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In Too Deep

By BlueForce
Created: 2026-04-02 01:12:20
Updated: 2026-08-01 15:28:16
anontrixiestarlight glimmertransformation

  1. 1.
    >It's a quiet night
  2. 2.
    >Maybe too quiet
  3. 3.
    >The only sound comes from your van's stereo, playing music with the volume almost all the way down
  4. 4.
    >You are still trying to figure out what happened
  5. 5.
    >You were killing time between classes
  6. 6.
    >You went for a coffee at a nearby coffee shop
  7. 7.
    >You opened the coffee's lid
  8. 8.
    >The contents were hot indeed, no need for a warning on the cup
  9. 9.
    >You pressed play on the van's stereo
  10. 10.
    >You took a few sips, so far so good
  11. 11.
    >Next time you realized you weren't in the city anymore
  12. 12.
    "This can't be true"
  13. 13.
    >The city literally vanished in front of you, replaced by the countryside
  14. 14.
    >You tried to grab the wheel but couldn't
  15. 15.
    >Because your hands were no longer hands, but hooves.
  16. 16.
    "Click"
  17. 17.
    >Your reminiscing was abruptly cut short when the stereo made the mechanical sound it always makes when the tape is reversed
  18. 18.
    >Now you realize you've been listening to the same music for several hours straight and quickly press stop
  19. 19.
    >You don't know where you are but you're hungry
  20. 20.
    >You look around and immediately notice the huge stain on the passenger seat, caused by the spilled coffee
  21. 21.
    >Clearly hooves aren't meant to grab coffee mugs, yet that's the least of your worries
  22. 22.
    >Trying to stop the panic from coming back, you violently hit the glove box with your one of your front hooves and get it to open
  23. 23.
    >You use both front hooves to grab a chocolate bar you had, hoping for it not to have melted
  24. 24.
    >You use your (surprisingly sharp!) teeth to open
  25. 25.
    >Never had a chocolate bar tasted better in your entire life
  26. 26.
    >Music... You can’t eat without music
  27. 27.
    >No... Changing the tape would be impossible without actual hands
  28. 28.
    "Sod it"
  29. 29.
    >You press play on the stereo and let the same tape repeat for the umpteen time
  30. 30.
     
  31. 31.
    ---
  32. 32.
     
  33. 33.
    "Yes, finally!"
  34. 34.
    >You cannot contain your excitement while you make sure you're not missing anything for the trip
  35. 35.
    "Equestria's best weekend is about to start! 48 straight hours of fun in the countryside, because we deserve it!"
  36. 36.
    >Starlight Glimmer comes near you, barely containing the laughter
  37. 37.
    >"Calm down, Trixie! You sound like a radio announcer about to sell a dishwasher"
  38. 38.
    "Sorry, it's just we haven't left the town in quite a while! I still can't believe Sunburst invited us to his 'tâteau'"
  39. 39.
    >"I think it's pronounced 'château'. But yes I'm happy we get to visit him. He told me how lonely he felt over there, as there aren't many neighbours around"
  40. 40.
    >You start pulling your wagon's harness
  41. 41.
    >Thanks to Starlight, the wagon feels light as you left any unnecessary belongings at her house
  42. 42.
    >Sadly, that meant no melon spoons or books about optometry will be at hand during the trip
  43. 43.
    "Okay, you tell me which road to take"
  44. 44.
    >Starlight happily walks next to you, guiding you with a map
  45. 45.
    >Around half an hour later you start seeing less and less crowds and more grass around you
  46. 46.
    >"Want me to carry the wagon for a bit? I don't mind!"
  47. 47.
    >You appreciate how Starlight cares so much but there is no need! You're Equestria's finest pony, scientifically proved!* (*Not really)
  48. 48.
    "No need to worry about Trixie! I'm in a really good mood today! But if you want to do Trixie a favor, take her to the burger place we went last time!"
  49. 49.
    >Starlight cannot help but chuckle
  50. 50.
    >"You can count on that!"
  51. 51.
    >By the time an hour had passed, you start feeling thirsty
  52. 52.
    >You stop moving the wagon to catch a break
  53. 53.
    >Starlight immediately notices you're tired and offers you a drink
  54. 54.
    "Not going to lie, Trixie would love it if you could find the water battle for her!"
  55. 55.
    >"Not a problem!"
  56. 56.
    >You sit on the ground to catch a break while Starlight looks for the water inside your wagon
  57. 57.
    >However, something catches your attention
  58. 58.
    >A wagon, bigger than yours, parked a few meters from you, right next to a tree
  59. 59.
    "Starlight?"
  60. 60.
    >"Yes?", you can hear your friend answering from inside the wagon
  61. 61.
    "Is there anything in-between a wagon and a garbage truck?"
  62. 62.
    >"It really doesn't look that bad, Trixie! It just needs a paint job!"
  63. 63.
    "I'm not talking about my wagon, I'm talking about that wagon!"
  64. 64.
    >Starlight comes out with the water bottle, looking intrigued
  65. 65.
    >"What are you talking about?"
  66. 66.
    "Well, look over there"
  67. 67.
    >Your friend takes a look at it
  68. 68.
    >It's some kind of transportation, looking clearly more modern than garbage truck
  69. 69.
    >Both of you are intrigued, as you don't seem to remember seeing one of those lately
  70. 70.
    >Maybe a fellow magician travelling from town to town?
  71. 71.
    >A fellow magician with deeper pockets than you, clearly
  72. 72.
    >Without saying anything, Starlight takes the initiative
  73. 73.
    >She starts approaching that odd white wagon while you take a sip of water
  74. 74.
    >You don't give it much importance at first, until you see Starlight's face expression changing
  75. 75.
    >You quickly leave the bottle aside and call up her attention
  76. 76.
    "Is everything alright?"
  77. 77.
    >Uh... Well, could you come here for a second, Trixie?"
  78. 78.
    >You cannot help but wonder what's happening. You start walking towards her but before even getting close to the wagon you start listening to something... Odd
  79. 79.
    >Music
  80. 80.
    >A song you don't remember having heard before, coming from inside the mysterious piece of transport
  81. 81.
    "What is that... music?"
  82. 82.
    >You asked quietly, not that you are scared! It's just you don't want to scare any animals that might be around
  83. 83.
    >"I have no idea"
  84. 84.
    >You try to pay attention and recognize any lyrics
  85. 85.
     
  86. 86.
    And we're all to blame,
  87. 87.
    We've gone to far, from pride to shame,
  88. 88.
    We're trying so hard,
  89. 89.
    We're dying in vain
  90. 90.
     
  91. 91.
    "Oh, I get it"
  92. 92.
    >You don't get it
  93. 93.
    >Starlight eventually approaches the wagon's window
  94. 94.
    >She didn't say anything, she just kept looking
  95. 95.
    >You come closer, not before talking a peek at your own wagon
  96. 96.
    >What did she try to imply with "it only needs a paint job"?
  97. 97.
    >"Oh, they moved!"
  98. 98.
    "What? Who moved?"
  99. 99.
    >"The pony who is sleeping inside that thing... And frankly my sixth sense tell me they aren't feeling well"
  100. 100.
    >As soon as you approached the window, you understood why Starlight said that
  101. 101.
    >You saw a green pony, with their eyes closed but shaking their head, as if they were having a nightmare
  102. 102.
    >They were surrounded by assorted garbage like disposable cups and candy wraps
  103. 103.
    >"I'd normally not wake up somepony having a nap...", started to say Starlight before you interrupted them
  104. 104.
    "Leave it to Trixie! I'm excellent at interrupting!”
  105. 105.
     
  106. 106.
    ---
  107. 107.
     
  108. 108.
    >The image repeats itself again and again
  109. 109.
    >You taking a sip of coffee, and then the city vanishing
  110. 110.
    >Your hands are no longer there
  111. 111.
    >You feet are no longer there
  112. 112.
    >Not even your clothes are there
  113. 113.
    >And suddenly you want to scream but you can't
  114. 114.
    >Instead, the images repeat all over again
  115. 115.
    >You try to understand what is happening but you can't, you simply can't
  116. 116.
    >And then a sudden burst of panic erupts
  117. 117.
    >You violently wake up from your nightmare, grasping for air
  118. 118.
    >And then you saw it
  119. 119.
    >Someone knocking at your window
  120. 120.
    >Well, not someone. but... "somehorse"?
  121. 121.
    >"Hello? Is everything okay?", you hear saying
  122. 122.
    >And now you are indeed able to scream, and don't hold it
  123. 123.
    >The blue horse at the other side of your window gets scared and starts running away
  124. 124.
    >But it won't compare to you, as you manage to open the door and start running away in panic
  125. 125.
     
  126. 126.
    ---
  127. 127.
     
  128. 128.
    "Oh, my!"
  129. 129.
    >Someday you will have to start speaking up everytime Trixie tries to do something without thinking
  130. 130.
    >All of the sudden, your weekend has turned into a two different races
  131. 131.
    >Trixie is screaming and running towards a tree by your left, while the green-colored pony that was inside the wagon runs to the north, also screaming like crazy
  132. 132.
    >You need to act fast
  133. 133.
    >That poor pony looked heavily distressed and could be a danger to himself
  134. 134.
    >You need to think fast
  135. 135.
    >Come on, Starlight, you can do this
  136. 136.
    >You take a quick look at your surroundings
  137. 137.
    >You think for a moment about teleporting Trixie and using it as a speed bump to stop the green pony
  138. 138.
    >"No, Starlight, surely you can do better than that"
  139. 139.
     
  140. 140.
    >Grass won't help
  141. 141.
    >Tiny branches won't help
  142. 142.
    >No rocks around
  143. 143.
    "Welp"
  144. 144.
    >You lock your sight on your friend, who is looking for refuge behind a tree
  145. 145.
    "Sorry, Trixie
  146. 146.
    >You use a teleport spell and suddenly, she's no longer approaching the tree, but serving as a speed bump for the green horse
  147. 147.
    >"Aaaah!", they keep yelling
  148. 148.
    >Their synchronized screaming is suddenly interrupted when the green horse trips and violently falls to the ground
  149. 149.
    >Trixie looks clearly shocked, still not knowing how he changed places, until a clear "oh, right" expression shows up on her face
  150. 150.
    >"Sorry, Trixie, but now the utmost priority is the well-being of that pony"
  151. 151.
    >You help Trixie get up and then you take a peek at the pony
  152. 152.
    >He seem to be unconscious, with his head up, mouth open and eyes wide shut.
  153. 153.
    "Are you alright?"
  154. 154.
    >"Yes, but please, next time something else to stop him!"
  155. 155.
    "You're right, I'm sorry. Listen, maybe we should take him to Sunburst's house and see if we can find a doctor nearby."
  156. 156.
    >"But we don't even know the guy!"
  157. 157.
    >Fair point
  158. 158.
    >"Yes, but think... If we ever have a problem and hurt ourselves while traveling, wouldn't we appreciate being aided by others?
  159. 159.
    >Trixie looks at the green pony, still unconscious on the ground
  160. 160.
    >"Well, I guess so, but... Don't you think he might be dangerous? I mean, he started screaming as soon as he saw me. Why would anyone react that way at the mere sight of Trixie?"
  161. 161.
    "Eh..."
  162. 162.
    >"Trixie's hair looks fantastic!", she yelled at your face
  163. 163.
    "I didn't say anything!"
  164. 164.
    >You chuckle, but quickly remember the unconscious pony near you
  165. 165.
    "Okay, that's it. I'm going to carry him on your wagon to Sunburst's house. I'll think about what to do there."
  166. 166.
    >"Oh, I can't afford to miss his expression when he sees you arriving with a half dead pony!"
  167. 167.
    "He's not dead!"
  168. 168.
    >You lift him using telepathy and Trixie looks at his body slowly flying towards her wagon
  169. 169.
    >"Does Twilight approve of you moving other ponies against their will?", she asks without taking her eyes from the green horse
  170. 170.
    "Please, she wishes she could do the same!"
  171. 171.
     
  172. 172.
    ---
  173. 173.
     
  174. 174.
    >"Kai"
  175. 175.
    >...
  176. 176.
    >"Kai!"
  177. 177.
    >You shake your head after listening to someone yelling your name
  178. 178.
    >"You seem to be a bit distracted today"
  179. 179.
    "Yeah, sorry..."
  180. 180.
    >You take a look at your mate and then the burger you were eating
  181. 181.
    "I suppose I didn't sleep quite well last night. And besides... Well, you know"
  182. 182.
    >"I already told you, mate. You are much more interesting than you think you are... It wouldn't take you much effort to find new friends or a new partner if you actually took the effort to do it"
  183. 183.
    >He takes a bite of his 'Bacon Explosion' burger and you do the same with yours
  184. 184.
    "Well, yes, I agree, but you know my tastes are a bit..."
  185. 185.
    >"Don't even mention the ponies again, please. You are worth much more than a bloody cartoon"
  186. 186.
    >Even if he means well, his words...
  187. 187.
    >They hurt
  188. 188.
    >You lower my head and then take a sip off my Coke
  189. 189.
    >The day is bright and sunny
  190. 190.
    >Everyone around seem to be having a nice time, just chatting and eating
  191. 191.
    >Yet everything inside you feels dark and lonely
  192. 192.
    >Your friend lets out a sigh and gently hits the table with his right hand to catch your attention
  193. 193.
    >"Listen... I know we promised to graduate at the same time but... you know I couldn't reject that opportunity"
  194. 194.
    >"Besides, it's not like we'll never meet again. I'll come around once in a while, and we'll always have Google Meet, right?"
  195. 195.
    >He's right, though
  196. 196.
    >There's not always a second chance
  197. 197.
    >And then, as you kept thinking about it, your friend simply vanishes
  198. 198.
    >And so does the city around you
  199. 199.
    >The day becomes night in the blink of an eye, and now everything is cold
  200. 200.
    >A bit too cold
  201. 201.
    >More than cold, you could say wet
  202. 202.
    >Wet?!
  203. 203.
    >And then you woke up, violently grasping for air
  204. 204.
    >Your entire face is wet, with water dripping from your hair
  205. 205.
    >"Yay, it worked!", proudly exclaimed the merry orange horse
  206. 206.
    >"Yes, but it was Trixie who brought the bucket of water!"
  207. 207.
    >"But it was my idea!"
  208. 208.
    >Please... No more yelling
  209. 209.
    >"Stop fighting, please! We need to make sure he's okay"
  210. 210.
    >After grabbing some air you just... stay there, looking at those three
  211. 211.
    >You don't yell or try to run away this time
  212. 212.
    >Because something tells you there's nowhere to escape to
  213. 213.
     
  214. 214.
    >It’s been like… three, four years? since you last thought about MLP
  215. 215.
    >Yeah… It was after you started uni and he left
  216. 216.
    >And now it’s coming back at you… at full force
  217. 217.
    >But why
  218. 218.
    >And more importantly, how?
  219. 219.
    >”Please don’t be scared, we come in peace”, said the purple pony
  220. 220.
    >But you know who she was
  221. 221.
    >And the blue pony, and the orange pony
  222. 222.
    >You know them too bloody well
  223. 223.
    >You let out a sigh, deciding it’s best to just tag along
  224. 224.
    >”Are you okay?”, the purple pony asks
  225. 225.
    >You sigh again, and try to stand up, only to fall down and hit your head against the floor
  226. 226.
    >Of course, you dumbass, you can’t stand in two feet
  227. 227.
    >You don’t even have feet anymore
  228. 228.
    >The others seem worried, running to help you stand up
  229. 229.
    >And you let them help you, why not?
  230. 230.
    >By the time you realize, you’re already standing up…
  231. 231.
    >On all fours
  232. 232.
    >You look at yourself
  233. 233.
    >Your horse fur, 100% green
  234. 234.
    >Your hooves, your chest…
  235. 235.
    >”Hmm, I wonder if I’m still a male”
  236. 236.
    >You check
  237. 237.
    >Yes, you still are
  238. 238.
    >The purple pony tries to establish a dialogue again, while the other two look at you intrigued
  239. 239.
    >”Hello, I’m…”
  240. 240.
    >Starlight Glimmer
  241. 241.
    >”Starlight Glimmer.”
  242. 242.
    >Of course
  243. 243.
    >Are you okay?”
  244. 244.
    “Yes… I suppose”
  245. 245.
    >”What’s your name?”
  246. 246.
    >”Let’s call him Fluffy Swamp!”, exclaims the blue pony, a bit too loudly for you
  247. 247.
    >”Trixie, please, he has an actual name”
  248. 248.
    “Kai”
  249. 249.
    “My name is Kai”
  250. 250.
    >The three horses look at you, as if they were expecting you to keep talking”
  251. 251.
    “That’s it. That’s my entire name”
  252. 252.
    >Right after noticing how serious you sounded, you realized it’s better not to mess around with horses who are able to use magic… and Trixie
  253. 253.
    “Sorry, I… I’m a bit shocked after the hit, that’s all. I suppose I must have run into a tree or something”
  254. 254.
    >”Eh, yes, more or less”, answers Starlight while looking clearly nervous
  255. 255.
    >Trixie rolls her eyes and lets out an annoyed sigh, but why?
  256. 256.
    >”Wait, let me dry your face”
  257. 257.
    >Starlight brings a towel and dries your face, not with her hooves but with her magic
  258. 258.
    “Thank… Thank you”
  259. 259.
    >”Why don't you take a seat?”, she asks while putting a chair right next to you, again by using her magic
  260. 260.
    >You instinctively get away from the chair
  261. 261.
    >She immediately saw how that scared you, but before she apologizes you take a seat without saying anything
  262. 262.
    >Thankfully, sitting wasn't very hard
  263. 263.
    >”Please, Trixie, stay a minute with Kai. I'll be right back.”, said Starlight while approaching the orang–
  264. 264.
    >Enough with the colours. That's bloody Sunburst
  265. 265.
    >She lets out a smile before leaving with him
  266. 266.
     
  267. 267.
    ---
  268. 268.
     
  269. 269.
    “Listen, Sunburst… I'm sorry for bringing a stranger to your house all of the sudden”
  270. 270.
    >You are indeed sorry, but Sunburst doesn't seems too worried and lets out a small giggle
  271. 271.
    >”Don't worry, Starlight, I'm already used to being in Trixie's company, despite her attitude”
  272. 272.
    >”Trixie heard that!”
  273. 273.
    “I'm talking about Kai, Sunburst”
  274. 274.
    >The orange horse chuckled again while adjusting his glasses
  275. 275.
    >”You did what everypony would do in your place: helping those who are in need”
  276. 276.
    >Sunburst’s words feel calming and reassuring
  277. 277.
    “You are right… Thank you. Just let me check he's alright and then we can start having fun”
  278. 278.
     
  279. 279.
    ---
  280. 280.
     
  281. 281.
    >Trixie is close to you
  282. 282.
    >Maybe a bit too close
  283. 283.
    >Even the cat you had as a kid back at home had more respect for your personal space than her
  284. 284.
    >You don’t say anything, you just try to get used to sitting as a horse instead of as a human
  285. 285.
    >Your buttocks feel incredibly thick
  286. 286.
    >Not that you’re complaining
  287. 287.
    >”Fluff–”
  288. 288.
    >You immediately cock an eyebrow at her
  289. 289.
    >”I mean, Kai, yes, Kai”
  290. 290.
    >”Yes?”
  291. 291.
    >You look at her and can’t help but remembering your era as a shitposter
  292. 292.
    >She was the best pony, hands down
  293. 293.
    >By the time you realize, you’re already chuckling
  294. 294.
    >Now she’s the one who’s staring at you
  295. 295.
    “Sorry, you were saying?”
  296. 296.
    >”Why did you get so scared just by seeing my face?”
  297. 297.
    >What’s the point of telling the truth? She’d never believe you
  298. 298.
    “Well… I always scream and run away wherever I see a new pers– pony”
  299. 299.
    >Meh, there’s no way she’ll believe that either
  300. 300.
    >”Oh, I see”, she answered, apparently convinced
  301. 301.
    >...
  302. 302.
     
  303. 303.
    >”You know… I never saw a wagon like yours. Did you build it yourself?”
  304. 304.
    >Huh?
  305. 305.
    “What wagon?”
  306. 306.
    >”The white one, where we found it”
  307. 307.
    >Bloody hell!
  308. 308.
    “MY VAN!”
  309. 309.
    >”Where is it?! I must find it!”
  310. 310.
    >And now, without thinking, you were running away once more
  311. 311.
    >”He's escaping again!”
  312. 312.
    >That's the last thing you hear from Trixie before crossing the door at full speed
  313. 313.
     
  314. 314.
    ---
  315. 315.
     
  316. 316.
    >Your conversation with Sunburst gets interrupted by Trixie's yelling
  317. 317.
    >You quickly go back to the dining room only to find the door wide open with Trixie pointing at it
  318. 318.
    >Kai is now vanishing quickly in the horizon
  319. 319.
    “Trixie! What did you do to him?!”
  320. 320.
    >”Nothing! Why is Trixie the one to blame every time somepony runs scared?!”
  321. 321.
    >You ignore Trixie's screaming and run behind Kai
  322. 322.
    >No, there's no way you'll catch him
  323. 323.
    >You look around
  324. 324.
    >Trixie is coming at you
  325. 325.
    >...
  326. 326.
    >Sorry, Trixie
  327. 327.
    >You again use teleportation with Trixie to stop Kai
  328. 328.
    >And once again, Kai trips on her, falling on the grass
  329. 329.
    >The impact makes Trixie roll in the direction of Kai
  330. 330.
    >”STOP USING TRIXIE AS A SPEED BUMP!”, you can hear coming loud and clear from the grass
  331. 331.
    >You approach the duo as soon as possible, feeling guilty for using such a harsh approach
  332. 332.
    “I'm so sorry! Are you okay?!”
  333. 333.
    >Trixie and Kai let out a grunt and try to stand up on their own
  334. 334.
    >Trixie looks a bit dizzy but in one piece
  335. 335.
    >”This weekend is not fun at all!”
  336. 336.
    >Kai catches your attention
  337. 337.
    >He has trouble standing up
  338. 338.
    “Are… are you okay?”
  339. 339.
    >”Well, does this look infected?”
  340. 340.
    >Kai shows you a cut on the left hind leg
  341. 341.
    >Congratulations, Starlight, now you've really messed it up
  342. 342.
    “Oh, my… Don't worry! Please, let's go back to the house and I'll heal your wound!”
  343. 343.
    >”Just let me go, for Pete's sake! I want my van back!”
  344. 344.
    >Van? What is he talking about?
  345. 345.
    >”I think that's how he calls the wagon where we found him”
  346. 346.
    >”So your friend has a wagon. You didn't mention that earlier”
  347. 347.
    >You look back to find the source of that response and see Sunburst right next to you
  348. 348.
    >”Where did you leave his wagon? It's his property, so it's only logical he wants it back”
  349. 349.
    “That thing is huge. We couldn't take it with us, so we left it where it was”
  350. 350.
    >”Just tell me where it is!”, Kai screams aggressively, only to seemingly regret it a second later
  351. 351.
    >”Please… It's…”
  352. 352.
    >A moment passes, and you can see him lower his head
  353. 353.
    >”It's the only thing I have”
  354. 354.
    >You take a deep breath and think on what to do
  355. 355.
    “Please let me heal you at Sunburst's home. It'll only take a minute. I promise I'll take you back to your wagon thereafter.”
  356. 356.
    >He looks at you, not quite believing you
  357. 357.
    “I swear. Please, believe in me”
  358. 358.
    >A couple of seconds pass in silence, until he shyly starts walking back to Sunburst's château
  359. 359.
     
  360. 360.
    >Back in Sunburst’s house, he gives you some bandages and takes the opportunity to scold you
  361. 361.
    >”Well, Starlight, you’ve really messed up this time”
  362. 362.
    >It’s not the actual words what hurt you, but how Sunburst said them in such a playful manner
  363. 363.
    “This is not some kind of game, Sunburst! That pony is wounded and it’s my fault”
  364. 364.
    >You try not to yell, but you’re getting frustrated
  365. 365.
    >This was supposed to be a fun, worry-free weekend and instead you wounded a pony…
  366. 366.
    >Well, two ponies: Trixie doesn’t look happy after being used as a speed bump
  367. 367.
    >”Relax, I was just joking. It’s only a small cut. Besides, why don't you put yourself in his place? He was awoken by Trixie, which would be terrifying for anyone with eyes…”
  368. 368.
    >”Trixie doesn’t appreciate being the butt of jokes!”, you hear coming from the dining room
  369. 369.
    >”...Then you brought him here against his will, to talk to complete strangers, again including Trixie.”
  370. 370.
    “Thank you, Sunburst. I'll think of your words when Twilight kicks me out of Equestria”
  371. 371.
    >”Nobody is going to kick you out from anywhere! Oh, give me that, I'll go heal Kai myself. You pour yourself some tea and relax”
  372. 372.
    >Sunburst takes the bandages away from you while pointing at the teapot sitting on the kitchen's table
  373. 373.
    >Could he… have a point?
  374. 374.
    >You let out a sigh for the umpteen time today and reluctantly go serve yourself a cup of tea
  375. 375.
     
  376. 376.
    ---
  377. 377.
     
  378. 378.
    >”What are you even doing?”
  379. 379.
    >Trixie asked you while you were trying to lick your wound
  380. 380.
    “I saw dogs doing this to heal themselves”
  381. 381.
    >”You're not a dog, Kai, I mean Fluff—, I mean Kai!”
  382. 382.
    >”Well, I don't have much experience on being a horse”, you think
  383. 383.
    >”Hey, buddy”
  384. 384.
    >Sunburst approaches you with bandages
  385. 385.
    >You hope his intention is to heal you and not to turn you into a mummy
  386. 386.
    >His horn starts glowing, and a few moments later a bar of soap, a sponge and a small bucket of water are in front of you
  387. 387.
    >That kind of magic looks way more impressive in person than on TV
  388. 388.
    >”Trixie, would you please leave us alone for just a moment”?, Sunburst asked nonchalantly
  389. 389.
    >”I won't let you do anything to poor Kai!”
  390. 390.
    >”There are some chocolate cookies in the cupboard”
  391. 391.
    >”Later!”
  392. 392.
    >Trixie vanished in the blink of an eye, leaving you all to Sunburst…
  393. 393.
    >He approaches the wet sponge to your wound
  394. 394.
    >You immediately close your eyes, hoping for it to hurt but thankfully it doesn't
  395. 395.
    >”Listen…”
  396. 396.
    >You open your eyes, and notice the horse is looking at you
  397. 397.
    >”I want to apologize for the inconveniences. You must have been very scared, waking up in front of total strangers…”
  398. 398.
    >Well, at least he understands
  399. 399.
    “Listen, I just want my van back”
  400. 400.
    >”Hmm, that's what you call your wagon, right?”
  401. 401.
    “Eh, yes…”
  402. 402.
    >”You weren't found too far from here, and thankfully this area is quite safe. Look! You're as good as new!”
  403. 403.
    >Well, that didn't take long
  404. 404.
    >The bandage is now in place, and you hope you don't need another one during your stay here
  405. 405.
    >That's when the panic starts coming back
  406. 406.
    >How long are you going to stay here? Are you ever going back to Earth?
  407. 407.
    >That's when you start hyperventilating
  408. 408.
    >”Hey, Kai, there's no need to be nervous”
  409. 409.
    >Sunburst's voice sounded oddly calming, catching you completely by surprise
  410. 410.
    >”You're not from here, right?”
  411. 411.
    >When he said “from here”...
  412. 412.
    >He wasn't referring to this town
  413. 413.
    >You know he meant something else
  414. 414.
    >You stayed in silence for a second, processing that question
  415. 415.
    >Then, Starlight came into the dining room, bringing a teapot and a silver tray with four cups
  416. 416.
    >”Who wants some tea?”, she asks in a gentle way
  417. 417.
    >Sunburst briefly smiles at you, and then directs his attention to Starlight
  418. 418.
    >”Oh sure, let me help you”
  419. 419.
    >”Thank you. If you want cookies you'll have to eat the crumbs from Trixie's cape”
  420. 420.
    >You hear Sunburst's chuckling, but you know that conversation is far from being over
  421. 421.
     
  422. 422.
    >”You're not from here”
  423. 423.
    >”From here”
  424. 424.
    >You can't stop thinking about what Sunburst said
  425. 425.
    >You try to look him in the eyes, but he's too focused on talking to Starlight
  426. 426.
    >Are you overreacting?
  427. 427.
    >No, there was something about his tone of voice…
  428. 428.
    >”Kai… Kai?”
  429. 429.
    >You notice Trixie trying to call up your attention
  430. 430.
    >”Are you okay?”
  431. 431.
    “Uh… Yes, sorry. I guess I'm a bit distracted”
  432. 432.
    >”Well, it's only logical since you crashed against Trixie!”
  433. 433.
    >Despite what happened, she manages to chuckle
  434. 434.
    >Her laughing sounded incredibly sweet, and suddenly you forgot about the pain, if only for a few seconds
  435. 435.
    >She hands you a cup of tea and a biscuit
  436. 436.
    >”I saved the last one for you”
  437. 437.
    >You stayed there, completely speechless, thinking on what to say
  438. 438.
    “T-Thank you, Trixie”
  439. 439.
    >You try to grab the cup and the biscuit with your new hooves
  440. 440.
    >And you fail
  441. 441.
    >The cup falls immediately
  442. 442.
    >You close your eyes, so you don't get to see how it breaks
  443. 443.
    >But you hear it loud and clear
  444. 444.
    >Conversation between Starlight and Sunburst stops, and they all look at you
  445. 445.
    >You feel completely humiliated and feel the impulse of running away once more
  446. 446.
    “I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!”
  447. 447.
    >Fuck this
  448. 448.
    >You start heading towards the door
  449. 449.
    >But then you suddenly stop
  450. 450.
    >”Stop right there! Trixie won't be used as a speed bump again!”
  451. 451.
    >Although Trixie’s voice was a factor, she wasn't the only reason that made you stop
  452. 452.
    >What is even the point of keeping on running away?
  453. 453.
    >Remember: there's nowhere to escape to
  454. 454.
    >And even if there was, would it be worth it?
  455. 455.
    >You turn around and look at the three horse's faces
  456. 456.
    >Starlight and Sunburst in particular look disappointed
  457. 457.
    >You let out a sigh
  458. 458.
    >”I'm really sorry, Sunburst… I have cups in my van. Please, allow me to find my van. It's all I want right now”
  459. 459.
    >Sunburst thinks for a moment before taking a step towards me
  460. 460.
    >”It's okay, Kai. We all make mistakes. Just let me clean this and we'll go find your van”
  461. 461.
    “No, please… Let me do it myself”
  462. 462.
    >Sunburst smiles at me
  463. 463.
    >”No, Kai, it's nothing. It'll only take me a second”
  464. 464.
    >He wasn't lying
  465. 465.
    >A broom and a dustpan appear just after Sunburst's horn starts glowing, and the rubbish is taken care of in a jiffy
  466. 466.
    >”So…”
  467. 467.
    >Sunburst look at you in the eyes
  468. 468.
    >I think it's time to go find your wagon”
  469. 469.
     
  470. 470.
    >”You can't keep running away, Kai”
  471. 471.
    “I'm running away? You're literally leaving to another province, bloody hell”
  472. 472.
    >I told you I couldn't reject this opportunity. And that's the last time I'm going to see you for a few months. Can't you even do that?”
  473. 473.
    “I'm sick. I've been coughing all day”
  474. 474.
    >”You've been coughing all day because you smoke like a chimney. Kai, listen to me, for Pete's sake. You don't have friends to spare. Can you at least come and say goodbye before my flight takes off?”
  475. 475.
    >You just stared at the phone. A bloody coward.
  476. 476.
    >He was spot on about everything.
  477. 477.
    >It wasn't until everything else was gone that you realised you hadn't just lost a mate, you'd lost the last opportunity to be a decent one.
  478. 478.
    >And now, it was too late
  479. 479.
     
  480. 480.
    “Trixie, you really don’t need to do this”
  481. 481.
    >You were sitting on Trixie’s wagon, being carried by the owner herself
  482. 482.
    >“It’s okay…”
  483. 483.
    >You know she was about to call you “Fluffy Swamp” but instead of finding it annoying, you unconsciously let out a small chuckle
  484. 484.
    >”I… know that cut might be hurting”
  485. 485.
    >It doesn’t, actually
  486. 486.
    >She’s the one who should be in pain, as you used her as a speed bump twice
  487. 487.
    >And yet, she’s the one carrying you, as if you deserved such treatment
  488. 488.
    >You look at the leg Sunburst healed with such kindness
  489. 489.
    >Not a second passes that you start feeling guilty for breaking one of his tea cups
  490. 490.
    >But more importantly, you can’t take what he said out of your head
  491. 491.
    >”You’re not from here”
  492. 492.
    >You immediately go take a peek out of the wagon’s window, seeing that Sunburst and Starlight are walking along to it
  493. 493.
     
  494. 494.
    “I’m really sorry about everything, Sunburst. And you too, Trixie… I know this weekend didn’t quite start on the right track”
  495. 495.
    >You really mean it
  496. 496.
    >While it wasn’t Kai’s intention to cause any harm, he ended up breaking things at Sunburst’s house, and having to be healed by him
  497. 497.
    >Although the last one was actually your fault, for throwing Trixie at Kai
  498. 498.
    >”It’s okay, Starlight. As I said earlier, you saw someone in need and helped them. It’s what to be expected from Twilight’s protégé”
  499. 499.
    >You feel humbled at your friend’s words, yet you can’t stop thinking at how carefree and upbeat he sounds
  500. 500.
    >Maybe a bit too much for Sunburst
  501. 501.
    >”And you too, Trixie. And I’m serious this time”
  502. 502.
    >”Trixie does what she has to do! Whatever that means!... Look, I can see Kai’s wagon!”
  503. 503.
    >Indeed there it is, the odd wagon where you found the green horse
  504. 504.
    >Surrounded by some vegetation, the wagon seems to be intact (not counting some corrosion that was already there when you first arrived)
  505. 505.
    >That really makes you think… Is it made of metal? Who made it? Kai or someone else?
  506. 506.
    >And for what purpose?
  507. 507.
    >Your mental monologue is interrupted by Kai jumping out of Trixie's wagon and running towards his
  508. 508.
    >”Be careful, Kai!”
  509. 509.
    >You find Trixie’s concern about Kai to be commendable, if a little excessive
  510. 510.
    >By the time you reach the wagon, you find Kai looking at it, while music can still be heard playing inside
  511. 511.
    >Wait, has the music been playing non-stop during all this time?
  512. 512.
    >How is that even possible? There’s not a single electric outlet on sight and batteries would have already worn out by now
  513. 513.
    >Okay, nevermind. There are things more important than that at the moment
  514. 514.
    >Trixie leaves her wagon aside and hurries to meet Kai
  515. 515.
     
  516. 516.
    “This song…”
  517. 517.
    >It’s a song you’ve heard thousands of times
  518. 518.
    >Heard from a mixtape you recorded yourself
  519. 519.
    >And yet, right now, it hits different
  520. 520.
     
  521. 521.
    Cause I will bring you down
  522. 522.
    I don't wanna miss
  523. 523.
    I don't think you can handle this
  524. 524.
    You've lost what you can't find
  525. 525.
    Never what you had in mind
  526. 526.
     
  527. 527.
    >You stare at your van, the only possession you have in this world, and hearing the song coming softly from the speakers
  528. 528.
    >Then you look at yourself, at your hooves, at your fur, at everything
  529. 529.
    >You didn’t ask for this
  530. 530.
    >You just want to be back to Earth, damn it
  531. 531.
    >Why the hell… Why didn’t you say goodbye to him?
  532. 532.
    >And then, the same memories start to flood your brain
  533. 533.
    >The day you wanted to talk to him and he didn’t answer
  534. 534.
    >How you waited and waited, but never got a response
  535. 535.
    >And then you got the call
  536. 536.
    >That dreaded call
  537. 537.
     
  538. 538.
    >”Kai, is everything alright?”
  539. 539.
    >You normally end up crying after remembering that, so hearing Trixier’s voice was a pleasant surprise
  540. 540.
    >You turn around, but it’s not Trixie what you find right in front of you
  541. 541.
    >”So this is the ‘van’ you were talking about, huh?”
  542. 542.
    >Sunburst adjusted his glasses and looked at you in the eyes
  543. 543.
    >You didn’t like that look
  544. 544.
    >Then, you noticed Trixie and Starlight next to you
  545. 545.
    >You know questions are going to be made, sooner or later, so for now it’s better to just stop the music
  546. 546.
    >Thankfully, the left door is still open
  547. 547.
    >You jump in and quickly eject the tape
  548. 548.
    >”Wow, Kai, that is quite the wagon”, said Trixie with a smile, and you can’t decide if she’s being serious or sarcastic
  549. 549.
    >Nah, Trixie doesn’t know how to be sarcastic
  550. 550.
    >You quickly glance at it: dirty, with spilled coffee and cassette tapes on the passenger seat
  551. 551.
    >You’re sure this kind of filth breaks multiple laws in Equestria
  552. 552.
    >You notice Starlight is about to say something, but she is interrupted by Sunburst before even starting
  553. 553.
    >Sunburst’s face shone, holding a smile that didn't look innocent at all…
  554. 554.
    >The tape… the tape I had on the stereo started flying towards Sunburst
  555. 555.
     
  556. 556.
    >It wasn't hard to notice how Starlight and Trixie were full of questions
  557. 557.
    >They were staring at a lot of things they had never seen located inside another thing they had never seen before today
  558. 558.
    >What were they going to ask about first? The driving wheel? The seats? The stereo?
  559. 559.
    >You're going to find out very soon, but they're not your main concern right now
  560. 560.
    >Your main concern is Sunburst
  561. 561.
    >Unlike his friends, he didn't look confused at all
  562. 562.
    >To the contrary: he looked very confident while holding my cassette tape in his hooves
  563. 563.
    >”Interesting. You don't see one of these everyday”
  564. 564.
    >Are… are you in trouble?
  565. 565.
    >Trixie and Starlight's attention is deviated towards the tape
  566. 566.
    >”What in Equestria is that?”, asked Trixie while cocking an eyebrow
  567. 567.
    >”It's where the music was coming from”
  568. 568.
    >Sunburst's answers sounded unexpectedly dry
  569. 569.
    >Most probably, that was the moment when you started to sweat
  570. 570.
    >”Trixie doesn't remember ever seeing something like that!”
  571. 571.
    >”Maybe you don't, but I'm sure Starlight does”
  572. 572.
    >Sunburst's smile shone brightly, and not in a fun, innocent manner
  573. 573.
    >”These are the tapes the Royal Guards use to record their interrogations”
  574. 574.
    >Starlight immediately looks straight at you
  575. 575.
    >You feel as if the passenger seat is burning your body and clumsily start moving, trying in vain to stop the sensation
  576. 576.
    >”Kai… why do you have a tape from the Royal Guards in your wagon?”
  577. 577.
    >Yep, you're definitely in trouble
  578. 578.
    “Uh…”
  579. 579.
    >”No, Starlight”, Sunburst interrupted
  580. 580.
    >”The real question is: ‘Kai, would you like to listen to something interesting?’”
  581. 581.
    >Sunburst's question wasn't actually a question
  582. 582.
    >It was an order
  583. 583.
    “How… interesting?”
  584. 584.
    >”Very interesting”, he answered without delay
  585. 585.
    >His horn started to glow
  586. 586.
    >And suddenly, another tape came flying slowly towards Sunburst
  587. 587.
    >”Wait a minute! Where did that thing come from?”, asked a clearly confused Trixie
  588. 588.
    >”I put it in your wagon while you were taking the cookie crumbs off your cape. Kai, take this and listen to it”
  589. 589.
    >Starlight takes a step forward towards Sunburst
  590. 590.
    >”Okay, Sunburst, cut it out”
  591. 591.
    >”No”, Sunburst answered dryly
  592. 592.
    >Starlight and Trixie were clearly taken aback by his response
  593. 593.
    >”What?”, inquired Starlight
  594. 594.
    >Sunburst cleared his throat and let out a frustrated sigh, as if what he was trying to imply was clear to everyone
  595. 595.
    >”The reason I invited you to come wasn't just to drink tea and swim in my pool, you know”
  596. 596.
    >”Sunburst, what is happening? You've never acted like this in our presence”
  597. 597.
    >Starlight’s voice sounded increasingly aggressive and you could see Trixie feeling clearly uncomfortable
  598. 598.
    >Then, Sunburst looked at you with a piercing gaze, using his glowing horn to leave his tape flying in front of you, enticing you to grab it
  599. 599.
    >And you did
  600. 600.
    >”Play it”, he ordered
  601. 601.
    >A few seconds pass by while you're trying to understand the situation
  602. 602.
    >The tape was completely black and had a small label with an inscription on it: “I-283”
  603. 603.
    >”PLAY IT, DAMNIT!”
  604. 604.
    >Even considering how tense this conversation was becoming, Sunburst's shouting caught you completely by surprise
  605. 605.
    >You were left flabbergasted and unable to react
  606. 606.
    >”Stop it, Sunburst!”
  607. 607.
    >Trixie's attitude has suddenly changed from scared to confrontational
  608. 608.
    >”Kai did nothing wrong to you! Why are you yelling at him?!”
  609. 609.
    >”You'll understand after he plays the tape”, he answered without hesitation
  610. 610.
    >”Sunburst… You're worrying me. Frankly, I don't know what's happening, but I didn't sign up for this”, said Starlight, clearly trying to regain her composure
  611. 611.
    >Sunburst took a deep breath, steadying himself, then replied
  612. 612.
    >”I'm sorry. Allow me to explain”
  613. 613.
    >”Last week I went to the flea market, looking for some vintage accessories to decorate my château”
  614. 614.
    >Trixie's eyes rolled as soon as she heard the word “château”
  615. 615.
    >”However, I wasn't counting on finding that tape. A legitimate interrogation tape recorded by the Royal Guards”
  616. 616.
    >An interrogation tape
  617. 617.
    >Why is this related to you at all?
  618. 618.
    >”After I heard the tape, I knew something was bound to happen, sooner or later”
  619. 619.
    >”And it did”, he added while staring at you
  620. 620.
    >And then, complete silence
  621. 621.
    >Almost as if Sunburst's explanation caught his friends’ attention
  622. 622.
    >And now they want you… to play the tape
  623. 623.
     
  624. 624.
    >You hold the tape in your hooves
  625. 625.
    >The others’ stares felt like daggers piercing you
  626. 626.
    >They were demanding you to play the tape
  627. 627.
    >With a nervous flutter in your chest, you finally placed the tape into the van’s stereo
  628. 628.
    *Click*
  629. 629.
    >You raised the volume… and then you immediately pressed eject
  630. 630.
    “No.”
  631. 631.
    >”Play it”, said Sunburst coldly
  632. 632.
    >But you didn’t answer
  633. 633.
    >You just stayed, hyperventilating
  634. 634.
    >Because you recognized the voice you heard on the lone second of the tape that had just played
  635. 635.
    >Sunburst didn’t order you to play the tape again… but his horn started to glow
  636. 636.
    >Starlight and Trixie quickly realised you were on the verge of a panic attack
  637. 637.
    >You notice the stereo’s volume knob starts glowing with a light yellow aura, as it starts moving on its own to the right, raising the volume even more
  638. 638.
    >Clearly he wants everyone to hear the tape as clearly as possible
  639. 639.
    >But then, just before Sunburst actually plays the tape against my will, the glow stops
  640. 640.
    >”That’s enough”
  641. 641.
    >Starlight was standing right in front of Sunburst
  642. 642.
    >While you couldn’t see her expression from the driver’s seat, her severe tone of voice gave you more than a hint
  643. 643.
    >Sunburst looked defiant… Clearly not something you’d see on the actual cartoon
  644. 644.
    >You try to focus on the grass outside, hoping to avoid the confrontation. However, you quickly accept that you wouldn't be able to avoid listening to the tape
  645. 645.
    >”Okay, that’s it. Sunburst, I’m going to ask you something, and I want you to answer yes or no”, said Starlight firmly
  646. 646.
    >”Did Kai do anything illegal?”
  647. 647.
    >A heavy, silent pause followed
  648. 648.
    >”Just drop the act, Sunburst! Stop being a jackass to Kai… I mean, Fluffy Swamp!... I mean, Kai!”, Trixie screamed at the top of her lungs
  649. 649.
    “Sod it”
  650. 650.
    >You're going to face the music
  651. 651.
    >You clumsily reinsert the tape into the stereo, feeling as if your chest weighed a ton
  652. 652.
    >And then, you get off the van while the interrogation tape starts playing for good
  653. 653.
    >You stepped out of the van and sat down on the grass to listen to the tape, turning your back on the other three ponies
  654. 654.
    >”I… I already told you… I don't know how I came here”
  655. 655.
    >That was a voice you were dying to hear again, albeit not in this context
  656. 656.
    >”When did you arrive in Canterlot?”, a male voice asked
  657. 657.
    >In Canterlot
  658. 658.
    >They have you in bloody Canterlot
  659. 659.
    >The interrogator is probably a Royal Guard
  660. 660.
    >”I… I don't know. I lost my watch and everything I had when I showed up here… There, it must have been like… two or three days”
  661. 661.
    >Each word felt like a sword in your body
  662. 662.
    >”You've been missing for an entire year and it turns out you were here all this time”, you thought
  663. 663.
    >You could hear the sorrow in your friend's voice
  664. 664.
    >Because there was no doubt it was him
  665. 665.
    >”You weren't supposed to be there”, the Royal Guard accused
  666. 666.
    >”I don't know how I showed up there!”
  667. 667.
    >You could hear the desperation in your friend's voice
  668. 668.
    >”I was working and then I… I was here, and I was a horse”
  669. 669.
    >”What were you before?”, the Guard asked almost in a demeaning manner
  670. 670.
    >”A… A human?”
  671. 671.
    >Silence
  672. 672.
    >No more voices came from the tape
  673. 673.
    >And that's when you started to cry
  674. 674.
    >”K-Kai?”
  675. 675.
    >You turned over and find Trixie clearly worried about you
  676. 676.
    >She softly touches your back with her hoof, trying to bring some comfort
  677. 677.
    “That's… my friend Mark”, you say with difficulty in-between your crying
  678. 678.
    >Trixie doesn't question you, she just tried to give you a hug
  679. 679.
    >You feel unable to thank her, but for a moment you felt loved and understood by someone
  680. 680.
    >Starlight steps in and questions you, trying to sound as considerate as possible
  681. 681.
    >”Kai… Where did you come from?”
  682. 682.
    >You wipe your tears with your right hoof
  683. 683.
    “There's no point in telling you… You'll never believe me”
  684. 684.
    >You just want to go home
  685. 685.
     
  686. 686.
    ---
  687. 687.
     
  688. 688.
    >You try to analyse the situation rationally
  689. 689.
    >In front of you, there's a sobbing pony who is clearly scared and at the verge of panicking for the umpteen time today (and some of them were your fault)
  690. 690.
    >This pony seems to have a partner who might be located somewhere in Canterlot (but why?)
  691. 691.
    >You let out a sigh
  692. 692.
    >What would Twilight do in your place?
  693. 693.
    >You were about to ask Kai something, but then a thought came to your mind
  694. 694.
    “Sunburst…”
  695. 695.
    >Your friend stared silently at you
  696. 696.
    >This… is not the Sunburst you know
  697. 697.
    >What in the world is going on?!
  698. 698.
    “Sunburst… How were you able to know what was in the tape before we listened to it?”
  699. 699.
    >Sunburst smugly smiled at the sky
  700. 700.
    >”I had my means”
  701. 701.
    >The way Sunburst has been acting since you the left the house is resulting increasingly irritating
  702. 702.
    >You do your best to contain your anger, but then Trixie came along
  703. 703.
    >”Then tell us what your means were”, your friend said with determination
  704. 704.
    >Sunburst’s smile vanished quickly
  705. 705.
    >”Kai is crying because of you, Sunburst”
  706. 706.
    >You are momentarily stunned by Trixie’s words
  707. 707.
    >And yet, she’s completely right
  708. 708.
    >”Since the day I found that tape, I’ve had a hunch… As if something was about to happen. And time proved me right”
  709. 709.
    >”Stop vagueposting!”
  710. 710.
    >What?
  711. 711.
    >That was Kai, drying his tears and shouting at Sunburst
  712. 712.
    >He quickly approaches him, and you can see Sunburst being taken aback by Kai’s sudden change of attitude
  713. 713.
    >”If you know something, stop acting mysterious and tell me! That was my friend and I haven’t seen him in a year!”
  714. 714.
    >You can see Trixie getting worried about Kai, and gently putting a hoof on his back
  715. 715.
    >”Okay, then you can tell us how you and your friend came here”, Sunburst quickly fires back
  716. 716.
    >”That is not relevant”
  717. 717.
    >”It is relevant when you’re accusing somepony else of being secretive, Kai!”
  718. 718.
    “Stop. Just stop, please”
  719. 719.
    >Everyone looked at you
  720. 720.
    “Let’s just… go back to Sunburst’s house”
  721. 721.
    >That was the only thing you could think to do
  722. 722.
    >Sunburst merely bowed his head in silence
  723. 723.
    >”Uh… Kai, I don’t think I’ll be able to carry your wagon. It looks pretty heavy”, said Trixie sympathetically
  724. 724.
    >”It doesn’t matter, Trixie… I’ll do it myself”
  725. 725.
     
  726. 726.
    ---
  727. 727.
     
  728. 728.
    >You knew a cavalcade of questions were approaching
  729. 729.
    >But you weren’t open to leave your van, the only thing you had that you could call your own, abandoned in the middle of nowhere
  730. 730.
    >You jumped back on the driver’s seat and thought of a way to drive the vehicle
  731. 731.
    “Aha!”
  732. 732.
    >You knew piling the back of your van with rubbish would come in handy sooner or later
  733. 733.
    >You grab the broomstick you kept there
  734. 734.
    >Yes, this should work in lieu of feet
  735. 735.
    >You take a look at the three ponies
  736. 736.
    >Trixie's expression seems to show she's worried about you… Bless her
  737. 737.
    >Starlight looks confused. Understandable
  738. 738.
    >Sunburst… he won't even look at you
  739. 739.
    “Listen… I know you have tons of questions. Just let me park this thing somewhere, please…”
  740. 740.
    “I just… I don't want to argue. I just want to know what happened to my friend”
  741. 741.
    >Starlight was the first to talk
  742. 742.
    >”Trixie, please take the wagon back to Sunburst's house”
  743. 743.
    >She sounded friendly but firm, and ended with a head gesture telling Sunburst to go with Trixie
  744. 744.
    >”Starlight…”, Trixie tried to complain
  745. 745.
    >”Please… No more arguing”
  746. 746.
    >Trixie nodded and went away towards her wagon, with Sunburst following suit
  747. 747.
    >”May I come in?”
  748. 748.
    >You reached for the passenger door and opened it
  749. 749.
    >Starlight turned and climbed into the van via the now opened door
  750. 750.
    “I… I know it might be a bit uncomfortable”
  751. 751.
    >”You know that's the least of my worries right now”, she answered while looking at you with worried eyes
  752. 752.
    “I didn't come to Equestria willingly… nor has my friend Mark”
  753. 753.
    >”If you didn't come from Equestria, then where?”, Starlight asked while trying to sit on the passenger seat
  754. 754.
    “You wouldn't believe me”
  755. 755.
    >”Try me”
  756. 756.
    >Starlight’s determination catches you by surprise, but then you realize she’s probably running out of patience
  757. 757.
    >At the same time, you don’t want to tell her absolutely everything in private, at least not until you know what’s Sunburst’s endgame
  758. 758.
    “I come from a place not found in Equestria's books. I haven’t got a clue of how or why I ended up here”
  759. 759.
    >On the windshield, you can see Trixie and Sunburst taking back the wagon to the house
  760. 760.
    >”I see”
  761. 761.
    >You can sense she’s doesn’t fully believes you
  762. 762.
    “Uh… Thanks for being so kind to me”
  763. 763.
    >You can see a small smile briefly on her face
  764. 764.
    >”You’re welcome, Kai… I take you built this yourself?”
  765. 765.
    >She takes a look at the mess that passes as your transportation
  766. 766.
    “Well, the filth was made entirely by me”
  767. 767.
    >She laughs, although you’re sure your answers aren’t doing the best to make her trust in you
  768. 768.
    >You manage to turn the key with your hoof, igniting the engine
  769. 769.
    >”Wh-What is that noise?!”
  770. 770.
    “Don’t worry! It’s the engine!”
  771. 771.
    >”An engine? What kind of wagon is this?”
  772. 772.
    >Starlight overreacts to the slight shaking of the van, desperately grabbing herself to the seat
  773. 773.
    “One not made in Equestria, clearly… Listen, Starlight, I know this is very confusing. Just… allow me to park my… ‘wagon’ somewhere safe and I promise I’ll answer more questions sooner than later”
  774. 774.
    >You approach the broomstick to the gas pedal, hoping your idea works
  775. 775.
    >Indeed, the van starts moving slowly but surely
  776. 776.
    >Thankfully, there are no ponies around you could accidentally kill, as Trixie and Sunburst have already vanished from sight
  777. 777.
    >”Do you always use a stick to move this thing?”, asks Starlight
  778. 778.
    >You can sense her brain is working overtime to process the absolutely bizarre situation she’s living
  779. 779.
    “Well… I was taller in my place of birth… Enough to press the pedal myself”
  780. 780.
    >You hope (in vain) for your answer not to trigger more questions for the moment
  781. 781.
    >”How… is that place called?”
  782. 782.
    >What’s the point of keeping it a secret any longer?
  783. 783.
    “Earth”
  784. 784.
    >”Kai, what kind of name for a place is that?”
  785. 785.
    “I don’t know!”
  786. 786.
    >Without even realizing it, you both burst into laughter, alleviating the tension if only for a moment
  787. 787.
     
  788. 788.
    ---
  789. 789.
     
  790. 790.
    >You carry your wagon back to Sunburst's “château” in complete silence
  791. 791.
    >You have no intention of chit-chatting with the house owner, at least for now
  792. 792.
    >Then, you start hearing crunching
  793. 793.
    >You turn around to see Sunburst eating a cracker
  794. 794.
    “Where did you even get that from?”
  795. 795.
    >”I left it in your wagon while you were licking chocolate leftovers from your cape”
  796. 796.
    “Trixie doesn't like to be seen licking herself! Nor seeing ponies being jerks to others!”
  797. 797.
    >”I'm not being a jerk, Trixie”
  798. 798.
    “Well, you're pretending to be one quite well, then! You made Fluffy cry!”
  799. 799.
    >”It wasn't my intention to make Flu– Kai cry. But you have to understand, we're in the middle of something”
  800. 800.
    “Yes, we're in the middle of the worst weekend ever”
  801. 801.
    >You can hear Sunburst letting out a sigh
  802. 802.
    >”Well… If it matters so much to you, I can apologize. But I will find out what's behind that tape”
  803. 803.
    >You roll your eyes, not bothering in continuing the conversation
  804. 804.
    >You hear a noise in the distance
  805. 805.
    >It becomes progressively louder
  806. 806.
    >When you check where it comes from, you realize it's Kai's wagon, moving by itself
  807. 807.
    >You stop your walking abruptly, and stare in disbelief as the carriage pass you by, unable to grasp what is going on
  808. 808.
    >”Oh, look. Something completely normal that everypony in Equestria has seen before”
  809. 809.
    >You ignore Sunburst's sarcastic comment, preferring to find a reasonable explanation to what you're seeing
  810. 810.
    >But you couldn't find one
  811. 811.
    >So you decide to follow the wagon closely
  812. 812.
    >”Hey, wait for me!”
  813. 813.
    >Sunburst didn't react positively at your sudden speed increase
  814. 814.
     
  815. 815.
    >Two minutes later, you were back in front of Sunburst's house
  816. 816.
    >You leave your wagon next to the door and immediately run towards Kai's
  817. 817.
    >You see Starlight coming down from it, visibly confused
  818. 818.
    “What kind of wagon is this?!”
  819. 819.
    >”I’m not sure…”
  820. 820.
    >Starlight just stayed there, trying to interpret both the drive and Kai’s answers
  821. 821.
    >You finally see Kai coming down from his wagon and run straight to him
  822. 822.
    “Kai, how in Celestia’s name is that thing able to move by itself?”
  823. 823.
    >”Uh…”
  824. 824.
    >Kai was about to answer but gets interrupted by Starlight
  825. 825.
    >”It’s something he built by himself, Trixie”
  826. 826.
    >You look at Starlight, still confused, and then at Kai, whose smile doesn't quite hide the sweat beading on his face
  827. 827.
    >”Sunburst, don’t you have something to show us?”
  828. 828.
    >Starlight’s confusion suddenly changed to a expression of annoyance
  829. 829.
    >Sunburst takes a step forward, again with a smug smile on his face, and holding something on his right hoof
  830. 830.
    “Where did you get that from?! We haven’t opened the door yet!”
  831. 831.
    >”Do I even need to say it?”, Sunburst replied smugly
  832. 832.
    “Trixie doesn’t like her wagon to be used as a storage unit!”
  833. 833.
    >Sunburst starts approaching Kai, but you stand in the middle of them
  834. 834.
    “What are you going to do to him now?”
  835. 835.
    >Sunburst dropped his eyes, avoiding to meet your look, as if he’s finally embarrassed after scaring Kai
  836. 836.
    >”Listen, uh… I want to find out what’s happening too. This is something I found next to the tape at the antique shop.”
  837. 837.
    >”And I believe Kai knows what it is”
  838. 838.
     
  839. 839.
    ---
  840. 840.
     
  841. 841.
    >Of course you knew what it was
  842. 842.
    >Sunburst handed it to you
  843. 843.
    >It was a cassette recorder, like the ones you saw on films
  844. 844.
    >You instinctively turn it over, to see what was Sunburst using as a power source
  845. 845.
    >Do batteries even exist in Equestria?
  846. 846.
    >Apparently not, because there is no battery slot on sight
  847. 847.
    >”It doesn't use batteries”, Sunburst said coldly, as if he was reading your mind
  848. 848.
    “How do you use it then?”
  849. 849.
    >”Royal guards use magic to record and play tapes”
  850. 850.
    >”Will any of you say what the heck is that?!”, yelled a clearly frustrated Trixie
  851. 851.
    “It's a tape recorder. It's what the guards use to record interrogations”
  852. 852.
    >Starlight approaches Sunburst, looking intrigued
  853. 853.
    >”Only some Royal Guards are able to use magic. And most probably, only some of them are trusted with interrogations.”
  854. 854.
    >”The fact that you found both a tape and a tape recorder is highly unlikely, Sunburst”
  855. 855.
    >Once again, Sunburst obnoxiously adjusted his glasses before answering
  856. 856.
    >”It's quite strange actually, because I felt as if that tape and recorder were left intentionally for someone to find it”
  857. 857.
    >”Who sold it to you?”
  858. 858.
    >Now it was Starlight who started to sound like an interrogator, yet Sunburst carried on keeping his smug attitude
  859. 859.
    >”Didn't ask their name, and I doubt it is of importance”
  860. 860.
    >”Wait a minute!”, interrupted Trixie
  861. 861.
    >”How did you even get to make it work? You’re not a Royal Guard!”
  862. 862.
    >”Turns out any kind of magic is enough to make it work. You see, the secret is in how hard it is to come by this thing. They’re supposed to keep it under lock and key”
  863. 863.
    >”That’s why I think whoever left the tape and the recorder at the antique shop didn’t do it for money; they wanted to catch someone’s attention”
  864. 864.
    >”By the way, that’s the same place where I bought the cookies Trixie ate”
  865. 865.
    >”What?! You gave me cookies you found at an antique shop?”
  866. 866.
    >”Well, you clearly liked them. That mean my theory was right: expiration dates are meaningless”
  867. 867.
    >Starlight and you roll your eyes at the same time
  868. 868.
    “Listen, uh… I just want to go to Canterlot. In my van, by train, by foot, I don’t care. But I will do whatever it takes to find Mark”
  869. 869.
    >Saying your friend’s name filled you with determination
  870. 870.
    >If Equestria really is like the TV show, you don’t think they’ve used violence against Mark
  871. 871.
    >Or at least, you don’t want to think about it
  872. 872.
    >A moment of silence passes before Starlight takes the initiative to talk
  873. 873.
    >”You won’t go to Canterlot on your own”
  874. 874.
    >That caught you completely by surprise
  875. 875.
    >Trixie pulled Sunburst aside and stood in front of you
  876. 876.
    >”Exactly. You won’t go out by yourself”
  877. 877.
    >She looked at you, briefly smiling
  878. 878.
    >You feel moved by their attitude
  879. 879.
    >A sense of security gets into your mind, if only temporarily
  880. 880.
    “Please, tell me what we can do. I need to find Mark. He’s my only friend.”
  881. 881.
    >Starlight and Trixie look at each other
  882. 882.
    >”Uh… I suppose we could take the train to Canterlot and ask around”, Starlight said
  883. 883.
    >Trixie nodded
  884. 884.
    “Yes, excellent. Let’s go there now, please”
  885. 885.
    >”Wait”
  886. 886.
    >Sunburst interrupted the conversation, but without looking directly at any of you, his eyes pointing at the sky instead
  887. 887.
    >”The train to Canterlot doesn’t leave until six. We have time”
  888. 888.
    “Uh… Okay, I can wait in my van until it’s time”
  889. 889.
    >”You haven’t eaten anything today. Come inside”
  890. 890.
    >Trixie cocks an eyebrow, shocked by Sunburst’s change of attitude
  891. 891.
    “I… I can’t leave my van unattended”
  892. 892.
    >”Look around, Kai. My only neighbors are old ponies who mind their own business. They will pose no harm to your wagon”
  893. 893.
    >You look around, and quickly notice Sunburst was undoubtedly right
  894. 894.
    >Only a couple of houses are seen surrounding Sunburst’s place, and they are in complete silence
  895. 895.
    >”Let’s go inside and plan on what to do. I can prepare something to eat”
  896. 896.
    >”No more food from the antique shop!”, demanded Trixie
  897. 897.
    >”Okay, okay! Only fresh food from now on!”
  898. 898.
    >Both Starlight and Sunburst chuckled
  899. 899.
    >For the first moment since you met these three, the tension has begun to subside
  900. 900.
    >But you are pretty sure it won’t last
  901. 901.
    >Sunburst makes a gesture with his right hoof inviting everyone to get inside
  902. 902.
    >Starlight and Trixie both softly tell you “come on”
  903. 903.
    >You take a few seconds before following them, but before you cross the door, Sunburst speaks to you
  904. 904.
    >”I’m sorry for making you cry”, he said, again without looking at you
  905. 905.
    “It’s okay, Sunburst”
  906. 906.
    >A subtle smile crept onto Sunburst’s face, and for once it didn’t appear smug or double-faced to you
  907. 907.
     
  908. 908.
    ---
  909. 909.
     
  910. 910.
    >Back at Sunburst’s house, you see the sun hanging low in the sky, casting a pleasant warmth through the windows
  911. 911.
    >”So, I was thinking I could prepare a salad? I have bread I bought this morning…”
  912. 912.
    >Sunburst hesitated for a second as soon as he saw Trixie’s annoyed expression
  913. 913.
    >”At the bakery! It was just made!”
  914. 914.
    >Trixie let out a sigh of relief
  915. 915.
    >”I also have some crackers and peanut butter somewhere in the pantry, I think… that is, as long as Trixie hadn’t been peeking around”
  916. 916.
    >Trixie averted her eyes, exaggerating her annoyance
  917. 917.
    >”Starlight, you're the slicing expert. Please, lend me a hoof”
  918. 918.
    >You nodded and followed Sunburst to the kitchen
  919. 919.
    >You were sure slicing vegetables was the least of his worries at the moment
  920. 920.
    >You enter the kitchen and notice Sunburst letting out a sigh
  921. 921.
    >He takes a cabbage out of a cabinet, and hands you a knife
  922. 922.
    >”Please, I'm terrible at cutting cabbage. I'll go find the tomatoes”
  923. 923.
    “You didn't make me come to the kitchen just to cut cabbage”
  924. 924.
    >Sunburst stops his search for the tomatoes and looks at you
  925. 925.
    >”Listen… I know I have been acting a bit… off…”
  926. 926.
    “Sunburst, why didn't you tell me about all this before?”
  927. 927.
    >You start cutting the cabbage in thin slices, trying to contain your frustration
  928. 928.
    >“I wasn't expecting you to bring one of them to my house”
  929. 929.
    “One of them?”
  930. 930.
    >”You heard the tape. A pony shows up in the middle of nowhere, without recollection of his origins, but sure that he wasn't a pony in the first place”
  931. 931.
    >”Doesn't that remind you of Kai just a little bit?”
  932. 932.
    >It actually reminds you of Kai a lot
  933. 933.
    >He literally told you he comes from a place called “Earth” and that he was “taller in his place of birth”
  934. 934.
    >In other words, he literally spat out he wasn't a pony
  935. 935.
    >Without counting the fact he recognised the pony being interrogated after listening to just a second of the tape
  936. 936.
    “This couldn't have been a coincidence. And I'm not just talking about the tape. Either they came here voluntarily and are hiding it for some reason, or they were chosen to come to Equestria against their will”
  937. 937.
    >”But why? What's the purpose of bringing… beings from Celestia knows where and leaving them adrift?”
  938. 938.
    >Sunburst resumes his search for the tomatoes, and brings out a bottle of olive oil with them
  939. 939.
    “We might find out in Canterlot…”
  940. 940.
    >Emphasis in ‘might’
  941. 941.
    >”How, though?”
  942. 942.
    >Good question…
  943. 943.
    “We could ask Twilight's brother”
  944. 944.
    >”Shining Armor?”
  945. 945.
    >Sunburst stopped cutting the tomatoes for a moment to think about your suggestion
  946. 946.
    >”Are you sure he can be trusted?”
  947. 947.
    “What are you saying? He's literally Twilight's brother”
  948. 948.
    >”That's why I'm asking”, Sunburst replied while adjusting his glasses
  949. 949.
    >What is he implying?
  950. 950.
    >”I just don't want the higher ups to become aware of this issue right away”
  951. 951.
    “Why? I thought you wanted answers”
  952. 952.
    >Having finished with the cabbage, you go look for the bread in Sunburst’s cupboard
  953. 953.
    >”Whoever left that tape and that recorder at the antique shop did it because he wanted someone to find them. And most probably, they did it because they couldn't talk to anypony else about what they heard”
  954. 954.
    >Sunburst's theory brought a myriad of questions to your mind you quickly managed to repress
  955. 955.
    “Here's the bread. We should go to the station with time if we don't want to miss the train”
  956. 956.
    >You head out of the kitchen, but Sunburst blocks your path with his right hoof to stop you
  957. 957.
    >“There's one more thing, Starlight”
  958. 958.
    >“When I said any kind of magic could make that recorder work…”
  959. 959.
    “You weren't being completely honest”
  960. 960.
    >”As far as I know, Royal Guard equipment that uses magic can only be used by Royal Guards”
  961. 961.
    >”That tape recorder was tampered with to allow anyone to use it”
  962. 962.
     
  963. 963.
    ---
  964. 964.
     
  965. 965.
    >”You know, Kai, you're not very good at relaxing”
  966. 966.
    >Trixie noticed your sweat still coming down from your forehead
  967. 967.
    “Sorry. I didn't have much time to practise lately”
  968. 968.
    >You were sitting near the window to look at your van, the only possession you still had in this world
  969. 969.
    >The one you'll have to leave unsupervised in a couple of hours
  970. 970.
    >Trixie simply sat down next to you in a cushion, looking comfortable
  971. 971.
    >”Fortunately for you, Trixie is an expert at doing nothing”
  972. 972.
    >She points at the cushion, inviting you to join her
  973. 973.
    >Your favourite pony ever is inviting you to sit next to her
  974. 974.
    >Your old /mlp/ self would have gone nuts just at the idea to touching her body
  975. 975.
    >You obey, sitting next to her and trying in vain to relax
  976. 976.
    >A few seconds pass in silence
  977. 977.
    >The afternoon sun casts long shadows across the floor
  978. 978.
    >Somewhere in the kitchen, you hear Starlight chopping something
  979. 979.
    >”Kai… May I ask you something?”
  980. 980.
    “Sure”
  981. 981.
    >”Where do you come from?”
  982. 982.
    “Uh… it’s a place called ‘Earth’”
  983. 983.
    >”’Earth?’ What kind of name is that?”
  984. 984.
    >That seems to be a popular opinion today
  985. 985.
    “Clearly not a very creative one”
  986. 986.
    >”Uh… Who is Mark, exactly?”
  987. 987.
    “He’s the only friend I’ve got”
  988. 988.
    >And then, you suddenly ask yourself: does he still consider you a friend?
  989. 989.
    >Has he ever thought about you during all this time?
  990. 990.
    >You take a deep breath, trying to banish those questions from your mind
  991. 991.
    >”Did you live in a remote area?”
  992. 992.
    >She doesn’t get it
  993. 993.
    “No, I was just… too much of an arsehole to keep my other friends”
  994. 994.
    “Mark was the only real friend I had… And he vanished a year ago, leaving no trace behind”
  995. 995.
    “His grandmother called me shortly after he moved in with her to tell me he was nowhere to be found”
  996. 996.
    “Since then, I couldn’t stop thinking about the day he asked me to go with him to the air–”
  997. 997.
    >You quickly realise airports don’t exist here
  998. 998.
    “...to the train station, to say goodbye before moving”
  999. 999.
    “And I refused, making up a silly excuse”
  1000. 1000.
    “I never saw him again since then”
  1001. 1001.
    >You notice a teardrop rolling down from your cheek
  1002. 1002.
    “Mark was the only real friend I had and I lost him”
  1003. 1003.
    “I keep feeling this was all my fault. That I could’ve done something to prevent him from vanishing and ending up in bloody Canterlot”
  1004. 1004.
    >At first, Trixie doesn’t say anything
  1005. 1005.
    >She looks at the ceiling for a moment
  1006. 1006.
    >”You know… before knowing Starlight, I used to perform in front of empty chairs”
  1007. 1007.
    >You look at her, intrigued
  1008. 1008.
    >"I'd set up my stage, do my tricks, and... nopony would come. Sometimes I'd talk to myself just to hear a voice"
  1009. 1009.
    >”I think… maybe, that made me feel resentful towards the others”
  1010. 1010.
    >”I did things I now regret. And my attitudes might have scared the heck out of some ponies”
  1011. 1011.
    >Trixie looks at you
  1012. 1012.
    >She really looks at you
  1013. 1013.
    >You notice how blue her eyes are
  1014. 1014.
    >You simply didn’t notice it before
  1015. 1015.
    >They’re the colour of the sky after rain
  1016. 1016.
    >”What I want to say is… Even if Sunburst came off as a jerk to you, and even if I accidentally keep calling you Fluffy Swamp–”
  1017. 1017.
    >You interrupt Trixie with your sudden chuckling
  1018. 1018.
    >And then you realise Trixie, your favourite pony ever, thinks you’re worth her time
  1019. 1019.
    >That alone makes you forget your sadness and fills you with life
  1020. 1020.
    “Fluffy Swamp”
  1021. 1021.
    >You repeat your nickname, shaking your head
  1022. 1022.
    >”Well, your green hair really reminded me of a swamp!”
  1023. 1023.
    “Your hair reminds me of ice cream yet you don’t see me calling you Sundae!”
  1024. 1024.
    >Both of you laugh again, until it hurts
  1025. 1025.
    >But it’s a good hurt, if that makes any sense
  1026. 1026.
    >From the kitchen, you hear Sunburst say something in a low voice
  1027. 1027.
    >You can't make out the words, but you can hear Starlight responding to him
  1028. 1028.
    >Trixie notices your gaze toward the kitchen door
  1029. 1029.
    >Her smile fades slightly
  1030. 1030.
    >”They’re talking about us”
  1031. 1031.
    “Probably”
  1032. 1032.
    >You’re sure they’re actually talking more about you than about Trixie
  1033. 1033.
    >She leans back on the cushion, again looking at the ceiling
  1034. 1034.
    >The sunrays make her horn glow slightly
  1035. 1035.
    >”Trixie used to be alone… like, really alone. Nobody would come to her shows, even though they were the best magic acts in town”
  1036. 1036.
    >You don’t say anything
  1037. 1037.
    >You just listen
  1038. 1038.
    >”Then Starlight came along. And by the time she knew it, she had already met wonderful ponies who would support and listen to her”
  1039. 1039.
    >Her hoof touches yours. Just a small, brief touch
  1040. 1040.
    >”Kai… I know what it feels like”
  1041. 1041.
    >She sounds much more serious now
  1042. 1042.
    >”To think you have nothing. To think nopony cares. To be riddled with remorse”
  1043. 1043.
    >”You’re not alone, Kai”
  1044. 1044.
    >Your throat feels tight, and you nod, not trusting your voice
  1045. 1045.
     
  1046. 1046.
    ---
  1047. 1047.
     
  1048. 1048.
    >You were just about to exit the kitchen, until Sunburst stopped you with one more question
  1049. 1049.
    >”Do you trust Kai?”
  1050. 1050.
    “Does it matter?”
  1051. 1051.
    >A brief moment of silence ensues
  1052. 1052.
    “Even if I didn’t trust him, it won’t stop us from going to Canterlot in an hour, despite the fact we’ll arrive almost at nightfall”
  1053. 1053.
    >”Look, we don’t have time to waste…”, said Sunburst
  1054. 1054.
    “Why?! Why don't we have time to waste? What is about to happen?”
  1055. 1055.
    >”Please, Starlight, lower your voice”
  1056. 1056.
    “Sunburst, just stop…”
  1057. 1057.
    >You try to remember the word Kai used earlier
  1058. 1058.
    “Bare roasting!”
  1059. 1059.
    >”What?!”
  1060. 1060.
    >Sunburst was visibly confused… and so were you
  1061. 1061.
    “Just stop being so vague and secretive”
  1062. 1062.
    >”It’s not my intention…”
  1063. 1063.
    >He added a bit of salt to the salad
  1064. 1064.
    >”Look, I’m not sure what to think… But whatever we do, we should try to make Kai keep a low profile, just in case”
  1065. 1065.
    “How?”
  1066. 1066.
    >Sunburst touches his chin while thinking of what to do about Kai
  1067. 1067.
    >”Oh, I know”
  1068. 1068.
    >He opens a drawer, taking a white sheet out of it
  1069. 1069.
    >”This should work”
  1070. 1070.
    “The ponies will think he’s a ghost!”
  1071. 1071.
    >”Nah, they’ll probably think he’s just an old hag who is cold”
  1072. 1072.
    >”Who is an ‘old hag’?!”
  1073. 1073.
    >You roll your eyes as soon you hear Trixie’s complaining
  1074. 1074.
    >”You are! And why are you listening to other ponies’ conversations?”
  1075. 1075.
    >Trixie opens the door, looking visibly upset
  1076. 1076.
    >”I was startled by your sudden screaming! Even the neighbor came to see what was happening”
  1077. 1077.
    >”What?!”
  1078. 1078.
    >Sunburst runs toward the door, and notices there’s an elderly pony looking inside the house from the front window
  1079. 1079.
    >”Is everything okay, dear?”
  1080. 1080.
    >”Oh, yes, absolutely! Nothing to worry about, Mrs. Yellow Mane!”
  1081. 1081.
    >Well, she indeed has a yellow mane
  1082. 1082.
    >”Well, just call me if you need something, sweetheart”
  1083. 1083.
    >”Thank you!”
  1084. 1084.
    >As soon as Mrs. Yellow Mane left, Sunburst let out a sigh of relief
  1085. 1085.
    >”Whew!”
  1086. 1086.
    >You notice Kai in the living room, clearly startled over the sudden appearance of the neighbor
  1087. 1087.
    >You quickly decide to approach him before he tries to run away
  1088. 1088.
    “Easy, Kai! See? That pony didn't even notice your wagon. Everything is fine”
  1089. 1089.
    >”To be honest I'd be surprised if she noticed her own hooves. She's short-sighted but has a great hearing”
  1090. 1090.
    >Sunburst goes back to the kitchen and you take the opportunity to talk to Kai
  1091. 1091.
    “How are you feeling?”
  1092. 1092.
    >”Uh… A bit better, I think. Trixie was nice to me”
  1093. 1093.
    >Well, that's nice to hear, for a change
  1094. 1094.
    >”Of course! Trixie is beloved by everyone but tax collectors!”, said your friend while raising her hooves
  1095. 1095.
    >Sunburst comes back, this time carrying bread and salad
  1096. 1096.
    “Oh, please, let me help you”
  1097. 1097.
    >You put the food on the table in the center of the room
  1098. 1098.
    >Sunburst thanks you, and then brings rice and hay from the kitchen
  1099. 1099.
    >And he also brings the white sheet
  1100. 1100.
    >Before you notice it, he's already handing it to you
  1101. 1101.
    >It seems you'll have to do the dirty job
  1102. 1102.
    >You take a look at the table, and Trixie is already filling her mouth with hay and bread
  1103. 1103.
    “Trixie, please! Wait for us to sit, at least!”
  1104. 1104.
    >You cannot help but chuckling at Trixie's face, covered in grains of rice
  1105. 1105.
    >You leave the sheet at a side for now, and sit next to Kai and in front of Sunburst
  1106. 1106.
     
  1107. 1107.
    ---
  1108. 1108.
     
  1109. 1109.
    >Well, Kai, it has finally happened
  1110. 1110.
    >After jokingly asking yourself what would you do if a pony offered you hay, now you’re being offered just that
  1111. 1111.
    >You prefer to decline politely and try the rice instead
  1112. 1112.
    >That is, if Trixie leaves you some
  1113. 1113.
    >Thankfully, Starlight offers you a spoon
  1114. 1114.
    >But how are you supposed to use it?
  1115. 1115.
    >You try to grab it, failing repeatedly at it
  1116. 1116.
    >The sound of the spoon falling on the table catches the attention of Starlight and Sunburst (but not Trixie, who’s stuffing her face with salad)
  1117. 1117.
    >”Kai, are you okay?”, asked Starlight, looking slightly worried
  1118. 1118.
    “Well…”
  1119. 1119.
    >What are you going to answer? You can’t just say “I don’t know how to grab things”
  1120. 1120.
    >You remember what happened with the teacup before
  1121. 1121.
    “Sorry, I…”
  1122. 1122.
    >”It's okay”
  1123. 1123.
    >You look at Sunburst
  1124. 1124.
    >He doesn't look angry
  1125. 1125.
    >He got up and took a plate from the cupboard
  1126. 1126.
    >Then he quietly puts some rice on the plate and cuts some bread for you
  1127. 1127.
    >”Feel free to eat however you want”
  1128. 1128.
    >And just like that, he started to eat some salad
  1129. 1129.
    >But somehow, you couldn't stop thinking about his gesture
  1130. 1130.
    >”Let me help you, Kai”, Starlight said sympathetically
  1131. 1131.
    >Yet you kept looking at Sunburst
  1132. 1132.
    “Thank you”
  1133. 1133.
    >”Don't worry about it”, he said nonchalantly
  1134. 1134.
     
  1135. 1135.
    >Right after finishing the meal, Starlight helped you to drink water from a cup
  1136. 1136.
    >She didn't wait for you to say you were thirsty, she just did it
  1137. 1137.
    >”The train will depart in around 40 minutes”, said Sunburst while looking at the clock on the wall
  1138. 1138.
    >A sudden fear invaded you
  1139. 1139.
    >Your van
  1140. 1140.
    >You don't want to abandon it
  1141. 1141.
    “Uh… I don't… I don't want to leave, to leave my…”
  1142. 1142.
    >”Your wagon”, said Starlight
  1143. 1143.
    >”The great and powerful Trixie is going to leave her wagon here too! There's no need to fear!”
  1144. 1144.
    >Trixie's determination made you feel less insecure
  1145. 1145.
    >”You already saw what kind of neighbors Sunburst has. They're harmless!”, added Starlight
  1146. 1146.
    >You take one more peek at your van through the window, and then let out a sigh
  1147. 1147.
    “Can… I use the bathroom, please?”
  1148. 1148.
    >”Go ahead. It's down the hall, to the left”, answered Sunburst with a calm voice
  1149. 1149.
    >You thank him, and follow his directions
  1150. 1150.
    >Well, at least that's what you think
  1151. 1151.
    >Did he say to the left or to the right?
  1152. 1152.
    >Well, the bathroom is always to the right on films
  1153. 1153.
    >You take the right, but what you find isn't the bathroom
  1154. 1154.
    >You open the door with your hoof, and you end up in a study
  1155. 1155.
    >And over there, right in the centre of the desk, as if it was calling up your attention, you could see it clearly
  1156. 1156.
    >It was a BIC lighter
  1157. 1157.
     
  1158. 1158.
    >You just stayed there for a few moments
  1159. 1159.
    >No, such thing cannot exist in Equestria
  1160. 1160.
    >Especially with the BIC brand
  1161. 1161.
    >You doubt Celestia would approve imports from Brazil so easily
  1162. 1162.
    >Why does Sunburst have something like this? He doesn’t even have hands to use it
  1163. 1163.
    >And neither do you, so you can’t grab it
  1164. 1164.
    >”It was on the left, Kai”
  1165. 1165.
    >Damn
  1166. 1166.
    >Sunburst looks at you, and while he doesn't look angry, he doesn't seem to be the happiest horse around either
  1167. 1167.
    >”You know what that is, right?”, he asked softly
  1168. 1168.
    >Clearly he doesn't want the others to hear
  1169. 1169.
    “Yes”
  1170. 1170.
    >He takes a deep breath
  1171. 1171.
    “It's a lighter. It's used to start fires”
  1172. 1172.
    “And it doesn't exist in Equestria”
  1173. 1173.
    >”So you’re truly from another world”, answered Sunburst, with an almost smug smile on his face
  1174. 1174.
    “Where did you find it?”
  1175. 1175.
    >You didn't give him time to answer
  1176. 1176.
    “No”
  1177. 1177.
    >Exactly, that wasn’t the question you really needed to ask
  1178. 1178.
    ”When did you find it?”
  1179. 1179.
    >”I’d say… a couple of months ago”
  1180. 1180.
    >”Exactly, it wasn’t from around the time of your friend’s arrival”
  1181. 1181.
    >He knew you were thinking about Mark
  1182. 1182.
    >But why would Mark carry a lighter with him? He has never smoked in his whole life
  1183. 1183.
    “So that means… there’s someone else like me around”
  1184. 1184.
    >”Either that or it was one of Trixie’s tasteless jokes”
  1185. 1185.
    >”Trixie doesn’t like being the butt of jokes!”
  1186. 1186.
    >You look behind Sunburst, and there they are
  1187. 1187.
    >Trixie looking annoyed and Starlight looking confused
  1188. 1188.
    >”Why are you two here?”, asked Sunburst slightly startled
  1189. 1189.
    >”Well, you left while I was talking to you and then I heard your voice coming from here. It wasn’t hard to figure it out”
  1190. 1190.
    >”Okay, how much of our conversation did you hear?”
  1191. 1191.
    >”Enough. What’s that object you were talking about, exactly?”
  1192. 1192.
    “It's a lighter. It's a thing used to start fires. And it comes from Earth”
  1193. 1193.
    >Trixie interrupts, even more visibly annoyed than before
  1194. 1194.
    >”Again with that ‘Earth’ thing! By the way, can we go back to the dining room? This hall isn't the most spacious place around!”
  1195. 1195.
    >Well, she's right
  1196. 1196.
    >”I can't believe it”, says Sunburst
  1197. 1197.
    >”You too think that ‘Earth' thing is ludicrous?”, asks Trixie
  1198. 1198.
    >”No, I can't believe you know the word ‘spacious’”
  1199. 1199.
    >Just when Trixie was about to stick out her tongue at Sunburst, Starlight interrupted, putting her aside and standing in front of you
  1200. 1200.
    >”Okay, where's that thing?”
  1201. 1201.
    >Sunburst pointed towards the study
  1202. 1202.
    >Starlight went inside and Trixie followed suit
  1203. 1203.
    >”It's that blue thing with a metal tip”, indicated Sunburst while standing on the door
  1204. 1204.
    >”What does “made in Brazil” mean?”
  1205. 1205.
    >Ah, the good old Brazilian BICs
  1206. 1206.
    >”Brazil? Is that near the Crystal Empire?”
  1207. 1207.
    >You immediately facepalm after hearing Trixie's question
  1208. 1208.
    >”Kai, how are you supposed to use this thing? I take it's meant to light a candle without magic, but how does it work?”
  1209. 1209.
    >Well, what are you going to answer? That you need hands to use it?
  1210. 1210.
    “It's… not important right now”
  1211. 1211.
    >Starlight is about to complain, but gets interrupted by Sunburst letting out a small chuckle
  1212. 1212.
    >He understands
  1213. 1213.
    >”Maybe things will be clearer once we find out more information in Canterlot”, he said in a conciliatory tone which somehow relaxed Starlight
  1214. 1214.
    >”I think we should go to the train station”, said Starlight
  1215. 1215.
    “Wait… I really need to go to the bathroom”
  1216. 1216.
    >”Well, I suppose now you know where it is”, said Sunburst while letting out another small chuckle
  1217. 1217.
     
  1218. 1218.
    >You enter the bathroom
  1219. 1219.
    >The place is very tidy, and there's a subtle coconut smell around that feels very pleasant
  1220. 1220.
    >What doesn't seem pleasant is the latrine located right in the centre of the room
  1221. 1221.
    >But then you think: if there was a normal toilet, would you be able to use it?
  1222. 1222.
    >You doubt so
  1223. 1223.
    >You then sit near the latrine, trying to do number one
  1224. 1224.
    >Luckily, it's surprisingly easy, for a change
  1225. 1225.
    >After finishing, you went to wash your hooves with water from a basin located near the latrine
  1226. 1226.
    >And logically, you can’t help but look at yourself in the mirror over the basin
  1227. 1227.
    >You still can’t believe there’s a pony where a man should be
  1228. 1228.
    >If you were to be remembered by a physical feature, that would be your fur, which had an undeniably vibrant, uniform green colour
  1229. 1229.
    >You focused on your eyes
  1230. 1230.
    >Well, at least they’re still brown and not of a wacky colour
  1231. 1231.
    >They’re probably the only familiar thing in a sea of green
  1232. 1232.
    >Are you ever going to turn back into a human?
  1233. 1233.
    >You let out a sigh, and then walk through the door, only to find Trixie waiting for you to come out
  1234. 1234.
    >”How are you feeling, Kai?”, she asked with a gentle smile on her face
  1235. 1235.
    >She has really lifted your spirits, yet you can’t help but feeling anxious
  1236. 1236.
    “I’m okay… Thank you”
  1237. 1237.
    >You stay still for a few seconds, until you see her getting desperate
  1238. 1238.
    >”Okay, I’m glad! But I really need to use the toilet too!”
  1239. 1239.
    >You can’t help but laughing while moving aside to let her come into the bathroom
  1240. 1240.
     
  1241. 1241.
    >As you take a step outside Sunburst’s house, you take a last peek at your van
  1242. 1242.
    >Trixie immediately notices so, and comes to cheer you up
  1243. 1243.
    >”Don’t worry, Kai. Trixie will protect your wagon with her life!”
  1244. 1244.
    “But… you’re not staying here”
  1245. 1245.
    >”Oh, well… Trixie will protect it with her thoughts, then!”, she answered while bringing her hoof to her chin
  1246. 1246.
    >Typical Trixie
  1247. 1247.
    >No matter what she says, she'll always be your favourite cartoon horse
  1248. 1248.
    >You see Starlight and Sunburst carrying a small bag each
  1249. 1249.
    >Hopefully they carry some mineral water with them
  1250. 1250.
    >Wait a minute, you're a horse and this is Equestria
  1251. 1251.
    >There's no contamination and you can drink water from almost everywhere
  1252. 1252.
    >As you join the others, you take a look at the sky
  1253. 1253.
    >You can't help but to think that in normal circumstances, you'd love to be here and get into fun adventures
  1254. 1254.
    >Your thinking is interrupted by Starlight gently putting her hoof on your back
  1255. 1255.
    >”Everything’s going to be fine, Kai”
  1256. 1256.
    >She shows you a warm smile that looks very sincere
  1257. 1257.
    “Thank you, Starlight”
  1258. 1258.
    >”The train station isn't far from here”
  1259. 1259.
    >That's a relief, to be honest
  1260. 1260.
    >You want to do everything possible to see Mark again
  1261. 1261.
    >As you silently walk following Sunburst's lead, you occasionally take a look behind, and notice how your van gets increasingly smaller with each step
  1262. 1262.
    >You don't see much activity around, only a couple of ponies hanging their laundry out to dry or taking a walk
  1263. 1263.
    >”You know, once Trixie performed in a town so small the only audience around were squirrels”
  1264. 1264.
    >While you appreciate Trixie's attempts to distract you, you cannot help but thinking about Mark and his wellbeing
  1265. 1265.
    >Eventually you see the train station on the horizon
  1266. 1266.
    >However, Sunburst stops abruptly in his tracks and looks at Starlight
  1267. 1267.
    >”I think now is the right time”
  1268. 1268.
    >What?
  1269. 1269.
    >He takes a white sheet from his bag and uses his magic to make it fly right over your head
  1270. 1270.
    >You don't know what his intentions are, but you're not excited about them!
  1271. 1271.
    “What are you doing?!”
  1272. 1272.
    >”Sunburst, haven't you considered explaining your intentions to Kai first?”, asked Starlight
  1273. 1273.
    >”Is that really necessary?”
  1274. 1274.
    >Sunburst sounds genuinely clueless
  1275. 1275.
    >Trixie immediately jumps in front of you
  1276. 1276.
    >”Hey! Are you trying to turn Kai into some sort of ghost?”
  1277. 1277.
    >Sunburst takes the sheet back to the bag
  1278. 1278.
    >”No! Not at all! It’s just that… I don’t think anyone should know Kai is travelling with us until we can get some answers”
  1279. 1279.
    >Fair point, you suppose
  1280. 1280.
    >Yet…
  1281. 1281.
    “I don’t want to look like a ghost!”
  1282. 1282.
    >”Oh, don’t worry, Kai”, said Starlight while walking towards you
  1283. 1283.
    >”Canterlot is full of old people. They’ll think you’re just an old lady who is cold”
  1284. 1284.
    “That doesn’t make me feel any better!”
  1285. 1285.
    >Sunburst lets out a sigh and leaves the bag at a side
  1286. 1286.
    >”We don’t know who might be around”
  1287. 1287.
    >”If there are more like you, it’s logical to think we’re dealing with something deliberately orchestrated by somepony”
  1288. 1288.
    >”If they see you with us, there might be consequences”
  1289. 1289.
    >Sadly, he’s right
  1290. 1290.
    >You can’t take any chances, specially when your friend’s wellbeing is at stake
  1291. 1291.
    “Bring that darn cloth”
  1292. 1292.
    >”You know, guys, you could have just asked me to give him the coat I had in my wagon”, said Trixie
  1293. 1293.
    >Starlight and Sunburst remain silent for a few seconds, slowly noticing the solution might have been more simple than turning you into a ghost
  1294. 1294.
    >”Yes, that would have been way easier”, finally said Starlight while looking at Sunburst
  1295. 1295.
    >”Oh well! Here it goes!”
  1296. 1296.
    >Right after saying that, Sunburst used his magic to put the cloth around you, tying it loosely under your belly
  1297. 1297.
    >”You tell me if it’s too tight”
  1298. 1298.
    “I look like a clown!”
  1299. 1299.
    >As your voices rises, the other look around to see if anyone’s heard you
  1300. 1300.
    >Luckily, there was just one pony around, who was leaving the station and minding their own business
  1301. 1301.
    >Trixie gets closer to you, trying to calm you down
  1302. 1302.
    >”That’s not true! You don’t look like a Kai, I mean, a Swamp… I mean, a clown!”
  1303. 1303.
    “You’re not being helpful, Trixie!”
  1304. 1304.
    >Starlight is the one to put an end to your whining
  1305. 1305.
    >”It won’t be long until the train departs, we’ll miss it if we don’t hurry”
  1306. 1306.
    >Right
  1307. 1307.
    >You enter the train station
  1308. 1308.
    >It’s small and old fashioned, just like the ones seen on the show
  1309. 1309.
    >It had a wooden platform, a ticket booth and a couple of benches
  1310. 1310.
    >There aren’t many peo– ponies around, save for two sitting on one of the benches, reading the newspaper
  1311. 1311.
    >”Wait a second, Trixie hasn’t brought any money! How are we supposed to pay for the trip?”
  1312. 1312.
    >Sunburst’s face takes on a slight smirk
  1313. 1313.
    >”Somehow I was expecting you’d say that sooner or later, Trixie… Don’t worry, I’ll buy the tickets for the four of us. I just hope you weren’t expecting to travel on first class”
  1314. 1314.
    >After thanking Sunburst, you approach the bench that is the furthest from the two ponies reading the newspaper
  1315. 1315.
    >You want to avoid any kind of conversation with strangers, specially while wearing such “clothing”
  1316. 1316.
    >Trixie follows you and sits next to you
  1317. 1317.
    >You initially ignore her, losing yourself in your thoughts
  1318. 1318.
    >You remember that lighter… Man, what you’d do for a Marlboro right now
  1319. 1319.
    >It’s not the time for that, Kai
  1320. 1320.
    >You look to your right, and see how Starlight and Sunburst are getting the tickets from the booth
  1321. 1321.
    >You can hear them thanking the ticket agent for their help
  1322. 1322.
    >Sunburst
  1323. 1323.
    >He’s hiding information from you
  1324. 1324.
    >But how much?
  1325. 1325.
    >Although, to be fair, you’re hiding information from him as well
  1326. 1326.
    >”Trixie calling Kai!”
  1327. 1327.
    >You get startled by the blue pony next to you
  1328. 1328.
    “Uh, sorry… I suppose I’m a bit nervous”
  1329. 1329.
    “I’ve never been to Canterlot, you know”
  1330. 1330.
    >Or any other place in Equestria, for that matter
  1331. 1331.
    >”Don’t worry, Kai. Trixie’s already told you everything’s going to be…”
  1332. 1332.
    >Her attempt at a calming message abruptly turns into a laugh, with her trying to contain it by putting her hoof on her mouth
  1333. 1333.
    “You’re thinking I look like a clown!”
  1334. 1334.
    >”Of course not, I swear!”
  1335. 1335.
    “Then why are you laughing?!”
  1336. 1336.
    >”Because you look like a ghost!”
  1337. 1337.
    >Once again, it’s Starlight the one who approaches to stop your whining
  1338. 1338.
    >”Please Trixie, we don’t want to draw anyone’s attention”, she says softly
  1339. 1339.
    >You can hear the train approaching at a distance
  1340. 1340.
    >The other ponies stop reading and get ready to board
  1341. 1341.
    >As the train stops at the platform, you take a deep breath
  1342. 1342.
    “So this is it”
  1343. 1343.
    >There’s no turning back
  1344. 1344.
    >You get on the train, and the last thing you hear before the doors close is Sunburst thinking out loud
  1345. 1345.
    >”I just hope we’re not too late”
  1346. 1346.
     
  1347. 1347.
    >The train click-clacked along the tracks, as the sun could be seen slowly descending
  1348. 1348.
    >You were sitting next to the window, with your “coat” wrapped around you
  1349. 1349.
    >Thankfully, it wasn’t tied too tight, but it didn’t stop you from feeling like a clown
  1350. 1350.
    >There weren’t many ponies around
  1351. 1351.
    >While the other coaches had more travellers, the one where you were at the moment was practically empty
  1352. 1352.
    >Sunburst clearly chose it on purpose
  1353. 1353.
    >For a couple of minutes, you just looked at the landscape
  1354. 1354.
    >Your mind was elsewhere
  1355. 1355.
    >It was Trixie who broke the silence first
  1356. 1356.
    >”So, Kai… you never told us what your world is like, exactly”
  1357. 1357.
    >You take a deep breath before answering
  1358. 1358.
    “You wouldn’t believe me”
  1359. 1359.
    >”Try us”, Sunburst answered immediately
  1360. 1360.
    >Where to start?
  1361. 1361.
    “Well…”
  1362. 1362.
    >You look down, not feeling ready to confront the others
  1363. 1363.
    “For starters, everyone on Earth walked on two feet”
  1364. 1364.
    >”Sixty one centimeters!”, said Trixie without hesitation
  1365. 1365.
    >”See? Trixie knows her math”
  1366. 1366.
    >”I don’t think he’s talking about that kind of feet, Trixie”, answered Starlight
  1367. 1367.
    >”That’s why you had trouble walking and holding things, right?”
  1368. 1368.
    “Yes…”
  1369. 1369.
    “And also, you see…”
  1370. 1370.
    “There’s something else you should know”
  1371. 1371.
    “I already know all of you”
  1372. 1372.
    >You didn’t bother looking at them, but there was no doubt they were confused, to say the least
  1373. 1373.
    “I… I know it sounds stupid…”
  1374. 1374.
    >”Continue”
  1375. 1375.
    >Sunburst interrupting your excuse catches your attention, forcing you to lift your eyes
  1376. 1376.
    >Starlight and Trixie indeed look confused, but Sunburst seems determined
  1377. 1377.
    “Back home we have a thing called TV…”
  1378. 1378.
    >”Is that related to PE? Trixie always aced at that!”
  1379. 1379.
    >Sunburst rolled his eyes
  1380. 1380.
    >”Trixie, I don’t think that’s what he’s talking about”, tried to reason Starlight
  1381. 1381.
    “In my world, Equestria is a… cartoon. Something people watch for fun”
  1382. 1382.
    >Starlight cocked an eyebrow, trying to interpret what you were saying
  1383. 1383.
    >”So our lives are an entertainment for otherworldly beings?”, asked Sunburst dryly
  1384. 1384.
    “No, I mean… It's like… a drama people watch…”
  1385. 1385.
    >You didn't know how to continue that sentence without making it sound worse
  1386. 1386.
    >It'll be better if you provide proof of what you're saying
  1387. 1387.
    >You looked at Starlight, trying to avoid Sunburst's unsettling stare
  1388. 1388.
    “Like… Millions of people saw how you used to be a villain but then became Twilight's ally”
  1389. 1389.
    >Starlight opened her mouth in awe
  1390. 1390.
    >You clearly struck a chord by mentioning her past
  1391. 1391.
    >”If you're new here, how do you know that?”, she asked incredulously
  1392. 1392.
    “I saw it on TV…”
  1393. 1393.
    >Trixie seems to want to say something related to physical education again, but Sunburst gave her a wordless denial by shaking his head
  1394. 1394.
    “It's a thing you have at home, and… it shows you things from other places”
  1395. 1395.
    >You realise you had never explained what TV is to anyone before
  1396. 1396.
    >Wikipedia would come in handy in moments like these
  1397. 1397.
    >Starlight looked increasingly uncomfortable at your statements, while Sunburst just listened to you with a serious expression on his face
  1398. 1398.
    “I saw things… like when Twilight became a princess…”
  1399. 1399.
    >You get interrupted by Sunburst
  1400. 1400.
    >”What are you talking about?”, he asked sternly
  1401. 1401.
    >The question confused you
  1402. 1402.
    >You looked at Starlight, and she was cocking an eyebrow at you
  1403. 1403.
    >Something here is off
  1404. 1404.
    >”When did Twilight become a princess? Trixie didn't get the memo!”
  1405. 1405.
    >Trixie didn't sound confused, she sounded as if she just wanted to ease the tension
  1406. 1406.
    >She let out a small giggle, but that didn't impress the others much
  1407. 1407.
    >”Kai, Twilight is not a princess, she's Celestia’s student… and she's my teacher at the same time”, said Starlight
  1408. 1408.
    >Once again, Sunburst showed you one of his smug smiles
  1409. 1409.
    >”Maybe Kai's been watching an alternate universe version of us… I'd believe anything at this point!”
  1410. 1410.
    >An alternate universe
  1411. 1411.
    >Damn, you should have known better
  1412. 1412.
    >By the time Starlight became Twilight's protégé, Shining Armor was no longer living in Canterlot
  1413. 1413.
    >You realised this is like opening Pandora's box
  1414. 1414.
    >You start moving on your seat, getting increasingly uncomfortable
  1415. 1415.
    >How are things different compared to the show?
  1416. 1416.
    >”To be honest, Kai, I don’t know if you’re telling the truth or just fooling us”, said Sunburst while letting out a giggle
  1417. 1417.
    >”Well… Neither do I”
  1418. 1418.
    >Starlight’s response wasn’t a joke, she was being serious
  1419. 1419.
    >You feel like running away from there, no matter where
  1420. 1420.
    >Just like you’ve done your entire life
  1421. 1421.
    >”How was I on TV?”, suddenly asked Sunburst
  1422. 1422.
    >You stop to think your answer
  1423. 1423.
    “Well, in the TV show you were Starlight’s friend from foalhood… You show up once in a while, you’re good with magic, you’re friendly…”
  1424. 1424.
    “But you’re not…”
  1425. 1425.
    >You took your time to find the right word
  1426. 1426.
    >”In the show you’re not mysterious. You’re not hiding things. You’re just… a nice, nervous pony who loves hanging with Starlight”
  1427. 1427.
    >”And now?”, he asked quietly
  1428. 1428.
    “Now I don’t know what you are…”
  1429. 1429.
    “And that scares me”
  1430. 1430.
    >Everypony went silent for a moment, leaving the click-clacking of the train in the foreground for a while
  1431. 1431.
    >”It’s just… I’m confused”
  1432. 1432.
    >Starlight looked at you, with a nervous smile on her face
  1433. 1433.
    >”I think we’re all confused, Kai. Don’t worry, we’re in this together”
  1434. 1434.
    >You appreciate Starlight’s support
  1435. 1435.
    “Thank you. For real”
  1436. 1436.
    >You take a look at Sunburst
  1437. 1437.
    >He has his face lowered and is looking at the floor
  1438. 1438.
    “I-I’m sorry if I offended you”
  1439. 1439.
    >”You didn’t”, he answered without looking at you
  1440. 1440.
    “Whenever I saw you on TV I thought it would be awesome to come to Equestria and have fun adventures with ponies… but right now I don’t even know what to expect. I’m a complete stranger who doesn’t even have a cutie mark and neither of you is sure if I’m telling the truth or I’m just making everything up”
  1441. 1441.
    >”So… Trixie didn’t understand anything of what you just said”, the blue pony said enthusiastically
  1442. 1442.
    >”But she’s sure of one thing: you’re not a stranger to us. Not anymore”
  1443. 1443.
    >Once again, her kind words and warm smile made you feel better
  1444. 1444.
    >”And also, Trixie wants to know how she looks on PE”
  1445. 1445.
    >”Don’t you mean TV?... What do those letters even mean, anyways?”, asked Starlight
  1446. 1446.
    “Well, it means tele–”
  1447. 1447.
    >Your answer was interrupted as soon as Starlight put her hoof on you, her face looking startled
  1448. 1448.
    >Quickly, Trixie and Sunburst noticed the reason for her sudden nervousness
  1449. 1449.
    >They saw an unexpected guest coming to the coach
  1450. 1450.
     
  1451. 1451.
    >The conversation died out after that
  1452. 1452.
    >Your didn’t feel like interpreting what Sunburst had tried to say
  1453. 1453.
    >You took a look at the window, the sun slowly setting
  1454. 1454.
    >And before you knew it, your eyes were already closed
  1455. 1455.
     
  1456. 1456.
    >”Kai… Kai”
  1457. 1457.
    >A sweet voice tries to wake you up
  1458. 1458.
    >You open your eyes, only to find Trixie putting her hoof on your back
  1459. 1459.
    >Her calm expression makes for a surprisingly pleasant awakening, all things considered
  1460. 1460.
    >”We’re about to reach Canterlot”, she said in a sweet tone
  1461. 1461.
    >You take another look outside
  1462. 1462.
    >Some sunlight can still be seen in the sky, so it can’t have passed much time
  1463. 1463.
    >You glance down at your foreleg, but quickly discover you have no watch (or a wrist to put it on)
  1464. 1464.
    >As soon as the train stops, you get up and head towards the exit, trying to stay close to Trixie
  1465. 1465.
     
  1466. 1466.
    >So this is it
  1467. 1467.
    >Right after exiting the train station, the first thing that catches your attention is Celestia’s castle at a distance
  1468. 1468.
    >Even during the last minutes of sunlight, the castle shone brightly and looked imposing
  1469. 1469.
    >Your surroundings are clean and filled with ponies strolling, chatting and simply minding their own business
  1470. 1470.
    >Some of them are well dressed, as expected for such a distinguished city
  1471. 1471.
    >The trees and water fountains finished off the panorama, adding even more life to an already vibrant place
  1472. 1472.
    >”So, here we are”, said Sunburst, while looking at you
  1473. 1473.
    >”I must admit I haven’t come here in a while”, pointed out Starlight, sounding slightly worried
  1474. 1474.
    >”It’s never a bad time to visit Canterlot”
  1475. 1475.
    >You try to come up with words to describe your shock
  1476. 1476.
    “It’s… way better in real life than… Trixie, stop laughing!”
  1477. 1477.
    >Trixie kept chuckling while pointing at your makeshift clothes
  1478. 1478.
    >”I’m sorry, it’s just that it looks even funnier when you’re next to ponies wearing tuxedos!”
  1479. 1479.
    >Starlight tried to calm the blue horse down while you cleared your throat
  1480. 1480.
    >”Trixie, please, we want to pass as unnoticed as possible”
  1481. 1481.
    >After hearing Trixie stopped chuckling, Starlight tried to reassure you
  1482. 1482.
    >”Hopefully we can take that cloth off you as soon as possible, Kai”
  1483. 1483.
    “Thank you…”
  1484. 1484.
    “This city looks wonderful”
  1485. 1485.
    >”I wish we had time to stroll around, but we should go see Shining Armor as soon as possible”, said Sunburst sternly
  1486. 1486.
    >He then notices Starlight is looking at her bag and thinking
  1487. 1487.
    >”What’s on your mind, Starlight?”
  1488. 1488.
    >”We haven’t planned what to tell Shining Armor”
  1489. 1489.
    >Yikes, that’s true
  1490. 1490.
    >”Well, actually, you’re the only one who’s going to talk to him”
  1491. 1491.
    >Sunburst’s easy-going way of saying it didn’t help Starlight sound any less nervous
  1492. 1492.
    >”What?! Why just me?!”
  1493. 1493.
    >”You’re the closest to him in the group”
  1494. 1494.
    >Starlight took a few seconds to calm herself down
  1495. 1495.
    >When she was taking a deep breath, Sunburst used his magic to bring a water bottle in front of her
  1496. 1496.
    >”I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before… I was scared you wouldn’t want to come here”
  1497. 1497.
    >Starlight took a sip of water and used her magic to pass it back to Sunburst
  1498. 1498.
    >”Frankly, I don't know who's more interested in finding the truth: Kai or you”
  1499. 1499.
    >Starlight quickly realized her remark might not have been very tasteful
  1500. 1500.
    >She gets closer to you and gives you a reassuring smile - or what tries to pass as one
  1501. 1501.
    >”Don't worry, Kai. We'll find your friend”
  1502. 1502.
    “T-Thank you”
  1503. 1503.
    >Trixie steps right next to you while looking at Starlight
  1504. 1504.
    >”In case you're wondering: yes, they always fight like an old married couple”
  1505. 1505.
    >”Trixie! I heard you!”
  1506. 1506.
    >”Well, I said it loud!”, answered Trixie and then started chuckling again
  1507. 1507.
    >Not in a mocking way, but teasingly
  1508. 1508.
    >Soon, Starlight and you start laughing too, and even Sunburst follows suit
  1509. 1509.
    >”Okay, enough laughing!", interrupts Sunburst shortly afterwards
  1510. 1510.
    >”Right, we need to talk to Shining Armor… Well, I have to talk to him, it seems”, noted Starlight reluctantly
  1511. 1511.
    “Uh, excuse me…”
  1512. 1512.
    >Starlight looked at you, intrigued
  1513. 1513.
    >”Yes, Kai?”
  1514. 1514.
    “Do you even know what you’re going to tell him?”
  1515. 1515.
    >”Uh… Sunburst?”
  1516. 1516.
    >Starlight nervously looked at Sunburst, only to find him adjusting his glasses and showing his usual smug smile
  1517. 1517.
    >”That’s on me, don’t worry”
  1518. 1518.
     
  1519. 1519.
    >You look at the guard barracks in the distance, as you approach them
  1520. 1520.
    >They stood at the edge of the city’s central plaza, so it didn’t take you much time to reach it on foot
  1521. 1521.
    >It was a sober-looking, grey stone building with tall arched windows
  1522. 1522.
    >Its most noticeable features were the Equestrian flag hung limply from a pole above the door, and the two guards in golden armour standing in the entrance
  1523. 1523.
    >”Well, it seems it’s time to depart”
  1524. 1524.
    >You couldn’t help but be startled by Starlight’s declaration
  1525. 1525.
    >But everything is done according to Sunburst’s plan, apparently
  1526. 1526.
    >”I know a good place to stay the night, if we need to”, said the pony with the glasses
  1527. 1527.
    >Then, he made a gesture with his head, telling Trixie and you to follow him
  1528. 1528.
    >”Good luck, Starlight”, said Trixie in an unexpectedly serious tone
  1529. 1529.
    >She wasn’t expecting the group to split up either
  1530. 1530.
    >”Don’t worry. I’ll be quick. Go have a drink with Sunburst”
  1531. 1531.
    >She smiled at you, and then went away
  1532. 1532.
     
  1533. 1533.
    ---
  1534. 1534.
     
  1535. 1535.
    >”State your business”, one of the Royal Guards said coldly
  1536. 1536.
    “My name is Starlight Glimmer. I'm here to see Captain Shining Armor”
  1537. 1537.
    >The two guards exchanged glances
  1538. 1538.
    >One of them disappeared inside, leaving the other in charge
  1539. 1539.
    >A minute later, the first guard reappeared and left the door opened
  1540. 1540.
    >”The Captain will see you. Follow me”
  1541. 1541.
     
  1542. 1542.
    >The interior of the Royal Guards headquarters were as sober-looking as the exterior
  1543. 1543.
    >The center of the wall featured a portrait of Celestia smiling, with several smaller pictures depicting “Equestrian Heroes” underneath her
  1544. 1544.
    >According to the text under the pictures, they were the guards who served in the force for the most time before retiring
  1545. 1545.
    >A few guards could be seen chatting, without even noticing you were there
  1546. 1546.
    >The guard took you to an office down a hall and stopped at the door
  1547. 1547.
    >After he knocked at the door, you could clearly heard Shining Armor’s voice behind it, asking the guard to come in
  1548. 1548.
    >He opened the door for you, and then left you alone with Shining Armor
  1549. 1549.
    >The office was decorated with pictures of him with Celestia, Cadence and Twilight hanging from the right wall
  1550. 1550.
    >On the left wall, there was a big painting of the Equestrian coat of arms hanging above his desk
  1551. 1551.
    >A black telephone without any buttons whatsoever can be seen on the wall
  1552. 1552.
    >You quickly assumed it is meant to communicate with the guards at the front desk
  1553. 1553.
    >Shining Armor smiled as soon as he saw you
  1554. 1554.
    >He stood up from his desk and got closer to you, hugging you briefly but warmly
  1555. 1555.
    >”Starlight! I'm so happy to see you… When the guard told me it was you who wanted to see me, I thought he got the name wrong”
  1556. 1556.
    >You smile nervously at him
  1557. 1557.
    “Well, here I am! You see, I decided to spend the day here in Canterlot and thought it would be a good idea to come and say hi”
  1558. 1558.
    >An awkward moment ensued as Shining Armor noticed how nervous you were
  1559. 1559.
    >”Is… everything okay?”
  1560. 1560.
    “Well…”
  1561. 1561.
    “To be honest… There's something I'd like you to see”
  1562. 1562.
    >You take the tape out of your bag
  1563. 1563.
    >Shining Armor's expression changed immediately to shock
  1564. 1564.
    >After giving him the tape, he turned it over in his hooves
  1565. 1565.
    >”Starlight… This is a Royal Guard’s interrogation tape. Only Royal Guards and their higher-ups are supposed to have access to them”
  1566. 1566.
    ”Exactly. That’s why I came here”
  1567. 1567.
    “You see, I found it in an antique shop, and it came with this paper”
  1568. 1568.
    >You gave him a piece of paper which contained a transcription of everything said on the tape
  1569. 1569.
    >You omitted mentioning, however, that the transcription had been penned by Sunburst
  1570. 1570.
    >Shining Armor read the transcription in silence
  1571. 1571.
    >Soon, his jaw tightened and his ears flattened
  1572. 1572.
    >”This is…”
  1573. 1573.
    >He took a few seconds to regain his composure
  1574. 1574.
    >”I’m sorry, Starlight, but I’m sure I’d remember if this interrogation had taken place”
  1575. 1575.
    >You couldn’t say you hadn’t expected an incredulous answer from him
  1576. 1576.
    >Yet you knew you had to press him further
  1577. 1577.
    “You just said only Royal Guards have access to these artifacts”
  1578. 1578.
    “So it can’t be a fake”
  1579. 1579.
    >Shining Armor took a look at you, and then quietly picked up the phone, waiting for someone to answer while staring at the tape
  1580. 1580.
    >Unlike with you, this time he didn’t bother greeting the other pony
  1581. 1581.
    >”Find the transcript for interrogation I-283”
  1582. 1582.
    >He then hung up and walked back over to you
  1583. 1583.
    >”Starlight, did you really get this from an antique shop?”, he asked sternly
  1584. 1584.
    “Yes”
  1585. 1585.
    >There was no margin for error, so you tried to contain your nervous smile as much as you could
  1586. 1586.
    >He averted his gaze, looking instead at the pictures hanging from the wall
  1587. 1587.
    >You didn’t wait for him to say something
  1588. 1588.
    “Look, if the transcription is right…”
  1589. 1589.
    >”It isn’t”, he said coldly
  1590. 1590.
    “Huh?”
  1591. 1591.
    >”Starlight, if a creature coming from out of this world was found by the Royal Guards, I would have known”
  1592. 1592.
    >He didn’t sound so friendly now
  1593. 1593.
    >The phone started to ring
  1594. 1594.
    >He quickly picked it up, and heard what the pony at the other end of the line told him
  1595. 1595.
    >He then hung up abruptly, his expression increasingly frustrated
  1596. 1596.
    >”Damn it”
  1597. 1597.
    >Shining Armor opened his desk drawer and took a tape player out of it
  1598. 1598.
    >It looked just like the one Sunburst found at the antique shop
  1599. 1599.
    >Twilight’s brother hastily put the tape in the player, but didn’t play it yet
  1600. 1600.
    >Instead, he slammed the table with his hoof, startling you
  1601. 1601.
    >”They told me they don’t have any logs regarding this tape. They have 282 and 284, but not 283”
  1602. 1602.
    >He didn’t give you time to say anything before pressing play
  1603. 1603.
    >Once again, you heard the interrogation that triggered this trip to Canterlot
  1604. 1604.
    >”I… I already told you… I don't know how I came here”
  1605. 1605.
    >This time around, you could grasp Mark’s anxiety and fear more clearly
  1606. 1606.
    >After listening to the tape again, Shining Armor stopped it and looked back at you
  1607. 1607.
    >But this time, it was you who talked before giving him a chance to say anything
  1608. 1608.
    “Convinced?”
  1609. 1609.
    >”This is not something to be taken lightly, Starlight”
  1610. 1610.
    “Listen, I just want to know what it means”
  1611. 1611.
    “If this is a potential threat to Equestria, I think I have a right to know”
  1612. 1612.
    “Not because I’m special, but because I’m a citizen like everyone else, and I don’t want to go to bed thinking tomorrow’s weather will be cloudy with a chance of aliens”
  1613. 1613.
    >You hoped that was enough to convince him to help you
  1614. 1614.
    >Shining Armor took a deep breath before responding
  1615. 1615.
    >”Will you be staying somewhere for the night?”
  1616. 1616.
    “I guess I can find somewhere to sleep”
  1617. 1617.
    >”Come here tomorrow morning. I’ll tell you what I found out”
  1618. 1618.
    “Thanks, Shining Armor”
  1619. 1619.
    >You turned around, walking towards the door without waiting for him to say anything else
  1620. 1620.
    >”Starlight Glimmer”
  1621. 1621.
    >His stern tone of voice caught your attention
  1622. 1622.
    >You immediately turned back
  1623. 1623.
    “Yes?”
  1624. 1624.
    >”Has anyone else seen this?”
  1625. 1625.
    “No”
  1626. 1626.
    >You answered without hesitation
  1627. 1627.
    >”Okay”
  1628. 1628.
     
  1629. 1629.
    ---
  1630. 1630.
     
  1631. 1631.
    >According to Sunburst, The Prancing Pony was a modest yet quiet establishment tucked between a bookshop and a tailor’s
  1632. 1632.
    >Its facade distinguished it from the other buildings as it had a sign depicting a pony in mid-prance, its colours faded by weather and time
  1633. 1633.
    >Inside, you were sitting between Sunburst and Trixie, and got served a glass of cold cider by a bored innkeeper
  1634. 1634.
    >The cider glowed, almost illuminating the dimly lit tavern
  1635. 1635.
    >A few tables were scattered across the wooden floor, most of them empty
  1636. 1636.
    >Yet, that didn't stop a grey unicorn from trying to impress the almost nonexistent public with a flute performance
  1637. 1637.
    >What passed for music sounded completely off key, and it was only bearable because the pony didn't have any way of amplifying the sound
  1638. 1638.
    >”Well, that sucks”, Trixie said flatly
  1639. 1639.
    >Both Sunburst and Trixie took a sip of cider, but you stayed there just looking at the glass
  1640. 1640.
    >They both quickly realised what was happening
  1641. 1641.
    >Trixie grabbed your glass and brought it to your lips, to help you drink from it
  1642. 1642.
    >”Wait, Kai, let me help you”
  1643. 1643.
    >Never before would you have thought Trixie would help you drink cider as if you were a child
  1644. 1644.
    >You felt the sweet taste of cider going down your throat, making your tongue feel fizzy and your throat cold as ice
  1645. 1645.
    >It felt strangely satisfying for being just a glass cider
  1646. 1646.
    >Trixie’s relaxed expression was the cherry on top
  1647. 1647.
    >A feeling of warmth took hold of your body, contrasting with the cold liquid going down your throat
  1648. 1648.
    >Yet it felt… nice
  1649. 1649.
    >”Ahem.”
  1650. 1650.
    >Sunburst cleared his throat, waking you up from your trance
  1651. 1651.
    >Trixie seemed slightly startled as well, and put the glass away immediately
  1652. 1652.
    >”Is anyone hungry?”, Sunburst asked
  1653. 1653.
    >”Well, actually, a bit, yes…”, Trixie answered
  1654. 1654.
    “Yeah… Me too, I think…”
  1655. 1655.
    >It only lasted a few seconds, but that moment felt like an eternity
  1656. 1656.
    >Something inside you made you think you would keep on craving for a high like that in the future
  1657. 1657.
    >Sunburst called the innkeeper and asked for something to eat
  1658. 1658.
    >He brought plate with riceballs
  1659. 1659.
    >Your gut feeling told you you wouldn’t be able to try a meatball like the ones Mum would make round here
  1660. 1660.
    >Still, food is food
  1661. 1661.
    >You clumsily grabbed one of the balls and ate it from your hoof, before it had time to fall to the floor
  1662. 1662.
    >”So… what’s the plan?”, Trixie asked while taking a riceball to her mouth
  1663. 1663.
    >”Do we just… wait for Starlight to come back from the Royal Guards barracks while we listen to whatever that thing is… For Celestia’s sake, that’s not even a song!”
  1664. 1664.
    >Seeing Trixie chewing with her mouth open helped you overcome the trance you were in more quickly
  1665. 1665.
    >You took a peek at the grey unicorn on the small stage, now trying to play a faster melody without much success
  1666. 1666.
    >You winced, and probably the other patrons did as well
  1667. 1667.
    >”I’m afraid there’s not much we can do right now but wait…”, Sunburst said before taking a sip of cider
  1668. 1668.
    >You couldn’t take your attention off how terrible that flute sounded
  1669. 1669.
    “Do… you think they’re being paid to do that?”
  1670. 1670.
    >Eventually, the few patrons scattered around the tavern started to boo the flutist
  1671. 1671.
    >The unicorn dropped the flute on the floor, and ran off the stage crying
  1672. 1672.
    >”Not anymore”, Sunburst answered coldly
  1673. 1673.
    >”Trixie needs to use the restroom.”
  1674. 1674.
    >The blue pony left the bar and headed to a nearby door
  1675. 1675.
    >”Be right back”, she said as she took a final peek at your face
  1676. 1676.
    >You could swear you saw her putting on a slight smile just before turning her back on you
  1677. 1677.
    >”Kai”
  1678. 1678.
    >Sunburst called up your attention, his voice softer now
  1679. 1679.
    >You looked at him, and he was taking a sip from his glass
  1680. 1680.
    >”How are you feeling?”
  1681. 1681.
    >You blinked, surprised by the question
  1682. 1682.
    “Uh… I don’t know, to be honest.”
  1683. 1683.
    >You tried to grab your glass, before remembering you would most probably drop it
  1684. 1684.
    “What I want most is to find out what happened to Mark. But at the same time I’m terrified.”
  1685. 1685.
    “Mark disappeared a year ago. What if it’s too late? What if I never find him? What if something terrible happened to him?”
  1686. 1686.
    >Sunburst cut you off with a gentle shake of his hoof
  1687. 1687.
    >”That’s a lot of ‘what ifs’, don’t you think?”
  1688. 1688.
    >”What matters is we’re here now, and we’re going to find out what happened to your friend.”
  1689. 1689.
    >You were well aware the ultimate reason why Sunburst wanted to find the truth wasn’t for the sake of Mark and you
  1690. 1690.
    >Yet it was nice having someone by your side… even someone so unpredictable like him
  1691. 1691.
    >But you needed to ask
  1692. 1692.
    “Sunburst… Why are you helping me, exactly?”
  1693. 1693.
    >Sunburst didn't hesitate when answering
  1694. 1694.
    >”I'm always up to solve a good mystery”
  1695. 1695.
    >That smirk in his face, again
  1696. 1696.
    >”Besides…”
  1697. 1697.
    >He was about to say something more, but he stopped at the last second, taking a sip of cider instead
  1698. 1698.
    >He then looked at your still half-full glass and grabbed it
  1699. 1699.
    >”Promise you won't do any funny faces?”
  1700. 1700.
    >You tried to contain your embarrassment by clumsily covering your face with one of your gloves
  1701. 1701.
    “Uh… Yes?”
  1702. 1702.
    >Sunburst then brought the glass to your lips
  1703. 1703.
    >While the sensation wasn't as hypnotic as with Trixie, you were glad to drink more of that cold cider
  1704. 1704.
    >He then tried to put the glass back on the bar, but you stopped him with your hoof
  1705. 1705.
    >That glass of cider was one of the best things that had happened since you arrived in Equestria
  1706. 1706.
    >Soon you had finished it all, allowing Sunburst to finally put the glass back to where it was before
  1707. 1707.
    “T-Thank you…”
  1708. 1708.
    >”Yeah, no problem…”
  1709. 1709.
    >He turned his face away while answering, moving his attention to the other patrons
  1710. 1710.
    >”They're living the high life, huh?”
  1711. 1711.
    >You looked at them
  1712. 1712.
    >They were a bunch of drunkards who were half asleep
  1713. 1713.
    >Not something you'd normally seen on the actual cartoon
  1714. 1714.
    >But you understood what he meant
  1715. 1715.
    “Not a single worry in life.”
  1716. 1716.
    >Sunburst chuckled
  1717. 1717.
    >”Exactly”
  1718. 1718.
    >And then you saw her
  1719. 1719.
    >Trixie getting on the stage, to the bewildered expression of the two ponies who weren't already snoring
  1720. 1720.
    >”Hello, friends, and welcome to Trixie, apostrophe S, Show!”
  1721. 1721.
    >The audience remained in silence while Sunburst could be heard groaning
  1722. 1722.
    >”I was waiting for an ovation, but whatever”
  1723. 1723.
    >”Of course you were, why wouldn’t you?”, Sunburst said just before finishing his drink
  1724. 1724.
    >He then noticed you were still covered in that white sheet
  1725. 1725.
    >”Clearly Trixie doesn’t care much about being undercover, so neither should you”
  1726. 1726.
    >He untied the knot keeping the sheet around you, setting your green fur free
  1727. 1727.
    “Thank you…”
  1728. 1728.
    >Although only a few seconds passed, you noticed Trixie had already started doing her spinning plates routine
  1729. 1729.
    “Weren’t we supposed to keep a low profile?”
  1730. 1730.
    >”I doubt the few ponies around will remember her act tomorrow morning”, Sunburst answered
  1731. 1731.
    “Uh…”
  1732. 1732.
    >Many questions were piling up in your mind
  1733. 1733.
    >”Ask away”
  1734. 1734.
    >Just as if he was reading your mind
  1735. 1735.
    “Do you think…”
  1736. 1736.
    >You could see Sunburst meticulously folding the sheet and saving it in his bag
  1737. 1737.
    “Do you think more p–”
  1738. 1738.
    >You interrupted yourself before saying “people”
  1739. 1739.
    “...more ponies are involved in Mark’s capture?”
  1740. 1740.
    >You very much knew they were, but you wanted to know how much did Sunburst know
  1741. 1741.
    >”Kai…”
  1742. 1742.
    >He took a moment to adjust his glasses
  1743. 1743.
    >”Do you think you and your friend have shown up just by chance?”
  1744. 1744.
    >”Nothing moves in Equestria without the higher-ups knowing”
  1745. 1745.
    “Are you talking about…”
  1746. 1746.
    >You lowered your voice as much as possible before continuing
  1747. 1747.
    “...Celestia?”
  1748. 1748.
    >”Not necessarily. And frankly, I don’t see her doing such a thing.”
  1749. 1749.
    >Sunburst grimaced as soon as he heard Trixie starting her rabbit-in-the-hat routine
  1750. 1750.
    >”Most probably, you’re not the only ones missing from their native land.”
  1751. 1751.
    >That was something you had in mind as soon as you saw that lighter in his house
  1752. 1752.
    >”I don’t know what’s their endgame… but I really want to find out about it.”
  1753. 1753.
     
  1754. 1754.
    ---
  1755. 1755.
     
  1756. 1756.
    >You entered The Prancing Pony, still thinking about the meeting you had with Shining Armor just moments ago
  1757. 1757.
    >The place didn't look very lively
  1758. 1758.
    >Most of the few tables were empty, and the rest were occupied by drowsy patrons
  1759. 1759.
    >You scanned the room, looking for the others
  1760. 1760.
    >It didn't take much time to find Sunburst and Kai sitting at the bar, but where's Trixie?
  1761. 1761.
    >And there she was, running towards the bar, almost pushing Sunburst off his seat
  1762. 1762.
    >”Hello, Starlight!”, she said while trying to catch her breath
  1763. 1763.
    >You noticed the trails of glitter and confetti on her mane
  1764. 1764.
    “Did you… perform?”
  1765. 1765.
    >”Absolutely! I rocked the place!”
  1766. 1766.
    >You turned around and saw one of the few patrons snoring loudly
  1767. 1767.
    “I can see that.”
  1768. 1768.
    “Sunburst, we were supposed to keep a low profile.”
  1769. 1769.
    >”I tried to stop her”, he said, not even bothering to sound convincing
  1770. 1770.
    >”Trixie is unstoppable!”, she added proudly
  1771. 1771.
    >You let out a long, slow breath, then made a gesture with your hoof inviting them to gather round one of the empty tables
  1772. 1772.
    “Listen, guys… I spoke to Shining Armor.”
  1773. 1773.
    “He told me to go back tomorrow morning, and he’ll tell me what he found out about the tape.”
  1774. 1774.
    >”So… he doesn’t know much about it at the moment?”, Sunburst inquired
  1775. 1775.
    “They have no logs of that tape. It’s like it never existed.”
  1776. 1776.
    >You paused, letting the words settle
  1777. 1777.
    ”And judging by his expression, it seemed to be a big deal.”
  1778. 1778.
    >You noticed how the others started to look worried
  1779. 1779.
    “He kept the tape, by the way.”
  1780. 1780.
    >”Well… that was to be expected”, Sunburst conceded
  1781. 1781.
    >Expected or not, Kai didn’t hide his shock
  1782. 1782.
    >”That… that was the only thing I had left from Mark.”
  1783. 1783.
    “Don’t worry, Kai. We’ll get it back.”
  1784. 1784.
    >You said that before thinking it thoroughly
  1785. 1785.
    >Will you get it back?
  1786. 1786.
    >Technically, that recording belonged to the Royal Guards from the beginning, so there’s no reason for Shining Armor to give it back
  1787. 1787.
    >You preferred not to think more about it for the time being
  1788. 1788.
    “Shining Armor seemed sincere. He has no idea about Kai, Mark or anypony else involved.”
  1789. 1789.
    >”Wait! So we’ll have to stay here tonight? This is no place for someone as distinguished as Trixie to spend the night!”
  1790. 1790.
    >You rolled your eyes, especially because you knew Sunburst was about to say something smug to her
  1791. 1791.
    >”Well, it surely didn’t look so bad a minute ago, when you were singing ‘I Left My Heart in Appleloosa’.”
  1792. 1792.
    >You stopped understanding what they were saying shortly thereafter, as it turned into a nonsensical argument you weren’t going to put up with
  1793. 1793.
    “Okay, that’s enough. Sunburst, come with me.”
  1794. 1794.
    >Sunburst immediately stopped arguing with Trixie
  1795. 1795.
    >He cleared his throat, put on a serious face and followed you back to the bar
  1796. 1796.
    >You found the innkeeper boringly cleaning a glass with a very unclean wipe
  1797. 1797.
    >He was a big blue earth pony with a serious expression and a scruffy look
  1798. 1798.
    “Good evening. Do you have free rooms for the night?”
  1799. 1799.
    >His response sounded loud and clear
  1800. 1800.
    >”Of course. We still have two rooms available. You and your husband can take number 5, down the hall on your right…”
  1801. 1801.
    >You grimaced, and Sunburst looked as if he was about to burst into laughter
  1802. 1802.
    >”The young one and his girlfriend can take number 6, right in front of yours”
  1803. 1803.
    >”Just take my money, good sir!”, Sunburst said while clumsily dropping several bits on the bar
  1804. 1804.
    >You refused to entertain the charade, but your serious expression only made Sunburst start laughing for real
  1805. 1805.
    >He covered his mouth, in a poor attempt to hide his laughter, and then called the others
  1806. 1806.
    >”Come on, Trixie! You and your boyfriend get room 6!”
  1807. 1807.
    >Kai looked extremely confused, while Trixie tried to hold her laughter as poorly as Sunburst
  1808. 1808.
    >”As you wish!”
  1809. 1809.
    >There was no point in protesting, so you just grabbed the keys and went down the hall with your “husband”
  1810. 1810.
    >Trixie grabbed Kai by the hoof and followed you behind
  1811. 1811.
    >You gave Kai the keys to their room, not before looking at them very seriously
  1812. 1812.
    “Please, don’t cause a scandal.”
  1813. 1813.
    >”I promise I won’t!”, Kai said, still nervous
  1814. 1814.
    “I wasn’t referring to you, Kai.”
  1815. 1815.
    >”Hey, Trixie won’t make a scandal! She’s too tired after her awesome performance.”
  1816. 1816.
    >You let out a sigh, hoping for the best
  1817. 1817.
    “Please try to get some rest. I’ll go see Shining Armor first thing in the morning.”
  1818. 1818.
    >You waited until Trixie and Kai had entered their room to go with Sunburst
  1819. 1819.
     
  1820. 1820.
    >Sunburst switched on the light
  1821. 1821.
    >The room looked as if it wasn’t tidied in years
  1822. 1822.
    >You were almost happy the lights were so dim, as it prevented you from seeing much of the broken wallpaper
  1823. 1823.
    “It’s not exactly the Golden Horseshoe Hotel, huh?”
  1824. 1824.
    >”Most ponies don’t come here to sleep, believe me”, Sunburst said flatly
  1825. 1825.
    >He noticed a small tablet in a corner, with a couple of glasses, a water jar and courtesy drinks
  1826. 1826.
    >”Do you want to drink something? They have Popsi and Funta.”
  1827. 1827.
    “Yeah, I think I’ll pass.”
  1828. 1828.
    >You were more interested in the lone, untidy-looking bed you will have to share with Sunburst
  1829. 1829.
    “When I decided to spend the weekend with you and Trixie, I didn’t know I would end in the middle of a conspiracy, roleplaying as your wife.”
  1830. 1830.
    >”Funny you’ve decided to call it a conspiracy”, Sunburst said while helping himself to some water
  1831. 1831.
    “It is what it is.”
  1832. 1832.
    >As soon as you touched the sheets, you were expecting all kinds of bugs to come out, but luckily nothing happened
  1833. 1833.
    >At least, nothing you could see under the dim lighting
  1834. 1834.
    “You found a tape with the player needed to listen to it, and when I showed it to Shining Armor, he went nuts.”
  1835. 1835.
    “He had never heard about Mark, there were no logs of the interrogation, no nothing.”
  1836. 1836.
    “Who’s behind all this? And why are they bringing ponies from other…”
  1837. 1837.
    >Sunburst’s expression turned serious, and then he completed the sentence you'd started
  1838. 1838.
    >”From other worlds.”
  1839. 1839.
    >You looked at each other in the eyes
  1840. 1840.
    >”You told Shining Armor you came alone, right?”
  1841. 1841.
    “Yes. And I made sure nopony followed me here.”
  1842. 1842.
    >Sunburst looked thoughtful, and took a sip of water before saying anything else
  1843. 1843.
    >”We must be open to the idea that Shining Armor might not give us the answers we need.”
  1844. 1844.
    “I thought the same.”
  1845. 1845.
    >”Starlight… Do you think Kai has been 100% truthful to us?”
  1846. 1846.
    “No.”
  1847. 1847.
    >Your firmness and quick answer took Sunburst by surprise
  1848. 1848.
    “I think he's a victim and poses no danger to anypony. But I've become convinced he's hiding something from us.”
  1849. 1849.
    >Sunburst looked at his glass for a moment, and then used his magic to put it back on the table
  1850. 1850.
    >He looked as if he had something more to say, but decided against talking about it at the last minute
  1851. 1851.
    >”We should get some rest.”
  1852. 1852.
    >He glanced at the untidy bed, grimacing at the sight of the threadbare bedsheets
  1853. 1853.
    >”If we can.”
  1854. 1854.
     
  1855. 1855.
    ---
  1856. 1856.
     
  1857. 1857.
    >”I call the left side!”
  1858. 1858.
    >Trixie’s yell didn’t help you feel less shocked at the sight of the bedroom
  1859. 1859.
    >It looked as if it was built a century ago, with a hideous-looking wallpaper that seemed to be originally white but now had a yellow tint
  1860. 1860.
    >The double bed where you were going to sleep tonight had a warped mattress that looked anything but square
  1861. 1861.
    >It had probably been used by thousands of ponies before to… Well, probably not sleeping
  1862. 1862.
    “Damn, there’s only one bed.”
  1863. 1863.
    >”I know. That’s why I called the left side.”
  1864. 1864.
    >You didn’t know whether to laugh or groan, so you settled for a tired smile instead
  1865. 1865.
    “I’m exhausted. You know, that audience was really demanding.”
  1866. 1866.
    >She chuckled, and so did you, for real this time
  1867. 1867.
    >You jumped on the bed, and as soon as you did the exhaustion started to get to you
  1868. 1868.
    >You spent the previous night sleeping in your van, hardly a comfortable place
  1869. 1869.
    >Your van
  1870. 1870.
    >The place where your only earthly belongings remain
  1871. 1871.
    >You tried to shake off your thoughts, trying to focus on the decrepit wallpaper
  1872. 1872.
    >It only made you feel disgusted, though
  1873. 1873.
    >”If it helps, I used to perform in places as bad as this when I first started my career as a magician.”
  1874. 1874.
    >You turned around, and saw Trixie lying down next to you, albeit not in the way a human would, but like a cat, with her front paws stretched out in front of her
  1875. 1875.
    >”You have an interesting way of lying in the bed, Kai.”
  1876. 1876.
    >You looked at yourself, and quickly realised you were lying down awkwardly, as if you were still a human
  1877. 1877.
    >That new body of yours will simply not allow you to sleep using a human position
  1878. 1878.
    >You decided to try mimicking Trixie, and sat in a position as close as possible to hers
  1879. 1879.
    >She smiled, albeit not mockingly
  1880. 1880.
    >”You’re not used to sleeping in half-star hotels, huh?”
  1881. 1881.
    “I’ll make do.”
  1882. 1882.
    >She moved slightly, probably trying to find the most comfortable spot in bed
  1883. 1883.
    >Her fur touched yours, barely enough to send a chill down your spine
  1884. 1884.
    >”Want some water before going to sleep?”
  1885. 1885.
    >You didn't answer
  1886. 1886.
    >You just stayed there, as still as you could
  1887. 1887.
    >Sadly, there was a part of your body which was moving against your will
  1888. 1888.
    >”Uh… Kai, are you okay?”
  1889. 1889.
    >You could feel Trixie approaching to see what was happening
  1890. 1890.
    >Desperate, you turned your body to your right and used your hooves to cover your lower part
  1891. 1891.
    “Please, don’t look at me”
  1892. 1892.
    >You closed your eyes, hoping she didn’t get to see what was happening to your body
  1893. 1893.
    >But she did
  1894. 1894.
    “Kai, please tell me what’s… Oh.”
  1895. 1895.
    >She noticed
  1896. 1896.
    >Of course she noticed
  1897. 1897.
    >You felt extremely embarrassed, knowing she would never forgive that
  1898. 1898.
    >And off you went
  1899. 1899.
    >You took the keys and tried to run away from that room
  1900. 1900.
    >”Oh, no, you won’t!” yelled Trixie
  1901. 1901.
    >But you were already out, heading to the inn’s exit
  1902. 1902.
    >You could hear her running behind you
  1903. 1903.
    >”Red alert! Kai’s running away… AGAIN!”
  1904. 1904.
    >You didn’t care
  1905. 1905.
    >You kept running away… until you tripped over one of the chairs in the bar
  1906. 1906.
    >You lay dizzy on the floor for a few seconds
  1907. 1907.
    >And then, you saw Trixie, Starlight, Sunburst and even the innkeeper in front of you
  1908. 1908.
    >”For Celestia’s sake! Kai, are you okay?”, asked Starlight while looking extremely worried
  1909. 1909.
    >Sunburst got closer to try to help you stand up
  1910. 1910.
    >”Did you hurt– Oh my!”
  1911. 1911.
    >He noticed it as well
  1912. 1912.
    >”Hey, sport. This is a reputable business. Please put the mouse back in the house, okay?”, the innkeeper said
  1913. 1913.
    >Thankfully, the few patrons still around were already asleep, but the humiliation was indescribable
  1914. 1914.
    >You crossed your legs, hiding your thing as much as possible
  1915. 1915.
    >You saw Starlight grimacing, but quickly calming down and helping you to stand up while Sunburst and Trixie stood still, looking stunned
  1916. 1916.
     
  1917. 1917.
    >After being woken up by Trixie’s yelling, you were now trying to calm down and get some sleep
  1918. 1918.
    >You had given Trixie the keys for their room, reminding her to keep them far away from Kai
  1919. 1919.
    >However, there was still something that prevented you from getting some rest
  1920. 1920.
    >Sunburst’s chuckling next to you
  1921. 1921.
    “Oh, Sunburst, are you still laughing about what happened?”
  1922. 1922.
    >”I’m sorry… I just can’t believe THAT happened. It was like a fever dream!”
  1923. 1923.
    >”Besides, I’m surprised you allowed him to go back with Trixie.”
  1924. 1924.
    >”Aren’t you scared he might try to…”
  1925. 1925.
    >Sunburst lowered his voice, trying to contain his laughter
  1926. 1926.
    >”...to cross the line?”
  1927. 1927.
    “Sunburst, you saw the size of that thing. He wouldn't be able to cross any line, even if he wanted.”
  1928. 1928.
    >Sunburst burst with laughter while you tried to shush him
  1929. 1929.
     
  1930. 1930.
    ---
  1931. 1931.
     
  1932. 1932.
    “I was the laughing stock of the entire building!”
  1933. 1933.
    >You couldn’t stop crying in bed, covering your eyes while Trixie was desperately trying to calm you down
  1934. 1934.
    >”Now, now, Kai. Everypony’s made a fool of themselves in their teenage years!”
  1935. 1935.
    >You’re no longer a teen, but you did appreciate Trixie thinking you were one
  1936. 1936.
    >However…
  1937. 1937.
    “Everypony saw my little thing!”
  1938. 1938.
    >You started crying again
  1939. 1939.
    >Trixie let out a sigh
  1940. 1940.
    >She was very supportive, especially since she covered your thing with a cloth from the bar
  1941. 1941.
    >Then, she hid the keys under her pillow, making sure you won’t run away again
  1942. 1942.
    >”Remember I said you weren’t alone, Kai?”
  1943. 1943.
    >You did
  1944. 1944.
    >It seemed ages ago, but it was that very same day
  1945. 1945.
    >From the very first moment, Trixie had been the most supportive pony you found during your short stay in Equestria
  1946. 1946.
    >Most probably, she was the most supportive living being in the universe…
  1947. 1947.
    >...aside from Mark
  1948. 1948.
    >”Look, I don’t know why that happened, but nopony’s angry at you… Well, maybe the innkeeper.”
  1949. 1949.
    >Despite her kind words, you didn’t dare looking at her in the eyes
  1950. 1950.
    >”Believe me, Trixie has seen many things in her life!”
  1951. 1951.
    >You got a glance of her thumping her chest, as if it was something to be proud of
  1952. 1952.
    >”She’s seen ponies fainting. She’s seen ponies cry. She’s seen ponies run away in terror from her magic tricks… Believe me, it’s not easy to be a magician as powerful as Trixie.”
  1953. 1953.
    >Once again, she was making you chuckle
  1954. 1954.
    >”And yes, she’s even seen another pony’s… ‘thing’. That’s how I learned to knock before entering a public toilet.”
  1955. 1955.
    >And suddenly, your sad tears became… slightly-less-sad tears
  1956. 1956.
    >You used one of your hooves to dry your face, and dared to look at her in the face
  1957. 1957.
    >Her serene smile felt warm and uplifting
  1958. 1958.
    >”Trixie knows you’re scared… but you can’t keep running away. It’s not going to help Mark.”
  1959. 1959.
    >”It’s not going to help you.”
  1960. 1960.
    >You stared at your hooves
  1961. 1961.
    “I know… It’s just… I can’t stop feeling guilty. And I’m not talking about my ‘little thing’ now.”
  1962. 1962.
    “It’s my fault Mark’s trapped somewhere in Equestria.”
  1963. 1963.
    >”No, Kai, it isn't.”
  1964. 1964.
    >Unfortunately, Trixie was wrong this time around
  1965. 1965.
    ”Actually, yes, it is.”
  1966. 1966.
    >You looked at her, wearing a guilty expression
  1967. 1967.
    >Your decisive tone caught Trixie's attention
  1968. 1968.
    >”What do you mean, Kai?”, she asked, trying to sound as tactful as possible
  1969. 1969.
    >You took a deep breath before answering
  1970. 1970.
    “Before Mark vanished… something happened.”
  1971. 1971.
    >Trixie tilted her head slightly but didn’t interrupt
  1972. 1972.
    ”Back on Earth, there is a place…”
  1973. 1973.
    >You were trying to find the right words to describe 4chan to Trixie
  1974. 1974.
    “Do you know those community boards, where ponies put ads for lost pets, or job opportunities?”
  1975. 1975.
    >”Yes, of course.”
  1976. 1976.
    “Well…”
  1977. 1977.
     
  1978. 1978.
    >21st December, 2024
  1979. 1979.
    >First day of Summer in the Southern Hemisphere
  1980. 1980.
    >Normally, you would be outside, drinking beer
  1981. 1981.
    >But the heat this time was unbearable
  1982. 1982.
    >Well, that wasn’t the only problem
  1983. 1983.
    >Since you broke up with your ex, you hadn’t been in the mood to do much
  1984. 1984.
    >Mark was your only friend left, yet you had been neglecting your relationship with him lately
  1985. 1985.
    >So you were at home, sitting under the AC, with all the lights out and the curtains down
  1986. 1986.
    >The cigarette smell would have been unbearable for any normal person, but you didn’t mind
  1987. 1987.
    >Right now, you were more interested in your computer, its screen glowing faintly in the dark
  1988. 1988.
    “VOLUNTEERS WANTED: REAL TRIP TO EQUESTRIA. SIGN UP NOW.”
  1989. 1989.
    >You snickered, then stubbed out your cigarette in the ashtray
  1990. 1990.
    >Some anon was messing around like it was 2015
  1991. 1991.
    >The thread was new, so it didn’t have any replies yet
  1992. 1992.
    >It had a link pointing to a very simple form
  1993. 1993.
    >It wasn’t a Google form, like you were expecting, and the domain didn’t look connected to it
  1994. 1994.
    >The site asked for name, address, a photo, date of birth… oh, and a “reason to visit Equestria”
  1995. 1995.
    >You filled in Mark’s details, attached the photo of him drinking milk straight off the carton you took in 2016, and wrote “I’m a big fan of Pinkie Pie!” as his reason to visit Equestria
  1996. 1996.
    >You hit submit, laughing to yourself
  1997. 1997.
    >And then you thought:
  1998. 1998.
    “Imagine if this actually worked!”
  1999. 1999.
     
  2000. 2000.
    “I filled that form with Mark’s details”
  2001. 2001.
    >Your voice was barely a whisper
  2002. 2002.
    “As a prank. As a laugh. I never thought anything would happen.”
  2003. 2003.
    >”Kai… How much time passed between you filling the form and Mark’s disappearance?”
  2004. 2004.
    >Trixie touched your hoof gently
  2005. 2005.
    “Well… Around 3 months.”
  2006. 2006.
    >”Okay, and did you fill in the form with your own details?”
  2007. 2007.
    “Uh… No, not at all.”
  2008. 2008.
    >Trixie remained silent for a few seconds
  2009. 2009.
    >”You didn’t send Mark here. You filled some form as a joke. Even if it were real, you didn’t give them your details, yet you are here too.”
  2010. 2010.
    >”Whoever brought Mark and you here didn’t do it because of a form you filled.”
  2011. 2011.
    “Then, why? Why would anyone do this to us?”
  2012. 2012.
    >Trixie looked at the wall, preferring not to make eye contact with you
  2013. 2013.
    >”I guess they’re wicked and like playing around with other ponies.”
  2014. 2014.
    >You were taken aback by her answer, but didn’t say anything
  2015. 2015.
    >”You know… Once I met somepony who spent hours trying to find out if a rock could be teleported into a different dimension.”
  2016. 2016.
    >”And they told me a bunch of mumbo-jumbo I didn’t care for… but it seemed as if it meant a lot to them.”
  2017. 2017.
    >You frowned
  2018. 2018.
    >Who is she going on about?
  2019. 2019.
    >”And you know, if a pony can teleport a rock to a completely different place… what other things could they teleport?”
  2020. 2020.
    “W-Who are you talking about?”
  2021. 2021.
    >She turned her head back to you
  2022. 2022.
    >”Don’t worry. I’m just… thinking out loud.”
  2023. 2023.
    >”Good night, Kai.”
  2024. 2024.
    >And she closed her eyes
  2025. 2025.
    >But you lay there, staring at the cracked ceiling, her words echoing in your mind
  2026. 2026.
     
  2027. 2027.
    ---
  2028. 2028.
     
  2029. 2029.
    >It's not that the oats the innkeeper served you were bad
  2030. 2030.
    >It’s just he served them to you in a cider glass
  2031. 2031.
    >You took a look at Trixie and Sunburst
  2032. 2032.
    >”I’m not really hungry, actually”, said Trixie while pushing the glass aside on the table
  2033. 2033.
    >Sunburst and you immediately did the same
  2034. 2034.
    >You approached Trixie to ask her something without the innkeeper noticing
  2035. 2035.
    “Do you think he stayed up all night?”
  2036. 2036.
    >”Good question, let’s ask him!”
  2037. 2037.
    >Sunburst facehoofed, and you hoped the innkeeper wouldn’t kick you out
  2038. 2038.
    >”Good sir!”
  2039. 2039.
    >The innkeeper stopped cleaning the glasses with the same cloth he was using the night before and looked at Trixie
  2040. 2040.
    >”My name is Barrel-Back”, he answered in a surprisingly good mood
  2041. 2041.
    >”Have you pulled an all-nighter?”
  2042. 2042.
    >”Yes, I have. I only go to bed after all my clients go home”
  2043. 2043.
    >You heard a big yawn behind you
  2044. 2044.
    >You checked to see where it came from, and you saw the drunk ponies from the night before waking up
  2045. 2045.
    >”And talking about my clients…”
  2046. 2046.
    >He went to check on them, asking them if they wanted any breakfast
  2047. 2047.
    >Surprisingly, they were more than happy to say yes
  2048. 2048.
    >No sooner had you let out a sigh, you heard the door open
  2049. 2049.
    >Starlight stepped inside, her face looking pale
  2050. 2050.
    >Just seeing her hollow expression made you feel as if your stomach had dropped
  2051. 2051.
    >The others noticed as well
  2052. 2052.
    >Trixie's playful expression shifted to worry almost immediately
  2053. 2053.
    >”Starlight, are you okay?”, Sunburst asked
  2054. 2054.
    >”He said the tape was a forgery. That there was nothing to worry about.”
  2055. 2055.
    >"I really tried to press him. I even told him he was lying, but he simply wouldn't budge."
  2056. 2056.
    >Silence
  2057. 2057.
    >Everypony was trying to digest what you were telling them
  2058. 2058.
    >”And then he told me to go back to Ponyville. He said it was ‘for my own good’.”
  2059. 2059.
    >Panic started to take hold of you
  2060. 2060.
    >But then, Sunburst spoke
  2061. 2061.
    >”Okay, then we go back to Ponyville.”
  2062. 2062.
    >His voice was calm, but assertive
  2063. 2063.
    >You saw Starlight looking up, startled
  2064. 2064.
    >”What?”
  2065. 2065.
    >”He told you to go home. So we go home.”
  2066. 2066.
    >”You brought us all the way here and now you want to stop investigating and pretend nothing happened?!”
  2067. 2067.
    >Starlight rising her voice scared you
  2068. 2068.
    >You walked back, hoping nobody noticed, and stood next to the bar chairs
  2069. 2069.
    >Sunburst adjusted his glasses, unmoved by Starlight’s question
  2070. 2070.
    >”I never said we were going to stop investigating.”
  2071. 2071.
    >”I just said we were going to follow Shining Armor’s advice.”
  2072. 2072.
    >Starlight stared at him, trying to process what she was hearing
  2073. 2073.
    >Sunburst looked at her right in the eye, and spoke firmly
  2074. 2074.
    >”Ponyville is where it all started.”
  2075. 2075.
    >”And it’s the place where we’re going to find the truth.”
  2076. 2076.
    >Starlight’s brow furrowed
  2077. 2077.
    >”What… what are you talking about?”
  2078. 2078.
    >Sunburst opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, Trixie spoke
  2079. 2079.
    >”It’s Twilight”, she said.
  2080. 2080.
    >The words hung in the air like frost
  2081. 2081.
    >For a moment, nobody dared to say anything else
  2082. 2082.
    >The only thing preventing the place from going full silent were the other patrons yawning while eating their oats
  2083. 2083.
    >And then, Starlight’s face flashed with anger
  2084. 2084.
    >”What did you say?!”, she yelled at Trixie
  2085. 2085.
    >That did seem to catch the innkeeper’s attention
  2086. 2086.
    >He stopped cleaning glasses to see what was happening
  2087. 2087.
    >But it wasn’t Trixie who answered
  2088. 2088.
    >She was startled by Starlight’s sudden burst of anger
  2089. 2089.
    >”Twilight’s behind Kai’s arrival. Behind Mark’s disappearance. Behind all of it”, said Sunburst with a serious, yet quiet tone of voice, probably hoping the innkeeper lost interest in your conversation
  2090. 2090.
    >Thankfully, it seemed to have worked, and now he was counting the olives he had in a jar
  2091. 2091.
    >“That’s absurd. Twilight wouldn’t–”
  2092. 2092.
    >Trixie brushed off her fear, and interrupted Starlight
  2093. 2093.
    >”Wouldn’t what? Study inter-dimensional magic? Access restricted archives?”
  2094. 2094.
    >”She’s the princess’ student, she has access to everything… and she’s always been curious.”
  2095. 2095.
    >Silence again
  2096. 2096.
    >Starlight looked at Sunburst, hoping for him to disagree with Trixie in at least something
  2097. 2097.
    >His stern expression said otherwise, though
  2098. 2098.
    >Starlight's face filled with anger again, but this time it wasn't directed towards Trixie
  2099. 2099.
    >It was directed towards you
  2100. 2100.
    >Her gaze felt like daggers
  2101. 2101.
    >”Tell me what you're hiding from us. Now.”
  2102. 2102.
    >You looked at Trixie
  2103. 2103.
    >She had a sad expression on her face, as if she thought there was indeed something else you were hiding, not just the form you filled
  2104. 2104.
    >And she was right
  2105. 2105.
    >You told Starlight about the form you filled with Mark’s details, just as you had told Trixie the night prior
  2106. 2106.
    >Only this time, you knew it was necessary to come clean
  2107. 2107.
    >You looked at Sunburst, his face looking somber
  2108. 2108.
    >He too knew you were hiding something all this time
  2109. 2109.
    “Whoever left that form asking for volunteers to come to Equestria had signed their name…”
  2110. 2110.
    >In other words, a tripcode
  2111. 2111.
    >Trixie grimaced, and you feared she’d feel betrayed that you didn’t tell her the whole truth the night before
  2112. 2112.
    “That name was ‘Twilight’.”
  2113. 2113.
    >Silence
  2114. 2114.
    >Cold, heavy silence
  2115. 2115.
    “I… I didn’t pay attention to it because you are allowed to use any name you like on that board. Many people use funny names on it. I used to sign as ‘Poop Head’.”
  2116. 2116.
    >”Just shut up, Kai”, Starlight interrupted you
  2117. 2117.
    >”Why do you keep hiding things from us? We’re here to help”, she then added while looking straight into your eyes
  2118. 2118.
    “Well, would you even believe me?!”
  2119. 2119.
    >Your voice sounded surprisingly loud, startling both Starlight and Trixie
  2120. 2120.
    >Starlight thought about it for a moment
  2121. 2121.
    >”No… I wouldn’t believe you”, she said while looking at the ceiling
  2122. 2122.
    >”The three of you are talking about Twilight Sparkle. The pony who saved Equestria a dozen times, the pony who–”
  2123. 2123.
    >”The pony who might as well be responsible for bringing creatures from other worlds into Equestria”, Sunburst said calmly but firmly
  2124. 2124.
    >”Look, whether she is involved or not, we need to keep investigating.”
  2125. 2125.
    >Initially, Starlight didn’t say anything, but after a while she looked at you
  2126. 2126.
    >This time, her expression wasn’t one of fury, but rather of sternness
  2127. 2127.
    >”Kai, please don’t hide anything from us again.”
  2128. 2128.
    >You nodded, and she took it as a sign you weren’t hiding anything else from her
  2129. 2129.
    >But you knew that wasn’t true

Yout Title Goes Here

by BlueForce

Yet Another Uninspired Anon in Equestria Story

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Put your Weapons in the Air

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