Chapter 8: Around Town

It took some time for the newcomers to fully explain their story to Twilight, even with Zecora's help.

Eventually, Twilight listened gravely while Chris and Marky recounted the incident with the monsters in the forest. "This could be a problem. Zecora, the creatures in the forest, have you seen anything like them before?"

Zecora shook her head.

"Many things have I encountered in Everfree Forest,
But the monsters are something weird.
An invader from elsewhere I've guessed,
Dangerous creatures to be feared."

Twilight rested her elbows on the table and placed her chin on her hooves thoughtfully. "I need to inform Princess Celestia of this. Your arrival here alone is unprecedented, and these things in the forest need to be dealt with before somepony gets hurt."

"Oh dear, did anypony try talking to them?" Fluttershy asked in her soft, gentle voice.

"Well it was kind of hard to have a nice conversation with the hungry monsters while we were hanging upside down on a rope ride to painful death," McAllister said sarcastically.

Fluttershy cringed visibly at his mocking tone.

Hamilton scowled and kicked McAllister in the shin, hard. "Be nice to her, you jerk. She's very sensitive!"

"Ow!" McAllister rubbed his shin and looked at Fluttershy. "I'm sorry."

"Oh... Oh... it's okay."

Twilight was deep in thought and was not paying attention their antics. "Judging from what I've heard, I don't know if there is any talking to be done to these things. Everfree Forest is not the most hospitable of environments, and from what you told me, they are turning it into a lunch buffet." She looked around. "Can I get the bill? We need to go to to the police station."

Rarity waved her hoof. "I'm taking care of it Twilight!"

The cafe owner came out behind the waiter. "Welcome to all of you!" He took the bill and tore it into pieces. "On the house today. You've brought me more business than I've had in a week!" He waved his hoof around, indicating the jam packed tables.

After thanking the owner, they hurried to the station, where Twilight organized a roadblock. "Tell your officers not to let anypony go down that road until I authorize it. There is some kind of monster infestation. Hold on a moment. Could one of you guys please describe the things to them?"

Marky leaned over and gave the dispatch officer a detailed description of the creatures in the forest. "Remember, watch where you step, stay on the road, the tentacles hide in grass!"

After Marky was finished, Twilight spoke again. "And could you please send an emergency message to Princess Celestia asking her to come to my castle?"

As they left the police station, Twilight sighed. "Usually I would have Spike send a message, but he's out buying groceries. I hope it arrives quickly."

"Who is Spike?" Marky asked.

"Oh, he's my... assistant. He's a dragon."

"A dragon? A fire breathing dragon?"

"Well yes. He breathes fire. Sometimes. Most dragons do."

"A tame dragon."

"Tame? I don't think that's a very appropriate word at all. He's a close friend of mine. For many years."

"I'm sorry," Marky said. "Where I come from, we don't have dragons at all."

"Well, it's also true that not all dragons are like Spike. Most of the dragons here can be quite dangerous. Oh and that's my house." She gestured with her hoof.

A gigantic purple and blue crystalline tree rose from the ground, towering over the other buildings in the area. Cradled by it, or perhaps part of it, was a beautiful purple castle, glittering in the sunlight.

Marky and the humans gaped upwards at the building suspended high above their heads.

"Wow. That's pretty amazing," Marky said. "How on earth did you build it? It looks like... Crystal."

"I didn't. It sort of... grew here."

The newcomers stared at Twilight.

"I had a smaller house once. A library inside a tree." She sounded wistful. "There was a... a battle. It... It was... destroyed." The note of sadness in her voice was unmistakable. She shook it off and smiled brightly. "Well, want to see the inside?" She led them towards the large door at the base of the crystal castle, and then up to the spacious main floor.

Marky looked around the massive entry hallway and whistled. "How big IS this place?"

"Big enough that I was almost afraid to live here at first," Twilight answered softly. "But my friends here helped me get over that. For the most part." She looked left and right, then called out. "Spike! Spike?! Are you home?" Her voice echoed through the unseen halls and rooms.

A small figure popped out of a door and came trotting down the massive hallway towards them. "Hi Twilight! What's going o- Sweet Celestia!" The little purple dragon skidded to a stop at the sight of the humans.

"It's alright Spike, they're new friends."

He recovered quickly. "Oh, er, well, nice to meet you guys then. Ohhh, hi Rarity! Say, I was just making dinner. I can make a little more for everyone. Do you like grilled eggplant and mozzarella sandwiches?"

"We really don't want to be an imposition," Chris started, but was interrupted by Marky's stomach growling. "Then again, eggplant and mozzarella sounds delicious."

"I expect Celestia will get here soon. We may as well have a bite while we wait," Twilight replied. "And I'm actually glad for the company."

"Princess Celestia is...? AEURGH!" Spike belched a flame. A scroll materialized from it and dropped into his claw. He unwrapped it and ran his eyes over the writing. "Celestia says she'll be here in twenty minutes. I'll go finish dinner." He trotted off and left the humans and Marky staring after him.

McAllister shrugged. "A miniature talking dragon who burps mail. Why not? It isn't any weirder than anything else I've seen today."

Twilight giggled at that, and led the group down the hall into her dining room.

The room was large, and even though the table and chairs in it were grandly sized, they did not fill even a quarter of the space.

"Please make yourselves comfortable!" Twilight gestured towards the chairs around the table. She hesitated. "Uh, those... what did you call them? She waved her hoof helplessly. "The armor suit things..."

"Oh, the exo suits." Chris waved his hand at the metal frame he was wearing.

"Yes, thank you, the exo suits. I forgot the name, we don't have things like that around here." Twilight gestured at them. "It looks a bit uncomfortable. If it's okay, you can take them off. I promise you will be safe here. Well, at least as safe as all of us are."

The other three looked at Chris for confirmation, who nodded. "It'll save us battery power. I'm at about 60% now."

The four men put their exo suits in standby mode and activated the release mechanisms. The suits detached, stepped back, and partially folded themselves on the floor in the corner of the dining room while the Equestrians watched with rapt interest.

There followed several moments of stretching and scratching from the humans, since the suits tended to block some areas of skin from being easily reached when worn. The Equestrians watched this with equal interest.

"Those suits are really cool." Rainbow Dash looked impressed.

McAllister snorted. "Well they are until you've worn them for a few hours, anyway. My back is sweating and I have itches in inappropriate spots."

"I know that feeling!" Rainbow Dash cackled. "I was wearing the Wonderbolts flight suit once in the summer, and I got all sweaty and wet and itchy right in my-"

"They could use a bit of color," Rarity interrupted hastily, eyeing suits. "Perhaps a few gemstones?"

Applejack dragged her away. "That there is some advanced military technology sweetheart, not a fashion accessory!'

"Oh, well yes I see how that might not be entirely appropriate." Rarity glanced at Rainbow Dash. "Unlike some ponies, I am able to grasp the concept of what is appropriate."

Rainbow Dash looked at her blankly while crudely scratching the base of her tail with a hoof.. "Eh, what are you getting on about?"

Marky was grinning like a Cheshire cat. "I could have listened a little longer."

Rarity sighed resignedly. "Oh never mind. Anyway, I'm going to go help Spike with dinner." She went back out into the hallway and her hoofsteps faded towards the kitchen.

"Can I try one on?" Pinkie Pie leapt towards the exo suits.

"NO!" said the humans in unison.

"They are designed for us, not you," Chris added. "It could injure you severely."

"Awww, no fun. I don't want to be injured." Pinkie Pie hopped towards a chair.

Fluttershy moved towards the table, and noticed a teapot sitting on a cart with cups, saucers, and other accessories.

"Ohhh, how about a nice cup of tea?" she breathed. She walked to the cart while the others sat down around the table. She placed a cup on a saucer, dropped a teabag in it, and lifted the pot happily. Then her face fell. "Oh dear, it's cold." She set it back down.

Twilight looked at the pot, and her horn glowed, projecting a magic field around it. The pot began steaming and boiling almost immediately. She then poured hot water into Fluttershy's cup.

Fluttershy smiled. "Thank you, Twilight."

The humans stared.

"How did you do that?" Sanchez asked.

Twilight grinned at him. "Magic." She tapped her horn.

"Can you do other things also?"

Twilight smiled wider. "I know many spells, magic is my specialty!"

Sanchez folded his hands. "Is it different from telekinesis?"

She leaned back in her chair thoughtfully. "Yes, there is a difference. When I pick something up, it's like I just reach out for it. When I use an actual spell, I am shaping and weaving the magic into a pattern. It's hard to explain if you have never used magic before... Have you ever used magic before?"

Sanchez shook his head. "We don't have magic where I come from."

A chorus of gasps came from the Equestrians.

"No magic? Twilight was aghast. "Although, I imagine having those digits, you don't need it as much."

Sanchez lifted his hand and waggled his fingers around. "You're right. And we build machines that can assist us with heavier work."

"We do as well. Just many of them involve magic in one way or another."

A moment of silence followed, then Zecora took a sip of tea and closed her eyes, murmuring softly to herself.

"From a world so far, distant lands beyond,
Bringing machines that move as if they live,
Strangers henceforth are to share a bond,
And unto each other assistance give."

She did not reopen her eyes immediately, and was thus unaware of the attention she had drawn around the table.

After a few quiet seconds, Twilight glanced at the clock, then got up from her chair. "I should go meet Celestia. You guys can wait here, I'll be back shortly."

She exited the room and went down the grand hallway towards her open air patio.