The soft sounds of rolling wheels on tracks were steady and rhythmic. Crane was on a long bench clearly designed for the comfort of ponies. For him, it was a bit low, but served its purpose well enough. Ponies were scattered about the train car, some talking to each other in happy little chats, others looked patient, or excited. They were just people, like humans, traveling.

And he was another, not especially special in their eyes it seemed. Except for the little colt that was staring at him from just across from him, facing him. His mother(?) was asleep, passing the time.

"What's it like?" asked the little pony, enormous little eyes on him.

"What's what like?" he asked safely, rather than assuming what the colt could be asking.

"Being all... smooth. I'm smooth right after a shower, but then I'm cold. Are you cold? I bet they have blankets." He clopped his little hooves together. "Want me to find one?!"

"I'm fine, I promise." He smiled a little, amused at the antics. "We get used to it, even without fur coats. That's why I wear this." He gently tugged at his own coat, artificial though it was. "Thank you for offering."

"Welcome!"

He would be in Ponyville soon, heart of... well not a lot, except where Twilight came from. It was of no specific importance to Equestria, so far as he was aware, other than it had been entirely free of fatalities in the Great Attack. How did that happen?

"We, as a people, made grave mistakes." Copper directed a gavel at one otter that stood in the middle of the courtroom. "One of which, I believe, was restricting our council to those of 'pure blood'. I second the nomination of Shiwa."

The other council members gave their votes. "Third."

"Fourth."

"I motion against."

But the ayes were in easy majority. An otter would join them, breaking a generational tradition of only bulls reaching the lofty heights of councilmember. Shiwa ascended the steps and sat down with them, becoming their sixth just like that. The next came in as a gavel was struck. They all had a council to form.

Hoku watched from just outside. He was on guard duty, his life since the war ended, but a little smile was on his face. Part of him had simmered with anger at the nation he defended, but there was a revenge most insidious. To see one of his own become one of their highest leaders chased some of that ill will away. "Do well," he barely breathed out, hoping that lady otter would be the best councilmember they had ever witnessed.

Crane stepped off the train, ducking under the doorway. They were perfectly tall enough for a pony to trot through without a worry, but they were four-legged, and spent most of their time far lower to the ground. He was the only human in clear sight, for he was the minority.

It was a strange new feeling, being that minority. Normally, he was the majority of majority for most of his life. In that place, he wasn't even the right species, let alone worrying about phenotypes. Thankfully, ponies milled past him without a worry, most loo--

"Hi!" interrupted his thoughts, a pink pony bouncing in front of him where she had not been a moment before. "Welcome to Ponyville! I'm Pinkie Pie, what's your, oh wait, I remember you!" She pointed a hoof at him in a strong thrust. "You're President Bird!"

"Not a president anymore," He gently raised a hand flat. "Roland Crane, nice to meet you."

"That's a kind of bird." She clopped herself right in the face before offering the same hoof towards him. "Nice to meet you, again, Rolie! What brings you to Ponyville?"

That was not a nickname he was used to, though it brought an amused smirk at her energetic delivery of it. "Nice to meet you as well, Miss Pie." He balled his fist and bumped it against her hoof, which only made her smile all the more. "I'm looking for Twilight's Castle."

"Can't miss it!" She turned quickly and pointed up at the towering... tower of purple crystal. "She's not here right now. I hear she's coming back soon! I can't wait. The school hasn't been the same without her."

"I was told a 'Starlight' would meet me there?"

"Oh! That makes sense. Follow me!" She began bouncing away. "She's a nice mare. Have you met her before?"

Being a town, he was less surprised that most people knew most other people. He followed after Pinkie, weaving through town towards the tower that was his target. "I know her, yes. You reminded me, I hear war touched this town, but I see no signs of it."

"We fixed it." She shrugged softly. "Seriously, we have calamities kinda often around here, we're used to rebuilding. Thankfully nopony was hurt too bad."

"You're welcome." Stepping out of literally nothing came a strange towering bipedal form of mismatching animal parts. "And when were you going to tell me you had distinguished guests? I'm not even dressed."

Roland watched with a dazed expression as the strange creature drew a curtain from nowhere across himself and pushed it away, revealing a sharp business attire across his nonsensical form. "Hello...?"

"Yes yes, hello." He offered a hand like a princess might to be kissed. "Former-president Crane, I do presume?"

Crane eyed the hand, glancing towards Pinkie, who was shrugging helplessly. "Er, yes, that is me. I--"

"It's a pleasure to meet you." He suddenly grabbed Crane's right hand, shaking it vigorously. "Thank you for sending my dear Fluttershy home nice and safe."

"This is Discord." Pinkie gestured with her head. "He's harmless."

"Harmless? Me?!" He put a hand to his chest, looking offended. "Why I never!"

"Forgive me, but I had meant to see Starlight." He gestured past Discord, towards the castle.

"Starlight? Hmmph, everyone seems to want a piece of her, but here's a perfectly functional spirit of chaos right here, and does anyone come looking for that? Oh no, let's talk with the magic former-dictator instead." He rolled his eyes mightily, scoring a double six in his sockets.

"Hold... on. Spirit of chaos?" Roland raised a brow at the thought of it. The strange figure looked... discordant to start. "I didn't catch your name, Mister...?"

Discord made an underhanded lob, focing Roland to quickly move his hands to catch what was thrown. It was a word, Discord, each letter in a different font, some of them were alive, the i's dot looking at him as a blinking eye. "And now you have."

Roland dropped the disquieting name, though it vanished before hitting the ground. "Oh, Discord then?"

"The one and only." He was suddenly beside Roland, half-wrapped around him. "Now what brings a fellow biped to this quiet little village?"

Well, if he was a spirit of chaos... "Do you know about 'Harmony'?"

Discord recoiled with a frown. "Ugh, distasteful. What about it?" He made cleaning motions with his hands as if to be clear of the taint of the word.

"I'm here to find out what she did, and wants."

"Wait, she?" He raised a brow. "When did, ugh, harmony get a gender?" He leaned forward suddenly. "Actually that does explain a few things, hm... Regardless, are you off to the Tree then?" He hiked a thumb towards the Everfree.

Pinkie shook her head rapidly. "He's going to the castle." She pointed up towards the castle. "He's meeting Starlight, remember?"

Roland resumed his walk, trusting the others would move with him, which they did. "I was told that harmony is more of a concept than a specific person, but what I spoke to was a 'thing', rather than a concept. It could speak and... seemed... individual."

"It is," easily agreed Discord. "The force of boringness, yawn. If you were talking to a single thing... Then I have a new rival." He suddenly balled up his hands, shaking them giddily. "I never had a rival before! Do you think we'll exchange threatening letters? Maybe we could duel at dawn. How romantic!"

Roland wasn't sure how to approach that. "Well, I mean to find out one way or the other. If they did as I believe they did, they have much to answer for."

"Ooo, partners!" Discord threw his arms out wide. "Today is quite the day; I got a rival and someone that shares my burning need to best them. Lead the way."

Pinkie gigglesnorted as she bounced along. "You two are hilarious. Let me check if Starlight is home." She suddenly galloped ahead of the other two, streaking up towards the door and knocking on it eagerly. "Starlight! Open up!"

The door opened, but it was not Starlight. "Hey Pinkie," greeted Spike with a waving hand. "What's up?"

"What's down!" She pointed down the hill to where Discord and Roland were approaching. "They're here to see Starlight, is she in?"

"She should be. Hey, isn't that the human president?" He squinted at the approaching figure.

"Not anymore. Roland Crane is his name. I'll get her!" She streaked in past Spike, seeking out Starlight.

Spike shrugged softly before opening the doors wider. "Welcome!" He waved at Roland and bro-hoofed with Discord amiably. "Our home is your home and all that."

"Ever the gentlepony," complimented Discord with a flutter of his lashes. "This is Spike, but I think you met him?"

"We have, though only briefly." Roland offered a hand, shaking with Spike firmly. "Is Starlight in? I was told she is expecting me."

"Right here." Starlight came rushing to the door, Pinkie right behind her. "Oh sheesh!" Her eyes went from Discord to Roland. "Everycreature's come to say hello at once today. Celestia said you wanted to see the map, right?"

"Oh why didn't you say so?" Discord lifted his shoulders. "I could have just taken you there and saved us a walk."

Starlight pointed up at him. "Some creatures prefer to knock before they charge into some other creature's home. At least Mister Crane here has manners. This way." She turned away and trotted into the castle.

"Forgive me for asking, but when you say spirit of chaos, do you mean the spirit of chaos or a spirit of chaos?" Roland was following Starlight as he asked, but the others were coming right along, though Spike had veered off to do something else without a word.

"That would be telling," spoke Discord in a teasing tone, a smirk on his face. "If you're asking if every single matter of chance is something I personally make happen, no, that would be boring, and exhausting. I wouldn't have enough hours in the day."

"Hm..."

"There it is." Starlight gestured grandly at the map that was surrounded by thrones, each with the cutie mark of the pony it belonged to. "As you can see, no friendship emergencies at current. Not sure what you plan to do with it, but don't hurt it."

Roland stepped towards it, looking over the bedazzingly detailed map of Equestria. "How interesting..." What amazed him was that the worst hit places still showed signs of that damage, as if he were viewing a live satellite view instead of a static image. "Magic, I presume?"

"One of the more magic things I know," agreed Starlight.

"There's my family farm!" Pinkie pointed proudly at the rock farm.

Discord rapped on the map lightly. "Hey, 'Harmony' or whatever your name is. My buddy Rollie wants to talk to you. Come on out and play."

A sudden glyph appeared, a cutie mark circling over a specific part of the Everfree forest, but it wasn't a cutie mark. It was a bald eagle, the seal of the United States, arrows in one talon, shield on its chest, a vine in the other talon.

Starlight pointed towards the Everfree vaguely. "I think you got your answer. I'm assuming that's supposed to be you."

Discord was suddenly garbed in a scout's attire. "Into the wilderness! We may never return, but we will find answers!"

Author's Notes:

Answers, we're in hunt of them. What will we find?

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