Author's Notes:

Shorter chapter to get things rolling smoothly.

Jay was silent, staring at Luna with wide eyes. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it. Opening his mouth again, he spoke a single word. "...What?"

“I said that another human has been found!” Luna urged, motioning for him to come with her. “Come with me to Celestia, she wants to talk to you.”

Jay looked back to the gardens, Strawberry was still playing around with Spike. Cadance was only staring at them with a hoof to her mouth. Jay looked down and scratched his left arm. “Alright... Let's go.”

The two walked back through the castle hallways, turning before the doors to the throne room and passed the sentries stationed before a small staircase with a door at the top. They walked in silence, Jay was deep in thought while Luna would only give him quick glances to assure herself that he was keeping up with her.

“Where... Where was that human found?” Jay asked before entering the door. Luna opened it with her magic and continued on, not looking back at him.

“Baltimare.” She said while waiting for him to enter behind her. “A coastal town in the north-east side of Equestria.”

Once inside the room, silence fell as most of the ponies looked up at him but the buzz of ponies talking to each other quickly resumed. The pair beelined to Celestia who was talking to the unicorn in the silly robe that ran past him earlier.

“We found him in the castle garden talking to our niece.” Luna said as she levitated a document over to her. Celestia nodded and motioned for Jay to join her next to a map.

"Here is Baltimare," Celestia said, pointing a hoof to a spot on the map. "The human was found wandering around in a small farming community just outside the city borders." Her hoof slid down an inch.

Jay leaned forward and put his hands on the table. He chewed his lip for a few seconds. “How did ponies react? Did he or she act hostile?”

“The guards deployed reported no issues, she came with them willingly once they told her that they were there to help her.” Luna said after finding the rapport from the local authorities. Jay sighed in relief.

“Okay... Alright,” He ran a hand through his hair “she didn't go at it like I did. Good...” His eyes alternated between the princesses as he stood back up and crossed his arms. “So... What do we do? What's the plan of action here?”

Celestia and Luna looked at him, then at each other. Celestia rounded the table so she stood next to him. Jay arched an eyebrow. "My sister and I discussed this before we came to look for you." Celestia put a hoof on his shoulder. Jay looked down at it. "We believe that the best thing to do would be that you come with us to meet the human female so she can see something familiar and..." Her ears lowered. "...Tell her about the chances of return."

Jay swatted her hoof away and turned around, putting his hands on the back of his head and walked in a slow circle. Once finished, he sighed and once again put his arms on the table and leaned forward.

“Shit, okay...” He turned to the princesses. “I'll tell her, won't be easy in any meaning of the word but... I'll try to break it to her gently...”

Luna nodded. "That's all we ask." She retrieved another paper from the table. "She's currently being kept in an infirmary in downtown Baltimare, no health problems have been found as far as we know with our very limited resources regarding to humans."

Jay tapped the table with his knuckles and straightened once again. “So, when are we leaving?”

“As soon as you're ready. A chariot is being prepared for us as we speak.”

Jay ran a hand down his face. “Shit, Strawberry and Spike are still here, though...” He crossed his arms and leaned back to the edge of the table. “We're gonna pass over Ponyville, right?” Celestia nodded. “Can we take a detour and drop them off there then?”

“Of course, that won't be a problem.” When Celestia finished her sentence, another guard walked into the room and saluted.

"Your Highnesses, your chariot is ready for departure at your leisure." He said and placed himself next to the door, waiting for them to join him.

Jay pointed toward the door. “I'll go get them, you can wait next to your throne room or something so we don't get lost.” He walked away, leaving the princess with the guards.

Once he walked down the staircase, he jammed his hands in his pockets and his gaze fell to the floor as he trudged back to the castle gardens. His heels dragged underneath him as he made no conscious effort to properly lift his feet on every step and he chewed on the inside of his cheek.

Eventually, he made it to the garden. He looked up and sighed, scanning the area for Spike and Strawberry. He saw them sitting next to a fountain just talking to each other. Strawberry was the first one to notice his arrival and her ears perked and a smile formed on her face. It quickly faded once she noticed the melancholy look on his face.

“Jay?” She got up from her seat and stopped in front of him. “Did something happen?” When Jay didn't answer and only looked down at her, she hopped up and rested her forelegs to his chest. Jay's arms instinctively closed around her. “What's going on?”

Jay sighed. “We're uh... We're gonna go back to Ponyville sooner than I expected.” His hug on her tightened. “Something came up and I gotta go with the princesses over to Baltimare for a day or so...”

Strawberry's ears fell back. “Okay, can I ask what's happening or..?”

He blew some air out of his mouth and released his grip on her. She got back down on her hooves and looked up at him curiously. Jay scratched the back of his head. "They found another human wandering around outside Baltimare and they want me to come to act as the first contact."

Strawberry and Spike gasped. “Sorry that we can't do the things I said we would...” Jay frowned. “I'll make it up to you guys once I get back, I promise.”

Spike shook his head. “Don't worry about it, dude.” He smiled. “Do what you need to, Strawberry and I understand and there's always next time.”

Jay smiled and patted a hand to the top of the baby dragon's head. “Yeah!” He jammed a thumb back to the castle entrance. “Come on, the princesses are waiting for us. We're going on a chariot ride!”

The unicorn and the dragon paled. Spike because he remembered how it went last time. Strawberry because she was reminded of his story.

“Don't worry, they won't let me fly it. I asked.”

They sighed in relief and followed the human already walking away from them.

Shit, the princesses could have at least told me that they were going to let me go into the hospital alone while they wait outside. All they gave me was a piece of paper to show the guard I was following through the hospital.

We had turned right at the main artery and were walking toward another wing that seemed almost abandoned, except for a guard passing us on a patrol every now and then. This guy that was showing me the way wasn't much of a talker so I was out on my own with only my thoughts right now.

The flight here had taken six hours, the guards pulling it had to stop for a short break in some weird place that had a funny smell to it. I think it was called Amstermane or something equally horse-punny. The closer we got to our destination, or at least I thought was the place, the guards got more packed along with a nurse or two who turned to me with wide eyes and jaws dropped.

When we stopped in Ponyville, I ran in and changed out of my fancy clothes back into my beat-up jeans and a zip-up hoodie covering a navy blue t-shirt. I also took the chance to explain to a near-aneurysm Twilight why the princesses were there without a word in advance.

Changing out of the dress shoes to my sneakers were just a bonus, really.

“Here we are.” The guard eventually said. I jumped and took a step away from him.

“Holy shit, you can talk!”

He only shook his head and motioned to another hallway that had just one guard and what looked like a doctor from the robe he was wearing. I walked toward the doctor and he turned to me, he only arched an eyebrow.

“...Well, when the princesses informed us about a human specialist, I wasn't expecting another human.” He smirked. I rolled my eyes.

“Veeeeery funny. So what are we dealing with here?” I crossed my arms. “Age? All I've heard is her gender.”

“She's fifty-three, in good health from what we can tell.” He shook his head. “She's still confused and a little skittish around us so I think the best step right now for her is if you go inside alone.”

Fifty-three, huh? Shouldn't older people know better than to walk into a strange place? I decided not to think about it too hard and walked to the door.

I stared right at the unassuming white door, trying to build some courage. I shook my arms and rolled my shoulders before I reached up a hand and knocked at the door. It was silent for a few seconds before some rustling was heard from the other side.

“C-Come in?”

No.

No.

Fucking no! That voice! It fucking can't be... Why..?

I put a trembling hand to the doorknob and slowly turned it. I felt a weight in my chest heavier than ever before as I opened it. The door slowly creaked open and the grinding sound it made cut right into my ears and made me wince.

She stood there with her back turned to me. Graying brown hair, her height barely reached my shoulders. She was wearing a white blouse and pale jeans. She turned around and those hazel eyes widened.

I felt tears start to build.

This isn't fair. This isn't fucking fair! Why her?!

“J-Jay... Is that you?!”

“...Mom?”