The walk through the halls of the School of Friendship was mostly silent, full of rumination on both sides. They passed many students, all chatting, laughing and joking around like young teens are wont to do. However, when Fluttershy and Hamin came close, they promptly quieted, before turning to each other and muttering queries and the like about the new face.

Hamin barely paid any attention, focusing instead on the architecture in an attempt to let his mind cool down. 'Always thought the school looked nice in the show. It's good to see it looks as nice in person.' He frowned, almost instinctively placing a hand over the hilt of the blade sheathed at his waist. His eyes sparked with melancholy contemplation. 'Still hard to believe this is real. I mean, sure, I dreamed of coming here before, just like a lot of bronies, but...' He bit his lip, gaze falling to the smooth, carpeted white marble floor. '...I'm really alone now. More alone than I've ever been.' He let out a small self deprecating chuckle. 'And that's saying something.'

Fluttershy looked up at him after his chuckle, but when he waved it off, she simply nodded and returned her gaze forward, hooves clip-clopping on the cold floor.

'He seems so...defeated. I don't think I've met any pony or creature so sad.' She frowned, glancing up at him, then to his weapons. 'He looks like he's some kind of fighter, but...' She glanced to the snow white, linen cloak draped around his person. '...A wanderer too. A mercenary, maybe?' Her frown deepened as she looked away. 'I can't imagine how hard that is for him.' Once more, she glanced his way. ‘And I can’t say I’ve ever seen a creature like him before...could he be alone? I didn’t see any mares with him...’

“You, uh, having fun staring at me?” Hamin asked, looking to her with a raised brow.

Fluttershy’s face flushed crimson, and she snapped her head back to the hallway ahead, hiding behind her hair with an adorable squeak.

Hamin chuckled lightly. “Don’t worry, I don’t mind.” He jerked a thumb to himself. “It’s normal to stare at things that are out of the norm. So don’t sweat it.”

Fluttershy shook her head. “I-I-I wasn’t-! You aren’t-!” She flushed a deeper red and looked away. “N-N-Nevermind…”

Hamin, still smiling, simply shrugged. “A’ight.” He turned his gaze forward. 'I'll just have to deal. Family, friends or not...at least I have the chance I always wanted. The chance to make a real difference. Not just for one or two people, but for way more. That's what I should be focusing on.' He reasoned, gaze hardening. Slowly, it turned to Fluttershy. 'She doesn't look the exact same as Fluttershy from the show...mane's all different. She seems to have a few wrinkles, too.' He frowned. 'Maybe I got dropped here after the show actually ended?'

"We're here," Fluttershy announced, bringing the man's attention to the door he'd missed.

He blinked. "Oh, uh, heh, so we are."

Fluttershy smiled lightly, then turned to the door and rapped her hoof against it three times. "Starlight? I have somecreature here who needs help."

"Come on in," came the familiar voice of Kelly Sheridan.

Fluttershy opened the door soon after, revealing Starlight, who looked up from a set of papers at her desk to see the two. Her eyes widened a bit.

"Well, you're certainly new," Starlight noted. "Fluttershy, could you close the door?"

As the two walked in, Fluttershy did just that, and soon after Starlight's horn lit up, followed by the walls of the room. "There, soundproofing's done. Now, you're a human, right?"

Hamin blinked, then slowly nodded, standing awkwardly by the door. "Yeah, I am."

"Hmm. You've kept you're human shape, you have swords, and what looks like armor... All of that is a lot different from what we know of the Mirror World..." Starlight muttered, rubbing her chin with a hoof.

Hamin sighed, looking out the window behind Starlight. "I'm...not from the Mirror World."

"You're not?" Fluttershy and Starlight asked, eyes going slightly wide.

Hamin shook his head. "I don't want to talk about exactly how I got here, but... I can tell you I'm not from the Mirror World. I'm from a planet called Earth. We...well, my world, suffice to say, did not have humans with technicolor skin. Most humans simply had a shade of peach skin, or brown skin. Not the full range of blues, purples, reds, and stuff like from the Mirror World."

"And yet you still know of the Mirror World. Mind telling us how?" Starlight asked, moving some of the papers on her desk to the side as she steepled her hooves. Somehow.

Hamin winced. "I..." He opened his mouth to speak, a lie forming on his lips, before he stopped short. He sighed. 'Well, lying is certainly still a hard habit to kick.' He shook his head, then finally locked gazes with Starlight. "This...world, and even this greatsword on my back, they're...well, from what I know, they're all from media in my own world. You guys, this building, my sword, all of it is from some form of media on my world."

At their shocked looks, he continued. "You guys are from a show called My Little Pony. The fourth generation of it, at that. As for my greatsword...it's from a much, much darker place. A game called Dark Souls."

The two stared at him for a long span of time, the man shifting on his feet a few times as he waited for them to respond. Then, slowly, Starlight's horn lit up, and a bag was summoned from nowhere with a flash of light, startling Hamin a moment, as it slowly drifted over to Fluttershy. Fluttershy wordlessly took it with a hoof, then placed it on her back.

"Remind me to pay more attention to Discord's ramblings," Starlight said.

Fluttershy nodded sagely. "I think that might be a good idea."

Hamin frowned, looking between the two mares. "So...you guys aren't gonna flip out?"

They shook their heads. "We've seen enough outlandish things to kind of...grow used to it all. Living with Discord only helps with that."

Hamin opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. "...Fair enough." He said with a sigh. "So...you guys know of other worlds, then? Besides the Mirror World?"

They both nodded.

"Discord's opened our eyes to it a bit. He's never shown us everything, but, well... he doesn't have much reason to lie anymore," Fluttershy explained, smiling a little.

"Still, I never thought we'd get a visitor from another world...not to mention one that knows of us..." Starlight frowned, gazing at her desk in thought for a moment, before looking back up at Hamin. "What all do you know about our world?"

"Pretty much everything major. I never watched the full show, but I know the big events. Discord's return, his reformation, his growth, your guys' growth...there's a lot of ground I'd need to cover," Hamin began, shifting on his feet again. "Right now, though, much as I know this is important...what do you guys plan to do knowing all this?"

"That depends," Starlight began. "You don't have anywhere to go, right?"

Hamin shook his head. "Not really. I'm...well, as far from home and my planet and universe as can be, really. All I've got is my knowledge and what you see on me."

Starlight smiled. "In that case, we can set you up with some lodging. However, since you're an extraterrestrial being, the Friendship Council will need to be called..." Starlight paused, then gave an uneasy smile. "...aaand probably the World Council." She waved it off. "Still, I'm sure you'll be fine."

Hamin sighed. "Alright. At least I don't have to worry about a place to live."

"For now, at least. Obviously you'll have to become a working member of society, but for now, yes, you have a place to live," Starlight said with a wide smile.

Hamin grunted. 'That was less heartwarming than I would've liked to hear.' "Fair enough. So, where will I be staying?"

"Thaaat's one thing," Starlight said, smile becoming obviously uneasy. "It's not entirely up to me. So, right now, well..."

"We'll need to send him to Twilight and collect the girls, won't we?" Fluttershy said, raising a brow and giving Starlight a knowing look.

Starlight giggled, rubbing the back of her neck. "Unfortunately. Sorry, big guy. Normally we handle refugees better, especially when they're male, but uh, well..."

Hamin heaved a breath, shoulder's slumping. "I'm a special case. It's fine." He turned around, walking towards the door. "I get it. I'll be outside in the courtyard. Just come find me when you're all ready." He gave no other words, opening and closing the door behind him. Oddly, it felt like he was going to slam it shut, but, he didn't.

Starlight looked to Fluttershy. "He seemed...really defeated."

Fluttershy nodded slowly, looking towards where the man had left. "Yeah. I'm a bit worried, honestly."

"You and me both. This is gonna be killer for all of us. I mean, we have an extraterrestrial lifeform on our world!" Fluttershy shot the unicorn a look. "What? It's true! We both know how hard it was just to start up the World Council!"

Fluttershy shook her head. "I meant how he feels, Starlight."

Starlight blinked, then frowned. "Oh. Yeah, that's..." She took a breath. "...That might be a doozy."

Fluttershy looked back to the door. "Yeah..."

I want to make one thing clear with this chapter. It may be a new start for the story, but it's a new start for me, too. One without a brother who was with me for over five years. One without someone who helped me through countless struggles...and one with the knowledge that I wasn't good enough to realize how bad I kept hurting him.

This story is chiefly about growth, about someone who is and feels completely alone, trying their best to improve and make a real difference.

I only hope it's message helps others who haven't learned the important lesson of continuous self-improvement.

And that it keeps the same heartbreak I've gone through from happening to all of you.

-Timeless