A Gateway Problem
The day had finally come; today a gateway large enough for a man to walk through was going to be connected to another world.
After centuries of observation, research, and testing, a world that could be survived on had been found. Previously, the largest gateway that had been made to this world was smaller than a man's outstretched hand. The reason that a larger one could be made was because after many years of saying it was to dangerous to do, the Aes Sedai had finally agreed to help and provide enough help to create large circles for the Asha’man to make the gateways.
While waiting for the White Tower to choose whom they were going to send, the researchers had been discussing on whom to send. They had asked for volunteers, but only one man had done so. For the past week, this man had been saying goodbye to everyone he knew.
Sovin al Cairin was ready to be the first man to set foot on another world.
He had finished saying goodbye to all the people he would probably never see again and was ready to leave. Most of his week had been spent saying goodbye to his great, great, great, grand nephews and nieces, visiting his parents and sibling’s graves, and just letting everyone who was use to him visiting in his home village. He told all of them that chances were that he would never return.
The last two days had been spent saying goodbye to his friends at the Black Tower. While saying goodbye to them, he had remembered the first day he had gone to the Tower, a brown haired, dark eyed youth of only 19, stunned at seeing so many people and such extravagance.
Sovin finally arrived at the location for the gateway, a clearing that was a couple of miles away from the Black Tower and surrounding city.
He looked at the Aes Sedai, faces a cool mask of serenity, but with an underlying look of not wanting to be at that place. He then looked at his fellow Asha’man, looking like children with new toys due to making such a leap. Even the M’Hael was their, looking angry at something as usual, but he still had a small smile on his face.
The M’Hael suddenly looked at him and asked “ Are you ready?” He nodded and went back to looking at the people around him. The Head Researcher yelled at the Asha’man to get into place, and asked the Aes Sedai to go.
When everyone was into place, they embraced the sources, Saidin and Saidar, and started to weave the gateway.
The only ones not channeling were the M’Hael, the Head researcher, and Sovin himself. The Head Researcher started to drill Sovin about what to do once he got through the gateway, but was interrupted by the gateway being finished.
At this point, even the Aes Sedai were interested at the world viewed from the gateway. Sovin started to the gateway, but just as he reached it, it started to slowly close. One of the Asha’man started to yell at him to get back, and with a quick glance at the M’Hael and Head Researcher who nodded, he started to go back.
For some reason, he got the strong urge to run through the gateway before it finished closing, so he did. He lumped through the gateway just as it snapped shut, and was blinded by intense white light.
He had the sensation of falling, but all of the sudden, he was lying on the ground. He heard some beast growl and so opened his eyes to see some strange monster looking at him. “Blood and Bloody Ashes” was al he could think.
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Twilight Sparkle was walking along the path to Zecora’s, intending to return the book on zebra Herbology she had borrowed.
About halfway to Zecora’s, she glanced to her left and saw a black earth pony with a strange cutie mark staring down a manticore. She rushed towards the two, her horn glowing with energy, intending to create a distraction for the pony to get away.
All of the sudden, the manticore gave a loud yelp and ran deeper into the forest, leaving the pony almost alone. The pony looked around and saw Twilight, and he looked stunned. Twilight was confused; this pony could stare down a manticore, but was startled by another pony. She slowly approached him, and he looked like he was going to run, but just tripped over his own hooves.
At this, Twilight rushed to him intending to get him to the hospital. To her, the only reasonable explanation for his actions was some mental illness.
Upon reaching him, he was still laying down with his front hooves covering his head.
Due to her concern for this pony,she asked him, “Are you ok?” While still fairly terrified, the pony nodded sort of. He started to get up, and after a while, he was walking, if a bit unsteady.
Twilight decided that taking the pony to the hospital was more important than returning a book, if only just. On the way to Ponyville, she asked the pony if he could remember his name. After a moment of hesitation, he said “Sovin al Cairin.” He seemed to not want to say anything else, so she walked in silence thinking of all of the places that have similar name formats.
None came to her mind.
When Ponyville was in sight, Sovin suddenly stopped and stared. After a little pushing on the part of Twilight, he started to move again.
Meanwhile in town, Pinkie Pie was having a left ear twitch.
“A new pony is coming to town!” she shouted in joy, already planning the party she started to run around the town, on the lookout for this new pony. All of the sudden, she saw Twilight coming back to town, and lo and behold, the new pony was with her. Pinkie ran up, pulling out her party cannon as she went. She fires the party cannon, but the party supplies just catch fire, turning into ash in an instant.
This is because of Sovin, having been trained in the Black Tower to partially be a soldier, reacted by incinerating the projectiles flying at him. Twilight and Pinkie stared at him, Twilight amazed by his apparent magic without being a unicorn, Pinkie because he had prevented a party.
Sovin, upon realizing what he did, started to apologize to Pinkie and Twilight.
Pinkie accepted on the condition that she threw a party for him later. A confused Sovin agreed. Twilight demanded to know what he had done, and how he had done it. Sovin promised to explain everything to her later, after the party.