they managed to look and act completely different and yet manage to be siblings made him question his knowledge of genetics. Of course, this was a cartoon world with magic and ponies and... stuff, so maybe genetics worked differently here. I mean, you’d never see anyone on Earth being born with electric blue hair naturally. Also, Vinyl spoke in an english accent. Made sense given her relation to Octavia, but Motodrop’s mind had been nearly blown when Ixisten had told him that for the first time. Apparently Vinyl Scratch never spoke in the MLP cartoon. Not once. 

Hmmhmm. That was a fun conversation. 

Octavia’s house came into view, and Ixisten had to pause for a minute to take in the split theme of the house. It was utterly ridiculous. One half had been decorated in blue and white, and the other in brown and yellow earthy tones. He’d asked Octavia about it one time, and apparently the two sisters couldn’t agree on a colour scheme, so they’d decided to split it right down the center. Even after having seen it a number of times, Ixisten still couldn’t get over how silly the place looked. If it was really that difficult to come to an agreement, then why didn’t they just get a bigger house? Or maybe buy separate homes? It’s not like either one of them were wanting for bits.

Women... I mean mares. Whatever. Ixisten knocked on the door to the house, and waited. He heard dubstep sounds coming from the other side, so at least Vinyl was home. Probably couldn’t hear him knock. Well, I might as well peek my head in. That was another thing about Ponyville; no one ever locked their doors. It was strange considering how easy it would be for a thief to just waltze in to any place and steal whatever they wanted, but it seemed the inhabitants didn’t really care. 

Ixisten pushed the door open, and took a step into the building. He caught Vinyl’s eye (or at least he thought he did, considering she always wears those goggles of hers), and waved. The DJ smiled from behind her MIDI keyboard, and waved him in. He stepped into the room, and looked around.

“Octavia’s not here?”

The DJ shook her head.

“Do you know when she’ll be home?”

Vinyl nodded.

“... um. Mind telling me?”

The DJ looked up from her rig, and smiled evilly. She deliberately pushed up a slider, making the noise in the room increase. Ixisten sighed.

Whatever. I’ll go wait outside. He pushed open the door, only to be met face to face with the very mare he was looking for. Octavia stood at the door, her hoof outstretched, ready to open the door.
A comedic look of surprise and confusion crossed her face before being replaced with recognition. The two blushed as Vinyl barked out a laugh, her music having been turned down again. 

“Oh. Ixisten... Hi.” A look of annoyance crossed Octavia’s face. “Hold on a minute.” She then pushed her way past Ixisten into the room, and slammed the door behind her. The muffled sound of an argument filtered its way through the heavily painted slab of wood, and Ixisten gingerly stepped away from the house, somewhat nervous as the shouts turned into crashes, and then a few thuds.

The door to the house opened, revealing Octavia in a perfect state of affairs, not a single hair out of place in her mane.

“Um... Is everything alri-”

“Everything is fine. I was just giving a lesson to my dear sister in the proper etiquette of how to treat a visitor.”

“Uh, is she going to be okay?”

“Whatever do you mean?”

“Well, I heard some crashes...” The door swung open, revealing the interior of the house. Everything looked to be in perfect condition. Vinyl even waved to him. What...

“Don’t think too hard about it, dear.”

This is a world filled with magical ponies. This is a world filled with magical ponies... Ixisten chanted the internal mantra to himself as the grey mare outfitted with a bowtie gestured for him to follow.

“Let’s find someplace without Vinyl to converse. I love my sister, but she can be a bit...”

“Wub wub?”

“Precisely.”

Ixisten frowned. “Hey, Octavia, does Vinyl not like me?”

Octavia blinked. “Why do you ask that?”

“She just seems... I don’t know.”

Octavia rolled her eyes. “Trust me, She doesn’t hate you or anything. She just likes to mess with you. She’s like that every time I make a male friend.”

“Oh. Okay.”

“Wait, that’s it? You’re not upset or anything?”

“Meh, not really.”

“Wow. You don’t let anything get to you, do you?”

Ixisten shrugged. “I deal with it on a daily basis. Nobles can be a little...”

“Oh, you don’t have to tell me.” Octavia laughed. “I have to play for the Grand Galloping Gala every year. That is one stuffy party.”

Ixisten smiled. “Moto told me about it.”

“Oh, has Motodrop attended?”

“Nope. This is from when we were on Earth. Apparently a few episodes were dedicated to events that happened at the Grand Galloping Gala.”

“You know, you speak of your brother quite often.”

Ixisten smirked. “We have a bit of a weird relationship. When we were kids we used to fight all the time... actually it was more like I would do or say something that would make him angry, and he would retaliate violently. Did I ever tell you about the time he broke a dishes brush over my head?”

Octavia stopped, and turned to stare at Ixisten, her mouth agape. “He did WHAT?”

Ixisten laughed. “Yeah, we didn’t exactly get along... but for some reason we always chose to play with each other anyways. You’d think that after a while we’d just play separately, but nope.”

Octavia placed a hoof over her eyes. “You don’t even want to know what Vinyl used to do to me. It sucks having a unicorn for a sister.”

Ixisten looked up at his own horn. Or at least, he tried to, succeeding in only managing to cross his eyes in the process, which Octavia giggled at.
Ixisten stared at her, mesmerized by her laugh. She turned, and the two stared into each other’s eyes for a moment. 

“Hey, Ixisten?”

“Yeah?”

“...What are we?”

Ixisten closed his eyes, breaking the spell that had fallen on them. “Octavia, I...”

“We’ve been friends for a number of months now, and it’s clear that we are happy in each other’s presence. Can we not give it a try?”

“Octavia. I... I’m still a human.”

“No you’re not. You’re a pony. You used to be a human.”

“But I’m still a human in here.” Ixisten pointed to his head. “If we decided to do anything, it wouldn’t feel...”

Octavia raised a hoof. “Fine. I get it. You’re not interested in me that way.”

“No! It’s not that! I’m just not... ready.”

Octavia narrowed her eyes. “Will you ever be ready?”

Ixisten scratched the back of his neck in exasperation. Why do you have to be like this Octavia?

“Look, darling, why don’t we just try one date? Please.” Octavia looked deeply into Ixisten’s eyes, her magenta orbs quivering slightly.

Darn puppy eyes. “Alright. One date.”

“YES!!!”
> I Be Showbiz
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


“So, what do you think?”

I look terrible. “It looks... good.”

“Oh, come on now, be honest with me. Do you like it?”

I look part emo, part gothic, and part hipster. “Um... well, I like it... a little.”

“Moto. I’m not stupid. Your expression says you hate it.”

I looked in the mirror at my reflection, Rose standing behind me. “Okay, okay, you win. I really don’t like it at all. I feel... cityfied.”

Rose chuckled. “Well, too bad, buddy. What Songbird wants Songbird gets, and she’s very specific about how her backup singers are supposed to look.”

I glared at Rose’s reflection. “If this was nonnegotiable, then why did you ask me if I liked it?”

“Because I like torturing you.”

“How much are you getting paid to do this job again?”

Rose tossed her mane over her shoulder, and smiled slyly. “None of your business.” 

I sighed, and shook my head. “I guess this is what I can expect from two newbies working together.”

It was Rose’s time to frown. “What do you mean by that?”

“Well, you’re far too friendly for your own good, and I look terrible. Simple.” I turned, grinning in Rose’s direction, only to be met with a hurt look.

“Is... is that what you really think?”

“No, Rose, I was only...”

“You think that my work is sub-par? That because I’m new here that I don’t know what I’m doing?”

“Of course not! I was...”

Rose backed away from me, growing more hysterical. “I may be new here, but I’ve spent my entire equine life learning how to do this! What could you possibly know of all the pain and hardship I’ve had to endure to get to this point?”

“Rose, listen to me, I didn’t mean...”

“Well you know what? Forget it. I put my heart and soul into my work, and not once am I ever even given a simple ‘thank you’. Is that so much to ask?” Rose breathed deeply, and clamped her mouth shut, tears in the corners of her eyes.

I opened and closed my mouth, trying to find the right thing to say. Eventually, I simply hopped down from my seat in front of the mirror, and reached out to Rose for a hug. When she flinched away, I placed a hoof on Rose’s shoulder instead, and attempted to look into her eyes. The blue mare kept her eyes downcast, however, preventing my eyes from meeting hers. “Rose. I’m sorry for what I said. I meant it as a joke. I honestly didn’t think you would take it so harshly.” I finally met Rose’s eyes as she lifted her head.

Rose breathed deeply. “My entire life I felt like I didn’t fit in. When I was a filly I was bullied relentlessly when I tried explaining my origin to my classmates. They all thought I was lying, and the teachers just turned a blind eye to it. Every once in a while, when I couldn’t take it anymore I’d... blow up over some seemingly innocent comment. My mom...”

“You said her name was Charity Kindheart?”

Rose nodded, wiping away a tear. “She adopted me after she was unable to find any records of my existence in Equestria. She was unable to find my parents, so she didn’t really have a choice. She... I don’t think she ever really believed me when I told her about my human origin. Every once in a while I’d come home with a black eye or some other sort of injury, and she’d scold me for getting into another fight. She never understood...”

She spent her entire childhood unable to reconcile her origin with her new life. I can’t even imagine how hard it must have been to constantly doubt her sanity even though she was so sure that her parents were human. That’s something that my family didn’t have to deal with. “Rose, did I ever tell  you about my high school days?”

Rose tearfully smiled. “We’ve only barely just met...” She sniffed, and wiped away more tears. “... why would you want to tell me about what happened to you in High School?”

I sat on my haunches, and patted the floor beside me. “I just want to tell you.”

Rose blinked. “You know, most ponies get to know each other over a cup of coffee.”

I blinked. “Oh, well I don’t drink coffee.”

“... How about tea?”

“Nope.”

“Energy drink?”

“Nuh uh.”

“... Iced tea?”

“What’s with you and caffeine?” Rose rolled her eyes, and I again patted the spot next to me. “Just sit down, alright?” Rose shook her head in exasperation, but obliged.

“When I was in High School, I was bullied too, but not in the traditional sense.”

Rose frowned, her head pulling back in confusion. “I don’t understand.”

I half-coughed, half-laughed bitterly. “You know that feeling you get when you’re absolutely sure that people are talking about you behind your back, but they never confront you directly about it?”  

“You mean when you walk up to a group, and they suddenly stop talking, and stare at you?”

“Exactly. See... I was the subject of some pretty nasty rumours in high school. I don’t even know where they started; Maybe it was the fact that I was a virgin, maybe it was because I was bigger than all the other guys my age, maybe it was because I was a little bit socially inept. Whatever the reason, somehow it got out that apparently I was gay. I’m not, nor was I ever gay, but that’s what they kept saying about me. Of course, I didn’t find out what the rumours were about until after high school; All I knew was that I didn’t have too many friends, and that people always turned away from me when I tried to talk to them.” I swallowed a lump. “I was basically shunned.” I shook my head, my voice growing bitter. “I started skipping school; I didn’t want to go. Every day was full of drudgery. I didn’t even realize that I was falling into depression; There were days where I simply couldn’t gather the will to get out of bed.

“The teachers... they were either oblivious, angry at me, or simply didn’t care. One had the gall to try to lecture me about my attendance, and another tried to blame it on my recently deceased grandfather, which was utterly ridiculous. I didn’t feel sad, I just felt...”

“Empty.”

“Yeah... yeah, that was exactly it. Yes, I was sad about my Opa’s passing, but it wasn’t the first time I’d lost family members; I could cope with that. What I couldn’t cope with was the absolute passivity and indifference to my situation.” I turned to Rose, and placed a hoof over hers. “When you told me about how you were shunned because ponies didn’t understand or believe you when you told them about your human parents, it made me think about my own experiences with bullying. I’m glad you were assigned as my stylist, Rose. Even if I might not like or understand the design choices, I trust you to do the best you can.” I chuckled. “You know, I’ve never dyed my hair before?”

Rose glanced at me askance. “What? You’re serious?”

I smiled. “Yep. Never had a reason to. I liked my hair when I was a human, so I never dyed it. How ironic is it that the first time I’m ever ‘stylish’...” I emphasized my point with air quotes. “... Is when I’m a pony being prepped by another pony who used to be a human for a show with the pony version of a famous singer that I used to listen to on Earth?”

“Life is crazy, right?” Rose grinned.

I grinned in return. “Absolutely.”

“Hey Moto, can we make a deal?”

“I’m listening.”

“I’ll do the absolute best I can to become the best stylist I can for you, and in return, you become the best musician you can be?”

I placed a hoof under my chin, a slow smile stretching across my muzzle. I turned to Rose, and began horking up some spit. The mare watched me curiously as I stretched my hoof in front of my face, but her curiosity turned to disgust when I proceeded to eject the spittle from my mouth onto my hoof, which I then stretched out to her.

“OH, GROSS! GET THAT AWAY FROM ME!”

I grinned evilly. “What, never heard of the spitshake?”

“EW, NO!” I burst out into laughter, and quickly looked around for a tissue to wipe my hoof off on. “MOTO, THAT WASN’T FUNNY!”

Just then the door to the room opened, and a dour-looking Harshwhinny poked her head into the room. Seeing the commotion in the room, her dour expression quickly became an angry one.

“WHAT are you two DOING?”

Rose froze. HA! It rhymes... I’ll see myself out now. Rose attempted to regain her composure, but that was somewhat difficult with the still glistening layer of mucus on my hoof being waved in her direction.

I took the initiative, and attempted to salvage both Rose’s and my reputation. “Oh, nothing much. Just getting to know each other better.”

Harshwhinny rubbed her forehead with a hoof. “And how, pray-tell, is spitting on your hoof supposed to do that?”

“Um...” I glanced around the room, trying to find a good excuse. “I... was trying to explain biology...?”

Harshwhinny raised an eyebrow. “That was a terrible excuse. Look, just be at rehearsals in room B tomorrow, okay?” I nodded dumbly, my hoof still outstretched. Harshwhinny closed the door behind her, and Rose and I stared at each other.

“Oh, and Motodrop?” Rose and I turned to see Harshwhinny had poked her head back into the room. “I usually find that a Pinkie Promise works better than a spitshake.”

And then she was gone. Rose and I once again looked at each other, our expressions saying the exact same thing.

Did she just...?

The two of us burst into laughter, tears streaming down the sides of our faces from our mirth.

“Okay, now I need to find me a tissue before this dries on my hoof.”





“Wow.”

“That’s what I said.”

“You look like a cross between an emo, a gothic pony, and a hipster.”

“That’s what I said!”

Coloratura and I sat across from each other at the restaurant in the hotel. When I had first sat down across from the singer, Coloratura had almost had me kicked out of the restaurant until I’d managed to prove to her that I was exactly who I said I was. Needless to say, it had taken a lot of very uncomfortable poking and prodding on her part to be convinced.

“Wow, she really changed pretty much everything except for your cutie mark.”

“Yep. Dyed my coat, dyed my mane, and gave me a manecut. Amazing what that can do to change a pony’s looks, eh?”

“Indeed. While it isn’t really to my taste, that Songbird sure knows how to choose a distinctive look, doesn’t she?”

“Mmhmm.”

The waiter arrived with the menus, and the two of us picked out our meals. Coloratura went with a casserole. I picked fish, much to Rara’s disgust.

I wanted meat, okay?

“So... Moto, now that we know that you’re going to be staying here in Manehattan for a while, why don’t we begin to look into housing for you?”

I looked up from my meal, which Coloratura was pointedly ignoring, and cocked an eyebrow. “Fmuh?”

“Please swallow before speaking, dear.”

I grinned, and chewed for a few more seconds before swallowing. “You said something about housing?”

“Yes. As much as I enjoy staying at this hotel, I do have a place of my own, and you can’t stay here forever, either. It gets a little dear after a while.”

“Yep.”

“You seem to be in an awfully chipper mood today.” Coloratura frowned in annoyance. “Did you have to pick the fish? It’s a little... unconventional for a pony to eat that.”

I chuckled. “You’re forgetting that I wasn’t always a pony. I miss meat, and boy was I happy when I found out that pegasi sometimes eat fish.”

Rara wrinkled her nose in disgust. “It’s still gross.” She cleared her throat. “Anyways, housing. I found a few places around Manehatten that would be within your price range.” She rummaged around  in her handbag, and pulled out a few sheets of paper, which she slid across to the table to me.

I placed my fork down beside my plate, and perused the stack of property listings. One after another I read through the descriptions and studied the pictures, taking note of the price listings on each one as I went. I quickly flipped my way through the stack until one of the listings caught my eye.

“Hey... that one looks different.”

Coloratura tilted her head to see the listing, and upon seeing the sheet I was looking at, she smiled.

“I thought you might like that one. It’s a little more expensive than the other ones, but it’s also a little further out of town.”

“Hmm... How close is it to shopping?”

“There’s actually a local market around the corner from there.”

I paused, and read the ad a little closer. “I like it.”

Coloratura placed it aside. “Well, then we’ll put that one on our ‘like’ list.”

We continued to peruse other listings, sorting the ones that I liked from the ones I didn’t until the clock in the restaurant struck ten. I excused myself, and headed up to my room with the stack of listings tucked under a wing.

I opened my room, and placed the stack of papers on one of the bedside tables, collapsing on the bed shortly after.

That was a long day. I’m tired. And yet, it was a good feeling.
> Interlude 2: Life in EQG World (edited v1)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Dad, Mom, and Percy. I’m a little unused to writing letters. Kinda sucks that we can’t text each other back and forth across the dimensions, eh? Maybe I’ll get Twilight to look into that. Anywho, it’s been a while since I saw you guys, so I thought I’d give you a bit of an update on what’s been going on with me recently. As it turns out, I’m going to be a backup singer with a singer called “Songbird Serenade.” She’s basically the pony version of Sia back on Earth. Percy, you can explain who Sia is to Mom and Dad. Think ‘Titanium’, ‘Cheap Thrills’, and ‘Chandeliers’. So yeah, I’ve had to had my whole look changed (see inserted photo), which brings me to my next topic. I was assigned a personal stylist and assistant. Her name is Rose, and as it turns out, she’s from Earth, too! It’s kindof a long story, but I’m hoping to speak to Twilight, and maybe Discord to figure out how she ended up here 20 years ago. I know it’s exciting information, but she’s asked me to keep it under wraps for now, so if you guys could not tell anyone about that tidbit of information? I was only given permission to tell you three and Coloratura for now. 
A few weeks ago Coloratura and I started looking for a place for me to stay, and the good news is that I moved into my new house yesterday! It’s a little ways out into the country near Manehatten, but there’s a small town nearby has all the essentials, and it’s only a few minutes walk to the bridge that takes me into the city itself. It’s the perfect place for me because I’m still out near nature, but also conveniently located near where I work. 
Singing with Sia Songbird is interesting... and a lot more work than I originally thought. Turns out my equine muzzle is a bit different from my human mouth, so I’m having to learn some new vocal techniques that I don’t think would be possible for humans to do. It’s really fascinating stuff, and I’m excited to keep learning whatever I can! My only regret is that I wish I’d spent a little more time honing my vocals when I was a human, so that I could compare my chest, head, and falsetto voice from before to now. Did you know that I can sing what’s called a ‘combination voice’ where I combine my chest and head voice together? Yeah, me neither! 
So what’s up with you guys? Have you been keeping busy, Mom? Have Dad and Percy found employment yet? What about your housing? Did Sunset help you guys get settled in? Have you guys met Sunset’s friends yet? I would suggest avoiding Pinkie... of course, she probably threw you guys a welcome party when you got there so... too late? Sorry. Also, don’t question anything Pinkie Pie does. That’s just how she is. Alcohol helps when dealing with her. Ask Applejack for some of her hard cider if you’re desperate, lol. (Am I allowed to use ‘lol’ in a letter? Meh, whatever.) So anyways, I have a rehearsal to get to, so I’ll catch y’all sometime soon? We should probably start thinking about how we’re going to celebrate Christmas. They call it Hearth’s Warming here, but I think it would be a good tradition if we continued to call it Christmas within our family. Kinda reminds me of home. Anyways, I’m rambling now. TTYL!

Motodrop Hillberry

Panara set the letter down on the counter in Sunset Shimmer’s kitchen, the words she’d just read out to Otto, Percy, and Sunset Shimmer still ringing in the room. 
“WHAT?” Percy and Otto frowned as human Twilight stepped into the kitchen, a look of disbelief on her face. “You mean there were MORE humans that ended up in Equestria? The possibilities! Oh, this opens up so many questions! Are there more humans that made their way through? What about other dimensions? I NEED MY LAB EQUIPMENT!!!” The adorkable purple-skinned human-lookalike rode a wave of geekness, fairly humming with excitement.
“Um, Twilight? Were you eavesdropping on us?” Sunset’s query broke Twilight out of her nerd-induced reverie. She looked around the room, seeing the stern looks on everyone’s faces, and blushed heavily.
“Sorry.” She squeaked. “I didn’t mean to overhear, I just happened to be in the next room, and when I heard about another human ending up in Equestria, I just couldn’t contain myself! I... I’m sorry.” 
Sunset placed a hand on Twilight’s shoulder, and smiled gently. “Yeah... I don’t think I was supposed to hear this information, either.”
Percy snorted. “Well, the letter DID say ‘you three and Coloratura’.” He glared at Twilight, his eyebrows raised.
“What?”
“I’m trying to decide how we’re going to break it to Rose that her secret is out, and how we broke her and Motodrop’s trust. I’m willing to forgive you for eavesdropping, but it doesn’t change the fact that you heard information you weren’t supposed to hear.”
Panara and Otto nodded their heads in agreement, and Otto addressed the two teenagers.
“Well, what’s done is done. Now we have to figure out how to apologize to Rose and Motodrop. I’d try to stop you from doing anything with this news, but I get the feeling that you two will go ahead and start doing tests anyways.” He sighed. “Maybe it would be best if we all wrote letters of our own.” He rubbed his forehead. “Moto’s going to be really angry.”



Panara and Otto sat at the kitchen table, both of them looking over Moto’s note. Percy leaned against the fridge door, a look of concentration adorning his features.
“What do we tell him?”
Otto shook his head, placing an as-of-yet unused pencil down on the table beside a blank piece of lined paper.  
“Ah... I don’t know.” Awkward silence filled the room, the sound of gears whirring in everyone’s minds almost audible in the thick atmosphere. Otto picked the pencil up again, and held it over the paper, the tip of the pencil moving in a distracted, circular pattern before he placed it back down on the table. He leaned back in his chair, folding his arms behind his head.
Panara smiled, and scooted closer to Otto. “I have an idea.” She took up the pencil in her hand, and began writing.

Hi Moto! It’s nice to hear from you again, and it’s great to hear that you bought a house (You did buy, right? You’re not renting?). Your father and I are living at Sunset Shimmer’s house right now (how does a girl in high school own a house?) Anyways, about your warning about Pinkie Pie... too late. Let’s just say that Sunset keeps strange company. Alternate dimensional, high-school-aged company. I don’t think a day goes by that at least one of her friends isn’t here for something or another. Twilight is here today. Speaking of Twilight...

Panara paused, lifting the pencil from the paper. “That doesn’t seem a bit weird to you does it?”
Percy shrugged. “Seems okay to me.” He pushed himself away from the fridge, and sat down on the other side of Otto. He gestured for Panara to hand him the pencil, which she did reluctantly.

Speaking of Twilight. So yeah, the Twilight of this dimension is definitely a teenager. A far cry from a princess of friendship, that’s for sure. She thought it would be a good idea to eavesdrop on us when we read your letter, so that means she knows about Rose being from Earth. She’s going to be sending you and Rose both and apology letter. Yeah, we’re just as angry about it as you probably are. Sunset happened to be there when we read the letter, so she knows as well, but I think we can trust her to keep the secret.

Percy handed the pencil to Otto. “Want to finish?”
Otto smiled, and nodded.

I’d like to apologize for allowing Sunset to read the letter. We should have made sure that nobody else was in the room when we read this letter. Twilight, on the other hand (or hoof in your case, haha), is probably going to start conducting some sort of tests. She was yelling about needing her lab equipment, so... Expect a letter from her soon. Your one saving grace is that we’ve managed to extract a Pinkie Promise (yes, we learned what that is.) from her stating that she would not speak about Rose’s human origins to anyone who does not know about it already, so at least the pony-Twilight shouldn’t hear about it. 
Anyways, about what we’ve been up to recently...

Otto’s writing was interrupted by a knock at the front door. The pencil once again found its place beside the piece of paper, which Panara quickly folded in half, tucking it into her pants pocket.
“I’ll get it!” Sunset called from the living room. Sounds of a door opening filtered into the kitchen, and then the muffled greetings of two very familiar voices.
“That sounds like Eren and Karra.” Panara and Otto glanced at each other, then quickly stood and made their way to the front door, Percy trailing behind. 
“Hey!” Eren called out, his arms flung wide as he caught sight of Panara and Otto. The group exchanged hugs, and Sunset closed the door behind them. She smiled as Karra embraced her in a hug, followed by her losing her breath at Eren’s bearhug. She thought for sure she heard a few ribs cracking from the strength of the embrace.
“Okay, okay! Need to breathe!”
Karra looked around, as if searching for something. “Where’s Twilight? Wasn’t she staying at your place today, Sunset?”
The bacon-haired girl breathed in deeply, trying to recover from Eren’s over-enthusiastic hug.
“Twilight was here a minute ago... Where'd she go?" She looked around, and then sighed. "How long ago?"
Otto checked his watch. "Ten minutes."
Sunset turned back to Karra. "Twilight's probably downstairs working on a lab project of some kind."
Karra raised an eyebrow. “I see... So I can assume that she’s in your basement, cackling like a mad scientist while playing with her portable chemistry set?”
Sunset shrugged. “Probably.”
Karra smirked. “Typical Twilight.” She turned to Eren. “Honey? Should we go and say hi to Twilight?” The devious glint in her eyes bespoke a diabolical plan.
Sunset cocked her head in confusion, but followed along behind Eren and Karra as they made their way to the stairs leading to the basement. Panara and Otto worriedly glanced at each other, but kept their silence.
The group descended the stairs, and sure enough, a bespectacled girl wearing a lab coat stood behind a chemistry set, along with an assortment of electronic gadgets, and a screen with a sine wave that looked suspiciously like a heart-rate monitor. She had her hair tied up in a bun, and she seemed to be closely examining something that was obscured from view.
“Hi Twilight! Look who’s here.” When Twilight didn’t respond, Sunset sighed, and turned to Karra. "When Twilight gets into her ‘sciency’ mode, even I have a hard time breaking her out of it.”
Karra smiled evilly, and rubbed her hands together.
“I think we can fix that. Honey? Can you give Twilight a hug?”
At that very moment, Twilight’s hair stood on end, and a sixth sense told her that something bad was about to happen, and if she ignored the warning, it was likely that she would regret it.
But... Science...



Twilight sat on the floor of her improvised ‘lab’, struggling to get her breath back while Sunset patted her on the shoulder sympathetically. The yellow-skinned teenager glared daggers at Karra.
“When you said 'I can fix that', I wasn't expecting you to sic your husband on my friend."
Twilight gasped dramatically. "Is he some kind of monster?"
Otto, Panara, and Karra all looked at each other, and shrugged. Sunset's jaw dropped.
"You mean to say he hugs all of you like that?"
"Um. Yeah."
Twilight gasped for air again. “What witchcraft is this?!?”
Panara shrugged. “We can handle the hugs just fine.”
Sunset blinked. “I’m beginning to think that the Hillberry family is born crazy.”
“Nope, just years of practice.”
SMACK! 
Sunset’s palm met her forehead.
> Christmas with the Hillberries
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Knock Knock Knock!

“Come on in!”

The squeal of door hinges could be heard as a cold draft poured into the building, though the inhabitants ignored it, instead choosing to embrace the welcome intruders.

I smiled, and stood from the table, a cup of hot chocolate held in my hands as I half-walked, half-stumbled my way to the front door of Sunset Shimmer’s house, where Ixisten and Octavia were shaking the snow off their boots, nearly falling over themselves in the process.

I sympathized. It’s hard to remember how to walk on two feet when you’ve been on hooves for the past number of months. “Ixisten!” I placed my mug down on a table by the door, and pulled my bro into a hug. I stepped back, eyeing Octavia. “So... are you two official now, then?” I grinned slyly.

“Ah, well...”

“Yes!” Octavia interrupted. “We’ve been dating for a few months now.” She attempted to nuzzle up against Ixisten, only for their noses to bang together instead, and I had to suppress a chuckle when he blushed bright red.

“Tavi, I don’t have a muzzle now, remember?” The grey-skinned woman blushed in turn, and an awkward silence passed between the two of them as the rest of us smiled blissfully.

“Well,” I stated. “I’m happy for you two.” I then leaned over to Ixisten, and whispered in his ear, “Took you long enough to ask her out.”.

Ixisten snorted, and made a half-hearted attempt at swatting me across the back of the head. “You’re one to talk. And besides... Tavi actually was the one who asked me out.”

I blinked. “Really now?” I transferred my attention to Octavia, and placed my chin on my fingers. Man, did I ever miss having these things. Fingers are so useful! “Huh. Well, I like her then.”

Ixisten rolled his eyes, and shook his head, smiling in exasperation.  

“Alright, well, now everyone’s here! Ixisten, we can take your and Octavia’s stuff. You guys go ahead and put your coats in the closet there.” Panara and Otto took the many wrapped boxes of gifts, and a number of food dishes and salad bowls, relieving Ixisten and Octavia of their burdens so they could remove their winter wear.

I followed behind my parents. I haven’t seen Sunset yet. “Hey, is Sunset not joining us today?”

“Oh, she and the girls are over at Pinkie Pie’s place today, which is why she offered up her house to us.”

“Oh... You know, we could’ve celebrated at Twilight’s castle. She has plenty of space there, and I’m sure she wouldn’t have minded.”

Panara turned to me, a serious expression adorning her features. “You’re right, we could’ve, but we just wouldn’t have felt comfortable there. Not that I dislike Princess Twilight Sparkle, but I’d rather celebrate Christmas with just our immediate family and friends.” She turned, resuming her walk to the kitchen. “We had a rough year, Moto. It would be good for us to just... catch up again. Reset, in a way.”

I felt a pang of sadness at that, and swallowed. “Yeah... I can understand that.” I paused, and looked around the living room. I saw the children running around, with my siblings and their spouses conversing with one another. Percy was showing something to Ixisten on his phone, and the two were laughing.

I felt a pang of loneliness, but at the same time a sense of warmth filled my heart. We’re so blessed.

“Yeah, we’re blessed, aren’t we?” I jumped, as Otto slung an arm around my shoulder for a sort of side-hug. “We’re definitely blessed.”  

“Funny, I was thinking the same thing.” I returned the hug.

“You know, if you ever find someone you think you might want to spend the rest of your life with, you’re welcome to bring them with you to our family events...”

I smirked. Subtle, Dad. “Yeah, I know.”

“What about that one girl you keep talking about... Rose?” Otto smiled innocently, but quickly grew concerned as he saw my expression fall.

“Yeah, about her... after what happened with the note and with EQG Twilight finding out about Rose’s origins, I don’t think she’d be comfortable coming to our Christmas party. She’s still pretty ticked about it, and quite frankly, I don’t blame her.” I shook my head. “I forgave you guys right away, but she...” I shrugged my shoulders helplessly. “...she kinda just... closed up. We don’t really talk all that much anymore, and I want to help, but between the practices, rehearsals and the vocal training, I haven’t really had the time to speak with her all that much recently.”  

Otto frowned. “But... she’s your stylist, isn’t she? Don’t you guys speak when she’s preparing you for shows?”

I shook my head. “Apart from the rehearsals, I haven’t actually done any shows yet, so she hasn’t worked with me much. When she does work with me, she just seems to work as quickly as possible so she doesn’t have to talk to me.

“You know, I’d offer you advice, but... I don’t really know what to say. Have you spoken to Coloratura about any of this?”

I shook my head. “She’s on tour. I haven’t seen her since I moved into my own place.”

Silence fell between us, and I shuffled uncomfortably. Otto removed his arm from my shoulder, and the absence of the aforementioned limb caused the colder air of the room to make me shiver slightly.

“You know, I hadn’t really thought about it all that much, but... It seems that ever since I started this whole backup-singer thing, I haven’t really had time to connect with anyone. I guess I haven’t really noticed how lonely I am.”

Otto pulled me in for another hug, this time of the bear variety. “That’s what family is for, and that’s part of the reason why Christmas is so special to all of us. We’re all here now, and we’re all here for each other.” 

“Thanks, Dad.” I needed to hear that.

“I love you, son.” He pulled away from the hug, and patted me on the shoulder. “Things have been different not having most of you around all the time. We miss you guys, too.” He chuckled. “Who would’ve thought that we’d end up working on the human version of the Apple Family farm? We’re basically doing the same thing we did in Equestria.”

“You guys haven’t started up a business of your own here?”

“I’m leaving that decision up to Percy. If he decides that he wants to start something here on this world, then I’ll be happy to support him, but our priority right now is finding a place to live. We can’t stay at Sunset’s forever.”

“Good point.” I cocked my head. “What about Karra and Eren? Where are they at right now?”

Otto turned his head to the couple, mulling my question over in his mind.

Before he could answer, however, a large BOOM shook the house. I instinctively covered my head, and crouched down, looking for any sort of cover. When nothing else happened, I opened one eye at a time, looking around at my family, who were all in a similar state to me.

Evidently, living in a war-zone for a number of years ingrains certain instincts, such as immediately ducking for cover at loud explosions.

“Is everyone alright?”

Everyone voiced their affirmative, and I slowly stood up, casting my eyes around the living room.

“What in Equestria was that?” I caught the eyes of everyone else in the room, each of us breathing heavily. The kids had immediately run to their parents, and were trembling in terror. 

I walked across the floor of the living room, and pulled the curtain aside from the window. Everything outside looked... normal. I glanced at a couple walking hand-in-hand down the sidewalk, but quickly dismissed them. Hmm... Odd.

Percy raised a hand. “I’ll check downstairs. Maybe something happened with the water heater or something.”

Upon opening the door to the basement, however, smoke poured out, followed by a certain purple-skinned teenager, who seemed to be coughing up a lung. Percy stood there dumbfounded.

“T-Twilight? What are you doing here? I thought you were with Sunset and the others.”

“I...” she coughed, and waved a hand at us indicating she was alright. “I was working on a... project of sorts.” She looked away guiltily. 

Percy’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “What kind of project?”

Twilight’s eyes darted about the room, poorly-hidden fear poking through her visage.

“It... It was nothing. N-Nothing important! Just me doing... sciency things. Yeah.” 

I stepped forward. “Twilight. I know you well enough to know that you’re always happy to share what you’re working on.” Even if sometimes we don’t want to know. “Why are you hiding this from us? You even went so far as to give up hanging out with your friends to work on this, so it must be important, right?” More important than friendship. That’s like heresy in this world.

Twilight grew more agitated, raising her hands in tight fists. “I don’t... Ugh!” She dropped her face into her hands. We all waited as she seemed to wrestle with herself, and I almost placed a hand on her shoulder in concern, but before I could; “It was my fault.”

“...What?”

“I said...” Twilight looked me directly in the eye. “I said it was MY FAULT!”

“Your fault... your fault for what?”

Twilight began to cry, tears slowly crawling down her face. “It was my fault that Rose ended up in Equestria... and probably many more humans, too! I... It was when I used this.” She pulled out what looked like a pendant.

Wait a minute... that’s!

“It was this! I did the research! I did the calculations! It was when I decided to use this!”

My jaw dropped. “You’re saying that when you opened that pendant, and tore a hole in reality between this world and Equestria...”

“Yes! It also opened tears between Equestria and Earth!”

I breathed out heavily, my face draining of blood. “Sweet Celestia...” The room fell silent, save for the sobs and sniffling coming from Twilight.

I started as Maelstrom spoke from beside me, having stepped up while I was in the middle of contemplating Twilight's words; “But... Rose is from the 1970’s on Earth. How did she end up in Equestria 20 years ago?” He frowned, and placed his chin on his thumb and index finger.

Twilight shuddered, and raised her face, trying to wipe away her tears. Octavia quickly went over and comforted her, before glaring up at all of us.

“I think that is quite enough. If you want to grill Twilight, it will have to be AFTER she's calmed down, and willing to speak. Until then...”

What... I looked over at Ixisten, who just shrugged, equally as perplexed as me.

“Come on, Twilight.” Octavia guided Twilight toward the living room. “Let’s get you a relaxing Earl Hay. Ixisten, could you?”

Ixisten shook himself out of his confusion, and snapped into motion, quickly heading to the kitchen to pour Twilight some tea.

Heh. Earl Hay. Wait a minute... since when did Ixisten know how to make tea? I stopped Ixisten as he stepped out of the kitchen with a steaming mug in his hands. I raised an eyebrow, gesturing at the cup. He blinked, and then snorted, shaking his head.

“I like tea, okay?”

“...Since when?”

“Moto, there are a lot of things that you don’t know about me.”

Touche, mon frere. Ixisten pushed past me, and placed the cup down on the table in front of Twilight, who reached for it, and blew on it carefully.

“I guess you all want to know more about this.” Twilight raised the pendant in front of herself, allowing all of us to see it more clearly. I reached out for it.

“May I?”

Twilight hesitated, but eventually placed the pendant on my hand. I examined it, turning it over and over in my hand. I placed my finger on the release button, looking at Twilight for confirmation. When she nodded, I depressed the spring-loaded contraption, allowing the pendant to open. I quickly confirmed that it was empty, and closed it back up.

“Yep. That’s definitely the pendant. Didn’t Sunset use it to defeat you when you were in your dark form?”

Twilight blinked. “How did you... oh wait, you’re the weird one that knows everything about us.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say everything...”

“... But yes, Sunset also used the pendant to absorb the powers of her... OUR friends, and used them on herself, allowing her to overwhelm and purify my dark side.”

Percy interjected; “... You know, if we didn’t live in a land full of magical, talking horses...”

“Ponies!”

“Whatever. If we didn’t live in a land full of magical, talking PONIES, I would say that was... ridiculous.”

“I think it sounded awesome!” We all turned to Eren, who shrugged. “What?”

“Aaaanyways, you were saying, Twilight?”

Sci-Twi cleared her throat. “Yes, as I was saying, this pendant forced Equestrian magic into my body, which essentially turned me evil, or... drunk on the power... I don’t know, my memories are pretty fuzzy at that point. But basically, I became so powerful that I started tearing holes in the fabric of reality. Reality being, essentially, the space-time continuum. It stands to reason that, if I could tear holes in space and dimensions, then it’s also possible to tear holes across time.”

“That would explain why Rose ended up in Equestria when she did, and would also open up the possibility that other people may have crossed at other points in time.” Maelstrom leaned back in his seat, wiping sweat from his brow. “That’s really fascinating.”

I scratched my head. “If what you’re saying is true, then that means that people from any period of history on Earth could have crossed over into any period of history on Equestria.”

“And vice-versa. It’s also possible that ponies may have crossed over to Earth as well.”

I breathed heavily. “We need to tell Celestia and Princess Twilight about this. The ramifications of this are profound. Twilight, you essentially have changed the very history of not one, but two worlds! Everything that has happened up to this point has had your touch in it.”

Twilight’s head bowed. “I know. And I’ll never be able to forgive myself for that.”

I frowned. “What? Don’t you get it?” Twilight jerked up in confusion. “All this means is that everything that has happened up until now was meant to happen! It means that the course of this history has been set! You were supposed to fall, and in your redemption, you became a protector! That isn’t something to be sad about, it’s something to celebrate! Have you ever heard the story of the prodigal son?”

Twilight raised a brow, still focused on me. “The... prodigal son?”

Otto looked over at me. “Moto... where are you going with this?”

“Just hang with me, Dad, it’ll make sense in a minute.” I cleared my throat. “Essentially, the story is about a son who demands that his father give him his portion of the inheritance that would normally be given to him after his father’s death. The father gives the son the inheritance, and the son goes off and spends it all in wild living. He spends it all, and eventually winds up so poor that he finds himself wanting to eat pig food. He eventually returns home in guilt and shame, and you know what his father does?”

Twilight stared at me intently. “Punish him?”

I grinned. “He ran to his son, and hugged him. Then he threw a big party for the son, because he was gone, and returned. Essentially, he was forgiven.”

Twilight sucked in a breath. “You’re saying...”

“Yep. I’m saying that we don’t really care about the bad things you did. The fact that you realized the wrong you did, and apologized is what truly matters, and is worth celebrating. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t take responsibility for the things you did; after all, the son still had no wealth when he returned to his father; but there’s no reason for you to constantly wallow in your guilt.”

A sudden weight against my side surprised me, before realizing that it was Twilight hugging me, her tears staining my shirt.

“Thank you.” she mumbled. I blinked, before resting my hand on her shoulder awkwardly. 

“You’re welcome.” I let her hug me for a while, before realizing that the rest of my family was watching, and turned beet red from embarrassment. “Um... Twilight? Can you, um...”

She looked up, and her purple complexion quickly turned a shade to match mine. “Sorry!”, she squeaked, and abruptly pulled away. We shuffled away from each other awkwardly, avoiding each other’s gaze. “A-Anyways, where did you hear that story?”

“It’s actually Biblical. I grew up hearing that story in Church. I’d be willing to lend you a Bible some time, if you want.”

“Sure. Yeah, I’d like that.”





Wrapping paper littered the living room floor of Sunset’s house; all the secret santa gifts having been opened and appreciated by everyone, and It was now time for the gag gifts. I snickered, thinking about what I’d put together this year. Ooh, they're going to like this.. A deck of cards was dealt to everyone, and one by one, a card was picked from another deck. Whenever a card someone had was called out, they would stand up and either pick a present from the pile, or trade their present for someone else’s. It was a lot of fun, and we laughed until tears ran down our faces as presents were opened, and the depths of my genius were displayed to all who were there. Twilight looked on, laughing as hard as we were, and I was happy to see her enjoying herself.

Eventually the wrapping paper was cleaned up, the presents stowed away in baskets for our travels home, and the children put to bed. The rest of us enjoyed the evening by the Christmas tree, enjoying a hard drink or two (except for Twilight, who was still underage), and nibbling on some unhealthy snacks.

A game board was laid out in front of us, and we were battling it out over Stock Trotter, which Twilight- predictably- was great at. It took a little bit of explaining, but once she got the gist of it, she completely creamed the rest of us. 

I threw my hands up in the air as the commodity I had traded most of my money in for- gems- went bust... again, and groaned. We should’ve played Cabbage, or Carrots to Carrots instead.

“Moto, you’re not doing so good!” 

And she rubs it in, too. “I’m better at imagination games.”

“Sure you are. Maybe you’re just a sore loser.” I glared at Ixisten’s gir- marefriend.

“Octavia, you’re doing just as bad as me. If anything, we should be commiserating.”

“Ha,”, she jeered snootily, “It’s all just a part of my plan.”

“Sure it is.”, I mumbled. Hmmm... I have 300 Trotter Bits left... I can only buy hay at the current price. I placed the last of my bits down, and grabbed the correlating number of green pieces of paper, and waited for the next roll.

“Hay, down 3. Hay is now bust.”

“OHHH, SUNNUVA!”
> Reconciliation, and a Second Chance
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

10...

Broad Meadows closed his eyes, dreading the inevitable.

9...

The rest of his family pulled in closer, attempting to bring some semblance of comfort to each other.

8...

Meadows still couldn’t believe what his mother had revealed to all of them not ten minutes ago.

7...

“I didn’t come from Earth.”

6...

Her words still rung in his head. If her not being from Earth wasn’t enough of a shock, what she said next certainly floored everyone.

5...

“I’m from a place called Equestria.”

4...

Does that mean I’m... part pony?

3...

He shook his head, his radiation suit rustling at the movement. Either way, they were likely going to die.

2...

What did it matter? Death doesn’t care what species you are.

1...

No one is immortal, after all...

0...

A piercing light filled the bunker, and then darkness.





I woke to the light pattering of rain drumming on the roof of my small, one bedroom cottage on the outskirts of Manehatten. I glanced over to my alarm clock.

Six-twenty-seven. I silently cursed. My alarm was set for six-thirty. Sighing, I reached over and deactivated the alarm, pausing only slightly when the sight of my hoof entered my vision. Still getting used to that.

It had been... I counted the months off in my head, and was startled to realize that a full year had passed since my family had been whisked away to Equestria through a malfunctioning portal. And now there’s a chance that there are other residents of Equestria who were once from Earth. And vice versa. I winced at the thought. 

Right. Any Equestrian residents of Earth would have been killed when... I shook my head. Now was not the time to dwell on that. I had my final rehearsal today, and then I was to go on tour with Songbird Serenade for the next few months. 

I was only slightly nervous.

...Right...

...In fact, I was terrified. I had the steps down to my routine, but I just wasn’t... natural at it. The music, however, that I had down pat. I’d even gotten the attention of Songbird, who complimented me.

I glanced over at the alarm clock again. Six-Thirty-five.

Aaaaaugh, fine. I threw the sheets off, and shivered at the suddenly cold air assaulting my body. I was tempted to pull the warm sheets back over myself and fall back into the sweet, sweet embrace of sleep, but unfortunately, life had other plans for me, and I could not allow myself to be lured into the false promise of happiness that lay between the sheets. 

I threw my legs over the edge of the bed, and rolled onto all fours, using my wings to stabilize myself. I glanced back at the unmade bed, and pointed a hoof at it.

“I shall come back for you, my dear. This I promise thee.” I chuckled to myself as I made my way out of the room, and into the kitchen/ living/ dining area. I had just opened the cupboard doors when a knock at my front door startled me. I yelped as a box of Apple'O’sTM tipped over, dumping the vast majority of its contents right on top of my head, and subsequently onto the floor. I froze, before staring down at the mess on the floor in vague disappointment. So much potential for hunger-quenching wasted. I almost cried.

Another series of knocks on my front door broke me out of my self-pitying trance, and I quickly shook whatever cereal remained in my mane out before trotting over to the door. I opened it.

Sopping wet Twilight and... Sopping wet Twilight. With glasses.

I blinked, and uttered the only thing that came to my mind. 

“Buh?” Twilight #1 frowned in mild annoyance.

“Mind if we come in?”

“Uhhh... Twilight? And, uh... Twilight’s long lost twin?”

Princess Twilight sighed. “I’ll explain. Let us in. We’re cold and soaking wet.”

I jerked out of my confusion. “Oh! Sorry, yes, yeah, come in. I’ll grab some towels for you two.” I quickly stepped out of the doorway and galloped over to the bathroom. I pulled two towels off the shelf with my teeth, and threw them over my back. I trotted back into the living area, and hoofed the towels over to the two magenta mares, one of whom I now noticed was not an alicorn. I took in her hair-bun manestyle, and the thick-rimmed glasses that I’d noticed earlier, and connected the dots in my head.

“Wait a second... Twilight? As in Twilight from Canterlot High? Formerly of Crystal Prep?” Both Twilights paused in their towelling off, and looked up at me. “Holy smokes, I wasn’t expecting to see you here!” I smiled, and offered her a hug, to which she happily reciprocated.

“Yeah, heh. That’s me.”

“Wow, how have you been? I haven’t seen you since... well since Christmas. That was over two months ago now.”

EQG Twilight nodded. “Yes, and I would have visited you and the rest of your family sooner, but I’ve been a bit... Preoccupied as of late.” She hid her eyes behind her mane, and looked away. I frowned, and turned my attention to Princess Twilight, who had a slightly annoyed look, which she quickly hid when she noticed I was looking in her direction. My right eyebrow lifted in suspicion, but I made no comment.

“Okay, so... Why are you two here?” I glanced outside. “...On such a cruddy day? It must be something important.”

Princess Twilight sighed. “Ever since Twilight found out about the cause of the interdimensional rifts, we’ve been collaborating on working out whether or not we could get a working, stable portal open to Earth again using her locket.”

I glanced between the two mares. “And?”

Princess Twilight sucked in a breath.

“... And we succeeded.”

My breath hitched. Princess Twilight searched my face while my mind went blank. 

Oh. My. “Sweet Celestia...” I breathed. “You’re serious?” Both mares nodded. I swore. Out loud. Much to the bemusement of a certain purple pony princess. The other Twilight seemed less surprised, though her eyebrows rose at the filthy language. 
"What's a mother fu..?" I immediately covered the princess's mouth with a hoof, earning an annoyed glare from her.
"Sorry. I shouldn't have said that. But seriously, you guys got it working again? Please tell me this isn't some sick joke." 
Princess Twilight growled. 
That's actually kinda cute in a creepy, terrifying way
"I never joke about science."
Fair enough. "Right. Sorry. I'm just... Wow, you guys actually went ahead and did it. I always assumed you could, but I didn't think you would actually do it for real." I raised a hoof to my chin as a thought occurred to me. "Hey, just out of curiosity, am I the first one you've told?"
The Twilights looked at each other. 

“The Princesses and your parents know. We haven't told anyone else.” I breathed out, and then nodded.

“Okay. That’s probably for the best. Did either of you step through the portal when you stabilized it? Did you step hoof onto Earth?”

EQG Twilight shook her head.

“Nope! After what you told Starswirl about radiation, there was no way we were going to cross over without any protection! We’ll have to design some sort of radiation protection suit before we organize an expedition over there.”

An expedition. Right. “We’ll have to make preparations. And those suits will have to be puncture proof...” I raised my hoof to my chin in thought, mulling over the preparations that would be needed. I glanced up to see a grin on both mare’s muzzles. I sighed, and dropped my hoof back to the ground in annoyance. “...And you two have already thought of everything, haven’t you?”

Their grins widened, much to my annoyance, and I snorted. “Okay, you’re smart, I get it. So why have you come to tell me about his rather than getting all of us together?”

“We need to know if you’d be willing to go on the expedition.” I facehooved.

“Seriously? Do you even have to ask? Of course I’ll go!”

Princess Twilight’s grin widened.

“Excellent. That makes three of us. Ideally we’d have a team of five, so I plan to ask Ixisten to come along as well. If he accepts that leaves us one open spot, and I’m wondering if you could... well...”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Yes..?”

“Well, I know you two haven’t really been on speaking terms recently, but...”

“What... Rose?”

Princess Twilight nodded. “Could you maybe speak to her and see if she’d like to be the fifth member of the team?”

I grunted, unimpressed. “Why not ask her yourself? And why her?”

EQG Twilight turned away in shame, and Princess Twilight rested a hoof on her shoulder to console her.

“I feel it's only fair that she gets to see the world that she left behind. I also happen to know that Rose is very adaptable to new situations.” She blushed when I gave her a suspicious look. "I kinda looked into her personal file when we were going through candidates."
I grunted. "Okay, but that still doesn't answer my question completely. Why should I be the one to speak to her?"
EQG Twilight rubbed a forehoof against her other leg. "I... don't think she would want to speak to me right now. You at least have a chance of getting through to her."

Fair enough. “I’ll see what I can do, but I can’t make any promises. It can be hard to gain back someone’s trust after you’ve destroyed it as thoroughly as we have.” I paused. “And it’s not like I haven’t been trying, either. She just... doesn’t want to talk to me anymore.” I looked up, directly into EQG Twilight’s eyes. “And at some point, you’ll have to face her, too. If we’re going to be a cohesive team, and trust me, we’ll need to be if we’re going to survive a visit to Earth, then you’re going to have to speak with Rose; You’ll have to apologize in person to her.” EQG Twilight reluctantly nodded, and I pulled her in for a hug. “It’ll be alright. Remember what I told you at Christmas with the story of the prodigal son.” EQG Twilight returned the hug, wrapping her forehooves around my neck and resting her head on my withers.

“Yeah. Thanks.”

The calming rain on the roof became the primary sound in the house as the two of us hugged, while a slightly uncomfortable alicorn shuffled her wings. I glanced up to see a slightly dejected look on the Princess’s face, and I grinned. 

“You, too.” Princess Twilight’s head snapped around, and her mouth formed into a silent 'what?' My grin widened. “Get in here. Everyone needs a hug sometimes. Even high and mighty princesses.” She smirked in an exasperation.

“I’m not high and mighty. I happen to be very humble.” Despite the protest, Princess Twilight stepped into the group hug.

Heh. The least humble person is the one who claims to be the most humble. Of course, I can't say much.
I chuckled, and waved off the questioning glances I got from the two mares.





“What the..?” Rose frowned as she removed a slightly soggy Apple‘O’TM from my mane, and I sheepishly grinned.

“Sorry, I kinda spilled a box of Apple‘O’sTM on my head this morning.” The blue mare sighed, and rolled her eyes.

“Go shower.” Rose pointed to a nearby door with a hoof. I frowned at her bluntness, but moved to comply. Halfway across the room, I turned back.
"Hey, Rose... um, can we...?"

“Shower... NOW.” I immediately snapped a salute, and plodded toward the bathroom, the whole while berating myself for not having the courage to say anything back. Again.
I have to find a way to change this cycle. Every time I try to talk to her, she just shuts me down. I sighed as I turned the knobs in the shower, waiting until the temperature was right before stepping in. As the water cascaded down my back, and dripped off my wings, I contemplated my predicament. Twilight needs her for the expedition. The only way I can convince her to come along is if I somehow gain her trust back. I grabbed the shampoo; 'Head and Withers two in one shampoo and wing conditioner, Oats scent'TM, and inspected the label. Whatever. It works. I lathered it into my coat and mane, paying special attention to my wings in the process.
But I guess it's more than just wanting her on the expedition. I do really care about her. I paused and considered this until a line of foamy, soapy water ran into my eye. I yelped, and quickly washed it out. I do really want to be her friend, of course. And I would be lying if I said that I've never considered the possibility of something more. I am a young, virile male, after all.
As the last of the now completely dissolved Apple 'O's TM washed down the drain, I turned off the taps, and shook myself dry, splattering the curtain and wall with droplets of water. I gave my wings a few experimental flaps, and determined I would need to preen them shortly. I stepped out of the shower, and breathed in deeply.
Okay. Time to face the fury. I opened the door to the bathroom, and strode confidently up to Rose. It's now or never. 
“Rose, look...” I cringed slightly at the murderous look I got in return, but pressed on. “We can’t keep doing this forever, Rose. I get that you hate me for what happened, but can’t we move on from this?” Rose closed her eyes, and sucked a breath in. She held it for a few seconds before letting it out again. She opened her eyes.

“You need to preen your wings. Get to it."

“Rose, come on, we need to talk about this.”
The mare simply turned her back, flicking her tail in annoyance. "Preen. Now."
"Seriously?" I whispered through gritted teeth. “Rose, please, I'm begging you, just talk to me already.” I glared at the mare, waiting for any sort of change in her cold, hard eyes.

“I have nothing to say to you. If you're not going to preen your wings, then you're wasting my time.”

Okay, that’s it. Screw being nice. “You know what? I was going to try to be diplomatic about this, but fine. You wanna do this the hard way? Then I’m going to say my piece, and you’re going to listen whether you like it or not. I’m sick of us tiptoeing around this. I’m sick of you deliberately ignoring me, acting like you don’t care when I know that deep down you do care. I’m sick of having to watch everything I say and do because you can’t accept that I’M SORRY!” I breathed heavily, my brows furrowed, and my stance aggressive. “And you know what? If you hate me so much, then WHY THE HECK ARE YOU STILL HERE?” The moment the words left my mouth, I knew that I'd made a mistake. “Rose, wait, I didn’t mean...” Rose blinked, a look of shock on her face. Her face slowly morphed into rage, though she appeared be attempting to regain her cold composure.

“Why am I still here?” Her voice wavered. “Honestly, I don’t know. Maybe...” She stomped a hoof. “Maybe if you don’t like my attitude, then maybe I should leave. Let’s see how well you can do without me eh?” She threw down a comb she was holding, and stomped to the door. Just before she stepped out, she turned around. “Don’t bother looking for me, because I QUIT.” And then she was gone.

“Rose, wait...” I weakly called, before slumping down onto the floor. Dang it! Why'd I have to let my emotions get away from me?  I slammed my hoof on the floor. “Crap! Moto, you idiot!”

“Yes, you ‘screwed that up’ pretty badly, I would say.” I jerked my head up, to see a scowling Ms. Harshwhinny. “Frankly, you're both a couple of idiots.”
I wiped a hoof over my nose, and sniffed, trying to regain some composure in front of my employer.
“I... What do you want?”
Harshwhinny barked a humorless laugh. "I want you to reconcile with Ms. Rose. She's worth too much to my business to lose, and the only way to get her back is for you two to kiss and make up."
I sighed. "Yeah, and how am I supposed to do that? She won't even talk to me."
"You're an idiot."
I could feel the anger rising up again. "You think I don't know that? Yes, I screwed up! I'm an idiot for losing my temper! You don't have to shove it in my face!"
Harshwhinny smirked in self-satisfaction. "Watch yourself, Mr. Hillberry. I am still your employer. Words like that could get you fired."
I forced my anger down with some reluctance. Anger was what got you in this predicament in the first place, you dunderhead. Cool it! 
"Alright then, what do I do, then?"

Harshwhinny's slight smile twitched. “Isn't it obvious, Mr. Hillberry? You must go after her.”
Realization slammed into me. Of course! I smacked my hoof against my muzzle. Even if I failed this time, or a hundred times in the future, that doesn't mean I should stop trying!
I stood, resolve written on my features. I made to step out the door, but hesitated.
“But... what about the rehearsal?”

Harshwhinny smirked. “Let me handle the rehearsal. You have more important things to worry about."
I nodded. "Right. Thank you, Ms. Harshwhinny. I needed that."
The grumpy mare's facial expression softened slightly, though she waved a hoof dismissively. "I am merely looking after my own interests. Now go after her before I shove my hoof so far up your behind that you taste...”

“Okay, I’m going!” I shouted as I quickly darted to the door. I skidded into the hallway, and glanced both ways, opting for the route that Rose had most likely taken. As I sprinted down the hall, I couldn't help but think that maybe Harshwhinny wasn't as bad a mare as I first took her to be. I shook off the thought as I locked the Elevator in my sights. A few calculations in my head revealed that I wouldn't make it in time if I used it, so I pivoted around, trying to find a faster way down to the lobby. 
I saw the doorway to the stairs next to the elevators, and smirked. That'll work. I slammed through the doors, and stopped at the top of the stairs, glancing down. I can make it. I hopped off the top landing, and dove down the center of the column of spiralling stairs. This gonna hurt. I waited for just the right moment before snapping my wings open, ignoring the sudden jolt of pain. I swooped under the last flight of stairs, and through the doors at the bottom of the staircase. I touched down in the main lobby, sliding across the floor before one of my hooves caught, sending me tumbling end over end.

Eventually, I came to a stop, and groaned. Moto don't feel so good.

“Moto?” I glanced up, seeing an astonished Rose staring down at me. Heh. My calculations were correct. Made it just... In... Time...

And then I fainted.





Owowowowowowow. Aaaaaaah, that hurts. I opened one eye, and immediately closed it again when light flooded in. “Mmmmph.” I slowly opened the eye again, and allowed it to adjust to the light before slowly opening my other eye. I attempted to move my head, but waves of pain rolled through my body at the movement, prompting another groan.

“Oh, thank Celestia, you’re awake.” I managed to turn my head just enough to see a dishevelled, and very angry Rose.

“H-hey. Am I in the hospital?”

“You IDIOT!”

Well, hello to you, too. I grinned.

“Why are you smiling? You almost died! Why the heck would you pull a stunt like that?”

“Well it worked, didn’t it?” That seemed to take the wind out of her sails.

“What..? What worked?”

“Heh. I got to talk to you again.”

Silence filled the room.

“You dumb... You seriously dislocated a wing, broke the other one, bruised your body all over the place, broke multiple ribs, and sprained a hoof just so you could talk to me again?”

“Eeyup."

Rose blinked.

“You have got to be kidding me. You really are a moron.”

“Hey, I never claimed otherwise.” I chuckled, but groaned when a fresh wave of pain coursed its way through my body from the action. “Ow.”

Rose sighed. “What am I going to do with you?”

“Well, for one thing you can keep being my stylist.”

“But... I quit.”

I shrugged. “Not technically. You only shouted ‘I quit’, and then walked out. You never gave any official notice, and I don’t think Harshwhinny heard you say it.” Actually, she probably did, but I have the feeling she'll probably ignore it. “I... I’m really sorry about what I said, Rose... and if it makes any difference, I’m also sorry about what happened with Twilight. I never meant to let your secret get out.”

Rose shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t think I would have listened had you not done what you did. If anything, I should be the one apologizing. It’s kinda my fault that you ended up in the hospital.” She chuckled. “But seriously... why did you do that? Do you realize that only the best stunt flyers could have successfully pulled that off? You’re lucky to be alive right now.”

“Well... I calculated how long it would take the elevator to reach the ground floor, and decided that if I was going to stop you before you left that I would need to take a faster route.”

Rose guffawed. “Are you serious? You could’ve jumped out a window or something and gone down the outside of the building. Why did you take the staircase?”

I drew a blank. “Huh. You know, in the moment, I didn’t even think about it. I just saw the staircase next to the elevator, and sort of went for it.”

We both started chuckling, despite the pain it caused my ribs.

“Well, good to see you two getting along again. It only took one of you seriously injuring yourself to do it.” Rose and I glanced over to the doorway, seeing a scowling Harshwhinny. “When I said ‘go after her’ I expected you to do it safely, Mr. Hillberry. And yet, here you are in the hospital.” 
I grinned sheepishly. “Yeah... sorry about that. I wasn’t really thinking.”

“You most certainly were not, and now one of Songbird Serenade’s top background singers is temporarily out of commission.”

“Does this mean that I won’t be able to go on tour with her?”

Harshwhinny practically glowered at me. “Unless you want to try dancing in a wheelchair, it is impossible.”

I winced. “Does Songbird know?”

“Songbird gives her sincere regrets that you will not be able to accompany her on her tour, and wishes you a speedy recovery.”

“Oh.”

Harshwhinny’s expression softened. “She also asked that I look into arranging your debut.”

I blinked. “What?”

“Let’s be honest, Mr. Hillberry. You are not the best dancer, and your voice is far better suited for a lead role anyways. You would have likely begun a solo career soon after the tour with Songbird had ended, but for now, I suggest you focus on getting well.” Harshwhinny turned, and tossed over her shoulder; “Oh, and if you two lovebirds are going to be like this all the time, then get a helmet or something.”

The door swung closed behind her, and I looked back to Rose with a smirk.

“You know, that gives me an idea.”
> To Earth
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“What were you thinking?”

“That’s what Rose said.”

“You’re an idiot!”

“Yes, Rose also said that.”

“Do you know the chances of surviving a stunt like that?”

“Yes, Rose spoke of that as well.” I sat up in my hospital bed, getting stared down at by an angry Twilight, and a livid Rainbow Dash.

“You could have killed yourself!”  

I smirked. “Are you sure you aren’t a parrot?” I got a smack on the shoulder for that, and I groaned in pain. “Seriously. Hurt patient here!”

“Yeah, yeah, complain AFTER I’ve laid into you, moron.”

“Yeah, Rose called me that, too.”

“AND SHE WAS RIGHT!” 

...Couldn’t really argue with that.

Twilight stepped in, and restrained the sputtering cyan mare.

“Alright, Rainbow, you’ve made your point.” Rainbow reluctantly stepped away, but not before shooting me a withering glare.

I’m beginning to suspect that she might be jealous that I almost managed to pull off that stunt. Note to self, use as ribbing fodder for later.

“Anyways,” Twilight lifted a piece of parchment and a quill in her magic. “I meant to ask if you’d had a chance to speak with Rose about the expedition?”

I cringed. Crap. I forgot about that. “Sorry, no. I kinda meant to, but, well...” I gestured to the hospital bed.

Twilight facehooved. “I see. Well, seeing as how you are in your current predicament, I think it might be a good idea to get someone else to go to Earth instead of you.”

I swallowed, disappointed, but I had to concede that her reasoning made sense. I nodded. “Yeah. I guess so. If I may make a suggestion?” Twilight’s ears perked up at that. “Percy.” 

Twilight tilted her head, and wrote something down on the parchment. “I suppose that would work. Is there any particular reason why him?”

I shrugged. “He’s strong, dependable, and probably has the most leadership potential of all of us. He can be a little blunt and harsh, but that can work to your advantage in a difficult environment like Earth. He is also more used to a bipedal body than most of us.” Twilight hummed, and brought the quill up to her chin in thought. She tapped it against her lips a few times before nodding.

“Percy it is, then. Can I count on you to speak to Rose about this?”

I shrugged. “I guess. Rose and I are on better terms now, but she might still refuse.”

“Might refuse what?” We all turned as Rose pushed open the door to the hospital room.

Speak of her, and she shall appear.

“What’s going on?” The light blue mare stepped into the room, and paused when she saw Twilight, her expression souring. “And what’s she doing here?”

I sighed. “Rose, this is Princess Twilight. From Equestria. The alicorn of friendship. Don’t confuse her with Twi from the other world.”

Rose’s eyes narrowed as she scrutinized Twilight, before nodding. “Sorry. I thought you were someone else.” She raised a hoof, grasping Twilight’s own. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Princess. I’m Rose Williams.”

Twilight shook the offered hoof. “Just Twilight is fine, and I’m very happy to meet you, too. I’m sorry it couldn’t have been under better circumstances.”

Rainbow Dash watched the interaction between the two mares with some interest, before leaning over to me and whispering; “So. Are you and Rose, like...” She bumped her hooves together meaningfully. If I’d been drinking water, I would have spat it out. As it was, I settled on choking on my own mucus.  

	Gross. The mucus; not Rose. “Rainbow, Rose is my stylist. We’re friends. Also both formerly human.”

Rainbow smirked, and poked me in the ribs, which elicited a pained groan from me. “Oh, really? You’re nothing more?”

“Nope.” Doesn’t mean I’m not interested... dang it, mind! My face reddened, and I waved a hoof in the air, dispelling the traitorous thought, much to Rainbow Dash’s delight. Mares.

Our conversation was interrupted by Twilight; “Well, that’s the basics of the expedition. Are you in?”

Rose rubbed her chin thoughtfully, her voice betraying her nervousness. “I... I’d get to see Earth again, right?” Twilight nodded, and Rose contemplated the decision. “...Who else is going?” My heart dropped, and I exchanged a nervous glance with Twilight, which Rose seemed to pick up on. “Wait. Is she going, too?”  

I reluctantly nodded, while Twilight attempted to explain; “We need Twi, Rose. We’ve been working on this together for months now, and she’s indispensable for this trip.”

Rose glanced between Twilight and I, our faces hopeful, and pleading.

“Please, Rose. I know you’re angry with her, but can you at least work with Twi on this?”

The redheaded mare sighed. “Fine. I can’t say I’m happy about it, but if it means that I get to see Earth one last time, then I’ll deal with it.”

I breathed out a sigh of relief, my expression mirrored by Twilight’s own.

“Well then, I guess we need to talk about preparations, then.”

Rainbow Dash and I tuned out Twilight and Rose as they discussed the next few days, which gave Rainbow Dash the opportunity for more ribbing.

“So... have you asked her out yet?”

I rolled my eyes. “No, I haven’t.”

The chromatic-maned mare rolled her hoof. “Soooo... are you going to?”

“I don’t know, Rainbow. I’m not even sure I think of her in that way.”

“Dude, you ended up in the hospital for a chance to speak to her.”

I paused. “I... huh.”

“If that isn’t a sign of attraction, I don’t know what is.”

She... actually makes a good point. “Look, I don’t know, Rainbow. Maybe some time in the future? I’m not sure if I’m ready for that yet.”

Rainbow sighed exasperatedly. “It’s pretty obvious you like her, and I’m pretty sure she likes you. Don’t wait too long, or you might never get the chance.”

I groaned. “Alright, fine. I’ll ask her. You happy?”

“As a tornado in a trailer park.”

I blinked. “Where did you hear that expression?”

“A certain one of your siblings uses that phrase every once in a while. I just kinda picked it up, I guess.” She rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment.

I shook my head. “Do you even know what that phrase means?”

“I don’t know what a trailer park is, but tornadoes are awesome!”

What have we unleashed upon this world?



3 Days Later

“Everypony has their gear?” A chorus of ‘mhm’s and ‘yesses’ met Twilight’s question, and she nodded firmly. “Okay. Twi and I have calibrated the portal so that we will all transform into bipedal forms when we travel over onto Earth, and our clothing will change with us to accommodate our new forms. The moment we cross over, we’re all going to be a little disoriented, so we’ll need to take some time to get used to our new forms before we continue with the expedition, especially for those of us who have not had a bipedal form in a long time. Percy will be leading, and Ixisten will be second to him; They have the most experience with Earth’s atmosphere and terrain, so whatever they say goes. Your radiation suits have been lined with a crystal that Twi and I have found to absorb radiation, but as a precaution we’ve included a crystal watch that shows the radiation levels inside your suit, according to the colour of the crystal. The darker the crystal, the more radiation there is. If your crystal detects dangerous levels of radiation, it will emit a high-pitched frequency that will alert us to the danger. If that happens, I’ve packed extra crystals into your bags that we can use to reduce the radiation levels in your suits. Any other questions?”

The group looked at one another, but no one spoke up.

“Okay. Percy, If you will?”

Percy zipped up his radiation suit, slung the bag over his back, and sucked in a nervous breath. Without a word, he stepped up to the portal, which was shimmering slightly, and looked behind him at the rest of the group, making sure they were all there. He furrowed his brow, and stepped through the portal.



“Alright, who’s not dead? Sound off!”  

Groans filled the air, and someone could be heard muttering about portal sickness.

Percy stood, swaying on his legs before quickly regaining his balance. His Earth body was slightly different than his EQG body. Mainly it wasn’t quite as slim, and his legs were shorter. He grunted, and glanced up, taking stock of everyone. He counted heads to make sure everyone was there. All accounted for. Rose seemed to be having difficulty standing, though Ixisten and Twilight were helping her. Twi stood awkwardly off to the side, watching with a pained expression. Right.

Percy checked his radiation watch, and examined the immediate area they’d landed in. It looked like the portal had formed in a bricked, empty doorway. The ground around them was littered with rubble, and small flakes of ash drifted past them, blown up by the wind. The ground was devoid of any sort of life, and the sky was a dark grey colour. Small flashes of lightning lit up the western horizon.

A storm, maybe? We should probably find shelter, and fast. “Okay, guys, we need to get moving as soon as possible. It looks like some rough weather might be on the way, and I don’t know how the nuclear explosions might have changed the weather patterns. We need to find shelter as soon as possible.”

Ixisten pushed his shoulder under Rose’s arm, and lifted her to her feet. “Rose still doesn’t know how to walk yet. I’ll help her get to wherever we’re going.”

Percy nodded. “It’ll slow us down, but there’s not much we can do about it. Just do the best you can, Rose.” He looked around, spotting a nearby chunk of what looked like concrete. Maybe an old building of some kind? Maybe it could be used as temporary shelter. He looked back up at the sky, taking note that the lightning seemed to be getting closer, along with what looked like a storm front. He cursed, glancing back at the portal, which shimmered slightly before winking out of existence. The safest choice would be to go back through, but reactivating the portal would use up a massive amount of energy, and it would be a while before they’d be able to make the trip to Earth again. The decision warred inside Percy. He needed to make a decision, and fast. “Twi, can you get some idea of what might be in that storm? Is it something that might be dangerous to us?”

Twi pulled out a device. Percy had no idea what it was for, though the multiple warning flashes and red lights it started to emit upon the teenager pointing it at the storm didn’t bode well, and the subsequent paling of Twi’s complexion didn’t help matters. 

“Twi? What’s in that storm?”

At Percy’s question, the entire group turned to look at Twi, anticipating her answer with bated breath.

“This... This shouldn’t be possible!” She exclaimed, her eyes nearly bulging from her face. “That storm has wind speeds exceeding 300 kilometers an hour, with gusts up to and exceeding 600 kilometers per hour! If that storm hits us, we’re going to be shredded to pieces, not to mention the elevated levels of radiation in that behemoth!”

Percy made a decision. “That’s it, I’m pulling the plug; we’re going back to Equestria. Twilight, Twi, get the portal up and running. We’ll have to come back after the storm has passed.”

Rose sharply turned to Percy, a look of desperation on her face. “But...”

“No.”, Interrupted Percy. “I won’t put anyone’s lives in jeopardy over this. We’re going back, and that’s final.” 

Rose glared at Percy, but sighed in acceptance. “Fine, but I want to be the first to come back.”

Ixisten patted Rose on the shoulder sympathetically. “Next time, Rose. Earth isn't going anywhere.”

As the Twilights set up the power-up device for the portal, Percy watched the incoming wall of debris, uncomfortable with how fast it was closing in on them.

“How long until that portal is up, girls? That storm is coming in fast.”

“Approximately 60 seconds. The power crystals need to warm up before we use them, or they might crack and fail.”

Percy grunted. “We might not have a minute. If you can do anything to speed it up, you’d better do it, and do it fast.” His heart started beating faster in his chest, the rhythmic pumping pulsing in his head as he saw something very large and very solid get picked up by the storm, and flung high into the air as if it were nothing. He eyed the concrete outcropping near to their position, realizing that it wouldn’t do anything to protect them if they were forced to hide under it. “Girls...”

“We’re working as fast as we can!”

Percy swallowed, a ball of tension forming in the back of his throat. He stepped over to the group. “The moment that portal opens, we go through. Don’t bother taking anything with you; leave everything behind. It’ll only slow us down. Twilights, make sure that once we’re through you guys close the portal as quickly as possible. I don’t want anything coming through after us.”

Apart from the Twilights, who were frantically getting the portal working, the group nodded their assent, faces fearful.










	“...Hey!”

Percy’s head jerked up. “Did you guys hear that?” He looked around.

Ixisten swivelled his head around. “Hear what?”

Percy’s eyes widened, trying to see his surroundings better. He cursed his nearsightedness. Should have brought my glasses. “I swore I heard someone yelling.”

“Portal will be open in 20 seconds!” Shouted Twi.

“Hey, you guys!” 

Rose’s head jerked in surprise. “Okay, I heard that.”

“Yeah. Me, too. Someone is living out here?!” Ixisten looked shocked. Percy couldn’t blame him.

Percy cupped his hands around his mouth. “We’re over here! Are you okay?”

“You guys need to get out of there! The storm will rip you apart!”

“Ten seconds!” Yelled Twilight.

Percy tried to identify the direction of the voice. “We’ll be okay, we have somewhere to escape to!” He deliberately avoided mentioning the portal. No need to make them sound crazier than they already were. “Where are you?” Percy felt a strange tingling as the portal behind him opened. Without another word, Percy pushed the two Twilights through, ignoring their shouts of protest.

“Over here!”

Percy could vaguely make out a figure through the growing wind kicking up the dust on the ground. 

“I have a shelter over here!”

Percy glanced at the group, then at the portal, before turning around, and shoving Ixisten and Rose toward the portal. “Go!”

Ixisten resisted. “What about you?”

Percy snarled. “I’m going to talk to him.” He pointed a finger at the figure in the distance, and then without another word, pushed a protesting Ixisten and Rose through the portal before turning on his heel. He sprinted toward the figure, sparing a moment to glance at the approaching storm wall.

I hope I make it. It occurred to him that this may not have been the smartest choice, but his decision had already been made; now he had to live with the consequences.

Percy slid to a stop next to the figure, who gestured to a hatch in the ground. Without question, Percy jumped down the hole, descending the metal ladder as quickly as he could to make room for the mysterious man, who jumped in after him, barely managing to get the hatch closed and locked before the storm wall hit. 

The two breathed heavily, regaining their energy.

“Hey, um... you mind climbing down?”

Percy jerked out of his post-adrenaline daze. He apologized, and descended the ladder. As he stepped onto the floor, making room for the figure behind him, Percy cast his gaze over the room around him. It appeared to be some sort of airlock chamber, with a waterproofed panel with some sort of controls on it. Percy spun around, taking it all in. “What is this place?”

The man stepped over to a door, wearily closing it behind them, sealing the two into the room, blocking any sort of escape. This made Percy somewhat uncomfortable, but the man hadn’t yet done anything to harm him, so he chose to trust the mysterious figure.

“A fallout shelter. This room is the anti-radiation chamber. Hold on a second, I’m going to get it going. Have you ever been in one of these before?” 

Percy shook his head ‘no’. 

“Ah, well, don’t be surprised when a large amount of foam comes out of these.” The man pointed to a series of nozzles sticking out of the roof. “It’s a chemical agent that neutralizes radiation. Don’t take your suit off until the machine washes the foam off, though; The stuff stings if it gets on bare skin.”

Percy nodded, and the man placed his hand on the controls to the room. True to the man’s word, Percy was covered in a thick layer of pink foam, briefly obscuring his vision, before a strong jet of water washed it off. A light in the corner of the room flashed green before a door on the opposite side of the room opened electronically.

The man stepped through the door, waving for Percy to follow. “Watch your step. There’s quite the door sill here; A manufacturing error in my opinion. Probably why dad got the bunker for so cheap.”

Percy tilted his head in confusion. The man’s father? Could there be others here? Distracted by his thoughts, Percy caught a foot on the door sill, stumbling before being caught by the mysterious figure, who chuckled. Percy took note that the man was nearly equal to his height, and fairly stocky.

“I told you to watch out for the door sill. You know how many times I tripped on that stupid thing? Out here, an injury like that can be deadly.” The man let go of Percy, and sat on a bench, motioning for Percy to join him. “We can leave our suits here. I don’t want to spend another minute in this thing.” He began to remove his seemingly oversized suit, starting with his helmet. 

Percy froze. The man looked familiar. It couldn’t be. “Meadows? Broad Meadows? Is that you?”

The man blinked. “Do I know you?”

Percy reached up, and removed his helmet. “It’s me, Percy, your cousin!”
> Revelations of Earth and Equestria
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“No, Pinkie.”

“Oh, come on, pleeeaaaasseeee?”

“No.”

“I’ll only do it once! I promise!”

“I. Said. No.”

“But I really wanna!”

“Too bad. I don’t wanna.”

“But it’ll be a bangin’ good time!”

“I don’t do that kind of stuff, Pinkie. We’ve discussed this before. If I wanted to do THAT, I’d only do it with very close friends.”

“Aww, you’re no fun!”

I glared at Pinkie. “You’re not throwing me a ‘Welcome to Equestria’ party, Pinkie, and that’s final. And besides, I’ve lived here for over a year now, isn’t it a little late for that?”

Pinkie pouted. “Only because you keep avoiding me!”

I groaned, and dragged a hoof over my face. “Pinkie, I’ve told you before that I only do parties with my immediate family and close friends. I’m just not comfortable in large crowds of people for any length of time.”

“Then let me throw a party for just your family!”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because the parties that you throw have cake, and candles, and streamers, and balloons...”

“Yeah, and?”

“Pinkie, my idea of a fun party is a potluck dinner with my friends and family. I don’t need all those fancy decorations to have a good time. Also, alcohol.” Not to mention I can’t handle your hyperactivity for too long. Pinkie as a cartoon character was fun and cute. Pinkie as a real-life being is just plain scary.

Pinkie’s eyes welled up, and her mane seemed to deflate.

Uh Oh.

“You… you think I’m… scary?”

Did I say that out loud? “Pinkie, I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to. It was in italics.”

… bloody 4th wall breaks.





Meanwhile…

The portal flashed, and Rose and Ixisten tumbled out. Twilight immediately flashed her horn to rid them of any radiation while Twi caught Rose, letting Ixisten fall to the ground with a grunt of pain. 

“Where’s Percy?”, asked Twilight as Rose pushed Twi off her, insisting she was fine.

Ixisten scrambled to his hooves. “He stayed behind to talk to that mysterious person! The idiot!” He tried to force his way to the portal, but was stopped by Twilight’s magic field as Twi quickly placed her forehooves on a lever, forcing it downward. The portal flickered out of existence, leaving the bare surface of a mirror standing in the library of Twilight’s castle.

Ixisten whirled on Twi, his face twisting into rage. “Why did you do that?! Percy is still over there!”

Twilight's expression was pained. “There’s nothing we can do, Ixisten! Unless you want a lethal dose of radiation to cover every inch of Ponyville!”

“But Percy will get ripped to pieces by that storm!”

Rose held up a hoof. “Didn’t that guy say that he had a shelter? What if Percy managed to make it there before the storm hit?”

The group turned and looked at her, expressions worried.

“Are you sure? Is that what you heard?” Twilight placed a hoof on Rose’s wither, her gaze intensifying. “Are you 100 percent sure that’s what he said?”

Rose rubbed her shin with a forehoof. “Well, I’m pretty sure...”

“I heard it, too.” Interrupted Ixisten. “Dang it, Percy. Taking risks like that. We don’t know who that guy is, who knows if he was telling the truth!”

Twilight brushed her forelock out of her eyes, sighing. “Well, we’re just going to have to trust that Percy made it to the shelter in time. Who knows, maybe there are more survivors on Earth. If that’s the case, then we have to find a way to save them. I don’t see how anyone could survive in conditions like that for long.”

Ixisten grunted, still not happy with how things had turned out. “Moto’s not going to like this.”





Meadows reached out, poking Percy’s face with an outstretched finger, not seeming to believe what was before him.

“It… Percy?”

Percy nodded.

Meadows moved his hand over his mouth, tears welling up in his eyes. “You’re alive?”

Percy smiled. “I’m here, in the flesh.”

“…and your family?”

“Everyone’s alive and well.”

“But… how?”

Percy rolled his eyes. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“After what I’ve survived, you’d be surprised.”

Percy decided to ignore that comment for now, instead opting to pull Meadows into a hug. Meadows erupted into tears, sobbing into Percy’s shoulder. It was at this moment that Percy noticed that Meadows was quite a bit thinner than he remembered from a year ago. What happened to you?

“I thought you were all dead. After what happened to Mom and Dad, I thought...”

Percy’s heart sunk at that news. “It’s okay now. There’s a safe place that we ended up. Everyone there has been really nice to us, and we’ve been living there for the last year. I could take you with me when we go back.”

Meadows pulled away from the hug, and wiped his nose with the back of a hand. He chuckled through his tears. “Man, I’m a mess. You know you’re the first human contact I’ve had since...” He trailed off. “Well, you know.”

Percy winced. “Yeah.” Awkward silence fell between the two, and Percy took the opportunity to observe his surroundings. The concrete-lined room that they were in was small, but efficiently laid out for a few occupants. A few bunk beds took up one corner of the room, while the rest was filled with metal shelving which held a dwindling supply of canned foods. Percy stood, and went over to one of the shelves. Ravioli, canned soup, bottled water… Not much left here. Suddenly, Meadows’ thinning frame made sense. He’s been rationing his food.

“Yeah, I'm running out. I was just about ready to go find another shelter before you guys showed up.”

Percy glanced over at Meadows. “How long before you're out?”

Meadows winced. “Probably about a month. It was supposed to be thirty years worth, but a bunch of it was spoiled when I got here. Probably another reason why this bunker was so cheap.”

Percy frowned. He’s been surviving on… he made some mental calculations. 2000 calories a day? That’s just on the edge of starvation for a guy of his body type.

Percy swore. “We’re gonna get you out of this, Meadows. I promise.”

Meadows tilted his head. “Speaking of, I could’ve sworn there were others with you. What happened to them? Hopefully they’re not out in this storm.” He winced. “You won’t find much left of them but a bloody smear if they were out in that.”

Percy smirked. “Oh, don’t worry, they’re fine.”

Meadows frowned. “Another bunker? I’m pretty sure I would’ve seen that in the last year if that was the case.”

“That’s because we didn’t come from a bunker.”

Meadows just blinked, a quizzical expression on his face. “Stop messing with me.”

Percy laughed. “Alright, but don’t be surprised by what I’m about to tell you.”

Meadows shrugged. “Not much that can surprise me at this point.”

Oh, just you wait. Well, here goes. “Have you ever heard of My Little Pony?

Meadows rose an eyebrow. “Well, yeah. I was a fan for a number of years before...”

Percy’s smile disappeared. Wait. Seriously? “What? You, too?”

“Oh yeah, I guess Moto was a fan, too.”

Percy’s mouth dropped. “You knew?”

Meadows snorted. “Of course I knew! You think we didn’t talk about it? Kinda hard to keep it from another fan.”

Percy facepalmed. “Well then, what if I told you that before… you-know-what, we found a portal to Equestria?”

Meadows’ eyes widened. “Seriously? Wow.”

“You seem awfully calm about this.”

“That’s because Mom was an Equestrian.”



...Percy.exe has stopped working.

“...”

“...”

“SERIOUSLY?”

“Yeah, It was hard for me to believe at first, too. Turns out she ended up on Earth after somehow getting sucked through some sort of dimensional rift. She didn’t tell us anything about her life over there, seeing as how she only had so much time before...”

Sweet Celestia. Percy sucked in a breath between his teeth. “You’re part Equestrian.”

“It would seem that way.”

Percy scratched at his scalp in agitation. “How are you not freaking out about this?”

Meadows shrugged. “I’ve had an entire year to come to terms with it. Kinda hard to worry about inconsequential stuff when you’re too busy trying to survive.”

Fair enough.

“So, you’ve met Twilight, then?”

Percy waved a hand. “Yeah, both Twilights, actually. And the ‘Mane Six’, as Moto likes to call them.”

Meadows smirked. “Yeah, he was always a bit of a nerd that way.”

Percy barked a laugh. “Aren’t you a brony, too?”

“Well, yeah, but there’s different kinds of bronies, you know. I was more of a casual watcher; Liked the show, but didn’t really get involved in the community beyond that. Moto, on the other hand...”

Percy chuckled. “Yeah, he kinda got into everything, didn’t he?” The two shared a chuckle, before they realized they were still wearing their radiation suits. “Well, I guess we should take these off. Getting kinda hot in here.”

Meadows agreed, and the two removed their suits in silence. After stacking the suits neatly on shelves seemingly designated for that purpose, Meadows and Percy chatted for the next hour or so, well aware of the storm raging above them. They talked of their lives, though Meadows seemed far more interested in Percy’s life than Percy did of his. After a short while, he began to understand why. Beyond basic survival, and the periodic storm, post-apocalyptic life on Earth was pretty monotonous. That being said, Percy did find out some interesting facts, such as the storms’ predictability; They came every three days, and always lasted for a day at a time.

As luck would have it, the portal wouldn’t be able to be opened for another 23 hours.

Convenient.

After much prodding, Meadows finally spoke about what had happened directly after the bombs had landed.

“Yeah...” Meadows sighed. “Not gonna lie. Those first few weeks were rough.” Percy waited patiently. “After the explosion, Mom and Dad, they... they’d only been able to afford the one radiation suit, and they insisted I wear it. They...” Tears streamed down his cheeks. “They left the bunker with no suits. They knew there wasn’t enough food for all three of us to survive for long. They chose to...” He sobbed. “They chose to save me by sacrificing themselves.” Percy offered Meadows a tissue, which he gratefully took. “I never saw them again. An hour after they left the bunker, a storm came through. I wanted to go out and look for them, but I knew I wouldn’t survive in those conditions. I… I considered ending it all a few times, but I couldn’t, you know? It would be a betrayal of the hope they’d placed in me.”

Percy’s eyes welled up. Uncle, Aunt; you two were the bravest people I’ve ever known. “Meadows, I… I’m sorry.”

Meadows snorted, and wiped away his tears with the now-damp tissue. “Don’t apologize. I’m proud of my parents, even though I wish it had been me instead of them.” He sighed. “I’ve been so focused on survival this past year that I never really took time to think about it. Now that I know I have somewhere to go, I can’t help but relax, and then I get thinking about it...”

Percy wrapped his arms around Meadows in an attempt to console his cousin. “We had a funeral  back in Equestria for all those who’d died in the explosions. There was a statue erected in Ponyville so no one would forget what happened here. Your parents’ sacrifice wasn’t in vain, Meadows.”

Meadows pulled away from the hug, hiccuping. “Thanks, man.”

Percy nodded.





One day later

Ixisten stood nervously off to one side of the portal, his radiation suit freshly cleaned and restocked with absorption crystals. “How long?”

Twilight zipped from one contraption to another, making multiple minor adjustments to the mirror. “Patience, Ixisten. An extra minute or two won't make Earth disappear.”

Rose bounced in place beside Ixisten. “You don’t know that Twilight. We have no idea what might be on the other side of that portal.”

“Precisely, which is why no one will be going through the portal until we’ve established that it’s safe to do so. We got lucky last time that we didn’t open the portal while a storm was happening, so, IF YOU DON’T MIND, I would very much like it if you didn’t stand next to the portal when we open it. Starlight and I have erected a barrier that should stop any radiation from getting through, but better safe then sorry.”

Rose and Ixisten glanced at each other, the same thought echoing through their brains; SHOULD stop any radiation? They nervously shuffled away from the mirror, trying desperately to avoid getting in the Twilights’ way. 

Twi gave Twilight the hooves up, and Twilight nodded before flipping the comically large lever. The room’s lights dimmed as electricity arced between the two ball thingies (The name of which escaped Ixisten at the moment. Hey, give him a break, he’s under a lot of pressure, alright?) on either side of the mirror. Then, with a final pop, the mirror’s surfaced shimmered, and began to swirl.

“Twi, check the power output levels.”

“Holding and steady, Twilight.”

“Starlight, can I get a radiation level?”

“Within normal parameters.”

Twilight breathed out a sigh of relief. “Good. Looks like we’re good to go, everypony.”

Rose uncharacteristically whooped, while Ixisten stood off to the side, looking nervously at the mirror. “I hope Percy’s okay.”

The atmosphere in the room sobered at that, and the group looked at each other, nodding resolutely.

“Okay, everypony, you all know the rules. Stick together, watch your radiation levels, and if anyone has any issues, don’t be afraid to speak up.” Twilight turned to Ixisten. “Since you have the most experience of everyone here of Earth, you’re in charge. What you say, goes. Is everyone clear?”

“Yes.”

“Aye.”

“Mmhmm.”

Twilight furrowed her brow. “Okay. Ixisten, you’re first.” 

The yellow unicorn nodded, and stepped up to the portal. “Here goes.”

He stepped through the portal, his nervously swishing tail disappearing from sight.





Meadows stared at Percy, who’d just taken a sip from a water bottle. “You didn’t just drink that, did you?”

Percy blinked. “Uh, yeah?

Meadows covered his mouth with a hand, his eyes growing wide. “That’s not good! That’s Nitroglycerin!”

Percy froze. “What… what do I do?”

Meadows held up his hands, his voice growing desperate. “Don’t move, don’t breath, don’t do anything. Except pray… maybe...” Meadows suddenly slammed his hands against Percy, shouting “BOOM!”, and then fell over laughing. 

Percy jumped back with a shout, before swearing explosively. He placed a hand over his chest, trying to calm his beating heart. “...You (Censored)!!! I thought I was going to die for a second there!”

Meadows continued to roll on the floor laughing, clutching his stomach with both hands. “Oh, the look on your face! You know how long I’ve been waiting to do that? Oh, HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!”

Percy rolled his eyes, and shook his head, though a small smirk began growing at the corner of his mouth. “Alright, you got me.” He swung his pack over his back, offering a hand to Meadows. “Come on, we need to get going soon. Twilight will probably have the portal open soon, and I plan to be there for the occasion. I want to spend as little time here as possible.”

Meadows took the offered hand, still chuckling as Percy hauled him to his feet. The two suited up as quickly as they could, and stepped through the hatch into the anti-radiation chamber. Meadows stepped up to the outer hatch, and placed his hand on the locking wheel. He paused, and looked back at the room they’d just left, hesitating.

Percy waited, watching Meadows with a concerned expression.

Meadows sighed, shaking his head. “This is harder than I thought it was going to be.” Percy pursed his lips, but didn’t say anything. Meadows grasped the wheel harder, bracing himself against it. “Percy, can you close the door to the bunker?”

Percy tilted his head. “Are you sure you don’t want to take one last look?”

Meadows stood up straight, and puffed out his chest. “No.” He stared straight ahead, not turning his head either way. “I don’t ever want to see that room again.”

Percy nodded, and slammed the inner hatch behind them, sealing them into the room. He gave the thumbs-up to Meadows, who put his weight against the wheel, allowing the outer hatch to open. The two climbed the ladder, and after briefly struggling to get the final hatch open, stumbled out into the sunlight. Percy immediately took stock of their surroundings. He could see the brick outline of the portal ahead of them, though it didn’t seem to have been activated yet. I wonder how that arch has managed to stay standing through an entire year of those storms. He relegated that particular mystery to the back of his mind. It’s not important right now. I’ll let Twilight figure that out.

Broad Meadows closed the hatch behind them, sealing it away for the last time. Percy glanced at him in concern. Meadows simply shook his head, and began to determinedly stride toward the stone arch, Percy following along behind. 

They didn’t have to wait long for the portal to begin to spark and fizzle, arcs of electricity working over the surface of a now-glowing swirling pattern. A startled Meadows jumped back from the  portal, but quickly recovered as the glowing seemed to stabilize.

A hand pushed its way through, followed by the arm, and before long Ixisten, clad head to foot in a radiation suit, stood before Percy and Meadows. He stared at Meadows suspiciously, but didn’t say anything until the rest of the team piled through the portal. His focus switched between Percy and Meadows, his gaze narrowing into a glare.

“That was a stupid thing to do, Percy.”

Percy scratched the back of his head. “I won’t deny that. Sorry.” He broke into a smile. “Just you wait until you find out who this guy is, though.” He pointed at Meadows, who remained silent.

Twilight stepped up to the two, and glanced between them. She then turned her attention to Percy. 

And slapped him.

Hard.

The 6’3” Man stumbled back from the force of the hit, clearly surprised at Twilight’s ferocity.

Meadows blanked. “Uhhhhh, did Twilight just hit Percy?” No one answered him, everyone too stunned to respond. Twilight stood before Percy, hands on her hips.

“You idiot!” She pointed at him accusingly. “Do you have any idea the decision you forced me to make?” Percy blinked. Twilight threw her hands up. “Seriously?” Percy shrugged apologetically. Twilight groaned, and facepalmed. “You don’t get it?” Percy shook his head no. Twilight sighed. “I’m a princess. As a princess, I have a responsibility toward the people of Equestria. When you chose to stay behind on Earth the last time we were here, I had to weigh the ponies of Ponyville against your life! Do you have any idea the kind of stress that placed on me?! I had to trust that somehow you would survive! If you’d died out here, I would have that on my conscience!”

Meadows looked on in confusion. “Royal duties?”

Everyone ignored him.

Twilight continued her tirade. “I expected something like this from Motodrop, not from you! I put you in charge because I trusted you to make good decisions, not spur-of-the-moment decisions that place you in danger!”

Meadows sighed. “Is she going Twilinanas?”

Twilight whirled on Meadows. “I am NOT going Twilinanas!” Meadows lifted an eyebrow. “Okay maybe a little Twilinanas, but that’s beside the point!”

Meadows shrugged. “Can we finish this after we go through the portal? I don’t want to spend another moment on this planet if I don’t have to.”

Twilight visibly deflated. “Right. Sorry. I guess Percy told you everything already?”

Meadows nodded. “Yeah; Princess Twilight. Mirror. Portal. Equestria. Ponies.” He held up a hand, index finger and thumb placed together in the ‘ok’ symbol. “I’m more or less caught up to speed.”

Ixisten stepped up, supporting a still-unsteady Rose with a shoulder. “Well, now that we know Percy’s okay, I guess we should send him and… Who are you?”

Meadows grinned. “Broad Meadows.”

Ixisten.exe has stopped working.

“...MEADOWS?! I thought you were dead!”

Meadows’ grin widened. “Likewise.”

Ixisten’s face paled in shock, while Twi, Rose and Twilight looked on in confusion.

“Do you guys know each other?”

Ixisten barked a bitter laugh. “Know each other? This guy’s our cousin!”

Twi stepped up. “What are the odds of that happening? It must be multiple billions to one!”

Percy chuckled. “Well, whatever the odds are, I’m glad they were in our favor.”

Twi placed a hand against her head. “But… for the portal to open up here, no more than twenty feet from someone’s bunker. The odds of that alone are staggering, let alone that it was inhabited, and by a relative no less! It doesn’t make any sense! It’s scientifically improbable!”

Twilight stepped over to Twi. “Sometimes there are wonderful things in this universe you just can't explain, but that doesn't necessarily make them any less true. It just means you have to choose to believe in them.”

Meadows leaned over to Percy, and whispered; “Feeling Pinkie Keen.” Percy laughed, and whispered in return;



Ixisten, who happened to overhear the conversation, chuckled, and clapped his hands together. “Okay, for now, let’s just all go back through the portal. I don’t know when the next storm might pop up, so I’d rather we all just go back for now.”

Meadows raised a hand. “Actually, you guys should be safe for today and tomorrow. Those storms come every three days give or take a few hours, and generally last between 20 to 24 hours.”

Ixisten shook his head. “I think we should still go back. At least for today.”

Rose interrupted. “Hold on, that’s it? We’re not going to at least do some exploration?”

“Actually, I agree with Ixisten on this.” All eyes turned to Twi, who wilted slightly under Rose’s narrowed expression. “I mean, this particular trip was always a rescue expedition, not an exploration expedition. We’re not equipped to spend a few days out here, not to mention that Meadows here can give us enough information on the current climate for now. We can always come back later to gather more data.”

Rose pouted, but gave in. “Fine, but I want first dibs on the next trip.”

Twilight nodded. “Then it’s settled. Ixisten, if you will?”

Ixisten sighed, and turned. “Alright. Everyone back through the portal!” He unceremoniously pushed Rose through before following.

Meadows turned to Twilight. “Who was that girl? I don’t think I ever caught her name.”

“Oh, her? That’s Rose Williams. She’s a friend of Motodrop’s. She’s also his stylist.”

“His… what?”

“His stylist. Motodrop’s a… or he was a backup singer for Songbird Serenade. Rose works with him to prepare him for shows. She’s a human from Earth the same as you guys.”

Meadows grunted as Twi stepped through the portal after Ixisten. “A human from Earth. I have a lot of questions about that, but I guess they can wait until we’re through the portal.” He gestured to the portal. “Ladies first.”

Twilight smiled, and stepped through the portal, followed by Percy. Meadows paused, and took one last look at what had been his home for the last year. He snorted, turned his back to the world, and stepped through the portal.





Meadows stumbled as he emerged from the mirror, falling flat on his face as he tried to adjust to walking on four legs. “Okay, this is a little weird.” He managed to get his front hooves under him, though he was still wobbly.

Twilight and Starlight immediately cast a spell over everyone, removing any residual radiation as Twi pulled the lever to shut down the portal.

“Okay everypony, it’s safe to remove your suits now. Ah, Meadows, hold on.” Twilight smirked as she watched the now-quadruped attempt to remove his suit. “I can get that for you.” With a glow of her horn, the suit that was previously obscuring meadows’ form from the room disappeared, reappearing in a neatly-folded stack beside him.

Twilight gasped, as did everyone else in the room.

Meadows blinked. “What?”

Twilight pointed at Meadows with a hoof. “You’re… you’re a...”

Meadows looked down at his hoof, a lock of hair obstructing his view, almost as if he had a mane on his.. chest? “What the…?”