Caught Between Worlds

       Previously...

    Mark walked back through the mirror, ready to start another day in Equestria.

    He emerged to find Twilight inches from his face.

    "Explain."

    Mark sighed. This was going to be a long day.

     Twilight was a good audience, listening patiently until the end.

    "I certainly don't approve of your secrecy, but I guess it was understandable. If I had known from the beginning that you were from another world...lets just say that I don't have many positive examples."

    "I just wanted a normal life here. I didn't want ponies to know, because I don't want to be treated any differenty, whether better or worse."

     "I understand. I will have to notify the other princesses, but I will attempt to follow your wishes, and ask them to do the same. I can't make any promises, but..."

    "That's great. Thank you. I just hope that this doesn't ruin our lessons. I understand if you don't want to teach me with this...change."

    "You haven't changed. You are the same person I've known for five years. This knowledge was unexpected, but i've seen weirder."

     "Thank you. I didn't want to lose this. Although, I must admit, it is strange that you're still a head taller than me, and I'm full size."

    Twilight laughed. "Yeah, it must have been strange to be a filly when you were just as old as I was. It's strange for me too, growing still while my friends stay the same...well, I shouldn't worry about that until it comes."

    "Well, you're all still connected, so I wouldn't worry about that."

     Twilight came back to reality. "Well, I believe you wanted to contine your lessons. I believe you were rather excited to study gravity spells."

     "Yes, I have some ideas for modifications, but that's not for a while. I have to master the base first."

     "Modifications?"

    "I want to see if I can change the direction of gravity in other ways."

    "Hmm...I see. How would that be useful?"

    "Climbing walls? Just for fun? I think I just like modfying them."

     "Well, you'd better get started, then. Gravity spells are over there."

    Mark got to work. The castle library had become his home over the past four years or so. Losing the familiar Golden Oaks library was hard on both of them, but they rebuilt eventually.

    Mark, for the first time in five years, was completely at peace. He had no secrets to uphold. Everything was great, and he was able to travel between his two homes without any trouble. Everything was perfect, but he was bored. Learning magic was great, but what was he to do on Earth? Everything seemed so mundane. Something needed to happen. Something big. And he was going to start it.

    He was going to make a connection between Earth and Equestria. He needed to contact Celestia first, but he was determined to do so. There was to be no more secrets.

    He would wait a couple months for Twilight to tell her about him first. Rushing things was not a good idea.

    Twilight liked the idea, and was completely supportive of the idea. Mark was more cautious in his planning. He knew the atrocities his people could commit. There would have to be a strict screening process. He did not want any incidents.

    He spent a lot of time at Canterlot, talking to Celestia. Twilight had put in a word for him, and she trusted him, or at least she trusted Twilight's judgement.

    Twilight's mirror was moved to an empty hallway in her castle, and the first guards were assigned to guard it. He would move his side later, after ambassadors were sent through.

    A problem surfaced, when Twilight tried to go through. She had to be touching Mark as they went through. Otherwise, it was just an ordinary mirror.

    He would have to guide all travellers personally through the portal. That wouid prove very problematic if they were to, as Mark intended, create a permanent "border" between Equestria and Earth. Or more specifically, the United States.

    Right at this pdint, it didn't matter. The only ponies (or humans) that would be brought through were only one or two ambassadors.

    Celestia decided that those ambassadors would be Starry Night (he had decided to keep his Equestrian name for now) and Twilight. Her decision made sense. Mark had to go through anyway, and was essentially a native of both lands. Twilight knew Equestrian government, and the other Princesses' wishes almost as much as they did themselves. And it seemed obvious to send the Princess of Friendship to a country they wanted to befriend.

    Mark spent most of the time educating Twilight about Earth's history, focused, of course, on America.

    She was confused about a lack of magic, and a little creeped out that the weather took care of itself, but was intrigued by technology.

     Twilight was sadly unsurprised about the atrocities of the past. She knew of some of the true history before Discord.

    She was interested in the nature of US government, led by representatives, but Mark explained that it was to keep corrupted leaders in check. Equestria was very lucky that it did not have too moch change in leadership. Twilight still was confused.

    "Think about it this way," he said. "What would happen if one of the Equestrian nobles suddenly had control of the country?"

    "Oh."

    "That's why the United States has representative government."

    "Then who are we ambassadors to?"

    "The President is a sort of leader. He or she has power, but it is limited by the other branches of government. He is the leader of the military, and represents our country in foreign matters."

    "Okay, that does make sense."

    "The only problem is that the capitol is on the other side of the country."

    "Shoulnd't the capitol city be in a central location?"

     "It was, when the country was first formed, remember?"

    "Oh, yes, I remember now."

    "We'd have to disguise you somehow..."

    "Why?"

    "Remember? Humans don't exactly react well to new things. And you'd be a bit too...familiar to some."

    "What do you mean by that?"

    "Let's just say that I think our worlds are a bit closer together than you think."

     "I still don't understand."

    "Ask Pinkie Pie. Before I came here myself, I thought this world was fantasy."

    "What? You knew of this place?"

    "As I said, ask Pinkie. There's a reason she didn't throw me a party when I came. She knew that I had already seen Ponyville before. Not in person, but..."

    "So you were watching us from your world? That's really creepy."

    "I thought it was just a story, just like Daring Do. I don't think the creators of the show even knew what they were really doing."

    Twilight took a deep breath. "So these people...already know me?"

    "Some of them. Most have no idea, but the idea of visitors from another world is scary. I don't know how any of them will react. You need a disguise. Just until we reach the President. Since you're an ambassador, he can give you official protection. I know you can take care of yourself, but this country is ruled by the people. We want to make a good first impression. It is the representatives of the people that decide whether the country declares war."

    "I understand"

     "Now how do we disguise you? A simple costume won't work..."

    "What about your necklace? That changes you between a pony and a human."

    "I don't think that'll work. That coin had my face on it."

    "What happened when you first picked it up?"

    "It shocked me...oh..."

     "Enough magical energy for it to copy your face."

    "All right. It's worth a try."

    Mark took the coin out of his necklace. He braced for the sensation of transformation, but it never came.

    "Wait a second...I don't need the coin on to remain a pony? That would have been useful information! Like, five years ago!"

    He put the coin back on his necklace and flipped it over, transforming into a human. He gave the coin to Twilight, who he directed to stand in front of the mirror. Mark looked, and noticed her profile on the alicorn side of the coin.

    Twilight transformed, and the coin appeared in a golden band on her head. His crystal watch-band disappeared. Interesting.

    Twilight got shakily on her feet, looking at herself in the mirror. "Well, this is different than last time."

    Oh right. She had become human before. Or rather, human-ish.

    "Wait, the first time I was transformed, I was knocked out completely!"

    "It wasn't that bad. How many times have I used the Elements of Harmony? Those were much worse."

    Oh. Right.

    "Well, we'd better get going. Twilight, I should probably have that coin back. You look a bit too conspicuous with that crown on."

    "Right." She handed him the crown, and it turned back to his crystal watch, forming around his wrist.

     "Wait."

    "What?"

     "If this coin works on everybody, maybe we can make this portal work for everyone as well. Remember that work we did on 'freezing' spell states?"

    "Yeah. It would lock the power of a magical item on the object it was affecting, making that effect permanent. In theory, that would work with the Elements of Harmony, but they would be unusable for as long as they were locked."

    "I believe this coin has two enchantments. One for the transformation, and one for opening this portal. Since this coin does work for everyone, I am going to lock it's state once it opens the portal for me."

    "Wouldn't that make it unusable for transformation?"

    "Not if I'm right. We can undo the lock if it causes any problems."

    "All right. It's worth a try."

    Mark stood inside the portal, half inside Equestria, half inside his house on Earth. Now that he thought of it, this new connection with Equestria would be a huge source of spoilers for bronies. They still were watching the Season 4. They would be so mad. He smiled, then activated the lock.

    There was a huge wave of force, a blinding light, and Twilight gasped. The mirror face had disappeared, revealing an ordinary room. Mark's room. And he was nowhere in sight.