Flutter By

Chapters

Chapter 1: Fragility
Chapter 2: Remedy for Ignorance
Chapter 3: A Cloudy New Day
Chapter 4: Building

Chapter 1: Fragility

It truly is amazing just how much I took for granted in the past. A warm bed, friends who loved me, my animals...my home. I guess that what Twilight told me is true...you never really appreciate what you have until it’s gone. Angel was the last thing I had from my old life...and now he’s gone too. It goes without saying that the loss of my dear little protector broke me, and for days I did nothing else besides cry and mourn his death.

This world is so different...so dark.

The people here are louder, and rude...even compared to griffons. They eat other animals and they ride around in scary machines that make a lot of noise. So, instead of trying my luck in the cities, I retreated to the countryside, where the grass and trees grew lush and free.

This place was so different from anywhere in Equestria I had ever seen before, even the Everfree Forest. Here, the weather was wild and untamed, and the animals were wary of me. It was lonely, and finding food was difficult for the most part...

Until him.

His kind dominated this world, and they came in all colors, styles, and acted as different from each other as can be. His kind looked like how an ape would look if it had barely any hair, had pale skin, and stood fully erect. He was very large compared to me, nearly twice my height, and even though he hadn’t shown any mean behavior, I didn’t take any chances.

Although, I knew he saw me the night I came upon him.

How do I know that? Well, because the next morning before dawn, which was when I would forage for whatever food I could find, I found a large bowl of leafy greens waiting on the front step...and next to it was a note. I found two things strange about this. First of all, he seemed to know what I ate, and his written language was the same as a pony’s. I carefully pulled the food and note away to a secluded spot in some bushes and began reading.

“Dear pony,

You looked half-starved when I saw you, and I figured you could use a good meal. I know what you are and where you come from, and I would like to speak more with you about this. You have nothing to fear from me, though I will not pursue you...you may approach me when you are ready. The back door is always unlocked, whether I am home or not. The loo is upstairs in the first door to your left, and I have purchased some nice-smelling washing materials in red bottles for you...as I am sure you could use a good wash. Towels are in the cabinet next to the shower, and brushes are under the sink.

As I said, approach when you are ready...I will be waiting patiently.

Sincerely,
Geoffrey Lloyd Walker”

As I finished reading the letter, I looked at the salad suspiciously and gave it a large whiff. It smelled exactly as it should, no traces of any odd smells present. With that fear put to rest, I couldn’t help but tear into the meal. I was used to being hungry, but I now understood the phrase, “I’m so hungry I could eat a door.” In fact, a few nights before “meeting” Mr. Walker, I had tried to eat grass or even the leaves from trees.

I found I was desperate, but not that desperate.

I also remember finding it suspicious that he claimed he knew what I was and where I came from. Could I trust him?

It had been nearly a week since that first day I came across this “Geoffrey Lloyd Walker”, and yet it became a regular occurrence for two separate meals of some sort to be set out for me, always out of the way, and always with fresh water or even juice. He had kept his word, and hadn’t come after me in any way, so I came to find that maybe I could trust him.

Besides...I was getting very lonely.

So today, I thought it would be a good time to meet him. I hadn’t been brave enough to take him up on his offer to wash myself, but a stream not too far from his home had allowed me to do so. At least I would be clean when I met my savior. I had no problem thinking of him like that, because the truth was that had he not helped me when he did, I would have starved. Even now, my ribs could be seen through my skin, and I’m sure my face looked rather gaunt compared to normal.

Rarity would have a fit if she saw me now.

I shook the thoughts away as I watched night begin to fall, and I allowed myself to watch this time from behind a wall that bordered the dirt road nearby. Right on cue, the ape-thing named Geoffrey Lloyd Walker appeared from within his home, setting down a bowl full of salad on the back step. He wore a soft gray shirt and brown pants with many pockets, along with white shoes, and he stood for a few moments looking out over the area before he caught sight of me.

My wings instinctively flared in preparation to flee, but something stopped me. In his eyes I didn’t see any malicious intent, nor did he approach me. He simply stood there on the back step, watching me carefully.

After a few moments he motioned to the road. “I’m not going to sleep for some time, so if it would make you more comfortable, I could go into the village so that you can eat in peace.”

Any other time, I would have taken the offer to be alone...be safe.

Now was different though. I might not have been as social as Rarity or Pinkie Pie, but I did enjoy my friends and the time I spent with them. Without any of them around and with Angel passing away, I was scared, and painfully lonely. I didn’t want to be alone anymore, and my need for some sort of social connection overcame my shyness.

“No...no, please don’t go.” I pleaded softly, unsure of if he heard me.

I watched as he picked up the bowl, and tensed as he made his way toward me. He stopped in between the house and I, and set it down on a covered well in the ground...and then stepped away back to his house.

“As I said...whenever you’re ready.” he replied, his voice sounding as soft as silk.

I kept my eyes on him, but lowered my wings as I made my way to the meal set before me and began to eat. As always it was wonderful, the fresh vegetables being sweet and crisp, and the fresh water soothed my throat.

In honesty I felt a little embarrassed as I licked the bowl after finishing, but I was so hungry...and the meal tasted like it was made by the princess’ personal chefs.

“Are you still hungry?” he asked softly, clearly making an effort not to frighten me.

His efforts worked...and I felt so much better knowing that for whatever reason, somepony cared enough about me to worry.

I looked up at him and nodded softly. “Um, y-yes.”

He smiled and slowly made his way towards me, but I stood my ground, resisting the urge to run away. Instead of approaching me directly, he simply bent down to pick up the bowl and glass, and then turned away to walk back toward his home.

“I’m cooking myself a bit of vegetable soup with soldiers for dinner, and then I might have some jelly for afters.” he explained as he continued up the back steps. As he grasped the door and opened it, he turned to look back at me. “You’re welcome to join me if you wish, unless you’d rather I bring it out here for you again.” He then held his hand up in the air with his fingers spread, and closed his eyes for a moment before looking to me. “Although it’s going to rain any minute now. I know you still have your reservations on the matter, but I would feel much better if you would come inside, out of the storm.”

I was still nervous...there was no doubt about that, but now I was curious too. How had he known it was going to rain? From what I had been able to tell, most of his kind were as clueless about the weather as I was about him...it was almost like he could feel it, like I could. But that wouldn’t make sense...only pegasi are supposed to be able to sense the weather.

Suddenly this Geoffrey Lloyd Walker was more interesting.

He was telling the truth though...I could feel the moisture in the air, and could taste the rain that was waiting to fall, so I had to make a decision. The most important question was, could I trust him? Well, he had fed me and not poisoned the food, he had made no attempt to approach me, and had even left a letter telling me why. There were many different ways he could have done me harm already, had he wanted to...

“O-oh, um, I think I want to come i-inside...please.” I mumbled softly. I felt that I could trust him a little bit, but the fact remained I didn’t know anything about him...so I was still wary.

He stood beside the open door and gestured his free hand to it. “Well, come on then. Let’s get inside before the rain starts.”

I spread my wings and fluttered over to the wooden porch, and gently wiped my hooves on the doormat, so as to keep the dirt from the inside of his house. As I entered the home, I couldn’t help but notice how much larger it was compared to my own. It made sense though, seeing as how he was so much bigger than a pony.

I jumped a bit as I heard the door shut behind me, but when I turned, I was met only by his smiling face. “I’m going to leave the door unlatched, so if you feel you need to leave, you can do so...just push it open.”

I recognized what he was doing. He was making sure I knew that I wasn’t confined against my will, and that I could leave at any time if I wanted. It did wonders to calm me down, and I felt my heart begin to slow as my nerves settled. Immediately, I could smell the soup that was cooking from somewhere in the home, and my mouth began to water a bit.

“Now,” he began, walking into his kitchen as I followed him, “let’s get you some hot food for once. Salad is good and all, but I think you need a little more substance than that.” He then pointed at a tall table that was surrounded by four chairs. “Take a seat...it’ll be finished in a bit.”

I did as he asked and sat in one of the chairs, having to use my wings to get into it without falling. Once again, I was struck with how large everything was...how large he was. Still, with him carefully stirring a steaming pot while adding different seasonings, he didn’t look very menacing anymore. Instead he looked...kind...serene.

My trust for him grew just a little more.

“Ah, perfect.” he stated softly before switching off the burner of the stove and carefully pouring the contents of the saucepan into two bowls upon plates. The toaster I hadn’t noticed suddenly sprang up, and he went about cutting each piece of toast into strips before placing it beside the bowls. He then picked up our meals and set them upon the table.

I allowed myself a large whiff of the steaming bowl of soup, and smiled dreamily. “Oh...this smells wonderful.”

He grinned and nodded. “It tastes good as well.” He then frowned as he looked at me. “Although, I’m unsure how you’re going to use the spoon.”

I allowed myself a smile as I used the feathers of my wingtip to pick up the spoon, causing him to stare in surprise.

I giggled at him and explained, “Pegasus feathers aren’t like bird feathers. They’re flexible, very strong, and have little muscles inside that allow them to move and bend.”

“So they’re like little fingers then...” he observed.

I shrugged. “Somewhat. They aren’t as strong as your fingers, but something little like a spoon or a glass is okay.”

“Curious.” he remarked. “Anyway, eat up. I pray you don’t take offense, but it pains me to look upon you in your current state.”

I knew what he meant. I had never been vain or proud when it came to my looks, but I still made attempts to look as decent as possible. Now though, I was a shade of my former self. I was very bony and pale, and my mane and tail had started to fall out from lack of good nutrition. My coat as a whole had dulled and thinned, even leaving bald patches in some areas, namely my wrists, ankles, and fetlocks.

I decided to halt with criticizing myself further, and instead dipped the spoon in the soup and began to bring it to my lips. I noticed my feathers and wing trembling as I did so, and I had to force myself not to scowl because of it. Instead, I took it very slow and blew on the soup before sipping it from the spoon.

I will admit, it was a little different than what I was used to, but the hot food did wonders to lift my spirits and warm my body. From the first taste, it felt like I was wrapped in my favorite blanket and sitting in front of the fire on a cold winter’s day. It was days like that when Angel...

Suddenly it all hit me at once.

I broke out in sobs. There was no build-up, no quivering lip...one moment I was dipping my spoon in the bowl for another bit of soup, and the next I was bawling. From the moment I found myself on this world, I had been in shock. I was busy surviving the whole time and hiding, so much so that I didn’t mourn Angel’s death anywhere near as much as I should have. Everything I had been ignoring suddenly crashed into me in a tidal wave of emotional torment. Angel was gone forever, I was alone on a world I knew nothing about, and I had no idea if I would ever get home. What were all my animal friends doing without me? What were the other Elements going to do without me? Would they forget about me? Did I even matter? Had I ever mattered?

The thoughts started to overcome me as I began to hyperventilate, and my vision became a tunnel...the last thing I felt before the darkness washed over me was some sort of liquid shooting up my nose, along with something gently gripping my shoulders.

Consciousness started to come back to me an unknown amount of time later, and the first thing I noticed was that my nostrils burned a bit, and I was wrapped in a very soft, very warm blanket. I guess I should have been a little more worried about the fact that I was laying in a bed I didn’t recognize, but my sore body protested every movement, making my attempt to sit up nearly impossible.

Eventually, after a few fumbling attempts, I pushed myself up into a sitting position, and had to immediately tense my arms to keep from toppling over. After settling myself, I took a few seconds to look around the room. It was a rather small room in comparison to the rest of the home, with two windows on different walls, a long dresser, and a dark red armoire in the corner.

A flash of lightning and a crack of thunder caused me to cringe in fear, as even in the few weeks I’d been upon this world, my timid nature had not abated. Quite the opposite...it had intensified. I had come to understand it as a sort of survival mechanism that perhaps pony ancestors had used long ago...and it had kept me alive while I wandered around this new place.

For some reason, this sense hadn’t allowed me to notice the figure in the corner of the room until another flash of lightning lit it up.

It was the sleeping form of the stallion who had taken me in, fed me a warm meal (or attempted to), and had apparently carried me to the bed after I fainted. This thought brought back the reason why I had fainted, and the immense feelings of crushing loneliness, hopelessness, and depression hit me once again, though not as intensely this time. After so long without feeling any emotions besides fear, it was liberating to finally be able to release the rest. And so, for the second time that day, I surrendered myself to the waves of emotion.

I cried for what must have been hours, and about everything: how much I missed my friends, Angel, my home, and even the way Pinkie would frighten me. Yes...I even missed being startled, but because it was Pinkie...and I knew her excitement came from the deep love and affection she held for me and the other girls. I cried over the fact that I may never see them again, or home for that matter. I cried about all the things I had wanted to do with my life, which for all I knew, were no longer an option.

As much as it didn’t make sense, after I was finished, I actually did feel better.

“You’re finally awake, I see.” came a soft, gentle voice from the corner of the room. Though his voice was so smooth, it still startled me, but not so much that I was afraid.

I turned my eyes to him and nodded slowly. “Y-yes.” I then felt my face scrunch up a bit as I tried to remember how I got here. “What um...what happened?”

He shrugged as he stood, making his way to the side of the four-poster bed. “I’m not entirely sure. One moment you were happily enjoying the meal, the next, you were dropping tears and breathing so quickly I was afraid you would faint...and then you did. If your nose burns a bit, that’s why...you had a close encounter with hot soup.” He then shifted a bit awkwardly. “I um...I was forced to clean you by hand, as I was unsure if you would have taken kindly to waking up to me bathing you in the washroom. You deserve your privacy, after all.”

I realized the implications of what he was saying, and felt my face heat up in embarrassment. It couldn’t be said that for me to faint was unheard of (or even uncommon), but this would make the first time I had nearly drowned in a bowl of soup, and managed to make a mess of myself in the process.

The depression hit me once again, along with the debilitating feeling of helplessness. I sighed and closed my eyes, dropping my head low as I attempted to hide behind my once-vibrant mane. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make so much trouble for you.”

A sly grin crossed his face that I could just barely see in the dimly-lit room, and he rolled his eyes. “If it was trouble for me, I wouldn’t have done it. Besides, your life and health are far more important than a little soup on my table and floor.” He then took a seat on the edge of the bed, a good distance away from me, which I was thankful for. “How long has it been since you’ve slept?”

“Um, maybe two days?” I answered in confusion.

He pursed his lips and nodded. “Ah...well that makes sense then. You’ve been out for nearly seven hours.”

I furrowed my brow as I looked outside, noticing it was still dark. “What time is it?” He pointed at a space beside me, and I turned to see a small box with glowing red numbers on it, which I recognized as time...which meant this was a clock. I let out a small sigh of frustration at the fact I had slept until just past 4 a.m., and turned to look at the stallion in front of me again. “Well thank you for letting me sleep...I guess I didn’t realize how much I needed it until now.” My eyes then widened as I gasped in surprise, and I suddenly felt bad. “O-oh no, did I use your own bed? I’m so sorry, I didn’t want to-”

He silenced my apologies with a raised hand and shook his head. “It’s alright...really. I sleep in this bed every other night...you had need of it more than I did.” He then tilted his head and smiled. “By the way, I never caught your name miss, and I think it rather impolite to refer to you simply as ‘cute yellow pony’.”

...did he just call me cute?

My cheeks lit up again as I struggled to form words, but I finally muttered out, “M-my name is Fluttershy...”

“Fluttershy?” he clarified, either disbelieving or unable to hear me properly.

I nodded. “Yes.” I then asked, “Um, is there something I can call you besides ‘the stallion’ or your whole name? It’s just a little long to say is all.” I then realized how that must have sounded and winced a bit. “Um...I-I’m sorry.”

He chuckled lightly and shook his head. “It’s no trouble. I suppose calling someone by their entire name is a bit cumbersome. You can call me Geoff...and the males of this world are known as ‘men’, or ‘man’ if it’s just one.” He then sighed and closed his eyes. “Although, I suppose I should be honest with you...about me, and about everything.”

I felt myself tense up as I prepared for whatever was coming, worried I would find out that maybe he was keeping me simply to fatten me up and then eat me...oh, I hoped I was wrong.

“First of all, I suppose I should tell you what I know about you...and then how I know it.” he began with a small smile. “I know that you are from a place called Equestria, for example.”

I gasped in shock as I struggled to form words, my questioning mind now overriding my normally-timid nature. “H-how did you know that?”

He chuckled and sighed before looking at me. “Because it’s my home.”

Chapter 2: Remedy for Ignorance

“What?” I nearly whispered, caught completely off-guard by his statement.

Geoff nods solemnly. “Yes...I am from Equestria.”

I thought for a few moments before shaking my head. “N-no, that can’t be true. Nothing like you has ever been there before...and between my friends and I, I’m familiar with almost everything that lives there.”

“Perhaps, but magic can do many things, my dear.” he explained cryptically.

I shrank back a bit and glanced up at him. “Um, w-what do you mean? That is, if you don’t mind me asking.”

He chuckled softly and shook his head. “Not at all. You see, who and what I am relates to Equestria’s history, as well as that of the entire world...both this one and the one you come from. It is a history that has been both forgotten and covered up.”

What he was implying caused fear and a strong denial within me, and I found myself speaking with an odd amount of confidence. “No...that’s not true. The princesses would never hide any-”

“If you truly believe that your rulers tell you everything, then I am sad to be the one to tell you that this is far from the truth.” he explained, his stare never wavering for a moment. He then sighed and closed his eyes, lowering his head. “It pains me that I must tell you that the harmony your world experiences is in no small way attributed to the ignorance of its people. The fact stands that certain things about the past are better left forgotten. Make no mistake, your princesses are doing the right thing by keeping certain truths from you.”

I still didn’t believe him, but still asked, “Why are you telling me this?”

He opened his eyes and leveled his gaze with my own, his expression pleading. “Because what I must tell you has much to do with one of those withheld truths.” Breathing another sigh, he quirked his eyebrow at me. “Are you sure you wish to hear this? I fear that if you choose to believe it, this explanation will change your view on your world...and perhaps, your princesses.”

Well, something I don’t believe can’t change anything, now can it?

I nodded. “I’m sure.”

He pursed his lips and nodded. “Very well. Perhaps first I should play on something you know...something you are familiar with, Kindness.” My gasp of surprise answered him, and he nodded with a smile. “Yes...I know what you are, Element-bearer. Its power practically drips off of you...I would have to be blind not to notice it. However, you need not fear me. I do not seek to hurt you or any of the other five, whoever they are. I simply wished to bring up the subject...the Elements of Harmony.” He then moved slightly closer and turned until he was completely facing me, folding his hands in his lap. “Now, what do you know about where the Elements came from?”

It took a few seconds for my mind to catch up, but when it did I relaxed a little and shook my head. “I-I don’t know...nopony does.”

He shook his head as well. “I’m sorry, but that’s inaccurate. Two definitely do...they just cannot say so. Care to guess who I am speaking about?”

“The princesses.” I answered without thinking.

He nodded. “Correct. And now I will tell you why they cannot say so. You see, the world you come from thrives on harmony. Most ponies may think that means all ‘good’, but that too, is inaccurate. Harmony is in fact the balance of both ‘good’ and ‘evil’, where neither is in excess or extremes. As you know by now, the Elements of Harmony can help that to be, creating harmony with their combined might. Long ago, it was done to forge the land of Equestria into a land fit to house ponies, and I am sure you and the other five bearers have done your own share of bringing harmony.”

I nodded when he paused. “Y-yes. We cleansed Nightmare Moon and brought Princess Luna back, and when Discord escaped, we sealed him in stone again.”

His eyebrow rose slightly as I spoke this, and he asked, “Luna has returned? She is well?”

“I-I haven’t seen her in a long time, but I think she’s okay. S-sorry...” I replied nervously.

Hazel eyes seemed to glisten for a moment in the moonlight before he looked at me again. He surprised me by gently grasping my hoof in his hand, and smiling. “Thank you, Fluttershy...thank you so much.”

I awkwardly returned a smile and answered, “Um, y-you’re welcome?”

He pulled his hand away and smiled sheepishly. “Sorry about that. It’s just...” he sighed and smiled warmly, “it’s just that I was there when Luna became Nightmare Moon...and it has been a nightmare I have been reliving in my mind for the better part of a thousand years.” He then clicked his tongue and nodded. “Right, first off, harmony can only exist when there are two opposite forces contending with one another, but neither gaining any ground, so to speak. So, if there is a being such as Discord, what would you immediately think should also be?”

I shrugged. “I-I’m not sure. Maybe somepony to keep him from being bad?”

He patted his knee with a smile. “Exactly! Unfortunately one does not exist in that world, which is why you need the Elements of Harmony to combat his chaotic nature. Follow me so far?” I nodded. “Good. Now then, if one were to combat Discord, one-”

What he had said earlier suddenly struck me, and I blurted out, “You’re a thousand years old?” I then realized that I had interrupted him, and shrank away in embarrassment. “Oh...s-sorry.”

He chuckled and shook his head. “It’s no bother, I promise. Anyhow no, I am not one thousand years old.” He paused for a few moments before adding, “I am much, much older than that.”

I felt my eyes widen as I brought a hoof to my mouth to suppress a gasp. “Oh...how old?”

He shrugged. “I lost count after the first ten millennia. After so long, it just sort of blends together into one long day.” His eyes gained a faraway look in them before he shook his head quickly. “Anyway, what was I speaking about? Discord! Right. Anyhow, if the world were to have a being such as Discord, it should theoretically have another being to oppose his chaos, but the Elements of Harmony do that, yes?” I nodded, and he grinned mischievously. “Well, what if I told you that the Elements were not always available? What if I told you that once, many, many years ago, there was a pony to counteract the chaos?”

Slowly, ever so slowly, what he was saying was starting to make sense.

He continued. “You see, there are certain forces in the world that must be governed and balanced properly for harmony and life to continue to flourish. Day and night, for example. Your two princesses govern those of course, but there are also four other forces that must be governed by an intelligent being so as to allow balance to ensue. Chaos is governed by Discord...while peace was once governed by another.” He paused for a moment to allow the information to sink in before adding, “His name was Order.”

“What happened to him?” I asked, now genuinely curious.

He sighed. “He was banished from Equestria by Celestia in a rage. You see, some of the stories you have been told of Nightmare Moon and Discord are skewed. The fact remains that the Elements of Harmony cannot be wielded by only one or two ponies.”

I thought about this for a moment before asking, “So the princesses didn’t...?”

He shook his head solemnly. “No...they were not the ones who set Discord in stone and banished Nightmare Moon. It was in fact Order who did so.”

“But I thought you said the Elements of Harmony can’t be used by only one pony.” I retorted, his story suddenly having a gaping hole in it.

He nodded. “I did, didn’t I? However, the Elements of Harmony were not needed...as Order was in fact the culmination of their power. He was the one who created the Elements of Harmony.”

Slowly, the pieces of the story began to fall into place, but one glaring unknown still bothered me...

“What made Celestia banish Order then?” I asked with confusion. “If your story is true, then he sounds like a good pony.”

Be barked a laugh, startling me a bit before quieting and smiling at me. He shrugged and answered, “Perhaps he was, or perhaps he wasn’t. I’m not so sure of either anymore.”

I might not be as smart as Twilight, but I was observant enough to realize the next piece of the puzzle...

“You’re Order...” I whispered.

He smiled and nodded. “Yes. I am honestly surprised it took you so short a time to come to that. Well done.”

I shook my head. “But wait, why aren’t you a pony? And why are you here?”

Again he grinned as he answered, “And now I will reveal another truth about your world. Where have you been told the changelings originated from?”

I thought for a few moments, caught off-guard by his question. “W-well we aren’t told much of anything. The only thing I know is that they steal love to survive, they can change what they look like, and they’re really scary.”

He nodded solemnly. “I suppose they are now. It’s a shame, really...my children used to be so much more.” I gasped in shock as he continued. “The changelings are the defiled children of Order, corrupted by chaos magic from Discord. Ponies are the children of Celestia and Luna. Gryphons are the children of War, while dragons, believe it or not, are the children of Peace. War is known as Cadeyrn, while Peace chose to be nameless among the mortals...most don’t even know he exists, or even what he looks like.”

“Emperor Cadeyrn is War?” I asked in surprise. All of Equestria had heard about the crowned Emperor of Gryphonia, and how he swept across the entirety of the Warring States, often fighting on the front lines, and united the whole of the gryphon nations under one banner. Still, I had never thought him to be the force of war itself...but the more I thought about it, the more it started to make sense.

Geoff laughed loudly as he slapped his knee. “An emperor, is he? My, he has done quite well for himself.”

I sighed in frustration at how easily he got distracted, but calmed down enough to ask, “But I don’t understand. What are you exactly what do you really look like? And why were you banished?”

He shrugged as his eyes grew a bit distant. “What I am and what I truly look like are illusions. I am everything, and I am nothing. It is this ability that I gave to my children, and it is this ability that changelings use to change their form. To a far lesser degree, of course. I look however I need to, whether it be as I am now, as a pony, or some strange being neither of us has ever thought of before.” He then sighed sadly as he said, “As for why Princess Celestia banished me, it’s quite simple really. I banished her sister to create harmony, because she was a danger to the world and life itself. Celestia was too young to understand, and only saw what I did as a personal vendetta. She had the power to exact revenge upon me, and so she banished me from Equis. In my final moments, I knew that for her to do so would cause the entire world to collapse, so with my last breath on your world, I created the Elements of Harmony to promote harmony in my absence.” He then gently placed his finger on my chest and said, “You, in essence, are now a part of what was left of me.”

I shook my head with a sad sigh. “I’m not an Element of Harmony anymore. I left the necklace back at my house under a spell that Twilight made.”

I was confused when he started laughing again, but he quickly stopped when he noticed my confusion. He wiped a tear from his eye as he continued smiling and said, “I’m sorry, I just forget sometimes how little normal people know about things.” He scooted a little closer to me until he was sitting against the headboard, and I didn’t find it so scary anymore. “Well, to put it simply, you are Kindness, Fluttershy. You don’t just represent it, you are the Element of Kindness. It is true that you need the necklace to channel its power into a Harmony Wave, but the power itself is within you. You weren’t just chosen to wield Kindness, you became it.”

I couldn’t help but think that this was probably something that even Twilight didn’t know. Oh, she was going to be so jealous when...

“Oh no...” I muttered as the emotions began to overtake me again.

As I closed my eyes, I heard and felt as Geoff moved beside me. “Fluttershy, what’s wrong?”

I sniffled a few times to try and keep from crying again as I said, “I’m stuck here now, aren’t I?”

I expected a sigh and an explanation that I didn’t want to hear. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I even halfway expected Geoff to lay a hand on my shoulder or try to hug me...but that wasn’t what happened.

Instead, he chuckled.

It took him a moment to stop, but when he did, he smiled at me. “No dear Fluttershy, you are not. In fact, thanks to you being here, I can return as well.”

I nearly hopped up and out of the bed, but the sheer weakness I felt kept me from doing so. Instead I answered, “Well let’s go right now! Um...please.”

I expected him to laugh at what I said, but instead he surprised me again by frowning slightly. “We cannot...not yet.”

“W-what?” I questioned worriedly. “Why not?”

He shook his head sadly. “The spell that could take us home draws upon the magic inside you, and upon your very soul. At the moment both are far too weak, as they are attempting to repair the damage done to your body.” He sighed and locked his eyes with my own. “We have to get you well again first, and from the looks of it, that could take some time.” The sheer amount of deflation I felt must have been visible on my face, because the next thing I knew he was gently rubbing my shoulder as he said, “I will not risk your life simply to get us home, Fluttershy.”

I didn’t particularly like the answer, but I did understand his reasons. Truthfully, even though I missed home, I didn’t want to risk my life to get there either.

I closed my eyes as I tried to fight away the tears of frustration, and nodded. “Fine...I guess I have to wait.”

I felt as the hand on my shoulder snaked around my back to the other, and soon his entire arm was holding me against him. It was the closest I’d been to anypony in a long time, and even though I was just getting to know Geoff, it felt nice to be held by him. It reminded me that I wasn’t alone anymore, and even though I didn’t fully understand who and what he was, I trusted him.

“I swear to you Fluttershy,” he began, tightening his hold on me slightly, “I’m not doing this to be cruel. I simply wish for you to survive the trip back. I will nurse you back to health as quickly and safely as I can.”

I nodded again, squeezing my eyes closed to keep the tears from falling. “Okay.”

He tightened his grip on me slightly before releasing me, and moving away. “Now, we should get some food in you if you’re up to it. There is some soup left that I can heat up for you if you’re feeling hungry.”

Now that he mentioned it, I did feel rather hungry. I hadn’t gotten a chance to eat much before I had taken a nap in the bowl of soup. So, I nodded gently. “Yes please. Some soup would be very nice, thank you.”

He smiled and stood. “Very well. Please wait here and I’ll return in a few moments.”

I watched him leave as he trotted (or walked, I guess the correct term would be) out of the room. For the first time that night, I actually took a look around the room I was in. It was rather simply decorated, having only the bed, a single dresser, and a nightstand with a lamp. Upon the nightstand was a single picture frame, and in it was a photograph of Geoff, another human with longer hair and softer features, and two smaller humans. The other taller human had a mane of blonde and bright green eyes, just like Applejack. The two smaller humans had a mix darker version of the blonde hair along with Geoff’s blue, and the other’s green eyes. The photograph itself was yellowed with age, and the clothing style Geoff was wearing in the photo looked very different from what he was wearing now.

“Getting acquainted with my family, are you?” Geoff’s voice commented from behind me.

I jumped a bit in response, and whipped my head around to see him standing in the doorway with a tray of soup and toast, and he was wearing a smile on his face. I turned back to the photograph and asked, “These humans are your family?”

“Were my family.” he corrected as he made his way to sit on the bed beside me.

I turned again to look at him and asked, “Were?” It was then that I understood, and I gasped as a twinge of sadness ran through me. “Oh...I’m sorry, Geoff.”

He offered me a smile as he reached over and stroked his fingers softly on the glass of the frame. “It’s alright, Fluttershy. I will always miss them, but they lived long and happy lives. In fact, I believe my great-grandson is still around somewhere in the UK, though I know not where, exactly.”

I nodded, but still felt a little sad for him. “I can’t imagine what it would be like to lose your mate and foals, but you keep on living.”

He sighed as he scooted over to sit directly beside me. “It is painful. There is no doubt about the fact that it is difficult, and the process of healing is long and arduous. As an immortal though, I learned early on how to cope with the loss of loved ones. It is something all immortals learn quickly, lest they lose their minds to grief.” He gently dipped the spoon in the small bowl of soup and turned his gaze back to me. “Now, let’s get you fed.”

When I realized he was preparing to feed me like a foal, I held my hoof up to stop him. “I-I can do it on my own.”

His eyebrow raised as he pointed to my hoof. It was shaking. “I could allow you to feed yourself, but you’d end up making more of a mess than is necessary. Now sit up straight and blow.” Geoff then placed the steaming spoon in front of my nose.

I knew the tone of voice he was using. It was the same tone I would use with animals when they were being difficult in order to let them know that I knew what I was doing, and they needed to listen to me. Much like the animals would, I stopped resisting. His voice was soothing, though I couldn’t really put my hoof on why exactly. Still, his tone also brokered no room for argument, so I blew on the spoonful of soup and opened my mouth.

It was an hour later that I was finished eating, and Geoff and I were sitting in his room, talking. Instead of him speaking about his life though, I told him about mine. I told him about my time on this planet, the loss of Angel, and everything I could remember about the events leading up to me being sent away from Equestria. I shed a few tears when I mentioned Angel, but Geoff was right beside me to comfort me.

Eventually though, the day began to wear on me as I felt my body as a whole begin to slump. I watched as Geoff left the room with the dirty dishes in hand, and returned a few moments later with a glass of water. I greedily gulped the liquid down with a multivitamin he had provided me, and settled into the bed. He then tucked me in and sat down beside me, talking to me as I lay there peacefully. I found myself feeling a little upset that he was doing so much for me. Perhaps it was the fact that I was so used to taking care of animals and my friends, but I hated feeling like an invalid. That’s not to say I didn’t appreciate him, but I didn’t want to be taking advantage of his hospitality either. Perhaps when I was a little stronger, I’d repay his kindness somehow.

Some time later, he stood up off the bed and lowered the shades in the windows, closing out all but a few slits of moonlight. He then prepared to leave the room, but for some reason, I felt the need to make my uneasiness known.

“Um, w-wait.” I softly spoke, causing him to stop and turn around. I gestured to the bed and said, “I-I can’t take your bed. Where would you sleep?”

He shrugged. “Strictly speaking, I can go a day or two without sleep safely. You need it more than I do, so rest. The loo is to your right, and I’ll be downstairs if you need me.”

Yet again was that tone that told me, “This is the way it’s going to be. Deal with it.” In a kind way of course, but also stern.

With that in mind, I opted not to argue further, and just nodded. “O-okay. Goodnight, Geoff.”

He smiled as he stepped to the doorway. “Goodnight, Fluttershy. Sleep well, and may you have sweet dreams.” He then stepped out and closed the door over, leaving it only slightly ajar.

Now that I was alone again, I let my mind drift to all I’d been told. I couldn’t help but smile slightly as I thought about how Twilight would react to the information I’d just been given, and I found myself smiling even more at the fact that I could now hope that I would get home again. Home wouldn’t be quite the same without Angel there, and I was still a little sad about it, but working with animals for as long as I had, I’d become pretty used to death...probably more than my friends would expect. Still, for the first time in what felt like an eternity, I could feel a sense of excitement and hope flooding me once again.

The warmth of these thoughts lulled me to sleep again as I lay my head down, content to look to a brighter dawn.

Chapter 3: A Cloudy New Day

Waking up came slowly for me, more than I was used to. Before coming to this world, I was so used to waking up before the sun rose to tend to the animals that depended upon me, and even since being here, I slept so little that I was used to watching the sun rise. The rising of the sun and the moon had been one of the few comfortable constants in my life since coming here, as it looked so similar to the way it happened in Equestria. This morning however, I woke to the sun’s rays filtering through the closed blinds in Geoff’s room, and the sound and smell of him cooking something downstairs.

I gently pushed the blanket and sheet away from myself before slowly standing and stretching my aching limbs. I was sore from being still for so long ‒ as up until this point, I slept an average of only four hours per night ‒ but it was a good kind of sore. It reminded me that my body was already beginning to repair itself.

I carefully stepped down from the bed itself and prepared to make my way downstairs, only to be stopped in my tracks by a rather strong scent. I stopped and sniffed the air a few times before scrunching my face up in disgust as I realized the smell was emanating from me. True that I bathed whenever I could, but without adequate safe areas until now, it had been nearly a week since I had last bathed, and even longer since I had used soap. With that in mind I decided to take Geoff up on his offer to bathe, and exited the room and turned right, entering the washroom.

Seeing as how Geoff’s kind was so much taller than a pony, it made sense that everything in the washroom was so much larger than I was used to. It would make grooming myself a little difficult, but I would find a way to do it since I had been offered.

Luckily for me as I looked over the plumbing of the shower, I noticed that it was very similar to what ponies used, except with a metal hose that connected to a strange wall-mounted box, which led to a detached shower head that was held on a small chrome hook on the tiled wall. I eyed the unknown box warily, unsure of what it did.

“It’s a power shower.” spoke Geoff’s voice from behind, surprising me and causing me to let out a small noise of surprise.

I took a moment to compose myself before turning to him quizzically. “A power shower?”

He nodded before walking past me, pointing to the small knob upon the little box. “This controls the pressure of the water. It’s a useful little device for a place that is lacking in natural water pressure.”

I was more than a little intrigued at the device. Truth be told, many parts of Ponyville could make good use of such a thing.

“Anyway,” he continued, “I figured I would explain what it was so you didn’t have a heart attack when it came on.” He then reached up to a hook that was upon the door and pulled down a pair of large teal-colored towels, folding and leaving them upon the lid of what could only be a toilet bowl. “Here’s a few towels, and I already told you where the soaps are in there. I’ll have a hot breakfast ready for you when you’ve finished.” Without another word, he left the room and closed the door behind him.

I stared at the closed door for a moment before sighing and turning back to the shower, happy to finally have soap to use and hot water.

I reached in and cautiously turned the blue knob, which I assume was for the cold water. The water flowed through the lower faucet liberally, and I ran my hoof through it as I turned the other knob ‒ the red one ‒ trying to adjust the water to a comfortable temperature. It was incredible just how similar everything was to my own plumbing back home, and I was happy to feel that sort of similarity.

Once the water was warm enough, I turned the center knob and watched as the water rerouted to the shower head, and then stepped into the warm stream of water with a sigh of relief. It felt wonderful to be using a real shower again, and it was clear my skin agreed with me as I felt the itchiness from going unwashed fade away. I then looked to my left and smiled as I carefully used my wings to grasp the soap bottles provided to me, and set about washing myself.

As I descended the stairs with the provided towel wrapped around my mane, I couldn’t help but be a little bit disgusted with myself at how bright and vibrant my decidedly-thin coat was compared to before washing. That meant that I was filthy beforehand, and still Geoff had let me sleep like that in his bed. I wanted to wash the bed linens because of that, but simply because of the fact that I was unsure where I would wash them, I decided to wait until he did so, and offer my help at that time.

Embarrassingly, my stomach was more worried about breakfast at the moment.

It took only a few seconds to find the kitchen area, and when I did, I entered as quietly as possible and sat at the table, attempting to sit as comfortably as possible in the large chair provided to me. True that it wasn’t made for a pony, but the extra space at the back allowed comfortable space for my sparsely-feathered wings, which also reminded me that I needed to preen at some point.

“Good morning to you, Fluttershy.” greeted Geoff from his place at the stove, not even turning to look at me. “I do hope the washing implements were useful.”

I nodded, though he clearly didn’t see it. “They were. Thank you so much. I feel so much better now that I’m clean.” I then shifted a bit uneasily as I added, “A-and I’m sorry about sleeping in your bed when I was so filthy.”

Again, without turning around, he waved his hand dismissively at me. “It is no trouble. Your health is far more important than the cleanliness of my bed. Besides, that’s what washing powder is for. I’ll put them on to wash after we’re finished with breakfast, that way you can have a clean place to sleep tonight.”

It still surprised me just how kind a perfect stranger was being to me. Part of me wondered whether his kindness was simply “just because”, or whether he was kind only because I was his way back to Equestria. Personally, I hoped for the former, but also kept the possibility of the latter in mind.

“So um…” I began, questioning whether I should delve into his personal life, “w-what do you do for a living?”

He chuckled lightly before turning to face me for the first time, leaning against the counter. “I was wondering when you would ask me that. Curiously enough, I don’t specifically have a set career. I do whatever catches my fancy really, as over the centuries I have become quite skilled in just about anything you could think of. From music to war, and from healing to technology, I try and learn all that I can. One never knows when a certain skill may be of use, after all. Currently though, I work as a shepherd for sheep. It is a quiet life, and company is rare, save when I go to market to sell the sheep or wool.” He then turned his eyes toward the window behind me and smiled. “It will be a calm day today, so if you wish, I can show you what I do. You can meet Moon Lily and Rex, my two dogs.”

The mention of animals instantly brightened my mood a bit more, and I couldn’t help but smile excitedly as I nodded. “Oh yes, that sounds wonderful!”

He chuckled at my behavior and turned back to the stove, stirring a sizzling pan of something that smelled wonderful. “Well I am glad you approve.” He then picked up the pan and slid the contents of the pan onto two plates, then he asked, “I seem to have forgotten, but do ponies eat eggs?”

I shrugged. “I suppose it’s up to the pony. Pegasi and earth-ponies tend to eat them more than unicorns. I personally don’t care for them.”

He nodded before finishing what he was doing. A minute or two later, he turned to me and brought the two plates over to the table, setting one in front of me. I could see and smell what looked like scrambled eggs and a few meats on his plate, while mine was an assortment of toast, beans in some sort of reddish sauce, fresh-cut tomatoes, and a few fried potatoes, and sautéed mushrooms. The rest looked wonderful, but I was a little wary of the red sauce the beans were in.

He must have noticed my apprehension, since he pointed to my plate as he took a seat across from me. “The sauce is just tomato sauce. I promise, there isn’t any meat on your plate.”

I nodded gratefully before carefully picking up the fork provided to me with my right wingtip feathers, carefully holding it before dipping it forward onto the plate to spear some of the tomatoes and mushroom. I then brought it to my mouth and took a bite. As the flavors invaded my taste buds, I nearly moaned in great approval of the taste, and offered a smile to Geoff.

He pointed his own fork at me before warning, “Don’t try and eat all of that if you start feeling full. Overfeeding could actually do more harm to you than good, so once you’re satisfied, just let me know. I just wanted to give you a good variety is all. The dogs enjoy the leftovers anyway.”

I nodded again before setting back into the lovely breakfast, happy to eat my first real meal in longer than I cared to think about. Truthfully, I couldn’t remember if I’d ever eaten this good at home either, but either way I was very pleased with how he was caring for me. So rare was it that I actually let somepony take care of me that I honestly didn’t know how nice it was. Sure, I still wanted to pay him back somehow for his help, but I couldn’t deny that it felt nice to be cared for.

And yet again, the food was incredible.

It had taken nearly an hour to finish breakfast, as not only did I take my time so as to keep from causing harm to myself, but I also found myself interested in Geoff and his life on this world, namely in the differences he had found between it and Equestria. He told me that there were quite a few things that were similar between our two races, but also there were just as many things different as well. He assumed it had something to do with the fact that humans were the apex predator of the entire planet of Earth, but couldn’t definitively prove anything in regards to it.

After he started his bed linens washing, he continued to explain to me as much as he could as we approached a wide open field where some sheep could be seen grazing, with some of the most lush green grass I had ever seen. It was so peaceful a place, and just from the atmosphere surrounding us, it felt like the meadows near my home in Equestria. If only for a second as I reveled in the beauty of the landscape, I didn’t miss home.

A flash of movement out of the corner of my eye caught my attention, and I turned to see two dogs running toward us. Just from looking at them, I could tell they were the same breed as Winona, Applejack’s border collie. One of them was a deep reddish-brown with patches of white along the chest, paws, and face, while the other was a whitewashed version of its friend, only with more white.

“Border collies!” I exclaimed with a smile, looking to Geoff. “Applejack has one on her farm that helps her herd the cows.”

Geoff seemed impressed as he gazed down at me with a smile. “Ah, so you’re familiar with the breed. Brilliant animals, aren’t they?”

I nodded happily as the two dogs bounded toward me, clearly unsure if I was meant to be greeted like a human, or herded. For a moment, I could see them both take their crouched stance in front of me, but a simple noise from their owner caused them to lay down and wait for us to approach.

As I trotted next to Geoff, I could already feel the effects of my emaciation, but was too overjoyed to care for the time being, so I instead happily greeted the dogs with a smile and “kissing” noises, which I remembered Winona loving for some reason. Apparently, the two dogs quickly decided that a “herd animal” wouldn’t be making such noises, as their expressions changed from focused stares to curiousness.

When Geoff and I finally reached the two dogs, he took a knee before them and patted the one on the left ‒ the one with a darker fur color ‒ and gestured with his head to me. “Come on then, go say hi.”

The dog approached me slowly and sniffed around my face for a moment before dropping its chest to the ground in the familiar “play with me!” stance that I knew from domesticated canines. This meant that I was accepted as a friend of its master, instead of something to be herded. The other dog quickly followed suit, and before I knew it the two were prancing playfully around me as they traded licks and yips of excitement.

I had missed this.

“Well,” Geoff chuckled out with a smile, “I am so glad they accepted you so quickly. I’ve always held the firm belief that animals can sense a good person, and this just proves that fact.” He then patted the darker one’s back and explained, “This is Moon Lily,” he then passed his attention to the other, “and this is Rex. They’re both mates and have been working this land with me for nearly five years now. Got them both as pups, and raised them myself.”

I giggled as Rex gave an affectionate lick to my nose, and grinned at Geoff. “They’re beautiful, Geoff.”

He nodded before standing again and stating, “Time to work, you lot.” Instantly, the dogs turned their attention to the sheep. “Walk on.” At this command, both dogs approached the flock of sheep at a crouched walk, their gazes never leaving the flock itself.

As I continued to watch, I faintly heard Geoff call out some other commands, which caused the dogs to circle the sheep different directions, as well as stop or even lay down on command. Truthfully, I wasn’t listening. Instead, I was focused on just how beautiful it was to watch the two working dogs be in perfect sync with their owner. It was artistry in itself, and it was a sight to behold.

After a few moments of this, the word “pen” snapped me out of my daydream, and I watched as the two dogs slowly herded the sheep into a small fenced pen in the middle of the field, and when Geoff closed the sheep within by locking the gate, the dogs stood still and waited patiently.

After a few moments of silence, Geoff smiled at the two dogs and stated, “That’ll do. Well done.”

Clearly “work” was over, as the two dogs bounded away from the sheep and back to me, while Geoff let the sheep out of their pen again.

“Well,” he announced, making his way back over to me, “that’s pretty much it. For the most part, the dogs protect the sheep and herd them to where I need to go, while also keeping a lookout for thieves that might try to steal the sheep.”

I nodded as I nuzzled the panting dogs, amazed at just how useful such a bright animal could be in nearly any type of work. “Yes. Applejack’s does the same thing for her, except with cows. It’s amazing how well they work for you.”

He nudged my shoulder with his hand as he motioned to the house. “Well, it’ll be lunchtime soon, and you can’t afford to skip a meal. Come on then, let’s head back in for now. We’ve got to get you healthy, and that won’t be happening if you don’t eat some good food.”

I offered him a smile before I turned towards the home, following Geoff as he led me back to his house.

Lunch was a simple sandwich of lettuce, tomatoes, and green cucumbers, which I was thankful for. Technically the cucumbers weren’t ripe, but I had never particularly liked the bitterness of the ripened version.

Another thing I found strange was the fact that so much of the flora of Earth was either similar or identical to that of Equestria. For example, I even recognized the grass-type as carpetgrass, which was a type of grass that thrived in low-light, moist areas. Even the tomatoes that I had eaten tasted so similar to the ones that Applejack grew on her farm, which had me wondering just how similar the two worlds were.

The only thing that seems to separate the two worlds is magic (or lack thereof).

Thankfully for me, the rest of the day was very calm as well, which gave me plenty of time to rest and recuperate from my starvation and lack of adequate sleep. Geoff saw fit to introduce television to me, which was a wondrous experience. It was a strange flattened device with a “screen” on front which projected moving pictures, as if I were looking into one of Twilight’s scrying gems. Most of the choices (which Geoff told me were called “programs”) spoke of things that I didn’t understand, but the daily news was what caught my attention, and I thought I would make my confusion known.

Geoff and I were sharing space upon his sofa (which I decided was the sofa to end all sofas) and watching his daily news channel when the weather report flickered onto the television.

“Wait,” I began, trying to understand what was happening as I formulated my question, “humans can predict the weather? I thought you told me that humans don’t control the weather.”

Geoff looked to me and nodded, then gestured back to the television. “We don’t. The predictions are basically an educated guess, using what humans know about meteorology, physics, and the different factors that make up our weather patterns for the world. This includes high-altitude jet streams, high- and low-pressure systems, as well as seasonal occurrences. Using all that information, the news people can make a good guess as to how the weather will behave. It’s not spot-on, but it’s as close as humans can get to predicting the future.” I formed my lips into a silent “oh” before turning my attention back to the television, seeing that rain was scheduled for the next six days, which caused Geoff to chuckle. “Well, that’s England for you. At least it’s consistent.”

I giggled at his response and said, “It reminds me of Trottingham back home. I remember a joke that said, ‘If it’s not raining, start looking for Discord.’ I’ve never actually been there, but we have a few ponies in Ponyville from there, and they described it to be...well, like here.”

He nodded with a smile. “It’s mild weather though. We don’t get mad storms like some of the other parts of the world, and nor do we get a week or so straight of boiling heat either. Like I said, it’s consistent for the most part.”

I smiled gently as my eyelids began to droop, and I found myself beginning to fight to stay awake. Unfortunately for me it was a losing battle, but Geoff didn’t seem to mind as I laid my chin down on his knee as I closed my eyes. Instead, he busied his hand with running through my mane, which was so relaxing that before I knew it, I was asleep again.

A/N: Moon Lily and Rex are based off of my own two dogs, Piper and Laddie. Beautiful dogs, and anyone that has experience with border collies will agree that once you get one, no other breed compares in terms of intelligence and ease of training.

Chapter 4: Building

It was nearly a week after Geoff found me that I felt the stability of a routine begin to overtake me. I was never as obsessed with organization as Twilight was (after all, a house among animals could only be so organized), but the feeling of familiarity was something I relished. It was a sense of normality that my time with Geoff had given me, and I enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed his company.

Unfortunately for me, Geoff had a job he had to attend to in town, as his work as a shepherd would only make him so much money. So I often had to find things to keep me busy while he was forced to go away.

He taught me how everything in his home worked and assured me that no humans would randomly be coming by his home, other than to drive by on their way through the countryside. I was still a little nervous to be left alone, but I often placated my worry by confining myself to the home. Should someone knock on the door, I knew I could just ignore it, and sooner or later they would go away. No such thing had happened yet, but it was a mildly comforting thought for me to know that I could probably handle the situation, should it pop up.

Other than that worry though, the days became rather habitual in nature. I would rise when Geoff did, have breakfast with him, and then spend my time cleaning the house as well as I could while he was gone. When he would come home, I would offer a listening ear to him as he told me about his day, and then we would share an evening meal before watching the television (or “telly”, as he called it). Truthfully, I wasn’t quite as concerned with the strange device as I was by Geoff’s presence. It was nice to be able to talk to someone after so long, and having Geoff by my side made the hole in my heart from Angel’s passing hurt a little less.

Also, it was quite nice to be able to speak to someone as old as Geoff was. As an Element-bearer, I knew the princesses personally (not as close as Twilight, but close enough), but they didn’t often talk of their personal life, or their past. Geoff held no secrets between us, however, and this behavior just further comforted me. He was powerful and ancient, but he was also kind and open to me.

That was besides the fact that he had some great stories to tell.

Maybe it was Geoff’s innate warm personality, or maybe it was simply the fact that I didn’t have anyone else; what I did know was that I had become closer to him faster than I had any of my friends in Equestria, which honestly scared me a little. I wasn’t afraid of the closeness in itself, more so the fact that I trusted him so readily. Yet again, maybe it was just the fact that I didn’t have anyone else I could trust...or maybe not. It was a question that I couldn’t answer, so I instead just pushed it to the back of my mind and chose to keep aware of any other strange changes to my personality. After all, trauma didn’t account for how I’d connected with the human.

Even with my anxiety about my bond with Geoff, I couldn’t stop the feelings I felt whenever he was around. Simply seeing him could bring a smile to my face, and his voice calmed me even if I had awakened from a horrible nightmare (which was more common than I care to admit). Just his presence alone put me at ease, and during the common occurrence that I would doze while resting on or against him, my worries and fears ceased to exist for those few blissful moments of serenity.

Thankfully for me, I wasn’t Twilight; I didn’t have to understand things to enjoy them, and had learned very early in life to appreciate things for what they were. Knowing that an aurora was caused by the collision of charged particles from the sun hitting the atoms in high altitudes at the planet’s magnetic poles didn’t make it any more beautiful, nor did knowing how the pony nose interpreted smells make a field of flowers smell more lovely. Instead of wanting to completely understand everything, I just wished to bask in the beauty around me when I was given the opportunity. Angel’s death had brought an entirely new perspective to my life: to enjoy things while they existed.

So instead of trying to understand why I felt so safe with Geoff or why I liked spending so much time with him, I decided to just take the situation for what it was. My questions about my own behaviors were less important than making sure I made the most of my time with my new friend, however long or short that may be.

The weekend morning started off like most other mornings for me recently: I pulled myself out of bed and washed before making my way downstairs to feed Moon Lily and Rex.

I smiled at the memory of Geoff trying to convince me that I didn’t need to help. Clearly he expected me to just back down and let him do everything around his house. That just wasn’t who I was, however. With all the help he had offered to me (quite literally saving my life, for example), I was adamant about doing my own part around the small home. While I wasn’t as straightforward as Rainbow Dash, I was very independent. It obviously needed not be said that I aimed to earn my keep.

As I scooped dry kibble into the dog’s bowls before adding water (for some reason, they liked it mixed), I hummed a tune I had heard Geoff humming as he went about his morning routines before work, and the song had become lodged in my head. It was a pleasant tune, and even Geoff had commented that it sounded much nicer in my voice than his. It was flattering for some reason, knowing that Geoff enjoyed my voice.

I let the thought fade away as I turned the handle and opened the back door before nearly being bowled over by two hungry dogs. I giggled and watched as they skidded along the linoleum floor in a hurry to get their food, and sat quietly as I watched them eat.

It was a common morning in England (at least from what I understood from Geoff), which meant it was overcast with a light morning drizzle. Even back home I enjoyed weather like this. It was just so...calm, I believe would be the best way to describe it.

My morning revelry was cut short as I heard Geoff descending the stairs. I must have been so caught up with myself that I didn’t even notice he had already entered the washroom before I came to the kitchen, but I didn’t mind. The smile he greeted me with as he entered the room immediately brightened the day for me.

“Good morning, Fluttershy. You alright?” he greeted jovially.

I nodded with a smile of my own. “Wonderful. Thank you for asking.”

He flashed me another grin before making his way to the refrigerator, pulling out a few things for breakfast. “So this morning, I’m thinking something a little light. Some blueberries and strawberries with some whipped cream sounds nice, yeah?”

I nodded gratefully. “That sounds wonderful, Geoff. Thank you.”

His smile never left his face as he pulled the items out of his refrigerator and set them upon the cutting board, beginning to prepare the fruit. “You know, I was thinking that perhaps we could go into town together. I think you would like Kingsbridge.”

I raised my eyebrow as I looked to him in surprise. “Um, Geoff? I’m a pony from Equestria. I think I would stick out a little bit. N-not that I wouldn’t love to go, I just don’t think it would be a very good idea.”

He chuckled, which only caused more confusion on my part. “Your differences can easily be fixed. Temporarily of course.” He then turned to me with two bowls full of fruit and a dollop of whipped cream. “That is assuming you really would like to go and weren’t just agreeing to keep from hurting my feelings.”

Apparently in our time together, he had gotten a much better understanding of my personality. Still, I had also become a bit less of a...well, a doormat. It was a mean term for what I had been, but it was also the truth. In the past, before I was sent to Earth, I preferred to keep quiet when I didn’t like something, instead of possibly hurting somepony’s feelings. Now though, I had learned that it was actually better to voice my concerns, that way a pony ‒ or human, in this case ‒ could better understand what I did and did not like, and in turn we could be better friends to each other.

So, I shook my head with a smile in honesty. “No, I truly do. I just don’t see how you could-”

He set both bowls onto the table before wiggling his fingers, causing a very strange thing to happen to the air around his hand. The light in the air seemed to scatter, much like how it would look on the bed of a clear lake, the waves rippling through it. Along with this was a shimmering of different colors, making it look very much like…

A rainbow, of course. Geoff (or Order, as he truly was) created the Elements of Harmony, which used rainbow-like magic. It made sense that his natural magic would look like a rainbow of colors. In every way but the abstract, Geoff was a human, which was possibly why his casual use of magic right then surprised me so much.

He only smiled at my shock, lowering his hand and saying, “Immortal being of immense magic, remember? My specialty is bringing order through change, strange as that may seem. Order is flexible, and what is considered orderly for you is malleable. Order for you on this world would be the form of a human. Order for yourself, however, would be your true form. So, changing your form to that of a human is child’s play, so to speak. As I said though, only if you wish it to be. I would never do anything to you that you do not agree with.”

To be honest, I was a bit reluctant to have my entire body changed to something else, even though he was clear with me that it was only temporary. However, I also knew that Geoff would never do anything to hurt me. Not intentionally, anyway. I don’t know how I know that...I just do.

I nodded hesitantly. “I-I’m sure, Geoff. I’ll be okay.”

He gave me another smile, along with a gentle nod. “Very well. We’ll put the dogs out and I’ll get you some clothes. We can’t very well have you exposing yourself to everyone, now can we?” My confusion must have been clear, because he added, “A human’s primary sex characteristics can always be seen when we are unclothed, and it’s considered indecent to expose yourself in public. It would be equivalent to you lifting your tail in full view of everyone as you walked through town.”

I felt heat rise to my cheeks as I came to understand what he meant. “O-oh my. No, I definitely don’t want to do that.”

He chuckled before pointing to my bowl. “Go ahead and eat. We’ll worry about it after you’re done.”

I continued my meal in silence, thinking over what was offered to me. I wondered just how different the body of a human would feel compared to the body of a pony, and tried to imagine how difficult it would be just to learn to walk. I was not averse to the idea ‒ far from it, in fact ‒ but I just didn’t see how Geoff expected to be able to change my form and teach me to walk in only a few hours. Clearly he knew something I did not, but I would place my trust in him. He had only my best interests and safety in mind after all, so I knew that I had no reason to fear or doubt him.

An hour later found me sitting expectantly in Geoff’s bedroom as I waited for him to arrive. We had cleaned up after breakfast and I washed myself first, seeing as how it took me longer than Geoff to do so. As I waited for him to meet me, I looked over myself with a frown. Though I was leaps and bounds healthier than I was when Geoff found me, I was aware of quite a few thin patches in my coat, and I was quite a bit skinnier than I had been before coming to Earth. I only hoped that such things wouldn’t translate to a human body, though truthfully I didn’t know what was considered beautiful by human standards. I’d never considered myself vain, but even I wanted to be sure I wasn’t innately ugly or anything. Such a fear was part of the reason I spent so much time alone in the past, not to mention my innate distrust of most ponies.

Luckily for me, I wasn’t allowed much time to self-depreciate.

Geoff reentered his bedroom with a few bits of clothing draped over his arm, and a damp towel set atop his head. He laid the articles of clothing down onto the bed beside me before rubbing the towel through his hair and tossing it aside into the hamper in the corner of the room. Steam was still rising from his head from the shower, and he threw a warm grin my way.

“Alright, so here’s what’s going to happen: I’m going to cast the transformation spell on you first; it’s painless and only takes a second or so. After that, I’m going to get you dressed and then try and teach you how to walk as quickly as possible.” he explained. “Hopefully it’ll only take an hour or so, and then we can head in to Kingsbridge. Now,” he began, lifting up the clothing and digging a towel out from under it, “wrap this around your barrel. It’ll cover your female assets when you change.” He then produced a modest pair of what looked like mare’s teasing underwear, with little yellow ducks on it. “And put these on too. That way I won’t be ogling your naked body when you change.” I shot him a look that told of how I hadn’t expected such a thing from him, but he just shrugged. “Testosterone is a hell of a hormone, my dear. Males think about sex constantly, more so if there is something arousing in their vicinity. A nude female would be one of those things.”

I wrapped the towel around me as he asked, but paused when I came to the underwear. “You know that ponies in Equestria only wear these when they’re trying to arouse their mate, right?”

He nodded. “I do, but here, everyone wears underwear. It’s a cultural norm here, so there’s nothing indecent about it.”

I fought down a blush as I wiggled into the pair of underclothes, and let out a bit of an undignified squeak as they pressed up against...well, everything. Having never worn anything so snug, I was unused to the sensations involved. It was rather eye opening, in both the metaphorical and literal sense.

“Th-they’re a bit...tight.” I forced out, attempting to hide my blush behind my mane.

Geoff chuckled and nodded. “They would be at the moment, and I imagine they’re hugging you in a rather uncomfortable way. Well, keep in mind these are made for humans, not ponies, so they’re designed differently. Once you change, you’ll feel much better.” He then held up his right hand, which began to shimmer with the soft, rainbow magic. “Now, are you ready? As I said, it won’t hurt, and it will be over before you know it, but I still need to know if you really want this.”

I thought for a moment before nodding. “I do. It goes a little against who I am as a pony, but I don’t like to hide like this. I want to be able to walk around the countryside with you, or visit the town.” I lowered my head a little more and nearly whispered, “Pegasi don’t like to be cooped up.”

He nodded with a smile. “I remember. They are a warlike race, after all. It would be akin to caging a dragon, actually.” Geoff then moved a little closer and said, “Alright, here we go.”

His hand set upon my head as I closed my eyes, and I felt a momentary tingle of magic. The world seemed to fall out from under me, and I felt him holding my left hoof the whole time. Just as soon as it began, however, it was over.

“Wow,” Geoff breathed softly, “I was not expecting this.”

I winced and bit my bottom lip, finding my body tingling with strange sensations. “Is it bad?”

He cleared his throat loudly before answering, “N-no, not at all. You’re...well…” He seemed to fumble with his words for a moment before stating, “Perhaps you should just open your eyes and see for yourself.”

I took a steadying breath before doing as he asked, and immediately noticed a few things different.

First of all, I was looking at him eye-to-eye, and the room seemed so much smaller now. Along with this was a strange sense of balance, even though both of my front hooves were off-

Wait, something is different.

I looked down slightly and caught sight of a second pair of hands holding tightly onto the one Geoff had offered to me, and the sensations began to become clearer and more focused. I felt Geoff’s hand much more now, and felt the carpet beneath my hooves, and the admittedly cool air on my skin.

With a wave of his hand, a large standing mirror levitated over to Geoff, and he turned it so that it was facing me.

In the mirror stood another human, clothed in a towel and nothing else. Skin of amber replaced yellow fur, and silky black hair replaced locks of pink. The only thing that completely identified the figure were eyes of aquamarine, and a very surprised facial expression.

“I-is that…?” I asked haltingly, still in awe.

Geoff nodded as he stood aside, still allowing me to hold his hand as he allowed my view to come unobstructed. “Yep, it is. And I must say, I never knew you were so...strong.”

So it was true, the figure was me. What was more, my physical emaciation had not carried over to a new body, and what showed was the picture of fitness. Not an athlete by any means, but solidly built for a female, and tall.

“Why am I so tall?” I asked in curiosity. “And...well, muscular?”

“The spell I used translates your true self over to the new form; not what you are so much as who you are.” he explained with a smile as he entered the reflection. “Your height and musculature is likely because of your pegasus heritage, and your skin and hair color is attributed to your love of the sun and all that lives and breathes in its light. The spell is somewhat intelligent like that.” Geoff then released my hands and pulled the sagging towel a little tighter against me before pointing to the mirror. “That, my dear, is who you are on the inside.”

This was a change for me. As a pony in Equestria, I worked hard to feed and care for my animal friends. By no means was I as strong or fast as Rainbow Dash, but my work was very taxing for somepony unaccustomed to it. Still, even by my friends, I was always referred to as “dainty” or even “soft” on occasion. I didn’t mind it though, as it described me perfectly. I was only strong when I had to be, and I had no desire to flaunt power when it wasn’t needed.

But this was very different. Apparently, Geoff’s spell had chosen to bring such inner strength to the surface. By what I knew of humans and their body types, I was still very feminine in every aspect, but looked like I could “cause some damage”, as Rainbow Dash would say.

Mirroring Geoff’s first reaction, I simply voiced, “Wow.”

As I tried to step closer to the reflection, I found my balance immediately lost, and the ground rushing up at me...only to stop mere inches from my face.

Geoff chuckled as I was firmly hoisted to a standing position again. “Walking will take a little practice, but I’ll try and keep things as simple as possible.” I nodded, believing it would be best to get the most basic of things out of the way first. He smiled and said, “First of all, you’re only going to use your hind legs ‒ or just your legs, now ‒ to walk, not all four limbs. It’s a very different way of locomotion, but scientists have referred to it as ‘a series of controlled falls’, if that makes it any easier to understand. Basically,” he explained, holding my hand as he demonstrated, “you begin falling forward to walk,” he then brought his rear foot forward and stomped it in an exaggerated fashion, “but your leg catches you. You just do that over and over, and you’ll be treading in no time.”

I gulped nervously and nodded, trying to take in everything he said before squeezing his hand a little tighter and taking a tentative step forward. I caught myself and kept from falling with this awkward way of walking, but smiled as I found myself not having nearly as much trouble balancing as I originally thought I would. I mentally replayed what I could remember from watching Geoff walk, and copied him the best that I could.

I ended up looking rather foolish, legs splayed wide as if I were...well, I’m unsure, actually.

“Stop, stop, stop.” he ordered, shaking his head with a slight chuckle. “I already know what you’re doing wrong; you’re trying to walk like a man. Do mares walk the same as stallions do?”

I looked to Geoff embarrassingly and shook my head. “N-no, because mares have more...oh…”

“Curves.” he finished with a smirk. “Now, walk that same way, the way that mares do, but with only two legs instead of four.”

I tried to hide a blush by focusing straight ahead and willing it away, consciously trying to ignore the fact that I just spoke about feminine curves to a stallion...man.

Following my first step was a corresponding shift of my hips, and I found my balance much easier to keep. Still holding Geoff’s hand, I continued with another stride, and then another, and another. Each step was slightly more confident than the last, each movement stronger and easier to coordinate.

Finally, after a few dozen steps, Geoff said, “Well, you seem to be picking this up much faster than I thought, so here’s what we’ll do:” he led me over to the footboard of the bed, and placed my hands upon it before stepping away, “I want you to release the footboard, and walk to me. I’ll catch you if you fall, but I want you to try.”

Safety.

Such a simple gesture, but it gave me such a sense of safety and security. Something so simple as “I’ll catch you if you fall” was powerful to me. It was likely I was looking too deeply into the meaning of the words, but they were powerful to me. Somepony without a home, family, or reachable friends is likely to place important on silly things, after all.

Yes, I just called myself silly.

With my confidence braced as much as my new limbs, I nodded with a steadying breath. “Okay. I-I’ll try.”

Geoff nodded and patiently waited for me as I gathered what little courage I had, preparing to try and walk on limbs I’d never had before. The fear of falling began to overtake me, but it was at that moment that a soothing voice spoke to me.

“Don’t worry, I’ll catch you.” he spoke comfortingly.

I looked to Geoff and smiled before emulating the way I had seen him walk ‒ toes pointing straight ahead, feet parallel to the shoulders, and knees slightly bent. I took my first step, focusing on the new appendage that took the place of my hoof. It was made to bend and flex as a human walked, so I fluidly incorporated that into my gait as I set it down and brought my rear leg forward for another step. With my arm fully extended and no longer able to hold onto the bedpost, I released my handhold and balanced entirely upon my legs.

I wobbled a bit, but kept steady as I took another step, and looked up to see Geoff grinning at me.

“Looking good, but try and straighten your back. Humans are meant to stand fully erect.” he explained.

I nodded before doing as he asked, waiting for the strain to be put on my thighs and shoulders as I did so. Surprisingly, the discomfort never came; it was in fact more comfortable to walk standing fully erect. With my back straightened and shoulders relaxed, I felt my balance stabilize, and the fourth step came even easier than the others. I was forced to clutch the towel tight as it began to loosen, but I kept walking until I saw Geoff’s shoes standing in front of my own feet.

When I looked up, he was grinning widely at me. “Well done, it seems you’ve got the basics down. From there, it’ll just take practice for you to become more confident in your strides. Soon, you’ll be able to walk without looking at the ground, and from there, maybe you’ll even be able to run.”

“One step at a time, Geoff.” I mumbled, still a little uncertain.

He nodded. “Yes ma’am.” Geoff then motioned his finger and said, “Alright, turn around. I’m going to help you finish dressing as soon as possible, so as to cut down on embarrassment for you. Unless you want to try it by yourself.”

I looked at the clothing that sat on the bed for a moment; there was a pair of pants, a sweater, socks, and some other piece of clothing I couldn’t identify. My cheeks began to heat up a bit, but I turned back to Geoff and shook my head. “No. Perhaps this first time it would be best if you helped me.”

His smile softened and he nodded again. “I’ll be as gentle and quick as possible.” He reached for the unknown piece of clothing and explained, “This is a brassiere, or ‘bra’ for short. It offers support to a woman’s mammaries, making for a much more comfortable day. Go ahead and drop the towel and put your arms through the two loops.”

I jumped a bit as the fabric pressed against my back and the loops came around the side, and gulped before dropping the towel and doing as he asked. It felt odd having something so snug against me, but this wouldn’t have been the first time I’d worn something like it. Rarity enjoys using me as her personal model, from time to time.

“Luckily you’re around the same size I used to be, so this should fit fine.” Geoff commented.

I raised my eyebrows in confusion. “I thought only females wear this.”

He chuckled from behind me. “You didn’t honestly think I always choose the male form, do you? It’s easier to blend in if I change it up as time passes, so that it gives the illusion of a person’s death and a new person’s birth.” He then winked at me. “A story for another time, dear.” Geoff brought his hands up my side and grasped my own hands in his, guiding them to the front of my chest. “Now, there should be one set of small hooks and three sets of loops for them to go into on the front. Use your hands to fasten it to whichever loop set is most comfortable. Next time, you should be able to do this completely on your own, so there won’t be any embarrassment accrued.” Geoff then chuckled nervously. “Speaking of, I’m sorry about all this. I know it can’t be all that comfortable, but I assure you that my intentions are pure.”

I swallowed thickly and nodded, fumbling with the fastening hooks on the front. “I know you wouldn’t do that to me, Geoff. I trust you.” I didn’t have to see him to know he was smiling, and thankfully, it only took a few seconds to get the brassiere to fasten properly. It fit rather snugly, but I could admit it seemed to take some tension off of my shoulders and back. Not much, but enough to matter.

“Alright, next is luckily easier.” Geoff explained as she crossed in front of me and handed the sweater to me. “You should be able to do this yourself.”

I nodded and took the offered article of clothing, quickly and easily putting it on and settling it around my shoulders. It was a fuzzy fabric that felt like wool, and it felt very warm. I smiled as I looked down at the turquoise sweater, and nodded in thanks to Geoff.

“Now for the last part.” Geoff said with a sigh, motioning for me to sit down on the bed. I did so and he followed me, bringing the socks and pair of black denim pants with him. “This is also probably your first time wearing trousers, but I think you can figure it out. While you do that, I’ll go and get your shoes.” I nodded and began putting the socks on as he left the room.

I will admit that it was still a surreal experience with such a new body, wearing clothing I’d never worn before, but it was also interesting. It was yet another thing I never thought I would be doing or experiencing, but there it was.

Figuring out the zipper and buttons on the pants took a minute, but after getting it right, I slowly stood and looked into the mirror again. What greeted me was a vast change from the woman who initially greeted me, and I couldn’t help but mumble out, “Pretty.”

“Indeed you are.” Geoff commented from the doorway, startling me. He chuckled and walked into the room as I blushed, and he sat down on the bed behind me. “Now, let’s get these shoes on and we can practice walking a bit more before we leave.”

I nodded and allowed him to help me don the shoes, which had more laces than I’d ever seen before on a mere shoe. Then again, a human’s feet were quite a bit different than a pony’s hooves, so I suppose it made sense.

After taking a moment to finish tying the shoes, Geoff stepped back and offered his hand for me to stand. “Well, this has been rather successful.” He then frowned a bit as he examined the pants. “Trousers are a bit baggy, but I suppose it is better a little loose than too tight.” Geoff brought his eyes back to mine before smiling. “Now, to get you a better feel for this new body, you’re going to help me clean the house before we leave. Please handle the dusting and sweeping, and I’ll do the rest.”

Living with so many animals for so long, I was no stranger to having to tidy up a home. Luckily, all of the animals at Geoff’s home were restricted either to outside, or the kitchen when it was raining (the dogs, not the sheep). I’ll admit that I was a little intimidated with having to learn to use a broom with arms instead of wings, but I would manage.

I offered Geoff a soft nod with a smile. “Okay. Let’s get started.”

Once I got used to coordinating my legs and arms in the new ways provided, cleaning was a breeze. Truthfully it wasn’t much different for me, except that I used my new hands to do everything I usually used my front hooves and wings to do. Hands were indeed...well, handy, so I didn’t begrudge the loss of my wings that much. As Rainbow Dash had commented on a few occasions, I was likely one of the only pegasi in Equestria that used my hooves more than my wings for getting around. Besides, fingers were stronger than feathers, and could grasp, manipulate, and carry more than my wings would have been able to with the same tasks.

After finishing with the dusting and sweeping (and getting more comfortable with my new body), I stood waiting for Geoff in the entryway of the home, hoping he wouldn’t be much longer. It wasn’t that I was particularly impatient ‒ quite the opposite, actually ‒ but I didn’t feel right sitting around doing nothing when Geoff could use my help with tasks.

A few moments after thinking this, Geoff descended the stairs to the second floor, dressed in a buttoned coat and pants (or trousers, as he liked to call them), along with a fluffy hat that covered his ears. Considering how chilly it was outside, I worried that I should have dressed a little more than I currently was, but my concern was headed-off by Geoff handing me a coat similar to his and a pair of earmuffs.

“Here,” he said, smiling as he handed me the items, “it’s a bit colder than I anticipated, so it would do you well to wear these. You’ve just started becoming well again, and I would prefer to not have you poorly when we come back.”

Through the context provided, I could figure what the word “poorly” meant, so I just nodded with a grateful smile. “Thank you, Geoff. I appreciate your thoughtfulness.”

He returned a smile, and nodded. “Of course, dear. It wouldn’t do well to let the one in my care become ill, now would it?” He helped me put the woolen coat on before gently setting the earmuffs on my head. “There, you should be fine. Let’s be off before noon, so that we can be sure to get to town before things get too mad. I assume you would feel more comfortable around less people, yes?”

It was at that moment, something very interesting happened: instead of answering with an immediate (though soft) affirmative, I actually had to think about my answer. Normally when I thought of large groups of ponies, or more recently people, I would actually lock up in anxiety of just the thought of said situation; needless to say, the actual situation itself was something I avoided at all costs, unless my friends were there. I found it odd then that I didn’t feel the normal fears I was so accustomed to. Part of it was because I had been forced to face many fears when I had faced this world on my own before Geoff found me, but a much larger portion of my bravery came from the knowledge that I knew Geoff would be there with me. Geoff had become my bastion of courage and safety, quite literally saving my life. It was at that moment that I realized just how much that act meant to me, possibly more than I could currently imagine.

I looked to Geoff and smiled with a shake of my head. “I’ll be okay so long as you’re there with me.”

His expression softened to a warm grin, and he nodded. “I will, do not fear.”

I gave him another smile as I said, “Then I’ll be okay.”

He softly clapped his hands in front of him and loosed a toothy grin. “So, let’s be off. We’ll be taking my car, so you’ll get to experience that for the first time as well.”

I wasn’t actually worried about the car itself, but I was curious. “How do these ‘cars’ work, exactly?”

As he escorted me out of the house and locked the door behind us, he explained, “The easiest way I can explain it is that it’s a pony-less carriage, using a motor instead of ponies to make it move.” He then chuckled and added, “Curiously enough, the measure of power the engine puts out is referred to as ‘horsepower’.” I giggled at his quip, and followed him to the strange contraption as he continued his lecture. “In simplest terms, it works much like a steam engine does, except it uses small, controlled explosions instead of steam-power.” The mention of explosions worried me a little, but he flashed me a comforting smile to calm me, which it did. “We aren’t going to blow up, dear. Humans have had many years to perfect their craft, and I can say with confidence that even in the unlikely event that we would crash, it would still be extremely unlikely the vehicle would explode. In the past it was different, but cars nowadays are made to protect the driver and passengers. Cars can be replaced, after all; people can not.” I nodded, letting out a breath I hadn’t known I was holding, and relaxed a bit. “Now,” he began, opening the left door of the vehicle, “please take a seat.”

I was becoming more confident with my steps, and was able to easily seat myself in the chair provided, and Geoff closed the door when I settled myself. I took a moment to inspect the interior as Geoff made his way to the other side, noticing that it seemed rather comfortable compared to a carriage. The seat, for example, cushioned my weight better than the bench seats in a royal carriage would, and the cold air outside was blocked better by the door. All in all, I thought that craftsponies could learn a thing or two from humans in this respect, as well as others.

The door on the other side of the vehicle opened, causing a momentary gust of chill to invade before it was closed, leaving Geoff sitting next to me. I heard the jingling of keys for a moment before Geoff inserted one key within what looked like some sort of steering wheel, and a strange sound accompanied a shudder throughout the car. After a moment, a soft growl that reminded me of a manticore rumbled through the small space, which then dulled to a deep humming. Curiously enough, none of this frightened me, as Geoff’s behavior and lack of surprise on his face told me that such things were normal, if not completely expected.

He looked to me and smiled. “What you are hearing is the sound of those controlled explosions. Not so intimidating, is it?”

I shook my head, listening to the humming that told me the vehicle was working. “No. It reminds me of a manticore’s purr, actually.”

He chuckled and nodded. “It does sound a bit like an animal, doesn’t it?” He then reached to his right and pulled a strange belt-like contraption from the wall beside him, and slung it across him before I heard a small click from between us. “Buckle your seatbelt, Fluttershy.”

I nodded, looking for the same contraption he had just used on my side. I found the belt easily enough and pulled it away from the wall, marveling at the strange new thing before looking to Geoff to be sure I was doing it correctly. As I pulled it to my side, I looked to where I might fasten it, and found a small black and orange device sticking out from the space between my seat and the armrest between Geoff and I. Figuring it to be rather self-explanatory, I pressed the shiny metal bit at the end into the fastener and heard a click as it locked, securing the belt around me snugly.

“What is it for?” I asked curiously as I sat back against the seat and looked to my companion.

Geoff rubbed his hands to stave off some of the cold that had encroached upon us, and said, “In the event of a crash, it’ll help protect you from the impact. It will lock during a collision, preventing you from slamming your head into the windscreen or dashboard.” He reached over and tapped a part of the “dashboard” in front of me that seemed different from the rest, as if it were made to open. “Out of here would burst an airbag, which would cushion your head and face to prevent damage to your brain or cranium.” Geoff then reached over and turned a knob on a panel on the dashboard between us and said, “In a few moments, the car will warm. This will blow warm air out, heated from the running of the engine.” Another knob was turned, causing me to jump as the sound of rushing air accompanied a chilly wind that began blowing from vents in front of me, which I instinctively reached over to cover with my hands. Geoff chuckled and said, “Just give it a moment.”

I pulled my hands back to my lap and waited as he asked, and was grateful when I felt the wind begin to warm a bit. Geoff turned another knob which stopped air from coming out of the vents in front of me, but I still felt it slowly warming the car as we waited. After a few more moments, my feet and face began to feel warmer, and I smiled in thanks to him.

“Alright,” he said, moving his feet around and reaching between us to manipulate a strange lever, “let’s be off.”

The vehicle lurched forward, and I jumped a bit with a gasp of surprise as we started to move, looking out of the windows around us to see we were indeed moving away from Geoff’s home. I felt my jaw drop open in wonder as I contemplated the ability for such a strange creation to do as it was doing, but couldn’t for the life of me force my mouth closed. I vaguely heard Geoff chuckling at my reaction, but also couldn’t care that I likely looked very silly. Instead, I allowed myself to marvel at both the speed and comfort with which we were traveling, all without the need for a pony to pull us.

“It’s not all good, you know.” Geoff said off to the side, which finally caught my attention. When I looked to him, he motioned his head in a nonspecific fashion and said, “Cars, I mean. Exhaust from the controlled explosions are vented out of the car and into the air, and it is a pain to keep it from corrupting the environment. I’m sure you’ve noticed the strange taste on your tongue when you breathe the air here.”

I nodded slowly. “Y-yes. I was unsure of what it was, but is tasted odd.”

He nodded. “That would be car exhaust, along with many other things. It’s been building up in this world’s atmosphere for years now, and though it hasn’t made this world uninhabitable, it will get to that point if humans don’t find a way to eliminate their use of fossil fuels such as petroleum and coal.”

I knew the things that Geoff spoke about. They were energy sources in Equestria too, but more often than not, we chose to use some form of magic or focusing gems instead of oil or coal. From what I understood, they were shown to produce large quantities of pollutants that could corrupt the air, soil, and wildlife all around the planet.

“Don’t humans care that they’re killing themselves?” I asked without thinking, quite honestly a little shocked that such dangerous things were being used commonplace like this.

Geoff shrugged. “Humans have a tendency to be reactive instead of proactive, meaning they often work to find new ways to fix broken things instead of preventing those things from breaking in the first place.”

I nodded absently, a little saddened by just how much this world was suffering because of the use of such dirty sources of energy. Still, as much as it seemed selfish of me to think, that was the human’s issue to figure out, not mine. Instead, I could go to Twilight after getting home and explain just why using such things were so bad, and what it could lead to. First-hand experience taught far more than books did, after all.

“So,” Geoff began, breaking the momentary silence, “was there anything you wished to speak about while we’re driving? We won’t arrive in Kingsbridge until half-ten.”

I thought for a moment before turning my eyes back to Geoff and asking, “What is it like being a male?” Perhaps any other time, I would be a little embarrassed to ask such a thing, but from what I understood, Geoff understood the situation from both sides. That was besides the fact that I liked hearing his stories, no matter what they be about.

Geoff shrugged with a slight pursing of his lips. “Well, it’s quite a bit different from the life of a female, I can tell you that. Besides the issue with the male hormones (I blushed at this), being a man gets you treated differently from people around the world. First of all, most people are more accommodating of a female’s shortcomings on things, as well as emotional outbursts. As sexist as it is, it’s simply seen as something females are: emotional.” He became a bit pensive for a moment before adding, “I suppose that genetically that’s true, but it’s overall rather offensive to judge an entire gender based on it.” He sighed before continuing. “It is quite the different life, I can tell you that. You’re looked at differently, treated differently, and expected to accomplish different things in life. Not necessarily bad or unfair, but just so different. Honestly, I’m not sure why, but that’s the way humans have developed as a species worldwide.”

I nodded to myself, taking in his words with a smile. “Do you miss it? Being a female, I mean.” I hadn’t meant the question to sound so random, but I had learned by now that I didn’t need to apologize for my curiousness.

Geoff chuckled and shrugged. “Sometimes. It’s generally much easier to manipulate others as a woman, to be sure. On the other hand, you’re also generally looked at as less than a male, simply because most men are born to be genetically stronger and logical that most females. Notice I said ‘most’ though, as there are exceptions to every rule.” He glanced over to me for a moment before smiling. “If only some of men in power of this world could know what you and your friends have done for your world, without the help of males.”

I raised my eyebrow in confusion. “What do you mean?”

He smiled, not taking his eyes from the road in front of us. “Chasing away a dragon; defeating Nightmare Moon? None of the men in power could have done that. You’re stronger than many of the people on this world could ever hope to be, whether you believe it or not.”

I didn’t believe it of course, but I had also learned in my time with Geoff to know that he spoke what he believed to be the truth, regardless of what I thought. So instead of denying such a thing, I just dipped my head to him and muttered my thanks.

Geoff then shrugged. “Then again, something about who I am won’t allow me to have children as a female. I suppose that’s the one unequivocally great thing that being a male has done for me: it allowed me to be a father.” His ever-present smile seemed to fade away as he said, “It’s a curse what I am in some aspects, though. I have to stay under the radar, and so I can’t tell anyone from this world who and what I really am...not even my family. For example, that picture of my past family that you saw still has descendants around, but I cannot contact them. Other than keeping tabs on them from afar and helping them stealthily from time to time, I cannot be in contact with them. It’s a sad existence in that sense, but I wouldn’t trade it either.” The smile was once again brought to Geoff’s face as he said, “Being a parent ‒ watching a child you helped make grow and live ‒ is one of the greatest things I have ever experienced. I wouldn’t trade it for anything, and I await the day when I meet another I hold close to my heart so I can experience it again.”

The warmth in his words suffused me with a feeling of inner warmth and contentment, and I found myself smiling widely at his voice. He always had this pleasant emotion that seemed to flow forth from his voice whenever he spoke of something he truly loved, and it was those things in particular I enjoyed hearing about. Finding another such thing when speaking to him was like finding a hidden treasure, which was why I liked speaking to him so much. That warmth and comfort staved off my homesickness, and made the memory of losing Angel hurt a little less.

“Have you ever had foals?” he asked suddenly.

I felt heat rise to my cheeks as I shook my head, stammering, “N-no. I haven’t found a-anypony I liked enough yet.” Something about that statement didn’t seem quite right, but I chose to ignore the feeling.

Geoff was silent for a few moments before speaking again. “I’ve seen how you are with the dogs, and by what you’ve told me about your animals in Equestria, I think you’d make a wonderful mother.”

I hid part of my face behind my bangs as the heat in my cheeks increased, and I smiled bashfully. “Th-thank you, Geoff. I appreciate that.”

He smiled back, and nodded without a word, conveying his sincerity without anything spoken. I let the space lapse into companionable silence as we continued making our way through the countryside, toward my next little adventure on Earth.