> Of Hooves and History
>  by Ahmad J Charles
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Introduction
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

MAY 12, 2031

ADVENTURE JOURNAL 11, DAY 001

Hi, I’m Aiden Walter Dixon.

Most just call me Aiden or Addy. Other people tend to use phrases to refer to me, like “that darn kid with his submarine” even though I’m almost 30 years of age. To be fair, I have been told by my parents as having a compassionate baby face, so it’s natural that my age would be miscalculated by the average Joe.

What’s with the submarine? Well, I’m an engineer, explorer, and historian. Not an officially licensed one, but with a fair level of experience. Over two years I’ve built up little scars and blemishes on my limbs and knobby palms plus two years of college courses before pulling out to pursue my dreams before being enslaved by debt. I cycle and skate wherever possible on land, as I consider walking to be slow and unproductive across far distances.

In my journeys, I gather tidbits of information and piece together clues and marks that lead me to the locations of monuments, towns, palaces, and kingdoms lost in time. There’s always a sense of joy and satisfaction when I produce a report with findings that are accurate to existing historical logs or outright challenge their narratives of when certain events occurred or what led to them; sometimes also if and when certain civilizations settled in an area, or who invented what.

My best friend Ryder, and my dad Jeff, often say that I’m too eager or a little crazy. Like when I rushed to investigate some cave paintings whilst hanging off a cliff the day after completing a rock-climbing program or forgetting an extra ration of food before checking a wreck in the Gulf of Mexico. No matter what, though, I’m known and respected by my close peers for being coordinated when it comes to being an archeological detective, and also expanding my skills and principles to deal with difficult situations.

Life is always wild, and when you’re solo, it becomes your reminding parent in a way. A harsh, unforgiving, and unexpected way. But from that comes a discharge of weakness and a fueling of strength via experience. I’ve been jumped, shot, captured, bled, and inched close to death a dozen times. Yet nothing could prepare me for the day I decided to tackle the historical timeline of the numerous disappearances of ships and airplanes in the Bermuda Triangle, where I met a wild mega-vortex and some cute hooved friends that were just as passionate about their own history.

Let me tell you about it.

- Aiden
> The Maiden Voyage
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I fiddled with a zipper on my camo-print trousers, trying to pull it open. Eventually it shook free and I fished out a pair of keys. A tugboat’s horn blared in the distance, while I pushed a silver key into its slot in the side of the portal and jerked it, causing a slight pop! sound to be heard. The portal’s lid released, and I pulled it open. Gently, I eased my travel bag down the ladder, trying to keep it from slipping and hitting the floor.

Next came the rest of my luggage – a hard-sided suitcase, a backpack, a duffel bag, and a large, slim rectangular bag containing my bike. Hanging from the ceiling was a mesh net with fruits and vegetables, and the suitcase was full of spare clothes, accessories, and dry food packages. As I checked over the instrument panel, a familiar tune of the Pirates of the Caribbean theme played in a tapping sequence on the hull outside. I ascended the ladder and peeked through one of the portal’s portholes.

“Hey son, just want to say thanks for the hose repair.”

“It’s my pleasure. Always a delight to be of help to those who’ve helped me.”

We exchanged a fist-bump and he handed me a new pair of rugged waterproof binoculars.

“It’s a world filled mysterious phenomena, the ocean,” my dad confided. “So many ships and their poor crew lost over time with no way of knowing what happened or how.”

“And today is the day I begin my quest to change that,” I declared proudly. “For the history books.”

“For the history books,” my father repeated proudly, before stepping back onto the boathouse deck. “Best of luck in your endeavors, son.”

“Love you!” I replied, pulling down the hatch and activating the airlock seal. I started the engine and flipped a few switches, causing the tanks to fill with water. I slipped beneath the surface and departed from the Florida Keys. My trip plan was to sail southeast, between Cuba and the Bahamas at a substantial depth, so as to avoid being obtrusive to shipping traffic zipping in and out of Nassau, Santa Clara, and Miami. I hoped to weave through the smaller Bahamas islands, and then straight towards Bermuda, in the heart of the triangle.

I wished and dreamt of being able to pinpoint the location of shipwrecks and war planes as well, possibly even extract a few valuable items from them, depth permitting. First, however, I needed to concentrate. The radar beeped twice occasionally, then four times every half hour.

After a good three hours of straight-line speed southeast-ward through the ocean I slowed my pace and tuned into a radio station that broadcasted ship arrivals and departures. Boy, were there a lot! For a moment I considered surfacing to take a quick look. While my submarine was registered in another country as a marine research craft, most people in Cuba wouldn’t take too lightly to seeing a submarine in their waters. So, I opened the tank valves and slowly descended as deep as I could, then waited. 

Over the next half hour, I ate some peach slices and observed the radar. Most of the vessels were just sailboats and cruise ships chugging along on their first vacation voyages of the season, so it was safe to say I was in good standing. Resuming my course, I shifted into electrical mode and powered through the bright crispy blue waters of the southern Bahamas. It really was beautiful and serene… and also rather quiet. Too quiet. But as I reached for the radio, a noisy, squeaky chatter filled the water. A glance at the radar indicated a medium-sized boat was nearby, and cruising at a fairly fast speed – likely twenty-five knots. Little smaller blips soon appeared, all around and behind the boat.

“Dolphins!” I exclaimed, my hands frantically skimming through a menu on the main control screen for a marine map of the area. This wasn’t necessarily a happy occurrence; it meant potential trouble. The last thing I wanted was to interrupt these fellow ocean inhabitants. Or worse, jeopardize the spectacular show the boat-goers were likely having. It was bad enough that the dolphins had to avoid the boat’s propeller. Now they needed to watch out for mine.

Examining the digital map, I tweaked my route to head further south, cutting a precise path between the dolphin pod and the northern Cuban coastline by about twenty to twenty-five miles on each side.

In the late afternoon, fifty kilometers southeast of the southern tip of the Andros Island, I dove down deep – almost to the bottom, and ate a marmalade sandwich while listening to a podcast episode about America’s history with the Cuban governmental regime. Like many of the impromptu interviews I’d conducted in some of my previous archeological expeditions, it triggered a winded cycle of contemplation on how certain aspects of history were forgotten, and where ‘holes’ occurred – moments in time where key events along the timeline were censored and buried, allowing power-hungry revolutionaries to spread propaganda and lead nations on inaccurate and often completely false beliefs.

My deep trail of thought was interrupted by the call of nature. To deal with this issue, I’d installed a toilet in the sub, complete with a de-fumigation system. A sealed tank filled up over time, and a small motor broke up and blended the waste into a powdery, particle-filled liquid before expelling it through a valve in the bottom of the sub when full. Right after, I fired up some calm tropical rhythms on my iPod Classic and my mind drifted off into an aquatic dreamland.

A good hour or so later, I awoke to the sound of random knocks and taps, as if someone was trying to investigate the sub from outside. Turning off the music, I sat up and peered through the window. Nothing. Was a random scuba diver just playing a cheeky prank? Surely I was far out enough from the coast that no one would be swimming around here?

Then I heard some familiar squeaks and whistles. Sure enough, a curious face with a short, rounded snout peered around at me through the thick glass.

“Well, I’ve seen you before, haven’t I?” I replied with a googly face.

The dolphin turned to glance at me and did a smooth body roll. For a brief moment, I got a glimpse at its deep, expressive eyes. It was hard not to smile back at such an inquisitive creature. After all, this was his world, which I was passing through.

“Well, time to get going,” I told myself. I really wanted to surface, jump into the water, and just play with them ‘till sundown. But this was a wild dolphin, quite unlike the ones in aquatic sanctuaries I’d visited in my hometown. Besides, I had a mission to fulfil.

Starting up the motor, I gently eased it into the lowest power setting. Nonetheless, the spinning propeller was enough to startle the dolphin and send him on his way. Twenty miles further southeast, I surfaced and rose through the hatch – the first time since I departed Florida. Scanning the oceanic horizon with my binoculars, I soon spotted a large vessel. Its wide, low bow deck and tall radar masts was a dead ringer for a coastguard vessel.

Time to get outta Bahamian doge. Fast.

A quick glance at the radar indicated the boat was about eight to ten miles away. By the marine maps, the “main” Atlantic Ocean was a good forty miles away, which would take me a good forty-five minutes. If there was a time where speed was needed, it was now. I fired up the engine and eased into it, gradually increasing speed until the engine was whirring like a vortex just a meter below the surface. Likely it was kicking up some water into the air, which wasn’t helping at all.

After two minutes I reached thirty knots – the top speed of the sub. I linked up the generator to juice up the batteries, so I could slip away under the surface later. The coastguard boats could definitely move just as fast, but only if absolutely necessary. A good observation of the radar indicated they were moving at a steady pace – likely just to keep me in sight, before calling in reinforcements if I failed to comply.

After what felt like two hours, I noticed the distance between me and the vessel widening. Strange. Had they called off the chase? Perhaps they figured it a lost cause, given how the only giveaways were the sputtering water from the propeller and the engine’s snorkel. I decided to slow down to fifteen knots and take it easy.

By golden hour, I’d reached the drop-off point. I’d used up a good 10% of my fuel in the getaway, so it was time for conserving from here on out. I sang a solemn poem, sealed the hatch, and gradually dove 200 feet down. In the darkness, I flipped on an interior light and wrote a log of the day’s events, before reviewing my Bermuda Triangle plans.

“First step, perform a test run to try map out the sea floor. Emit pulses of sonar – first small and light, then gradually increase strength. Take notes of shapes and any patterns.”

“Next, head straight towards the core of the triangle, expanding the sonar radius wide and far to pick up a greater range of potential wrecks. Gradually search until a wreck is found. Rest during the second half of the night and surface in the morning.”

For the most part, I was out of the borders of the Bahamas, but a few islands still stood up ahead. The coastguard was also around, with their boat still visible on the radar, circling around in irregular patterns a few miles away. At the furthest point, I carefully engaged electrical power at its lowest setting and slowly made my way east at a walking pace, keeping a sharp eye on the radar screen. After two hours in pitch blackness with all systems except the motor and interior light (dimly lit!) on, I switched the radar back on. The gap between myself and whatever vessel was out there had started to widen. Success!

At ten p.m. the vessel was back within mainland Bahamian waters. I rose fifty feet and cranked up the speed, opening the turbine valves to try and juice up the batteries at the same time. Finally, after another hour, I noticed two islands behind me. I was completely free of the Bahamas at last and had entered the Triangle. Now the real adventure could begin.
> A Wrecked Interruption
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Exploring the Bermuda Triangle is no easy feat. This triangular expanse covers several tens of thousands of square miles of endless blue, with hundreds of unique and often wild conspiracy theories surrounding it, and many more vanished ships and airplanes within. Such disappearances are often dismissed as wild storms or navigation issues due to imbalances in the Earth’s magnetic field, but I felt there was more to the disappearances.

Right off the bat, I got my first wake-up call as to where I was when I tried using the radio to scan for my home receiver. Nothing came through the mesh of static. I shut off the radio, flicked on the lights, and pulled open my sea chart. It was marked with the known routes and timestamps of several ships and planes that had gone missing throughout history. Some were close to the southeastern part of the Triangle, while others – likely planes – were much further up north, a mere fifty or hundred miles off Bermuda’s coast.

I continued moving forward slowly on the surface, using the engine to recharge the batteries for a longer, deeper dive later in the night. My father had pressure-tested the sub’s fourteen-inch thick double-paned walls to nearly 4000 psi, so I could dive over a mile below the surface, or around 2500 meters. It was no Alvin or Trieste, but at least I could reach within a mile of the seabed’s deepest points.

Having marked a GPS point every mile from the moment I reached the Bahamian border, I could at least get a rough sense of my location if something did sabotage the navigation systems. Feeling confident, I dove down and began my search, starting out heading south, eighty miles or so north of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Gradually I turned up the sonar, sending out ping and after ping, trying to map out anything on the sea floor a good mile-and-a-half below me. A few beeps rang out, and I immediately initiated a scan, hoping to find a plane’s propeller or a section of a boat hull.

Nothing.

“How odd. Well, false positives are a given in such a vast, dark world.” I shrugged and kept going, peering closely at the sonar as I tweaked the pinging frequency. A few more blinking objects appeared further ahead, so I scooted over and hovered over the area, boosting the frequency even more. The scanner slowly revealed a rotting metal beam and bits of dark rock, looking like a crushed grey granola bar.

Rocky debris was nothing odd in the depths of the ocean, but to have this much in one place seemed off. I backed away and a blinking red light appeared on the instrument panel, along with a looping beep. This was a signal to warn me when I was approaching the limit of the sub’s depth range. The closer I reached it, the faster the light would blink until it was solid red, and the alarm would sound at full volume. Not something I wanted to happen, but if I was to discern these debris, I needed to go deeper.

At 2000 meters the alarm started to get louder and the red light blinked rapidly. I typed in a secret code which disabled the sound and light, then turned the lights back on. This time the findings were more promising. More clumps of the rocky debris came up, and they were spaced apart by about a hundred meters. Shifting my direction a little, I noticed even more rocks… and they seemed to have a pattern, as if to…

“This is a trail left by something!” I exclaimed, quickly deciphering what I’d just observed. I fired up the motor and started moving slowly, observing the rocky debris. By midnight I’d mapped out a trail that led to the Triangle’s heart, a good hundred miles north. A feasible journey, but it’d drink up most, if not all, of the precious juice. That’d be fine – I could simply rise to a safer depth, shut all power, resurface in the morning, and just mindlessly putter around for hours to recharge. But that’d be done using the emergency backup batteries, which despite having sufficient power to raise the sub from its maximum depth, were still not something to be used unwisely. 

But given the uniqueness of my current discovery, I figured the reward would be worth the risk. I boosted my speed to ten knots. The trail of debris – which looked like metallic ore - got larger but decreased in overall size at times. A couple of yawns were had, as I’d been awake for over fifteen hours now. At this rate, if there was anything cool to encounter down here, I’d reach it by sunrise. My body, however, would say otherwise obviously. So, I cranked up the speed to twenty knots – as far as the sonar’s perception would allow.

I took some catnaps, letting the sub guide itself with some slight steering adjustments and keeping one sleepy eye on the sonar. After three hours, I stopped and pointed the sub in the direction I’d come from, and boosted up the sonar. Yup, the piles had grown larger in size. I was on to something big.

Turning around, I pressed onward with the lights on brightly, keeping an eye out for anything. And there was. Tiny transparent jellyfish, and some glowing little animals that I’d never seen before. It was an astonishing sight amidst the blackness and snow-like powder. While I was an archaeologist at heart, I knew little about the animal kingdom.

A bleep came from the sonar, indicating an object was ahead by just a few miles. I lowered the power and speed down to five knots, initiated a scan... and squealed with delight. The mapping showed a sideways triangle – a likely indication of a ship’s bow. It was much further down, at around 4500 meters. As more scans were performed, the shape of a ship emerged. I frantically pulled out my notebook and started sketching the shapes forming on the screen.

I slowed to a stop and sat, droopily eyed, sketching the sonar mapping. A closer look at the scan revealed a straight-sided bow and part of a H-shaped front mast. My eyebrow cocked as my mind started piecing things together. Could this be the long-lost USS Cyclops from the end of the First World War? I had to get a closer look. Glancing at the instrument panel, there was still 40% battery left. Maybe I could dive to the limit and activate one of the arm’s cameras…

A sudden jolt in the distance broke my zeal and deducing mind trail, leading to a burning question: Where was I, exactly? 

I pulled up the GPS module, but it refused to load, even after a hard reboot. I tried retracing my steps to when I left the Bahamas, but there was a wide gap between the last downloaded coordinate and wherever I was now. It was too vague to provide a reasonable estimate. And then, a loud sound rang out in the distance, but its impact felt much closer. Not a siren, but a big explosion. I was thrown against the side like a drop-kick from a kung-fu master. The sub was tossed sideways and threatened to spin upside down.

There was not a moment to think. I grabbed a handle, fired up the motor, and jabbed the throttle whilst jostling the yoke, desperately trying to roll the sub upright. Thankfully I’d fitted all my storage containers and the closet with locks. My beddings, however, were flying about like clothes in a washing machine. I pointed the sub upward and slightly sideways, countering the roll at an angle, then gradually added air into the ballast tanks to re-align it horizontally.

I shook my head. There weren’t any serious bruises but I did feel dizzy with plenty of body ache. In the back, my possessions clanged about as they fell back down to the floor. I tried resetting my course to where I’d originally discovered the shipwreck. But then… boom! Another explosion rattled the sub, and my heart shook from fear of the glass dome breaking. Thank God, it didn’t. I cranked up the exterior light’s intensity and noticed a discoloration in the water several hundred meters away. It looked like methane gas.

The seafloor was erupting, and I had to get out of here. I added more air to the tanks in the hopes of surfacing, but weirdly, the water started to push sideways and spin, almost like a hurricane. I tried spinning around but the water started tossing me sideways. It was like being a ballet dance in a musical, just spinning and waltzing across a stage a thousand meters below the ocean’s surface. 

My heart dropped as the instrument panel screens started to glitch. I quickly shut them off to avoid shorting or surges. Amidst the chaos, a theory popped into my head that the explosions had released a strong influx of magnetic metal from within the Earth. What I couldn’t see just yet was what it was actually causing; an underwater vortex as the explosions amplified the turbulence more and more. I grabbed my stomach as the sub spun and spun upwards, gaining speed. No amount of jiggling with the yoke or throttle could change anything. I tried restarting the electronics but the radio was dead; not even any static buzzed through. The situation felt completely hopeless.

In a last effort to gain control, I cranked the throttle all the way up and yanked the yoke to the side, causing the sub to drift sideways and glide a little. For a moment, it appeared to work, only it didn’t. As I tried going slightly out of line with the rotating current, there was a strong pull from behind, and I could hear the transmission grinding. I eased off the throttle and shut it off, whimpering a silent prayer as my eye caught a glimpse of where my destiny lay; a large, black-centered wormhole of water, with grey metallic fibers diluting the water’s bluish-black color.

Another loud boom was heard, shaking the sub. The lights sparked with a bright blink and cut out. This time, my whole body was thrown back, knocking my mind out of line – and my consciousness, too. The last thing I saw before blacking out was some sort of electrical pulse amidst the spinning metallic water.

This is it, alright, my mind muttered sadly, as a fragmented picture of my parents flickered within before all consciousness ceased.
> A Different Sea
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

My eyes didn’t open by choice. They were forced to open out of surge – a surge of pain from my backside, left shoulder, and right wrist. I blinked, then gasped in surprise.

Nothing really made sense. The inside was still a mess, but the submarine itself was upright and calm as a summer’s day. It was still fairly dark out in the ocean, but there was some slight light from above, as if it was daytime.

“But I entered the Bermuda Triangle at nightfall!” I told myself, achily sitting up and gently rubbing my sore spots. “The night might’ve passed already though…”

Wincing at the shooting pains in my body, I unlocked one of my storage bins and pulled out a packet of Advil, then extracted a water bottle from the cooler, and gargled them down, before tidying up my beddings and lying down on the hammock. No point making big moves in pain.

My alarm clock beeped an hour later, and I stretched awake, moving slowly to avoid any further pain. At the helm, I typed in the starter code and pressed the button. There was a bit of a sputter and whine, but the motor began to spin. And slowly, the instrument panels started to light up, and the systems began to reboot. But when I tried to start up the GPS and marine radar systems, they were unable to find any services. No live maps of the Atlantic Ocean could be displayed, and only my offline data storage of my previous coordinates was available. The sub was sitting at around 600 meters below sea level, so my depth meter was still working. 

After testing everything it was clear that the sub was still fully functional. But the faint light above bothered me, so I decided to surface. And just as well because the batteries were less than half full. My goal was simply to figure out my location with an alternate method. Little did I know what I’d discover would be far more shocking than a century-old shipwreck.

Before activating the pumps, I checked on the storage room. Everything was still intact – apart from the walls which had a few dents in them. Surfacing took some time, as I wanted the pump system to work gradually, so as to catch any would-be issues or faults from the stress of the vortex accident or undersea eruptions. 

As I ascended through the water and left the transparent crustaceans and fish behind, I noticed the water looked rather purplish orange with every passing meter. By the time I was just below the surface the light was tricking me into thinking it was all a dream of being miniaturized in a wine cocktail glass. I turned a knob and gently pushed a slider that rose the periscope up, then flicked a switch that retracted the cover.

My mouth dropped open as I peered into the viewfinder, unable to comprehend how what I was seeing was possible. Straight ahead, spanning in both directions for several miles, were tall beige cliffs. And at the top lay a dense forest that gradually opened up and gave way to rolling grassy hills. Beyond that, to the right, lay a town, its lights few and far between in the pre-dawn glow, with a lighthouse at the farthest point atop a hill by the edge of a secluded point.

For a moment, my mind rambled through a million theories. Did I get swept back to the eastern coast of the U.S. by a violent storm surge? Is this still all a dream and I’m just hallucinating? Have I entered some otherworldly heaven?

A quick slap, self-bite, and headbang were all it took to debunk them. I decided to turn on the radio to try and see if anyone could be reached. I tuned the frequency up and down. Nothing… until I hit an unusual station that was giving out daily news reports and advertising local businesses, among other things. A typical town radio show, except for one thing.

“What’s with everyone mentioning ponies and all sorts of namesakes with equine terms?” I asked out loud to no one. “Has everyone in this town gone mad or what?”

Logically it only made sense that this radio station came from that town. If I wanted to know where exactly ‘here’ was, I had to enter it.

Cranking up the engine, I kept the speed low to avoid making excess noise, and gently cruised towards a small cove at the base of the forest. The last thing I wanted was these town’s residents knowing a submarine was right by them. Near the cliff face the waves got a little choppy, but they calmed once I entered the tiny cove. 

“Alright, let’s see…” I scanned the surrounding rocks for any potential anchor points. There was one near the cove entrance that pointed outwards to the ocean, and a few rounded ones near the cliff face, perfect for mooring. If only there was a way to check behind them.

I got as close to the rocks as I dared, climbed out of the hatch, and leaned over, holding onto a handle for balance. Peering closely at the rocks, I noticed a few bushes growing out of them, and… yes! A gap.

I scooted back to the pointed rock, pulled out some rope from the engine room, and looped it around the projecting rock with a firm pile hitch. Then I brought the sub closer to the cliff face and tied another proper hitch knot, leaving some slack for would-be choppy waves, but not so much that the sub would bang against the rocks. With another length of rope, I tied a hitch knot around the base of one car-sized rock and secured it to the sub’s portal on the starboard side. It wasn’t the best docking job in the world, but it’d have to do.

The weather was calm and cool, so I sat on the hull for a moment, soaking in the orangey glow of the impending sunrise. Gazing up at the cliffs, I thought on how to climb them and bring my items too. It was only fifteen meters but that was still intimidating, considering the stuff I’d brought along.

I tip toed back down the ladder and gobbled a few strawberries and granola bars to fuel up my mind. The best way to do this would be in stages. I’d first map out a route up, climb with a small bag, and plant two firm wooden stakes in the ground at the top. Then I’d attach a hand winch to pull up the rest of the items. But I had to be quick. The sun would be rising in just an hour.

I pulled out all my climbing gear, kitted up, and gathered my anchor points in a bunch, then stuffed the winch in a sling bag, along with the stakes and some tools. Securing the rope at the bottom, I set up my belay system with another rock and started ascending the surface. It was gritty, but manageable. In ten minutes, I’d reached three meters, and jabbed my first bolt into the cliff face. Looking back, I knew that if I were to slip, I’d have to rely solely on my ground rope routing, as I was all alone in this.

Climbing was something I had to do often in my archeological pursuits, so it took me just half an hour to reach the top. Nonetheless, I flopped down in the grass, exhausted. All the food I ate seemed to have vanished into thin air. The one thing that kept me going was the view. Up here the sea looked majestically clear with gentle laps of water and a light breeze blowing through the trees behind me. Just in the distance, some of the town’s buildings could be seen.

I fished the stakes out and used all my strength to push them as far into the ground as they’d go, keeping reasonable distance to the cliff’s edge, then secured the winch to them with large screws. Finally, I unwound the winch all the way and hurled the line down the cliff, then abseiled down as fast as I could.

Back in the sub, I took out all the items I knew I needed; my lightweight cycling backpack, a duffel packed with a tent, a couple tools, and some camping essentials, and a knot bag filled with food – bread, fruit, and some oats. Whether or not some good meals in the town, I planned to return to figure out a new, long-term plan. For now, I needed to set up camp.

I sealed the hatch and reached for the nearest ledge. Climbing back up felt a little quicker without the bag. As the sun rose, I turned the winch’s crank with all my strength. God, the bags weighed a ton! But with each rotation, the winch’s spool widened with line. After half an hour the top of the bike bag finally peered over the cliff edge. I heaved it up onto the grass, along with the duffel and knot bag. At last, the hard part was over.

I peered over the edge and gazed down at my prized sub, almost longingly, then took my bags and headed into the forest.
> Hooved Encounters
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Setting up camp felt weird. Any time you’d go camping, the process of setting up a site took place during the afternoon in preparation for the night that would follow. Here I was propping up a tent and arranging blocks of firewood as the rising sun’s rays pierced through the trees. While most people would be stretching awake, eating breakfast, and rushing off to work, I had to get some proper sleep. The little nap offshore had helped, along with the pills, but it wasn’t sufficient. I needed proper sleep if I was to do any exploring. I ate another granola bar and drank a bottle of juice. Canned soup or oatmeal would’ve been better, but I’d have to light a fire for that, and getting it up to temperature would take eons. 

Three hours later, at the midpoint of daybreak and noon, I arose from my slumber, still groggy thanks to the calming birdsong in the trees up above and the lapping waves below. The sunlight was much stronger and knocked the senses back into me. I sat up, packed my food into a secure critter-proof container, and opened my bike bag.

While assembling my mountain bike, I began to formulate a plan. I didn’t know whom these town inhabitants were, but figured they’d at least be friendly people courteous enough to provide some clue as to where things are. Boy, was I going to be proven wrong on one level.

I changed into a fresh clothing, slipped on some grippy sneakers, and stuffed a coin pouch, wallet, and my keychain into my pockets. Then I clicked on a helmet, hopped onto my bike, and pedaled through the trees in the direction of the town. My hair was a little messy, but a quick finger combing did the trick. 

The forest felt familiar yet peculiar at the same time. Likely it was something I couldn’t see, because all my eyes could focus on were noticing signs of human activity – footprints, rock formations, the like. Yet there wasn’t any, which was odd given how the town was literally adjacent to the forest.

“Seriously, has no one ventured through these trees before?” I asked myself, swerving to avoid a squirrel and hopping over a log. “I guess they’re too comfortable with urban life to enjoy nature on a higher level.”

Despite my soreness from the crash, my legs and the bike’s higher gears made mincemeat of the forest undergrowth, and by ten a.m., I made it out. The trees started being sparsely apart, and bumpy ground gave way to short grassland. The further I pedaled, the more scenic the landscape became. Butterflies danced amongst the grass as I ascended a hill. It felt like being in the English countryside, only abruptly cut off by the sea on the right. 

My eyebrow twitched at the sight of a large building atop a larger hill. It was half-stone brick, half steel and glass, like a corporate business’s headquarters. Next to the small town up ahead, it felt rather out of place. Now two things were driving me down the hill and towards the next one: I needed to know who and what was a need for such a humongous building next to a little town, and more importantly, where this town was. While the coastline stretched down far out of sight, this could still be a large island like the Dominican Republic or Cuba.

“I wonder if there’s a nice restaurant to stop at before I can find…”

The words died in my mouth as I reached the top of the second hill. From up here, I could get a close look at the town and its inhabitants, walking about, entering and leaving stores, going about their day.

They weren’t people. Instead, they were covered in soft, bright colored fur, had large, expressive eyes, and four hooves.

Not even one human could be seen.

“Are you sure you’re not dreaming?” I asked myself sternly yet dumbly.

I pinched my cheek again until it hurt, then shook my head vigorously. Okay, I definitely woke up to reality in that tent. Taking out a scrap of paper and a pencil, I traced my route from the campsite and tried to figure out the coastline. I’d seen it at the start of my bike ride, but only briefly. If I was in a new world, I might as well try to map it before starting a history quest to discover how it came to be, and all the civilizations that existed throughout the past millennium. Such a prospect sounded very exciting, alongside needing to figure out why there were miniature, big-eyed, talking horses in a seaside town.

Whichever way I looked at it, I needed to meet these hooved creatures and get some answers. There were just a few things I didn’t consider.

Stuffing the pencil into my pocket, I pedaled down the slope until I came to a tree with a three-way branching – a good way to remember it. I securely locked the bike to it, and walked the rest of the way down. As I neared the road another reality check came: this town’s buildings were built to its inhabitant’s scale, or three-quarters of that of a human. No wonder it looked small from afar.

Setting foot on the stone road, I casually strode forward, trying not to internally freak out at all the furry hooved creatures around me. Externally, they clearly felt the same way. A mare grabbed her young colt and jumped behind a barrel. Groups of friends and couples made a beeline for the nearest doors. There was utter chaotic pandemonium. 

“Wait!” I called out, but my extended hand only served to frighten them even more. Most just took off down the street, pushing and jumping. Amidst the chaos, two worrying things caught both corners of my eyes. A bold stallion with a badge – likely the town sheriff – had just rushed out of a building and triggered an alarm… and near a lookout balcony, another group of townsfolk were dispersing. One filly was lagging in the panic. I tried to calmly wave at her, but she just screamed and ran off in another direction… straight towards the sea.

No, no no! I cried out. Nope. No way an innocent kid is gonna die on my watch. And that sheriff was much further away than I was.

I rushed as fast as my legs could carry me to the railing. At the last moment, I threw my whole body forward and swung my arms around the little filly, cradling her as I fell to the ground with a thump, my legs precariously swinging over the edge.

For a brief moment, the filly’s eyes met mine, and I gave the most endearing smile I could pull, and whispered softly.

“It’s okay. No fear. Just misunderstanding.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the sheriff stallion’s jaw literally hit the floor. He stood like a statue, shell-shocked at the scene. I rose to my feet, wincing from the extra injury I’d likely inflicted from the leap and fall.

“This body can’t catch a damn break…” I muttered, slowly shaking my head. “Gonna need some more Advil when I got back to the sub.” 

At this point, several of the townsfolk had now gathered – including the little filly’s mother, who was in tears at her reunion with her child. 

I held my hands out and up, before giving a message that hopefully would be effective.

“Please. Be calm. There’s nothing to fear.”

Some of the colts and fillies cowered a little, so I gently lowered my hands and leaned back slightly with open legs, hoping to look less threatening.

“I know. I understand your fears. I am nothing like you. Two legs, versus four. Very tall and muscular, compared to short and thin. But it’s within here that makes you and I the same.”

I pressed a finger firmly to my chest, giving the softest smile I could form. Before any of them could respond, I continued, keeping my voice clear and assertive.

“It’s perfectly okay to be scared of things you don’t understand. I’ve travelled hundreds of miles across the sea and encountered things that did scare me. But how did I survive? Controlling my mind and heart. I had a feeling inside – a feeling of wanting to understand and investigate. And that feeling overpowered the panicked emotion within. Through listening and communicating, my fears were subsided.”

I gave a long pause to let them all soak in my speech, letting my vision drift gently over the crowd of ponies like a soft breeze. Most still wore faces of concern and suspicion, but one stood out. She had an apricot-orange coat, an off-shoulder braid, and wore a satchel bag with a star symbol on it.

“Where did you come from?” she asked.

“The sea. My name is Aiden, and I’m a human – that’s the term for my species – of many types. Historian, archaeologist, explorer, engineer. How I got here is a long story, and a big question I’m trying to figure out. In fact, that’s why I’m here in the first place.”

The orange mare’s eyes glowed with fascination, and I cocked an eyebrow. “And I’d be glad to share my story. Perhaps it might shed some light on the quest for answers.”

Already geeking out, the orange mare stepped forward. “I’m Sunny Starscout. Welcome to Maretime Bay, where there's a surprise around every corner! Would you like a smoothie?”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world. I love fruit.”

The crowd dispersed, and Sunny and I headed off to a nearby food trailer. Now the town ponies looked in awe or concern rather than fright. It was glad to see. Hopefully they’d all come to understand me in due time. With such a small population, word was bound to spread like wildfire. Still, I knew I needed to work more on building trust – and Sunny would be a great start.
> A Meeting of Minds
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

At the vendor trailer, I scanned a menu and took a large-sized strawberry banana smoothie. I held up a few dollar coins and shook my head, pointing to the design, indicating they weren’t of the local currency.

“It’s on the house, don’t worry,” Sunny said with a smile.

“Oh really? Thanks a lot!”

She took a mango-banana flavor and we sat down at a patio dining table. I gently sipped on my straw, while Sunny tilted her head slightly in awe and fascination, as if she was a robotic scanner.

“It’s interesting, how we both share similar physical attributes on a base level,” I mused, attempting to break the awkward silence by pointing to my face. “We both got eyes, ears, nose, and a mouth. I could see how my ears are kinda funny though. Compared to yours, they’re –”

“Wait a second!” Sunny interrupted excitedly, pulling a notebook out of her satchel and quickly flipping through it. “Let’s see… Twilight Sparkle’s Adventures through the Crystal Mirror. No pony’s really been through there since her time, it’s so so interesting as to – well, everything about that other world!”

I grinned at her enthusiasm, and she caught her breath.

“Okay, 73 Questions to Ask a Human. Number one – where did you come from? Like, in the human world?”

“Well, we call it Earth. I live in a little boathouse in a string of islands called the Florida Keys.”

“Do humans live underground?”

“Absolutely! Many use the ground as shelter in dangerous situations, and there’s also basements too. Not sure if your houses around here have ‘em.”

“How good are humans at fighting?”

“So good, we’ve figured out ways to kill each other over mundane things.”

“Oh.” Sunny’s face fell for a moment, so I quickly lifted it right back up. “But over many eras and eons we’ve improved ourselves in several ways. Next.”

“Do humans really eat meat? If so, why?”

“The way human bodies are built, protein and other key nutrients are needed to survive and function well. And we can’t really get it from anything else besides meat. There are plant-based alternatives, but they just don’t cut it to the best extent.”

“How strong are your hands?”

“Very. But also quite dexterous.”

“Can you fly?”

“Not without machinery.”

“How much knowledge can the human mind hold?”

“Plenty. And even so, we only use a portion of the brain at any given time solely for thinking. Overall, for all of the body’s functions, the brain never stops. Aaaaand you still have 66 questions to go. Which will likely take the whole day and rob you of crucial smoothie sales.”

Sunny frowned, and I laughed. “How about questions about me specifically – but at a later point in time. Thanks for the rapid questionnaire. You sound like a historian.”

“Yeah!” Sunny replied proudly. “I am. With my father, I’ve been studying the history of Equestria too, and –”

“Hold up,” I said quickly. “Equestria?”

“Yes, that is where we are, currently. Maretime Bay is a small town on the southernmost shore.”

I nodded, trying not to freak out internally. “I’m not on Earth, I’ve been transported to another world…”

Before I could think about it too much, Sunny took a loud swig of her smoothie and continued. “You look refreshed but still a little lean.”

“Yeah,” I muttered. “As per my series of unfortunate events, snacking is all I’ve been able to do. No worries, I have some food back at the campsite. I just needed to get some answers as to where I am, but was not expecting, well, all of this.”

“Campsite?”

“It’s in the forest, near the edge of the cliff by a little cove. While I’d be more than happy to receive a nice well-sized meal from a restaurant, I can’t let my travel supply go spoilt and rotten.” I explained, gesturing to the row of buildings across the street and down in the direction where I came from.

“You could stay at my house if you wanted,” Sunny broke into an eager smile.

“It’s perfectly fine, Sunny,” I confided, gushing slightly. These ponies were just too cute. “I’ve spent more time in tents than houses during many of my archeological adventures. More importantly, given I’m now aware of the actual location I have landed in, it’s necessary I take some time to process it all and work out a proper plan for what I intend to do next regarding… well, everything.”

Her ears flopped, and I smiled solemnly as I stood up. “I will be back later today and gladly accept your offer, if you can do me a favor or two.”

Sunny looked up at me and cocked an eyebrow. “Which is? I’m listening.”

“Inform Maretime Bay’s inhabitants that there is nothing to worry about or fear from me. And find a good merchant willing to trade some of my stuff for bits. Don’t get me wrong, I have money, but our respective worlds are a million hoof steps apart with currency.”

“You might as well be broke,” Sunny chuckled. “Will do, Aiden. It’s nice meeting you.”

“You too, Sunny. Hope to talk soon.”

I fired the empty smoothie cup into a nearby recycling bin, and walked back down the boardwalk. It wasn’t too hard to find my way around, and I soon ended up back at the base of the hill that I’d entered from. Thankfully, my bike was still there.

Back in the woods, I found a large old log and carefully dragged it back to the campsite to use as a backrest. Sitting back, I put my mind through the paces whilst my belly digested and absorbed all the nutritious goodness of the smoothie, and my achy muscles relaxed.

“Right. I’m not on Earth, I’m in another world inhabited by talking ponies.

At least I know one thing: that vortex was a wormhole that led to somewhere else outside of Earth.

But where in the universe, exactly? And can I find the same exact wormhole again to return home? Surely these ponies knew something about them.

Next was the challenge of what to do with my time in this new world. “I never asked to be here in this colorful fantasy world, separated from family and friends by a whole damn dimension!” I spat angrily, before biting my tongue at the sudden image of Sunny’s adorable eyes in my head. “At least its inhabitants seem nice and understanding.”

I sighed sadly, fighting the painful sting of truth in my gut. The chances of me getting back home, let alone Earth, looked pretty slim. If I wanted to get home, I had to find answers. To find any information on wormholes, I needed access to books and authentic information on them – and interdimensional travel in general.

Sorting through my inventory in the submarine, I reflected on my initial encounter with the townsponies, and how Sunny stood out from the crowd. Her curiosity and interest when I spoke indicated she was a character of open-mindedness and a yearn to understand anything she found interesting. Little did I realize we would later discover how much we both had in common.

After a long nap, I lit a fire and hauled the rest of my food storage up the cliffside, before making an early dinner of canned mushroom soup, chopped carrots, and some chunks of French bread. With an energized mind, I began to arrange a plan in my head. To kick things off, I planned to give Sunny the rest of my fruit and vegetable supply, since it’d mostly be spoilt within the next few days. Looking through the sub’s pantry bin, I found a remaining can of mushroom soup and a bag of raisins and oats, and two family-size chocolate bars.

“These could work for trade,” I thought. “A way to gain trust from the townsfolk.”

Food was great, but I needed something more valuable to trade. Abseiling down the cliff, I climbed back into the sub and pulled up on my iPad an inventory of everything I had: the suitcase, a chest of spare parts for the sub, bike, and skateboard, two tool sets, a secure case containing a handgun and ammunition, a paramotor with two wings, a microscope and material testing kit, a GoPro kit, a pocket knife, lots of topography maps, a small sling bag, a few history books, a Rubik’s cube, and a display case of old artifacts.

I carefully lifted the case out of the bottom of a storage case. There were three cracks in the glass from the vortex incident, but the items inside were still intact in their cotton-padded housings. I unlocked the lid and gently lifted out a few artifacts, pondering over which ones the townsfolk would find appealing. After a good hum and ho session, I narrowed it to three: a bronze comb, a silver ring with a topaz gem, and a sword – well, the handle and a quarter of the blade.

“May the wisdom and principles of its owner be passed on to its collector too,” I whispered solemnly, gently stroking the polished gold handle guards. I’d collected dozens of historical items over the years, but something felt unique and special about this 13th century sword from a fellow historian in Turkey, given the legacy of the tribe that bore it in battle.

I pulled out the cotton padding and used some old marine charts and masking tape to wrap the artifacts, then tied them securely in a green cloth bag. Climbing the cliff again with the last vestiges of sunset light, I set down the cloth bag next to my sleeping bag in the tent, and gradually drifted off to sleep, with my mind still thinking over the plan’s next stages.
> Moving In with a Friend
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sound of the ocean waves just a few meters away was the icing on the alarm clock cake for my consciousness to arise from its deep slumber. I sat up and hummed a little tune as I made a small breakfast of oatmeal with a banana and some sugar cubes. Given Sunny’s offer, I knew it’d be time to pack up for a long time away from the sub.

In all the excitement of examining the artifacts, the tools had been forgotten. I gathered up the multi-tool kit for my bicycle and skateboard, along with my clothes suitcase and GoPro kit. I added another mooring line to the sub to secure it further, then proceeded to climb the cliff for one last time… or so I hoped.

Dismantling the campsite, I took everything and packed it into my bike backpack – iPad, GoPro kit, microscope kit, toolkit, water bottle, two small towels, a sleeping bag, a smaller sling bag, the food, and the three artifacts. Then I slid the tent into the duffel bag and tied it to the backpack. The skateboard was tied to the nike’s top tube and handlebars, and suitcase to the rear forks. Finally I set off through the forest. It wasn’t the most practical approach, but I did not want to have to return a second time.

I did pay the price, though. Five times my balance was harshly thrown off and I fell, and there were more cases of the suitcase bouncing so hard it flipped than there were birds in the trees. By the time I reached the top of the first hill the suitcase looked like it’d been used as a training bag for boxers plus as a survival unit for soldiers in a Floridian marsh. But it wasn’t punctured or torn, so I kept on going.

Once again, sounds and reactions filled the atmosphere upon my entry in Maretime Bay. However, this time they were of surprise and awe, rather than fear and panic. No mass screaming and running. I waved and said hello to every pony, thereby easing their concerns and worries. It was surprising how their behavior had changed – not substantially, but that the change in perspectives both ways was noticeable.

Riding through town was much easier. With the smoother stone and concrete ground, I didn’t have to pedal as hard. Pulling the suitcase behind me suddenly felt less cumbersome, but still awkward with all the clattering noise it made. Everyone kindly stepped aside to make room as I made my way through the streets.

Thirty-five minutes after packing up, I finally reached Sunny’s home – the local lighthouse, perched on a taller cliff point, almost a kilometer from the main town. With its red-and-white striped tower, it looked to be a dead ringer for the one on Halifax’s Sambro Island – but with the tower being round and centrally positioned in the actual house, along with the square-sloped roof, the similarities all but ended there. 

“Wow,” I whispered, gazing back in awe at the town that I’d just passed through. “What a view!”

The smoothly sloping and banking road leading back to the town also looked cool. Maybe later we can try racing down it to the town, I thought, giving a few knocks on the door.

The door opened slowly, and a familiar face appeared, looking a little stunned. “How’d you know where I live?”

“It’s easier to ask than assume,” I smirked.

Sunny smiled welcomingly. “Come on in.”

I wheeled the mountain bike and suitcase in and propped them against the wall next to the coatrack, before taking of my backpack and duffel. Hurriedly, I wiped them down with a paper towel and some water from my bottle. The house was spotless, and I didn’t want to sabotage that in any way. It was an open-spaced floor, with central pillars supporting the tower above. Off to the right was a nice kitchen, not unlike the one at my boathouse in Florida.

“You look tired,” Sunny noted, gesturing to the sofa in the living room. “Have a seat.”

“Thanks very much,” I replied, catching my breath and dropping the paper towel into a nearby trash bin. “Lovely lighthouse you got here. Everything’s well-placed and clean.”

“Oh, thank you!” Sunny gushed, holding back an awkward blushed smile. “My dad and I lived here for many years. For the most part I live alone, but I have some friends who drop by. Hitch, the town sheriff, a unicorn named Izzy, and a few others.”

I quickly sat up like my butt had been tased. “A unicorn?”

“Um, well, given this is a world of talking ponies that does sound 100% plausible,” Sunny nodded with a chuckle.

Not wanting to drag on with compliments, I made a beeline for the main points. “I’ve had some time to think over my situation, and the first thing I need to do is boost my trust with the townsponies. I initially planned to do this by selling three rare artifacts that they may treasure and hold value in, but now I will just give one to you, along with my remaining fruit.”

“Why?”

“Because the other two artifacts are better suited for other places. And the significance of this one aligns well with you. Let me explain.”

Sunny walked over to the couch and sat down. “Please do.”

I opened up my backpack, took out the food, and set it all down on a table in front of the couch. Then I gently slid the cloth bag of artifacts out of its inner sleeve and set it down on my lap. Untying the bag, I took out the sword and tore off the paper.

Sunny’s jaw dropped, a gasp of shock and awe. I held the sword out and let her observe the polished gold guards and the leather wrapped handle. She raised a hoof to the blade’s tip, curiosity crossing her face.

“Seems like the blade should be a lot longer. What happened to the rest of it?”

“It was broken in a fierce battle many, many centuries ago,” I replied. “The remaining pieces were never found.”

Sunny hopped onto the sofa and pointed to the base of the blade. “Hold a hoof. There’s a carved insignia here.”

I held it up to the sunlight at an angle, illuminating the blade brightly. Sunny peered closely at it. “IYI. Is that an abbreviation of some sort? And there also appears to be a signature on the other side.”

I smiled and shook my head. “No, it’s the emblem of the Kayi tribe, who owned and wielded these swords in battle. The emblem spells ‘Kayi’ in a particular language. In turn, ‘Kayi’ – well, it’s meaning differs, depending on whom you ask. To the best of my own knowledge, the most accurate and simplest meaning is ‘able and mighty’. The signature is from the leaders of the tribe, passed through generations.”

In a sudden act, Sunny pressed her hooves on my thigh and looked up in earnest. “Tell me more!”

I leaned back awkwardly and sighed. “It’s a long story throughout human history that I’ll have to save for later. Perhaps as a dinner discussion leading into a bedtime story, as I’m sure your dad did for you. I know my dad did the same for me. It was a fun way to obtain crucial knowledge that is still beneficial and relevant to this day. I can, however, give you a few key points.”

Sunny shrank back on the couch but remained attentive. “Even a portion of the story would be great to hear.”

“The rulers of the Kayi tribe were renowned not for their fighting abilities or having cool engraving on their swords. Rather, they were renowned for their character, which they kept steadfast in the intelligent pursuit of peace and justice whilst never compromising on the core fundamental principles of their tribe. And it was through this that a large empire was formed, lasting six centuries thereafter. Many of those qualities I saw in you as I spoke to the townsponies of Maretime Bay. Hence, it is only fitting that you be the bearer of this sword.”

Sunny blushed. “I…I’m just a regular earth pony who sells smoothies. I’m not some great leader made to rule an empire.”

I grinned. “Exactly. That is one of the principles – humility. A humble leader is a great leader. You must balance yourself in a way that everyone respects your position and sees you as one of them, but not elevated on a pedestal so that they take advantage of you, or worse, you develop ego leading to the loss of principles by which you lead. Furthermore, whoever shows fear and reluctancy when called to lead is a good candidate, because that fear indicates they understand the weight of the responsibility and power they will carry. Leadership is a responsibility, not a position.”

Sunny nodded slightly, her eyes fixated, like she was in a sort of trance. I could tell she was having a moment of reflection and understanding, so I too paused for a minute or two. She then turned and spoke.

“I gladly accept your offer, Aiden. Just… I’m not sure where to place it safely.”

“Your bedroom,” I immediately suggested. “That way it’ll be among the first things you’ll see every day and thereby remind you of your direction and goals in life.”

“Excellent idea!” Sunny crowed. “For now, I’ll keep it in storage. I think a shadowbox frame would work well, but I need to buy one that’d properly fit. Let’s go to my room.”

“Uh… ooo-kay,” I replied awkwardly. She pressed a button, and a wooden slate lowered from the ceiling, supported with four thick ropes at each corner. A little old-school, but impressive, nonetheless.

We gradually rose at a slow pace, given my greater weight. Amazingly, the ropes held fast, and soon we stepped off onto a circular upstairs hall and entered her room. It was grand, with a low-profil, four-post bed and a shelf with six little pony figurines on it. She slid back a panel in her footboard and pulled out an empty trunk from under the bed. I handed her the sword. Carefully holding the handle in her teeth, she gently lowered it into the trunk and flipped the lid shut.

“Nicely secure. No one really comes in here besides Hitch, and there are still some things in here I haven’t shared with him.”

I nodded, still standing by the doorway. It felt rather rude to enter the private quarters of someone I’d just met the day before. But Sunny wasn’t ashamed, and eagerly tugged at my leg to enter.

“Alright,” I whispered to myself, stepping in and briefly glancing at the large cloth drape of a sun above the bed and numerous paintings and drawings hung up on the walls.

As we stood by the stained-glass window and looked out to the town, I resumed my explanation of my plans to find information on wormholes and interdimensional travel, as well as mapping out the original landscape of Equestria. Right away, Sunny was conflicted.

“How can you yearn to leave so soon after arriving? You’re one of a kind, unlike any other here! You have so much to offer and learn and benefit and –”

“I know,” I interrupted abruptly. “But I have family that is undoubtedly worried and perhaps even panicked over my disappearance. It is my duty to alleviate those worries as soon as I possibly can. However, this is a new land, and with new land comes an opportunity to explore, discover, decipher, and deduct its history. It’s what I do and what my family knows I’m passionate for.”

I turned and looked straight into her eyes encouragingly. “So, I ask you, my dear friend, will you join me on this quest?”

“Yes!”
> Setting Up a Base and a Race
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back in the living room, I continued unpacking my stuff, while Sunny watched like an inquisitive kid. Nothing seemed odd as I took out my sleeping bag, GoPro kit, and other basic stuff. But everything changed when I pulled out the microscope kit and iPad. Her eyes glowed with amazement, and she rushed over, as if they were Christmas gifts.

“This looks a lot like the electronic communication device Pipp uses!” she exclaimed, peering at the iPad.

My eyes widened at the realization. “Wait, you have computers and networks here too?!”

“Well, not in Maretime Bay for the most part. But Zephyr Heights, where my Pegasus friend Pipp lives, yeah. They have a lot of technology – big screens, a news station with a live broadcast, speakers that play music…”

“Hmmm… sounds familiar.” I pressed the ON button and the tablet booted up.

“Nice little logo!”

“Yep. That’s the manufacturer, Apple. Named after the fruit.”

I typed in a passcode and quickly skimmed through my photos, until I came to a picture of downtown New York and held up the screen to Sunny.

“Does it look like this?”

“Indeed, it does! Wow! It looks almost the same! What’s it called?”

“Times Square, in a city called New York City. I’ve only been there once, but it was an experience I didn’t forget.” Without skipping a beat, I moved onto the Sunny FAQ. “You might wonder what I use this for. Well, a whole lot. I keep hundreds of books, maps, photos, videos, and audio recordings on here. I also write notes and hold calls, too. I’m not sure if the wireless antennas within it would work with the way Zephyr Heights’ telecom hardware is configured though.”

“Maybe we can head up there and try it out sometime,” Sunny replied hopefully. “Any nice tunes you have?”

“Oh yes, I… Snap.” The joy died on my lips. “I just realized I left my iPod back in the sub. It’s okay, I always keep a copy.”

I opened an app and started a playlist of Caribbean calypso-style tunes.

Slowly, Sunny’s head started to sway. Then her hooves started tapping. I chuckled and did an air piano gesture with my fingers. “Sounds great, doesn’t it?”

“It’s so upbeat and jolly! I’m no top dancer but this is getting a lil’ groovy!”

I turned the volume down, allowing us to chill for a bit and refocus. Sunny turned on the stove and made lunch – waffles with strawberry jam, cream, and berries. I blinked in awe, unsure if I’d slipped into a dream.

“Let’s eat,” Sunny said, pulling up two chairs. I felt the wood creak a little as I sat, but it held firm under my weight. Unsurprisingly, there were no utensils. I rushed over to my bag and pulled out a small clear bag with a fork and spoon.

“Oh! Sorry, I forgot you have hands,” Sunny looked down in embarrassment.

“Ah don’t sweat it, we all forget,” I said, opening the tap and washing them down with some water. “This is a world of ponies after all.”

I sat down again and took a big bite of the waffles. Haute cuisine be damned, the taste was heavenly. I squeezed my lips to stop my smile from causing the food to spill out. Sunny beamed.

“Tastes good, eh?”

“Good? This is outstanding! Thanks so much!”

“Aww, you’re welcome, Aiden!” Sunny grinned, again with a slight blush. I had to hold back my suspicious face as I took in more forkfuls of food. I then obliged to wash the dishes, which Sunny gladly accepted. A glance out of the corner of my eye indicated she was still eyeing the iPad, so I unlocked it and opened a photo album of one of my recent adventures across a mountain range.

I’d barely started work scrubbing the dishes when gasps, squeals, and “Wow!” were heard from the couch, repeating themselves often. I had a good feeling about what she was looking at. The dish rack was small, but suitable enough. Afterward I used a separate sponge to scrub the inside of the sink, ensuring there were no scuffs or dirt marks. Drying off my hands, I walked over to the couch and sat down with Sunny. Her eyes were glued to the iPad’s screen, but as she noticed me looking over, the questions came tumbling out.

“This is breathtaking! Where is this? I didn’t know you could really fly!”

I had to laugh at that. While it was hard to see the lines and harness in my POV videos, it still was amusing to see her thinking I had secret pegasus wings or something. I quickly swiped through more short outtake clips to a photo of me with a joyful grin standing in a field, wearing a helmet.

“What the – what is that?” Sunny asked, pointing at the screen with a bewildered look.

“That’s what I use to fly,” I replied proudly. “It’s called a paramotor. I have it in the sub.”

“No way! Can you bring it here?!” Sunny’s eyes bulged with excitement, and for a moment I was thoroughly convinced this was a babysitting job and not moving in with a newfound friend. She really was curious and eager to learn about anything new.

“It won’t be easy. But if we can get someone to help us, the task would be more manageable,” I confided.

“I think Hitch wouldn’t mind once he’s off-duty, it’ll just take some…” Sunny suggested, trailing off as her eyes caught sight of the clock. “Oops. It’s almost 1 p.m. I need to dash back and continue the smoothie operations for the second half of the day. Make yourself comfortable in the other bedroom, alright?”

I shut off the iPad and slid it back into the backpack, along with the other stuff. Gathering up my sleeping bag, the bag of artifacts, and my GoPro bag in my arms and by backpack over one shoulder, I headed for the stairs. Meanwhile, Sunny stuffed the fruits into her little satchel. As she headed for the door, I caught sight of her putting on some shoes with straps and… wheels?

“Hey!” I called out. “Aren’t those rollerblades?”

“Yeah. I love skating, it’s so fun.”

No wonder why you weren’t fazed by my board, I thought.

“I’ll join you. Let’s race to the town!”

“You’re on!”

Sunny didn’t even bother to wait. By the time I entered the spare bedroom she was already out the door, gaining a significant lead. No time to lose…

I unbuckled the tent duffel straps, set down the sleeping bag and GoPro bag, towels, and backpack, neatly slid them all into a corner, then pulled out my sling bag. I stuffed the bag of raisins, bag of oats, soup can, and bars into it, zipped it shut, and ran down the stairs. Quickly, I untied my skateboard off the bicycle frame, slipped on my Vans shoes, and hit the path to town pushing. Hard. 

There was not much difficulty balancing; I had medium-sized wheels with a degree of softness, allowing for moderate damping of the stone path. I soon caught sight of Sunny, still well ahead. She was lighter with a shorter frame meaning better balance, but I had bigger wheels, and more mass meant I could harness gravitational pull.

Three banked powerslides later and I finally caught up to Sunny, a single gradual hairpin turn behind. The rushing wind felt insanely awesome. I was flying at nearly twenty miles an hour and the urethane wheels rattled like a growling little puppy on the stone path. A quick powerslide around the turn almost led to a wipeout, but I squatted down and held on to the board. On the last downhill stretch towards the town road, I gave one hard push and let gravity do the rest. After landing on hard concrete, I gave a few more pushes.

Sunny, meanwhile, was just approaching her serving stand when I smoothly zipped past, laughing and gasping. Her jaw went slack in shock.

“How’d you catch up so fast?”

“Physics…” I mouthed, before finally catching my breath and coasting over. “Physics. Still, you win.”

She cheered with a happy air-punch. “Ask around for Peach Cobblestone, she likes cooking overall and is also the wife of a restaurant owner.”

“Noted.”

We exchanged a high-five and I set out to the marketplace.
> The Market and Meetings
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pushing on my skateboard didn’t feel as sore or physically consuming as pedaling my mountain bike, so I was able to coast for a short while, attracting some oohs and aahs from a few little fillies and colts. I ignored them; I’d gotten that type of attention numerous times before in other countries back on Earth.

Getting around this town wouldn’t be easy navigation-wise. Unless…

“Ah!” I called out, spotting one stallion at a table with a map. I scooted over to him.

“Um, excuse me for a second. Could I borrow that for a moment?”

“S-S-Sure,” he stammered, quickly folding it and pushing it across the table.

“No need to feel so nervous, my guy,” I replied with a chuckle, unfolding the map and peering over it. At first I was expecting it to looks like some old papyrus but it was decently thick paper that felt premium to the touch. The text and drawings were crisp, and within ten seconds flat, I’d located the marketplace.

“Thanks very much. I’ll be going now.”

I handed the map back to him and pushed off. The town wasn’t too complicated. Within a week it’d be easy to remember major streets, where each one led to, and the top stores and businesses along each of them.

With a quick shortcut via a side street, I soon made it to the marketplace. The atmosphere felt active and lively, but not crowded or tense. At the far end near the waterfront, I skidded to a stop beside an antique vendor and sat down. Shrugging off my sling bag, I pulled out the soup can and bags.

“Let’s see how well this works…” I muttered quietly, arranging all the items in a neat row in front of my lap. Typically I’d been an investigator and analyzer, now I needed to be a salesman.

And my training began sooner than expected. Just moments later, a group of ponies came walking up the road. Based on their body language and snippets of conversation, I could tell they were keen on checking out something new and interesting. Ideal customers, located.

So I waved over at them. “Hello there, and welcome to the Maretime Bay marketplace!”

One of them looked shocked, while another mare seemed fascinated. “What have you got there?”

I held up a red resealable bag. “These are raisins – or dried grapes if you will. Sometimes a quick snack is all we need to give us a boost to keep going throughout the day, and what’s the key behind that boost? Sugar.”

The group seemed interested and stepped closer, so I opened the bag and took out a single raisin, holding it out for them to observe closely.

“When grapes dry up, the water vanishes, leaving behind a natural sugar that comes alive. The result is a smaller form factor yet retaining the nutrition and raising the appetite levels. Here, have a bite.”

I handed the raisin to one of them, and she gingerly took it in her hoof, before popping it into her mouth. Almost immediately her lips parted into a grin after a few chews.

“This tastes great!”

Not wanting to be left out, her colt drummed his hooves on the ground excitedly. “Mommy, can I have one too?”

I pulled out another raisin, and he eagerly gobbled it up with a satisfied smile.

“We’ll take it for four bits.”

“Deal.”

As they walked away with a happy smile, I punched the air with a silent whoop that made the vendor beside me chuckle.

“Congratulations on your first sale of the day,” he said with a confident smile.

“Aw, thanks. Just three more to go.”

To pass the time, I took a moment to observe the buildings’ architecture. The term “ground floor windows” seemed to almost be taken literally, with their sills coming no higher than two and a half to three feet off the ground. Having mostly circular and arched windows with awnings gave off Victorian vibes, though the light colors, tightly packed shops, and mature trees and shrubs reminded me more of California. It felt hip and chill.

It was then that I noticed a group of kids – two fillies and a colt – gloomily shuffling along together past the vendors on the opposite side. A prime target.

“Hey there!” I called out. “You three okay?”

“Y-yeah, we’re fine.”

“Just bummed because prices for my favorite chocolate went up,” said another sadly.

“I have a solution,” I replied excitedly with a big smile. “Come over for a minute.”

Precariously, the trio cautiously stepped forward. It hurt me to see them look so frightened at my appearance.

I eyed a little satchel on one filly. “How much you got?”

“Six bits.”

“And the price of that chocolate?”

“Three bits each. I wanted to get one for each of us.”

“I’m sorry if I looked a little scary with my eyes watching like that,” I said softly. “Just observing closely, as is good practice in life. Now, I’ll gladly take all six bits for these.”

I pulled out the large Cadbury and Hershey bars as if performing some sort of disappearing magic trick. The kids gasped in awe and squealed in joy, their little hooves drumming on the ground. I had to smile as the one with the satchel handed me the bits.

“Let me make this a little easier,” I said, tearing open the Hershey wrapper.

“Thank you so much…” the little filly replied, almost crying as she gently slid the Cadbury bar into her little satchel. The other two took the Hershey bar and they all happily ran off to the waterfront, but not before waving me goodbye.

Almost a whole hour passed, and no one seemed interested in the oats or the can of soup. After three attempts, I breathed a sigh of defeat and tucked them back into the bag, zipping it shut.

“Wait, where you going?” the antique vendor inquired as I picked up my board. “You didn’t sell the can and the other bag.”

“Well, I figured I’m in the wrong place,” I replied with a shrug, before catching my breath as something struck my mind.

“Any idea to the whereabouts of Peach Cobblestone?”

“She’s typically helping out as a waitress at the Satisfaction Soup restaurant around this time,” the vendor pony suggested. “Third door from the second side street on the right at the top of this road.”

“Gotcha.”

I walked up the road, and once the crowd opened up, I threw down my board and pushed off. Cruising like this was a lot easier than slowly walking, and fun too. With this sling bag, I must look a little like Sunny myself, I thought with a giggle.

Gliding down the high street, I caught sight of several businesses – general stores, bookstores, a clothing store… and a little restaurant with a wooden carving of a soup bowl above its entrance. Yep, that’s it alright.

I ducked my head under the low entrance and stepped inside, only to have my eyeballs swell a little in shock.

There, standing by the counter taking an order, was the mother of the very filly I had rescued just hours ago. It felt too coincidental to be true.

“Well,” I began, causing her to turn and gasp, almost tipping the bowl in shock.

“Whoa, easy!” I called out, stepping forward. “Don’t wanna spill your precious soup. What a small world this is, eh? Meeting again, and hopefully better, ‘cause I got something for you.”

I opened the bag and pulled out the can and oats. Unlike the first encounter, she smiled softly, though I could detect a slight trace of nervous doubt.

“Two bits for the can and three for the oats,” I declared, setting them down on the counter. “Or I’ll take an order in return.”

“Oh my, really?! Thanks!”

“Not an issue at all.” I scanned the menu display. “If it matches the value, thanks.”

“Indeed it does...” Peach’s now warmly voice just stopped.

“Oh! Sorry, my name’s Aiden. You must be Peach.”

“How’d you know?”

“I was in the market just a couple minutes ago.”

A little while later, I sat down on a little chair, gingerly sipped some hot split pea soup as I watched the electric tram glide by, wondering how amazing and so much more peaceful this new world suddenly felt once others got to know and understand me. Whilst dipping a dinner roll in for some added wholesome taste, something dawned on me as I recalled the change of behavior during the initial first contact. It was expected, but the shift after my speech of reassurance was profound. I needed to share and emphasize the important message of the good values these ponies were attempting to revive within themselves.

“Thanks very much,” I told Peach as I handed back the empty bowl with a satisfied smile. “Probably the best I’ve tasted.”

Peach beamed and blushed slightly. “Thank you for coming by and for the wonderful gifts. Bye!”

“Peace. Hope to drop by again sometime.”

En route to Sunny’s house, I decided to give the police office a visit. Maybe that sheriff was in need of some information on me. Turns out, he was.

“Ah, how convenient of you to drop by,” he said in a slightly guttural voice. “Step in please. We have much to discuss.”

I sank into a chair in front of a desk and wore a confident but attentive look, as if I could read minds.

“Let’s begin,” he stated flatly. “I’m Hitch Trailblazer. Under Code 34-3, any newcomers of a different type are required to provide their legally identifiable information.”

“Makes sense,” I replied, looking straight back at him in a non-intimidating way. “I have that stuff back at Sunny’s house.”

“I can’t let you off ‘till I have a copy of that.”

“Could you escort me to her place?” I offered. “It’d make the job easier.”

“Alright. Don’t think too slyly of my compassion though.”

Hitch stepped out from behind his desk and walked outside, and I followed close behind. To make things easier, I walked instead of riding my board.

“How many thugs do you deal with on a regular basis?” I inquired, hoping to initiate some small talk to test him.

“Not many, thankfully. Mostly just unruly ponies who think they’re higher than the moon, and also keeping guys like you in line who are oblivious or forget the codes.”

I noticed a few birds flying over and landing on his back, followed by an exasperated sigh. 

“Seems like you get quite the company often,” I remarked, biting back a snicker. “Love and attention follow care.”

Hitch shrugged, and I just kept silent. 

The town soon disappeared behind us, and we arrived at a now familiar lighthouse.

“I’ll wait here,” Hitch declared. “Don’t take too long though.”

I held back an eye-roll and stepped inside, promptly shutting the door in his face. In the living room, I opened a hidden compartment in my suitcase and pulled out my passport and Virginia driver’s license, before promptly reappearing at the door.

“Would you like me to take this info on the spot, or walk back to the office?” Hitch offered, a warm smile on his face. “You look delighted, but your body says otherwise.”

“Oh, um, back at the office is fine. I travel a lot, so it’s not an issue.”

My legs were tingly and my joints achy as we re-entered, but I bit back against it and settled into the chair. Hitch handed me a few documents and I signed them fluently.

“Whew, your writing is beautiful,” he whistled.

“I’ve had to do stuff like this quite often, so it’s a given. Plus, fingers are amazing,” I added with a chuckle.

Hitch then handed me one document and a slip. “Use these for when you travel more throughout the town. It’ll be a 2-second shutdown to anypony who’s still freaked out. Once a pony has these, there’s no disregarding their permits and rights as a visitor of Maretime Bay.”

“Really? Thanks, sir!”

“My pleasure.” Hitch trotted over and opened the door. “Hope you have a good time. Tell Sunny I said hi, alright?”

“I sure sugar will,” I replied, before turning to glance back at him. His yellowish body, the little curl in his short mane, and a streak of softness to his eyes…

“Actually, um, regarding being here in Maretime Bay, I know favors are not necessarily a two-way street compared to bartering. But given your compassion, I believe I owe you something I haven’t given anypony else – yet.”

Hitch’s head tilted, inadvertently making himself look cute. “Which is?”

I knelt down and quickly wrapped my arms around his neck and back, lowering my voice into a whisper. “This.”

Hitch leaned into me and curled a hoof around my torso, and I swear I could feel the burn of his blush at the awkwardness. “I… thanks.”

I gently caressed the soft fuzzy fur on his neck and behind his ear, causing a slight quiver and a sort of purring noise. It felt so surreal yet comforting, like an odd blend of when I hugged Ryder or his dog.

“I… I can’t recall the last time any visitor did that for me,” Hitch confided. “Well, besides my friends and Sprout.”

“Sprout?”

“He’s a former deputy, serving some time currently. We were fairly close, I just wish I was there for him earlier in life. His mom is still trying to sort out her large business.”

I gave a slight nod. So that’s what that big building is for.

“Well, I now know where to go next tomorrow,” I thought, dropping the skateboard and catching it with my foot, whilst Hitch still stood looking a little smitten.

“I’ll see you soon, Hitch.”

“Take care, Aiden.”
> Chill Carving
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back at Sunny’s house, I flopped down on the couch feeling completely exhausted. Normally a good walk around a town, even a skate session, would leave me just tired, but I felt completely spent. My joints felt sore again, and my muscles ached from all the biking to and from the forest. I took some painkiller pills from a bottle in my suitcase and downed them with a glass of water.

“Let’s see, how to carve a tree branch…” I thought out loud, massaging my joints with one hand and typing on my iPad in the other. I soon found the right video in my offline directory and slouched back on the sofa to watch. 

Part of my plan was to visit Bridlewood and see what the unicorns had to offer in terms of historical knowledge of magic pertaining to inter-dimensional wormholes. And, of course, I wanted to meet Izzy and show her all the cool stuff I owned. But to appear more inviting, I figured I’d attempt to blend in a little, so it was time to figure out how to make a unicorn horn headband.

Outside, I peered under the bushes around the lighthouse, looking for any useable branches to whittle. It appeared to be fruitless, pun unintentional. I headed down the trail towards the town a little, before kneeling down and peering into more bushes. Again, everything looked pencil-thin and scattered. My eyes suddenly lit up as they noticed a large Y-shaped branch, tucked under a bush near a tall tree in the distance. I ran over, reached in, and pulled it out… only to feel a slight sting from a few ants.

“Ew,” I muttered, slapping and smacking them dead, before observing the branch against the glare of the setting sun. The two side “forks” were about as thick as my finger, but the main branch was a little over twice as thick. Perfect.

I rushed through the door and yanked the zipper on my luggage, pulling out my survival knife and a small towel. Flopping down on the sofa, I started whittling away, first cutting the main branch into a five-inch stump, then gently shaving off the bark and soft flesh into a thin, pointy cone shape.

The door opened with a click, and Sunny stepped in, pushing her rollerblades onto the shoe mat.

“What a day,” she sighed, rubbing a sore hoof.

“Hey Sunny,” I replied, smile slightly fading from my lips. “Looks like you’ve had a long day, huh?”

She nodded with a wince upon stepping into the kitchen and setting down her bag. “Indeed. Lots of customers and a big event to cater to, the organizers of which didn’t really know what they wanted. I felt like a seesaw.”

“Ouch,” I whispered. “I can imagine what your feet must feel like right now. Let’s RICE up those hooves.”

“Huh?”

“It’s an acronym,” I explained, carefully setting aside the towel, knife, and wood. We rose up on the elevator, and I helped Sunny on to her bed. I took another towel out of my backpack, rinsed it in cold water, and wrapped it around her front hooves, which I elevated with a log pillow. My hands felt floppy from the adorable power of her droopy solemn eyes as I served some cooked beans for dinner, and for a moment I felt more like a father than a good friend.

“Would you like me to read a story?”

Sunny’s lips parted into a slight smile with a teeny-tiny blush. “No thanks, I’m much too grown-up for that.”

I shrugged with a coy smile. “Are you sure? Stories are great no matter your age. I could tell you about tomorrow’s plans though.”

Sunny raised her head and smiled. “Alright. What’s in your sights – besides me, of course.”

I fought back an eye-roll and sat down on the bed. “What I want to do is go to Bridlewood. Bit torn as to how though – take the submarine along the west coast, or cycle through the forest. My adventurous spirit which we sorta share coaxes me to the latter, but my achy, sore body tells me to do the latter at a later date. Before I leave, however, I want to pay Phyllis a visit. Perhaps I can shed some light on a new, harmonious way of utilizing her current gadgetry.”

“Anything about Bridlewood that interests you?”

“Ancient books on inter-dimensional travel spells.”

“I see. Sounds like a cool quest. I’m in!”

A popping noise from a joint solidified my decision as I stood up. “We’ll take the sub there on the weekend. For now, I need to find a spa, ease out this battered body, and generally take it easy. And so should you.”

“Goodnight Aiden.”

“Goodnight, my little pony,” I said, smiling as I closed her bedroom door.

Back downstairs, I washed the dishes and helped myself to Argyle’s study area, continuing work on the branch. It looked a little blocky, so I carefully whittled the edges a tiny bit, before using a diamond-tipped point tool to etch a Celtic cursive pattern into it. It was tedious, almost painful, but my nightfall it was done. I used some glue to fasten it to a thick strip of elastic wrapped in some scrap khaki fabric, held by a clasp at the back of my head. It was hard not to pull a smug face as I looked in the mirror at a rather unofficial unicorn pro.

With some paper towel, I wiped away the wood shavings and sawdust, before heading back upstairs and prepping for bed. As I uncurled my sleeping bag and laid it out on Argyle’s bed, my mind drifted off to various places – the little moment of affectionate care I’d shown to Hitch, the makeshift camp at the clifftop, calming the fears of three cute kids…

“I could really get used to living with ponies,” I told myself with a smile, gently pushing the window ajar and slipping away into a sore, achy sleep.
> A Cloverleaf Conversation
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunny was an early riser. It was barely half-past 7 am when I heard the gentle thuddering of the elevator’s wooden cogs and the calm rush of the kitchen tap. My mind swam a little, and I shuffled my sore ankles around a bit, rolled over, and dozed off. But not before my ears briefly caught wind of an audible grin.

Five hours later, my eyes started flickering and my stomach started grumbling. Yup, it was about damn time I got up. Wincing a little at my sore joints, I pulled out a tube of ointment from my bag to alleviate some of the pain. One wash-up session later, I entered the kitchen and popped some bread into the toaster, only to notice a pot of baked beans left on the stove. How sweet of you, Sunny.

Sitting back in a chair, I gently rolled my ankles in a massaging motion whilst chowing down on crisp buttered toast. The rest of my body would gain total relief over time, but my ankles were needed pretty much immediately.

With my belly full and my mind fully awake, I tossed my shirt into a plastic bin, and slid on a pair of camel-colored khaki pants, white dress shirt, and a grey V-neck sweater. Hopefully Sunny wouldn’t mind me using her dad’s clothes hamper. Feeling rather freshened up, I slipped on my Vans and hit the streets – this time on foot.

Noon time was rather interesting; it felt rather quiet, aside from a few colts and fillies rushing to the restaurants to get a quick lunch, and some oldies chilling together and reading the newspapers – all of which had my photos on them. No surprises or accidents there. A few ponies still gasped, frozen in shock upon sight of me, but I simply waved back, and their postures relaxed. 

Climbing the steps to the Canterlogic factory was a little tasking, but I soon made it to the top. Double grins where had as my eyes gazed upon the town spread out below and my ears perking up at a little colt’s exuberant chatter about the sweetness of raisins.

At the entrance, I was greeted by a rather cross-looking pony with a hard hat and a stocky body. “Who are you and what are your dealings?” he demanded.

I cleared my throat loudly. “Good afternoon sir. Would it still be lunch break by chance?”

He glanced down at a watch on his wrist. “It is, alright.”

“Perfect,” I said with a slight grin. “I request to speak privately with Mrs. Phyllis Cloverleaf, please. If she is currently available, that is.”

“Wait here,” he ordered, and rang a bell. I stood off to the opposite side of the doorway and listened attentively. Sure enough, the smoothly charming voice of a lady could be heard, gradually getting louder and closer. From the tone, it sounded like she was having some prior conflict.

The doors opened, and before me stood a pony who, apart from being a pony in the physical sense, was a dead ringer for a 1960s librarian. I bit back a smirk at how stereotypical it was. Composure was everything now.

“Whoa! What the – who are you?!” she gasped.

“Hi Mrs. Phyllis,” I began, smoothening out the ridges in my voice and holding out my hand. “My name is Aiden. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Phyllis glanced sideways awkwardly, as if looking for reassurance. Another worker pony smiled and nodded, so she extended her hoof out and stared up at me.

I took the underside of her hoof and gently shook it with a slight O-mouth of surprise at the touch. Whilst I had given Hitch a hug before, these ponies’ fur felt heavenly soft… and also awkward given whose fur it was in the moment.

We smoothly released, and I stated the reasons for my presence.

“Come on in. We can talk upstairs,” Phyllis said with a welcoming gesture, and I followed, taking in the sights of the industrial operations. Given my engineering educational background, it wasn’t too dissimilar from typical “human” operations – hard hats, trolleys, crane arms, welding equipment, a forge, etc. The big questions I held were all centered around the end products and their objectives.

Up on the second level by a balcony ledge, Phyllis explained her technology, and expressed remorse for her prior intentions. I pointed to an empty table at an eating area, and as we sat down, I gradually began unpackaging the box of questions and optimistic, constructive feedback.

“What are your current objectives for the company now?”

“Still reworking the internal structure to a new orientation that is multi-faceted and flexible.”

“Nice. That’s a good approach to have in business.”

“You can learn plenty in twenty years.”

My lips pursed into a little O at that. Two full decades of running a factory building machines that fed off perceived fear. As I glanced down at the worker ponies, my attentive eyes caught sight of a pair of Pegasus watch goggles, which looked like exaggerated 90-degree binoculars.

“Have you considered talking with Hitch?” I mused. “Viewing apparatuses can still work for other purposes – animal observation among others.”

Phyllis’s eyebrow shot up and her head tilted a bit. It looked so smooth, a spark of skepticism went off in my head. “Never thought of it that way. I shall have you know that my product designer has drafted some new plans that will be reviewed soon.”

“Great to know.”

I made a few more passive comments and questions to draw out the discussion. Phyllis seemed like a decent, confident pony who was focused on recovering her self-image and keeping her business afloat with a fresh approach.

“Thanks for the conversation.”

“You are most welcome, dear.”

I gave her a warm smile and strolled towards the stairs, catching a glimpse of an office room with a bunch of papers scattered on it. A stallion was hunched over in a chair, looking as if to be writing down note. Then he took some of the papers and slid them into a trash bin. So Phyllis was busy with re-development of her tech.

The iPad was the first thing in my hand when I returned to the lighthouse. Grabbing the stylus pencil, I jotted down some notes about everything that I had experienced in the past three days – awakening in the submarine thousands of feet below sea level, rescuing a little filly, eating fresh hot soup, and giving Hitch a bro hug. I was about to write up my obsevations on Phyllis’s self-presentation when the clickety-clack of Sunny’s rollerblades on the stone path broke the seaside ambience.

“Hi Aiden! How’d the meeting go?”

“As expected. I don’t have much of a reason to perceive Phyllis as somepony of concern at this point. You finished the first shift?”

“Yeah.”

“Let’s head to Bridlewood then! I just gotta pack up my stuff.”

“And I presume that’d take you a whole moon?”

“Nope,” I chuckled. “Just got to decide what’s really needed and what isn’t.”

Back upstairs, I changed into my “adventurer” outfit (khaki shorts, longsleeve athletic undershirt, sneakers), then pulled everything out of my backpack and trimmed down my EDC – iPad and stylus, GoPro kit, sleeping bag, towel, helmet, toolkit… and the topaz ring. I gripped the bike’s handlebars with one hand and the suitcase of clothes in the other.

“Ready for an adventure?”

“You bet, Aiden!” Sunny replied, an eager smile on her face as she tapped her satchel – no doubt filled with her own pony EDC.

We double-checked our bags to ensure we had all important items with us, and walked down the seaside main street together, before ascending the grassy hill beside the Canterlogic factory. Sunny precariously balanced the skateboard on her back, even though I insisted we didn’t need it.

The woods weren’t too dense, and after two false ends, I finally discovered my old campsite. It looked rather glum compared to all the vibrant, upbeat colors of the seaside town, but there were still remnants of the fire pit and the log was still untouched – apart from leaves and bird stool.

“You were sleeping on the ground here?!” Sunny exclaimed, before shaking her head in sympathy.

“It’s okay, Sunny bunny,” I consoled, caressing her head and neck. “You don’t have to feel sorry for me.”

Sunny smiled and nuzzled my side, and I briefly felt an electrifying pulse flow through my body. Yet it felt smooth and gradual, like the conduction of warm bodies – which it was, anyway.

I set the bike and suitcase down and led her to the cliff edge… where my beloved sub was still resting, despite having drifted a couple feet. Sunny froze, her eyes wide with awe and shock.

“That’s the submarine, and we gotta get down there,” I stated flatly, hoping to jarr her out of a trance.

Sunny’s ears jiggled as she shook her mind free. “But how?”

“With this,” I declared proudly, holding up a slack of the climbing rope and checking the winch hook.

“Cool!” Sunny beamed, excitedly rushing over. “Can I try first, please?”

I sat back and pondered for a moment on how exactly to proceed with lowering all our items – and ourselves – down the cliff face. While it could be done piece by piece, I wanted to get this done productively so we wouldn’t find ourselves arriving in Bridlewood at night.

“Two, then one, then one, then – no, one, one, one, two… Got it!” I crowed, jumping to my feet. “You first, Sunny.”

I used a short piece of rope to tie her satchel’s chest strap to a carabiner, then secured that to the main rope’s hook. Using the winch, I simply reversed the coil, slowly lowering her down the cliff face.

“Use your hooves to grip onto the surface as best you can,” I instructed. “Hold the rope with one hoof.”

Hearing Sunny’s queasy voice whilst being unable to actually see what was happening made me feel uneasy. And then the inevitable happened; Sunny lost grip and flailed – I could feel it in the rope’s sudden tug.

“Aiden!” she yelled.

“It’s okay!” I called down, leaning as far forward as I could without letting go of the winch crank. “Just try getting close enough to grip the surface!”

Through the sound of lapping waves below, Sunny’s groans and huffs could be heard as she shifted back and forth to move herself back to the cliff. I gently winded up the winch to reduce the slack… and heard a faint pant.

“Got it!” Sunny breathed. “About halfway there.”

I kept slowly releasing more and more rope, until a whoop could be heard from amongst the waves.

“Success!”

I sighed with relief and leaned out over the edge. “Don’t forget to unclip!”

It took Sunny numerous tries, but she eventually released the carabiner. We exchanged a distant hoof-bump and I dashed off to retrieve the other items.
> Climbing and Sailing
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The warm glow of the afternoon beamed across the ocean as I opened my toolkit to begin disassembling the bike. It was basic wrench-work, but Sunny was fascinated.

“Why are there so many different screw styles?”

“How does the metal clamp not bend enough to break?”

“Love the intricacy of these gears!”

I had to hold my smile; she was just so cute being all inquisitive about machinery. “Different screw styles – ‘heads’ is what they’re called – for different purposes. I’ll just be taking off the handlebars and seat so this fits through the portal. If not, I’ll simply have to remove the front wheel.”

Sunny kept all the bolts and pieces in a neat pile while I hopped onto the sub’s hull, pulled out my key, and unlocked the hatch. With a hard push of the external seal lever, it sprung open. I lifted the lid and slid the bike through the portal, only for the top of the fork to clip the edge.

“Bugger. Maybe if I adjust the suspension…”

I rested the bike on the hull, told Sunny to watch over it, and quickly descended down the ladder into the sub. In a cabinet, I pulled out a shock pump and carefully climbed back up as the sub rocked about ever so slightly in the waves.

Carrying bike and pump back to shore, I stood over the bike and applied adequate pressure, then re-calibrated the fork sag to the lowest possible setting. I lifted the hatch, raised the bike, and eased it into the portal. With a bit of wiggling, it slid through to the bottom.

“Awesome!” Sunny clapped.

I put the tools and parts back into their bag, then lowered my backpack, the skateboard, then the suitcase, down into the sub.

“Wait here,” I told Sunny as she excitedly hopped up onto the rocks. “I need to check on things.”

In the sub, I put the bike, suitcase, and backpack in their storage areas, out of harm’s way, before plopping down in the pilot’s seat and throwing a few switches. The engine hummed and grumbled awake, startling Sunny. The instrument panel gradually it up, and the screens blinked on. But my candle of joy was blown out a second later as I took note of the power readings: 60% fuel. I really needed to preserve this for any critical emergency usage in the future.

Yet the battery reading showed a level of 100%.

"What the – that’s impossible! It was barely half upon arrival!” I sputtered in shock, before shrugging. No complaints about more power.

“You can come down, Sunny!” I called up. 

The hatch opened, and the eager orange pony stepped through. I guided her hooves to the ladder and she gradually descended down into the main chamber. The moment her hooves touched the floor, she curiously peered at literally everything in sight.

“Is this what it feels like to be a school chaperone, or a father?” was a question burning through the back of my skull as I gave her a brief tour of everything in the sub – the hammock, the storage compartments, and the control panel.

“Who made this submarine?”

“My dad and I, together,” I said proudly. “It took a long time, but it was worth it. One last thing – the anchoring. Time to break free!”

I rushed back up the portal and released the mooring ropes, coiling them up and untying them from the sub. Immediately the sub started rocking about and floating away, nearly knocking me off balance. Grabbing a handle on the hatch lid, I swung myself over the edge, sealed the hatch, and climbed back down, expecting Sunny to be in the pilot’s seat, but she was just sitting calmly beside it like a big puppy.

“Let the journey commence,” I announced, strapping myself in and gently easing the throttle. With a brief jitter, the propeller whirred, and slowly started to move. I yanked the rudder lever hard, and it veered to the left, just barely clipping the anchor rock. The water looked a little mesmerizing, albeit dizzy as we turned a tight circle. Now that the sub was facing the cove’s mouth, I decided it was time for some fun, and stepped out of the seat.

“Your turn, Sunny.”

“B-but I –”

“It’s okay, I’ll show you,” I said reassuringly, as she clambered into the seat. I pulled a small lever and pushed the seat forward – just like in a car.

“Now you don’t need to stretch so much to reach the buttons and levers. Let’s start with the rudder – it’s how you steer,” I explained, pointing to a large black ball-headed lever in front of her. “Pull it to the left a little, and gently press the lever on your right a bit too.”

Sunny did as she was told, and her face lit up as she noticed the blue world around us move past at a steady pace while shifting to the left.

“Now we need to align ourselves with the exit, so pull back the opposite way – watch this little circle too,” I instructed, pointing to a small gauge with the letters RUDDER ANGLE on it. 

Sunny seemed to be a quick learner, and got the sub back to its original position in seconds. I then went on to explain the stabilizers and how they helped in rough seas, but warned her not to touch their controls. With a little more throttle, we reached a steady cruising speed of six knots.

“From the parking lot to the main road,” I chuckled as we passed through the cove’s mouth and into the main sea. “Might get some cross-winds here – hold tight!”

I felt the sub roll a little, but it swung the other way. The high pressure caused the sub to bob up and down, jostling us like a drunk puppeteer.

“More throttle!” I ordered, and Sunny pushed the lever down hard. The engine roared as we surged forward, leaning to the right as she gently pushed the rudder. I lunged for the stabilizers to avoid any excess roll as we turned at fifteen knots.

“Woah, that was fun!” Sunny exclaimed, a happy grin across her face.

“It was risky,” I warned. “Risky, but fun too. Shall we dive?”

“I like it on the surface, it’s nice and bright.”

“Alrighty matey. Surface it shall be,” I said in a mock Australian accent, as she hopped out of the seat. “You can sit beside me, or stand in the portal.”

Sunny chose the latter, and so it was – a young traveler at the helm of his submarine and a novice seafaring pony in the portal, enjoying the endless wide horizon, soft sea spray, fresh salty breeze on a northbound journey by the western coastline.

As the early evening started to roll in, we approached the western-most tip of the coastline – a curve inlet. Barely visible on the horizon inland were tall trees in a large cluster – a forest indeed.

“We have arrived! Land ahoy!” Sunny crowed, before jumping down the portal with a thud that nearly shook me out of my seat. I pulled out the periscope and swiveled it about, soon noticing the curve that I’d seen on the map in Argyle’s study.

“Are we gonna have to climb cliffs again?” Sunny groaned, peering up at the rocks and tall thin grass.

“Hopefully just a couple of meters this time,” I replied with a grin. “Let’s dock.”

I climbed up, holding the mooring rope with an anchor while Sunny gently steered towards the cliff, tweaking the speed a little bit each time. The anchor locked up just in time, and we gently bumped against the rock face. I shimmied down the portal and cut the engine, before pulling out even more rope and climbing equipment, and threw on my backpack.

An immeasurable amount of disappointment was all over Sunny’s face as we climbed out and stared up at the rock wall before us. This time, however, it was sloped with compressed layers of rock, and ascended for only about six to ten meters before giving way to tall grass and bushes.

“Hmmm,” I murmured, staring intensely at the cliff face and its structure, noting a tree right by the edge. “I could free-climb this, but you’d need a rope.”

Sunny simply nodded, and I fastened a grappling hook to one end of the rope and, whirling it like a cowboy, threw it straight towards the tree. It took a good ten tries, but I finally hooked it around a main branch. Next, I secured the other end to the sub and clipped another line to her carabine and fixated it to an anchor bolt.

“I’ll climb up halfway and implant this into the rock,” I explained, holding up the anchor. “This will be your safety catch, should you ever lose grip. The other rope attached to the tree will be to pull yourself up. Watch for any falling debris and dodge them. Wait for my signal.”

“Understood, Aiden.”

I swapped shoes and taped up my hands before dusting them in powder to increase grip, and lunged for a large, sturdy ledge in the cliff face. To my amazement, it held. What didn’t hold so well was my arm, and I felt a shooting sprain-like pain as my body weight sagged from the single-handed grip. I raised a foot and latched onto the surface, before reaching up for another gap in the rock face. And another. My arm was sore and painful, but I had a mission to complete for my friend – and I wasn’t about to quit now.

Four meters up the seventy-degree incline, I found a small crack to insert the anchor in. I squeezed it through, spun the screw thread, and added some fast-setting putty to hold it tight. After ten minutes, I clipped the rope to it and flashed a thumbs-up to Sunny, who began ascending. It appeared she started taking cues from me, as I noticed her usage of her hoof tips like a broad, flat claw to grip the rock face. What was astounding was how she used her molar teeth to grip the guide rope when her forelegs got a little tired.

“You okay?” I called down, as her back legs slid out and her body swayed sideways.

“Yewwwh, I’hm fiwhn!” she mouthed through the rope, before spitting it out and holding it against the cliff face with a forehoof. “Just tired and sore.”

“I… thought you Earth ponies were super-strong and all that,” I joked, catching my own breath for a minute. 

“Not with… ugh! Climbing cliffs,” Sunny panted.

“Damn. Well, as long as your hind legs can bend a little, you should be fine for a quick rest.”

I glanced over at the sub, which was gently bobbing in the small waves below us. It shouldn’t be that hard to get back down there.

Ten minutes later, Sunny and I resumed climbing. The poor pony was clearly ill-equipped for this activity and was clearly struggling. Yet, she didn’t give up. Even through the pearls of sweat oozing from her pretty mane, her face was one of sheer willpower. And I loved it.

“Keep it up, Sunny! You’re almost there!” I called out encouragingly, my own hands just a few feet from the grassy area by the base of the tree.

“Bmminn ufhwp!” she mumbled through the rope in her mouth. With a few more pulls and pushes, I eased myself up onto the grassy ground and sat down to rest, my droopy eyes watching over Sunny’s climbing carefully. Her limbs were quivering and her head looked a bit dizzy, but she was still moving upwards. Twice a hoof slipped, but she re-gained orientation and hooked it on a teeny ledge. Fifteen excruciating minutes later, she hurled her body up onto the grassy patch of earth beside me and flopped down, completely passed out from energy depletion.

“Aaaaand I forgot to bring a water bottle,” I gasped. “But I do have something in my pocket, Sunny. Here.”

I fished out two energy bars, and we gobbled them up in the warm glow of the setting sun.
> A Hornful Attack
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“So what’s Izzy like?” I inquired, observing the unusual body shape and colors of a couple birds flying nearby.

“She’s a fun, bubbly character with the innate ability to find wonder and joy in pretty much everything under the sun,” Sunny replied.

For a moment, I quickly tried to skim through my mind for any memories of when I had interacted with kids… which wasn’t much. My face squirmed a little as the memory-searching intensified. Sunny noticed.

“Have you met kids before on your travels?”

“Yeah I have, but hardly. Most of the time I inquire and consult with people on the other end of the age scale, though sometimes younger family members would be present.”

“Makes sense, given older folk would know more about the past,” Sunny quickly concluded.

The path to the forest was bumpy and sloped, with subtle dips and rocky crests. My worn-out, blister-laced fingers dreaded at the thought of rock climbing again, but thankfully there wasn’t anything that demanded a tough ascent. 

And just as well, as the remaining sunlight was dying – fast, with just a dim glow bathing the trees in a deep red glow.

“Flashlight?” Sunny pointed to my backpack.

I tugged at a side pocket zipper and pulled out a small aluminum tube. Flicking it on, we scanned the horizon and spotted a line of trees up ahead by about a mile. Beyond that stood a short mountain range – a likely offshoot of the ones by Zephyr Heights. 

“Pay attention to the ground,” I advised Sunny, as we stepped through metre-tall grass. “Sometimes small animals are hidden, and also the ground level can change up without warning.”

We took turns testing the ground and shaking the grass with a large stick to alert any critters resting or lurking in the foliage. One final downward slope later, and we arrived at the western border of the forest. Panning the flashlight across the upper branches of the tall leafy trees that lined the edge, I noticed a few interweaving vines and a couple broken branches, with a bunch of flower buds snipped off.

“Someone’s been here,” I whispered. “At least it’ll give us some sense of direction.”

Now scanning the tree trunks, I located a wide gap between four trees, directly below a couple thick braided vines hanging.

“What’s got you so focused?” Sunny asked softly as we stepped into the blackness between the trees.

“Traps,” I mouthed back, scanning all the paths from the vines above down to the ground. “Or somepony simply climbed up to get some flower buds. Can’t really say.”

Having failed to find any loops, springs, or weights, I moved on through the darkness, visually absorbing as much as I could – the lay of the ground, the patterns of the leaf litter and twigs, and any movement. After tracing the form of a previously trodden path, I soon spotted a glowing flicker of light off to the right – its bluish-yellow color identifying as a blend of moonlight and artificial light. A clear indication of a small town in a clearing in the heart of the forest.

“This place feels rather unfriendly without the sun,” Sunny nervously confided.

“You scared of the dark?” I teased, snapping a low-hanging branch and tossing it aside as we stepped over a log. Almost immediately I heard muffled hoofsteps, and the subsequent hushed voices flowed clearly through the trees. The tree villas of Bridlewood – straight out of Middle Earth - were just a few meters away.

“I think you should give them a heads-up,” I thought out loud, but Sunny didn’t seem to hear. 

“Hello?” I called out, stepping between two trees, taking care not to upset a delicately planted row of flowers. Not a peep could be heard.

I leaned forward and peered around a street corner, right as a colored blur shot straight at me from the opposite direction. I yelped and threw myself backward, a pin-sharp horn missing my neck by inches. A thud and a shudder rang out as the pony in question crashed into the tree villa.

“Eeee-yaaaa!” a battle cry rang out, as unicorns dropped from the trees, all aiming right at me.

“Stop!” Sunny cried out, as I ducked and blocked a hoof-punch, before dodging another spearing and flipping the furious mare on her head. The backpack flinging around caused me trip backwards… then a spark ignited in my head.

I did a judo roll and slid the backpack off me, yanking a zipper. I pulled out my Turkish dagger and brandished it to the face of another unicorn who’d charged at me. Unfazed, he lunged out his neck to stab me, and I delivered a strong uppercut swing. The blade struck his horn with a loud clang, and parks of glowing magic flew as he howled in pain.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Sunny being pulled behind a tree – presumably for her own safety. More war-cry voices rang out, and in seconds I was surrounded by seething horned warriors.

“FREEZE! I AM NOT YOUR EMENY!” I bellowed, brandishing my sword in front, keeping my back to a tea house. In the distance, a faint pop could be heard. The first attacker had finally pulled herself free. 

“Where is Sunny?” I demanded, locking eyes with them. “Bring her here. Now.”

A grey stallion shakingly nodded and ran off, as the crowd parted to make way for a unicorn with a green-black disguise outfit.

“Who are you?” I asked, peering to get a clue.

“Maybe you should answer your own question,” came a reply. It attempted to sound menacing, but my ears could sniff out a suppressed happier undertone.

“I am Aiden. Sunny Starscout is my friend. She let me stay at her lighthouse.”

“It’s true.”

The night air stood stiller than a dead branch as a distraught and upset Sunny appeared, her face fallen. I gave her a tiny, warm smile before turning back to the unicorn.

“I have answered. It’s only fair that you take the next turn.”

The unicorn lifted a hoof and pulled at a few thin vine strings, and her solider outfit fell to the floor, revealing a wavy, curly purple mane and a soft, fuzzy body. I couldn’t believe my own eyes.

“I-Iz-Izz…” Sunny stuttered in shock. For a moment our eyes – Izzy and mine plus Sunny’s – were locked in bewilderment.

“You…” was all Izzy could get out, before Sunny rushed in.

“Izzy, did we not say that a friend of mine is a friend of yours?” The pain bled out in her voice, causing the misunderstanding to weigh heavily on every unicorn’s shoulders. 

Not wanting the rapidly rising emotional distress to get out of hand, I raised my voice to take charge of the situation, while keeping it non-threatening.

“Sunny, find those who are injured and take them to the herbalist’s house. You –” I pointed to a large elderly pony – “Please keep the morale of everyone in line.”

“Why should I?” he challenged.

“We are on the verge of establishing understanding and peace,” I countered, holding a tender smile. “Let’s work together to strengthen it.”

As the crowd was led away, I tossed the dagger aside and sat down, arms and palms outstretched. “Izzy… Izzy Moonbow. Come here.”

Her lips quivered as she let out a muffled sound, one that was indiscernible as to a sigh or a cry. She stepped forward, and gently rested a hoof on my palm. I caressed it with my other hand, staring at her cute little forehead.

“I can’t truly know your pain, as I’ve never willingly attacked a potential friend,” I confided. “You have every right to defend and protect, and I know where that comes from. Love. You need healing. Take me as your bandage.”

Her head rose, and our eyes locked – this time with a soft, open-air aura to them. I slid my hand up behind her ear and gave the fur a soft, gentle scratch.

“Aw, that’s… actually nice,” she said, managing an awkward smile and blush. I amped it up a little, and the blush turned into a joyful giggle.

“You know, I gave a gift to Hitch yesterday,” I said with an audible smile. “It’s only fitting that I give it to you too.”

“Th-thanks,” Izzy replied softly. “Where is it?”

All at once, I gripped her behind the shoulders, pulled her into my embrace, and nuzzled her soft, fuzzy neck. The sobs and sniffles returned as she held my shoulder blades. I gently patted her back and whispered in her twitchy ear.

“And there’s a lot more gifts to come.”
> Sherlock and Cinnamon Rolls
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aside from using their horns in fearless defense, the second trait I noticed with unicorns was their love of freshly brewed tea – and strong tea at that! It felt like a botched Starbucks order on my tongue, but a few extra sugar cubes did the trick.

The atmosphere in the elderly pony’s – who I got to know as Alphabittle – tea house was also strong. I could feel the tension, shame, and agony amongst the dozen or so unicorns present as Sunny let ‘em have it.

“What has happened to you all? Have you forgotten everything I taught Izzy? We are supposed to learn and extend hooves of understanding and love to one another! No one, pony or not, deserves to be atta –”

“Enough, Sunny,” I ordered, giving her the same I-mean-it face my dad gave me when child me was incensed. Putting a comforting arm around Izzy, I turned to address the other ponies.

“I can only presume that you all were alerted to my impending presence, and that I was some sort of big, dangerous threat. The real question is, who or what alerted you?”

Once again, the night air fell silent, devoid of voices. I could tell many of them were already sleepy, but I wasn’t letting anypony go until answers and a common peaceful ground were collectively established. Two full minutes passed before a thick-eyelashed pony from the back spoke up.

“Shootie.” I cocked an eyebrow at her, and she paused for a moment before elaborating.

“An earth pony. He came to us with a warning about the arrival of a large foreign creature that would seek to trick and steal from us.”

I sputtered a muffled laugh. “And you believed a skinflint mare’s tale like that?!”

Alphabittle sighed sadly. “Yes, we did. He… just sounded so sure, so definite.”

I swallowed back any inclination to berate them and put on my detective hat.

“What did he wear?”

“A short cloak. You could just about peek at his cutie mark.”

“What did he look like?”

“V-shaped bangs, like a swept-back mane pulled forward. Tail wavy, kinda like your hair. Bluish-beige in color.”

“How long was the mane?”

“Just stopped above the shoulder.”

“Anything else?”

“Hoof feathering was the same as body color – that’s very rare among all ponies,” Izzy added, finally finding her voice again. “A dull reddish-black color.”

After asking a few more questions, it became apparent that unicorns were not familiar with the tactics of manipulation. 

“You all look tired, but bear with me for a few more minutes,” I announced, “because this is very important. At a younger age, I lost things that were dear to me. A good number of potential friends, savings of money, and valuable items. How? I did not understand how to read people, and they took advantage of that in evil ways. For the sake of emphasis and time, I’ll give just one example – what just occurred here. Tell me, how would you verify if what Shootie said is true?”

Izzy eagerly opened her mouth, but I pushed her jaw up shut. I felt there was much more to her mental abilities I could learn about but refused to let it sabotage the moment.

“I would ask him where he obtained the sources of information,” said one unicorn.

“I would challenge his claims.”

“I would go out and ask around if anyone else knew about what Shootie spoke about – and also if he had already spoken to them before I did.”

I let out three short claps. “Bravo. Last question: where is Shootie now?”

“He mentioned heading to Zephyr Heights to warn them of the incoming danger.”

Izzy and I shared a look. This was not good. If Zephyr Heights had an established kingdom and an IT infrastructure, clearing up the whole misunderstanding would be even harder. But recovery was still needed – in a different form.

Alphabittle gave an open-hoof gesture, as if to request something, and I gave him the go-ahead to contribute.

“Anything else, Aiden?”

“Yes. Sleep. You need it, and so does Izzy and me. Also, the pony whom I struck across the horn? I’ll be paying him a visit first. He can get all the hugs he wants from me.”

“Noted,” Alphabittle replied with a grin. Sunny, Izzy, and I all left the teahouse. Outside in the grass, my dagger was still where I left it in the grass. After some searching, I found the sheath near my backpack. Picking both up, we all headed for “La Villa Izzy”.

As we entered, I didn’t even bother to request a spare bed and just flopped down on the floor, completely exhausted from climbing, walking, and brief armed combat. Unbeknownst to me, an orange and a purple pony rested my head on a pillow and draped a cloth over my form.

I awoke to the sound of rolling castors and some mechanical gears turning. My droopy eyes shot open with awe as I watched a table unfold like a flower to reveal six “leaves” – each with a little tea cup. “Wow.”

“Oh, good morning, Addie!” Izzy exclaimed, happily trotting over and brushing the straggly hair out of my face. “Care to join with tea?”

“Sure. Just… you got a bathroom?”

“Absolutely! Down the hall, first door on the right.”

“Thanks.”

After a quick wash-up, I sat on the colorful stone floor and sipped some fresh, warm herbal tea with Izzy and Sunny. This time, it was considerably less potent than Alphabittle’s brew, and savored every swig in silence. I looked over at Izzy, who just beamed back at me in a comforting way, as if she had never attempted to kill me less than 24 hours ago. Even after our healing hug, I still felt I owed it to her.

“Let’s see if it’s survived the ordeal…” I grimaced, opening up my backpack and sifting through it, before my hands landed on a sheet of cool, smooth metal and glass. “Ah, here it is!”

I pulled out the iPad Pro, checking for any damages. There was a slight dent on the underside edge, but the screen was fine. Hardly had I held the power button did Izzy come scooting over in excitement.

“That’s the logo – Apple.”

“Speaks for itself,” Izzy mused with a tiny chuckle. “Wow! I didn’t know phones could be so big!”

“Haha! This is a tablet,” I explained. “Almost like a phone, but has a few minor differences – well, besides size, of course.”

With the lock screen now lit up, I quickly typed in the password. Izzy’s eyes lit up like gems as the apps zoomed into view like little multi-colored dots.

“You’re just a precious cinnamon roll, Izzy,” I cooed, tickling her behind the ear, resulting in sweet giggles and a bodily nuzzle… and a question.

“What’d you mean?”

“If you love someone you tend to refer to them by something sweet, case in point…” I tapped the Photos app, flicked to the Food album, and opened up a photo I took at a bakery shop in New York. Both ponies’ eyes and mouths bulged like balloons… and a shriek rang out.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAOMGTHISISSOBEAUTFIULANDSWEEETICOULDJUSTTASTETHOSESOFTPASTRIESWITHALLTHESUGARAND –”

“I can make this,” I interrupted, holding Izzy’s bouncy leg in an attempt to calm her hyper-stimulated nerves. “Provided you have the ingredients, of course.”

“Tell me!” Izzy asked eagerly.

I flicked the Photos app closed and pulled up a PDF document of recipes I had collected, scrolling through them until I found one titled “nyc cinna rolls”.

“Okay, let’s see, milk, sugar plus the brown type, baking powder, salt, oil, cream cheese... yep! This is doable.”

I slipped the iPad into a clear bag so it wouldn’t get dirty and let Izzy go ham in the kitchen.

“How do you get those ingredients here?” I inquired, nervously side-eyeing the kitchen to ensure my precious tablet didn’t get smashed.

“After magic was restored, a small effort was made to form trading relationships and agreements. Farmers in the northern hills of Maretime Bay started exporting grains and milk products to Bridlewood, who provided spices, herbs, nuts, and some fruit in return. And the result was exactly as you have tasted in that soup café – an exceptional increase in quality food across both towns. A discussion with Zephyr Heights about metals and rare earth materials is in the works too.”

“Amazing. Collectively enacting agreements and terms with trading is a great way to ensure all sides of the economical polyhedron are effective, beneficial, and just.”

It seemed like Sunny and I had a lot in common, and that our passions would only bring us closer together. But I still had ways to go in learning about and adjusting to my new horned purple friend.
> Meeting Botania
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Given her bubbly, excitable attitude, I honestly expected Izzy to be rushing around her kitchen and throwing stuff all over the place. But she didn’t – and in a mere hour or so, the first batch was ready.

“So how did I do?” Izzy asked excitedly, leaning in with a pleading grin.

“Hold your teacups,” I said, holding up a hand and shuffling over to the table. “You’ve just put down the tray. Let me find Sunny.”

I stood up and took off out the door, heading straight for the teahouse. Apart from Izzy’s home, there was no other place I recognized or was otherwise familiar with. Besides, I did express my objective to ask about unicorn history… so naturally Alphabittle would be a good start, given his age.

I tapped on the door twice and stepped inside. As in Maretime Bay, there were a few gasps but most remained calm, and a few even smiled at me with a couple good mornings here and there. Sunny was at a table in the far corner, talking with a senior unicorn mare.

“Hey,” I said softly, pulling up a wooden barstool. Right away the old mare’s head turned, eyes wide in astonishment. 

“This is the guy I was telling you about,” Sunny said, her voice a little slow and awkward.

“It’s good to meet you, ma’am,” I said with a warm smile. “My name is Aiden.”

The old mare reluctantly extended her hoof, and we exchanged a gentle handshake – one unlike any I had ever experienced before. Beneath her hands lay skin that felt like a thousand years of life in all states and phases. It felt like I was connected to the magic of the forest and the spirit of nature itself.

“I’m Botania Petals.”

“Wow,” I whispered silently. Her voice felt as fluid and wholesome as the leaves in the breeze. I might as well have met a Native American shaman or healer. Now I was convinced; if there was wany pony in Bridlewood who would know about ancient Equestrian magic, it was her. But first, I had to take care of breakfast.

“Rolls are waiting on you and I – and they’re getting colder by the minute,” I teased. “Let’s eat.”

“Botania’s been involved in the ancient Equestrian practices of spells and natural healing all her life,” Sunny said excitedly as we fast-walked back to Izzy’s house.

“Well, let’s hope inter-dimensional travel is amongst them,” I quipped, tapping a knock.

The door opened, and a slightly disappointed Izzy stood with a fresh batch of cinnamon rolls suspended with her telekinesis. 

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to be away that long.”

“It’s understandable, especially when – ”

“– You meet an older pony who knows about a lot old Equestrian magic and history?” Sunny piped up with a double hoof-kick floor tap that caused a great struggle for me not to chuckle with a blush at how cute it looked.

“…Yep,” I finished flatly, making my way over to the table. The first batch was surprisingly still warm, and Sunny and I savored every mouthful in silence as if we hadn’t eaten deserts in years. There was no doubt: my preserved recipe was revolutionary by Izzy’s standard.

“This is… amazing, Aiden!” Sunny exclaimed, her lips smeared with cinnamon paste. “We should offer some at the tea house.”

“Absotutely!” Izzy chimed in, scooping up the remainder and dropping them into a cloth-lined wicker basket. I retrieved my iPad from the kitchen, checked to ensure the stove was off, and we returned to the tea house. Right off the bat, I became the center of attention. It was as if the battle of last night had been wiped from their minds. Questions about the recipe and its history came pouring in. To thwart any possible jealousy, I gave Sunny a few gentle headpats to reassure her.

Eventually the circle was broken up by Alphabittle, who stepped in with a level of curiosity. One bite was all it took – his face lit up with delight.

“Can I have the recipe please?” he asked in a mockingly demanding manner. Unfazed by his teasing, I simply unlocked the iPad screen. He pulled out a quill pen and started writing it down with impressive dexterousness. We exchanged a hoof-handshake, and as I scanned the tables for Botania, the door swung open.

In walked the wise old mare herself, alongside a stallion with a bandaged horn. Guilt struck me as I knew who was behind that injury.

“How are you? Feeling alright?” I inquired, trying to look into his eyes. He caught sight of my own, and recoiled in shock with a jolt. For a moment it was unclear if he was just surprised, actually still fearful, or just confused.

“Let his hands be ones of care and support, rather than harm or malice,” Alphabittle encouraged.

The bandaged stallion stepped forward, and I softly beckoned him to raise his hoof. Slowly, he did, and I put my hand underneath and gently caressed it, all the while wearing a warm smile. His face relaxed, and I eased him up into my arms like I had done with Izzy, stroking his mane and neck.

“I’m so sorry I hurt you,” I whispered solemnly, giving his forehead a tender peck. “I never thought I could inflict such damage in combat.”

“I’ll live,” he replied sheepishly. “Name’s Branchie.”

“Cool name.”

I gave him a cinnamon roll and we promised to meet again after my quest was complete. 

Izzy, Sunny, and I all headed out the door while the unicorn townsfolk thanked me (yet again) for the cinnamon rolls and waved goodbye. Botania led us down a gravelly road to a small tree villa – half the size of Izzy’s. She ushered us inside and closed the door.

“Now, dear stallion, tell me, how did a… creature like you arrive in Equestria?” she inquired, sitting down in a leaf-adorned wooden chair.

Like a student before a martial arts trainer, I humbly sat cross-legged on the ground before her, then gradually explained the whole story (and what certain human items were) event by event – entering the Bermuda Triangle, the forces behind the vortex, getting sucked into it, the way my body felt, and resurfacing off the coast of Maretime Bay.

“… and in addition, I noticed before departing Maretime Bay that my battery levels were at 100% - full, basically. Before getting sucked into the vortex and upon arriving at Maretime Bay, they were approaching empty.”

Botania nodded and paused for a full minute before speaking. “I believe a spell was cast with a very high level of magic, some of which escaped through to your world and stirred up the vortex in that patch of ocean. There’s likely to still be some weaker remnants encircling your submarine due to the batteries on board. While I am not sure exactly what materials batteries use to store energy, it is likely that the magic from that spell has some sort of connection to it.”

“Cool, so now we just need to find out about this spell,” Sunny eagerly piped up. I shook my head at her giggity face, thereby wiping it off. 

As if she was reading my mind like a spiritual psychic, Botania continued. “There is an old tree in the deepest depths of Bridlewood, back when it was just a tiny scatter of a couple tree homes. In there used to live a pony who was an avid fan of Twilight Sparkle – researched and collected everything about her – books, scrolls, artifacts, everything.” She turned to Sunny. “Your father may have known her in his younger days, for I simply cannot imagine anypony else who would have such a degree of knowledge and information on Equestria’s past.”

“Do you know where this tree is?”

“Not exactly. By a rough approximation it’s a good afternoon’s walk to the north and east. I doubt you will find much there – it’s been abandoned for hundreds of moons. Some unicorns here don’t even believe it’s real!”

“Whereever it stands, we will find it, and survey for whatever remains,” Sunny declared firmly, standing up straight.

“Thank you for the insight on my observations about the submarine, Ms. Botania,” I replied humbly. “I do hope Sunny and I can locate the tree and find more historical information for this quest.”

“And I look forward to your eventual return,” she said with a grandma-like smile. “Best of luck to you adventurers. Here, take this.”

I held out my hand and Botania placed in it a rusty key and a yellowish-brown scrap of paper which threatened to crumble in my grasp like an autumn leaf; it was so dry! But I slowly opened it up to reveal a faded map. With the prospect of finding the tree feeling more promising, we set off, Izzy happily bringing up the rear.

“Do you think Botania knows a bit more than she initially let on?” Sunny inquired, but all I could get out was a “Yeah, felt that”. Under the warm glow of noon, the forest off the beaten path felt tranquil and mystical. The occasional butterfly flew by, and soft bird chirps harmonized above our heads.

“I do hope you’re not lost,” Izzy teased as I sat down on a log to rest and compare the path we’d just taken to the map.

“Not really,” I replied. Sunny hopped up beside me and we peered over the map together. There wasn’t much besides a couple streaked lines and rectangle-shaped marks, but with a closer look, I started to make out symbols, dashed lines, and arrows. A little sprouting plant was marked at the bottom left, with some arrows leading up and right, with a couple faded marks along its length.

“I wonder… yes!” I exclaimed, holding up the map to the treetops. A few spots began to glow in the sunlight. Sunny was so stoked she wrapped a hoof around my torso and pointed up to one of them. I stood up and squinted at it like a peephole in a door. The streaks made it hard to discern paths, but I soon managed to visually assemble the shape of a… rune by the looks of it.

“My God,” I breathed, gradually making out the shapes of a few others on the map. “You ponies have the same rune symbols as the ancient Norse clan back in my world. Exactly the same shapes.”

“Can you read them?” Sunny asked.

“Yes. I studied these as far back as middle school. There are a few other symbols too. Hold on… got it!”

“Got what?” Izzy asked, having been distracted by an orange glowing butterfly. Sunny’s face lit up, and I briefly explained.

“The symbols read a phrase that goes like this: ‘Walk a quarter of a day, to where the sun is split by a rift.’ There’s an asymmetrical X at a certain point, which indicates a gift. I can only presume the rest of the symbols are printed on trees somewhere. Let’s start looking and see if we find a pattern.”
> The Empty Tree House
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Besides the peace and tranquil of the forest came a sense of being enclosed as well. Unless you had a really good eye, trees and shrubs could end up all looking the same. So, we split the workload. I focused all of my attention on the tree trunks, while Sunny examined the ground and rocks for any markings. Izzy offered to hold the map and keep us on course, while listening for anything amiss. Soon the infamous phrase rang out.

“Are we there yet?”

“Nope,” I repeated for the tenth time, examining a tree trunk for any carvings. “This will take some time.”

Izzy groaned a little, but I ignored her and kept studying. Eventually, after half an hour of going every which way, I found the first rune engraving – in the shape of a backwards number 1.

“Too far west,” I announced. “We’re heading towards the sea.”

We turned around and headed back, this time turning slightly north. I heard a slight “hmmm” from Sunny, but no words came out. Moments later, I spotted another marking on the back of a tree stump, a letter M. 

“Eoh – horse, which could mean –” I began, before Sunny gasped in awe, pointing. “Look! Markers!”

It took a moment for my eyes to notice it in the leaf litter, but it soon became noticeable – three football-shaped stones jutting out of the soil in a row. A one-minute walk in each direction revealed another. And a little further out I spotted another rune with the letter R. Piece by piece, we worked out the path. Izzy had her ideas too – she cut a credit card-sized section of bark out of a tree every ten to twenty meters once we established a path.

And not a moment too soon, either! The forest got denser and denser as we closed in on the tree. Seeing through the leaves became increasingly difficult. Now every tree looked the same, and we had to constantly step over logs and duck under fallen branches. Izzy was getting tired, too.

“My head feels sore,” she moaned, rubbing her forelock.

“It’s ‘cause you’re suspending that map for so long,” Sunny remarked. “Let Aiden hold it now.”

With the lidded eyes of a migraine-bearer, Izzy floated the map over to me, and I gently plucked it from her magical grasp. Sunny kicked aside some leaf litter and dead branches to unearth anything below – and we soon found another row of three pointy rocks. And right in front of it was a birch tree with two carvings.

“Birch and sun,” I stated.

“That means we must be close!” Sunny exclaimed. “It’s now afternoon, so the sun’s rays should be split soon.”

Stepping through the dense undergrowth, a soft rippling sound cut through the noisy chatter of birds and other treetop creatures. It was too easy to recognize – flowing water.

“There’s a river here?” Izzy blurted in surprise, before catching sight of a rune herself. “Backwards 1. Must be close… there!”

She eagerly pointed to two trees with a vine arch over it, with long leafy branches hanging down, intertwined by thicker vines growing up from the ground. Bordered on either side were car-sized boulders, and the amount of low-hanging branches of a decent thickness were minimal. It was obvious that this was an entrance of sorts.

“Hey, look,” I said, noticing two runes that further cemented such a theory. “This means land or estate, and this one –”

“– Means a gift,” Sunny finished. “Got your blade?”

“Yep.”

I pulled the dagger out of its sheath and delivered a couple swift short hacks to the vines, cutting all the knots and loops. Sunny gave it a hard kick, and the severed vines jiggled loose. We pulled them free and tossed them aside, taking care not to leave any low-hanging loops that could trip us. Sunny and I brushed the leaves aside to reveal a sight that fit my description to the T.

A river ran in an S-shaped curve alongside a large old oak tree, with the afternoon sun shining on it, casting a large shadow that split the sunbeam into two.

“Where the sun is split by a rift,” Izzy breathed, gazing in awe at the tree and its surrounding bushes.

Stepping through the archway, we carefully descended down a rocky incline and powered across the grass, only to be stopped dead in our tracks as we realized we had to cross the river. It wasn’t that wide – a little over two meters – but all that remained of the bridge were rotted timbers and a rusted-out frame.

“Looks like we’re going to have to jump,” Sunny grimaced. “If we don’t make it across it shouldn’t be fatal – the river doesn’t look that deep.”

“Yeah, but the current will sweep you like a runaway train,” I warned. “Flowing water is no joke. But this is a risk we must take.”

I volunteered to go first, since I could easily catch them if things went awry. With a quick warm-up stretch and a five-meter running start, I dug my toes into the bridge’s last remaining sturdy timber rung and pulled my feet forward half way to extend my reach as much as possible. My feet dangled slightly… and hit the soft grass on the other side. Immediately I hunkered into a squat and yanked my torso sideways to avoid tripping backwards and rolled out towards firmer ground.

“YES!” Sunny crowed, hopping up and down with joy as I rose to my feet. My hands, knees, and hair were streaked with mud, releasing a good giggle from Izzy.

“You next!”

Izzy did the same run-up, spreading her legs like a kid pretending to be Superman.

“Tuck your back legs in!” I ordered, and she listened, pulling them forward like a cat. However, her strength was less than my climber glutes, and her back legs slid on the wet grassy edge, plunging into the cold water. I held a smile as I gripped her front hooves and pulled her up.

Now it was Sunny’s turn. Following my same routine, she gently flexed her legs to ease out the soreness from all the trekking we’d done, and took a full-on sprint towards the river. Crouching at the same bridge timber rung I had, she sprung up with all the strength an earth pony’s back legs possessed, leaping forward in an arc like a cat. Her front legs slid into the soft earth as her shoulders pulled her muscular body even further forward, and hind legs slid under with a thud open landing right next to Izzy. 

My mouth fell open in awe. Sunny really was athletic… just not in vertical climbing.

“Glad you made it. Now let’s find what Pixie Hollow has to offer.”

“What’s a pixie?” Izzy wondered.

The porch was elevated with a few wooden steps. I heaved myself up so as not the damage them, but Sunny and Izzy just happily trotted up. The entrance was adorned with a curtain long since faded and tattered. Izzy happily rapped the door’s old wooden beams with three knocks.

“Hellooooooooo! Anypony home?”

“It’s been abandoned for decades,” I chuckled, gently pushing it open with a shake and a screech. 

I ducked my head under the doorway and we all stepped inside. The floorboards were split with plants growing out of them and creaked loudly with every step. But Sunny and I were in awe at the capsule of time that surrounded us.

The doorways were arched, and there were five rooms – a bedroom with an ensuite, a study, a living room, a kitchen, and a library. We split up to investigate.

I opened the room to the study, and it swung open so quickly the top hinge nearly popped off. I grabbed the door and safely propped it back up.

In the corner lay a pile of old books, some with half their pages ripped out, a picture frame facedown beside it. A rusting mirror was propped above a small dresser in an alcove in the wall. The desk looked mostly intact, with a half-chewed paper clipped to the writing slate and the dried-up inkwell still sitting atop the elevated shelf, lit up by the sunlight spilling through a small semi-circular window. The chair was propped against the opposite wall, its front legs broken.

“This must’ve looked so nice back in the day…” I sighed sadly, crouching down on the worn-out soap bar-shaped rug to look under the desk.

There was an old wicker footstool, fragments of a smashed ornate flower vase, and a tuft of horsehair, surprisingly well-preserved. I snatched a paper off the floor and gently pried it free from the frayed fibers of the stool, then set it aside for later. 

Taking one of the books, I sat back against the wall and started to flip through it. Then another, and another. Most of it was botanical research and documented files of events in the life of its writer. After six books, I finally found a good lead: a report file folder with the title DIMENSIONAL SPELLS REPORT 005. I itched to read it but knew I wouldn’t understand a damn thing. Checking the rest of the room, I found a few more reports on powerful spells and the intricacies of magical connections to the natural elements of the world, and noticed a drawer under the desk. Pulling it open, I found a small chest – about the size of a pencil case.

“Bugger,” I muttered, noting the lock on it.

With seemingly nothing else in the room to investigate, I checked on my friends.

“Found anything yet?”

“You bet!”

Izzy bounded back into the living room with an old, rusty frypan and some bottles of liquid and powders. Not exactly related to ancient unicorn magic, but it piqued my interest nonetheless. Sunny then emerged from the library with three books precariously balanced atop her lower back. Her face was ecstatic with joy.

“Aiden, I found so many great books! There’s one on Twilight Sparkle’s friendship studies from her time at school, a book on how to work with crystals, and one with cool diagrams about all sorts of transformation and the dimensional aspect of magic, and –”

“Hold it, hold it!” I cried. “Let’s go through this one at a time, okay?”

“And I thought I was eager and excitable,” Izzy cheekily remarked.

Sunny, Izzy, and I sat down on the creaky wooden floor and began to examine each of the books. In perhaps the most unusual inter-dimensional coincidence, they were all written in English (mostly). The runes made a comeback, with detailed symbols denoting certain aspects of conjuring up the various forces of magic – most of which Sunny could grasp the basic concept of. For me, it was like deciphering alchemic hieroglyphs. But then something caught my eye in a book about dimensional magic.

Elements relating to dark matter, bending the relative scale…

“I recognize some of this terminology,” I told Sunny, opening the dimensional spells report. “There should be something related to it in here. Cross-reference it.”

Sunny peered over at the document and checked the reference points in the book. “Most of this is beyond even my understanding, but what I do understand is there seems to be a method of harnessing the earth’s natural energy – to an extent – to aid in conjuring up a spell which would use a type of crystal to store and control the magical force that would bend the stable state of relativity in a highly concentrated space, while keeping a fairly consistent empty void at its epicenter.”

“Hmmm, so this would then mean a disturbance to the polar opposite end in my world, where the current state of matter and energy is kept in a complex, intricately interconnected web of stability that never lets anything foreign in. Keeping in line with the concept of an epicenter, then there would be a point where that would taper off to infinity, only to disturb the same point of its opposite and merge to a degree,” I theorized.

“How much sea is on Earth?” Sunny asked.

“Almost three-quarters of it.”

“Wow. Okay, so it’s likely there was a test relating to water… or something within the water, conducted when this spell was cast. Let me check.”

I glanced up at the golden rays of sun shining through the deformed window frames. The day was on its way out. “Try not to make it a lengthy process.”

Sunny flipped through a couple more pages, then examined the report’s descriptions of tests, her eyes flitting back and forth as she searched for terms and event description matches. Then she opened up a book on crystals and began to look through that one. I opened my mouth to protest about time but Izzy held up a hoof, and for the first time my unicorn friend looked assertive and commanding. Finally, Sunny gave a verdict. 

“Some time ago, the Crystal Mirror was destroyed. It was a portal for Twilight Sparkle to travel to the human world – or at least from some of my father’s drawings, an alternate-looking version of it. Despite this, some of the crystal fragments were later recovered, and an attempt was made to re-assemble them, presumably in the hopes of re-establishing the inter-dimensional connection. To determine if the connection was correct – meaning, to the correct world, certain metrics were to be scouted for once the inter-dimensional link was established. Presumably these were materials or elements native to Earth. It seems somehow the energy on the other side got fudged and entered a place with a high concentration of abnormal activity pertaining to the behavior of those same natural elements. Instead of just pulling a sample to confirm the correct connection, everything relating to the metric scouting was pulled through the portal. That explains the underwater vortex.”

“But why though?” I asked. “Why that part of the ocean where I was specifically.”

Sunny shrugged. “A rotten bit of luck, I guess. But more probable is the materials which are in your submarine. There’s one place I know which would have knowledge of these materials.”

“Let me guess,” I mused, cutting in. “Zephyr Heights?”

“Correct-a-mundo, my friend! And that’s our next stop – or should I say step – to figuring out how this spell was cast, and if it can be successfully recreated in reverse.”
> A Dark Revelation
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Returning back to the unicorn forest village wasn’t as hard as I initially thought, with easy-to-spot jagged marks in occasional trees. Izzy seemed smarter than I perceived her to be. Sunny was, too.

“Isn’t it interesting,” she noted, as we sat down on the same log where we had first peered over the map, “that pegasi were mostly left out of the report? I wonder if the ancient unicorns of old were also trying to leave a legacy of horned supremacy behind for the generation to follow.”

“You’d be surprised at how prevalent that is where I’m from,” I remarked. “But I would refrain from assuming the worst. Whichever way we decipher this mystery, somepony has to cast the inter-dimensional spell. And I have a good feeling who it might be.”

Right as the last word left my lips, I could’ve sworn I heard Izzy’s tail twitch, but I ignored it and lay down in the golden bath of the setting sun’s rays. After a fifteen-minute rest, we continued in the opposite direction while keeping to the same path as we’d come from the village. Sunny was almost shuffling from tiredness and soreness, but Izzy was merely down to just below average of her happy-go-lucky energy. I was feeling tired too, but the hopefulness inside my heart kept me going.

We finally arrived in the Bridlewood village and headed straight back to Botania’s house. Unfortunately our door knocks fell on silence, even after three tries.

“Just leave her,” I said, patting Sunny’s shoulder. “We’ll talk in the morning. It’s been a long day of forest trekking.”

Back in Izzy’s house, I revealed the mini chest from the study room, and my pony friends gasped in awe before quickly suggesting the key Botania had given me.

“Let’s see,” I whispered, pulling it out of my pocket and gently pushing it into the lock. But no matter what, it just wouldn’t fit. Observing the key enacted a chuckle from me as I headed to the kitchen sink and drizzled some vinegar over it, gently rubbing with a paper towel. Gradually the rust and flaky surface wore off, and the key slid in first try. I gently turned it, resulting in a click! sound as the lid popped open. 

Inside there were two small rolled scrolls of paper and five cone-shaped rocks, with a metal capsule – about the size of a small pen, only twice as thick.

“Huh. Wonder what these are for,” Sunny pondered.

“Let’s figure it out in Zephyr Heights,” I yawned. “Right now we gotta regain our energy and hit the pillow for the long trip ahead of us.”

There was no argument to that – we freshened up with the washbasin and ate some olive herb bread with a siding of fruit. I had to admit; Equestria had some exceptionally good food. If this was what Bridlewood could offer, I couldn’t wait to taste the grand offerings of Zephyr Heights.

I laid back on the floor but Izzy pushed me up with her hooves, a tough, confident look on her face.

“No way am I gonna let you flop down on the hard ground like that. Come sleep with me.”

I couldn’t help myself – the blush came burning a little. “Uh, um… okay, thanks. How big is your bed?”

“Aaaaaa hahahaaaaaahahaha you silly colt!” Izzy laughed, dragging me upstairs. “I have a guest bedroom.”

“Oh alright that makes much more sense. Thanks again.”

I set down my backpack, dagger, and the small wooden chest, locking up the latter to avoid misplacement or spillage. Pulling off my socks and shoes, I stretched out on the wooden bed, wincing as it creaked under my weight, but held well. Just as my hands reached for the rolled-up blanket Sunny stepped in, looking fresh and clean, albeit still with her mane braided.

“Hey, what’s up?”

“Um, can I…”

I lazily bit back a chuckle. “Of course. Make yourself comfortable.”

The warmly content smile on her face washed away any initial doubts about bed sharing or fears about the bed’s structural integrity. With Sunny curled up beside me, I pulled up the covers over both of us and lay my weary head on the feather-stuffed pillow. Needless to say, it took a while to fall asleep due to a painful feeling searing through my left arm and hand which were struggling to stay away from her mane and shoulder.

Even before awakening, I felt warmer than last night, which only prolonged my sleep. However, the loud trill of two birds jostled my eyes open. I blinked and reached to push back the covers… only to see Sunny soundly snoozing. On my chest. And subtly cradling my torso like a teddy bear whilst making soft comfort noises.

For a moment I froze, my mind a blurred mix of shock, endearing love, and concern. Did she somehow detect that I wanted to pet her? Did I accidentally do so while asleep? Should I just let her wake up instead of pushing her aside? Before I could think too much of it, a yawn jarred my tense brain back into the real present moment.

Sunny stretched her forelegs up my chest and caressed my arm, thereby boosting my levels of conscious awake-ness. With a slight sigh, I let my heart and muscles succumb to the undeniable power of sweet cuteness these ponies possessed. 

“Good morning, Sunny Bunny,” I said softly, gently stroking her silky-smooth mane and warm fuzzy fur. “Did I provide extra comfort?”

Now it was Sunny’s turn to blush as I let a twinge of cheekiness flash in my eyes. “Y-y-yeah, you felt warm and comforting, so I figured… why not, you know? Since you’ve been so, well, caring and loving, and…”

There was a clip-clop of hooves, and Sunny’s words died on her tongue as we both were alerted to the presence of Izzy standing in the doorway for who knows how long.

“Looks like you two had quite a pleasant sleep,” she remarked. “Come, let’s get a friendship breakfast going.”

Over a meal of warm porridge with berries and wildflower honey, I laid out my plan for how to get to Zephyr Heights.

“Using a cart, Sunny could likely carry most of my luggage, since I’ll pack light. We’ll walk there and I can meet royalty directly, and –”

“Can I come with you, please?” Izzy pleaded, eagerly leaning across the table, and I had to laugh.

“ ’Course you can, Miss Purple Cinnamon Roll. It’ll take some effort, but we can build a harness extension for you.” Now even I had to grin at my own excitement at the prospect laid on the table. I was going to let a unicorn feel the joy of flight.

Izzy giggled with a blush at her new nickname, and Sunny snickered at me whilst still holding a quizzical expression. We dropped by the tea house and hooked up with a rigging specialist – Ron Roper. Izzy paid him in advance with a couple bits, and he gave me a ten-meter lead of vine rope as an honorary gift. Motivated, we all set off for the coast. Thanks to the whole-grain breakfast, Sunny and I’s bodies were fueled up, and our buff legs made mincemeat of the hilly grassy terrain. Within minutes, we’d reached the cliff edge.

“Whoa, it’s all the way down there?” Izzy gasped, peering down the steep gradient. “And you sailed all the way from Maretime Bay?!”

“Yup,” I nodded proudly. “Been through thousands of miles of lakes and seas. Now time for a different way of travelling.”

I shot a warning glare at Sunny to not reveal the secret just yet, and with help from Izzy, the two of us rappelled down the cliff face. Sunny quickly realized she could descend with controlled slides, and thus was easily able to keep up with me. In just over twenty minutes, we reached the bottom and clambered onto the submarine hull. I unlocked the hatch and we stepped down inside.

I opened up the large storage area and set aside the mountain bike, then pulled out a large sausage-shaped box, a large bean bag chair-sized bag, and a sit-in harness with a black frame attached to the back. Sunny eagerly opened her mouth to inquire but I held up a finger, before quietly proceeding to sit down in the hammock and go over everything I should bring to Zephyr Heights. After hum and ho and making firm decisions, I opened up my backpack and a duffel and began re-organizing and packing. Sunny helped too, passing items to and fro. But as I opened up a cabinet door, Sunny’s eyes caught on to something I wished she’d never see.

“What’s that?” she asked, pointing at two black hard-edged cases as a third of the blood drained from my face.

“Weapons of the kind that no pony should ever see or know about,” I replied quickly and flatly.

“Oh,” Sunny said in a regretful tone, but her face still displayed curiosity. “What kind, exactly?”

“I wanna know too!” came a familiar voice through the portal. Now I really was stuck. But in my freeze, I heard my dad’s voice to my mom:

“The more you try to hide it, the greater the inquisitiveness grows beyond your power.”

I bit my lip and slowly pulled out both cases, laying them out on the ground. “Come on in, Izzy.”

After a subtle glare that read please-look-away, I typed in two four-digit security codes and one by one the locks sprung free. Both ponies leaned forward in curious earnest as I lifted the lids to reveal two handguns, two backup magazines, packets of ammunition, and conceal-style leather holsters.

“What are these?” Sunny asked slowly.

“Guns. Handguns, to be more accurate,” I replied. “One is for close combat, the other for slightly farther targets that need a firmer strike. They serve one purpose: to hit a target – and if that target is a living creature, kill it.”

Izzy looked up at me in pitiful disbelief. “Why… would you own such terrible items?!”

I nodded slightly. “I know. Believe me, there are times when I just want to remove these two soul-suckers from my life, yet sometime later they end up saving it.”

It didn’t take long for that understanding to register with them both. I reached to close the safes but Izzy spoke again with another hard-hitting sentence.

“Can I see how it works?”

“No. It is far too dangerous.”

“Please? Pretty cupcakes please?”

“No.”

“I’m not afraid of anything.”

Sunny confidently backed up her friend. “I once saw her drill down a tree once with her horn. With her… horn.”

My eyes widened in shock, and a little part of my mind got an idea. “Alright.”

“I can imagine each one is ready for use,” Sunny commented, and I couldn’t help but smile at her already knowing Gun Rule Number One.

“Let’s start with the big boy,” I began, lifting out the larger of the two. “This is a M1911 – named after the year it was invented. Often guns are referred to by the width of the bullets in inches or millimeters, so you could call this one a .45, and the other one a 9. Izzy, pass me that.”

I pointed to the pre-loaded .45 magazine, and Izzy floated it over to me. I shut the safes and locked them, and we stepped outside into the sunshine. Atop the hull, I explained the terms and the basics of gun mechanics, along with how the three mechanisms – mag release, safety, and slide lock – all worked. Finally, it was time for the shot.

“Take that mag, and now you slide it up and click! in place. Make sure the slide lock is on and slide back the top,”

“Which pushes a single bullet up into the chamber,” Sunny interrupted, quickly catching on.

“Exactly. Note my index finger is on the side, off the trigger, and the tip is pointed away from anything I wouldn’t want to destroy. Now grip tight with a firm stance, ‘cause it’s gonna shake with recoil. I’m sure you know this from bows and arrows, granted you have them here. Now stand aside and back.”

Keeping as steady of a stance, I sat on the portal, held my arms out, pointed at a good-sized branch of the tree at the edge of the clifftop, and squeezed the trigger.

BANG! SNAP!

The empty cartridge jumped out into the water with a quiet plop. The bullet struck half of the branch, bursting the wood into tiny pieces and causing it to flop over. An echo resonated across the rock face, while a gentle breeze blew the splinters over and they wildly danced down towards us. Izzy shrieked.

I slid my finger off the trigger and slowly turned my head towards her. “Now you know. The other one is speedier and would likely have made a cleaner shot. But it’s hard to say given how far the tree is.”

“My ears hurt,” Sunny whimpered, rubbing them with her hooves.

“Sorry,” I apologized, giving her a little headpat. “Mine are a little shaken too. I should’ve told you both how loud a gun can be. Now let’s get that harness thingie out of the sub.”
> A Winged Revelation and A Campfire Horror Story
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The salty sea air stood still as we collectively used Ron’s vine rope to haul the paramotor components up the cliff incline. it wasn’t easy. Squeezing the main frame out of the portal was a challenge in itself, and bearing significant weight, it took three tries and a near fall to get it consistently moving up.

Sunny and Izzy pulled from the top while I pushed, given my greater foothold on the cliff than their hooves could. Groans and moans of exertion could be heard, but a word was spoken. I silently whooped a “Yes!” as the main frame landed safely at the base of the tree, but that was all. Hauling up the other items wasn’t too difficult, and by noon, all six items were hauled up to the clifftop.

Sunny sat by the tree, staring blankly at the maimed branch with an indescribable face. Izzy looked rather normal, but I could sense from her body language there were even more questions. Might as well give up the goat, so to speak – but don’t initiate it.

“Ready to go?” I asked, sliding on my backpack and gripping the paramotor frame.

“Ready as ever,” Sunny replied, a slight unsteadiness in her faux confident voice. She trotted over to the box and pushed it with her head, which was admittedly rather nerving. Izzy used her unicorn magic to lift the propeller, and I took the duffel with my other hand, clipping the wing bag to the top of the paramotor frame.

Barely a quarter of the way through the forest and Sunny was sweating bullets pushing the box. Coupled with the handgun demo prior, I really felt awful.

“Leave it,” I said softly, patting her shoulder. “I’ll come back for it. Let’s go.”

“Okay, hah, thanks,” Sunny panted, and we carried on our way, soon arriving in the forest village. Alphabittle was there to greet us, and I shook his chunky hoof with a smile.

“Ooh, what do we have here?” he inquired with a sly smile, observing all the bags.

“This isn’t even the whole package,” I laughed. “Still one that I’ll bring in a moment. If you can keep them off to the side and ensure they aren’t touched.”

“Will do.”

I propped up the paramotor frame, set down the bags, and dashed back into the forest for the box. There was not much difficulty locating it; it had a bright red lid and a white label. I lifted one end up and dragged it through the forest, clearly indicating my return.

“You may come watch, but it’s not necessary,” I announced, as several unicorns gathered, before dispersing. Clearly their curiosity levels were considerably lower than Izzy’s. However, Ron Roper stayed. 

“Now, let me explain,” I began, opening up the box and the duffel. “This is a paramotor, or powered paraglider. Sunny knows ‘cause I’ve shown here photos and a video of it, but I’ll reitereate. It’s… basically a chair with a giant block and a fan strapped to the back.”

I pointed to the round bag. “This… giant mushroom, holds a wing. It’s curved and made of special fabric, with thin ropes attached to it to control it. Clip them to the chair, get a head-run into the wind on flat land, and away you go.”

“Sounds like fun,” Ron said. “And how…”

His voice cut out as it was replaced with a joyful gasp and shriek from the other two, as they connected the dots of my plan.

“You’re going to go flying?!”

“AND TAKE ME WITH YOU?!”

“Yes, Izzy!” I said with a grin. “We’ll start halfway on the route and –”

There was not a need to complete my speech as my midriff was warmed by the engulf of purple unicorn forelegs. Instead, I jumped to the next one. “And that’s where you come in, Ron.”

Pulling out my toolset from the duffel, I began to assemble the paramotor, starting with bolting up the propeller hoop and tightening the netting. Next, I inspected the wiring, clip rings, and buckles to ensure everything was properly rigged and in working condition. Finally, I assembled the footrest and installed the propeller.

“Looks amazing,” Ron breathed, smiling in awe.

I sat down in the chair and buckled up, as if ready to take off. “Now, Izzy can sit in my lap, here. What we need to do is make a harness to securely and safely hold her, connecting it to the main harness.”

Ron and Sunny both seemed to get a grasp of the mechanics and began sketching out some ideas on paper. I shortened the cross-torso strap so it’d fit more snugly, and wrapped the vine-braided straps diagonally across the intersection of the main harness’s side straps and the cross-torso strap. After some test sits, we agreed to extend them across Izzy’s shoulders and onto D-rings by the seat’s bottom left and right edges. Likewise, the leg straps would clip onto the same D-rings.

Ron used a “spring-tongue” mechanism (originally developed for use in Alphabittle’s competition games) to clip on the ropes and link them together. It worked well under stress tests, but the fact he made them out of hardwood was just mind-boggling. Finally, it was time for some test fits. There was no need to tell Izzy anything – she just jumped right into my lap. 

“Now this clicks here, and your feet go through these loops,” Ron and I guided her.

I slid my feet off the footrest and attempted to stand. Oh boy, was this heavy! I felt like deadlifting at the gym. But with half a dozen tries, I was able to comfortably lift and walk. Running would be nigh impossible, unless…

I unlooped a portion of the leg straps and squatted a little.

“Izzy, can your hooves reach the ground?”

“Yeah.”

“Awesome. Let’s run.”

So, with some encouragement from Sunny the cheerleader, we practiced running up and down the widest road in the village, learning our tripping points and our soreness points. After an afternoon of practicing with three breaks, we began prepping to leave. 

Before daylight faded, I showed Alphabittle and a few other unicorns where the sub was, and they promised to check up on it regularly and ensure it was safely secured to the rocks. We made more cinnamon rolls and distributed the payload evenly – I clipped the wing back to the top of the paramotor frame and slid the tent bag between the seat and the frame, securing it with a few cords. A kind senior mare lent Sunny her cart, and I plopped the duffel and backpack in it, along with my skateboard and a sealed basket of the cinnamon rolls. Alphabittle kept the propeller hoop box in a closet in his teahouse, promising to keep it safe.

“One more thing,” Izzy asked, pointing to the propeller. “Does it get… loud?”

“Not as loud as the M1911 but close. Got a hoodie by any chance?”

She rushed into the house and brought back a pair of green earmuffs and a pink hoodie with some balloons and candy wrapper printed on it. I stepped into the widest clearing and flipped the motor, gradually cranking up the throttle.

“Yep, totally fine!” Izzy declared with a confident grin.

With the preparation over, we made one final check to ensure everything was where it should be and worked properly, then hit the road heading east. Turns out, travel between Bridlewood and Zephyr Heights was fairly common, and so an eastward trail had been established that lead to a main double-lane gravel road leading straight across the grassy plains, valleys, and hills.

Glancing back down the road, the bordering trees of Bridlewood could just be seen, as the last of the sunlight faded. I scraped together some loose branches and Izzy used her magic to ignite a fire, while Sunny tried to figure out how to assemble my camping tent. It took a bit of frustrated attempts, but she got it upright and secured within half the hour.

Izzy pulled out some marshmallows and we gathered around the fire to rest and eat. It was pretty obvious other ponies had used this “rest point” before, as sitting logs and stones were already in place. Sure enough, the questions came firing back.

“When did you first get a gun?”

“Oh,” I began, taken aback that Izzy still remembered. “At fifteen. It was a loaner to my dad, who supervised me at practice ranges. I lost interest later when construction on the sub started and I got into history, archeology, ecology, and engineering. However, a close call during a drive in a rough neighborhood made me rethink it. It was a tough decision, but I went ahead and purchased the M1911 brand-new, right after acquiring my license and permits.”

“I had it customized with different-etched grips and dual-sided safety levers. Took a combat training course – but just the first stage. Not too unordinary – I’ve been in self-defense training since I was a kid.”

“I can presume this came in handy at one point on your travels,” Sunny said.

“Indeed. Though travelling can be tough, because every country’s gun laws are so different, some stricter than others. I made a country guide with the help of a lawyer who was a friend of my dad’s to ease the process.”

“Tell us a story!” Izzy exclaimed.

I sighed, before managing a slight sad smile. “Glad to say those are few and far between. Probably the worst one was in Mexico. A damn stupid move on my part to even attempt to visit such an area, and I regret it to this very day.”

“What were you seeking?”

“Blocks of stone that made up the wall of a temple, which stood at the top of a small hilly cliff right on a river’s edge. It was told to possess a load of clues to how the United States of America – the country where I’m from – and Mexico were interacting and coexisting at a certain point in time. However, I wasn’t the only one.”

Sunny’s eyes widened, and I began.

“It’s practically impossible to bring any guns into Mexico, so I had to apply for a registration and borrowed one there instead. Took ages, but was completed. I never spoke to anyone about it. For a couple weeks I familiarized myself with a town near the temple, then mapped out a route. No one had laid a stake of claim on the land, so at face I was safe.”

“Wrong!” Izzy mouthed.

“Big time. I left in the early morning, hoping to reach there shortly after sunrise. Unbeknownst to me, a gang was using it as a stash for illicit goods. We engaged in a shoot-out as the sun came up. Twice I nearly got pink-misted, and cut my fingers and scratched my legs trying to escape up a flight of stairs laced with a thorny bush. After a while I decided to wait them out, but they held their ground, with some quickly moving the goods while others tried sniffing me out. In the end, the blood of four mobsters was shed at the top of a tower, their bodies falling into the river below.”

“What’s pink-misted?” Sunny asked.

“It’s when you get shot in the head and the brain just bursts into a liquid matter that splatters out as you die,” I replied.

Izzy’s lips trembled, and I nodded sadly with a brief question of my own, but held onto it for a later talk.

“In the warm light of the risen sun, I find the carved wall, took a bunch of photos, and performed some forensic tests. But as I cut away some overgrown vine branches to reveal an additional part of the letter carvings, I find a red streak on the wall. I trace it down to the floor, where I notice a bright glint underneath the branches and leaves I had just cut. Excitedly, I reach down and pick it up, thinking it to be some rare gold artifact. But the moment my mind recognizes its form, I start shaking with horror and pain.”

“It wasn’t an artifact – it was a necklace with a rose-shaped pendant. And on the back was an engraved message: For Your Heart. The chain had been snapped in combat, and the wall didn’t mean anything anymore…”

I trailed off, my gaze sliding sideways as the back of my eyes started to burn. And for the third time in less than two days, the air stood uncomfortably still, only distorted by Izzy’s sobs, the fire’s crackles, and the distant sound of the gentle night breeze.

“I…I, had… no idea being a historian and archeologist could be so… tragic,” Sunny said shakily.

“It can be, but rarely. That town was already a shady place to begin with. Anyways, I extended my stay and spent the next two weeks in the mental ward of a city hospital. The gun I gave back, never wanting to touch it again, knowing whose blood had been spilt from its firing. I couldn’t face my family for an entire year after returning home, despite earning an honorary award for a research paper I wrote based on the findings. There was a rainbow beyond the red rain, however.”

Izzy’s face rose. “H-how?”

“Sometime later while in university, I took a short vacation to another state whose gun laws are more supportive and relaxed, and met lots of kind-hearted people who were proud of being armed. They instilled confidence in me to be fearless in defending myself where necessary. I got comfortable using guns for recreational use, too, and was given a Glock 19 as a gift – that’s the other gun I have, besides the one used to demonstrate. I rarely carry the M1911.”

“Any other times you’ve had to open fire on your travels?” she then asked, clearly still shaken.

“Only twice. Once in a home invasion, and the other to thwart a robbery. Sometimes I’d head down to the nearest range and sharpen up my skills, but that’s about it. In all honesty I shouldn’t have even brought them with me on this trip. It was an accident – I’d left them in the sub a couple weeks prior to departing and forgot they were there.”

“I can’t really blame you,” Sunny remarked drily. “If you’re constantly in uncharted territory and being amongst folks with a low degree of trustworthiness you’d be more than inclined to protect yourself, even if being permitted to do so is a hassle. And it seems to me in your world that the deepest secrets to the past tend to lie in areas with the least safety in the present.”

I yawned and sided up to Izzy, stroking her heavenly soft mane whilst flashing a warm smile at Sunny. “Perhaps I shouldn’t have told such a story. There’s no way either of you deserve to suffer the same mental trauma as I did. Let’s close up this day on a better note.”

I told them a funny tale of Ryder’s awkward mishaps when the two of us visited a library, and we all lay down to sleep – with Izzy curled up under my arm, just in case.
> Towards the Sky
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cinnamon rolls are one of the most amazing treats to eat, without a doubt. But as a starter meal in the morning, they are not ideal. Mere minutes into packing up the tent and I could feel the sugar rush in my veins. Sunny was simply sounding and looking positive all-round, while Izzy was chatty and bouncy.

“At least she’s not bouncing off like a basketball,” I thought with a smile.

“Let’s keep moving,” Sunny declared. There were no ifs or buts about that. Our worn feet were now refreshed, so we hit the road and kept walking for another 45 minutes non-stop.

“My legs feel tired,” Izzy groaned, wiggling her forehoof.

“Would you rather have me carry you but leave the paramotor behind?” I teased.

“Oh um no-nah, nah it’s alright Aiden, my legs are fine, totally fine, yeah,” Izzy sputtered, and I bit my lip fiercely to hold back laughter.

We eventually took a rest at the hour mark, and I glanced around. Just a city block’s length off the road stood a couple of boulders. Climbing up, we sat back in the natural aura. The sky was dotted with blend of cirrus and cumulus clouds with the pale yellow sun casting widely over a wide grassland dotted with no less than four types of trees. I wiped my eyes and subtly shook my head in wonder at how beautiful Equestria could be.

Even Izzy, who had likely traveled down this path at least once before in her life, smiled with humble happiness.

“Everything those radiant rays touch, is ours to explore, observe and seek understanding and meaning from,” I began, pointing to the sun as I quickly realized the convenience of the setting. “But with such a journey comes great challenges and responsibilities – for one’s self, and for others whom they choose to form close positive bonds with during the journey.”

Sunny gave a nod – an affirmative, convincing nod of acceptance of truth, before adding some words of her own. “I am honestly glad you came into our lives, Aiden. You’ve shared so much with us in culinary and mechanical aspects, and been nothing but a source of love, support, and mutual connection.”

“Do you want an ear scratch?” Izzy teased, and Sunny fought back a blush, losing within the first two seconds.

“Come here, you two sugar pies.”

I coaxed Sunny into my lap and caressed her cheeks and gently scratched behind her soft plushy ears with one hand, whilst simultaneously giving Izzy the same treatment with the other. She rested her head on my shoulder and gave a soft, fluttery purr – a sound I had never heard any pony make. It did feel like being with Ryder’s aunt’s two over-endearing cats in the garden. However, our perfect wholesome loving moment was obliterated by a pleading shout coming from a line of trees in the southeast.

“Sunny! Aiden!”

My heart jumped as I immediately recognized the voice. We scrambled off the rock and soon spotted a familiar beige-yellow body sprinting out of the trees.

“H-Hitch?!” Izzy exclaimed in shock.

“Did you seriously run all the way here from Maretime Bay?” Sunny asked concerningly.

“Y…yeah, I did. Listen, Sprout’s escaped!”

“What?”

“Where?”

“I decided to detain him for a few days, then Queen Haven offered to extradite him to a maximum holding cell in the Zephyr Heights castle, but I just got a letter from the Pegasus Royal Mail that he wasn’t in the prison chariot upon arrival!”

“Which way did he escape?”

Hitch shakily held out a hoof, a clear indicator we were moving too fast. “Pipp texted me that the guards found a few blurred hoofprints heading west and slightly north.”

“There’s a clearing with an old monument there,” Sunny noted. “Could be a meeting point.”

For a moment I paused, then my fingers snapped with a crackle. “It all adds up. Equestria has a shape-shifting traitor sowing seeds of mistrust, fear, and division. Sprout has an accomplice who assisted him in changing his physical appearance, then came to Bridlewood to spread his dangerous rumors.”

Hitch nodded affirmingly. “It’s likely he somehow saw you and realized it was a golden opportunity to begin his antics all over again. Question is, who is that accomplice?”

“We’ll figure it out on our end,” Sunny declared proudly. “You take care of Maretime Bay as the honorary sheriff you are.”

I knelt down and put a hand on Hitch’s shoulder. “Trust me, it’ll be fine. Together, we’ll cover both towns.”

He smiled back at me and handed a small pouch. We gave each other a mock soldier-salute, before parting ways.

Grabbing our bags (and cart), we all headed back to the road and continued on our way, enjoying the sights and sounds of nature around us whilst pausing and taking sips of water where necessary. Finally, the tallest rock spires of the Zephyr Heights mountains came into view on the farthest horizon.

“Let’s camp here,” I ordered, setting down the paramotor. “To fly this thing takes a high level of observation of climate – the wind, especially.”

“Wish Zipp was here,” Sunny lamented. “She knows every aspect of wind stability down to the feather tip.”

I gestured to a side pocket of the paramotor seat and pulled out a vane and anemometer. “At least the basics can be calculated with these.”

“Cool! What is that?” Izzy leaned in eagerly.

“It’s a combo of two things – a vane and an anemometer. With it, we can measure speed and direction of wind as it blows. Hopefully the readings will indicate calmness, or we’ll have to either wait it out or call off the flight.”

A look of despair crossed Izzy’s face. “I sure hope it will.”

The next morning, we got up bright and early with the sun. I recited a little hymn poetry, and gave Izzy a little hoof massage. After a short breakfast of the remaining cinnamon rolls and sharing a flask of water, I took some stuff out of my backpack and laid out the plan.

“It is often said that a virtuous person should not be stung from the same hole twice, but I was. So let’s ensure the skin-hole isn’t penetrated for a third time. Sunny, I need you to proceed to Zephyr Heights immediately and send them a message of my arrival. Izzy, can you draw quickly?”

“Sure.”

I pulled out my notebook and a pen, and with some guidance, Izzy drew a rough sketch of my standing stature. I then added a short message:

To Her Majesty Queen Haven,

I shall be visiting your kingdom shortly. My arrival will be at your palace by way of air. With me I bring two of your 		daughter’s good friends, Sunny Starscout and Izzy Moonbow. Should you wish to detain me for a private questionnaire session, I shall humbly surrender, though it should not really be necessary.

Whichever way, I look forward to meeting and introducing myself to you, your guards, and the citizens of Zephyr Heights with an open air of friendship and peace. Above is a rough visual concept of my physical form.

Sincerely,
Aiden Walter Dixon

After adding my signature, I neatly rolled it up and handed it to Sunny. She slid it into her saddlebag and took off down the road like a Pony Express thoroughbred, still rigged to the cart.

“Now,” I began, turning back to Izzy, “We will test, then wait another thirty minutes before testing again. Rinse and repeat over a two-hour period. This will give us a set of data to observe and analyze.”

I powered up the iPad and plugged in the wind meter. Opening up an app, the two connected up.

“See?” I said, showing Izzy the screen with rapidly changing numerical metrics. “That’s real data on the air movement. If you can please hold it straight and raise it up as high as the cord will allow, thanks.”

Izzy gently grasped the wind meter in her unicorn magic as I guided her on how to balance it. Then she gradually lifted it up, and the three-meter-long cord began to unwind.

“And… stop!” I ordered, holding the cable to stop it accidentally unplugging or bending. “Keep it there for a bit.”

Five excruciating minutes passed as we waited for the slight breezes and gusts of wind to arrive. They soon came, and Izzy grinned at the fascinating sight of the little cups spinning around and the arrow jiggling in the blowing air.

“Okay, lower it down now,” I said, and we then examined the results.

“2.5 miles per hour with a gust of 5. Not too shabby.”

After waiting and testing and waiting and testing, the results were all in. An hour after the first test, the wind reached about 5 miles per hour, but the gusts didn’t climb above 11.

“Fairly safe, I’d say,” writing down the metrics in my notebook. “Let’s go.”

I slid the notebook, pen, iPad, and wind vane into the side pockets, since Sunny had taken my backpack. Izzy could barely sit still as I opened up the wing and laid it out perpendicular to the wind direction, carefully examining the lines to ensure no tangles. Timing with the next wind gust, I gently pulled on the line tips and the wing partially inflated and rose slightly, before letting it fall down in a smooth, even arc.

Next I carefully unpacked Ron’s vine rope contraption and securely hooked it all up. Izzy pulled on her hoodie and earmuffs. I zipped up my jacket, and strapped on my helmet. Now we were ready for takeoff. I shimmied into the seat and clipped on the wing straps, then Velcro-ed the throttle line to my left arm, slipping on the control glove. Izzy gently leaned up on me as I clipped the straps in place.

I pressed the starter and primed the motor in power stage 1, feeling rather nervous as the three-blade propeller whirred to life behind us. It had been a month since my last flight – and that was on Earth, solo! But I had a yearn to share the magical experience of flight with a wingless friend, and nothing would stop that!

Checking one last time that everything was safely in place, I threaded the brakes and A-lines through my hands, and angled my arms backwards.

“Ready to take to the skies, Izzy?”

“Ready!”

I pushed up into a squat and took off running Naruto-style with all my might. Izzy kicked the ground for added support as the wing started rising up like a banana-shaped balloon. Taking a smooth, deep breath, I slid my fingers off the A-lines and gently pulled the brakes, ensuring a fluid connection to the wing as I gave the motor a smooth but swift burst of power into stage 2, all the while maintaining my running speed as best my strained legs could handle.

“Left side straight and vertical?” I yelled over the buzz of the propeller.

“Check!”

“Right side straight and vertical?”

“Check!”

“Awesome!”

After a good fifteen meters my legs felt like they were going to explode. I cranked up the motor even more and felt a slight upwards pull – the signal to initiate liftoff. I squeezed the brakes a bit and we leaned back, letting the wing do the work. Izzy let out some hoofy-kicks, gasping with so much awe her horn sparkled like a glitchy Christmas light. I gently pushed out of my squat-run as the wing’s lift increased. We were airborne at last!

“Okay there Izzy, we’re gonna take this nice and easy!” I announced, smoothly sliding off the brakes. “Alright, keep on the speed, I’m going to shift into stage 4 of power in a bit.”

We glided over the grass and gradually gained height, soaring above the trees. I gently squeezed the throttle a teeny bit and banked left, just to get myself in line with my planned flight path.

“Whaaaaaaaaaaawwwwww!” Izzy breathed at the slight feeling of lateral G-force.

“Alright, climb time.” I gently angled back straight, tightened the harness, and shifted up into the next stage of power.

“Stay with me Izzy, stay with it!” I called out encouragingly while the propeller whirred louder and louder, pushing us up higher into the sky.
> Haven's Haven
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The first thing I noticed as we climbed was the air. Back on Earth, if I climbed anywhere above 6000 feet, the thinness would start stifling my lungs and I’d start increasing my breathing depth. Yet here we were at almost 5000 feet and I felt more or less like being at the top of the Empire State Building. Izzy seemed fine, too, an ear-to-ear grin across her face as we took in the view. The smaller hilly ranges spread out wide in front of us, with the sun blanketing the green earth below.

“Where are we going?” Izzy demanded, pointing to the grand mountain peak, towering up into the clouds on our right. “Zephyr Heights is over there!”

I cut the engine and let the wind take us for a short descending drift. “Let me explain. Paramotors don’t respond too well to mountainsides. The air turbulence would collapse the wing. Let’s gradually climb way up, and then turn around gradually in a circle until we reach the city’s outskirts. Then we’ll locate the castle entranceway and align for a landing.”

“So you’re going to land on the royal entrance?!” Izzy exclaimed.

“Yes indeed.” I said firmly. “Besides, there’s unlikely to be any other place with a smooth long place to run along.”

I traced the flight path with my fingers to aid Izzy’s mind, then cranked the engine back up to re-initiate the climb. Gradually, we ascended ever closer to the clouds. The view of having the clouds bearing down on you like an evil monster in a kid’s nightmare was oxymoronically exhilarating. Izzy reached out and passed a hoof through the white fluff, drenching it in dense mist. Granted, I had done this before – but only once. 

The chilly air bit at my face as we rose up into a new atmospheric level. The view was even more amazing than upon our takeoff. We could barely make out the shape of trees, bushes, and rocks on the ground far below, and the clouds billowed like cotton candy mountains around us. The air felt thinner in my chest, and I stretched my diaphragm a little more with each breath. My fingers felt like ice blocks as I pressed a button on the throttle display.

Yep. Just above 10 degrees, and 11,750 feet.

“Let’s turn around now – slowly!” I announced to Izzy, lowering the engine speed to just below optimal cruising speed and smoothly pulling the right brake. She grinned and squealed with delight at the lateral G-forces as I tightened the angle. As the U-turn neared completion, the majestic bronze-gold spires of Zephyr Heights loomed into view, perched up amongst the clouds. It didn’t take more than thirty seconds to spot the castle, what with its golden pegasus wing ornament and central flag. The entrance, however, was nowhere to be seen.

“Must be on the other side,” I thought, snickering as an idea came to mind. “Hey Izzy, should we give this a shot? Let’s gain a little height, then smoothly float down between the buildings where the main bridge connects the two major districts of the city. Then we’ll rise up and spin around, level out, and glide in for the royal landing.”

“Hmmm, Queen Haven may not like us scaring her city’s residents like that,” Izzy refuted, shaking her head. “But that’s assuming they try to take a personal defense initiative – which I doubt. Most pegasi would simply report to the royal guards if something seriously awry were to happen.”

“We’ll just be cruising on by,” I said.

“Should be fine,” Izzy added supportively. 

I boosted the power a little to gain some height, then reduced it all the way down to stage 1. Leaning off to the left, we snuck in behind the castle and coasted around. Izzy always loved the banking – and so did others. A young mint-green and cream pegasus stallion flew in front of us and coasted backwards, his face illuminated with awe.

“Wow! Who are you?”

It brought an underwhelming relief to my heart that there finally was a pony who wasn’t fearful or defensive at first sight of me. So I smiled and waved. “I’m Aiden!”

He waved back and took off in the direction of a store. The gap opened up in front of us, and I glanced up, precariously guiding the large wing between the buildings. Sunny was right; it did look similar to New York City. There were tall apartments, round glass domes, and lots of brownish-gold cladding. Billboard after billboard showcased the latest fashion trends and food products. I noticed an outdoor patio right along the edge of a boardwalk and blew them a friendly kiss, before adjusting the wing and cranking up the engine a little to pass over the bridge, much to the shock of dozens of pegasi walking across it. 

Glancing to my right, I noticed an elevator rising up the rock face; I was facing the wrong direction. Surging up the power, I rose up as we appeared to head to the city’s outskirts, then turned left sharply in a downward spiral, enacting a loud whoop from Izzy. I reduced power and orientated head-on with the elevator, beyond which was the entrance path.

“Okay, Izzy, this is it! Little margin for error here,” I announced, cutting all power and adjusting the wing to slow down our descent for landing. Every minute was an attempt by the wind to sway us right or left and I had to fight my fatigued brain to constantly pay close attention. The elevator exit archway came closer and closer, and I grimaced at the growing possibility of crashing into it. 

But as we reached the elevator, Izzy threw back in her seat, jolting us backwards enough for my legs to clear the top. Phew!

I slid my feet off the footrest as we glided down towards the castle entrance, and slowly let it trail across the polished tile path before we came fully down with an abrupt thud. I squatted and tried to continue running, but Izzy’s weight was too much. We careened forward and Izzy threw her forelegs out to stop slamming into the ground.

“I… never expected you to be so strong!” I panted, righting myself back up. “Amazing.”

“That was… an AWESOME FLIGHT!” she cried, and pulled me into a grateful hug the moment I undid the harness straps, and I returned the embrace. With my near-empty energy reserves and ice-cold hands, we both needed it more than anything.

“Not… the friend I was expecting Miss Moonbow to have.”

“Did you see that landing?!”

The authoritative voice of a guardsmare and her excitedly fascinated right-hander awakened my woozy brain, and we sprung upright. Before I could even formulate a sentence, Izzy piped up, despite her evident lethargic state.

“Hi, Miss Zoom Zephyrwing. Thunder. I request to see your Queen, please. You must’ve heard about A –”

“We know,” Zoom replied flatly, cutting her off. “Follow us.”

“Just a minute, please,” I requested, gesturing to the wing. “Can’t just leave this here.”

Thunder shrugged, enacting a glare from Zoom. I ignored them and gathered up the wing, slid it into the bag, and pulled the drawstring shut. Then I clipped it to the propeller frame, deployed the wheels, and we headed inside after the guards. I couldn’t help but gaze up at the doors; they must’ve been at least fifteen feet tall. Inside, smooth porcelain floors with thick bronze lines lay beneath my feet, and straight ahead stood three grand plush red throne seats, adorned with exotic-looking marble, finely-knit blue rugs, and giant dusty-matte gold wings. 

“Wow,” I whispered, observing the panoramic views out the neatly curved windows. “This really is a grand throne room in the sky.”

Six guards blew an arrival tune with trumpets. There was a soft flutter above, and three ponies flew down in a graceful spiral – an older mare, who looked to be in her late thirties or early forties – and two younger ones. One had a wavy quiff and lean, sleek wings, the other had fluffy, rounded wings and held a smartphone in her hoof.

“Guards, please state the current matter of afairs,” the elder mare declared. “There is much to discuss with our… guest.” Her words died on her tongue as she got a good look at me. 

“My word, you look paler than a bar of soap, Aiden!”

“It is an honor to meet you, your Majesty, Queen Haven,” I replied, my throat managing the best fluid voice it could muster as I clapped a hand to my chest. “My sincere apologies for arriving in such a… uncouth state. I am naturally not well-equipped for high-altitude living, and I also flew here, together with Izzy.”

Before Haven could even ask a single question, Pipp eagerly raised her phone, and I held out a hand.

“That won’t be necessary right now,” I said sternly, before turning back to Haven, who also shot a disapproving look at her daughter. “Obviously I don’t have wings, so that’s what this is for.”

Haven’s eyes curved into smooth O’s of wonder and curiosity, and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t cute. “How fascinating. Your friend Sunny has told me all about you. I take it you’re here for an investigation?”

“That’s right,” I replied. “I need to learn about the correlation of Zephyr Heights’ rare earth elements and inter-dimensional unicorn spells. But it’d be nothing short of abysmal to not come see you and your daughters, too.”

Haven smiled bashfully. “It would be my pleasure to house you in the castle for your stay. Thunder, please escort our guests to the main hall and up to the visitor suites.”

I expected Izzy to be the inquisitive talker, but words came tumbling chunk by chunk out of Thunder’s mouth.

“How does that fan chair work?”

“Nice shoes!”

“What’s with the jacket?”

I smiled. His gilded armor somehow made him cuter. “It’s called a paramotor. I use it to fly. My shoes are for long hikes. They are Salomon X Ultra 4’s.

“Cool name. I have a collection myself.”

My eyebrows sprung. A royal guard sneakerhead? That’s a first!

Climbing up steps wasn’t easy with the paramotor, but Izzy and Thunder helped. We soon made it to a grand hallway straight out of a five-star Dubai hotel. I winced as the paramotor’s grit-laced wheels rolled along the plush burgundy carpet.

“Don’t worry too much,” Thunder reassured me. “We have maids who clean these rugs every day. You can wash them in the shower.”

“Thanks,” I chuckled, knowing that would go rather disastrously. 

We entered the suite and I unzipped my jacket, my body feeling more normalized. Izzy hopped into a massage chair, and I headed straight for the bathroom with the paramotor. The toilet paper was premium, with a thick, dense feel to it. I used a polished steel cup to rinse the wheels and pulled off strips to thoroughly dry them.

Boy, did I get a surprise upon re-entering the room! Everyone was there – Izzy, Sunny, and Pipp and Zipp!

“Hello, your Royal Highness, Princesses of Zephyr Heights!” I exclaimed with a smile, setting aside the paramotor and greeting them both. Pipp had a little golden tri-leaf tiara around her forehead. Her violet mane was wavily swept to the side, and stood short with a chubby face and body. All these features made it tough to not stare at her endearingly. I made a mental note to ask her for an arm cuddle later.

Zipp had no regalia, and had it not been for our present location I’d have a hard time to determine if she actually was royalty. I held out my hand and she shook it with her hoof, rendering me helpless to control the handshake’s angle. This girl had some muscle! 

“Hi Sunny,” I said, stroking her behind the ear like I often did. “How was your second leg of the journey?”

“Pretty challenging, but everypony recognized me and I got the message to Queen Haven almost immediately,” she replied. “She had the staff set up the suite right away. Afterwards I took a moment to check out the atmosphere amongst the cityfolk. Your bags are under the bed, by the way.”

“Thanks so much,” I replied, noticing Pipp peering curiously at the paramotor.

“Glad to have you here, Aiden,” Zipp said welcomingly. “That’s quite the technical flying contraption you got there.”

“My paramotor,” I replied proudly. “Had it for several years now. A custom build.”

Zipp walked over and inspected the paramotor from various angles, while Pipp took photos.

“The Pippsqueaks are gonna go wild over this!” she exclaimed eagerly.

“I think they already have,” I remarked, quickly realizing this chubby girl was a social media influencer. “I flew through a part of the city before landing on your doorstep. But I’m open to a short introduction broadcast and a private explanatory demonstration if you wish.”

Pipp eagerly switched to a livestream app with the swiping swiftness of any tech-savvy teen and propped the phone up on a beside table.

“Check it out, my Pippsqueaks! I have something outstandingly amazing to show you all!”

Izzy tilted the phone to show me sitting by the side of the bed. “Hello, Pippsqueaks!” I said, waving with a smile.

“And this is his one-of-a-kind, totally awesome paraaaaaaaaaaaaa-motor!” she crowed, grabbing the phone and whip-panning it to the paramotor in the middle of the room. I could’ve sworn I heard some gasps outside through the window.

“Welcome,” I began, kicking my shoes off and sitting cross-legged. Zipp quickly flitted to the side to avoid being in frame.

“My name’s Aiden, and I’m what you’d call a human. I got hands and fingers,” I said, holding them up and wiggling them in a goofy way that made Izzy giggle. “Also straight feet, and a special machine to help me fly kinda like you all do. Many of you have seen this a little while ago gliding through the city, so it needs no further introduction. Hope to see you in the streets later today or tomorrow morning. Addy, addy, adios, Pipp, pipp, hooray! Peace out!”

Pipp tapped the screen to end the livestream and I stood back up.

“Nice improvisation of the fanbase catchphrase!” she remarked with a sly wink.

“What does adios mean?” Zipp wondered out loud.

“Means goodbye in Spanish, another language. I don’t speak it, but I know a few words here and there,” I briefly explained.

“I see,” Zipp said flatly, before gesturing towards the door. “We should get a move-on. The royal lunch banquet will be commencing in ten minutes.”

“I can’t believe I forgot that!” Sunny exclaimed, facehoofing.

“And you’re invited,” Zipp added with a wink at me.

“You go on ahead,” I told her, reaching under the bed for my duffel. “I better make myself more presentable than… well, this.”

Every pony marched out the door as I unzipped the duffel and smiled confidently and happily. I could definitely get used to these two, given how I had three things to showcase to them which fit neatly with their personalities. For being high royalty, they were so pleasant and friendly.
> A Day with Royalty - Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As I was led down a flight of steps by one of the royal guards, I couldn’t help but wonder where and how this amazing city managed to source such quality luxury elements and materials which majorly contributed to their immense level of economic prosperity, posh living standards, and technological feats. Always a source behind it all…

“Whoa,” Zipp whistled as I entered the grand dining hall in my Turkish kurta, blue embroidered vest, and polka-dot scarf. “You look real divine.”

I nodded and waved. “Thanks, Your Maje –”

“Just call me Zipp,” she cut in bashfully.

“Your compliments are appreciated, Zipp,” I reiterated, pulling up a chair.

Haven’s chefs had served a welcoming lunch – fruit salad, toasted seeds, and fresh fluffy bread with an oily lentil and potato puree. 

“Help yourself, Aiden,” she said, gesturing to the bread. I took a roll, ripped it in two, and dipped it in a bowl of the puree, gently swirling it to blend the oil nicely. One bite into the saturated tip was all it took to agree wholeheartedly; Zephyr Heights chefs were second to none. Within minutes I’d devoured the whole roll.

“This is delicious!” I complimented, courteously wiping my lips with a serviette and smiling gratefully at Haven. “Reminds me of a cuisine I enjoyed at a gathering. Say, what’s the origin of it, if you don’t mind?”

“It’s a relatively new recipe,” Pipp said proudly, having finally put her phone away. “I asked the chefs a few days back, and apparently it comes from a long lineage of a tan-colored alicorn who used to live amongst our ancestors.”

My eyebrows perked up. So Pipp did hold a sense of historical connection. “Were they miners?”

She shrugged awkwardly with a sideways glance. It was so cute it was almost painful on my body. “Can’t really say. It was mentioned that the alicorn was the descendant of a unicorn family who used to farm close to the mountains.”

“Interesting.” Now my Equestrian historical quest had thickened a little. I wanted to expand on it with Pipp, but the aromas wafting up into our nostrils was too much to bear. I handed her a roll, taking care to maintain a grandeur of formal etiquette as I ate up, my body eagerly absorbing all the calories it could to rejuvenate its energy supplies. Not a single platter in front of me was empty after we’d all finished eating.

I turned to thank Haven, who slid back her chair and stood up.

“Girls, you may spend time with our dear guest, Mr. Aiden, as our royal schedules permit.” She turned to me and for a moment, our eyes locked. “You may begin your quest at anytime, though tomorrow is ideal, given I will be holding a meeting to discuss the mining companies’ mid-year reports.”

“It would be a good opportunity to gain connections and score an invitation,” Pipp quickly added, and I nodded affirmingly. She was growing on me fast, and I had a tough time not staring every time she trotted away or flapped her wings. My mental note flashed in my head, and as soon as the royal sisters were out of earshot, I approached Haven.

“Um, your Majesty?”

Queen Haven walked right up to me with a tender look in her eyes. “Yes, my dear guest, Aiden? Is there something I can provide for you?”

“Yes,” I piped up, intending to cut to the chase, only to have my words lodge up in my throat like a bushel of tumbling marbles. “Um, I… yes, I request permission for Pipp.”

“For what?”

“To…” I began, biting my lip before awkwardly grabbing a plate off the table and holding it up in my arms, close to my chest. “H-hold. To hold her. If she wants.”

“I won’t have my daughter engaging in acts unfit for a princess,” she replied firmly. “But I see nothing but good in you. If she obliges, tell her to inform me, so my presence can be requested.”

“Understood, your Majesty,” I replied, clapping a hand to my chest and lowering my head slightly. “It was an honor to have lunch with you.”

“Likewise with a unique and well-mannered guest,” she replied with a smile, before leaving through the main doors with a couple guardsmares as I subtly waved goodbye.

“Haven seems quite a nice queen,” I thought out loud during the escort to my suite. “Maybe I could coax her to receive the human touch…”

Hardly had I flopped down on the bed did the door open to reveal the royal princesses, along with Sunny and Izzy.

“Don’t you have important royal duties to attend to?” I asked, ushering them all in and shutting the window.

“Not in the next half hour,” Zipp remarked. “How about a showcase and a demonstration of your cool stuff?”

I shook and nodded simultaneously. “Can’t wind up the paramotor here, but everything else… yeah, sure. Come up here.”

I walked over to the paramotor harness and unzipped the side pocket, pulling out the iPad. Without skipping a beat, I reached under the bed and pulled out the skateboard.

“Here are two items which might interest both of you,” I presented, as they all climbed up onto the queen-sized bed. Pipp opened her mouth excitedly but I raised a finger.

“First off, I have to confess; I have not really been known by family or friends as being notably affectionate, but I can’t get enough of you all. You’re so adorable. Mark my words, Izzy – there are children who would give everything to just be in your presence. Now I won’t say I’m in love, but I certainly feel indebted to provide the same level of affection and comfort as I give Ryder’s pets.”

“I could say the same for you,” Sunny teased whilst caught in her own awkward blush.

“Who’s Ryder?” Pipp asked awkwardly.

“A good friend of mine,” I replied, powering on the iPad. Despite being at just half battery power, it had survived the cold ordeal of the flight. Pipp rushed to my side and gazed at the crystal-clear screen as I swiped across and tapped on the Photos app. I showed her shots of Times Square, Ryder and his dog Stella running through a Georgian dog park, and headcam recordings of a flight through a canyon.

“Can we fly together?” Zipp requested eagerly, wrapping a hoof around my arm, sending a little shock rushing through me. I felt like an older sibling with a bunch of little sisters and bubbly dogs all at the same time.

“Maybe later,” I replied, caressing the back of her head. “Owing to that delicious bread and puree, it’s only fair that I give you the same cinnamon roll recipe I gave Izzy.”

I quickly navigated to the PDF document, and Pipp slipped out her phone, photographing it several times. “This will be such a delight for the Pippsqueaks!”

“You can share it with everypony, or keep it as a Royal Recipe,” I suggested. “Now, what else can we –”

Pipp squealed as she tapped at the Music app, and to my surprise, it responded to her hoof touch, opening in a wingbeat.

“You like music?”

“Like? Pfft. LIKE?” Zipp accentuated her musing. “She loves it! She sings, performs, and dances!”

“Oh, I have to show you this, then,” I grinned, quickly navigating back to the Photos app. “My world is obsessed with music. We have millions upon millions of artists and almost endless songs in dozens of styles and over 30 languages. Here’s a concert of a song from a country called Korea.”



I cranked up the volume and held out the iPad so all of them could get a balanced viewing experience. Jaws dropped like flies. Pipp looked so starstruck it was as if she’d slipped into a euphoric heavenly realm. She was on the verge of crying.

“And I thought Pippsqueaks were devoted…” Zipp mouthed, barely above a whisper.

“He’s beyond beautiful…” Sunny breathed.

“These lyrics are beyond even my comprehension, but the meaning transcends all…” Izzy added.

It took a good minute or two for a sense of normalcy to return to the room, allowing for me to provide an explanation of sorts.

“That was a live performance of Euphoria, a song by a singer named Jeon Jung-kook. One of the most amazing spectacles I have ever seen. Sadly, I did not get to actually see it live – this was a recording sent to me. I kept it as a preservation of the power and beauty of live performances of the musical art form.”

“Too bad Cookie ain’t got wings like you, sis,” Zipp remarked.

I had to laugh at that one. “Now that you’ve seen a performance of a harmonious song, wanna hear a catchy one?”

“Yes, yes please!” Izzy and Pipp said eagerly at the same time.

I flipped back to the Music app and scrolled through a playlist, before landing on one. “This one is quite relevant to the mission of Sunny and her dad, if you pay attention to the lyrics.”



Almost immediately, Sunny’s head was bobbing. Zipp found herself moving a hoof back and forth. Hardly had the first chorus started did Pipp leap off the bed and start shuffling in a single-double-single tap tempo, with Izzy joining in, sliding her forelegs back and forth and shaking her shoulders.

“So true, what you told me as a little filly, Dad…” Sunny whispered, a tear rolling down her cheek, which I promptly stroked away with a finger.

“That was… crazy catchy,” Zipp proclaimed. “Any others?”

“One more for Pipp’s dancefloor,” I replied, tapping the screen as Pipp propped up her phone. “This artist has since passed, so it’s an honorary tribute of sorts.”



Now everypony was on their feet as I happily bobbed along, smiling fondly at everypony enjoying the world’s catchiest progressive house EDM melody.

“How about something heartfelt?” Sunny asked, once her hooves had finally stopped moving.

“Heard of rhythm and blues?” I asked Pipp, and she shook her head.



“Ooh, I love that gentle guitar,” she noted, before loosely mouthing the lyrics. I shot a Sunny an endearing look and softly hummed the lyrics as the peak bridge sounded out.

“Are you… in love with me?” Sunny asked abruptly, shaking up the vibe right as it ended.

“Can neither confirm nor deny that fact,” I countered quickly, before tapping the iPad screen. “One last song.”



I couldn’t help but smile with a chuckle as Pipp and Izzy helplessly butchered the Arabic tones while choreographing an act of meeting each other with a hoofshake. “A-alay-koom, alai-come, yay, yay… Very positive and cheerful,” Zipp whispered to me, softly singing along as the song ended.

Pipp paused her livestream to give a round of applause to me, and I gently lowered my head in respect and gratitude to my pony friends. “I am delighted to share a sample of music from my world with you, and so glad you enjoyed it all.”

“I have a very special surprise for the next concert!” Pipp playfully teased, resuming her livestream and panning the camera to me. “Thanks to my royal guest, Aiden! Royal duties call, must go. Pipp, pipp, hooray!”

“Pipp, pipp hooray!” I crowed, fist-pumping the air as the livestream ended. “I’m glad you have good etiquette and standards. There are so many like you where I’m from that are talentless and full of rotten character. You’re the mare, Pipp!”

I held up a fist and we exchanged a hoofbump, before the collective attention turned towards the little wheels in the room. Izzy and Pipp leaned over the bedside, and Zipp shuffled over across from me. 

“So, I’m not sure if you have these here, but this is a skateboard,” I stated, rotating it upside down.

“I’ve seen a colt in Maretime Bay with a similar one, Sunny said. “Only rather wider all the way to the edges. Wide wheels too.”

“So a kid’s cruiser,” I commented. “This is much different. It’s an upgraded version of a custom build I had as a tween.” I ran my finger across the metal and gently pressed the wheel’s inner edge. “These are called trucks, which support the wheels. Inside are bearings – little metal circles with balls to allow for fast… rolling. Like that.”

Letting fascination get the better of her, Izzy stuck a hoof out and swiftly swiped it against a wheel, causing it to spin. Pipp whipped out her phone but I held up a hand.

“Just enjoy this moment for yourself,” I advised. “These wheels can spin any day of the week. Any questions?”

“Ooh, nice purple blobs! What are they?” Izzy pointed.

“Why is the other side gritty?” Zipp asked.

Pipp peered at the ends. “Rounded edges and a layered structure. What’s up with that?”

“The purple blobs are bushings, which help with stability and steering,” I explained, before lifting the board and turning it over. “A sandpaper-like surface allows feet – or hooves – to grip the surface. But there’s more to this that I’ll be willing to demonstrate.”

“Not a moment too soon,” Zipp remarked, glancing at the clock. “My sis and I have some duties to attend to in the city.”

“Perfect. Let’s go.”
> A Day with Royalty - Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Leaving the castle wasn’t so immediate. Pipp insisted on doing a full makeover and styling routine beforehand, and she wasn’t about to do so just for herself.

“I haven’t had one of these, ever,” I admitted sheepishly, as a few royal stylists gently rubbed my face with foundation primer. “Best I ever got was a hair job at a A-rated salon in Miami.”

“So that’s why your mane looks like Izzy’s,” Zipp noted. “Only shorter.”

“How would you like your glow-up?” a mare asked kindly, her accent reeking of Swedish. I bit my lip in fear – never before had this question been brought forth. I frantically tried to retrieve any memories I had of Ryder’s girlfriend going to the salon. What did she have applied? What was asked for a great look? Liner? Shadow? Blush? After a slow exhale, complete tidbits fell into place.

“Start with a thin layer of foundation, with a touch of blush. Smoothen out them lashes with black mascara, and a thin streak of eyeliner in the color of Izzy’s mane. No gloss on the lips, just some fruit-flavored balm. File ‘em nails smooth with a good pre-wash. Thanks.”

I leaned back and hummed a tune while the artists worked their magic. To pass the time, I attempted to plan out a routine for the second half of the day. Visiting the city’s top locations would be a lot of fun and allow the cityfolk to get to know me, though wasn’t Pipp’s livestream enough?

No, I thought. A short formal introduction and a couple fun musical antics are not enough. In-person is unbeatable. I can couple it with a skateboard demonstration, too. Perhaps mid-route to the meeting point would be ideal…

“And done!” the stylist crowed, having set down her eyelash brush and hairbrush. I blinked awake and stared in the mirror, with the Aiden I never knew looking right back. It took a lot of self-control to not touch my face in awe and shock at how… beautified I now looked, even with just basics. I reached for my hair. Still a little frizzy from the paramotor flight, but overall smooth and the special slight springiness was there.

“Wow,” Pipp commented, “You look about twenty percent prettier. Meanwhile my sister’s makeover is little more than a quick comb-over.”

I chuckled. “Can’t go wrong with a bit of beautification to various degrees. As you might’ve read in text messages, YMMV.”

Pipp nodded, and the other two slid off their chairs. Sunny had gone for an 80s-chic whale-spout ponytail with a glittery scrunchie, while Izzy had gone for a low-hanging gym girl ponytail, complete some smooth side bangs with a slight curl. 

“Now we are ready for a glamorous day out on the town,” I said, picking up my board and waving a thankful goodbye to the staff.

The moment we stepped out of the elevator at city street level, I could feel the gaze heat on us all. But that’s kind of what you signed up for… right?

…sigh. Let the behavioral aura do the work, I told myself, trying to maintain an elegant stride as we walked down towards the main bridge. It took mere seconds before Pipp was eagerly approached by a couple of young fans, and one of them just stood still, gazing up in awe at me, presumably at my height.

“Hey, what’s up?” I replied, smiling down at him. He just blinked in response, so I squatted down and held out my hand. “What’s your name?”

“Soaring Sunset.”

I leaned in and caught it. “Nice. I always love watching sunsets when I travel. So what’s got you in awe?”

“Well, I’ve never seen anypony like you!” he remarked playfully.

“Did you not watch Pipp’s recent livestream?” I asked.

The little colt shook his head. “I was in school at the time. What’s that you’re carrying?”

“A skateboard. Have a go. Two hooves, push with the other two.”

I set it down and showed Sunset how to place his forehoof over the bolts and lean for balance. It took a few topples but he soon got the hang of it. The awww’s soon rang out as the plucky little colt glided along right past everypony else, with me in tow.

“Got places to be now,” I said, as we reached the end of the bridge. “I have some important duties with the Royal Princesses. Have a good one, kid.”

We exchanged a fist-hoof bump and I ran off with the board and jumped on, pushing through the street after Pipp and Zipp, billboards flashing high up above us. It really felt like being in New York City, only cleaner and more elegant.

I followed Zipp and Pipp downtown, passing by shops selling handbags, hats, and silk scarves. There was no shortage of brands similar to ones I knew. It was spectacular to see so many successful businesses lined up with apartments above them. I was so busy taking in the sights and observing similarities that I failed to notice Zipp had flown on ahead and stopped by a large building at an intersection. 

Glancing at some road construction, I veered over to a flat wooden slate and pushed hard, before jumping off the end, turning slightly whilst airborne and flicking my foot off the board’s edge, spinning it longitudually.

I caught the board with both feet and slammed back down on the sidelines beside a tree, quickly weaving through a group of pegasi before skidding to a stop in front of the royal sisters.

“Okay that was really cool,” Zipp remarked with a sly smile. “Maybe we could do a street session someday.”

I heaved a sputtered sigh, thankful that I hadn’t mowed anypony down or crashed in my attempt. “Maybe. We still have a quest to complete, and a mystery to solve. Plus, I don’t skate that often. It’s more of a way to get around. I did it a lot as a kid, though.”

Pipp and Izzy pointed up at a high-level floor. I laid down and counted thirty-four windows before my eyes reached the top of her hoof, and there were still a few more to go before the tip faded into the clouds. Getting back up, I peered up at the ten-foot-high glass panels with etched edging and gilded columns in a dusty-silver color. Inside, rubies glistened off the tips of chandeliers. This building was insane. 

“So, what’s the targets?” I asked, as we chilled in the elevator.

“Got a bunch of documents to sign, basically,” Zipp shrugged. “And negotiate a deal.”

Pipp shot a quick text and slipped her phone under her wing. “We’re going to see Mizah Ruby, the owner and founder of Ruby Living and K2 Extractions. She’s built five of Zephyr Heights’s grandest multi-purpose buildings. Last week, she submitted a proposal to sell the top ten floors to a group of farmers from Bridlewood and Maretime Bay, in exchange for a surplus of spice crops. The next ten floors below are to be leased out to anypony, but she’s asking quite the premium. Mom has filed an order to lower the cost, as there have been over fifty complaints filed.”

“Hmmm,” I murmured. “Seems like we have ourselves the first linkage to the mines. Though I must say, I am only partially dressed for such an occasion.”

Zipp tapped a card to a hexagon-shaped patch on the elevator panel, and the doors slid open into a grand office with faux leather, silk drapery, and glided baseboard. It looked to be worth at least $20M. Behind a desk sculpted out of beige marble sat a very posh-looking mare with smoky-brown hair and a slightly wrinkly face. I put her age at around her late 50s with an attempt to look mid-30s.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the daughters of the queen, their close friends, and the one creature everypony can’t seem to shut their trap about,” she announced in a slightly scruffy voice. “Come on in and sit down.”

Zipp and Pipp strode up to the desk, while Sunny, Izzy, and I dragged along behind them, wearily settling into velvet lounge chairs.

“How are you on this lovely day, Miss Ruby?” Pipp said with a smile, calmly lowering a document onto the desk.

“Better than most,” she replied confidently, shooting a snooty stare at me. I locked her gaze for half a second before faking a sideways look of guilt. My eyes are forever on you, lady.

“What’s this?” she snapped, holding up the document. “How can that purple chicken-head think she has sovereignty over my real estate empire? Only I set my values!”

“I understand your frustration, but insults should not be necessary,” I said, arching my throat to thicken my voice. Pipp’s face scrunched in anger as I raised a warning finger. Don’t get enraged. Don’t let this girl get under your skin.

Locking my gaze onto Ruby, I stayed silent and leaned back to relax, in an attempt to intimidate her in a non-threatening way.

“Pffft. Fine! Fine. Sorry, Pipp,” she hissed, skimming through the document several times before pulling out a silver-tipped fountain pen and signing it. Zipp then explained the proposal agreements, and Ruby pulled out another form, which both of them signed. With paperwork done, they walked out with formal thank-yous, but Pipp could barely speak. Sunny and Izzy slid out of the chairs and gave respectful half-bows, trailing after their friends.

“Hope to see you soon, Miss Ruby,” I said, briefly holding her gaze as I turned towards the elevator.

“So it turns out Zephyr Heights has its share of elitism,” I thought out loud, as the elevator swiftly slid down. I caught Sunny and Izzy’s eyes. “No wonder you two looked less than pleased when we arrived at this building. I have a feeling Ruby’s connected somehow with Sprout. He could’ve bribed her.”

“Aiden!” Zipp snapped, appalled at my apparent accusation. “Let’s piece together the truth first. Dinner with Mom is always a treat, but I’m dying for a quick Mc’Wings burger. Us royals haven’t eaten ‘regular’ food in years.”

My ears perked up. “Mc’Wings? Another world parallel.”

Sunny pulled a couple bits out of her bag and Zipp requested the orders. I went for large poutine and a crispy fried ranch wrap. Izzy requested two muffins. Pipp (rather boldly) asked for a filet-o-fish.

“You ponies eat fish?” I gasped, startled at her request.

“Occasionally,” a senior pony at a nearby table replied. “It’s a rare find in the mountain streams. We try not to take too much, so a balance can exist, y’know?”

I nodded. “Thanks for the info.”

We all sat down at a patio table while Zipp headed inside, and I gazed around at the ponies, walking and chatting, several of them scrolling on phones… all while the air stood at a chilly temperature.

“Does it get… cold up here for you?” I asked Pipp, tightening the straps on my hoodie.

“Not at all,” she replied proudly. “Pegasi are naturally adept in colder climates with a denser coat.”

I had to hide a smile as my request to Haven slid into thought again. This was going to be an awkward but sweet one.

I tossed the thought aside and resumed my environmental scanning. Everything about this city and its inhabitants screamed luxurious and elegant, yet the pride, uptightness, and snootiness seemed to be largely minimal. Amongst a crowd, I recognized the pegasus stallion who had flown alongside me as I flew through the city, but he didn’t seem to notice my little wave. Even with the elite aura, I still had a yearn to show some love towards pegasi – as I had done for other ponies. It was hard not to when they all looked so cute and endearing!

Zipp returned with a helpful unicorn waitress aiding in carrying all the orders. The warm afternoon sun was slicing through the narrow streets and calmed my cold feet a little. Izzy eagerly tucked into her muffins, while Pipp took little mice bites out of her Filet-o-fish, as if it was potentially laced with poison. Zipp bit back a laugh.

“Just eat it, sis! It’s perfectly fine!”

“Do royals eat fish?” I asked, wiping poutine sauce off my lips.

Zipp shook her head. “It’s relatively new to the city. And Mom wasn’t really keen on it anyways.”

We savored our fast meals in silence, the soft gusts of mountaintop winds and cityfolk chatter being the only things disturbing our ears. The quality of flavor and texture of every ingredient was leagues ahead of anything I’d ever tasted in any McDonald’s. I wanted to order more items! But a glance at the sun shut my greedy lips up. It would be evening in just a couple hours, and missing a royal dinner with Queen Haven sounded nothing short of criminal.

With our faces stuffed with Mc’Wings, Zipp was eager to burn off her newly gained calories. The bridge heading to the open square near the castle elevator was currently bustling with ponies. It should be mere minutes before the rush hour kicked in…

Tracking a route with my eyes, I figured I could get to the elevator in less than five minutes by board. It was time for a challenge.

As we approached the intersection on the main square, I quickly traced a route through the sparse traffic with my eyes.

“Back to the castle, right Pipp?” Sunny asked.

“Yes, we gotta get the signed papers to my mom pronto!” she replied.

I fired the Mc’Wings packaging into a litter bin and grabbed my board by the nose. “To the elevator. You’re on, Zipp!” 

Without waiting a second for an answer, I dropped the board and pushed hard against the polished tile ground. Behind me, I could hear the whoosh of Zipp’s blue wings. Swerving out of the way of a family laden with shopping bags, a patio table suddenly appeared in front of me. I snapped the tail hard and pulled my front foot up, launching into the air and almost clipping the backrest of a chair. I landed with a wobbly thud, straightening the board and giving even more pushes. The world became a blur as the bridge loomed into view above me.

“I got y – aaaah!” Zipp half-boasted, clearly losing attention to where she was going at the wrong time, having to swerve sharply to avoid crashing into the bridge’s beams. I shoved the tail out sharply and skidded to a stop right as she floated down in front of me.

“I didn’t know you could skate so fast!” she exclaimed, patting her temple with a wingtip. “But that was just my warm-up flight.”

I shrugged and pointed in the distance with a snigger. “Here comes the slow poke walkers.”

Sunny, Izzy, and Pipp eventually appeared out of the crowd, looking concerned yet satisfied. 

“You could’ve seriously hurt somepony,” Sunny said, a cross look across her face.

I smiled. “But I didn’t, did I? Still got a skater boy in my blood after all.”

Izzy grinned with glee at my bravery and “coolness”, and we filed into the elevator.
> A Day with Royalty - Part 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The castle’s halls were alive with the distant sounds of busy staff as we made our way down the grand halls to the dining hall, where Haven sat, waiting with a cute fluffy white dog beside her.

“Good evening, your Majesty,” I announced, awkwardly stepping in as I realized I was still carrying my skateboard into a royal dining room. Haven must’ve noticed my awkward smile, because she made a subtle gesture and a guard came over with a small cart. I smiled and placed it sideways to avoid it rolling off.

“Thanks. You could carry it if you wanted,” I called after the guard as he slipped out down one of the halls, before turning back to Haven, who gestured to a chair beside her. “Come, dear, sit down. I am sure you have much to discuss.”

I walked over and slowly rested into the chair, taking in the sight of food before us – hot creamy soup, fresh buttered flatbread, and fresh foliage. I dipped a piece of bread into my bowl of soup as Pipp and Zipp reluctantly shuffled into their seats and took a few nibbles. Sunny and Izzy eagerly ate in silence and made some small talk between themselves.

“Zepyhrina, you seem to be disinterested in the food today,” Haven inquired. “What’s the matter, dear?”

“We had an intermediary snack,” I said quickly, and Pipp shot me a glare. “Just a sandwich. I presume your daughters have a high level of metabolism?”

Haven cocked an eyebrow in my direction, so I rephrased. “Conservation of energy for longer periods between meals.”

“Oh yes. Zephyrina is very much a pony of performance – in a different way,” she replied with a smile. I looked over at Pipp whilst reaching for another flatbread. Clearly there was some favoritism in this family. All the reason to kick it with Zipp sooner than later.

“How did the negotiation and signing go?”

“Not great, Mom,” Zipp replied, looking down guiltily.

“It’s one thing to be upset that the law is not compliant with your business desires, and it’s another thing entirely to shout and hurl derogative insults,” Sunny added. 

“But our brave friend Aiden saved the day with his piercing glare of intimidation!” Izzy crowed joyfully, pumping the hair with a forehoof.

I sheepishly bit back a chuckle and turned to Haven. “Well, not exactly like that, but I did give a decently thick streak of assertiveness. Has Ms. Ruby been problematic before?”

“Yes. Twice. She’s good at manipulating pegasi into agreement and collaboration with fake friendliness and proud promises. I had plans to give a grand speech in which the official rulings of real estate development and engineering standards would be defined, but those have sadly been postponed for months.”

More toppings on the current pizza slice of mystery. “Do you suspect any dirty play at tomorrow’s meeting?” 

Haven proudly shook her head. “I have confidence in my near-thirty-year reign of this kingdom that my subjects, even the prolific ones, will recognize and submit to the rules and protocols they signed off on as citizens. On second thought, I think your information extraction methods would work better with a relay system.”

Now I was the on the other end of the descriptive deciphering stick. After a couple awkward seconds, it clicked, and I nodded in agreement. We agreed to privately meet in the morning and discuss over breakfast.

We enjoyed the food, and right as the staff came to clean up, a well-dressed mare arrived with a cart of desert and fruit.

“Thanks,” I grinned, tucking into what closely resembled a raspberry jam-filled Danish pastry. Sunny and Izzy took one too. As we wiped up our sugar-lined lips and rose up to prepare for the impending evening, I couldn’t help but smile fondly at Haven with her proud demeanor and motherly aura.

Back in my guest suite, Sunny and Izzy brushed their teeth, while I moved the paramotor to the far corner, out of harm’s way. Happily, my skateboard was still here, right beside the door. Pulling a white cord out of my backpack, I pushed it into the iPad and peered along the wall. I soon spotted an outlet beside a bamboo-like plant and jabbed the thick end of the charger into it. 

Blung!

The iPad lit up with a tiny lightning bolt on the status bar. 

No way…

Yes. The iPad was charging comfortably. On Zephyr Heights’ electrical power grid.

I gasped in awe, a warming sense of calm flowing over me as the full realization of my haphazard yet instinctual action took mental hold.

“It works! It’s charging!” I exclaimed, pointing excitedly to the charging cable as my friends re-entered the room.

“You’re saying…” Sunny began, as if she couldn’t fathom it herself, “that your tablet computer, from the human world, is charging… with electricity? Here?!”

“Yes!” I reiterated, before quickly unlocking the iPad and opening the Wi-Fi settings. “Sadly the same can’t be said about Internet. But that’s okay.”

“Seriously?” came another voice, muffled. Izzy answered the door and in came the royal daughters.

“Believe me, it’s a powerful tool that can really damage you if used incorrectly,” I replied, not skipping a beat with their entrance. “I’m glad my access to it was strictly controlled as a child. Not sure what limits your mom sets.”

“Now that’s a whole other can of worms I could go on about for hours,” Zipp remarked, smirking at her sister. “But Lil Pipp here would chew me out for it.”

I chuckled, before putting on a serious face. “Since we’re all here, with no further mandatory obligations, I think it’s high time we address the elephants in the room and the red flags we’ve spotted.”

“The most obvious stuff of importance and warning points,” Sunny quickly rephrased, but Pipp already nodded. I pulled out the stylus and unplugged the iPad, skimming through my media app before pulling up a video on buried structures. Sunny eagerly sided up to me and peered over, her eyes keen with interest.

“Many large structures are…” a guy’s American accent began, before I abruptly closed the video player, earning a disappointed look from my friend.

“I played that merely as a starter incentive to get your minds in the mood,” I remarked drily, before facing Pipp and Zipp directly. “If I’m brutally honest, being with you two and your mom has been one of the best experiences I’ve had since arriving in Equestria. It… reminds me of my own family.”

“Do you miss them?” Zipp asked concerningly.

I nodded with a lowered head, and Sunny immediately wrapped her forehooves around me snugly. Instinctively, I caressed her forelock.

“It’s okay Sunny. Nothing to be too distraught about. It is true that I miss them dearly. However, it’s not worth being overly sad over, and I hold confidence and hope that I will return. Which brings me to what I actually wanted to talk with you all about tonight.”

I closed the windows and blinds, checking to ensure no one (not even guards) were flying around nearby attempting to eavesdrop. Izzy, Pipp, and Zipp all sat in a circle on the bed, with me across from them.

“For the Royal Sisters, this might be a bit of a shock, and kind of a concerning refresher for Sunny and Izzy. From the experiences we have had these past few days, I have strong conviction that there is a joint effort between Sprout and at least two other ponies to keep Equestria divided and blame me for it. Now the evidence to prove this is incomplete, so we’re going to take this pre-bedtime moment to recap our observations and discuss them, as well as the best path forward.”

Pipp’s eyes widened, and Sunny cast the first hoof. “As peaceful inter-nation travel was enacted a few months back, earth ponies visiting or even residing in Zephyr Heights is not unordinary. So we can’t be sure where exactly Shootie came from.”

Zipp’s eyebrows sprung up like a popping skateboard. “Shootie?”

Izzy briefly filled her in, before providing feedback of her own.

“There’s also that plausible meeting point. Did Shootie and Sprout conspire there?”

“Maybe a third pony was involved,” Pipp added quickly. “Somepony in charge of the prisoner transferring process who was crooked and couldn’t resist a bribe. Unless…”

“Hold up,” Zipp butted in. “What did he look like?”

Izzy gave a run-down, and Zipp nodded subtly but attentively. “I think it’s fair to say that Shootie is actually Sprout. No pony can have the same feathering color exactly, because naturally all pony hoof feathering hair strands get lighter towards the tip. And reddish-black, of all color tones? Seems too good to be false.”

Well done, Detective Zipp, I thought with admiration, despite feeling there was one last part of the picture. “Where do you even get body and hair dye?”

“Bridlewood,” Izzy replied quickly. “Unicorns collect different plants that produce various colors when crushed to a powder or smeared on a surface.”

“Great. We should’ve asked that when were back there,” I hissed in frustration. How could I forget such a key question?

Shutting out my inner flares, my mind locked onto something; the pouch Hitch gave me! When we met in the meadow he’d been out of breath and tossed it so quickly I hadn’t bothered to ask about it, but now it felt crucial to find out. I rummaged through my backpack and pulled it out, eagerly untying the thin rope that held it shut.

To our surprise, inside was simply a torn-up sheet of paper. Izzy gently lifted the numerous pieces and arranged them on the bed. We began playing a little game of puzzle, trying to figure out what scrap of paper went where. It didn’t look like a lengthy letter – more of a diagram with a letter attached. Finally after half an hour of fussing, the scraps finally aligned.

“Freeze, all of you!” I ordered, slowly reaching for the iPad so as not to cause any micro-breezes. Steadily, I lifted the tablet above the paper and snapped a few photos, before setting it aside.

“Smart move, Aiden,” Zipp remarked, tapping her head with her wingtips.

You’re really growing on me, Z.

With breaths withheld, we all peered closely at the paper, trying to decipher the rough sketches and symbols drawn on it. There were two swiggly lines leading from one area to another, with a diversion to a red X and a flask symbol with a little arrow.

“Yep. It all fits,” Sunny declared. “Just… something else I thought. Who was manufacturing the dye?”

“Easy. Ms. Ruby,” I replied, pointing to a small insignia on the top left of the paper. “That’s the same logo I saw in the lobby when we entered her building. Also says, ‘Ruby Textile and Coloring, Inc. In partnership with Canterlogic.’”

“Hey! Initials!” Izzy said excitedly, pointing near the X symbol. “Says ‘S.CL 2 Shoot3.’”

Not wanting to be left out, Pipp sprinkled in her two cents. “And there’s a short note, too. ‘From the shadows of V, comes the birth of Shootie, when the Pegasus Vapor Vici transforms you into thee.’”

Zipp and I shared a smug mug face. It was too good to be true – everything was laid out. Hitch may have felt major FOMO gloom, but his trash bin finding had almost single-handedly solved the entire case.

But what was Sprout and Vapor Vici’s whereabouts now? That was our next challenge.
> Aiden's Affection
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

On most nights, I would simply just wave goodbye to all the sea creatures and curl up in my hammock in the sub. But a royal castle’s guest suite was a very different story – especially with two royal sisters whom I was starting to like very much. Zipp had a cool streak and a confident, mindful edge to her, while Pipp was adorable and creatively enthusiastic in showcasing things. She was also quite chubby and short compared to her sister, which gave me an idea.

“Girls, bedtime is approaching now,” Haven announced as the door opened. “We have a very important day ahead of us and sleep is a key factor in preparing for it.”

“Um, about that…” I began slowly, raising a hand. Haven nodded with a brief smile as she caught my eye. “Pipp?”

“Yes, Aiden?”

“It’s been such a delight spending time with you. I wish to return the favor by bringing you to your room.”

“Oh, I can easily walk for even fly there myself,” she replied bashfully. 

“It won’t be comforting, though.” I slid off the bed to the floor and sat in front of her, palms out. “Do you accept my offer?”

Her face softened with glee as she caught on. “Be my guest, Aiden.”

I reached out and gently gripped her sides, before gradually rising to my feet. My heart jelly-fied a little as her rear hooves joyfully kicked about.

“Little on the heavy side,” I squirmed, pulling her close to my chest and quickly slipping a supportive hand under her hindquarters. “Hold on to me.”

Pipp gripped my shoulders with her forehooves, alleviating the excess stress on my supporting arm. I caught Zipp’s eye and smiled. “Relax, sweetie Pipp.”

With her head against my neck, I gently caressed her mane and gave her back a soft pat. It felt like a dream.

“I’ll show you the way,” was all Haven said, gesturing to the door. 

As I followed the queen down the halls, I felt two types of strong energy radiating – Pipp’s warm, softer-than-cotton body, and the pining jealousy from Sunny, Izzy, and even Zipp. Pipp could barely talk; she was just so happy in my arms. A giggle leaked out as I gave a little ear-scratch.

“And here we are,” Haven announced, stopping at a large bronze gold door with beige accents.

“Huh. I’d somehow originally thought it’d look darker with a golden glow to indicate its owner,” I thought. “More significant that way, given the royalty status.”

I squatted down to release Pipp, but felt hooves digging into my chest and shoulder blades. She didn’t want to let go! I looked over at Haven worriedly, unsure what course of action to take. Then a snapshot of my mom flashed in my head with the answer. I stood back up, shifted Pipp into more of an arm hold posture, and gently rocked her back and forth, humming softly.

“I’ll love you forever,

I’ll love you always,

As long as I’m here,

My little pony friend you’ll be.”

I pulled her into a snug cuddle, which felt almost ethereal for a moment. Haven looked on, her face almost glowing with admiration and blissful contentment. We entered Pipp’s room and I gently placed her on the bed, resulting in her eyes blinking open, much to my surprise.

“Oh! I… thought you were asleep.”

“Almost,” she replied softly. “Thanks for the ride. And the cuddles.”

“Anytime, Pipp. Goodnight, my little pony.”

“Goodnight, Aiden.”

Back in my guest suite, Sunny and Izzy were waiting with golden retriever puppy eyes, the silent plea painfully obvious.

“No, I cannot pick up you two,” I confided, shaking my head. “Pipp gets a pass ‘cause she’s smaller – and a pegasus, therefore lightweight.”

Izzy’s face fell as she let out a sorrowful sigh, and Sunny reached up onto the bed’s edge with a pout. I had to chuckle to alleviate the resulting sharp pain in my chest. “You two are like giant puppies, I swear. Come up here and cuddle me all you want.”

That sent Izzy flying. She almost pierced the duvet with her horn as she hurled herself onto it. Sunny’s legs pinwheeled as she tried to heave up on the mattress. I slid off my socks and pushed the covers back, bracing my arms as the orange and purple fuzzballs slid up under them. Even through my shirt, I could feel their hearts vibrating.

“Now, brutally honest talk,” I declared, rubbing Izzy’s chin and massaging the back of Sunny’s neck. “Do you two ‘love’ love me, or are we close friends? ‘Cause I think I’ve been seeing you ponies like cute endearing dogs worthy of all the touchy-feely affection.”

“Why should I deny myself this?” Izzy demanded. “Your loving embrace is the best thing ever to come from outside of Equestria.”

“Even cinnamon rolls?” I teased.

Sunny looked straight into my eyes. “Even cinnamon rolls.”

“It’s mostly your hands,” Izzy noted, playfully running her horn through my hair curls. “They’re as magical as my horn itself.”

“Oh hush,” I half-laughed, fighting back a blush. “I’m not as extraordinary as other people. It’s…”

“It’s your heart,” Sunny cut in, gently pressing a hoof on my chest. “Adaptable, caring, strong, and loving. We feel safe and comforted with you, Aiden.”

“Thank you both,” I replied, shuffling a little to optimize comfort in my position. “It feels great to be in a good relationship like this again after so long. And you can request all the ear-scratches, strokes, hugs, and kisses you want. After sleep, of course.”

I insisted on popping a rubber ball on Izzy’s horn in case of a poking accident, and drifted off into dreamland with my close hooved friends – one beside me, another on top of me.

As expected, I didn’t wake myself up – I was shakily awoken by the same faces that I knocked out with.

“Aiden! Wakeupwakeupwakeup!”

“Ugh, Iz-Sunny? What time is it?”

My eyes flickered, and I noticed the sun had just risen. “Looks to be… about 7 am. Do pegasi royals always get up this early?”

“Yep!” Izzy said proudly.

I sat up and smeared the slumber out of my eyes. “Well, let’s get prepped.”

After a good face-wash, moisturizer, and twin deodorant sprays, I pulled on a pair of slacks and a V-neck knit pullover, along with my sneakers. Not the best look, but it’d have to do. The Turkish getup would be reserved for something more grand when this was all over.

Opening the windows, I turned back and sat back on the bed, slapping the duvet with a smirk. “Get up here, Izzy, and lie back.”

Confuzzled, she stepped up onto the bed and lay down. Cautiously, I reached out and gently caressed her chest. Her eyes with surprise, but a smile slowly grew as I elevated the strokes to soft, kneading rubs. There wasn’t much fluff, but rather a felt-like fuzz that engaged the touchy senses just as much. I worked my tender fingers up to the nape of her neck when my ears picked up an unexpected vibrating hum.

“Is she… purring?” I thought, extending the petting to an ear scratch while Izzy stretched out. Finally, I gave her shoulder a quick massage and sat back, only to have a hoof pull my forearm back.

“I should’ve known you wanted more,” I muttered, resuming the massage. Then Sunny appeared next to her friend with golden retriever puppy eyes. Thus I gave my hands and wrists a full workout releasing pulses of physical energy of love into the souls of my two pony friends. Every time I felt it was sufficient, they softly asked for more – until a door knock saved my muscles from exploding.

“Good morning, Zipp,” I greeted with a hoof-handshake, rubbing my sore wrists.

“And to you, Mr. Aiden,” she replied, glancing over at the bed, where Izzy and Sunny lay softly purring like they’d ascended into a blissful heaven.

“They must’ve had a really good sleep.”

“Oh, indeed,” I replied awkwardly. “With some… aid.”

Zipp cocked an eyebrow. “And what type of aid would that be?”

I shook my head with a smirk. “I can’t really tell you. I have to show you… by providing it.”

Zipp frowned, but shrugged with a submissive smile. I gently caressed her shoulder first, then reached under her belly and gave a couple slow, gradual rubbing motions.

“Feels nice,” she confided. “And… comforting. I see why those two couldn’t get enough of it.”

A sly look fell across my face. “Would you like the full treatment after the meeting?”

Zipp looked away bashfully. “Uh… yeah. Sure. Also, my sister requests your presence.”

Gee, I wonder why that could be? Izzy teased.

Sure enough, Pipp was waiting by the door, her eyes wide and eager as I gave warm morning greetings. Just as I squatted down, Haven appeared, wearing a somewhat nonplussed expression.

“I will admit I was rather concerned by your initial offering, but the response has spoken clearly for itself. Anytime my dear Pipp requests upsies, any doubt or worry your heart holds of accepting said requests shall cease to exist.”

“Understood, Your Masjesty,” I replied politely. Pipp climbed into my arms and I slowly rose back up into a standing posture. She squealed (subtly) with joy and I could feel the smile of her cheeks on my shoulder. Glancing back, I noticed Haven walking up behind with a motherly smile. 

Am I becoming part of this family now?

Back at my guest suite, Sunny and Izzy were waiting, along with Zipp, who seemed to have a ‘damn, it must be nice, sis’ look on her face, though if it was there, she was doing a poor job of hiding it.

“We have been graced with another amazing day,” Haven declared. “A day to manage and tend to the needs of the nation. Is everypony ready?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the unison replies came, but I raised a finger, causing Haven to look up at me. 

“If permitted, I would like to make a brief formal statement.”

“Go on,” Haven replied.

“Back where I’m from, cats and dogs are kept as pets. As a shower of love, care, and affection, we give them back and belly rubs, shoulder massages, ear scratches, neck tickles, and cheek and chin rubs. And of course, hugs and pats. I whole-heartedly offer such services to all of you, if the mood and situation suits. Furthermore, I can only lift Pipp because her weight is within my lifting abilities.” I caught Sunny’s eye. “If I were to lift any of you, I risk injury.”

For the first time since we met, Haven was taken aback, looking slightly confused. “You want to…”

I shook my head, and Pipp interceded. “If you want to, Mom. C’mon, it’s so comforting.”

It took all my self-control not to smirk at the daughter-mother dynamic. Haven replied with a flat “We’ll see” and didn’t say anything more, heading down the hall as we obediently followed.
> Getting Stuff Done
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Breakfast was a mostly quiet affair as we poured over the events mostly internally. Haven then reiterated the royal agenda, and we all took mental notes.

“Follow me,” she ordered, heading down the hall to a different part of the castle.

“See you in a minute, besties,” I called out to Sunny and her friends as I took off after Haven, stopping by the guest suite to grab the iPad.

Right away, my eyes took notice of differences; the color palette was noticeably different, with a dominant lighter white-maroon marble tone, and gold accents. The morning light shone vividly through tall, thin windows. Suddenly something stopped me dead in my tracks.



“Um, Aiden? I – oh.” Haven called over her shoulder, before noticing me staring solemnly at a large framed art piece. Right away, she rushed to my side and put a comforting hoof on my hand.

“This was such a long time ago,” she said softly. “I kept it as a reminder of such a special moment – both in the history of Zephyr Heights and of my life. And my daughters, too. If you deeply miss your own family, you’ve done a pretty good job of burying it, Aiden. Let’s work towards the first step of bringing you home.”

I took one last glance at the art before proceeding down the hall and through golden double doors. A queen-size bed stood at one end, with four armchairs and a polished dark wood coffee table by a window overlooking the city.

“Go, take a seat,” Haven offered, pushing the door closed.

I softly slumped into the chair, almost melting into its soft, plush cushioning. Haven closed the windows and sat beside me “So, what’s got you and Sunny so concerned?”

“It’s a long story.”

“I’m quite used to them.”

I bit my lip and took a deep sigh. “When Sunny and I went to Bridlewood, I got attacked by several unicorns. After the misunderstanding was cleared, it was revealed that they’d fallen for a made-up tale about me, sent to them by a pony who called himself Shootie. Sunny and I took notes of his appearance, as described by several unicorns.”

Haven nodded concerningly, and her face grew serious. So I continued.

“Later, while out on the road heading here, Hitch runs out of seemingly nowhere and alerts us that Sprout had escaped. Before heading on his way, he handed me a pouch. Inside it was a torn-up shreds of paper. But when we all put it together, it revealed pretty much everything I had theorized to be true. Look.”

The air stood still as I turned on the iPad and opened up the photo of the assembled diagram. Haven’s eyes widened with shock and disbelief, but also regret.

“I should have known…” she muttered, shaking her head slightly. “I should have told you…”

“Told me…?” I began, eager to know the details.

“I should have been more transparent with you. As I’m sure Hitch told you, he and I had a deal to transfer Sprout to a secure jail cell in the castle until further notice. Vapor Vici was a newly appointed transport guard that day. When the news broke that the chariot holding Sprout did not arrive in time, I ordered ZBS News Media not to broadcast it, in fear of mass panic. Secretly, I sent out a mailed letter to Hitch, then sent two of my most trusted guards to scout for where the chariot was last seen, and Pipp later gave that info to Hitch. Turns out my guards weren’t as good of detectives as I made them out to be, as they simply called it a dead end. But with the efforts of you, Sunny, Izzy, and my daughters, that end turned into a key lead towards the truth of the matter! Just one thing.”

“Oh?”

“Where did Hitch find that paper?”

“In a trash bin at the Canterlogic building.”

Haven nodded with a confident smug grin. “Just as well. Let’s go. I have all I need to lay down the justice hammer.”

Down the halls we ran, encountering a guard within five seconds.

“Fetch my daughters and their friends, now. Meeting in the guest suite pronto!” Haven ordered.

“You Highness, they’re already there. At least last time I checked. Either way, will do.”

We soon reached the guest suite – and sure enough, everypony was waiting there.

“Listen up,” Haven began, not wasting an ounce of lung capacity. “I have firm conviction in all of your efforts to uncover the evidence of this ongoing mystery. Zipp, I am sorry I didn’t keep you up to date with events. I knew of Sprout’s escape. But right now this isn’t about what Sprout and Vapor Vici did – it’s about finding them and delivering justice. My first three priorities are to conduct a city-wide search, have Ms. Ruby arrested for her compliance in this crime, and conduct the meeting with these mining company board members. As for Mrs. Cloverleaf, it is upon Hitch to decide to arrest and detain her or not, as she is within his legal jurisdiction. However, Pipp needs to send him a text message for recommendation of such legal action, in addition to searching for any other ponies on the platform that resemble Sprout – or Shootie, and also Vapor Vici. Zipp, I need you to set up a classified project for the lab staff. Aiden, Izzy, and Sunny will provide you and me with all the details on what elements will be required. Everypony understands?”

“Yes, loud and clear, your Highness!” we replied in unison.

In a weird first move, Zipp flew out the window. Pipp sat back in the armchair and started flicking and swiping. I too flicked and swiped through my iPad until I came to photos I had taken of the documents and book pages we had found in the old tree in Bridlewood. 

“Amazing,” Haven and Sunny breathed. “This will take lots of deciphering.”

Then a zap hit me; the little chest! Rummaging through my luggage, I soon found it, tucked behind a bunch of clothes.

“These are samples of rocks and crystals,” I explained, handing the chest to Haven, along with the iPad. “Do not lose them.”

She reached up and rested a hoof on my shoulder. “A Queen’s word is of the highest caliber. And I will not let any of the meeting attendees possess them either. They shall be for identification purposes only.”

While Pipp scanned the depths of the Equestrian Internet, Izzy, Sunny, and I began the task to decipher the age-old inter-dimensional spell. We met Zipp at an elevator and descended to the lower levels of the castle.

“Wow,” Izzy breathed, as we stepped into a dark chamber at the bottom level.

“Pretty cool, huh? After the magical restoration, Mom set up a facility to try and investigate Equestria’s magic of old. But with so many other developments in the city, it’s gone largely untouched for years.”

“Well, now’s a good time as ever to restart!” Sunny declared, flicking a few light switches.

My inner engineer began to recognize a few items – flasks, a welder, cutting tools, a chemical testing kit, and so on. But of greater importance was how we would conduct the spell in its purest original form, given its immense power.

“We need to some staging first,” I requested. “Based on the information gathered from the tree in Bridlewood. Like for example, where would Izzy stand relative to the large crystal and the smaller cone-shaped chunks.”

“Drawing time!” Izzy crowed, pulling sheets of paper off a stack and grabbing pencils out of a pot. Sunny pulled up a chair and we all sat down at a desk to brainstorm and discuss.

I roughly sketched a hexagonal prism at one end, and Izzy added a goofy face of her own liking. 

“Now, where would the little chunks go?” Izzy asked.

“That’s a good question, and I’ll answer it via an explanation,” Sunny replied. “The insanely high levels of energy emitted from casting this spell will require it to be on firm, open grounds, with a wide radius of physical clarity. Now when the spell is cast, the natural ‘code’ of the elements has to be extracted from the samples and the beam directed at the crystal, from which the inter-dimensional force field can be emitted in a controlled space.”

“We’re missing one thing, though,” Zipp added. “Where are you going to find the exact same crystal fragments that were used to cast this spell all those years ago?”

Sunny nearly face-planted into the desk. How could we have missed this crucial step?! Before panic could set in, Zipp let out a brief laugh, much to my confusion.

“Perhaps it might simply be in the little collection you gave to my mom,” she mused, and we all nodded with affirmation at the possibility.

Izzy suggested placing the elemental chunks equally on each side, with as wide an angle as possible to allow for maximum overreach of the magical power emitted from the crystal. Suddenly no longer were any of us just sharing fun stuff and chatting and goofing about; now we were delving into some serious historical analysis with a purpose and a developing plan. And frankly, I quite liked it as much as holding Pipp.
> Regrouping
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Haven took much longer than anticipated. By the time we had completed our final layout sketch and conducted five rehearsals, she had still not returned. And Zipp was getting restless – unlike her sister, who was rather pouty after I firmly declined to pick her up and cuddle on a livestream.

“Trust me, I know the power these arms and hands possess. If the Pippsqueaks see this act of love, everypony will want one. And they will stop at nothing to gain it, let alone ask for another and another. It will an impossible game of fairness.”

Pipp let out a long sigh, but her face brightened shortly. “At least it will be something special between the two of us.”

Sitting upright in the armchair, I side-eyed Zipp. “Come sit on me.”

“What… are you saying?” she interrogated, narrowing her eyes. 

I bit back a giggle and tapped my thighs. Zipp trudged up to me and placed her forehooves on my legs. Reducing the cheekiness in my smile, I leaned forward without warning and gripped her shoulders, pulling her up onto my lap.

“Is big strong Zippy being tsundy-wundy?” Pipp teased, pressing her lips as I fired a sideways eyeshot.

“I believe we’ve known each other well enough,” I whispered softly, caressing her tapering quiff and passing smooth strokes over her back. Boy, was she fit compared to her sister! Underneath the soft, fine-packed white fuzz lay a set of solidly built muscle blocks. Somehow that made the affection experience even better. “This is fine, is it not?”

Zipp let out a thin exhalation as her defiant blushing barrier finally crumbled. “Yeah. It is fine.”

Her lips parted into a sliver of a content smile, and I playfully pulled her tight against my chest, resulting in a subtle giggle of comforted bliss. I heaved her up to my chest with all my might and gently pressed her head to my shoulder. From the corner of my eye, it looked like Izzy was on the verge of tears. Likely, she’d realized what I was attempting to do – give both sisters equal affectionate treatment.

After exactly four seconds, I eased out of the close hug, and just as I expected, Zipp gripped me firmly back, her fuzzy chin tickling my collarbone as she turned to look up into my eyes.

“Please hold and cuddle me.”

“Aw, Zipp,” I cooed, rubbing her neck and gently scratching behind her ears. Lo and behold, the same soft purr that Izzy made was emitted. I coaxed the base of her left wing, and she instinctively unfolded it. Softly pressing the leading edge between my finger and thumb, I ran it along the wing’s length. To my astonishment, Zipp curled her wingtip primary feathers around and cradled my forearm, playfully tickling the underside as she did so.

“You’re cooler than I originally thought,” she said, pressing a forehoof against my pec. “I know I’m not one for touchy affection, but, um…”

“He broke you, sis,” Pipp interrupted flatly, and Sunny held a hoof to her sniggering mouth. “Just admit it.”

Zipp’s eyes sloshed around. “Ok yeah.”

I gently stroked her chin and gave more ear scritches, before working to a gradual massage on her shoulder and rear wing muscles. Her face became nothing short of euphoric.

“Oh yes, that’s the spot… little more… please, up… yes! Awww, nice…”

And straight out of an anime, the door knocked and I auto-responded with approval. Haven walked in with two guards, and her face switched out like a light, from concern and urgency to awkwardly flustered. For all she could assume from her perspective and my physical posture, it might as well have looked like Zipp and I had just finished making out.

“It’s okay, Mom!” Pipp exclaimed quickly in a haphazard attempt to diffuse the tension in the air. “Zipp was just getting a nice massage.”

“Feel better, Z?” I asked endearingly, trying to play it cool.

“Comforted, relieved, and eased. Thank you.”

“Anytime. And feel free to use your wings in conversation with me. They look and feel amazing.”

Now the blush made a subtle comeback. “I sure will.”

Zipp slid off my lap and we all gathered around to listen to Haven’s important update.

“Hello everypony. My sincerest apologies for the extended wait, as there was a high concentration of vital questions and a few heated conversations with each attendee. Now I will spare the irrelevant details for a later discussion, and focus on the key points. First and foremost, six out of the eight total mining owners have agreed to extracting the rare minerals Aiden gave me. It will take roughly a week, but it can be done. As for the other two, they displayed a high level of suspicion and were adamant about not entrusting me with a share of their mining resources for the experiment.”

“Let me guess,” Zipp mused with a smirk. “One of them was Miss Ruby’s business partner.”

Haven smiled and nodded slowly. “Indeed. Blazor Maneoff. The unfortunate thing is that he has the only mine with one of the key elements. He did mention Phyllis Cloverleaf and how he was a loyal partner no matter what, in spite of a challenge I proposed to him regarding her criminal prosecution. The usual aggression bubbled up but I swept it aside like feathers in the wind. Pipp, please inform Hitch about this, as I would not put it past this bigshot to handle the situation on his own terms. I have already enacted an order to ban him from leaving the city, but he could easily just bribe an associate or something.”

Her eyes looked downcast, and for the first time I really felt bad for her – trying to manage troublesome elitists and mitigating the challenge of helping me return home safely. Almost instinctively, I put a hand on her shoulder and gave a deep look.

“I may not ever be the ruler of a city or a nation, but I know when a situation feels overwhelming due to the perceived dangers of people – er, ponies – that you know are beyond your control. You have been nothing but hospitable and welcoming as if I was one of your own family, but that should not be a reason to feel overburdened by royal responsibilities and governmental management. I request to speak with this guy.”

“No,” Haven replied firmly, and even in her stern gaze I could feel a motherly energy. “This has nothing to do with you. It’s between him and me. I mismanaged my cabinet about a decade ago and they dealt under the table with a few of my experimental projects. It was a wreck, and even after I cleaned things up, they still hold disdain and contention with me, especially since I started locating and targeting their unjust and unethical business dealings. Nowhere in the meeting did I bring up your name, Aiden. Let’s keep it that way. I…” Her face brightened a little. “I will run an audit and give him an irresistible offer. My end of the deal will simply be possession of the required element. He’s not the wisest businesspony when he’s mad. With all that said, how was your venture into the experiment lab?”

“We have a decent idea of how the spell will be cast,” Sunny replied brightly. “The next step is studying the historical document closely to work out the intricacies.”

“Perfect. That should be completed within the timeframe for mining. An arrest warrant has been issued for Miss Ruby, Sprout, and his mom, and their court case is due in a few months’ time. Not to worry, Aiden need not be present.”

“Well done,” I said with admiration. It felt honored to be this close to a leader who clearly had a full workload but still was fearless in taking an iron-hooved approach were deemed necessary and revealing only information deemed necessary. Overall, the situation felt like it was going all too easy. But two things still nagged the back of my brain; would Blazor pursue a manhunt? And where in Equestria was Sprout? Surely he would give up upon realizing his new scheme had crumbled? There was nothing to gain now.

Except… maybe a chance at changing his attitude towards the world around him. But that would require a little help.

“Haven, Your Majesty, do you happen to have any psychologists in Zephyr Heights?”

“Of course,” she responded immediately. “Why?”

“I was just thinking Sprout could benefit from a few sessions with one. He needs counselling as much as prosecution, in my humble opinion.”

Haven tilted her head and nodded slightly. “I will consider it in the case.”
> Zipp’s Castle Playground (and a Friendship Questionnaire)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

If there’s one thing Sunny was good at, it was reading historical documents. Being able to recognize diagrams and maps was one thing, but she picked up on the levels of interconnected structures twice as fast as I did. Even with a topic as simple as an elemental-based energy formula, she could correlate it to an aspect of Equestria’s magic from just two terms. Yet after finishing a half-hour study session on the material recovered from the tree house, she had a slight pout on her face.

“What’s the bee in your bonnet, Sunny?”

“Nothing, really. I was… was just thinking of how fun it would be to travel across Equestria together. Going on adventurous endeavours, discovering old ruins, deciphering clues and working out the timeline of Equestria’s history at certain frames.”

“Your inner peace is currently turbulent due to affirmative knowledge that the happiest times are due to end forever,” I replied, caressing her shoulder. “But you can only regain that joy and bliss by upholding gratitude and thankfulness for all that you have experienced with me. Now whom you are thankful to is up for you to decide – could be Queen Haven, could be her daughters, could be Izzy, could even be a different entity entirely. Believe me, once you feel it, the positive change will follow swiftly.”

“Thanks for the advice, Aiden,” she replied, nuzzling my forearm with soft eyes that were glowing with gratitude.

“My pleasure. Now, I have been told by a guard that there’s an old grand chamber somewhere in the castle with staircases and big fans. I have a fun idea, but we need to act now. Let’s go find Zipp.”

Taking the iPad with me along with my skateboard and a pair of gloves from my luggage, we headed up the stairs to the royal suites – and as expected, there were two guards at the entrance.

“Halt! This is off limits!”

“We’ve come to see Zipp,” I replied clearly.

One them twisted his lip in doubt, but nodded. “Come on in.”

Down the hall, it was too easy to recognize Zipp’s room, or rather hear it, with a strong, catchy guitar riff. 

“Zipp? We need to talk,” Sunny began, stopping as I put a finger to my lips. Raising my finger and counting under my breath, I rapped a sequence of knocks in the same rhythm of the riff, deliberately going off-key on the last note. After a good thirty seconds the music died down, indicating Zipp had gotten the message.

The door opened, and out stepped Zipp, wearing a leather jacket and a pair of headphones. “Oh hi Sunny! Aiden, that sure was a way to alert me.”

“Like I said, I have heard lots of music. I have something fun we can do together, but it’s going to require some effort. Are you busy?”

“Nah, today’s my day off, actually. Pipp has some royalty training to do.”

“Perfect. Let’s go to the experiment facility.”

Flicking on the lights, I slid and repositioned several items in the back until I came upon what I had suspected existed when I caught a glimpse of it earlier: plywood, some metal pipes, and a set of basic tools. Zipp looked unamused, so I swiped on my iPad and held it out.

“Looks familiar to you?”

“Somewhat.”

“I can build this for us. And we can install it in the old chamber where the giant staircase and fans are.”

Her eyes lit up as she soon recognized what I was describing. With Sunny’s help, we heaved the wood out of its hiding place and laid it flat on the ground. Happily, I still had a copy of the design files on my iPad. Sunny held a piece of string in place as I triple-measured and drew out all the markings and lines.

Plugging in a saw and power drill, we elevated the wood with some cinder blocks, and I started cutting, drilling, nailing, and screwing. Many hooves made light work, and the two rounded sides came together within the hour. I showed them how to drill through metal, and we got the top deck on easily, before adding the paneling. Finally, I added the metal pipe, and smoothly sanded the panel surface. A grinder was used to cut a strip of metal, which I filed down and screwed to the bottom edge.

“This looks amazing!” Sunny breathed. “Except…”

“The surface. Should be smooth but not slippery,” I finished.

“Would this help?” Zipp asked, pushing a metal can over. “Says seals and protects wood.”

“Stain! Perfect.”

Sunny caught on and rummaged through the desk drawer, soon finding a thick paintbrush. She pried open the can with a metal wrench and immediately clapped a hoof to her nose.

“This stinks!”

I shook my head. “Let’s apply it in the chamber.”

We pushed the complete quarter pipe to the elevator, only to realize the journey would likely be doubled due to me being the only one with hands. To our surprise, the doors opened to reveal none other than Izzy.

“Hi friends! I was spending some time out in the city meeting some new pegasi and then came back and was trying to find you but couldn’t. Soooooo… a nice guard told me she’d seen you enter the elevator and I figured I’d come down here. Ha! What a stroke of luck.”

I snickered and gave her my special behind-the-ear scratches. “Glad you’re here. We could use a pair of hooves.”

It was a tight squeeze in the passage to the chamber because nothing was designed for anything more than two meters tall and wide. Not to mention the old-school basket elevator threatened to snap with a loud creaky shriek as we precariously lowered the wood-and-metal contraption down into it. It slid down to the bottom of the staircase with a hard, echoey thud, but remained intact from a visual standpoint. 

Next, we lowered the dolly cart and my skateboard, then ourselves down into the chamber. As we slid the quarter pipe onto the dolly and carefully rolled it down the gradient to the main floor, I gazed around, taking in the sights. I know I called it a chamber, but there wasn’t much else to describe it simply. The ceiling was at least sixty feet high, with carved stone, wood, and metal. From the dusty, faded timetable, large fans, and grand clock, I suddenly realized where (and what) this was; an old hot air balloon transit station from a bygone era of the castle.

“Wow,” I breathed, admiring the late afternoon sun streaking inside through the stained glass and balloon departure inlet. “This is… it’s wild to think that a room like this exists in the castle. Have you thought of repurposing it, Zipp?”

“Not really,” she replied, shrugging. “I mostly just used the fans for aerobatic practice and delved into the motion physic mathematics of certain maneuvers with a chalkboard.”

I grinned. “We can turn this place into a fun hangout spot for rollerblading, skateboarding, and other cool activities. Just need materials, time, planning, and consistent effort. We can start with this quarter pipe, plus repurposing whatever’s currently here. Like these lamp post bases.”

I grabbed my board and skated straight towards one, before hopping off with a push. The board slid up the angular base, before sliding back down as I hopped back onto it, adding in a quick revert slide.

“Whoa!” Izzy gasped.

“Cool!” Sunny exclaimed. “Too bad I left my skates at home.”

“You two can always come here anytime,” Zipp reminded supportively. “Let’s finish our job.”

Taking turns, we dipped the brush and applied smooth, even strokes to the wooden transition panel. With the cool outside air blowing in, the stench was much less, easing up the task. We set it in a safe corner under a tarp draped across two metal frames. 

While the sun began its descent, Zipp and I practiced our moves while Sunny and Izzy cleared out the area. Zipp fired up one of the fans and practiced hovering before a steep climb followed by a sharp 180-degree turn and a swift dive. I eyed the main ramp leading from the flat plane connecting the bottom of the twin staircases down to the main level. A quick run up and two firm pushes were all it took to get a head start. The momentum was a little hammered by the bumpy tiling, but I kept gliding swiftly towards the balloon boarding ramp. With another hard push I coasted up the incline, popping an ollie and turning frontside before scooting back down, barely catching the back edge with my toes as I added a quick shuvit.

“I had no idea you had all of this in you,” Sunny confided as I did a quick handstand off the edge of a padded waiting bench. “You’re not just a historian, you’re a sporty rebel, too.”

“Part of being a teenager,” I mused, spinning my board back upright with a foot sweeping motion.

“You’re creative too,” Izzy added, pronking up and off the tall headrest of another bench, eager to get in on the action. “You can make something out of seemingly nothing. I could not view this area in such a light when Zipp first brought us here. But now my mind is opening up so much!”

“Just don’t let your brain fall out in the process!” I warned, enacting a chuckle from her.

Zipp and I kept at our tricks and maneuvers until the sun’s afterglow painted the whole station in a soft, deep glow. We all agreed to come back the following afternoon and brainstorm how to transform the place into a sporty play arena. The walk back to my guest suite was a slow, silent affair, as we were all worn out and sore. I had three scrapes and a small cut from a couple falls, and Zipp had a single crash-landing from tightening a dive maneuver too much. Thankfully, Haven brought us over for a warm, homey family dinner.

I caught her eye with a non-verbal “I need to give a speech” message. She gave a slight nod and opened her arms with a delightful smile. “Welcome, my family! Please, have a seat and enjoy the grand food cooked specially for us all.”

We all settled down in the plush red chairs and Pipp lamented on the lack of access to her phone during some training sessions. I fought back an eye-roll and made a mental note to seriously address it later, before tucking into some hot fresh rolls and a spicy oily puree – the same one I had eaten at lunch the day prior. Izzy eagerly shared her experience making new pegasi friends, and Zipp and Sunny chimed in with the quarter pipe we made together.

“I do hope you will be using it outside of the royal grounds,” Haven warned.

“Oh yes Mom, it will not be in anypony’s way at all,” Zipp replied smoothly, and I caught her eye for a second with a smile. Well-played – to gain confidence and trust, don’t rush the answer.

I finished up my food quickly, but kept a respectful pace. As if reading my mental plans, Haven asked a preluding question. 

“How long have you been a historian and archeologist, Aiden?”

“About eight years.” I crossed my palms and seized the moment. “During that time I have studied several nation leaders and analyzed their strategies, principles, and prowess. I want to preface what I am about to say with that I do not intend to demote or negtiavely stigmatize our honorary Queen Haven in any manner. If you observe any speech of the sort, guide the speech and conversation back.”

Zipp smiled softly at me. “Just respectfully speak your mind.”

I cleared my throat. “With that said, here are a few observations of the successful leaders amongst the collective in my studies. What did they do that made them the best? Firstly, they included all people of all ranks in the gatherings they held. This ensured that the discussion field was level and even, so to speak. Too often those in a higher rank claim to represent those in a lower rank and deliberately speak untruly and inaccurately on their behalf. But you will not realize this because they are clever about it. By stepping down to the lower ranks and including them in the discussions, you can get a proper sense of their feelings, demands, wants, and needs. Thereby, equality can be established in the dealings and makings of laws and verdicts.”

“Absolutely,” Haven replied. “Admittedly, I have seen a reduction in the number of average-level citizens who attend my conferences, meetings, and speeches, but an uptick in the attendance for Pipp’s concerts, which is concerning to be honest.”

I paused to check if she would continue, then proceeded.

“How do you intend to change that without externally undermining the privileges you have given the higher class?”

Haven side-eyed her daughter with a sly smile. “Through several methods, one of which is to incorporate lyrics that are catchy, yet truthful and meaningful into my daughter’s songwriting, so it will resonate and stick with the audience. I have plans to schedule consecutive meetings, which I did not do in the past due to my own self-inflicted time constraints. This way the collective voices of both upper and lower classes can be heard.”

I responded with a sly smile of my own. “You definitely know how to woo an audience with a thick outer layer of proud classiness, though this can still be a positive advantage if utilized properly. Glad to hear of your improvement goals. On that note, another key which successful leaders held is to be informed directly through safe yet non-obtrusive mingling with the average people. You can see the various levels of emotional/rational, content/dissatisfied, easeful/struggling, and so on, in different groups and categories.”

Haven flashed a motherly smile at me. “I would be lying if I said you haven’t made me feel slightly awkward at making you my guest subordinate. You have learned well, to be speaking with such confidence on these topics.”

“Mostly because they are not exactly what most people back where I am from want to hear,” I admitted, before turning to Pipp and Zipp and briefly holding Sunny’s gaze. “Which leads to the importance of constantly and consistently reminding yourself of who you are as a leader, and what leadership truly is – a responsibility. And a responsibility to be feared due to the impact of being highly knowledgeable about the weight it carries. Too often nations fell due to bad selection of leaders who became corrupt, egoistical, and lacked all the aforementioned qualities. The perks and privileges of being a leader or intimately related to one are outstandingly beneficial and fulfilling, but with it comes a great degree of responsibility and code of self-conduct.”

The air stood still, save for a sigh from Zipp. “What a slew of information. You really are someone who truly cares for those around you and wishes to positively assist in their thinking by way of the knowledge and experiences your journeys have provided.”

I clapped a hand to my chest and bowed slightly. “High praise be not needed, for it can fuel ego in excess. There is more to share with you at bedtime.”

As we all filed out of the dining hall I felt a tug on my leg, knowing damn well who it was. I gripped Pipp’s chubby body and lifted with all my might, and headed up to the guest suite, with Zipp cradling a supportive wing around my waist. In the distance, I thought I heard Haven’s voice saying:

“Such a supportive, caring son.”

I shut out the speculation and pushed the doors open. Izzy flicked on the lights, and we sat down on the bed and chairs to relax. Most boys would be ecstatic to share the same physical space with a bunch of cute, pretty girls. I, rather, was in a deep philosophically contemplative state. I knew I couldn’t just leave this world having had a bubbly blast. I needed to give back in a meaningful way beyond just experiences and materialistic showcasing.

Flicking through some notes on my iPad, I decided it was time for a moment of introspective, reflective, and deep-thoughtful discussion. On the spot, I came up with a list of twenty questions – four casual, four semi-casual, and twelve tough.

“Uh-mm-hmm!” I began, sitting up straight. “It has been such an amazing, joyful, and invigorating experience spending time with you all. I want to take a moment for some extra fun that will gradually delve into deeper territory. For this I have quickly made some digital flash cards – some are for all of you, some individualized.

(WE INTERRUPT THIS READING PROGRAM FOR AN AUTHOR'S NOTE: The order of ponies answering questions goes Izzy, Sunny, Zipp, then Pipp.)

“Alright,” Zipp nodded, a slight streak of skepticism crossing her face.

“Let’s go! Me first!” Izzy said excitedly.

“General question first. Juice or water?”

“Water!”

“Juice is refreshing on a hot day.”

“Eh, juice.”

“‘A sip of water makes you smarter’ is what I often tell younger Pippsqueaks.”

“Aw, lovely to see you’re giving sound advice to those younger than you,” I complimented. “Now, early to rise, or late to sleep?”

“I get up a bit early around eight a.m. surprise all Bridlewood’s residents with a happy good morning as they walk the streets.”

“Seven a.m. in the morning, always. Gotta be fresh and energized for a day running the smoothie stand.”

“Early to rise. I have to manage a few things for Mom often, so yeah.”

“Depends on the situation. Sometimes I hold a late-night stream with my Pippsqueaks, other times a concert can grind me down to the bone, resulting in an instant crash.”

“I see you have the informal cyber-lingo,” I teased. “What makes you happy?”

“Um…” Izzy began.

“Ah yeah, not so easy, is it?” I smirked.

“Making gifts for others,” she quickly responded.

“Finding new information about history.”

“Adventuring and figuring things out logically.”

“Singing and performing for my fans. Oh, and my mom’s love.”

“What makes you hopeful for the future?” I then asked.

“Well, we don’t always assume the worst from each other now, as far as I can see.”

“There is more open communication. Pegasi, earth ponies, and unicorns are visiting each other more often, and conversations therein.”

“Overall an uptick in fair trades.”

“Young pegasi are turning the old hateful rumors into jokes now, so there’s a better vibe amongst the cityfolk.”

“Hmmm,” I murmured, pausing for a full minute to take all the responses in, before proceeding to the next batch.

“Okay, time for some universally deep ones. How do you handle when everyone is thinking negatively of you?”

“I would try to disperse the crowd as best as possible, and then manage each pony on a one-on-one basis, or if that’s not possible, then in a small group.”

“Agreed, Izzy.”

“Same.”

“What she said.”

“Surprised you all agreed on that one so quick, heh. What about when nobody is listening to you?”

“I gotta first hear them out.”

“Plus, ask direct questions to figure out their current emotional stability.”

“Check my tonality. Request verbal acceptance of my speech from the get-go.”

“Ask myself a question too: am I presenting myself the right way so as to command respect?”

“Beautiful. Equestria has embraced technology and digital communication. Any negative consequences you can foresee that will come out of this?”

“I could see making mean and hurtful statements being a whole lot easier.”

“The Shootie method would be more effective, too.”

“What Sunny said. Lies can spread quickly, but we do have an authentication policy in place for each user, so it’s not too hard to trace publicly emitted statements.”

“It’s going to really reshape how we handle ourselves as a whole, and shake the foundation of self-identity too.”

My eyebrows sprung up a little at Pipp’s face, which looked more solemn and contemplative than I’d ever seen her before. It took a few minutes before I could feel the radiant energy had stabilized enough to ask the final question.

“What do you do to erase sadness when you cry?”

“I just lay down and let it naturally fade away. If there’s somepony whom I can quickly pay a visit to talk with, I’ll do it in a heartbeat.”

“I tend to talk as if my dad’s still there. Like he’s watching and listening. And somehow, my mind feels guided towards a hopeful source of healing and comfort.”

“Which is often us,” Zipp remarked. “I go for a long flight, and more often than not some random pegasi will take note that something’s amiss and offer their shoulder or of the sort.”

“Mom’s the word and the comfort.”

“Great responses, everypony,” I congratulated. “Thanks for taking the time to provide such a great array of answers.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever felt this intense in a questionnaire before,” Izzy confided. “Not the legal authority interrogation-type, but one that goes beyond a surface level.”

I peered out the window. “It’s getting a little late. Let’s round up with the final twelve questions.”

Pipp groaned, trying to hide it with a yawn. I offered her the blanket, and she immediately accepted. She shuffled under the covers, I shifted to the other side of the bed, and put forth the first question.

“Let’s say you were stranded far out at sea on a deserted island, completely isolated and alone. You can have only one item to help you survive. What would it be?”

“Crystals.”

“A book on how to utilize items naturally found on the island for survival.”

“Something to make fire with.”

“Cell service, for a rescue call.”

Feeling rather amused by Pipp’s answer, I refrained from any comments and kept the ball rolling – this time towards her and her sister.

“What would you be doing with life if you weren’t royalty?”

“Hmmm. That’s a pretty good question. I can’t really say how good of a teacher I am, but getting other talented pegasi to fly skillfully would definitely bring a sense of purpose behind why I enjoy flying fast and epically.”

“Oh! I’d be a singer and performer, as I have always been.”

“How do you view leadership - collectively as a family, and for yourselves individually?”

“There are different levels to leadership, and there must be a qualitive assessment of each pony on each level, before they are assigned to said level. As you stated, there are perks to living for yourself that come with it, but living with well-thought-out speech and actions for others allows for a lasting legacy to be built.”

“Um, I’d say it’s a state of authority that is appointed and has a level of power along with it that must be managed. Collectively there must be frequent discussions.”

“Where and how does your heart find peace?”

“I find peace when I’m with my friends having a good time, because I know I can rely on them.”

“It varies, really. Successful accomplishment of tasks, permanently solving a persistent problem, a comforting hug… there could be more I’m missing.”

“Gliding through the clouds with all duties fulfilled.”

“Knowing I don’t have to deal with so many messages.”

“When something unexpectedly horrible happened, how did you react afterwards?”

“With worry and pity.”

“Shock and fear. Sadness too.”

“Mostly concern.”

“A plea for help from whoever I trust.”

“Where can you find the most beauty - adding, subtracting, dividing, or cleaning?”

“Oof, tricky one! Um, I’d say adding. In the form of giving to others.”

“Dividing by ensuring equality in distribution of good.”

“Sometimes what’s best is less, so subtraction. But aiding also can require addition.”

“Cleaning is important because it allows for improved quality of everything else.”

My eyebrows sprung up a little. Gee, wasn’t expecting that from you, Pipp. “For the Royal Sisters; Put forth your best arguments why each of you would be an ideal successor to Queen Haven.”

For a good two minutes, Zipp fell silent, and I could see she had been deeply impacted by the question. Pipp opened her mouth to skip but promptly held back at my glare.

“To be honest, I am not ready to even fathom that. There is still much to observe, learn, gain consistency of, and master.”

“As is with me. Balancing life as a performer isn’t easy.”

Fair enough, I thought. Back to the collective.

“How do you assemble the jigsaw puzzle of the complete truthful events that make up a problematic incident?”

“Look at what’s common.”

“Check to ensure there are no fallacies in each component of the story, relating to how they interconnect.”

“First you have to check, as Sunny said, then determine the order and thereby pinpoint the culprit.”

“Determine the most logical sequence.”

“Hitch plays an important role amongst you all in more ways than you think. Name three.”

“A caring, supportive helper.”

“He’s like a brother sometimes.”

“A wise goof who knows when to be empathic.”

“Keeps a balance amongst us.”

I smiled. “Great positive thoughts. Now to the final three personal ones. Pipp, what behavioral changes have you noticed amongst your fanbase since you started livestreaming?”

“Great question. There’s more collective hype and a sense of pressure when feedback rolls in. Some fillies have approached me in public for selfies, but I’ve been fortunate enough to not have anypony violate personal space or be disrespectful to others.”

“Sunny, how do you think adverse reactions to the archeological findings of ancient Equestria should be mitigated?”

“I think we should stick together as friends and hear out the voices behind the reactions via conversation, then ensure they do not escalate to becoming a threat to the stability of Equestria’s magical unity. To directly state something or somepony as a threat or an enemy is a dangerous notion.”

“Alright, final question. Izzy, let’s paint a situation. You find a weird-colored mushroom in the forest and eat it. Suddenly you feel overly happy and unstoppable. Time warps in your head in such a way that you can’t discern any sad or depressing moments at all throughout your whole life. The next day, everything’s back to normal. You dismiss it as just the mushroom being a “bad” food. Time passes. You meet a pony who is feeling really sad, distraught, and depressed. Do you give them the mushroom or not?”

“Aaah…” Izzy gasped, biting her lip. “This is… I can’t… I… okay, let me think.”

“Be firmly honest here,” I added. “I have seen you hold a high level of self-respect.”

This time the night air stood still for three minutes, save for Pipp’s fidgety, tensed-up hooves. It looked like she was giving it some thorough analysis. Finally, she spoke, a solemn but confident tone across her tongue.

“I would not give them the mushroom. In fact, I would try to completely destroy it. Even if the mushroom’s effects were to last a week, I still would destroy it. The usage of an edible source to reach a euphorically positive state for a short while would just cause forever dependency and could also lead to unpredictable damage. With a healthy conversation around emotional management and mindset and wise, decisive actions, a permanent solution can be worked towards. Too much repetitive short-term good would become long-term bad, no?”

“No, Izzy. You are correct. Incredible answer,” Zipp replied with a deep sigh, suddenly realizing she’d been holding back her breath.

“I haven’t heard you speak on that level since the start of this questionnaire, Izzy,” Sunny added.

“What a way to re-think how we choose to help one another,” Pipp chimed in, having finally got her hooves to stay still.

“All I can say is five hoof-stars of five,” I said, closing the app and shutting off the iPad. “Again, easy on the praising. Thank you all so much for giving me the opportunity to play this game and ask you stuff which most of it I have never been able to ask others before. It’s been an honor, Miss Pipp and Miss Zephyrina. I hope we can spend more time together and try some new activities.

“Absolutely,” Zipp replied, a slight bashful blush on her inner cheek. “Just… you don’t have to address me like that. ‘Zipp’ is good enough, okay?”

I nodded. “I know. It’s just natural as part of respect. Now who’s up for affection time?”

I gave each of them a warm, comforting hug, before carrying Pipp to her room and giving her a special nightly kiss. Setting a slightly delayed alarm, I slipped into a serene sleep, while Sunny and Izzy slid under the covers and snuggled up against me.
> Uncovered
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Right after breakfast, the four of us headed for Zipp’s balloon station hideout, which we decided to dub the “Fun Sanctuary”. The quarter pipe was all dry and ready for action, so I mounted it ten meters from the bottom of the entranceway ramp. With Haven’s permission, Zipp and I took a few more tools and supplies from the castle and started transforming up the place. We built another quarter pipe and folded up the old balloons. Sunny bought a desk, chairs, and metal piping off a renovation crew, and we made a designated open-air office and pegasi flight study area. The work was tedious, and Izzy would sometimes just flop down midday without a hitch, pun not intentional.

Sunny and I enjoyed it, though. Mostly because it kept our minds away from the worry and sadness of the inevitable portal spell casting and my departure. Zipp seemed to enjoy the company of someone who genuinely appreciated and showed interest in the same topics as she did. Owing to the music I heard from her room, I tortured my iPad’s little tweeters with some accompanying tunes.

 
 

“Oof, what’s this?” Izzy exclaimed, frowning in disgust.

“Rock and roll, Miss Purple Cinnamon Roll!” Zipp hollered, dancing a jig while I drilled through a metal pipe to make a grind rail. The chorus came on, and Izzy started to jump swiftly with hard landings. It looked weird, but she was having fun – and that’s what mattered.

“Loud and shouty, but rhythmic,” Pipp complimented one day, playfully testing the degree of friction on the completed rail. We filmed a funny skit with my skateboard, and she helped clean up the stairs.

By the end of the week the Fun Sanctuary was taking shape. A partial skatepark had been constructed with a metal plate fixed to the inner edges of the railing, plus the two quarter pipes facing each other and the metal rail off to the side. Opposite the rail was the flight study area, with Zipp’s chalkboard, the repositioned balloon passenger sittings, and a desk with books on top of it from the library. As we stood back to admire it, Pipp came floating down in the basket elevator, holding a bass guitar.

“Figured this would fit,” she said, holding it up. “For you, sis.”

Zipp’s eyes looked a little watery as she took her prized bass and rested it against the desk. “Thanks so much.”

Now the setting was complete, at least for the initial stage. But I felt like something was missing. Glancing towards the golden light of sundown blasting through the takeoff entrance, I smiled confidently.

Over dinner, we discussed the progress of the Fun Sanctuary and I showcased several photos and concept drawings. Initially I expected her to casually dismiss it as some “wild fun youthful thing” but she looked genuinely impressed and intrigued, with that special warm smile.

“Well done. I’m proud of you all.” She turned to her daughters with a sly but affectionate grin. “My my, it seems you two are growing up a little faster than expected.”

Pipp giggled with a tiny blush, and Zipp looked just as flustered when I gave her a hug and a massage. Despite their outgoing aura, I knew the two had it in them to be as capable as their mom. Perhaps not as a ruler as of yet, but as a business owner or a manager of affairs on a smaller scale.

Haven then turned to me. “Blazor has complied and we will be receiving a shipment of the rare element from his mine. The others are due to arrive tomorrow. As I am uncertain as to how much of each element will be physically degraded from the spell’s raw energy, requests were given for ten kilograms of each.

I fought back a grimacing face. Are you crazy?! That’s three-quarters my own weight in earth elements!

“Um, glad to hear, Your Highness,” I quickly replied before the stuttering could set in. “So how will we proceed with this?”

“However you wish,” Haven replied, much to my surprise. “So long as it is on the day after tomorrow. I will prepare my cabinet to manage the week’s tasks, so I can accompany you all to Maretime Bay. We can reconvene in the morning over breakfast.”

“Got it. Thanks so much, Your Highness. I’ll figure it out tonight. Promise.”

“Promise!” Haven replied, and held up a hoof, subtly wiggling it, as if beckoning for something. My eyes widened slightly as I returned the hoof-bump, feeling caught off-guard again. I couldn’t hold it back anymore – I had to say it.

“You seem to have another side to you, Your Honor. It does slip out on occasion.”

Her face fell in apparent denial. “Only wanting the best for my dear guest and my daughters.”

I politely bowed and we left the dining room, a cunning look on both Pipp and I’s faces. There was no way I was going to leave Equestria without giving Mom the “special treatment”.

For a change, Izzy and Sunny gave up the bed and let the royal sisters sleep with me. Given how sour the only relationship I’ve ever been in went, it felt great providing physical comfort and love to ponies who excelled at hospitality and courtesy. Zipp loved to use her wings like arms, and there was no end to Pipp’s tickling once she discovered my sensitive spots. It took a while for the playfulness to die off before I could pass out in a muscular, meaty and soft, tender pony sandwich – made only in bed.

My internal descriptions turned out too good to be figurative, as Haven handed me a generous plate of hot corn flour flatbread bubbling with cheese. I savored every mouthful and pondered about how well to articulate my plan. Zipp’s voice echoed in the back of my head with the answer:

“Just speak your mind respectfully.”

“Uh-hm,” I began, quickly finishing up the last arepa on my plate. “I would like to make a brief but vital announcement as to my plan to return home.”

Haven gave a supporting nod, so I continued. 

“First off, I need to pay Bridlewood a visit, as my submarine and additional equipment and gear is on the coast there. Furthermore, I made a promise to some special unicorns too. Meanwhile you all can return to Maretime Bay. I will sail around in my submarine and meet you there. We can hold a little reunion meetup with Hitch, then proceed to the portal spell casting. Prior to my arrival, you can conduct some tests if Izzy tags along. Or she can come with me if she wants.”

The little purple unicorn smiled with glee.

“But for our first departure, I wish to have one last hurrah of fun with my friend Aiden,” Zipp added, tapping my shoulder with her wingtip.

“Let me explain; the Fun Sanctuary has a landing strip, which should be enough for me to get the paramotor wing up and takeoff. Zipp and I can fly together down to the mountain base. I can take the paramotor with me afterwards to Bridlewood, where it can be disassembled and put in the submarine.”

“Excellent,” Haven replied gleefully. “Getting the elements down the mountain may be a bit of a challenge, but it’s nothing unusual in the city’s developmental life. I will assemble the military crew and several of the castle’s guards to aid in the process. Breakfast is dismissed, and we will regroup at lunch to examine the elements extracted from the mines.”

“Yes, Mom,” we all replied in unison, before returning to the guest suite, where I changed up into some semi-casual wear – jeans, a thermal undershirt, a beige button-down, and a hoodie. Slipping on a pair of sneakers, I hit the streets with Sunny by my side. Normally I’d take the skateboard with me to spice up the fun, but today I wanted to take it easy with a casual stroll and enjoy the sights and sounds of the city before I left it for good. Especially since my first outing did not end on the sweetest of notes.

“Um, Aiden?” Sunny asked wearily.

“Yes?”

“If you… were not able to return home, where would you stay?”

“Right here in Zephyr Heights. Though I’d prefer to buy a high-rise apartment instead of in the castle. Feels like I’m leeching off of or leveraging royalty, y’know?”

Sunny gave a slight nod. “It’s pretty obvious Queen Haven likes you a lot.”

I had to chuckle at that. “Indeed. Nothing short of amusing how she tries to hide it and fails. Do you suppose she wanted a son but was never granted one?”

“Can’t really say since she never explicitly nor subtly expressed it, but I think she’s torn on the inside. She puts on a proud, classy, charismatic mask, but deep down she wants somepony to be close by her side with loving support. At the same time, she also wants to provide her daughters with an opportunity to explore Equestria with me and establish themselves on their own.”

That hit me hard – so hard, I scouted for the nearest bench and sat down, gazing solemnly up at the towering condo across the street.

“Great. Now you’ve just made me feel guilty about returning to Earth – my Earth,” I said half-jokingly. “But putting my mind in the minds of my human friends and family is beyond terrifying. For all they know, I could be dead.”

Sunny looked away guiltily, and I pulled her in for a headpat. “It’s okay. You’ve proven yourself to be very observant. Besides, you’ve known Haven longer than I have.”

We ran into Soaring Sunset down the road, and I bought three pretzels from a roadside stand, giving one to him. In the thicket of downtown there was a large mall. Inside we visited a toy shop, where I spotted a few childhood favorites – Rubik’s cubes, yoyos, and even some skateboards. A mare was buying one for her little filly, so I explained the basic principles of skating to them, which sealed the sale.

“You should return to skateboarding,” Sunny commented as we checked out an arcade and a flower shop.

“Maybe,” I replied with a shrug. “It is a fun way to get around a city or small town. But as you know, historical artifacts and ruins are often found way outside of those… places.”

The words died on my lips as I caught sight of a group of pegasi gathered around a patio dining table listening to an earth pony. He had an orange-to-red two-tone fade and a glittery mane.

“Hey, look,” I whispered to Sunny.

“No pony looks like that unless they’re really into themselves with the intent of being overtly stylish,” she said softly. “C’mon, let’s get a little closer and see if we can pick up on the discussion.”

“You go,” I ordered, turning back to the mall doors. “I’m too obvious. See you around the back.”

Sunny didn’t need to be told twice and engaged in small talk with a few mares and young stallions, blending into a crowd that was exiting the mall. Inside, I found a map and quickly located a side entrance, then fast-walked towards it, pretending like I was in a hurry for a meeting. Outside, I spotted the group – barely visible around the corner. I politely requested backdoor access to the adjacent building and slipped into a chair beside a busy table. Carefully, I pushed open the window and leaned down. Now from the outside, my semi-curly hair could be mistaken for a pony’s mane at a moment’s glance. I perked up my ears, straining to hear amongst all the chatter. 

“…and the whole of Equestria will come to know, how that…”

The gossip girls and squealing fillies were too much. I shifted closer to the window and listened again.

“…my mom h… money, and… creat… e… exposed for.. lly is!”

My heart jumped. I couldn’t believe it – could this really be Sprout Cloverleaf?! In the shock, I leaned too much and fell off the chair, resulting in a gasp from the table-sitters.

“Sssh,” I hissed, pressing a palm to my lips. Glancing around at filly height, I spotted a telephone on the far end, by the counter. Great. Too far to be inconspicuous. If only…

I tapped one of the stallions at the table and looked at him straight in the eye, but spoke softly as I pulled out a slip of paper with Pipp’s phone number on it.

“Hey, I need you for one favor. Please. Just head to the counter and dial this. Request an emergency at this location. No questions. And keep the number a secret.”

“I know you,” he replied with a smile. “My workmate flew past you when you first arrived. Will do.”

While the kind stallion made the call, I precariously raised my head to see if Mr. Glittermane had noticed. He had, but didn’t seem to be concerned. Phew. Another pony then stepped out from behind the counter. Sunny.

“Definitely Sprout,” she whispered. “Same hoof feathering. And his voice is faked, but I can hear the snarky tone right through it. How will we –”

“Already gave Pipp a call,” I cut in. “You go back around and watch for the royal guards. I need to lay low. If they see me, they’ll run like bats out of a forest fire.”

Sunny slipped back into the kitchen and exited through the back. Not a moment later did one of the pegasi from Sprout’s listening group enter the restaurant. As soon as he turned the other way I slid behind the counter and side-stepped into a side hall where food was being prepped, much to the chefs’ shock.

“Hey, it’s okay. I’m just leaving through the back. Don’t tell anyone.”

Some of their eyes narrowed slightly, but they simply nodded, and I went on by.

Back outside, I rejoined Sunny, who suggested I stay out of sight. I agreed, and stayed in the stairwell, peeking out from the window.

We waited and waited. Sunny flashed a few signals to let me know of the situation. After ten minutes, I spotted the shadows of two royal guards flying through the sky. Sunny frantically waved to me, standing on both hind legs. I rushed down the stairs and peeked outside. The guards were on the ground and one of them was questioning Sunny. A few indignant shouts were all I knew it was safe to step out.

“Well, now,” was all I said, catching Sprout’s eyes as he desperately tried to break free of the cuffs and rope. Turned out, his glittery mane dye was of inferior quality and washed out with two rinses and scrubs. “I hope to have a private chat with you soon.”

The other pegasi who had gathered to listen were let off with a warning, and we all headed back to the castle. Sunny was more than eager to tell her friends all about our trip. I, on the other hand, was eager to see the elements recovered from the mine. Haven had kept them in a holding center, where only two guards were allowed inside, besides herself and me. I pulled off the shipping wrapping and dug through foam pellets to reveal a cluster of hard, knobby rocks, some of them glistening in the room’s light.

Holding up each little cone from the chest, I subjected both to the exact same tests – fingernail scratching, firm taps, and a hard rub from a chunk of porcelain. Yup, it all matched up.

“Awesome! Thanks so much, Your Highness.”

“My pleasure, Aiden. All this is coming down the mountain tomorrow morning.”

“Just one thing.”

“Oh?”

“Can I visit Sprout before I leave?”

Haven tapped the floor in doubt. “Only for half an hour.”

“That will be plenty enough.”
> Reconciliation and Wing Tests
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I took a folding chair from the kitchen storage room and was led by two guards to wing of the castle I hadn’t been down before. It looked just as grand as any other hallway, but along one side were cells lined up. Some were larger than others and looked more like luxury hotel suites (without kitchens or a full bathroom), while others were smaller and only had the bare essentials inside, with no gold accents or even furnishings. 

We arrived at a cell at the end of the hall, barely five by nine feet in size, with a hoof biometric scanner beside the inch-thick bars. Inside Sprout sat hunched over on the bed, peering at a scrap of paper on the ground.

“We will be back at half past the hour,” the guards reminded me, before continuing with their patrol shift.

“So, we’ve ended up together, yet separated,” I began, unfolding the chair and sitting down. “Sprout Cloverleaf and Aiden Walter Dixon.”

“Yeah, that’s only occurred ‘cause you put me here,” he retorted. “FOR SIXTY DAYS!”

I sighed. This was likely going to be a long talk, but I had to shorten it. “Perhaps that will give you some time to reflect on your decisions and misdeeds. We all have choices, and several influences behind said choices. I might not know much about you, but if my friends are to be believed, your fellow sheriff overlooked several red flags, and your mom nourished the foundation of your ideals, which played a significant role into where you are now. The blame game will never work. If anything, this room serves as an aid in your introspection.”

“Your mouth doesn’t have to be so fancy-schmancy,” Sprout remarked.

“Only if yours would be polite,” I replied, cocking my head slightly. “Now, let’s look at your records. You were raised up with a fixated mindset, and seized an opportunity and tried so hard to make yourself look like the strong, fearless leader and hero the world needed via manipulative groupthink of toxic ideas, only aided by peer pressure of fulfilling a role you clearly were not well-trained for. And when it failed, you practically committed attempted murder. Brushing aside the sentimental value of somepony’s home, destroying a building with its inhabitants still inside is no trivial matter. Ponies could have died. Could you live life after seeing another pony’s body mutilated and stained with their own blood from bricks and debris via your own doing?”

I expected him to yell, but instead his lips were quivering like water in a shaken cup. “Why… I…”

Noting his tears spilling on the floor, I raised my voice firmly yet slightly. “Turn and look at me in the face!”

Anxiously, Sprout lifted his head and casted an anguished gaze through the bars. The moment his eyes met mine, I softened my complexion and voice.

“Had you come face to face with me within a day of escaping from the prison cart, what would you have said to me? What would you have done to me?”

“I… I d-d-don’t know wh-what I’d say,” he sobbed. “Maybe I could have found out…”

“That I wasn’t some big evil monster that Equestria needed to annihilate?” I finished with a warm smile.

“Perhaps. I just wanted to prove I was worthy, and your presence provided me with the perfect scapegoat for ponies to rally and unite around me.”

“Our minds are stronger and more fragile at the same time,” I replied compassionately. “And sometimes, they need a little help. If you’re searching for a path towards achieving worthiness, start with making amends with yourself. Work on that fear and ego and take back control of them. Seriously, please don’t lose hope in yourself. In these ensuing eight weeks, you got a chance to fix yourself and be a good friend to Sunny and Hitch, just as you were as a little colt, playing imaginary adventures together with them.”

Without skipping a beat, I continued, eager to hold his attention as long as possible. “I get the whole game. By building up approval of others, you cultivate internal support and false hope in your ideas. Can’t do that in your original form ‘cause everypony knows you. I’ll hand it to you – you are good with identifying and capitalizing on opportunity. And now’s as good of a time as ever to utilize that skill for your benefit – and hopefully other ponies’ too in the future. You know, when I first arrived, I gave everypony something special once I’d come to know them well. And you are no exception.”

I got off the chair and knelt in front of the jail door, my hands pushed through the bars. “Come here.”

Confuzzled, Sprout cautiously approached – and as soon as he was close enough, I pulled him close and gently scratched him behind the ears, thereby erasing the sobs and sorrowful sighs and replacing them with more tears, albeit smaller, softer ones of gratitude.

“It’ll be okay, I promise,” I whispered in his ear, gently caressing his neck and back with my other hand, just as I had done for Izzy. “I’ve finally found a way back to my world. Let us part ways with no hate in either of our hearts towards each other. We could learn so much from each other and had some fun experiences, but alas, my time has come. But know there’s quite a few ponies who are looking forward to reuniting with you.” 

He let out a sniffle, and I could feel the empathic energy radiating between us.

“I’ll miss you, Sprout,” I said, planting a soft kiss on his forelock, resulting in an even tighter hug that squeezed my ribs against the metal bars. “Take… care of yourself, alright?”

“I will. Thanks for believing in me.”

“And likewise for taking time to listen.”

Right on cue, the two guards returned. I waved goodbye to Sprout with an encouraging smile as they escorted me back to the main castle quarters. Right away, Sunny and the group had questions tumbling out of their mouth, and Haven’s eyes swirled.

“Girls, I already answered most of these questions already.”

“He’ll be alright,” I replied confidently. “Just… needs to be watched over. And two suggestions: let Hitch visit him occasionally, as the two are close. Secondly, give him something positively productive to do. And thirdly, give him some unicorn cupcakes as a reward for achievements. Make sure they’re freshly baked.”

We spent the rest of the day in the Fun Sanctuary. Zipp tried out my skateboard, and I showed Pipp a short video on music production.



“Wow, I never imagined you could distort vocals in a pretty way. I gotta talk with my production team about this!”

I handed her the iPad. “Take it to ‘em right now. Hearing and seeing is believing.”

Pipp excitedly hopped in the basket elevator and glided back up to the secret entrance, holding the end of some rope, while I measured the length of it. 

“All good, thanks!” I called out, and she released the rope. With the measurements in place, I turned to others and started discussing the plan.

“The entrance for the balloons is too narrow for the paramotor wing, so it’s going to be tricky. I can launch the wing up in reverse. Then I can run backwards, untwist the wing, and slide it sideways through the opening. With one of the fans, we can guide the wing through the process. Finally, when I’m facing the right way, it’s simply a matter of running as fast as possible with all the remaining space on the landing strip.”

Zipp rubbed her chin. “Sounds quite plausible, though these fans do not have variable speed settings. I will have to switch them on and off by cue. The large one is fixed, but the smaller one can be repositioned. Let’s get the paramotor in here before sundown.”

Izzy volunteered to go, then Sunny suggested her Earth Pony strength would be a valuable asset.

“Let’s just all go,” I said, hopping into the basket and pressing the release button. With my added weight it took longer, but we eventually reached the entranceway at the top in two up-down sessions. Upon entering the guest suite, I checked the battery levels. Happily, it was fully charged. 

I emptied the seat’s cargo pockets and pouches of everything besides emergency essentials, before disassembling Izzy’s harness and extension. She took the wing in its travel bag, while Zipp, Sunny, and I handled the harness and seat. Pulling it there was easy enough with the built-in wheels, but lowering it into the Fun Sanctuary was another challenge. We couldn’t be in the basket along with the paramotor, or the cables risked snapping.

“How about I go,” Zipp suggested. “You all keep an eye on the cables, and I’ll press the releaser. ‘Cause I can hover instead of sitting in the basket.”

“Pffft, big brain moves huh,” I replied with a nod. How is this athletic gal so intelligent?

Sunny and I observed the pulleys carefully as Zipp floated down with the paramotor. It shot down with a blur, almost hitting the bottom before Zipp jabbed the releaser.

“It’s down!” she called up. “Thing is…”

“Just tip it over and pull it,” I instructed. “It’ll roll on its wheels.”

Zipp gave it a soft kick, and it flopped like a sack of potatoes. She rushed around and grabbed it before the propeller could hit the stone ground, and slowly eased it off the basket.

“All good!” I congratulated with a beaming smile of relief. Izzy went down with the wing, then Sunny and me. We set aside the grind rail and quarter pipes, ensuring the area was as spacious as possible before unfurling the wing in front of the entranceway. Expanding it out was easy enough without a fan, but one step outside crushed my hopes of a successful takeoff. The wind hit me like a rude guy in a train station crowd.

“Sorry guys, it’s not looking likely for a flight,” I announced sadly.

“Don’t be too quick to judge Zephyr Heights,” Zipp chuckled, tapping me on the back. It’s called that for a reason. It’ll be cooler but calmer in the early morning. Let’s try to get this thing in the air.” 

So I sat down, wiggled into the harness, crossed over, clipped up, and gripped the controls. As I backed up and pulled, Zipp briefly fired up the fan before quickly shutting it off, providing a gentle breeze to push the wing upwards. I slid down on the brakes to stabilize the wing, and Zipp fired up the fan again, this time at an angle. I backed up further towards the entranceway, untwisted, and pulled one side of the wing. It bumped the entranceway frame and collapsed on one end. Bummer.

The second attempt was better. I stood further forward. Zipp adjusted her fan timing, and I didn’t have to use it to initially raise the wing. Third time ‘round I miscalculated the pulling and it hit the frame again. On the fourth attempt, Zipp used a large torn cloth to suppress some of the fan’s breeze, and it worked! The muffled wind pushed the wing sideways with minimal turbulence. If only I could maneuver through the entranceway…

On the sixth attempt I finally made it through. The wind totally collapsed the wing and tossed it aside, but at least I was in the right position to take off.

“Awesome!” Sunny exclaimed. “Now we just have to wait until tomorrow morning.”

“Where have you all been?” Haven demanded as we burst through the dining room doors and scooted over to the chairs. “Food’s probably cold by now.”

“Practicing pre-flight takeoff maneuvers,” Zipp replied proudly. “Aiden’s exit plan, remember?”

“Oh… yes,” Haven said slowly. “How could I forget? Ah, so much to manage. All in the life of royalty, right?”

I smiled awkwardly. “Indeed, Your Highness. Indeed.”

Most of the food was still fairly warm, and we ate happily, sharing with Haven all the fun we had that day. Pipp returned my iPad and gave a thank-you hug, which I responded to by picking her up and cuddling in my arms.

Before returning to the guest suite, we were escorted to the castle’s loading bay, where Sunny and the others got a good look at the elemental ores. 

“Looks plentiful enough,” Izzy confirmed. “We can just lay these on flat ground with some smaller plain ol’ rocks to stabilize them. If not, a metal frame might be necessary.”

“The shipping crate may work too,” Haven suggested. “We’ll figure it out in Maretime Bay.”

Bedtime in the guest suite was a rather quiet affair, given we knew what was to come tomorrow. I took a shower while Izzy read a story on my iPad, and Sunny just stared out the window at the starry sky. Cleansed and in good spirits, I gave the final carry-me-to-my-bed session for Pipp.

“It’s gonna be a blast tomorrow,” she whispered joyfully.

“And a noble moment of fun-filled friendship,” I replied, planting a soft kiss on her pastel pink forehead. “Goodnight, Addy.”

“Goodnight, my little pony.”

Before sleeping, I took the time to go over everything, to ensure nothing was misplaced. Thankfully, my friends had taken good care of that. I folded up all my clothes (except the ones I planned to wear during the flight) and packed up all my belongings in the duffel, leaving out the lightest items for the paramotor’s side pockets.

“Aiden?” Sunny whispered as we tucked under the covers.

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“When I was a filly, I wished to have a friend who could fly. Of course, I met pegasi later on, but I wasn’t expecting to meet and befriend an earth-dwelling creature who could fly. You are an Earth Pony, in a way.”

“Hehe, yeah, you’re right. I didn’t ever think of it that way. Happy to have you as a good friend, Sunny.”

“You too.”
> One Last Flight
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I woke up long after Sunny and Izzy did. After washing up, I took a brief look out the window and noticed a little flag atop one of the buildings, barely waving.

Perfect conditions to go fly.

“Good morning, Aiden,” Haven said warmly as I entered the dining room in my PJ’s. “Feeling alright?”

“Right as I’ll ever be,” I replied with a soft smile, though my mind was weighing down with the thought of what was to come. I tucked into a warm bowl of oatmeal and enjoyed what would be the final group meal with my pony friends. We all savored every mouthful in silence, pausing occasionally to offer a portion of the side appetizers in pure kindness to each other, and some small talk about dreams.

“The transportation team is already making their way down the mountainside,” Haven announced, as the maids arrived to clean up the table. “I will be joining them soon after briefing my cabinet, along with Pipp. Right, my sweetie?”

“Hmmm,” Pipp replied, quickly glancing at me and looking down sheepishly. “I’ll think about it.”

“I will join you,” Sunny offered, standing up straight.

“I’ll be with Aiden!” Izzy said excitedly, rushing to my side. “Though, after he lands.”

“Everypony on the same wingbeat?” Haven asked strictly.

“Yes, Your Highness!”

“Let’s get to it, then. Sunny, Izzy, I will see you at the main elevator in thirty minutes. Pipp, you have until then to make your decision. Aiden, please bring your belongings so I can add them to my chariot’s cargo hold. Zephyrina, you’ll go with Aiden for the flight and rejoin us right afterwards, alright?”

“Yes, Mom.”

I knelt down and gave Sunny and Izzy a warm hug before returning back to the guest suite to change into my flight suit (basically thicker clothing) and pack up my stuff. The atmosphere felt empty and dull, even with the gentle morning breeze wafting in through the windows and a few birds chirping away outside in the distance. Pulling out a wad of sticky notes from a drawer and a pen, I wrote a quick note:

Dear Royal Guards of Zephyr Heights Castle,

Let it be known amongst you that as of the writing of this note, the human named Aiden will have vacated the premises, left the city, and likely the world of Equestria. Thank you all for your hard work taking care of Pipp and Zipp, and for tending to the needs of Sunny, Izzy, and myself during my stay in this suite.

And feel free to ask your friend if they need a hug. It can do wonders. Just ask Sprout Cloverleaf.

Best wishes in your royal work life,

Aiden W. Dixon

I stuck it to the top of the bedside table, threw the duffel strap over my shoulder, and walked out, holding my skateboard in one hand and my backpack in the other. It took some walking up and down the halls, but I soon made it to the throne room, where Queen Haven was waiting with her entourage. 

“Glad you could make it. I was about to depart in a minute,” she said with a little smirk. 

“It was tough leaving that room,” I confided. “But I’m here, with my luggage. Thank you so much for letting me stay in the castle with Sunny and Izzy, and also allowing me to spend time with your daughters.”

“It is of the highest degree of my pleasure, dear Aiden,” she replied with poise. “You are welcome anytime… if ever.”

“Thanks again,” I replied, feeling humbled as I clapped a hand to my chest and lowered my head in respect. Zipp trotted over to me, and we left the room without another word, just a happy wave.

In the Fun Sanctuary, I took a quick check on the strip. The wind was exactly as Zipp predicted – calm and parallel to the castle. Phew!

I got straight to work, unfurling the wing and pre-inflating it. Then I wiggled into the seat and strapped myself in, before clipping on the harness in the proper cross-over position and taking a few steps to get my body used to the weight. Zipp stood by the fan, eagerly awaiting my command.

“Ready, Zipp?”

“Ready!”

I fired up the motor and jogged backwards, pulling the lines taught as the wing rose upwards, ensuring my A-lines were held firmly in one hand. Zipp fired up the fan and shut it off, before rushing to the side and switching it on again. The gust pushed the wing sideways, and I carefully aligned it as I simultaneously side-stepped through the entranceway. However, I pulled a little too much and the wing pressed into the entranceway frame.

“Let’s try again,” Zipp said flatly, pulling the wing back to its original position.

I inflated the wing and primed the motor. Zipp turned the fan on for ten seconds as I pulled the wing up. She shut it off and rushed to the side. This time I started pulling the wing right as Zipp switched the fan back on, allowing for a shorter artificial gust period. Zipp switched the fan back off as I quickly and carefully guided the wing through the entranceway, keeping minimal brake pull. A slight brush occurred on the leading edge, but the wing stayed upright. I was free!

“YES!” Zipp whooped. 

“Left side straight and vertical, check… right side straight and vertical… check!”

I cranked the motor up, turned 90 degrees back towards the sky, and jogged forward. The wing began to pull upward, so I rubbed the brakes, shifting into the second stage of power. I let off the brakes and glided upward, before shifting back into the seat and tightening the harness straps.

Adjusting my wing further still, I boosted the power even more, climbing higher and higher, until I was at the same altitude as the clouds. Then I turned gradually, heading north, then west in a large banana-shaped curve. As I reached the apex, a dark, jagged stone sculpture further north on the western shoreline caught my eye, barely visible in between the clouds. It looked interesting, and I strained to get a closer look. But with the next passing cloud, it was gone. How fascinating. Are there ghosts in Equestria?

I cruised at a moderate speed, before later adjusting for a brief gradual descent, once I observed I was past the mountain. It took about fifteen minutes before the hilly forested slopes finally ended and grasslands spread out below me. As I paused to check my altitude, I spotted a blue-and-white streak whizzing through the clouds, performing loops and spins.

Within minutes, Zipp caught up, flying on the perimeter of a three-meter radius as I’d instructed her. I cut the engine and clapped my hands loudly.

“Hey Zipp!”

“Would you look at that! An Earth-walking creature flying in the sky with a curved piece of fabric and a spinning blade strapped to his back.”

I had to laugh. Zipp could playfully roast you really well. But it was time for action.

“See those rocks in a slight curve with the broken wooden sign?” I said, pointing down at the ground far below. Zipp nodded, turning to face me directly.

“That’s where we’re gonna land. I’m going to gain a little height and turn in a spiral, then flip mid-way and continue towards the ground. You can adjust yourself to be in sync with me, either parallel or opposite. No races here, just graceful agility. Ready?”

“As ever! Heading up top for a quick high-altitude spin!”

I gave a two-finger salute, and she shot up into the clouds. Restarting the engine, I increased the diving angle and boosted speed straight into stage two, then cruised for a minute before gently pulling on the left brake, pulling me into a leftward bank. The gradually spinning view was spectacular as the high-rise clouds disappeared above me. After about three turns I leaned harder and pulled the brakes, adding extra tug for my left one.

“Woooo!” I shouted, cranking up the speed. It felt like a little corkscrew waterslide as the spin got tighter! Just then, Zipp appeared out of the blue, like a tri-colored dart, spinning on her longitudal axis before briefly freezing her wings outward as an “air” brake. I looked up as she banked gradually, carving in a zig-zag towards my wing. Then, in a frankly frightening maneuver, she shot right between the rigging lines vertically and glided downwards in an opposite spiral. I shifted into the fourth stage and the motor whirred like a dozen hornets behind my back as we spiraled towards the ground. I was now damn near parallel to the ground as I spiraled towards it, the wing threatening to collapse with any would-be turbulence.

“HEADS-UP!” I yelled. Zipp tucked her wings and flipped head over heels mid-air, while I pulled the left brake hard, causing the wing to flip over. I righted myself and resumed the spiral at about 60 degrees, this time with slightly less power. Being the skilled flier she was, Zipp spun around and got in line just in front of me, adjusting her speed and teasingly nudging my feet with her hind hooves. We exchanged blissful grins, grateful and thrilled to enjoy the perks of stunt flight.

As the ground got closer and closer, I noticed a group of ponies by the landing point. A bouncy cerulean blue mane was all I needed to know who they were. Forty meters from the ground, I cut the engine, straightened out, loosened the harness, and smoothly glided down to a stop, running along the trail to cushion my landing. Zipp gracefully floated down next to me and folded up her wings like a hawk. Behind us, I could hear the cheers and whoops bubbling and bellowing.

“That was so awesome!” Izzy shrieked, running up to me and bouncing up and down like she’d downed ten cans of soda, then grabbed me in a hug before I could even undo the straps. I gave her my signature ear-scratch in return.

“Glad you liked it. I haven’t done that in ages.” I freed myself from the harness and caressed Zipp’s head. “And thank you for flying with me.”

“Anytime, Sky Swirler.”

I grinned at that. Sky Swirler. It sounded corny off the tongue yet cool in my head.

“Appreciate the nickname, Z. See you in Maretime Bay.”

I sealed the wing bag shut, deployed the wheels, and waved before setting off down the road.
> An Interstellar Departure
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The walk to Bridlewood took me two days, which allowed for ample self-reflection on the great adventures I had with my pony friends. Sunny and Queen Haven were hospitable and wisely skeptical of the unknown, whereas Izzy was very open-ended and joyful, always wanting the best and extracting the wonder from anyplace. Zipp was more intelligent than one would presume, and daringly athletic all the while. Pipp seemed well-rounded for someone with online fame, even in such an early stage in her young life. Sprout gave off such unstable and cracked vibes, I felt guilty leaving him behind, even with the full trust I held in Queen Haven and her guards. I prayed he could recover and reconcile with Sunny – and his mother, too.

There were important ponies for me to reunite with as well – Branchie, Botania, and Alphabittle. A promise made is a promise kept, and I vowed to meet them again. So even with the evening light fading, I pressed on down the trail towards the line of tall leafy trees on the horizon. The birds chirped and flew high above me, and I even spotted a pegasus in the far distance. 

“How interesting, no deer or other pony-sized animals,” I wondered, climbing over some fallen branches and soon finding the trail leading to the forest town.

“Good evening, everyone!” I called out softly, entering the town’s main street. I located the Tea House and stepped inside. Alphabittle was sitting behind the counter, chatting with a purple-maned unicorn. I set the paramotor aside and sat next to them.

“Aiden! Boy am I glad to see you!” Alphabittle exclaimed, and we embraced in a soft but snug bear hug. He did feel like a grandfather with his stubbly gray beard and chubby, muscular physique.

“Well, hasn’t the Tea House’s newest visitor had quite the adventure in the clouds?” came a cheeky old lady’s voice. I turned to see Botania walking over towards me from the same little corner table where I had first met her. And then to my surprise, I caught the eye of a unicorn with a bandage on his horn. He immediately bounded over with a thrilled smile on his face.

“Zephyr Heights was a lot of fun, but I’m glad to be back for tonight,” I said, giving their forehooves a warm shake and a little ear scratch for Branchie. “The research is complete, and my time has come.”

“For? Oh… Oh.”

Alphabittle’s words vaporized as he realized what I was hinting at. Branchie’s eyes welled up slightly and he gripped my hand.

“I know. We’ve known each other for such a short time. I can’t ever be sure if I’ll ever come back, but I know the impact of my journey and experiences within it will live on in your hearts for all of time.”

“Especially as a good-hearted soul who seeks truth and radiates love and forgiveness,” Botania added, along with a hug of her own.

I drank some rooibos tea with freshly ground sugarcane and played a quick DDR game with Alphabittle. Botania let me stay at her house, where I lay on a couch and crashed out in less than a quarter of an hour.

I ate a warm breakfast at the Tea House and Alphabittle re-emerged from his storage closet with my box.

“Still good as it’s always been,” I commented proudly, opening it up and brushing off the dust and cobwebs with an old rag. Back outside, I pulled the box with one hand and pushed the paramotor with the other. As I started heading down through the woods, I heard a shout behind me, and whipped around. It was Ron Roper – and almost the whole town!

“You might need this,” he said kindly, handing me long lengths of thick fiber and grass rope. “Take care.”

“Goodbye, Aiden!” Alphabittle waved.

“Have a safe journey!” Branchie added.

“You will be missed,” Botania chimed in.

I blew them a little kiss and a soft, solemn wave, then strode off into the bush, heading towards the coastline. There were a few orange-colored paint stripes on the trees for guidance – no doubt marked by the townsfolk for me. At the clifftop, I unraveled the coil of rope and prepared for the descent, disassembling the paramotor’s cage and sealing the parts back in their box, before peering over the edge.

The submarine was still there, looking largely untouched – aside from dollops of bird feces and bits of branches and other foliage. Turned out, the branch I’d broken during my gun demonstration allowed for the perfect nest building site for a seabird couple.

I anchored a short length of rope to the tree and the end of a longer length to a large L-shaped rock, then began slowly lowering the paramotor down to the sub. Aligning it with the rocking waves was not easy, and took every ounce of my patience. Finally, I gently dropped it rear side down just in front of the portal, and immediately descended, squatting and shimmying until I reached the bottom. I leapt onto the sub’s hull and grabbed the paramotor before it could slide off into the water. Opening the hatch, I carefully lowered it inside, then climbed back up for the box. Tying it in a quadrant, I lowered it down to the sub. As I stepped over the earthy, grassy edge and started to descend… the box slid off with a splash! I gasped, but miraculously, it floated, bobbing on the waves.

I continued my descent, keeping a close eye on the box to ensure it didn’t sink. As soon as I reached the bottom, I grabbed it and pulled it into the sub. The grass ropes would take too long to undo, but I knew they could be used by potential invaders to quickly gain footing on land. So, I took one of my folding knives and cut them. Then… plonk! A hard object just hit the water. I looked up… and another small object was falling through the air. Catching it in time, I identified it to be a crystal.

“Hmmm. Maybe this might help.”

I released the mooring lines, shut the hatch, started up the engine, and reversed away from the cliffside.

Sailing around the coast at a comfortable depth of fifteen meters, I felt a sudden reverb and rumble, like someone had struck a bass drum by the surface. I squatted down and peered up through the observation window. The surface above was rippling violently, and in the distance, I could see an underwater wall of a current sweeping to one side and around in a curve before disintegrating in a sputter. Once the water was calm again, I carefully surfaced to find answers.

And did I ever! In the distance I spotted Sunny’s lighthouse, and near it were some glowing lights and a group of ponies. Izzy was there, and she was practicing the spell! That explained the sea’s turbulence.

I went a little further out so I could see the coastline better. By the western district of Maretime Bay, there was a small nick in the coastline with jutting, scattered rocks. Not as ideal as the cove I first docked in, but it’d have to do.

Reducing my speed, I slowly approached the rift, gingerly brushing up against the rocks. I wrapped the mooring lines around the rocks and pulled out my climbing gear, hooking into cracks in the cliff surface. At the top, I grabbed the guard rail and vaulted over onto the stone street. A little colt spotted me and ran, screaming.

“AIDEN’S HERE! AIDEN IS HERE!”

I smiled warmly. This time the fleeing wasn’t in fear, but joy. I rushed to the sheriff office and knocked loudly. No one answered, so I turned and walked down the main boardwalk towards the lighthouse, only to notice a familiar figure walking around the corner.

“Hitch!” I exclaimed, throwing my arms around him.

“Aiden! You’re back! Glad you made it. It’s been… different without you.”

“Oh?” I asked in surprise.

“Well, it’s good to have an older male figure around to look out for the town,” he replied. “And for Sunny and her friends, too. I’m pleased to hear that you’ve fulfilled that role well.”

“Thanks, Hitch. Sprout’s doing okay.”

“Yeah, Sunny told me right away,” he said, eyes slightly downcast.

“No need to beat yourself up bro,” I reassured, patting his shoulder. “A frequent, consistent visit will do wonders.”

We walked back along the main boardwalk when I noticed all the windows and doors boarded up. “Um, what’s with the lockdown?”

“The portal spell is extremely powerful,” Hitch explained, keeping a cautious eye. “So much so, it blew out a few windows and toppled two trees. The ground shook and the sea jiggled and warped slightly. Naturally so, many townsponies were scared and upset, and I had to mitigate the concern before it spiraled into paranoia. Izzy’s quite stressed over the effort. What you heard prior was the third test. But she’s determined. I have one question for you, also.”

I sighed. Poor Izzy, attempting an expert-level spell all for me to return home. The question of my fellow chaddie also nagged at me. “Yes?”

“When we first met, why did you give a hug?”

“‘Cause where I’m from, guys don’t get enough care and love. I’ve been an eyewitness to some sad stories. So I want to do my part.”

“Aw, I feel that sometimes too. It’s great to have all my little critters when I feel a little alone.”

We headed up the winding trail and caught up to the group in a small field adjacent to it. Haven’s entourage had set my luggage aside under a tree and had already arranged the ore rocks in a pattern. To my surprise, Alphabittle was there too. Izzy stood stiffly facing the open sea, her legs in a wide stance on a flat rock, her mouth panting with exhaustion. I dashed over.

“Izzy!” I cried, sitting beside her. “What have I done to have you in such a state?”

She sat down and wiggled her head, blinking. “Just practicing for… the most important spell I will ever cast.”

“Are you hurt?” I asked worriedly.

“No. Just under pressure and stress. May sound strange, but it keeps my heart from breaking.” Her eyes looked soft but retained a streak of pity, buried under the intensity. Behind us, Sunny spoke out.

“The spell keeps glitching and faltering at the start of the portal’s formation. One of the rocks splintered on the second test and it’s firing a thin stray beam outward.”

“A beam.” My mind started flipping through all the correlated terms. Reflection? Glint? Shine? Suddenly I had it.

“During this whole journey, two important items were forgotten,” I announced. “I gave one as a gift.”

Sunny’s face slowly brightened with realization, and she ran back to her lighthouse, while Izzy looked on in confusion. 

“The reason you’re struggling so much, is because you have to physically compensate for the magic leak through that ore stone,” I explained. “Your horn can only take so much within its own core, too. I have something that can aid with that. But first, gather around! I need to talk with you all.”

I stood up and gestured with my arms to gather in a close group. Just as everypony sat down, Sunny burst out of the lighthouse’s front door, a look of determination on her face. Between her teeth lay a leather handle – the handle of the Kayi tribe sword I gave her when we first met! The horsehair tassel swung about as she galloped over to the cracked ore stone and dropped it in the grass, before joining the rest of the group, sitting next to Izzy and Hitch. Pipp and Zipp sat like good sisters next to their mother, as I sat cross-legged on the same flat rock where Izzy had previously stood.

“My dear little ponies,” I began, clearing my throat and sighing to detain the already inflaming sorrow within my heart. “My good hooved friends, I ask of you all to lend an attentive ear, for I know not after this portal trip, I shall ever be amongst you again. Thus, listen closely and carry these words in their original form to all those who cannot be present here and now.”

“It is with the successful casting of this spell that my journey in this amazing, diverse, beautiful, and harmonious world called Equestria comes to an end. I have given you many cherished gifts in various forms, but now I wish to leave you with the best of advice, taken from my observations, studies, and experiences in my travels.”

“To the bearers and preachers of magical friendship – Sunny, Hitch, Izzy, Pipp, and Zipp. Know the journey towards a fully united and harmonious world is a difficult and troublesome one. You will have ponies who will defiantly disagree with your mission, and they will stop at nothing to cause mischief and problems. Hold patience and good faith in gaining an understanding of them via conversations and kindness. Keep to your principles, even if they are held against you. Be wary of your speech and actions, for you are ambassadors; thus, fillies and colts of the generation to come after your passing will idolize you. Friendships can be hard to maintain, but the outstanding achievements you will make would be otherwise nigh impossible without teamwork and unity thereby. Hold patience, forgiveness, and tolerance with yourselves individually and as a group.”

“Seek meaning and purpose behind your intentions. Listen for what’s behind the words that other ponies say. All ponykind is cut from the same cloth of fur, mane, tail, and pure heart; an Earth Pony has no superiority over a Peagsus, nor a Peagsus has any superiority over an Earth Pony; also a Unicorn has no superiority over Pegasi or Earth Ponies nor do Pegasi or Earth Ponies have any superiority over a Unicorns except by piety and good action. Learn that every pony is a brother or sister to every fellow pony and that all three races constitute one superpower of brotherhood and sisterhood. Know this! I have caught sight an old ancient castle far up on the western shores. More creatures may lay far out there, in lands beyond. Seek them out in good faith and make effort to lead them to a life of good, so they may fall under the same umbrella of unity. Be kind and just amongst yourselves and speak only truth by which you have confirmed from all angles of objectivity.”

“Remember, one day you will pass on, and a new group of brave little ponies will carry the flag and the torch of friendship across Equestria. So hold fast to the advice which I have given to you – both today and at the dinner table in Zephyr Heights.”

“My world is full of good people, and also evil people. Sadly, the vast majority of those in power are of the evil. Thus, I wish your world to be visited by only me, for it would be of great perilous pity for those of evil to enter your lands by mistake. Guard this spell and do not let it fall into malicious hooves, but preserve it for the future, lest it be urgently needed yet unavailable in a life-or-death situation.”

“All those here who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to their children; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who have listened to me directly. May the overarching power behind all that exists be the supreme witness, that I have conveyed the best message to the ambassadors of friendship and all of Equestria. Thank you all for listening. If I stay any longer, it may be an obstruction for you to put words to action. So, let’s get this portal open to the right destination. I love you with all my heart, and you’ll be right here, always.”

I shifted into a kneeling posture and pointed firmly to my heart.

“And likewise,” Queen Haven replied, approaching me with watery eyes. We exchanged a warm hug – for the first time since we met. I got up and unzipped a pouch in my backpack and pulled out a silver ring with a blue topaz gem. Without even asking, I slid it snugly onto Izzy’s horn. I then pulled out a bronze comb and handed it to Queen Haven. Pipp rushed at me, and I picked her up and let her sob in my arms. Zipp joined in, and then Sunny, Hitch, and Izzy, the tears spilling out of our eyes watering the grass below.

As we slowly broke up the sorrowful hug ball, I noticed the sneakerhead guard peagsus, Thunder, standing in the distance by Queen Haven’s chariot. Without hesitation, I yanked the zipper on my duffel and pulled out my hiking shoes, and handed them to him.

“For your collection.”

“Thank you.”

We exchanged a warm hug. Izzy went over the spell and stood on the flat rock, her horn gradually glowing brighter. The ore stones began to glow too, and beams started shooting out of them. The cracked stone split slightly, and the little beam sprung out of it. Sunny and I held the sword together, and stabbed it into the ground. The little stray beam bounced off the sword’s golden pommel and back to the stone. Izzy breathed a sigh of relief and pushed harder. The water began to swell into waves, then a horizontal spiral. A glowing aura began to form.

“Well, time to go,” I said simply, strapping on my backpack and gripping my duffel. I rushed back to the cliffside and used a loop of rope to lower the duffel down to the rocks, safely wedging it. Then I rappelled down, grabbed the duffel, and hopped onto the sub’s hull. As I lowered the bags down the portal and gathered up the mooring lines, I heard a crying voice, a little girl’s. I turned back to the cliff – and up top, by the railing, was the exact same filly I’d saved from certain death upon arrival in Maretime Bay!

“Goodbye! Thanks for saving my life!”

“I’m leaving now, forever. Bye! May you live a happy one filled with love and friendship!” I called back, before disappearing into the portal. Inside, I sealed the hatch, fired up the engines, and powered out to sea in the direction of the portal. I used a remaining scrap of Ron’s fiber rope to suspend the little crystal from the sub’s ceiling.

There was no difficulty in navigating to the portal; its raw energy sucked me straight towards its epicenter. At the last moment, I stuck my head out of the portal, and took one last look back, a teary-eyed smile across my face as I raised my arm and snapped a photo with my iPad. Sealing the hatch, I shut down all electronics and fought with the steering to keep myself aligned in the middle of the vortex. The water stretched with rapid white lines, and a soft bluish swirl appeared in front of me, spinning faster than my mind could visually decipher. I let out a sigh and gripped the steering handles with all my might as my consciousness slipped away while the sub was engulfed, finalizing my departure from Equestria.
> Epilogue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

JUNE 15, 2031

ADVENTURE JOURNAL 11

Hi, Mom and Dad.

Writing this to say I am safely back home, resting on the balcony of my houseboat in the Florida Keys. Boy, what an adventure that was – I mean, can you believe going through a portal could knock out your consciousness?!

Landing wasn’t the most comfortable thing either – I found myself in a hurricane of all places and had to dive quickly and navigate sunken debris to escape. But I sailed and sailed until I made it home.

My hope was that the crystal would remain intact, but alas, it vaporized to dust. But what a surprise I got when I turned on my iPad and swiped through my photo library to find a picture of a little red pony in a jail cell! His face looked solemn but hopeful in the shot, which puts my heart at ease.

Apparently, I have suffered a migraine from my inter-dimensional journey and am undergoing treatment. Give me a video call if you’re up for it, for I have a very interesting story to tell you.

With love,
Aiden Walter Dixon
> Author's Closing Words and Notes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'll start with a confession: This story isn't the best. Especially when compared to my older works, because back then I believe I had a stronger connection to My Little Pony (albeit a little crazied one!) than I do now. However, there still exists a strong bond with ponies nonetheless. 

Confession Number Two: I did cry as I wrote the final chapter. Partly 'cause I was listening to "The Magic of Friendship Grows" during the process.

But don't get me wrong. It's been a lot of fun writing this story. It began right after I watched the movie My Little Pony: A New Generation and immediately had an idea for a "Human in G5 Equestria" story. All the basic elements - the submarine, the main human character being a historian, archeologist, and submariner - were all there from the first inception. I also wanted to be among the first to write such a story on this site, and for the most part I believe I succeeded in that.

When I began writing this story, I intended it to be a fun adventurous story with a streak of mystery. But after Aiden's arrival in Zephyr Heights, I began to slip into slice-of-life mode and dragged the story out too much. (Shoutout to StarzGecko for helping me realize this!) You'll notice right afterwards I started to condense events and amplify the depth of them to shorten the timeline. Personally I believe this isn't good writing.

Due to personal life circumstances, I will be taking an extended break from writing. I can't say exactly when I'll be back, but hopefully early next year. Large, complex stories like this one are no more - I will stop writing them for good, simply because they're difficult to keep consistent progression with due to the hectic life I lead lol. As some wise old folks have said, keep it short and sweet! So that's exactly what I'll be writing next after my break - short, fun stories about Sunny Starscout and her friends - whilst keeping in line with canon. I also plan to write a story about bat ponies, too.

Speaking of canon, I need to catch up! I put so much effort into this story I haven't watched anything beyond the first movie and the first ten episodes of Tell Your Tale! Neither have I read any of the IDW comics! And the Make Your Mark special is calling my name desparately! I did get spoiled on a few things, such as  Sparky Sparkeroni, and Opaline's castle. I hate getting spoiled, because it ruins the excitement and fun of seeing something new for the first time. Keeping a positive atttitude, I turned it to a positive by mentioning Opaline's castle in the last two chapters by way of foreshadowing.

I will also be writing some reviews/commentaries/analyses on Tell Your Tale, Make Your Mark, and the G5-verse overall.

I'll see you all soon. Take care of yourselves.

With love and friendship,
- Ahmad J. Charles