Chapter VI

I give a yawn as I wait for my dad to come out of the bathroom. We’ve been at Comic Con for about three hours now.

Absentmindedly I look around at people that are cosplaying as one character or another from different franchises. Honestly, there are a lot of people dressing as either Deadpool or Kirito from what I can see. But there’s also a lot more people dressed in really good costumes other than that. The ones I like the most are the complex costumes with lots of mock plate armor, like that one generic knight standing over by the Merchant that I am not going within twenty feet of.

I know I’m probably being paranoid, I just don’t feel like taking the chance that something similar happens to me like what happens to those Displaced characters in the fan fictions I read. No matter how interesting going to Equestria sounds, I wouldn’t want to suddenly be yanked away from my life here and never be able to return. I also just can’t bear to think about what that would do to my family if I up and disappeared.

Besides, the stuff that guy’s selling may look cool, but they’re also way outside my price range.

My dad’s been in the bathroom for a while now, and I’m getting a little impatient waiting. I notice that there’s a small shop set up next to the bathroom and decide to just browse what they’ve got while I wait. If my dad comes out, I should be easy to spot if he emerges before I notice him.

I walk around to the front of the stall to take a look at some of the things on display.

‘Whoever made these knows what they’re doing.’ I think to myself. There are a bunch of glass blown animals, creatures, landscapes and other small ceramic pieces that I can’t help but be impressed that someone figured out how to make things like these.

And it’s not just glass figurines being sold here either, there are metal crafted pieces of jewelry and ornaments resting inside display cases, and hanging on rotating hooks.

“Find anything you like?” The young woman behind the desk asks me.

“Honestly, I like it all. This stuff is amazing.” I answer.

“Why thank you. I put a lot of time into my crafts, and I sometimes feel a little sad that not everyone appreciates the time and patience I put into them. Most of these convention people tend to only care about the stuff that you would find in comics or movies, or weapons that look cool.” The woman says.

“Don’t get me wrong, the weapons are pretty cool too, I just don’t have anywhere at home to actually put it if I got one of them. I’m more of a guy to just grab a souvenir to remember an experience. But I know how it feels to enjoy creating something with your own hands, so I know that this stuff is impressive.” I tell her.

“So you’re an artist as well?” She asks with interest.

I shrug. “Sorta. I’m a college student.” I answer.

“Oh, a student. What’s your major?” She asks.

“Animation.” I say simply.

“Like, for games?”

“Eh, more along the lines for Television.” I correct.

“Hmmm. Any kind of ideas bouncing around in your head for a project you might want to do in the future?” She asks.

I bring a hand up to stroke my chin in thought. “I may have an idea or two. But I’m not really sure how to go about it yet. Whether to write it out, animate some stuff, or just take a crack at making it into a comic or something. Why do you ask?” I reply.

“Eh, just trying to pass the time a bit with a little conversation. That and it keeps you here longer to possibly buy something.” She says with a smirk.

I chuckle. “Well, it’s working to keep me here longer, that’s for sure.” I say, my eyes roaming over the different pieces. I silently give my personal mark of approval due to the large number of dragons I see among them.

“Do you like dragons?” She asks again, turning around to open a box on the floor.

“I love them. They’re the ultimate symbol of both majesty and power. That and they’re just really cool.” I reply honestly. Why am I telling her so much?

“Yeah, they definitely are. Catch!” She tosses something at my face. I reflexively jerk my head back and catch it in my right hand. I glance down to what’s resting in my hand and see that it’s some kind of necklace with two metal pendants attached. “What was that for?” I ask her, irritated that she threw something at me.

“You have good reflexes.” She notes, ignoring my question.

“Yeah, that’s what twelve years of martial arts will do to you. Now would you mind telling me why you threw a necklace at my face?” I ask her sternly.

“And disciplined too. Twelve years dedicated to training your body, mind, and spirit. Good.” She says, ignoring me still.

“Are you listening to me at all?” I ask her, getting really irritated.

This snaps her out of her thought. “Hm? Oh, I’m sorry. I get these weird urges to test people’s reflexes, and if they can catch what I throw at them, I let them keep it, free of charge. So congrats, you just won a necklace.” She says with a smile.

I raise a confused brow to this. “Really? You’re just giving this to me? This still looks like you could sell it for… what are you selling this other stuff for… twenty or thirty dollars? Why would you just give it to me?” I ask disbelievingly.

“Eh, I would have ended up putting it on sale if you didn’t end up catching it. I’m basically just trying to get rid of it by this point.” She says with a dismissive hand wave. “You’d be doing me a favor by taking it.”

“Well… okay then. Thanks, I guess.” I say reluctantly. This woman is really weird.

I take a closer look at the pendants on the necklace, and raise a brow. Both of them are in the shape of a diamond with one of them hollowed out and more stylized around the edges. ‘ Wait, these look kind of how I envisioned-.’

“Soooo, did you design this based off of something?” I ask her curiously.

“Mmmmm… nah, not really. I just kind of punched a hole through one of those two little pieces of metal and scratched designs into them.” She answers. She’s back to pulling things out of the box she got the necklace out of.

“Huh. Then is it okay if I use these as a little inspiration in what I’m trying to make? They kind of look like fleshed out versions of what I envisioned for that idea I mentioned earlier.” I say.

She sets down another necklace on the ground, casually stands up, and then claps her hands together. “Okay, that settles it. You’re the one.” She says, turning to me with a smirk.

I get a bad feeling in my gut. “I’m the one? What are you…” My voice trails off as I notice something very, very wrong around me.

It’s completely silent.

I turn away from the stall to look around me, and I see, to my shock, that everything and everyone in the convention hall is frozen in place. My eyes widen in fear.

“You’re creative, disciplined, understand the existence of the spiritual plane, and you are sensitive to dimensional wavelengths. You’re the one that’s getting sent to that version of that world.” My heart stops. I whip around to look at the woman.

She pushes her palm out towards me and I get suspended in the air, my limbs locked in place. That doesn’t mean I don’t attempt to struggle. “What are you doing?!” I yell at her in terror.

“Don’t worry. I’m just creating a branch in this timeline. The other you will go about his life as if this didn’t happen, because it didn’t. You, however, are going on a little trip. It’s nothing personal, it’s just something that has to happen every now and then. Have fun.” And then she flips her palm downward, and I fall screaming into nothingness.

I give a snort as I jerk awake, and then exhale tiredly. ‘Ugh… where am I?’ I ask myself. I blearily open my eyes and take a look around me.

I see books, books, and more books. ‘Oh, a library. Haven’t been to one of these for… when did I last go to one?’ I ask myself.

As I turn my head to look around more, I feel something shift a little on my back. I turn my head to look behind me and I see a blanket resting on my back. I look a little downward and I see that I’m lying on a couch.

‘I’m on a couch, under a blanket, in a library. I don’t remember falling asleep under any of those conditions. What the hell happened?’ I wonder in my head.

While I’m pondering how I ended up on a couch, I don’t hear hoof steps getting closer from the nearby staircase. I do, however, hear someone let out a light gasp from there. I look up and see a violet unicorn mare staring at me with a slightly opened mouth.

“Uh… hi?” I say in an awkward greeting.

“You’re awake!” She exclaims.

“Yes that’s generally what someone has to be in order to say hello to another.” I say wryly.

She tilts her head to the side a bit. “Huh?” She says, confused.

Then I realize that might have sounded a bit rude to say that to a complete stranger. “Sorry, my mouth says things before I think it through sometimes.” I apologize sheepishly.

She shakes her head. “Oh! No, I’m sorry. I just didn’t expect your first sentence after sleeping for three days straight to be that, is all.” She says.

An awkward silence descends on us for a few seconds.

“Sooooo… I’m a bit lost on how I ended up here. Do you know how I ended up on your couch?” I ask her.

Twilight’s eyes widen and she slumps in relief to a question she can answer. “Well, for starters, you saved my life when Nightmare Moon tried to kill me with lightning.” She says. “Thank you for that, by the way.” She adds.

My eyes light up in remembrance. “Oh yeah. I used my body as a shield.” I say as some of the pieces start to reassemble themselves in my head.

She winces. “Er, yes. You did do that. After that, you kind of passed out. Then my friends and I healed you and cleansed Nightmare Moon with the Elements of Harmony. After that, Princess Celestia carried you both here and asked me if it would be okay to leave you and her sister Luna here during the Summer Sun Festival. During the festival, I told her about how I don’t want to leave my new friends now that I’d learned about how great friendship really is. She told me that I could stay here so long as I sent her friendship reports and to let you rest here as well. Then she just left with her sister for Canterlot. Three days later, you woke up here.” Twilight explains to me.

I raise a brow. ‘Well, that’s an explanation. But I would have thought Celestia would have wanted to take me back to the castle with her.’ I think to myself. I smile at Twilight. “Thank you, Twilight Sparkle, for letting me rest in your home.” I say formally to her.

“Oh, you’re welc- wait! How did you know my name?” She asks me, surprised.

“Celestia mentioned you while we were in the castle, before sprinting off to make sure Nightmare Moon didn’t blast your head off. I also know the names of your other five friends. That one’s mostly due to your little speech of which elements belonged to which pony.” I say with a small chuckle.

Twilight awkwardly laughs with me. “Uh, yeah. I guess I did do that. I didn’t know you heard that.” She says.

“My name’s Baelor. It’s nice to meet you Twilight.” I say sincerely.

“It’s nice to meet you Baelor.” She says with a smile.

The awkward silence descends again.

‘I’ve never been good at starting a conversation.’ I think to myself. I look around to look for something to break the silence. All I see are books on every shelf. ‘Well, when life gives you lemons…’

“So you’re living in a library now? That’s pretty nice of Celestia.” I say casually.

Her eyes brighten again. “Yes, it was. I like to research things often so it’s great to have all the information I need just within hoof’s reach. Do you like reading?” She asks.

A trollish idea enters my mind. I act on it. “No.” I answer monotonously.

Her ears wilt in disappointment.

“I love reading.” I say with just as much monotone.

She stares at me for a second before my words actually register after my conflicting tone. Her small head-shake-spasm makes me snicker.

She shakes it off and looks at me questioningly. “Really?”

I give her a sincere smile. “Yes, really. I grew up reading, and I love how stories can take someone’s mind to new worlds and realities. I grew up inspired by them.” I answer with a chuckle.

And in that one moment, I witness the one thing all bronies from every corner of the planet Earth call the most defining action of cuteness of ponies.

The squee.

I raise brow in amusement at Twilight for the baby doll sound that came out of her.

“I think we’re going to be great friends Baelor.” Twilight says with a large grin.

“Just call me Bael.” I tell her with a closed eye smile.

“Heh, okay Bael. So, how do you feel?” She asks me, remembering that I just woke up from a very long nap.

“I’m doing well enough, thanks for asking. I still feel pretty tired, but more in the way that I need to eat and drink than anything. I think I’ve slept enough for now.” I say moving to step onto the floor with my left foreleg.
When I manage to get both my front legs on the floor, I slide forward until my hind legs are able to touch the floor. After that, I stretch backwards and then forwards like a cat, groaning as I hear several pops from my aching joints. My muscles cry out in ecstatic pain and joy from the much-needed stretch.

I give a long yawn to stretch my jaw before I stand up straight in front of Twilight. I stand a head and a third taller than her… horn included.

“So, what’s the plan for today?” I ask her, rolling my wings before flexing them. Damn I want to fly again, but I don’t think I have enough energy for it yet.

My question snaps her out of staring at me crack my joints. “Well, Spike was supposed to help me practice my spell-casting today, but we’re not doing that until nine o-clock hits.” She says, rubbing her chin with a hoof.

“What time is it now?” I ask.

She glances at a clock. “Eight-thirty.” She answers.

I crick my neck sideways. “Ghm,” I grunt. “do you mind if I join you for breakfast and your spell-practice?” I ask her. I want to see how low my energy is.

“Oh, not at all. I can introduce you to Spike when he gets up. Speaking of which, I should probably go get him now.” Twilight says, trotting towards the stairs already. “You can just head into the kitchen to wait for us.” She says over her shoulder.

“Okay. And thank you Twilight.” I say.

“You’re welcome.” She says as she trots up the stairs.

Author's Notes:

Chapter's done.

"And we're back!!!"

Gah! Ictus?! When did you get here?

"Same time I did."

Okay, Pinkie appearing out of nowhere actually makes sense since she's Pinkie.

"It also sort of explains how Ictus got in here without us knowing."

How?

"Because Pinkie brought him along with her."

Oh... now I feel kinda dumb.

"That's what you should have been feeling ever since you created me."

"..."

"...Aevey. Could you please give Icty a little love thwap to make him feel bad for such a mean comment."

"Not if I use my special-mega-ultra-master-hyper-ultimate-."

*BOOM*

"Don't try to make it sound cooler than it is. And anything you do can be negated by me since I can use all of the elements, including yours."

I... did not know that this place had walls...

"Well apparently it does since that idiot is embedded in one."

...Well anyway, where have you guys been for the last two chapters?

"Well, it's a funny story..."

Yes.

"I had an idea..."

Go on.

"And Ictus agreed with me that it was a good one."

Now I'm a little worried-

"As am I."

-but continue.

"And that idea was..."

Yes.

"That we are outoftimeandyoutwowilljusthavetowaittillnextchapter!!! BYE EVERYONE!!!"

Wait-NO! YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO DO TH-

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