Alister: Remembrance and Revelations

My eyes were as wide as my bedroom door. I closed it and opened it again just to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. I felt a cool breeze float into my room as I left the door open. Slowly I walked through onto the grass. The town was bustling with life. The ponies were busying themselves in the market, little fillies and broncos were playing with each other in the meadow across where I was standing.

After a few steps a sudden jolt was forcing on all fours. I felt a sharp pain on my forehead as if someone was hammering a nail from the inside of my head. When it was finally over, I opened my eyes and stood up. I turned around to look at my room but it was gone. The door was too. I looked down to the ground and saw that both my arms and legs formed into hooves. I looked at my backside and saw a tail had grown.

It was difficult to walk on all fours but after a few steps I began to walk straight. The walk turned into a sprint and I found myself in the middle of town. The town hall towering over me and the fountain that stood before it. I looked into the water and saw a unicorn horn from under a brown mane. I looked at my reflection in disbelief. The creature standing in front of me wasn’t a human, but rather a unicorn. My flank had bore a cutie mark. It was a constellation of stars. I recognized it immediately from my astronomy class. It was Perseus; the demi-god that killed Medusa and hero of Greece.

While I was lost in observing myself, a crowd had started gathering around me. They were whispering among themselves as if I looked familiar to them.

“Is it him?” one pony asked.

“Nah. It can’t be. He disappeared centuries ago.”

“But he looks like him. It’s got to be him.”

They started closing in around me when a booming voice came from the crowd.

“ALRITE, CLEAR THE WAY! NOTHING TO SEE HERE! GO BACK TO YOUR BUSINESS!”

A stallion came forward with four other guard ponies. He was a wearing a magnificent set of armor that glistened in the suns reflection. A magenta six pointed star was encrusted on the front. When he removed his helmet, he had a long, blue mane with a light blue stripe going down the middle.

I knew who he was but I was compelled myself to ask.

“Who are you?”

“Shining Armor.” replied the stallion. “Captain of the Royal Guard. We’ve been expecting your return for a while now, Alister.”

I looked around to see if there was another pony he was talking to.

“I think you’re talking to the wrong pony. My name’s not Alister; it’s Al. Al Sterling.”

He looked with concerning eyes.

“So you don’t remember anything?”

“Remember what?”

He turned to one of his guards.

“I thought you said once he entered this world, he’d regain all memories of his experiences here. All of his accomplishments he had with Starswirl the Bearded.”

The guard said, “I said it was a possibility; not a guarantee.”

His voice was familiar. I’ve heard before. Just before I arrived home the previous day.

“Dominic?”

The guard pony took off his helmet, as his black mane came falling down. Then he gave me a big smile.

“Surprised?”

I was at a loss for words. How did Dominic get here? How did he know Shining Armor?  How does he know about me being here, if I was here at all?

As if reading my mind, Dominic turned to me and said, “All your questions will be answered in time Al. In the meantime, let’s get something to eat. Shining Armor knows a good apple stand around here.”

As we walked through Ponyville’s streets, I asked to Dominic, “I thought you weren’t a brony.”

“I’m not a brony you dimwit.” He replied. “This is my home.”

“What?! But you live in the same town I did. We’ve been best friends since elementary school. I’ve even met your parents!”

“Decoys. The people you met were only Decoys. Ponyville is my real home. I’ve been sent from Canterlot to find you. When I finally did, I was told to watch over you in the other world until the timing was right. I’ll explain everything to you later. We’ve arrived at the apple stand.”

It was a wooden stand with all sorts of apple products covering its counter top. The banner of the stand was blue with two green horseshoes between a green apple. Two poles held up two more red, wooden apples. Dominic rang the little bell that was placed on the counter top. As soon as it wrung, a pony with a cowgirl hat came over to the opposite side.

“Howdy Dominic. Hey Shining, what can I get y’all?”

“Hey AJ.” said Dominic. “I’ll have an apple fritter.”

“I’ll have an apple pie.” said Shining Armor.

“And what’ll you have, stranger?” asked the pony behind the stand.

“Um. I’ll just have a regular red apple, I guess.” I said nervously.

“That’ll be 5 bits”

Dominic handed her the money and then asked “You haven’t seen Twilight around, have you?”

“Sorry Dom, haven’t seen her since yesterday.”

I knew who she was but once again, I asked “Dom, who is she?”

“Where are my manners? Al, this is Applejack. She works at Sweet Apple Acres and sells her apples here at her stand. AJ, this is my friend Al.”

She observed me closely and said to Dom “This is him? Alister? THE Alister?”

“The one and only.”

Suddenly she grabbed my hoof and started shaking it violently.

“It’s an honor. It really is. I can’t believe you’re standing right in front of me.”

When she was done my arm and hoof were still shaking up and down like a balance scale.

“My name’s not Alister. It’s just Al.”

“Oh don’t be so modest.” Applejack said with a big smile. “To think you’re back from the other side.”

As we waved goodbye and started walking away, I turned to Dom and said “What was that all about?”

“Like I said before, everything will be explained later. Right now let’s get to the inn. You need rest. It’s been a long day.”