To say that the next few days flew past was an understatement. It wasn't often that Thiemo felt as though he had too little time. This, however, was what he had been faced with. First there had been the night he had spent in a cell, followed by the pardon required by Cadance for his actions with Loudmouth. And then there was Amaryllis’ surprise. When she had first mentioned a surprise, he had thought that their nocturnal activities had come to fruition somehow, but that wasn't the case. Whether he was pleased with it, however, he didn’t know. The sentence that his marefriend had said after that moment simply did not want to disappear from his head.

"We’re going to Earth!"

It followed a lengthy talk, in which Amaryllis first told of her meeting with Eris, then Thiemo. The also-present Cadance and Shining Armor stopped them at some intervals to make some remarks of their own about what happened and added the advice to never trust Eris wholeheartedly. "However, if she says she can send us and bring us back… I believe the risk is worth it." That had made the ruling pair fall silent. That and Amaryllis' agreement.

When they were about to leave the throne room, there was a soft knock on the door and in came Fluttershy, followed by Eris being pulled by the ear. The creature of chaos had refused to make eye contact with anyone in the room. Fluttershy had forced the goddess to apologize for the chaos she had incurred onto Thiemo and Amaryllis and promised once again that she would stand by her word. They would go to Earth.

Now, a day later, Thiemo sat in Amaryllis’ room. A brand new rucksack was on his back, into which he had packed everything that he wanted to take. He would leave Legion here in the Empire. The stone was still damaged and would be useless to him. Satisfied, he placed his rucksack aside and left the room, his hands trembling. They had not stopped ever since he had gotten the news. Now, however, another reason came that they did this, for before their departure, there were still a few things that he needed to do. With quickened steps, he went past the royal family’s living room and took the teleporter down to the living quarters of the guests. She had been there all this time, but he had avoided her. The human knew that shame was powerful and it was the prime reason for this late visit. However, as much as he might wish to change the past, he could not. He hesitated in front of the closed door only momentarily before he knocked.

"It’s open,” he heard Deerling call and entered the room. For the most part, it resembled every other guest room on this level, the difference being that the doe had picked up several plants during her stay here. It was probably to remind her of home. "Thiemo, what a surprise. What can I do for you?" she asked as she lay on her bed, on her side and reading a book. As cliché as it sounded, she looked like the first time he had seen her. Her short blond mane was free-flowing and decorated with flowers. Her large, golden eyes were trained on him, a light smile playing upon her lips.

"I was just walking around…" Why was he actually here? Being alone with a woman he used to have feelings for wasn't usually the smartest of plans. He didn't have an idea why, only the feeling that he was supposed to.

"I have heard that you will visit your home. I am happy for you."

"Thanks."

"How long will you stay?" Thiemo hadn't gotten to discuss that point with Amaryllis just yet. One week, perhaps two. They couldn't stay too long at any rate; he was conscious of that. His marefriend would eventually catch the attention of the wrong people, and sooner or later the authorities would come to ask questions to which he would not be willing to answer. Among other things, he would certainly be asked where he had been the last few years when he had been searched for. There was no answer he could give without causing further trouble for himself. Therefore, Thiemo was conscious that it was more or less only a visit to home. After all he had gone through, he was happy with even that.

“As long as it needs to get everything done. But I’m here to tell you something. Thanks. Thank you for everything, Deerling. You were there for me there when I needed it the most and… thanks. I know I've probably never told you it like this."

Deerling rose to the bed, came over to him, and put her hooves around him, coming to rest upon his shoulders. "You didn't need to. When I saw that you still carry the coat that I had given you, I knew that you didn't simply forget me."

"How could I?" he answered and pressed his old friend into an embrace of his own. "It’s the ugliest piece of clothing that someone has ever given me. I mean, really, orange? So not cool at all. Still, I know that it’s one of the favorite colors of you deer." They both laughed and released each other. "I always thought that this coat had brought me luck. In the end, I think I've gotten my share and more. Plus I like how it almost shares the same color as my daughter’s coat. I truly think that it was one of the things that helped bring us together. As you can see, it’s survived all my little adventures and scrapes, even though it might have needed a few patches here and there. It’s really a persistent thing, like me."

“I am pleased to hear this."

"And what will you do now, Deerling? I believe that access to the library remains refused to you, unfortunately." Thiemo really did feel sorry for her, for he knew how much it would have meant to her.

The doe sighed. "Unfortunately, it is something we cannot change, right? Entlas and I have given our best, and we have lost." Carefully, Deerling took a step back. "However, have a look. You have grown. "

"I’m pretty sure it’s safe to say I’m the same size as I was years ago."

"I believe you know what I mean. I know you too well, Thiemo, no matter how innocent you might pretend to be. I am very proud of you and glad that I had named you my pupil. And I believe your other teacher, Zarni, thinks the same of you." Thiemo could feel the pride welling up in him at the praise of his old mentor and friend. It wasn't a feeling he had often felt during the past few years. “The little monkey god has come far, hmm?”

“You’re going to remind me of that for the rest of my life, aren't you?”

“You can bet on it.” They both laughed again.

“Please, never change, Deerling. I would like to know that wherever I go and whatever happens, I will always have a friend I can turn to."

"My house will be always open to you and yours. But perhaps I could be persuaded if you would actually keep your promise this time and write sometimes? "

Thiemo promised and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Promise.”

Thiemo did not keep Deerling for much longer afterwards, the fact that Entlas had returned a chief reason for his move to leave. The deer was less pleased about how close Thiemo was with his fiancée, and besides, they also had to pack. An airship would fly them back in few days to Cervidas. Unfortunately, Amaryllis and himself would have left for Earth already and would miss not only the departure of Deerling, but also Twilight and her friends, as well as the loading of the Crystal Heart.

So it was a short time later that he found himself before another door, this time not in the castle but before the apartment of one Twilight Sparkle. The apartment was located on the top floor of one of the mansions obviously owned by nobles, situated near the castle. He didn't have to wait long after he knocked for the door to open.

"Oh, Thiemo darling. To what do we owe the pleasure?" It was Rarity who had opened the door. She was in a dressing gown and her mane was still wrapped in towels.

"Is Applejack here? I would like to talk with her."

Rarity nodded and turned around. She took a few steps forward so that Thiemo could enter the apartment. "Applejack! You have a visitor!" The human had a look around in the meantime. It still looked the same as the last time he had been here. From the hall, one came to the kitchen with adjacent living room. The kitchen was all luxurious white trimmings, cream cupboards, and a black, marbled countertop. There was the pleasant living room furniture with an open fire place in the middle, though something under the blanket on the sofa was what caught his attention. In dark wooden shelves were thousands of books that filled them. Between the shelves were two doors that Thiemo knew led to Twilight’s and Rarity’s rooms. A flight of stairs led to the second floor of the apartment that practically consisted of only the gallery that led to three other rooms. One of it was the bathroom, then Applejack’s room, as well the one shared between Rainbow and Soarin. Fluttershy, as far as he knew had found a place with Applejack. As Pinkie’s head popped out from under the blanket from which she slumbered, Thiemo could also account for where she had found a place to sleep.

At Rarity’s call, Applejack’s room opened, and the head of a filly poked out. When she looked down into the first floor and saw her father, she simply galloped to the gallery and jumped off. Thiemo had already expected her move and quickly moved to catch her. They had gone through this song and dance every time he had come here to pick her up.

"Morning, Dad! Are you here to fetch me?!" she asked excitedly. To judge by the condition of her mane, however, she still lacked a good shower, and her breath made it known that she had yet to have breakfast.

“Only if you are finished, but I’ll wait as long as I have to,” he assured her, causing the filly to cheer at his words. "Now off you go, under the shower.” Aura nodded excitedly, and hardly had her hooves touched the ground that she had already zipped up the stairs. Halfway there, she ran into Applejack, who had not noticed Thiemo until now.

"Morning, sugarcube!” she greeted cheerfully, though different to the way his daughter had done. The farm pony had clearly been up earlier than both of them. “Ah didn't expect to see you so early. I’m sure you had to make it up to your princess." Oh, indeed. After he had been released from the cell and Amy had told him the good news, they had retreated to their suite. He would not entertain questions about what had happened afterwards, but his mouth had been put to good use, even despite the fact that they hadn't spoken much. He had "thanked" her - again and again - but not only orally. Somehow he had to show Amaryllis what it really meant to him what she had done.

"Don't worry, I showed her more than once what her present meant to me. To be precise, that’s even the reason why I am here.”

"Now, sugarcube, I like you, and yer okay for a human and all, but umm…"

On any other day, Thiemo would have seized on the misunderstanding, but today was different. “I think you’re coming from the wrong side there. Just let me finish. You know that Amy and I are going to visit Earth, and I would be glad to take Aura with us.” In the background, Rarity spat her coffee onto the floor. "I would like if she learned something about my culture, and there will probably be no second chance like this. Plus, I’d really like her to meet some of my family there.”

Applejack looked torn, obviously thinking back and forth, something that Thiemo himself could understand. After all, they were not discussing a weekend trip out to sea, but a visit to another plantet. Still, this was something of significant importance to him. He did not know how his family would react to an alien as a granddaughter, but he wanted the chance to let them know that he was not alone, and the fact that he had found others for whom he would give up anything for. And as long as they understood this, nothing else made a difference. "I don’t know. It ain't that I don’t trust you..."

“I know that it must be difficult, Applejack, but she’s my daughter. I would like that she learns first-hand where I come from and know why I am like I am. And like I said, this is a chance that won’t come again anytime soon. She would be the first pony to visit another world. "

Thiemo pleading voice and his tearful eyes did not seem to miss their effect. "If you say so…"

“Please, Mom…” Auralia chimed in, her head poking out from the bathroom entranceway, her toothbrush still in her mouth. Toothpaste covered a wide range around her muzzle. “I really really want to see Dad’s world.”

The cowpony sighed and looked at Thiemo sharply. "You both ain't playing fair and you know it!" she said and pointed at the human, then at the filly. “Still… I guess I really can’t say no.” Her hoof latched onto Thiemo’s collar, and she pulled him down so that she could whisper in his ear. "If something happens to my daughter, I will hunt you down ‘till the end of your days, you understand? " Thiemo nodded hastily. "Do you have your belongings, Auralia?" she called, ringing the ears of the human, still being so close to her. "Pack your saddlebag; you and your dad are going on a trip!"

“Yay!“ She disappeared back into the bathroom, and they could hear her spit her remaining toothpaste into the washbasin, before running right back into the room and doing as her mother said.

"Don’t make me regret this, sugarcube,” she said quietly to Thiemo.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to let anything happen to her,” he assured and grasped his totem firmly. “If anything happens, they’ll be in for a surprise.”

"Dad, this isn't the way to the castle,” noted Auralia as they sauntered through the streets of the Empire. "We should've taken that street over there,” she said as ponies of all different kinds and colors went about their day. Most were occupied with the cleaning work, which was necessary after the Hearts and Hooves celebration, while many of the tourists took one last opportunity to admire the Empire’s architecture and sights.

"We’re just taking a small detour. I've spoken to a lot of ponies today, but I missed someone." They turned a corner, and Thiemo saw the apartment building he sought come into sight. "I think you've seen Meena a couple of times. She’s from Earth like me." Auralia thought for a moment.

"The doctor? She has this weird dot on her forehead."

"~Bindi ~. It’s a memento of her homeland," Thiemo said, who began to process the information. "It means that she is married." He had so much to tell her about a specific culture from Earth that he didn't actually know where to start. He didn’t believe one culture was superior to another, so that made it that much more difficult to explain. "It’s applied to that part of the head because that’s where the so-called third eye is supposed to be. Naturally, people have only two eyes, but a third eye is believed to allow her to see the supernatural."

"Wow! Do ponies also have a third eye?” Auralia asked as they entered the building through the automatic doors.

"Maybe. We don’t even know if humans have it, to be honest. Anyhow, the dot comes from a country by the name of ~India~. It is one of the most populated countries of the world. Meena was originally from there."

"And which one did you come from?" Thiemo paused before the teleporter. Had he really never told Auralia which country he came from?

"I came from the United Kingdom. It is made up of four regions: England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. I grew up in the latter. Actually, there are many smaller regions. England is broken up into south-west England, south-east England, and so on. Then there is still the central country and so on."

“That sounds like it’s really big. Is it very different from that India country?"

Thiemo inserted the crystal into the slot and entered the teleporter together with Auralia. "It’s not that big but it used to have a huge empire. English, my native language, is spoken in a lot of countries on Earth because English navigators created many colonies in the world. Plus, it is different than India. On the one hand, it is more modern and also more successful economically, even if India seemed to be catching up in the last few years before I arrived here. I wonder how far they've come..."

"Come? At night, Rarity always yells that when it’s only her and Esotic in their room together."(1) Thiemo almost fell on his face when they stepped out from the teleporter. "But whenever I’m about to go in, they always lock the door and tell me to go away. They are weird."

He bit his tongue and kept his thoughts on that to himself, deciding it would be best if he let his daughter believe what she wanted to for now as he knocked on the door of Meena’s house. At the moment became clear to him that the good doctor might actually be in the hospital rather than at home considering she had a steady occupation. However that though faded away immediately when Meena opened the door in her nightdress.

"Who is knocking at this hour?"

"Hello, nice lady who fixed up my father again!" Auralia greeted loudly as Meena winced. Good to know his daughter knew when to work her charms.

Meena looked from the foal to Thiemo and yawned. "Are you hurt again?"

"No, I’m quite alright." To be honest, he was a little surprised at Meena’s attitude, but she was probably just been woken from bed. "I’m here because I have some important news. I’m going to visit Earth." The doctor shook her head and looked him in shocked. "Eris has the power to send me back, and I will probably call on my family for a visit. I wanted to ask whether you wanted to accompany me."

Meena looked at them for a few seconds before she disappeared into the apartment and gestured with a movement of her hand that they should follow her. The place had not changed a whole lot since Thiemo’s last visit here and, as expected, she led the both into the kitchen.

"Please, take a seat,” she said before she set up a pot for coffee. "The goddess of chaos agreed to send you back to Earth?"

"No, she lost a bet against Amaryllis and that was her price,” he explained as he pushed Auralia’s chair closer to the table." Anyhow, I thought that maybe there might be somebody who you want to visit. And trust me when I say that it will be no problem to drop by India. "

"It… is a tempting offer, but I have to say no." The doctor crossed her arms and leaned against the kitchen sink. "It is not that I would not come gladly, but my life is here now. Besides, I was one of eight children. I bet my parents don’t even miss me any more." Thiemo wanted to say something, but Meena lifted a hand. "Save your words. India is not England. Children disappear every day on the streets of New Delhi." Thiemo didn’t know how to answer that. "If you really want to do me a favour, bring me a little bit of ~Bikano Dry Petha ~. I haven’t had any since I was a little girl. Coffee?"

"No thanks. We still have a long way to go. Still have a lot of preparations to make before we leave tomorrow,” Thiemo answered as he rose again. His visits here never seemed to last long. "And I’m sorry to have woken you. You look like you've had a long night behind you."

"Many tourists who arrived from farther removed regions wanted a checkup before they left. Not that I minded much. Our equipment is way ahead of many other countries."

They talked for a bit before Thiemo and Auralia left the house and said goodbye to the doctor. It was only just past noon, and Thiemo felt like jumping into bed again. However, there was something he really needed to do first.

Amaryllis threw her saddlebag near the new rucksack that Thiemo had bought from a diamond dog trader and then fell onto her bed. She had already made several runs through the city, most of which was to buy things she would need for her virgin voyage to Earth. Unfortunately, she would not be allowed to rest. “Amaryllis? Can I speak to you?"

Her father stood in the doorway and looked at her with a questioning, almost reserved look. "Sure.”

The large alicorn stepped in the room and looked around briefly. It looked almost the same as the first day she had begun to reside in it. Almost all her belongings were in her saddlebags again, and if she wasn't there, one would have thought she had already left. “Are you sure that you want to go through with this? I mean, to go on another planet… filled with humans.”

“Thiemo believes that hardly anything will go wrong, and up until now, he has more or less been right, even though things might not have worked out as he imagined. It’s not like we will be travelling for long distances like before. Maybe we’ll visit his home town and introduce us to his family. No, I don’t think anything will go wrong. ~Plus I am speakings of the language~. At least a little."

“I’m not going to stop you from going, no matter how much I might want to try. I must admit that I’m even curious. Injustice was inflicted on the humans here on Albion, and even if some of them are bad, there are also ponies who are bad. Otherwise, there would probably be no royal or crystal guard. I hope our letters that we have set up with Professor Heartstrings will help reach an understanding. It’s only… if something happens, we wouldn’t be able to help. Do you understand?” The stallion prodded her lightly on her cheek with his muzzle. Amaryllis did not hesitate and rubbed her cheek against his.

"Please, Dad, trust Thiemo. He isn't a bad person.”

"Maybe… Maybe you’re right. Still, a father cannot be but suspicious of the stallion his daughter has chosen to make her own. Especially if she could do so much better.” As Amaryllis nudged him lightly on the chest, Shining could not resist poking his tongue out.

For the last time in the foreseeable future, everyone had assembled. Cadance and Shining Armor were there with their two daughters, Rainbow Dash and the gang, as well as Thiemo and Auralia. They stood under the palace where the Crystal Heart exuded its warm magic and waited for Eris to arrive. Fluttershy had assured them that she would come.

Thiemo, Amaryllis, and Auralia had packed their saddlebags and rucksacks full to the brim, and that was mostly with the basic essentials they would need. Toothbrushes and other sanitary items, along with items they would certainly not be able to get on Earth. Crystals, loaded and unloaded. After all, one could never tell what sort of situations they could find themselves in. Thiemo was sure that he had even packed one of the pillows from their room in his bag.

The three faced the others gathered with mixed feelings, seeing the same reflected in the looks they received. "And do not forget to brush your teeth every day," sobbed Cadance, daintily dabbing her tears away with a handkerchief. Why Thiemo had the feeling that she was enjoying this despite her demeanor was beyond him, but nothing would surprise him after all he had known about her. “And make sure you have toilet paper just in case…”

"Yes, mother,” Amaryllis groaned. "We have everything that a pony could possibly need.”

Fortunately, Eris emerged at that moment. Unfortunately, very much to Thiemo’s horrors, she was not alone. Within her cloud of smoke was none other than Lyra Heartstrings.

"I can hardly believe it! An entire planet full of humans!” The unicorn hopped on the spot in excitement.

Eris noted Thiemo’s annoyed look and flew around his shoulders. "Surely you didn't mean to leave her here, right? We both know what happens if one breaks a promise.” They both looked over to Pinkie Pie, who waved to them with a wide smile.

“I never did!” Thiemo immediately retorted and forced a smile on his lips as Lyra joined the departing group.

"Then!" Eris barked, ensuring that everyone’s attention was directed to her. She pulled something out of her mane. "This is a Travelers’ Watch. As the name implies, it helps travelers… travel." She opened Thiemo’s hand and placed the watch. "I got it a long ago from a friend when I used to travel around. This is your ticket back. Don’t lose it."

Thiemo examined the watch in his hand. It was black, the lid decorated with a multiplicity of runes. At the back were more, together with a small glass window that allowed him to see into it. Hundreds of small gear wheels hummed in it, radiating a magic that was unfamiliar to him.

"So what can this watch do?” he asked, skepticism leaking into his voice.

Eris pressed the button for him, which opened the watch. "Now, on the one hand, it will always give you the correct time, no matter where you are." Thiemo looked at the visible watch face now. It was also black, with white lines passing through, but no numbers were to be seen.

“And how will it bring us back?”

"How wonderful for you to ask!" Eris clapped. "Simply press the button three times and bang your heels together as you say: it is nowhere as beautiful as home.” He made a special effort to remember how many times he had to push the button. "This is important! You have to leave at the same location you arrived. Otherwise, it won’t work properly, and you could end up somewhere completely different. Not pleasant, let me tell you.”

Thiemo nodded and stowed away the watch in his bag. This was the moment, the moment towards which he had worked several years for. He would see his grandparents again, perhaps his mother, and, above all else, his sister. He had to pull himself together to not do like Lyra and start jumping on the spot.

“Well then! Fasten your seatbelts – four lifeforms to Earth and back. In case of an emergency, the exits are everywhere!” She passed Thiemo a lifebelt that he studied immediately. The word Titanic was written on it, and panic appeared in his eyes. "Eris Airways wishes you a wonderful flight. We hope that you fly with us again!" She snapped her paws and the four entities disappeared from Albion. Eris turned around slowly to the ponies who had observed the show quietly and grinned.

“You just teleported them there? Just like that?” Twilight asked, horror in her voice. “I don’t know how far the planet Earth is, but something like that could cause the teleportation to last weeks!”

"Five days, seventeen hours, thirty three minutes, and one second," she clarified. "For them, it won’t feel like a second has passed. What’s the big deal?”

Thiemo had just opened his mouth to protest before he felt himself slam into the water and his eyes began to burn. His hands clutched at his lifebelt as he scanned the area frantically, looking for the others.

Author's Notes:

(1) Some jokes can't be translated to 100%. Just accept for now that in German, the joke worked much better.

And we finished act 16, and nearly chapter 4 as well. A lot happened very fast and I hope I got that across.
Next week the intermission and the cover of chapter 5.

Reise, Reise: YouTube

Special thanks to JBL for translating.