An Explosive Journey

Jason Morrison, Unknown Location

'Alright, let's recap: I go to the airport, just to find that there is a huge lineup, and then I meet some cool guy behind me, and we strike a short conversation. Then, as I grab my luggage, I end up somehow being transported to another world, though luckily all of my luggage came with me. As if life couldn't get any weirder, it turns out that I am in Equestria, more specifically, Ponyville.

Well, at least I get to be somewhere awesome instead of some war torn world in the middle of the dragon ages - no offense Skyrim fans.'

My inner monologue is cut short by the one and only Lyra Heartstrings standing in her doorway, in what I could only peg down as comeplete shock. She starts talking, not in whinnies, neighs and barks mind you, but in english. Seriously, my mind just stopped.

"Who are you? Why are you here? And for that matter, how did you get in my house?" What, the, fuck? Seriously, how?

I raise my hand in a way to show that I need a minute, and I motion towards her chesterfield, to which we both walk over to. As I sit down to collect my thoughts on how we speak the same language, she gives me this look as if to say 'Are you alright?'

'How the heck is this possible? It's just so, so... fuck, this is really confusing. I mean sure, it's awesome that I randomly landed in Equestria, but to find out that it's actually canon for them to speak english, that's fucking awesome! But what about the sudden jolt I felt just as I landed here... felt like a surge of power, like I can now do more than I should... Meh, better not dwell on it, could be dangerous. Ok, she's starting to stare at me now, guess I should talk to her so she doesn't think I'm weird.'

I face Lyra, and then I start to speak to her. The expressions on her face that she goes through as I speak is just both priceless and adorable. Must, resist, urge to hug, randomly.

"Alright, this is as weird to you as it is to me, I have no idea how I got here, let alone in your house." Her face changed expressions as I talked, and then she asked me the most redundant question that anyone could ever come up with.

"You speak Equestrian?"

"I don't even know right this second. Hang on, do you know any other languages?"

"Yeah, kind of. I know a little bit of a language that is used for a cartoon program that airs from Neighpon.."

"Try me."

When Lyra spoke in what I assumed was supposed to be Japanese, it sounded nothing like it; instead, it just rang in my ears just the same as plain old English, goody....

"So, how was that?"

"Honestly, I don't know how this is possible, but it seems that every language you speak is automatically translated to English, and that you are probably hearing your native language when I speak as well. In other words, that trip through to another universe has given a neat little side effect, universal translation. Neat."

"I guess that makes sense...?"

"Hey, seeing that I'm new here, would you mind if I stayed here for a couple of days until I find a place to live?"

"Sorry, I'm going through a rough time right now, I'd rather just be with myself." Something's up, I just know it, and I want to find out what it is.

"I know I shouldn't be prying, but what's bothering you, you seem to be quite upset about something. Whatever it is, it's something that hits very close to home. I know I'm a complete stranger to you, but I would still like to help. I don't know why, I just can't stand the thought of seeing you all sad like that."

Lyra looked somewhat defensive, but then sighed and trotted over to the couch to sit down. Taking information from some fan fictions that I have read on the internet, I started stroking her mane. At first she goes to move herself away from me, but then stops, and lets me continue petting her. Seeming to become more comfortable, Lyra then lays down with her forlegs right by my lap, and rests her head on my legs. She then starts explaining her story.

"I used to be one of the best lyre players in all of Canterlot, making crowds at recitals cheer and scream for encores, I loved every minute of it. I used to make them all melt with beautiful tunes, sway them with songs that no one has ever heard before; but then one day it just stopped. I don't know why, but they started to grow indifferent to my music, no matter what I tried. Then after moving to Ponyville, I completely lost my motivation to play the thing at all, and ended up spiraling down into depression. I just don't know what to do anymore. If I can't play the lyre, and fill everypony with joy from hearing my songs, then I just don't know what I'll do."

Wow, just wow. She's lost her touch with playing the lyre, and she thinks that it's all over for her? I don't know whether to actually be sad for her, or what. After thinking for a few seconds, I start to speak, trying to soothe her. Here's hoping it works.

"Lyra, I have a few things to say." hearing this, she looks up at me, but doesn't take her head off of my lap. "Your last name is Heartstrings, is it not?" This earns me a silent nod, but a confused look, as if she didn't know where this was going. "Your cutie mark, the lyre, has more meaning than you think. What was going through your mind just before you got your cutie mark?"

It was a second or two before she spoke, but then mustered up the strength to tell me. "I thought that if I could play the lyre, maybe I could make people feel emotions they never thought they had, to make them listen to what may be the most beautiful music in all of Equestria." Alright, so I wasn't too far off

"Ok, let's take a closer look at what your cutie mark means, and I think that deep down, you already know the meaning. They lyre is actually inspired by the harp, both of which make beautiful music, but that is not all. If I'm not mistaken, some people back in my world, called the strings to the lyre, heart strings, because some of the designs looked as if they were half of a heart. Your family's last name also has a large amount of significance. Your special talent is not exactly limited to playing the lyre; as I have said before, lyre and harp strings are sometimes referred to as 'heart strings', and as such, the meaning of your cutie mark is this: you have a calling to pull the heart strings of ponies, whether it be through music, writing, or whatever it is that you choose to do. If you are doing something that you find is not capturing the hearts of those around you, then it simply means that you have not found the thing that allows you to convey your emotions directly to the hearts of anyone that is there to witness your awesomeness."

After this long-winded speech, Lyra seemed to perk up a little. She gets up, and then jumps off of the couch, then does something that I didn't really expect her to do; she hugs me. I wrap my arms around her back, and rub her mane once again.

"Thanks... oh, I forgot to ask you your name. Sorry about that."

"My name is Jason, though I don't think it would fit in this world. I feel it would be a little odd, don't you think?"

"I guess you're right. I take it you want a new name, right?"

"Exactly. Why don't we try to think of one."

"Sure."

After ten minutes of trying to come up with a name, Lyra admitted defeat, thought I still tried to think of a name.

'Wait a sec, I think I know why I can't think of a name, it's because I'm trying to think of one. Just gotta let it come to me.' And with that, I just sat around for about ten seconds, and then the name came to me.

"NOVA!" I yell while jumping up from where I was sitting, which seemed to have startled Lyra.

"What?"

"My new name is going to be Nova. Funny thing about what we went through though, there's an unwritten rule about stuff like that; trying hard to think of something will result in nothing. Just wait and it will come to you."

"I think Nova is a nice name. It kind of fits actually. You seem to be very bright, and warming to those around you. And as for that universal rule, it kind of makes sense."

"Ok, Nova it is then. Now, I may have just come here, but I think I must really go and see the princess. Might as well make sure I'm not brought to her under unfavorable circumstances. Which brings me to this question: would you mind teleporting me to the castle?" Lyra looked to be shocked at what I had just said. Guess I shouldn't have said that.

"How do you know about the princess, and for that matter, how do you know that unicorns can use magic?" Crap, looks like I stepped on a land mine here. Better diffuse it...

"I know about the princess from reading the ticket that was on the table, sitting among other papers, and I know that unicorns can use magic, because there are old tales of unicorns and other magical creatures back where I come from, though these stories are entirely fiction."

"Alright, I guess, and to answer your question, yes I can teleport you to the castle. When would you like to go?"

"As soon as possible, preferrably now though."

"No problem." And with that, Lyra's horn started to glow, and then her magic surrounded the both of us; in a matter of seconds, we teleported to the doors right outside of the throne room. The guards at first looked shocked to see that somepony had teleported so close to the throne room, but then their faces turned into a scoul, as they set their eyes upon me. The only thought going through my mind in those tense minutes, was simply 'Oh shit...'