“So magic exists in… What’s this place called again?”

“Equestria, and yes.” I answered Corey. Him, his girlfriend and me where at Carlos’s Bar, catching up with each other. “Magic does exist.” I lean back in the chair I’m sitting in.

“Wow, and you just happened to end up there because of some mad-scientist experiment?” I nod. “And you were able to make friends with these… talking ponies?” I nod again. “And you’ve fought this giant... centaur?” I nod once again. “And helped them defeat the thing?” I nod, hopefully for the last time. “Dude, that’s one hell-of-a story. You’re a fucking hero.”

“Yeah, I guess.” I say smugly as I take a swig of Scotch.

“Heh… You think we would get the same powers like you if we end up there?” Oh, I know where he’s going with this.

“I don’t know for sure. But I’m pretty sure you’d have at least some of the same level of magic as me.” As much as that was a lie. I honestly had no idea whether they would be able to use magic at all.

“You don’t know?” I shake my head. “Huh...” He thinks about something for a second before a wide smile graces his face. “You wanna find out?”

“What?”

“C’mon! You somehow got back from here, you somehow got to my apartment-”

“This was actually my place.” I cut in.

“What? Huh… cool. Anyway. you got to my apartment and nearly kill with that magic shit. There’s obviously some way you can get back to this… Equestria place. And especially since I ran into you a year back at the bar!”

“Oh yeah, I forgot about that.”

“So? Whaddya say? You think you can bring us with you?”

“Woah, hold on.” Brittany interjected. “Corey, you know you’re basically asking him to bring us to a place where there’s hardly any kind of our stuff-”

“What?”

“You know what I mean! They don’t have T.V.’s, computers, or phones, or internet!”

“Oh. But, how have you lived all this time there then?” They both look to me.

“Eh, there’s always something to keep you occupied; parties, monsters attacking, giant centaurs trying to take over the world. There’s always something.” I list off past events nonchalant.

“Wow.” Both Brittany and Corey mutter.

“Yeah.” I agree. “Pretty hard to believe isn’t it?”

“Yeah, I mean. You have literally done things that exist in fairy tales. In a place where those tales are reality. It’s a lot to take in… How do you do it?”

“Hmm?”

“How do you take it in stride? You never seemed to give it any second thoughts.”

“Oh, I highly suspect it’s the fucking magic that keeps me sane. I hardly ever give it any thought unless I talk about it. And even then I don’t think to react too much to it.” Yeah, I think if it wasn’t for magic I’d probably be in some insane asylum right now with a restraint jacket on.

“Oh, huh… But you really think we can come with you?” I shrug.

“I don’t see why not.”

“Well, are you gonna take us with you?”

“Yeah, why not?”

“Awesome dude.”

“But we get to take whatever we want with us, right?” I nod. “Good. There’s no way I’m going to an alien planet without my phone, or computer. Even though it’s not going to be very useful there.” I chuckle. “What?”

“You’d be surprised. Anyway, you guys wanna get ready to go?”

“Yeah! Let’s do this.” All three of us get up and head out the bar. Corey paying for our drinks on the way out.

“Alright, you guys get all your shit ready while I got get some stuff, and Corey, you got a credit card? And a truck?”

“Yeah.”

“What’s the limit?”

“Fifteen thousand, why?”

“Perfect, I need to get some shit I promised those princesses I talked about I’d get.”

“Woahdude. I know we just got back to being friends, but-”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll pay it back. Whatever I spend.”

“How?”

*The big bag of gold coins I have back home.* “Don’t worry about it. Just trust me with this. It won’t even matter anyway, you’re going to get to live on an alien planet.”

“I… Guess you’re right...”

“Good, now hand me your card.”

“Alright.” He pulls his wallet out from his jeans, yes, some anthros still wear clothes, especially the women, and hands me his credit card.

“Awesome. Meetcha back at your place. I’m gonna need to borrow your truck.”

“But how are we going to get home?” I smile and hold my hand up.

“Magic.” I snap my fingers and they’re gone, sent back home by my magic. Good thing no one saw that. I find Corey’s truck and then head off to the nearest Best Buy to go on a little shopping spree. And to a few other places as well. “I love fucking with people.”

“You think you got all you wanted bro?” Corey sarcastically asked/stated. “I think you missed a few things.”

“Shut up and help me move all this to your place.” I lug a few boxes of headphones, computers, and other things.

“But seriously thought, what the fuck did you get?”

“A few computers, towers, headphones, phones, solar panels, battery cells, keyboards, mice, screens, -a few large enough to split-screen- and some other things.”

“Ugh, like what?” He picks up a short stack of plain cardboard boxes.

“Be careful with those.”

“Why?”

*Because it’s something that can blow up* “Laptops.” He nods understandingly.

“Right, those delicate fuckers.” I pick up a few boxes full of containers filled with methane and hydrogen. Those are some things I plan to experiment with once I get back to equestria, for reasons that involve the laws of physics my people abide by.

“How come you don’t use your magic or whatever?”

“I don't want people to fucking panic over some floating boxes. I’ve had enough bullshit for a while.” I pause. “Plus, I don't know if I’ll run out of magic here. I kinda need that to take us back home.”

-As if that would be a problem.-

“Alright.” He decided not to push it and we kept on with carrying the boxes to his apartment. “So...”

“So?”

“Sooooo… Are we gonna be able to like, come back, here I mean? Whenever we want?”

“Of course, why?”

“Well, me and Brittany still have family here...”

“Oh yeah, you’ll be able to come whenever you want. It’s not like I thought about that or anything.”

“That’s why you’re okay with bringing us with you, right?”

“Pretty much, would’ve said no otherwise.”

“Cool.” We make it to the apartment and set the boxes down by the huge pile of computer stuff and brown cardboard boxes. “That it?”

“Yeah, got your shit ready?”

“Lemme check, hey Brit!” He yells.

“Yeah?” She yells back from somewhere in the place.

“Is our stuff ready!?”

“Yeah! I just need help moving it all!”

“Alright!” He turns to me. “I’ll be right back.”

“Alright.” Corey walks off and I grab the scroll I left on the coffee table since I got here, and open it up.

Teleportation Scroll. Purpose: Interdimensional Travel.

Instructions:
Invission your destination (Be very specific, invission in detail),

Concentrate and channel as much magic readily available into scroll (WARNING: Caster cannot be distracted under any circumstance, CONCENTRATION IS VITAL TO INCREASE SAFETY.)

Encase any materials needed in magic,

Wait for spell to take affect.

Authorized use approved by: Princess Celestia

WARNING: Recommended that caster is highly familiar and trained when using scroll. Assistant crystals recommended for easier transport.

Huh, seems easy enough. Especially since I have lots of magic at my disposal.

“Ember?” I turn around and see Corey and Brittany holding four large briefcases.

“Yeah?”

“We’re ready.”

“Good, you already told Brittany about coming back?” He nods and I smile. “Alright let’s do this then.”

“Ok, but… uh… what do we do?” I can tell Brittany was getting a little worried.

“You can just stand there. There isn’t a thing you have to worry about.” They nod and wait. I grab the scroll again and follow its instructions. Once I make sure everything is ready and nothing will be left behind I encase myself in my magic grip. And pour magic into the scroll. It only took about five seconds before a bright flash of light surround the edges of my vision for a moment. Once the flash came and left, I looked around and we, along with all the shit I got are right in my living room. Thankfully it just large enough to comfortably hold all the boxes with enough room to walk around it.

“What was that?” I heard Golden ask from the kitchen.

“It’s me Golden! And I brought a few friends with me.”

“Ember!? Holy fuck dude!” Some running and in comes Golden Streak. A happy look on his face. “Finally you’re back!”

“What? Why? How long was I gone?”

“It’s been almost two months!”

“Wow. Ok. Fuck I didn’t think that much time would pass here. I’ve only been to Earth for three days.”

“No kidding, what’s all this stuff anyway? And who are those? Friends?”

“This is just stuff I need for things later. And those two are Corey and Brittany.” During me and Golden’s talking they’ve been looking around, a little unimpressed. Until they saw Golden that is. They stay staring disbelievingly at him for a good three minutes before Corey spoke up.

“Uh, dude? Who, or what, is that?”

“That, is Golden Streak. He’s another one of us from a different dimension.”

“Really?” He loses his look and gives me a scrutinizing glare, trying to see if I’m lying. Who could blame him? Golden literally looks like a robot.

“Yeah, whenever he comes to Equestria he gets turned into… that.”

“Yeah, and I’m really jealous, you guys get to look like dogs and cats n’ shit. We’re not anywhere near there, yet.”

“Then why is your name Golden Streak?” Brittany asks.

“His real name is Gabriel. He just wants to be called Golden Streak while he’s here.”

“Oh, ok.” She smiles.

“Nevermind that, he’s a fucking robot!”

“Yeah, I know right? More or less I reacted the same way you did.”

“Cool.”

“Alright, nevermind that, I need to move this shit to my room, so if you'll excuse me.” I grab all my stuff in my magic and begin to send it to my room, magically. “If you want you can take a room upstairs.” They nod to me and head to the upstairs area, while they were getting situated I turn to Golden. “So, what did I miss?”

“Eh, not much, besides Applebloom and her friends getting their cutie marks, Big Mac dressing as a woman, Cadence and Shining are having a baby. Nothing much.”

“Cool, anything else?”

“Oh! And Fluttershy found a foal at the edge of the Everfree.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, he won’t talk either, only thing we know is his name’s Lunar Star.”

“Really?” He nods.

“And he’s scared of owls.”

“What?” I deadpan.

“Yeah, we only know because he freaked out when he saw an owl in Fluttershy’s house.”

“Reeeaaally?”

“I’m not kidding! You go over there and find out for yourself!”

“I’ll be right back.” I snap my fingers and appear in front of Fluttershy’s cottage. I take a second to gather my thoughts and knock on the door. I hear some walking around from inside and the top half of the door opens.

“Oh! Ember! You're back!” She flings the bottom half open and jumps up to my chest, giving me a hug. “I- me and the girls were missing you!” I smile, reach up, and pat her on her head

“Good to know Flutters. So, I heard you found a lost colt?”

“Yes.” She nods and fluttered back down to the ground. “Would you like to meet him?”

“Yeah, I heard he’s afraid of owls.” At that she looked to me with a surprised expression, which then turned to dejected, but why would she be like that? “That true?”

“Y-yes.” Oh, she feels bad for me, huh. Been awhile since anyone felt sorry for me. A few years almost. “But I’m sure he’ll like to talk with you, if you don’t mind.”

“I’m sure he won’t even know what I am, Fluttershy.” I say sarcastically. “So, you gonna show me to him?” She remembers that we’re standing outside and nods happily.

“Of course! Follow me please, if you want.” She utters meekly and walks back inside with me in tow. She leads to the second floor of her place and to her room. Where a small little purple coated, dark blue-maned little guy sat on her bed. Staring off into the sky beyond the window on the adjacent wall. “Lunar?” She called and the little guy turned to us.

“Oh hello Fluttershy, you startled me a little.” Theeen he turned to me. What follow next was a little expected. He jumped off the bed in fear and unceremoniously fell the unforgiving, wooden floor with a loud thud. He got back up and back pedaled into the corner closest to him. I just stood there, umoving, unshowing of emotion. I didn’t want to do anything that would terrify the poor kid.

“G-get away from me! No more!” He started cowering. Now I notice that his hair was covering the left side of his face. And after all that moving around he did, the patch of hair did not move single inch from it’s spot on his face. Crazy ass magic… crazy ass magic...

“Shh… It’s ok. He’s not here to hurt you.” Fluttershy nearly ran over and comforted him, embracing him in a warm hug. He opted to hide behind her and completely disappear from view. And he started whimpering.

-What the fuck happened to this kid?-

*Don’t know. But he sure is adamant about hiding from me.* I decided to sit down legs-crossed. Hopefully I’m not as intimidating like this.

“Listen kid. I don’t know what happened to you. And I ain’t here to bring any harm to you. Fluttershy can back me up on that.” He peeked out from her and looked up to her. Fluttershy, like a loving mother, smiled brightly and nodded.

“It’s true, Ember would never hurt you.” He dropped his gaze back to me and stared for a minute. He then decided to slowly and cautiously walk forward towards me, his head held low in fear and his ears folded back. I just stayed as still as possible to not scare him. He stopped and sat on his haunches when he was about four feet in front of me.

“I-if it’s true, th-that you don’t want t-to hurt me. Then... why are you here?”

“I just wanted to see if you were actually scared of owls.” He blanched and his little form trembled a bit. “But,” He froze. “I also wanted to see if you’d like to be friends.” He gave me a confused look, which turned to one of hesitance as he looked back to Flutters. Heh, that’s a good nickname. What? As if I was just gonna leave the kid like that. At this point he could be some kid that lost his parents. He needs all the attention he can receive, and don’t take me for a heartless bastard. I may be the kinda guy I am, but… I still got a soft spot for kids. You know why.

Flutters just gave him a reassuring smile and ebbed him on with a motion of her hoof. Almost like a mother waving her hand, saying ‘go on, he won’t bite’. The little guy looks back to me and slowly walks forward with trepidation. But that only lasted when he was two feet away from me. And by god he was small. Not as tiny as Pipsqueak -he’s the definition of microscopic-, but small. He must be only be eight or ten by the way he’s acting; scared shitless, afraid of someone he never meet before, had some kind of traumatic past before ending up in the Everfree, and generally had a tough life. My heart went out to this kid. I wanted to grab him and hug him like a mama bear protecting her cubs, tell him it was over; whatever he experienced would not happen again in his lifetime. But I had to leave him be, unless I wanted him to terrified of me anymore than he already is.

“Y-you want to be friends?” He finally, but slowly, spoke. I nodded with a soft smile. “Y-you promise not to hurt me?”

“Tell you what,” I started. “how ‘bout I make it so that you never get hurt like that ever again?” He lit up a little.

“Really!? Y-you mean that?” I nod. “... But, how?”

“Well… I can probably get the girls to take care of you. Since they happen to be the Elements of Harmony I doubt anyone would want to mess with them.” I look to Fluttershy questioningly and she nodded happily. “Yeah, I think I can do that. Plus I can get Celestia if we need her.” At that he perks up like a fat man smelling fresh-backed doughnuts in the distance.

“The Princesses!?”

“Yeah, I’m good friends with her and Luna. If anything happens I can always get them involved.” I tried my best to make this kid feel safe. Sure all I said were nothing but half lies and full-blown boasting. But anything to make this kid feel at home and safe was worth it. Lunar just sat there as he took it all in. Makes a lot a sense, must be a lot of shit for his little mind to process. So the three of us just sat and waited. Me and Fluttershy sharing a glance at each other every once in awhile.

Finally, after what felt like an hour. The little guy jumped up to me, wrapping his forelegs around my neck while his hind legs kept him from falling. A second later I felt my shoulder becoming damp. And seeing that he wasn’t going to let go anytime soon I gently place a hand on his back and another on his head, gently stroking his hair.

“It’s alright kid, let it all out.” He then openly started sobbing. His little body shaking with each sob.

“Th-thank you.” He said between sobs. I just pat him on his back and continued to comfort him. Meanwhile Fluttershy was staring at me with a heartwarming smile, the beginnings of tears welling up in her eyes. We stayed like that until his crying died down and he let go of me. Staring up me with bloodshot eyes.

“Thank you. I never knew somepony could be so nice to me.”

“Eh, it’s the least I could do.” I say nonchalant. Lunar giggled before a long yawn escaped his mouth. “Tired are we?”

“Yeah, I feel really sleepy.” He rubbed his eyes with his foreleg.

“In that case. I’ll let Fluttershy take over.” I gently grab the kid and hand him over to said pony. She took in him in her forelegs while she floated. Just then he passes out, snoring softly.

“Awwww.” Fluttershy adored the kid. She then ever-so-carefully set him on her bed and tuck him under the covers. After that we both quietly made our way downstairs. I was about to be on my way until she stopped me.

“Ember, I never knew you could be like that around a foal.” She said with an amused tone. I just shrug in response.

“I’ve always had a sofspot for kids, kinda like you with animals. Besides, who do you take me for? A heartless monster?” Fluttershy squeaked and visibly shrunk behind her hair. It’s easier to say hair than mane.

“I… um… I… Y-you know you’re not a monster. Don’t you?”

“Oh, I know Flutters. Because if I was, I’d be standing where Discord used to be on my very own pedestal.”