It took me a good four hours of moving around the forest to find it. However, there it sat, a little house built into the trunk of a tree, around it strange African-like masks and bobbles that hung from poles and branches. This must it, Zee—crap, what was her name?

I remained silent, motionless as I squatted behind the brush, shotgun across my thighs. I glanced around me, checking to make sure nothing was creeping up on me from behind. Again, taking note that I had not spotted anything all day, not so much as movement in the distance. Sure, a few distant noises caught my attention, though what ever they were, they retreated in the opposite direction. Something to ponder on later when I was not scared out of my gourd.

I sat for another few minutes, keeping an eye peeled for signs of anything. Movement, a light, just anything that might hint the zebra… Zecora! That was her name. What I did remember about her was that she rhymed everything she said. Anyways, it was time to move.

Standing up slow, I moved around the brush, glancing down to my boots, watching every little object that could make the slightest of noise and avoiding it. I did not need to step on a branch or anything else and give away that I was here.

It took almost a minute to cover the distance of thirty feet from the clearing's edge to the door. Tugging the paper out of my shirt pocket, I quietly tucked it through the door frame so it would fall into view when someone opened it. I exhaled out very slowly, leaving the note in place even if part of me wanted to take it back. Turning, I headed out as quietly and quickly as I dared move.

---

Twilight Sparkle was having a great day. Nothing untold occurred around her little town in months, but of course, that jerk Murphypony just had to step in again. She looked down at the sheet of lined paper laying on the map table.

The girls were here now, and the diarchy sisters were on their way. She could not afford to panic or to slide off into a science fit right now. Feeling someone touch her side, she glanced over to note the worry in Rarity’s eyes.

“Do you think, darling, it is some kind of monster threatening to capture us all?”

Twilight shook her head, looking around at her friends. “I do not think so, Rarity, but I don’t know what to think. I guess we shall find out what our next step is, as soon as Celestia and Luna get here.”

“Whoever left that note on my door went to great lengths to not to appear to be sore. I do not think anger is the reason for this gesture, but perhaps they seek peace, I may conjecture.”

Rainbow Dash simply looked over at the Zebrican shamen and blinked with bewilderment. “What?”

“She means, perhaps whoever wrote this wants to meet in a place neutral to everypony, so no one feels threatened,” the butter-yellow pegasus smiled some.

“Why didn’t you say so then, Zecora?” the rainbow-maned mare said, as everypony else just shook their heads.

Everypony glanced up as one of Twilight's guards opened the door into the map room, stepping aside as Celestia and Luna walked in. Twilight trotted over and gently hugged her mentor around the neck, then wing hugged the darker-shaded alicorn.

“Twilight, we came as soon as we could,” the tall alabaster alicorn smiled softly. “Let us take a look at this note.”

Twilight gestured towards it. “It is there on the table, but you can’t—”

A golden glow lit up around the sun princess’s horn, but she started to frown. There on the table the paper lay, no glow around it, motionless. She focused harder, and yet nothing came of it. Her eyes narrowed and her frown grew before she stopped trying.

“It is... null stone?” she said, looking to her former student.

Twilight shook her head. “No, but no magic can affect it. I don’t know why. No one can even pick it up with our hooves. I had to move it by lifting it with my wing, and Zecora was able to carry it in her mouth."

Celestia's eyes opened a bit, as if she knew something, but she again returned to her warm half-smile. “I see. Well, allow us to read it.”

Walking over with Luna, the rest in the room stayed silent as the two alicorns looked down at the note.

If you can read this. Please take this to Princess Twilight Sparkle.

Princess Twilight Sparkle,

I wish to meet with you and your fellow leaders. However, due to a rather unique problem, I am unable to formally meet with you. I understand that asking trust of someone somepony you have not met before, is asking quite a bit but I implore you to give me a little trust.

Please, in three days time from when you see this note, assuming you see it the same day I left it at the zebra’s door, at ten in the morning, I ask that you, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Princess Luna and Princess Celestia come and meet me. I will be at the same camp area that Applejack has used before, the one where she took her sister camping at.

I know that it seems impossible that I know what I know, that I know of all your names, and details of where Miss Apple has camped before. I can only give you my word that I mean no harm, and am far more afraid of all of you, than you need to be of me.

~A new friend.

P.S. Bring Tea

Looking up at her sister's eyes then back at the paper on the table once more, she again attempted to lift it in her magic only to fail.

“It is the same, is it not my sister?”

Celestia exhaled. “We will discuss that later,” turning to look at the rest of the mares in the room and earning a few inquisitive looks.

“What are your thoughts on this, Applejack?” having been mentioned very directly in the letter.

Reaching up and removing her brown stetson, the orange apple mare frowned some and shook her head. “Ah dun rightly know, Princess. It has me more confused than a bee at a hornet convention.”

Luna tilted her head, then gave a nod. “We shall go, but we will prepare a... surprise for our guest.”

Pinkie jumped up with eagerness. “Oh, oh, oh! Can I do it?! I love to surprise ponies!”

Celestia shook her head gently. “Miss Pie, what my sister means is we will have our guards nearby, stationed to oversee should something happen”

Pinkie sat down again, her ears drooped. “Well, that doesn’t sound very much like a good surprise...”

Many of them shook their heads.

---

Well, this was it, too late to take off now. I knew damn well they were already watching me as I sat there, poking the small campfire with a stick to settle the coals some, reaching out and placing the old cast iron kettle on the flat rock so it could heat.

I sat on a log, staring out at the logical place for them to approach from, my back to the cave I set up in last night. I suspect they knew that, however, I caught a glimpse of movement last night in the treeline. Likely Royal or Lunar guards, if I had my guess, it is what I would have done.

Sitting there, the Mossberg leaning on the log next to me, I was dressed in a pair of blue jeans, an old shirt, with a warm red-patterned flannel shirt open over it. On my hip hung a beat up old leather quickdraw holster, hanging from a wide well-weathered old gun belt. I had decided to wear my old leather boots, a bit of a risk, as I had a lot of leather on. I worried the implications of that, but would address that if I got that far. Last up on my head perched my old black Stetson, figured what the hell if I am going to die today, I am going to die being who I am.

In the holster sat perhaps my greatest treasure: a third generation Colt Single Action chambered in .45 long colt, a gun that had been carried by my great great grandfather, an old Texas Ranger, and someone I was proud to have in the family tree. It was perhaps one of the few things I treasured more than anything else. It was living history, and had never once let me down.

Looking up, I heard a small noise, glancing at the edge of the clearing as ponies emerged out into the open. One, however, I kept my eyes on: a white alicorn with the billowing mane of pastel colors. She looked right back at me, both of us sizing each other up. I gave a respectful dip of my head to her but never let my eyes leave hers.

“What is it? It’s some kind of ape, or something that someone shaved! Perhaps it’s sick?” that would be Rainbow Dash. I guess I should have known she would be first to speak... wait. She spoke, and I understood her!

Letting out a soft exhale with a small chuckle mixed in, I shook my head lightly. Reaching up with my right hand I gently tipped my hat to the mares “No, Miss Dash, not an ape.”

They all froze, eyes growing wide. I took note of a few horns lighting up, but nothing else. I needed to speak, to hope I could get through their mistrust before a fight started.

“Before anyone—” I stopped. “—sorry, anypony does anything, please, let me talk. I know you have no reason to trust me, and some of you have about a million and one questions for me.”

I glanced specifically at the bookish purple princess who blushed bright purple along her cheeks. She really was as adorable as she appeared in the show. She set her jaw and shook off the moment, still looking at me, horn remaining lit, ready for anything.

“I guess names should be a place to start. My name is Shane McDonald, and truth be told, I don’t belong here.”

Granting that time to sink in, I set my eyes on Luna and Celestia more than the others. Luna’s eyes narrowed in thought, but I could tell she was listening as she watched me. Celestia, on the other hand, was unreadable for the most part. I will need to remind myself not to play poker with her.

“W-what do you mean you don’t belong here?”

Ah, Twilight, never change.

“That is going to be a long story, Princess Twilight. So, perhaps for now, we should all stand down and relax a bit. I don’t think my heart can take beating as hard as it is for long,” I tried to smile a bit, very careful not to expose my teeth.

Finally, Celestia gave a nod and spoke glancing out at the forest. “Captain, you may stand down for now.”

I was not surprised by this. I knew she had to have troops around. In fact, it is exactly why I picked this place, to put myself at a major disadvantage, to show them I was willing to be the one at risk, reaching over I spoke as I did.

“I am going to unload my weapon, as a show of trust.”

Pressing the slide release without picking the shotgun up, I gently moved the slide down, watching the ponies other than the two diarchs, flinch at the metallic clack of the slide, catching the round as it came out the port.

I tucked the green shell into my pocket and leaned back away from the gun once more. Every move I made was slow as I could be. The last thing I wanted was for the littlest of misunderstandings to end up with me being burned alive, or used as a pincushion by the guards.

It was Applejack that spoke up first. “Now, what is that fancy doohickey there y’all just touched?”

I shook my head. “Think of it as a cannon, only smaller.”

Luna tilted her head. “We have seen such things, carried by the minotaur and griffons. However, that one is clearly quite a bit more advanced. A... musket, I believe they call it.”
Gently, I nodded my head. “Close enough, yes. However, I have rendered it safe... for now.”

I took note that everypony looked at Applejack, who nodded as well. “He ain’t lying or trying ta hide the truth none so far.”

Celestia took the first cautious step forward. I had to admit, awe struck me right then and there. She moved as regal as ever she had in the show, but here she was just as real as can be. I could almost feel the warmth coming off her.

Then, Luna next to her, ever the yang to her sisters ying. Eyes staying on me, not quite trusting me but trusting her sisters intuitions for now. Both approached the fire and slowly sat down on the log I tugged over long before any of them had arrived. Celestia looked back over her shoulder, gesturing for the others to come and sit.

“Forgive us for being a little cautious, Mr. McDonald. However, it is quite clear that you understand the gravity of this moment. For that, and for thinking of my little ponies safety over your own, I thank you.”

I gave a bit of a nod, but Pinkie Pie spoke up, asking the question that rested in the other mare's minds. “What do you mean, Princess Celestiaroony?”

I closed my eyes a moment. Yeah, she was going to get under my skin, I could tell already.

A soft smile on the alabaster princess’ face appeared as she glanced to her younger sister, who nodded her head.

“You see,” Luna spoke, looking back directly towards me. “Mr. McDonald here has given us all the advantage. His back is to the woods and cave, the area is wide open, the fire gives away where he is, and his weapon is far enough away from his hand that he would not reach it before our archers could end him.”

Shrewd, smart, and up front. I liked her. The others all looked around with various stages of understanding. Twilight spoke up, smart cookie that she is.

“So,” she looked me in the eye. “You set this up, so that if anything happened, your life would be forfeit?”

I gave a nod of my head. “I am a creature neither of you have seen, or have even remotely heard of." Then I paused and looked back to Twilight.

"Other than you of course. I was not even sure you could understand me, or that I understand you, and I had to be sure to give myself every chance of reaching you in a peaceful method.”

Rarity spoke up. “Then why, darling, do you carry such vile weapons?”

Luna gave a bit of a snort, but it was Celestia who spoke, looking to the white marshmallow of a unicorn. “Dear Rarity, because he is no fool. Because like all living creatures he wishes to survive, and only a fool would attend a meeting such as this without some means of defense. It is the same reason why we have our guards in the woods.”

Rarity and Rainbow both gave a nod of understanding now, the latter speaking up. “So, that is why you have squad one on standby,” as she pointed up.

I looked up, and from a cloud high up above us, five blue fabric-framed, goggled faces looked down at us. I shook my head a bit at that.

“You even brought some of the Wonderbolts. I guess I should not be surprised by that.”

Celestia gave a nod, but the once-again adorkable the purple princess spoke up. “Mr. McDonald, you seem to know quite a bit about us, but we know nothing about you why is that?”

I glanced around, now having their undivided attention. I exhaled softly and gestured to the kettle of water beginning to steam.

“Perhaps we should have tea or coffee and talk. It is going to be a long explanation to that question, Princess.”

To my surprise it was Fluttershy who said in a very soft voice. "Pardon me, but I feel I must ask one question, if that would be alright?"

I looked around at the ponies then back to the rather pretty yellow one. "of course"

She perked her ears some "Twilight has not once asked what you are, why is that Twilight?"

Ah, to know your friends that well. I had to smile a bit as I turned to look at the purple Alicorn. Taking note of the more serious smile that she offered as she looked around at her friends.

"Because I have met creatures like him before Fluttershy, in the mirror world where Sunset Shimmer is." Turning to look at me "He, is a human"

Author's Notes:

Woo, not sure this will keep up at the pace I am going right now. However I just have so much of this story kind of pre-done in my mind. I find myself able to just crank out the chapters for a bit.