Chapter 7: Aliens Among Us

The four humans and two ponies paused on a hill at the edge of the Everfree Forest and looked out over the valley sprawled out below them.

Numerous thatch-roofed houses and buildings nestled among hills and streams flowing through a luxuriously green valley surrounded by looming mountain peaks. Ponies could be seen moving about, although further details were difficult to see at their distance. Farther off, up in the mountains above and behind the town, a great city hung out over a huge drop from the largest peak. Waterfalls fell from the lower portions of the city as if it was a huge fountain.

Marky broke the silence. "What a quaint looking place."

Hamilton gasped. "It's even more beautiful than I imagined."

Chris squinted, trying to see the distant ponies better. "You know, in all the excitement I kind of forgot to ask. How friendly are the, uh, townspeople, with outsiders?"

Hamilton smiled and started to speak, but Chris cut him off. "I realize that you think you know a lot about this place, but look around you. This is an alien world, quite possibly an alien universe. It may differ greatly from what you expect in ways that could prove dangerous. Remember our little adventure in the woods."

Hamilton's face sobered. "I understand. I'm sorry, I am a bit overwhelmed."

Chris briefly put a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay. I want your input, your knowledge is valuable. But we have got to be careful." He looked at Zecora, who nodded.

"I understand your doubt,
But you may set yourself at ease,
The ponies hereabout,
Are friendly and easy to please."

Marky waved a hoof. "Looks pretty relaxed to me. Let's check it out huh?"

They pushed on, walking down the dirt path leading to town. After a short distance it became smoother and more traveled.

"Holy crap! It's a flying pony!" Sanchez pointed at a barely visible dot in the sky.

Marky grunted. "What do you think I am?"

Sanchez looked at him. "Huh?"

Marky fanned his wings up. "These wings, bro. They aren't just for show, they actually work you know."

Sanchez blinked. "I, uh... I didn't think about it."

Marky chuckled good-naturedly and refolded his wings.

"Well why are you walking this whole way then?" Sanchez asked.

"Because it would be kind of rude if all you guys were walking and I just took off flying around like a pigeon or something. Besides, walking is a lot more relaxing for me."

"Well yes, I do see how it would be rather difficult to hold a conversation in that case too."

At that moment a pink pony with wildly frizzy hair came bouncing towards them from the town, carrying a box of something on her back. It was a wonder the box did not fall off.

Chris stopped. "What in the...?"

"Hi Zecora! Hi strange black Alicorn! Hi freaky deaky aliens!"

"Good day to you Pinkie Pie!
Are those cupcakes I spy?"

"Hmm, they could be!"

The pink pony kept coming until she was right in Marky's face. "Hmmm, I don't recall seeing YOU around here before."

Marky smiled widely and went to speak, but Pinkie was already giving Chris the once-over, her eyes narrow with suspicion. "What kind of a freaky half-robot alien are you? Huh?"

"Well, uh, I'm a human, and I'm not half robot, this is my exoskeleton."

"Oh, well that explains everything then!" Pinkie's enormous smile returned instantly.

Chris continued. "We came here-"

Pinkie interrupted, talking so fast her words were almost indiscernible. "You came here through a gateway from your world and went exploring because you had no idea what to expect and almost got killed but Zecora saved you and now she is taking you here to see Princess Twilight because you need our help with something really bad that happened in your world!"

She looked sad for a moment as she realized what she had just said. "Something really, really bad."

Chris reeled. "How did you..."

Pinkie smiled again. "Just a guess." She immediately started hopping away. "Follow me!"

"I, hag, uh, what?" Chris choked. "I have no idea what she's talking about!"

Marky pushed Chris with his hoof. "Let's see where she's taking us."

McAllister spoke up too. "She said a Princess. I imagine if anyone could help us, that would be the place to start."

Pinkie was surprisingly fast, but she stopped and turned around. "Come on you guys, I've got cupcakes here!"

"Now she's speaking my language," Sanchez muttered, walking towards her.

The group followed her into town. Before long, they were attracting quite a bit of attention. Curious ponies of all colors and types collected around them, but stayed at a respectful distance. Some had unicorn horns, some flew on wings, and some had neither, like Pinkie Pie.

"Unicorns, Earth ponies, and Pegasus." Hamilton pointed them out to the others.

Marky was the only Alicorn present, and there were quite a few stares aimed his direction.

One of the shop doors nearby opened as they passed, and a pure white unicorn with purple hair came out.

"I simply must find myself some more gems and... My goodness, what is going on out here?"

She looked at the crowd in amazement.

Pinkie Pie beckoned to her. "Hey, Rarity! Come here and meet the aliens!"

Rarity's eyes grew big when she saw the humans, and she came towards them for a better look. "Whatever are you? And those clothes! I have never seen anything like it!"

"Uh, hello there, I'm Chris. We are..."

"Headed to Twilight's house!" Pinkie squealed.

Rarity was still amazed. "Metal clothes? What is this?"

Chris flexed his arm. "It's an exoskeletal suit. It's not exactly clothes, it... makes us better, faster, stronger."

McAllister rolled his eyes at Chris's choice of words. 'Harder."

Rarity's curiosity grew. "A magic suit?"

"Well actually, it's electronic."

"Robot suit!" Pinkie Pie said, helpfully.

"Robots are AWESOME!" a voice from above called.

Chris looked up just in time to see a blue streak plow into Marky and knock him over sideways. "OW! GET OFF!"

"Oops! Sorry!"

The blue Pegasus who had just wiped Marky out jumped up and began brushing herself off.

Marky, still laying on the ground, opened one eye and looked at her appreciatively. "Orrrr you could get back on again...?"

Chris poked him with his foot.

"Ow. What? I was just kidding!"

Rarity sniffed. "Nice of you to 'drop in', Rainbow Dash."

"Hey, it would have been an AWESOME landing if that guy hadn't got in the way!"

Marky scrambled to his feet and spread his wings, checking for broken bones and making sure his pistols were still in their holsters.

"Oh man! I didn't notice you were an Alicorn!"

"That matters?"

"Well, Alicorns are always important ponies. Aren't you important?"

Marky blinked. "I... don't know how to answer that? I mean I guess I did sort of an important job before, but eh, I've never been rich or anything."

Rainbow Dash looked at the humans. "And what are they? Some kind of dragons? They got funny-looking claws. And where's the scales?"

"Humans," Chris said patiently for the hundredth time. "We come from far away. And we're not dragons."

"Is that some kind of gun on your back? Cool! Can I hold it?"

Chris rotated his body so that the rifle slung on his back was facing away from Rainbow Dash.

"Uh, maybe later? It's dangerous."

"I live for danger," Rainbow Dash said, narrowing her eyes.

Just then, an orange pony wearing a cowboy hat approached the crowd, dragging a cart. "Hey there everypony! What's going on?"

Too many ponies answered at once.

"Alien!"

"Alicorn!"

"Robot!"

"They got claws!"

"Soft claws!"

She looked confused. "Say what naow?" She pulled a little closer and saw the four humans. "Well, ain't you a different bunch!"

Hamilton stopped staring at Rainbow Dash and looked at her. "Applejack! It's you! Did you bring pies?"

Applejack looked taken aback. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

"No... Just, someone mentioned your name, or something..." Hamilton smiled artificially, then mumbled under his breath. "I have GOT to stop doing that."

Applejack surveyed the crowd, sensing a business opportunity. "Actually I do have pies here..." She opened her stand and began selling pies.

A festive atmosphere grew as nearby shop owners joined in. Before long, pies, drinks, popcorn, and other snacks were being sold, bought, and consumed. Ponies sat on benches around the street and at cafe tables, chattering excitedly.

Pinkie took a moment and talked briefly with Rainbow Dash, who flew off over the rooftops at high velocity. She then turned around and spoke to the others. "Guys, we can wait here. Rainbow Dash went to go and find Twilight." Pinkie Pie gleefully led them over to a nearby cafe table, and the group pushed a few tables together.

Chris, Marky, Zecora and the others sat down, with Rarity and Applejack joining them at the extended table. Chris picked up a menu, and frowned slightly. "What are bits?"

"The local currency," Hamilton said. "And be careful what you eat here. These ponies are vegetarians, and I'm not sure what a hayburger would do to a human stomach."

"Duly noted. We don't have any local currency anyway, so I guess that's out."

Rarity leaned in. "Don't worry darling, I'll buy."

"Thank you, but..." Chris trailed off, watching a gray cross-eyed flying mare get her head stuck in a mailbox across the street. "What the...?"

"What is it?" Rarity and the other ponies looked across the street, seeming not to notice the pony jammed in the mailbox as she struggled to pull her head free. Eventually it came loose with a pop, dropping her on her rear. She got up, seemingly unperturbed, and blundered down to the next mailbox, this time getting her forehoof stuck in the slot while trying to deliver a letter.

Chris shrugged dismissively. "Nothing, I guess."

The waiter approached, a well-dressed stallion carrying a notepad. "What can I get for you?"

After a short discussion, everyone ordered vanilla milkshakes. Rarity ordered three extras for Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy. "They should arrive any time now."

Sure enough, just as the waiter was bringing the milkshakes, Rainbow Dash glided down, followed by a yellow Pegasus and a purple Alicorn. "Found em both!"

"This is PRINCESS Twilight Sparkle!" Pinkie said grandly. "THE PURPLE ONE," she added in a stage-whisper. "THE YELLOW ONE IS FLUTTERSHY."

Twilight Sparkle stepped forward. "Well hello there everypon- Oh my!"

The Alicorn was evidently startled by the sight of the humans, who had stood at Pinkie's introduction. They towered over even the tallest of the ponies.

"I have never seen... of course, you are most welcome!" Twilight said, nervously. Then she hissed at Rainbow Dash. "You didn't tell me they were... well... visitors, like this! I don't even have my crown."

"I TOLD you they were aliens!" Rainbow Dash said.

"But I didn't expect... Oh, my."

Chris smiled, equally nervously. "Thank you, uh, Your Highness, we are most honored to be in your, ah, illustrious presence."

Princess Twilight winced slightly, but returned the greeting after a moment's hesitation. "Greetings to you, fair stranger, what brings you hence to our green lands?"

Applejack grimaced. "Uh, why are you guys talkin like that? It sounds awkward as all hay."

Chris made a wry expression. "Well to be truthful, I've never met a princess before. I don't really know what to do around, um, royalty."

Twilight laughed and the tension went out of her body. "Well that's a relief. Just talk to me like you would any of the others here. I am a working princess, no special favors for me."

Rarity waved a hoof. "How about we try again, over the milkshakes this time?"

"That sounds great to me," Twilight said as she and Fluttershy sat down. "So, what's going on?"