They Came from Up There

Chapter 5: Six Friends, One Problem

"Oooh, Mikar... You're such a daunting fox..." Oregam whispered into Mikar's ear.

"I'm not the only one, you sexy vixen." Mikar replied, pushing Oregam closer towards the bed of clouds. He gently eased her down onto the bed. She laid down onto it, posing her body into a seductive pose. She let out a giggle as Mikar slowly caressed her golden, curvy body. They kissed a long, loving kiss that felt like it lasted for hours. Oregam moaned as Mikar's paw pressed against her cheek, making the kiss even more passionate for both of them. After breaking their kiss, they began to grind their bodies together, and readied themselves for what they were about to do... They were going to join their lives forever. Mikar readied himself, watching Oregam's warm, scaly, purple, body- wait.

"Hello again... Friend," Draugr rumbled, opening his seemingly bottomless mouth and engulfing the screaming Mikar whole.

Mikar rose from his slumber screaming bloody murder. He jumped up with breakneck speed, until roaring loudly and settling back down at the sharp pain in his chest. Ouch, he thought. Sweat covered his shaking body, and he felt the bandage around his torso. His wound hadn't re-opened, but it still hurt a lot. Less then the days before, anyway.

He turned his head and peered into a small kettle of water. The surface was rippling crazily, with little driplets of water flowing from the overflowing lip. It was then that he realized it was raining. Water drenched his entire body, not sweat. He realized this with a groan, and covered whatever he could with his feathery wings. His head and chest were covered, but his legs and lower body were getting drenched. He sighed silently and judged by the daylight that it was around six in the morning. He looked at Zecora's hut, and through a window he saw her snoozing silently in her bed. Inside her home were a number of zebraic artifacts, such as masks, vases and figurines. One of those figurines was a dragon, and Mikar thought about how Jule was coping with Mikar's disappearance. He was probably searching for him now. He knows I'm a tough fox, Mikar thought. I survived the Manticore, I can survive this. Thunder roared, and Mikar jumped. He heard a loud thump from inside Zecora's house, followed by a foreign curse. He looked back into Zecora's home, and saw Zecora picking up a large, metal mask from the floor. Her mowhawk was a tangled mess, and her tail was the same way. She re-arranged the mask on the wall, and pulled her nightgown on. She slowly cantered into the bathroom and shut the door.

Mikar stopped spying on her and turned his head back to the kettle of water in front of his now drenched pillow. He stared at his reflection; Still the same Mikar, save for the sagging fur and look of pain in his eyes. He reached his paws up and rang out his head fur, which behaved much like hair, and stood up on all fours. He took a long swig from the water kettle, and decided to move himself underneath Zecora's hut. As he was plowing his way around her home to the dryer spots, he accidentally tripped on an outstretched root and slammed into Zecora's window. His head crashed through it, and he felt blood trickle down his snout. He opened his eyes to find a small scratch.

And a very surprised Zecora just stepping out of the shower.

"What are you doing, Mikar, my friend? Did you trip on that long root again?" Zecora spoke, then somehow grabbed a towel with her hooves and wrapped herself in it. She seemed to show no anger towards the now smashed window and broken glass all over her floor, as well as a few drops of orange blood now joining the glass pieces. She only gave him a "Really?" look, which Mikar returned with a goofy grin. She shoved Mikar's face aside and toweled off right in front of him. She obviously didn't care that he saw her "naked", and after finishing, started to re-style her mowhawk. Mikar thought she looked nice with her hair down, but didn't protest as she sprayed a funny-smelling mist onto her mane, keeping it in place. She saw Mikar's now floppy head-fur, and pulled his hair straight, spraying it with the same mist. She giggled a cute laugh, seeing Mikar's surprised face. He coughed a bit, then looked at his no-longer-floppy hair. He opened his mouth to thank her, but she was already slipping on her tribal rings and walking out of the room, all while not saying a word.

Mikar pulled his head out of the window frame and yanked a giant branch down, covering Zecora's smashed window. He slowly and painfully padded his way over to the front door, trying desperately not to ruin his new hairdo. He made it to the front door and eagerly waited for Zecora. She emerged a few minutes later, carrying another giant blanket and an umbrella.

"Are you ready to come to the town with me, and see all the sights there are to see?" Zecora said, raising her voice to be heard over the loud thunder and rain.

"Do we have to go today? I mean, it's raining!" Mikar exclaimed. He gratefully took the blanket and wrapped his head and body in it, crafting a makeshift cloak from it. Zecora had torn small holes for his wings and tail.The rain pattered against the blanket uselessly, and he gave Zecora a thankful nod.

"Today is the only day that they're free. They don't work on Sundays, unlike me." Zecora yelled over the thunder. She opened her umbrella and stepped sheepishly out of the hut. She shut the door behind her and, locking it, they both set out on their journey to Ponyville. They talked along the way, Zecora about her new youth potion and Mikar about his old girlfriend, Oregam. The journey was otherwise eventless, other than an ocelot racing past them, being chased by a silent pony in a blue shirt, who was holding a fish in his mouth. By the time they reached Ponyville, both of them were mostly dry.

"Now remember, as we have rehearsed. Just try to act normal, and don't say a word." Zecora spoke in a hushed tone.

"Gotcha," Mikar replied. He was posing as a pegasus pony with gigantism, and he was already moving slowly due to his injuries, so he didn't need t opretend. He just walked normally, letting the cloak cover most of his body, other than his wings and tail, which was sticking out of the back through another hole. A shadow from the "hood" of the blanket kept his foxy face hidden. Set on their plan, they slowly entered Ponyville.

Almost immediately, they got glimpses from just about everypony in the street they were on. There weren't many, thanks to the rain storm, but Mikar's enhanced ears let him hear a pin drop from across the cirrus; Here, he heard nothing except the rain. He slowly turned his head to Zecora, who gave him a curt nod and kept walking down the street, the sound of her hoofsteps the only sound other than Mikar's pained breathing. They walked and walked, past many shops, homes and shocked ponies. Even the biggest pony, who was red and had a green apple for a cutie mark, was only half Mikar's size. Mikar felt the fear resonating from them all. He heard whispers, and felt eyes boring into his side and back, some ponies even trying to come closer to get a look at his face. Mikar let out a low growl each time, however, so they learned to keep their distance. To them, Mikar's quietest growl sounded like a doorway to death. Eventually, Zecora and Mikar reached their destination, with several curious ponies trailing them. They were at a large tree, (Large for Zecora, anyway) which had doors, windows and even a balcony. It looked like someone had hollowed out the tree and made it into their home. Tired from the pain of walking, Mikar set his haunches on the soaked ground and waited. Zecora lifted a hoof and knocked on the front door three times. Mikar braced himself for what come next- Zecora had kept it a surprise for him.

"Come on in!" Said a feminine voice from inside the tree. Mikar was sure that someone was living in there now. Zecora pushed the door open with her snout, and peered inside, careful to keep Mikar hidden. "Oh, hello, Zecora. What brings you to Ponyville this 'magnificent' day?" The voice was speaking loudly, as to be heard over the loud thunderstorm.

"I have brought a friend of mine who's lost. May we enter your home, so no more rain is cost?" Zecora spoke.

"Sure, come in. Didn't I say that earlier?"

Zecora pushed the door fully open, letting Mikar get a good glimpse of the inside, as well as letting the source of the voice, a lavender unicorn with a purple mane, get a good glimpse of him. The first thing she noticed was his sheer size. He was huge compared to a normal pony. She then noticed his large wings, and black cloak. She though she was getting a nice visit from the Grim Pony Reaper. Mikar decided it was a good time to say hello.

"Uhhh... Hey there, purple pony." Mikar's voice trembled. He didn't want her knowing that he was an alien. Zecora facehoofed, and took off her saddlebags, folding the umbrella that was neatly attached to them. The lavender pony just stared at Mikar, taken aback. She didn't know what to think. Her senses snapped back to her, however, and she put on the best fake smile she could.

"Hello, there. My name is Twilight Sparkle, but you can call me Twilight. W-what's your name?" Twilight's voice was shaking. She was as scared of Mikar as Mikar was scared of her.

"M-my name's Mikar."

"Oh, you two, you're acting so scared! Is this how a new friend has to be bared?" Zecora chimed in her still annoying rhymes. Both of them looked at Zecora, then back at each other. Twilight saw that Mikar was getting soaked in the rain.

"Y-you can come in too, Mikar. Just, uh, be careful!"

"Alright, here goes," Mikar said as he slowly lowered himself down and squeezed his body through the door. It was a tight fit, but he made it through, and he could stand up in here if he tucked his tail in. He took a look around with his head, and judged that he was inside of some kind of pony library. Books lined the shelves, and he saw a flight of stairs leading into a room that Mikar decided was the bedroom. Zecora pulled the door shut, and turned to Twilight.

"Mikar has gigantism, my dear. His size is strange, but you've no reason to fear."

"Well, it's just... ponies usually have hooves." Twilight pointed with her hoof towards Mikar's exposed front paws. He knew that there would be no talking out of this, so he pulled his wings into his sides and let the cloak fall from his body. Zecora watched with interest as Twilight's expression turned from shock, to fear, to more shock. There was an alien in her house, and it could tear her to shreds if it wanted to. Mikar smiled, then shut his mouth as Twilight gasped at the sight of his large, venomous fangs. Mikar's ears pulled back against his head in embarrasment, and felt relieved when he saw that Twilight was moving closer to him. Nobody, or pony, said a word as Twilight did a 360 around Mikar, who sat still and waited for the diagnosis from Twilight. Minutes later, she pulled back and planted her haunches into a chair, sighing heavily. Mikar spoke up, his loud voice shaking the water in a flower vase on the table.

"Uhh... Yeah, I'm not a pony... Is something wrong with that?"

"Oh no! Nononononono! Not at all!" Twilight quickly answered, afraid she had offended the poor creature. She judged that he was male be his voice, but didn't want to bother asking him. What if it was female? Boy, that would be something, Twilight thought. She looked into Mikar's large, golden eyes, and just as Mikar thought she would scream "Guards!", she squealed with delight.

"Squeeeee! They're real! They'rerealthey'rerealthey'rereaaal!" Twilight bounced up and down out of her chair, while cheering and whooping and hopping around the table. She stopped when she saw Mikar and Zecora staring at her with surprised expressions. It looked to Mikar that she already knew about Skykin. "Ahem, excuse me! It's just that, I've read books and newspapers about creatures like you before! You're a Skyfriend, right?"

"Skykin, actually."

"Thanks. The books said you were myths... Ooh, what's happened to you?" Twilight went from happy to sad as she looked at the bandage that wrapped around Mikar's entire torso, just leaving enough room for his wings. she poked the bandage, making Mikar yelp as Zecora came running over.

"Ah-ah-ah! Not touching him is best. The bandages are for a large gash in his chest!" Zecora said.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Winrar!"

"Mikar."

"Mikar, I'm sorry! Did I hurt you?" Twilight asked.

"A little, but I'll live."

"Oh, thank Celesti-" Twilight's sentence was cut short as she heard footsteps coming from the staircase. All of them looked over to see a baby, purple dragon slowly walking down the stairs. It was quite sleepy, and judging from the way its eyes were barely opened, it didn't seem to notice the 10-foot-tall fox sitting in the middle of his house. Zecora, Twilight and Mikar were silent as the dragon, which reminded Mikar of an old friend, walked over to the fridge and pulled it open, mumbling to himself about saving his maiden "Rarity" from an evil pack of Timberwolves. Mikar guessed that it was a male dragon. After all, only a male would call someone their "maiden". He mumbled more about Timberwolves as he slowly walked into the kitchen. Mikar studied about Timberwolves at school- Vicious, wolf-life predators made of tree limbs and twigs. He took a carton of milk from the fridge, took a long drink from it, and put it back into the fridge. He didn't even bother to get a glass. Twilight gagged as she pushed her glass of milk away from her. Hearing the gag, the baby dragon snapped his head over and looked Mikar right in the eye. His expression remained the same, however. He turned his head and continued walking towards the stairs. He climbed up the stairs one by one, until he finally reached the top.

"I don't even wanna know." He said, as he prodded out of sight. Mikar, Zecora and Twilight exchanged glances, then allowed themselves a little chuckle. They got down to business afterwards. They talked for hours about what a Skykin was, what they ate, how they mated, that sort of thing. Mikar started to feel tears in his eyes at the mating part, remembering his old girlfriend, Oregam. His tears vanished as Zecora patted his forearm; He had told her all about how Oregam died. Then, Mikar started asking questions. Why did ponies have horns on their heads? Did all ponies have horns, or wings? Why did they live in brick and wood houses? They talked and talked well into the night, until the lights flickered and the power went out. The storm worsened as they talked by candlelight, and when it was well past 11:00, Twilight decided to call it a day. Both parties had learned a great deal about each other.

"Say, why don't you two stay the night here? It will be hard to get home in this storm. Rainbow Dash sure outdid herself on this one!" Twilight seemed ecstatic about the idea of the two of them sleeping over.

"Are you sure we won't be a pain? We can walk home in a little rain." Zecora replied. Mikar nudged her with his wing, and she gave in. They would stay the night here and wait out the storm. Since twilight had destroyed the guest bed with one of her magical experiments, Zecora had to either sleep with Twilight or sleep on the floor with Mikar. She knew that sleeping with another mare could damage her reputation, so she chose to sleep beside Mikar. After settling in and calling out their good-nights, Mikar turned to Zecora for one last question.

"Do boy ponies really stick their dongles there?"

"It is true, it's how ponies mate. Go to sleep now, it's getting late." Zecora yawned drowsily, and nuzzled closer to Mikar, who in turn covered her with his wing, making a "blanket" for her. She nuzzled in deeper, and before long, everybody- and pony- was sound asleep.

All but one.

Somewhere, staring through Mikar's eyes using his magic ball, was an angry purple dragon seeking revenge.