“If some mystical occurrences happen to us, don’t we “normally” and fearfully prefer to call them strange coincidences? Or try to persuade ourselves it was only an indication of our overactive imagination? Aren’t we “normally” closing our eyes and ears, refusing to face the truth?”

― Sahara Sanders, INDIGO DIARIES: A Series of Novels

With the royal summons having been completed, Twilight decided to spend a little of the afternoon looking around Canterlot before taking the Friendship Express back to Ponyville later that day. It was in a very light hearted state of mind that Karn found himself being accompanied around the sights within Canterlot by the six ponies and Spike. He'd been given permission to stay in Equestria and, more to the point, the right to reside in Ponyville. That alone felt like the lifting of a tremendous burden from his shoulders. He was concerned about Fluttershy having so readily accepted the burden of helping to keep an eye on him. The kind of trauma he was burdened with was probably the last thing she needed.

The city of Canterlot proved to be a source of the most incredible wonder for Karn. He found himself observing some magnificent spectacle, only to move on to some other astounding feat of architectural skill. Upon spending some time admiring that, there would be yet another astonishingly beautiful edifice, yet each time he found himself conflicted. His own inner dialog would merge in strange ways with recollections of his father's, leaving him unsure at times whether to feel elation or disgust. This strange divergence of his emotions actually led to him feeling amused - almost as if he could see himself singing the praises of some particular building while insisting it be bulldozed down.

It was whilst in this curiously disjointed frame of mind that he found himself looking up at the most exquisitely designed water feature - a public fountain.

"Isn't this wonderful? This particular fountain was constructed just fifty years after the creation of the city itself! Don't you think it makes a wonderfully peaceful feature here like this, Karn?" offered Twilight, interrupting his thoughts.

His eyes studied the magnificent stone sculpture of a unicorn stallion, raised up on it's hind legs, water spouting from the top of it's horn. The attention to detail was astounding - one almost suspected it to be a street performer covered in plaster only he could sense no polarization of a heart within the feature itself. He'd started to notice that he was now able to sense this movement of bio-electric energy at distances greater than he'd ever been able to before. He'd paid this change no mind, putting the heightening of this sense down to the rest and gentle care afforded him by his new-found friends and his not living within a two-ended shooting gallery anymore.

"Astounding, indeed, was the sculptor's prowess. The artwork is truly incredible, and yes - I would certainly agree that the sound the water makes and the cool air that flows through it gives me a sense of peace," he announced, whilst he sported a half-smirk suggesting that he wasn't entirely sure what he felt about this scene. The overall impression he seemed to give was that he'd only managed to point out half of what he was actually feeling.

"I know that look, Karn. It's the same one you had in the palace hall," said Twilight with a stern look in her eye.

"I'm sorry, Twilight. I love the fountain. I really do! It looks magnificent, and truly the artists involved were very gifted! But there's that ... Alsovian aspect of me that sees a block of stone which has been sculpted into a form to do little more than waste water."

"Karn, which do you think is the stronger emotion you're experiencing? Do you love it, or do you hate it?"

He smiled down towards her. "No, I love it, Twilight. It's marvelous!” Karn gazed back at the fountain, an unsure look on his face. “ It's just that old habits and old views are hard to break."

She managed a half scowl of her own for him. "Are you hearing your father again?"

"... his father?!?" asked Pinkie suddenly, drawing everyone’s attention.

"Yes, Pinkie. I was telling Twilight about the worldviews of my father this morning in the palace," he sighed, turning back to admire the sculpture. "Whilst I love the artwork and find the skill of the artisans themselves to be breathtaking, my father... well, he wouldn't have approved."

"What are you saying, Clubman! That your dad didn't like water fountains?" pitched in Rainbow Dash.

Karn had by now given up on trying to stop them from using his nickname. Since Applejack was really the only one of them to understand how he'd earned the nickname in the first place, he thought it best just to let it slide.

"That, my delightful destroyer of hatchways, is precisely what I'm saying! He would not have approved of this waste of stone and water."

"Huh. Doesn't sound like a lot of fu-"

"Nor would he have approved of the fanciful architecture of these buildings surrounding us!" Karn stepped closer to Rainbow Dash.

"Okay, so he wouldn't have li-"

"Nor the manner of clothes that ponies seem to wear here!" He soon towered over her, glancing at Rarity, looking very serious.

Rarity was taken aback, this time. "My dear! Not even so much as ..."

"Nor the palace itself and its wonderfully ornate hallways, its marbled ceilings, the wonderful designs on the stain glass windows, the manner in which we were served tea with the princesses, nor even the furniture within that anteroom."

The ponies all looked at each other, varying expressions on their faces, before turning back to Karn.

"Well, then what in tarnation would he have liked?" asked Applejack, feeling a little annoyed about these opinions though delivered vicariously.

Karn smiled warmly and turned to face her. "He would have loved all of you," he said simply.

Applejack tilted her head sideways and raised an eyebrow at him. Clearly, she didn't buy that for a moment.

"I'm serious, Applejack. He would have appreciated your individual gifts and your devotion to each other. Your cutie marks in particular would have actually impressed him deeply - a mark of extraordinary efficiency! He'd have loved that. As to the other things I spoke of, it's more that he would consider the use of so much stone to do little more than blow water into the air to be an astounding waste of time, resources and water," he said finally.

"My father was pragmatic to a fault. He was ascetic and carried an intense dislike of anything that had no practical purpose. Speaking for myself, I enjoy it! I admire the skill of the builders! The fountain itself is ... peaceful! I haven't had a lot of peace and that someone utilized a chunk of stone to help me feel less anxious, Doorsmasher, then so be it!"

Rainbow Dash looked back at him, confusion on her face. He grinned at her - any moment she'd make the connection. "Wait, why are you calling me Door..." she began, before she paused suddenly as her mind caught up with her and answered her own question. "Ngh!"

Karn managed a chuckle. "I'm sorry, Dashie. You started using my stupid nickname first!" he reminded her, gently waving his pointer finger towards her. "So, Twilight, to answer your questions - I love this display, whilst my father would've been horrified."

They continued on their brief exploration of the city. For all of his austere upbringing, he could not help but be impressed, even moved. The city didn't appear to have been built with a particular town plan in mind - but this lent the entire metropolis a charm that was both fascinating and exciting. The roads were often cobbled, but they were clean and well kept. The houses and shops butted up one against the other, but the creatures living here seemed friendly and free of cares. The air was sweet and clean, not at all smoky, dusty or musky as he would have expected from a large city. There was order and organization, to be sure - but the free flowing design of the place, the casual atmosphere created by its citizens and the unending procession of well groomed buildings gave everything a light-hearted charm. Karn found himself rather speechless, looking from one side of the street to the next and always being impressed by some lovely vision; fine architecture, curious designs, clean side streets and all manner of strange creatures. It was easy to see how a human - apparently a one of a kind here - could be so easily accepted.

"So this is where you were born and where you grew up, Twilight?" he asked, finally.

"Well, where I lived before I left for Ponyville to discover the secret of friendship, yes it was! I attended the school for gifted unicorns here as well! I'm sorry we don't really have enough time to visit all of those places before we have to head back."

"May I be so bold as to ask to come back again sometime? When business is less pressing? I should love to see the school in particular."

"Of course! I'd love to show you around!" beamed Twilight. "I hope you don't mind ... you know ... the fine architecture and the great waste of brick and stone in the school's construction, Karn?" she asked melodramatically whilst smiling crookedly at him.

He looked back at her with fake consternation. "My dear Twilight! What would have given you the idea that I could think such things?"

She cocked her head a little to one side. "Oh, it's just precedent, Karn. I don't think bringing your father along would be a good idea," she observed. "Oh, my goodness! Oh, Karn, I'm so sorry, that was a heartless and silly thing to say!"

He continued to smile at her. "That's okay, Twilight. I understand you were just trying to be funny. No offense was meant and therefore quite rightly none was taken."

The afternoon walk around the town continued. Twilight managed a slight blush and looked away a little, feeling rather foolish.

"Hey, Clubbster!!!" interrupted Rainbow Dash. "I know your dad wouldn't have liked it here, but what about your mother?"

"Ah. My mother," said Karn. He looked forwards for a moment as he collected his thoughts. "She wasn't as austere as my father, I can safely tell you that much," he continued. "She was a veteran as well, of course. She was ... a saint of a woman. She was gentle, thoughtful, incredibly kind. She absolutely adored my father!" he exclaimed, turning to face Rainbow Dash, before he returned his gaze forwards once more. "She was the one who encouraged me to read fiction occasionally. To add poetry and prose to my reading material, rather than just treatises on medicine or physics. She felt that it would add character and color to my learning," he said with a note of nostalgia in his voice.

"Huh," was all Rainbow Dash could manage.

"You're saying I have no character, Door Killer?" he laughed, turning towards her once more.

"Pfff, no! I didn't say that!"

"Ah! But you were thinking it!"

"I was not!" she smiled.

"No, you were thinking about ... " he began, before he stopped suddenly, now motionless in the middle of the street yet staring at Rainbow Dash in amazement. "No ... you were thinking about ... how you could find a way to get comfortable enough to be able to sleep on the train."

Rainbow Dash's eyes flew open and she stared back him. "Ah ... yeah. Yeah I was. But ... how in Equestria did you know that?"

Karn remained standing there, staring at Rainbow dash. He was unnerved, unsettled - even a little mortified. "Dashie ... I have absolutely no idea at all."

The others having also stopped to observe this sudden turn of events were likewise as puzzled, Twilight especially.

"Karn? ... How did you know what she was thinking?"

"I don't know, Twilight."

"So ... what? You guessed what she was thinking?"

"No, Twilight. I just ... knew."

"How can you just know what somepony is thinking, Karn?" she asked, her voice full of bemusement.

"It just sprang into my mind, Twilight. That's never happened before. I was just talking to her, not doing anything in particular, and then it ... just occurred to me. I just knew suddenly that she was wondering how she'd get to sleep on the train as it's so uncomfortable for her ... I don't know where that knowledge came from. It just ... sprang to my mind," he reported. He turned down to face his inquisitor. "Twilight ... I don't know what happened, but I'm not sure I like this feeling."

"Do you know what I'm thinking right now?" asked Twilight, intrigued.

"I have no idea at all. I wasn't consciously attempting to reach out and feel Dashie's mind at the time, Twilight."

"I'm certainly glad to hear that much, Karn!" exclaimed a now worried Rainbow Dash.

"As I said, Twilight, it just sort of ... crept into the conversation. I was cutting up with her and then when she denied thinking I had no character, my mind just filled in the blanks for me. It was automatic. It just sprang there."

It was inevitable at this time that the notebook flew from her saddlebags and Twilight jotted more notes furiously on its pages. "Karn, once we return to Ponyville, I want to spent a great deal of time with you examining this potential of yours. I don't know what just happened, but clearly it was out of the ordinary."

Karn's shoulders sank a little and he frowned at her. "Am I going to have to wear that silly metal colander again?"

"Quite possibly," she replied flatly as the pace of her writing intensified.

"Really? More electroencephalography through a pasta strainer?" Her scrawling continued - the pace unabated. "Twilight, why do you never run out of pages in that book of yours?"

"I keep alot of spare journals, Karn."

"What do I have to do to be able to read back my own medical reports, Twilight?"

"You know I can't let you do that, Karn."

"I do realize it could very well alter the behavior of your subject, but it'd certainly be fun? For me, anyway."

She looked up him with that look once more and he made a mental note to come up with a 'cute' name for that expression. Hopefully one she would find irritating as there was something about her irritated look that he appreciated just as much as 'that look'.

"You must have a quite a store of them by now with me being your subject of study? Is there a Doctorate or something involved if you can get a paper published?"

"A paper? Oh Karn, what would I call such a thing?"

He shrugged his shoulders a little. "Inter-universal travel of hominids with fractured minds and their dislike of high architecture?" She gave him 'the look' again - the one that he'd become accustomed to and learned to love. "Rolltagen - an anthropological study into the broken minds of adepts in the former service of Alsovia?" he suggested. The look from Twilight intensified. "Door repair for people with minimal ... "

"Ugh! The door again, Karn?" Twilight growled.

"Har, I can't help it, Twilight. I find such things to be amusing. You realize that my sense of humor is one of the things that you really haven't questioned me about a great deal."

"As soon as we return to Ponyville and my door gets fixed, Karn, I think we have a lot of holes to fill in as far as you're concerned."

He frowned at her. "You're suggesting I have holes that need filling?" he asked in an attempt to be facetious. Realizing the way such a question could be misconstrued he quickly followed with an explanation. "I mean my mouth?” he clarified whilst indicating his jaw with his pointer finger as if additional cues were required. “At times I do tend to get carried away and I also understand that my sense of humor tends towards the absurd. Thus far you haven't minded too much - but then of course you are extremely patient, my dear therapist. I shall make it a point here that if you were to threaten to fill my mouth with wet cement that you would not be the first creature to do so."

Twilight rolled her eyes. "For Celestia's sake, Karn, what would I do in my spare time without you."

"Probably something a lot less trying on your nerves, princess," he observed. The early afternoon ramble through the glorious capital of Equestria continued once more. Rarity also seemed to be especially in her element, admiring the various dresses and gowns that the townsfolk appeared to be wearing. Pinkie still exuded a seemingly boundless energy as she hopped around. It was odd that Twilight had not in fact commenced a study into where Pinkie got that much energy from. Obviously there was the sugar component but beyond its use in cellular construction and for the production of adenosine triphosphate, it didn't explain the way she was gifted with this constantly effusive personality.

They all decided to stop at a small restaurant near one of the many elegant side streets for a bite to eat. There were still a few hours to go until the train would be arriving in the Canterlot station to take them home and being able to dine in a restaurant here in Canterlot was another experience that Karn was unwilling to pass up. They made their way through the front door single file and it was obvious that they made an interesting sight to the other diners.

"Good afternoon, madam. How many will be dining this afternoon?" asked a most extraordinarily polite maître d'hôtel.

"Well, we have six ponies, one baby dragon and one human so I guess that makes a party of eight," responded Twilight.

"Certainly, madam. If you would all care to follow me? We have a large table here near the window."

They made their way carefully across the restaurant. The establishment wasn't crowded, but the roof was still one that Karn found uncomfortably low. He secretly dreaded having to sit on another pony sized stool.

"Would sir like a slightly larger chair to sit in? I am afraid the chairs at the table may be uncomfortable for you."

Karn was pleasantly surprised at the offer. It would be wonderful to be able to be seated without either being overcome by the fear of breaking the furniture. Of course to sit at a table without having his knees at the level of his chest was just another simple comfort that he had been missing a great deal since his arrival.

"That would be wonderful! Thank you very much!"

"Of course, Sir! I shall be back in just one moment."

The ponies and Spike all took seats near the window table, their faces all pleasant smiles. A seat more appropriate to a human duly arrived and Karn took a place at the table next to Fluttershy. The ponies chose a variety of items from the menu ranging from hay burgers to daffodils. These were victuals that Karn had become used to. He had in fact tasted a few daffodils and whilst they were not the most pleasant things he'd eaten, they were a food stuff and at least some of their substance would prove helpful for his physiology. He opted instead for a vegetable burger - these were essentially a vegetarian dish, but he'd found similar food in Ponyville that did indeed contain a variety of complete proteins. In a worst case he could obtain animal protein from fish. Evidently this was okay since Fluttershy herself seemed to be feeding them to the cats that she had. Even Opal, the feline that Rarity cared for, was able to at least eat trout. As far as Karn knew, cats were not necessarily evolved to eat fish but clearly the cats that roamed the village were quite healthy and they were obligatory carnivores.

He forced these thoughts from his mind abruptly. ‘I am over-analyzing a meal for fuck’s sake,’ he muttered inwardly.

Their respective meals duly arrived. He observed the vegetable burger that was laid before him. The chefs here obviously had access to a wide variety of spices and herbs which gave the vegetable patty a most delightful aroma. Grasping the burger carefully in his hands, he managed to take a large bite; letting the soy and chickpea-based patty carry its array of spices around his palette. He could remember a time many cycles ago when his unit had been cut off for several days and in lieu of air dropped supplies they had been reduced to boiling the leather of their shoes for long enough for it be able to be chewed.

He continued to masticate the heavenly mouthful of the burger and used the opportunity to look around the inside of the restaurant. The walls were a wonderfully light-blue color with ornate edgings around the windows. Outside, ponies of all kinds walked past. Some trotted by with a degree of determination whilst obviously focused on a particular errand. Others held hooves together, clearly partners just out enjoying the weather. Still others just seemed to be out for a stroll, like Twilight and the rest of them. In no case had he noted any hint of panic, fear or trepidation - there was no threat of shelling, no threat of war. No uniformed soldiers marched through the streets, no anti-aircraft weapons were stationed on any houses or other buildings, and aside from guards at the appropriate gateways to the city, ponies were not pulled up in the street and harassed for papers and identification.

The relaxed way in which the ponies of this city trotted - a spring in their step, a relaxed look about their bearing and so many smiles. This was most assuredly an empire at peace.

"Karn? You okay?" asked Applejack, suddenly tearing him away from his study of Canterlot society.

"Oh. Sorry, AJ. I was just observing the life here in Canterlot. It's very peaceful. Everyone seems to be very happy and relaxed. It's actually a little unsettling for me in a few odd ways."

"... Karn, it's peaceful and you find that unsettlin'?"

"I do indeed," he replied, taking another large bite of his vegetable burger and savoring once more the wonderful combination of flavors that it offered.

It was Rarity's turn to be confused. "My dear, why would something so peaceful be causing you to be unsettled? This is a wonderful city!"

"I know, my lady! It's difficult to explain, but I shall try to reach for some strange metaphor to make myself ... well, try to make myself understood. Imagine that you are standing on a large stage. The weather is fantastic, the ponies that have turned up to see you are all very happy and offering you smiles. Yet, under your hooves is a trap door. You don't know where that trapdoor leads, you don't know who controls it and you don't know when or if it will open. It is there, under you, and knowing that it is there leads your mind towards a heightened level of vigilance. That's what I'm experiencing at the moment. I'm sorry, my lady - am I making any sense at all?"

"Karn, you're suffering from hyper vigilance as a result of your combat trauma," stated Twilight, matter-of-factly.

He looked towards her. "Precisely, Twilight. I am hoping that in the course of time and with the right care, that it will be an aspect of my psyche I can finally put to rest," he concurred. Under the table he felt Fluttershy rest her hoof on his right thigh. He looked down at her to see her smiling sweetly up at him. He flashed her a very broad smile. "I do hope you know what you're getting yourself into here, Fluttershy! I can be an unpleasant patient at times!"

"Karn, I warned you that I am stubborn. If you do misbehave I will no other choice but to use the stare!"

There were gasps from around the table. Karn was momentarily disconcerted. "The ... stare ... Fluttershy?"

"Oh Karn, you don't want to be in the situation where she gives you the stare! I could swear I've seen trees uproot and move when she does that!" exclaimed Spike to a chorus of light hearted chuckles from around the table.

"Then are many sides to you of which I am presently unaware and look forward to learning about! Just promise me that should you have to employ this famous stare of yours, that its aftereffects will not be permanent?"

"Well," she giggled. "It will depend on what mischief you've been up to, Karn. I promise though, that you will not have the stare exercised upon you unless you truly deserve it!"

His smile remained broad and genuine. Holding the hoof she rested on his right thigh with one hand and cupping her face with his other, he spoke softly. "Fluttershy, you have my permission to use your stare and whatever other means of correction you have at your disposal - for presently, I am yours!"

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, Spike rested an elbow on the side of his chair and smirked and Pinkie managed a giggle. Rarity and Twilight simply blushed and concentrated once more on their lunch. Applejack looked down at hers, but there was no smile.

Kissing Fluttershy gently on her lips, Karn turned back to the delightful meal he'd been served, enjoying the last few bites.

It was almost time for them to make their way back to the train station.

The walk through the town and into the train station itself proved uneventful. Given that there hadn't been a great deal of time to see many of the famous sites of the city, Karn vowed that he would have to return another day - preferably with Twilight, in order to observe more of the culture and to learn more about the system of Government here. He was particularly keen to learn of its history.

The friendship express having arrived in the station, the mane six, plus Spike and himself made their way aboard. Once more they were lucky enough to be in possession of a carriage entirely to themselves. This was something Karn once again found himself bemused by.

"Twilight ... this is my second trip aboard the Friendship Express and once more the train is largely deserted. Is there something happening that I haven't taken into account here?"

"No, Karn. It's just that there aren't any major events happening in Canterlot presently."

"So ... it's nothing I've done and no news of my episodes have preceded me here causing any panic or fear on the part or the population?"

Twilight seemed genuinely surprised that he would say such a thing. "Karn, no, of course not! You are fascinating on the grounds of your being a human but your flashbacks and the sources of them being your traumatic experiences? None of those have any bearing on how they see you. Your attacks have made a few ponies back in Ponyville a little nervous but since thus far nopony has been hurt, you've been very much accepted."

He felt a little more at ease, taking a window seat once more aboard the carriage. Twilight took the seat in the cabin opposite him, as she had done before on their trip up to the capital, with Spike and Rarity sitting next to her. Fluttershy of course snuggled directly up to his left as close as she could get, leaving more than enough room for Applejack to sit next to her. That cabin filled, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie took up seats in the cabin to the opposite side of the carriage.

Karn gently ran his left hand around Fluttershy, delicately running his fingers through her mane and up to her crest. She closed her eyes and rested her head against him, moaning softly under her breath as he scratched behind her ears. He observed the look of ecstasy upon her face as he did so. Clearly this was a 'sweet spot' of hers. He made it a point to remember the erogenous aspect of this action should the occasion arise someday to put it to further use.

"Well, Karn, on the whole what did you think of Canterlot?"

"A most impressive city, Twilight. Royal certainly. Clean, friendly, peaceful, ordered and populated with ponies who are quite clearly very comfortable with their rulers and their way of life."

"So, you don't mind all of the waste, then?" she giggled.

"No, Twilight. One must consider that as this is a different culture, a different universe. The history of your nation is utterly at odds with my own. Therefore the use of materials for artistic but non-practical purposes is just one facet that is different from the world I am from. Obviously, artistic pursuits and grand architecture manifest themselves here as a source of enjoyment and to beautify what is already a wonderful city," he pointed out. Continuing to gently scratch Fluttershy behind her ear, he turned to look out the window to the station platform. "I need to remind myself, Twilight, that I am not in Alsovia anymore," he said, somewhat rhetorically. His smile slid from his face slowly and he let his gaze flow in a zen-like manner across the sites outside the carriage.

Twilight observed the slight change in his demeanor and felt a little sorry for him. It must be hard to come from one universe to another, to be torn from one existence to another, where the changes are so intense and the cultural differences a source of intense pain at times.

"Karn ... are you okay?" she asked gently.

He turned back to face her, somewhat surprised. "Why, yes, Twilight! I mean I'm excited to now be considered a citizen of Equestria and I'm happy to feel as if I am starting on a new path here, a new chapter in my life," he reported. His gaze returned slowly back to the view out his window as the tone of his voice became more serious. "It's just that there's a long way to go. I have over two hundred cycles' worth of training and concerns in another universe that I need to overcome."

"You'll need to start saying 'years' instead of 'cycles', too," she interrupted.

"Hah! Exactly," he guffawed whilst his gaze remained focused out the window. "Your understanding and patience are a great comfort to me," he said sadly, before turning back suddenly to face her. "Even if I am essentially little more than a subject of study to you!" he exclaimed, with a hint of over dramatic melancholy. Twilight, naturally, flashed him 'the look' again, to which he broke into a smile and chuckled. "Oh God, Twilight. Do you spend time every morning practicing that look of yours in the mirror in order to perfect it?"

"Ah reckon she does, Karn! She's certainly a master at it!" agreed Applejack.

"He has a point, my dear," smiled Rarity. "It is indeed an expression which you seem to be most proficient at."

Even Twilight herself had to give in this time, shaking her head and smiling. "No, Karn. It's a habit I seem to have picked up from you, following your arrival! I am suggesting instead that it's some contagion on your part!"

The train had left Canterlot precisely on schedule. This attention to detail and the ability to follow timetables to the second was just another of those tiny aspects of the Equestrian culture that intrigued Karn. He was well adapted to working by timetables since of course such was necessary in warfare - but it fascinated him to observe the way the ponies here were generally so punctual and were so more as a matter of consideration and efficiency rather than as a necessity to avoid massive loss of life.

The chatter between the ponies on the carriage was largely idle. Fluttershy had by now taken to sitting in his lap and she rested her head back against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. This caused a good deal of eye rolling on the part of the others but at this stage Karn really didn't mind. He watched the countryside pass by out the window while his chin rested on Fluttershy's crest. It made him think a little of home.

It was Twilight who quite naturally caught this nostalgic expression on his face. Her inquisitiveness got the better of her. "Karn, do you mind me asking what's on your mind?"

He said nothing for a moment; just continued to watch the trees and the green fields roll past as their trip continued. "I was remembering my home, Twilight."

"I'm sorry. I hope I didn't upset you by asking? I was just curious, I never- "

"It's fine, Twilight," he chortled. "I know what you're like about observing me. I imagine you must have several volumes of material there ready for submission? Do you require a peer review or do you have to undergo a viva voce in order to obtain your Doctorate in ... well. Doctorate in broken humans? I doubt there's going to be a good deal of work out there for you with such a qualification, Twilight. There presently appears to be a market consisting of one."

She cocked her head sideways again. "Karn ... honestly I don't know what to think of you sometimes. You're looking sadly out the window of the train and then the next minute you're having fun at my expensive over my desire to study you."

He gave her a genuine, warm smile. "I know, Twilight, and I'm sorry. It helps to elevate the mood a little sometimes," he said as he softly caressed the side of Fluttershy's cheek with his thumb. He turned back to the window. "Most of my home country of Alsovia looked a lot like this, actually. It was green, hilly, covered in trees. We used to hike and camp through them for days. Alsovia was known as being quite a wet place. The rain was never tropical but the light misty sprinkling was enough to make everything slightly damp," he said. He paused for another moment as memories of his childhood spent playing 'war' in between the trees crept into his mind. "The soil of our country was rich and fertile. Most clans grew crops for trade or for food. As children, we were expected to be out helping with the planting and the harvest, more or less as soon as we could walk. I can remember spending a day harvesting grapes with my father. We would have a break occasionally and we could play chess."

"Chess. You've mentioned that before."

"Yes, it was a very popular game in Alsovia! I must make a board and some pieces and show you how to play," he suggested. Once more his vision turned back to the window. "Historically, Alsovia was essentially just a very large collection of clans, Twilight. Clan fought clan, sometimes over some perceived insult, sometimes over land or trade disputes. Eventually, we had the chaos army of the Republican Guard try to wipe out every clan wholesale in a war of extermination. This was the action that galvanized the clans to fight together. For the first time, they fought as one."

"So you gathered together to fend off an invading army?"

"We certainly did! Not in my lifetime, of course, many cycles ago now. Many years, rather. The result was a great success, Twilight," he said, with a certain amount of discomfort in his voice. "The chaos Republican army that attacked the clans ... well, they were motivated by ethnic cleansing. They murdered any of the clans people they could find. Men, women, children, the elderly. Once the clans gathered together and fought back it was decided that any member of the chaos Republican Guard would not be taken as a prisoner. They were automatically to be treated as 'persona non grata', as it were."

"... Karn ... what are you saying? That ... that they ..."

"When the Republican Guard adepts retreated, it was a rout. The combined clans were able to encircle about thirty thousand of them," he reported. "They were cut off from retreat and pinned there while their ... 'friends' ... were rather savagely chased away," he said, unable to hide the disgust in this tone. He frowned and glared back out the window. "They executed all of them, Twilight."

There was yet another horrified gasp from the ponies in the cabin.

"You ... you mean they killed all thirty thousand of them?"

"Yes, Applejack. No quarter was given. After the clans had witnessed the ethnic cleansing the powers of chaos had brought to bear it was universally accepted that any chaos Republican Guardsmen would be summarily executed. The enemy did attempt to offer terms of surrender. Their commander at the time raised a white flag above their enclave. The response from the clans was to take the wedding rings, shoes, the clothes from the victims that were riddled with bullet holes and they air dropped those onto what was left of the Republican Guard. They got the message and their white flag was hastily taken back down. We will take no Republican Guard prisoners. It is a rule that is followed in Alsovia to this day," he said sadly. "I will say this, though - it proved rather effective. In one case not so long ago a unit of chaos Republican Guards actually mutinied rather than attack a unit of the first Alsovian army."

"It sounds like Alsovia is essentially just a nation that prepares for war?" quizzed Twilight seriously.

"Twilight, that's pretty much it in a nutshell. The positive thing to come out of that war was that it welded the clans together. They were determined that such a threat to them would never happen again. Consequently, you have Alsovia! It is still a collection of clans but there is a minimalist council of elders and chieftains who help keep order."

"That's all? But I would have thought your country would've needed a larger government, given the size and the variety of these clans you speak of?"

"Alsovians aren't like that, Twilight. We tend to be austere, quiet and practical and self sufficient at a clan level. As I've mentioned before, the passing of the cup around the chiefs at a gathering of clans is an old custom. No business or discussions of any kind happen until each chieftain present has drunk from the cup. It's a solemn, almost religious ceremony. To refuse to drink from the shared cup is the most astonishing insult that you could deliver to an Alsovian chieftain. Unlike a lot of other societies, with this horticulture-centrism we were also unique in the sense that there's almost no distinction of position by gender. Everyone has a practical use. The gender of the chieftain is irrelevant. Everyone works towards the security of the clan and thereby the nation. To that end, communities look after each other without expectation of reward," he continued. "We're a society that places a great deal of importance on honor, being upright and willing to help. Unless you are proscribed in my country, Twilight, you could trek from one side of it to the other and never have to fear for your life or your well being."

"That sounds wonderful!"

"Alsovia is a drizzly, cold, mountainous country, Twilight. Trekking it isn't for the feint hearted."

"What would happen if I entered Alsovia as a 'proscribed' person?" she asked, out of curiosity.

"Then it would be perfectly legal for you to be killed on sight," responded Karn.

"Oh! Hmmm. Well ... that's ... very interesting." she said whilst fidgeting a little.

Karn gently stroked Fluttershy's mane while he looked out the window of the carriage again. "Military training starts at about the age of eight. Military history is a part of the standard school curriculum. As both of my parents were adepts, I was screened for that ability at a very young age. Once it was known I was an adept then my military training intensified. Regular school would begin at eight o'clock in the morning and end four o'clock in the afternoon. That would give me four hours of military and adeptic training before heading home for supper and bed at eight."

"Karn ... you must have been exhausted."

He managed a slight shrug. "Well, I guess I was. I was young at the time and it was the only life I'd known," he responded. He offered her a smile yet there was a suggestion of sadness there. "Alsovians are known for their military prowess and we're generally respected by the elements of chaos."

The others in the carriage all looked up at him in horror. "Well ... I don't mean the equivalent of the 'elements of harmony' that you have all hinted at ... I meant elements as in military formations and the like," he explained. All six of them visibly relaxed. He wondered what it was about chaos that seemed to upset them so much? Surely they'd had no direct experience with chaos here? "At any rate, out of a largely farming nation of many clans, governed by a small council, we enjoy a very low crime rate and a great degree of solidarity. I'd always put that down to our being somewhat isolated on our planet. We are surrounded on all sides by nations that either don't trust us or are so busy arguing amongst themselves that we're ... well. Comparatively speaking, an island of calm."

"Karn, if Equestria was a nation that shared a border with your Alsovia, do you think we'd get along?" asked Twilight.

It was an interesting question. His hand once more found that sweet spot that Fluttershy had behind her ear. He continued to observe the beautiful countryside, lit up as it was by a magnificent full moon as it passed by the window. He tried to play out a scenario in his mind where the two great nations would be nextdoor neighbors. "I'm not sure, Twilight. I suspect we would be at peace with each other and enjoy a good deal of trade. In time, should such a state of affairs have persisted, our nations may even have become allies. I think we would have a respect for you but certainly not trust, or at least not immediately. The only other nation that Alsovia can honestly be said to trust is Jasonia which is an Imperial nation to our northern border. They came to our aid during the chaos invasion, supplying arms and medical help where needed. Since that day we have offered a detachment from the third Alsovian army to act as a personal bodyguard for their emperor. I have a feeling the same thing would eventually have come to pass with Equestria. Your princesses are practical and logical yet generous and respectful. There is no ... and I do apologize for the use of this term, Twilight ... but when one speaks with them there's no 'bullshit' involved. Alsovians would like that. To answer your hypothetical question, I suspect my nation and yours would indeed be good friends though it would take us a while to learn to trust you."

Twilight's scribbling in the notebook continued at a pace that - while breathtaking - was a little frightening. The sheer intensity of her scrawling implied tremendous importance on his recent observations. He suddenly felt unnerved about being observed thus.

"Twilight, slow down with your quill! You're likely to set it on fire if you write any more furiously."

Oblivious to his observation, she finished her note taking and looked back up at him. The look on her face suggested she'd missed some detail and wanted it expounded upon. Karn was well aware of that look by now and understood its significance. 'Oh shit' he thought to himself.

"Karn ... what was that about the first and third Alsovian armies?"

"Ah. Well, we arrange our military into three 'armies', Twilight. They are not of equal size. The first army forms the bulk of our strike force. Think of that as being the regular army. The second army group is formed of elite units. The third Alsovian army is essentially the elite of the elite. The third is smaller than the other two and generally carries out official guard duties as well as offensive roles against chaos, usually with very specific strikes. Guards for the local council as well as honorary guard units stationed in Jasonia are all formed from units of the third army. When such soldiers retire they are granted an opportunity to become what we call Lictors."

"... Lictors?" quizzed Twilight, intrigued.

"These are tough people who are used to seeing action. They are essentially keepers of the peace. There's always several of them present when the council meets."

"Hey, Clubbster! What was that about Jasonia? What kind of a name for a country is that?" quipped Rainbow Dash.

He flashed her a pitying glance. "Because that's the name of its emperor, Dashie. The Emperor Jason. Detachments of the finest troops we have from the third army have been assigned to guard the Emperors for many centuries now. Actually that particular nation is an odd one!" he exclaimed, turning his attention back to Twilight. "Prepare your quill, oh noble inquisitor! You will enjoy this piece of geopolitical information! That nation changes its name based on the name of the current emperor ruling it!"

True to form, the quill in Twilight's magical grasp sped across the page of her notebook. He noted that when she was this intrigued or absorbed in a subject, she had a strange yet almost cute mannerism which involved her sticking her tongue out of the side of her mouth. He wondered if any of her tutors or friends had ever noticed this habit or whether they had but just not mentioned it.

"Don't that make it mighty hard ta interact with them?" asked Applejack.

"Incredibly enough, no it doesn't. We always refer to it as 'The Empire'. The royalty of that nation isn't hereditary - the ruling monarch has absolute power and chooses their successor. That can be a relative or a complete stranger. Oddly enough it's a system that's worked quite well. They always seem to end up with a ruler who attains the throne through merit rather than genetics. Twilight, please slow down with the writing! You're going to end up cutting a hole in the paper! I'm not going away, princess, you can ask me around to your library for in-depth analysis at any time!" he laughed.

Twilight, having being so engrossed in her anthropological field notes, hadn't heard his remark. He wondered whether her mind had some kind of answering machine that recorded these statements for playback once her mind was finished grappling with whatever it was she was currently dealing with? Time would tell, he supposed. He looked down to observe Fluttershy, her head resting gently on his chest, her eyes closed and a broad smile crossing her face. His own smile broadening, he turned back to the vision of peace that proceeded past the carriage window. His mind drifted back to his younger days in Alsovia.

"So ah gather y'all played 'war' like that around your home then? A lot of younger colts will do that in Equestria, too," observed Applejack.

Karn sighed at the trees and farms passing by as their return to Ponyville continued its seemingly inexorable progress. "That was what we'd do in most of our spare time. My father was keen for me to study as well, so I'd take a break from my friends sometimes to hit the books. War games for the children in our village were a little at odds with what you'd be used to seeing. By the age of ten, we were already well studied in terms of basic tactics and strategy, so our war games were a lot more organized. We used semi-automatic air rifles as well, so if you did get "shot" it would indeed leave various types of injuries. The only safety we ever followed was eye protection. So returning home after playing with your friends often involved using Kelly forceps to remove small lead pellets out of your skin," he laughed. The ponies in the carriage gritted their teeth and stared at him with eyes wide in shock. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to concern you. It's just that ... well, that's the way life was. We had to defend our entire border and we were forever engaged in a war against chaos. If you couldn't fight, you farmed and built. That's what you did. Everyone had a practical task to concentrate on and over the centuries it lead to the nation becoming focused and self sufficient. Whilst learning and education also had a high priority, in my own family we took that much further which is why my parents had such a large library."

"Sounds like Twilight would've got on very well with your father, my dear!" exclaimed Rarity.

He looked over to her and offered her a surprised smile. "You know, I think she actually would have. Certainly he would have enjoyed discussing science and history with her. My father was insistent that I graduate from school with excellent marks and encouraged me to continue teaching myself once my schooling was complete, 'exercise the mind and the body, my boy. A strong body leads you to honorable feats and hard work; whilst leading that body with an intelligent mind lends efficiency to application!'"

Fluttershy looked up at Karn. "He sounds very philosophical, Karn!"

Karn lowered his face to meet hers. "He was certainly that, Fluttershy," he acknowledged, placing his hand on her right cheek and gently smoothing his thumb along the side of her face gently once more. "He wasn't starry eyed, though. Wrong him or threaten him or his clan, and you would have met with the other side of him."

"Didn't you do anything for fun, Karn?? There's more to life besides just work!" exclaimed Pinkie.

"Well, there was always humor, Pinkie," he said, turning towards her and grinning. "We didn't have a lot of time for parties and we certainly didn't have the prowess of the greatest party planner in all of recorded history at our disposal!" Pinkie managed an even larger grin at his somewhat clumsy compliment. "We did have gatherings and such but they were mostly just friendly catch ups. The clan would share a meal and the Alsovian Whisky would come out. There would be dancing, which of course I avoided. There would be laughter and singing. Life was harsh but where life is hard and simple it’s often humor and finding yourself sharing those hardships that makes life a lot more bearable. It was a valuable lesson that I took with me into combat. You grow attached to the soldiers in your unit- ... ", he said, stopping very suddenly. The smile slid from his face and his heretofore happy expression was replaced by one of pain. He turned back suddenly to look out the window, avoiding their gaze. The ponies all exchanged sad, concerned glances with each other before looking at the now silent Karn, who was looking sadly - almost longingly - out the carriage window. "You stop becoming attached to your friends, Twilight."

"... You mean ... the soldiers you served with?"

The silence continued. He sat there with his vision fixed out the window. "After the first ten years or so you become so tired of making new friends only to see them get killed. You become ... well, immune to making friends. You get so sick of seeing them die. I remained friends with some of the adepts I trained and was posted with. But I avoided becoming anything more than an acquaintance with anyone else who turned up," he explained. The sad stare out the window continued but his eyes were no longer focused on the countryside. He was seeing other things. Things he didn't want to see again. Things he wanted to bury and forget about.

"Karn? ... Are you okay?" asked Fluttershy quietly.

"There was this young adept of about twenty one cycles. He'd only just joined our platoon and I could see he was nervous. He had this anxious disposition that made me wonder why on earth they'd placed him with a front line unit for his baptism of fire. In our first engagement, he actually handled himself very well. I'd made it a point to keep a close eye on him seeing as he was so new and this particular fire-fight was a vicious one. After we stormed through an enemy trench line, a chaos adept just managed to bring an energy weapon to bare, slicing almost clear through his abdomen. The burning heat off the blade didn't quite cauterize the wound, leaving his abdominal aorta cut. Not clear through but damaged enough for him to live on for a short while," he said flatly. The silence in the carriage was almost absolute. "I held him in my arms as he started to lose touch with reality. He kept asking for his father, his mother, his sister. I helped him keep his head rested back since the wound had also left his bowels spread out over the front of his uniform. I will never forget the way he slowly turned to look at me with these astonishingly blue eyes. He looked straight at me in terror and whispered ... "

He stopped for a moment, his own eyes unseeing as he recalled the moment once more. A minute or so passed by as he collected himself.

"... he whispered 'why', and he was gone," he finished. The sad look became one of anger. He shifted his gaze to Twilight. "From that moment until now, Twilight, I've always thought that was a fucking good question."

Twilight's gaze was sad, but expressed a good deal of empathy. "Karn, I understand you're upset ... but you did ask me to remind you about your use of those words?"

Karn frowned a little. "You're right, of course. I'm sorry, Twilight. I've asked myself that question though, many, many times. I have yet to find a rational answer. Not even one I’d consider reasonable."

Fluttershy gently reached out a hoof and touched the side of his face. The soft, caring act was like a salve on his burning anger. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, letting go of the rage that had so suddenly built in him. "I'm sorry, Karn," she whispered.

He turned his gaze back down to her. "Are you sure you still want to deal with me like this, Fluttershy?"

"I'm certain of it," she whispered sweetly.

"Even though I'm broken and prone to recalling things that are unpleasant?"

"I insist on caring for you, Karn."

He ran his hand gently along the side of her face. "Even though I have flashbacks?"

She giggled a little. "Yes, my love, even though you have flashbacks!"

"What about the fact that I'm such a lousy cook? Surely that would be cause for concern?"

She smiled a little more. "I would be happy to accept that."

"What of my propensity to use profanity on occasion?"

"If you do, then I'm afraid I'll give you the stare."

"You also realize that I am an appallingly bad singer? Could you stand listening to someone whose singing voice sounds like two badgers having a cage fight on top of a tin roof?"

She giggled again. "I could always try to teach you to sing in tune. I did warn you that I'm stubborn!"

"You certainly did, " he said, having finally managed a smile once more. "Fluttershy, if you helped me feel any better than you already do, I would need a prescription to be able to be near you," he quipped.

Twilight seemed to have completed the appending of the new information into her journal. "I would love to keep asking you questions about your home, Karn, but it is getting late and you must be tired."

"Twilight, I think we're all pretty tired by now."

Offering her a weak smile, he felt the passage of the train over the joints in the rails.

Finding themselves alone in the cabin with at least a little privacy, Karn lay out on the bench on his back with his lower legs resting mid-calf over the armrest at the edge of the seat. He'd managed to locate a pillow to act as padding so at least the blood could still flow to his feet. Fluttershy lay herself on top of him, her head resting on his chest just beneath his chin. He gently snuggled his face into her crest, one hand gently smoothing her along her back between her wings, whilst he lovingly traced her cutie marks with the other. He was sure that he could never possibly get over the intoxicating feeling of being this close to her. Snuggling his face into her crest, he gently kissed her and smiled. Taking a certain degree of liberty, he gently slid his hand over her rear until he found her tail, gently folding his fingers around the base of it.

He kissed her once more. "Are you sure it doesn't bother you if I play with your tail like this, Fluttershy?"

She managed a quiet moan, being half asleep. "No, Karn, I don't mind. I love feeling your hands on me."

Even with his face gently buried in her crest, he broke into a mischievous smile. "You do realize you're just encouraging me to misbehave?"

She snuggled herself a little more firmly against his chest. "I trust you not to misbehave, Karn."

'A beautiful answer indeed' he thought to himself. He brought his left hand back up to her long, pink mane, slowly running his fingers along the back of her neck. With his fingers gently scratching behind her ear again, he released his gentle hold on her tail and rested his open hand gently on her rear as she twitched a little,

"Is my holding you like this too much, Fluttershy?" he whispered to her.

She leaned her head gently over and kissed his chest. "No, Karn. I was just ... well, surprised. I'm still not very used to being held by anypony ... well, anyone like this. It does feel wonderful though, thank you."

"So am I to take it that you are comfortable enough to sleep there?"

"Hmmm, I would love to sleep right here."

He slowly circled his hand around her rear, as he rested his other arm around her back, gently cuddling her against his chest. "Fluttershy ... I think I have to tell you something."

She opened her eyes a little nervously. "Is ... is everything okay?"

He learned in as close as he could to her ear before smiling broadly and whispering "Did you realize you have a very lovely backside?"

She buried her face into his chest, trying to stifle a laugh and to hide her blush. He watched her somewhat futile attempt with glee. "What? What's so funny? It so happens that you do!" he remonstrated quietly. She continued to laugh for a while, the heat from her cheeks plainly felt through his shirt. Finally she grew quiet again.

"I'm sorry, Fluttershy. I just happen to love making you laugh like that," he apologized whilst gently kissing her crest.

"Thank you, karn."

"It's just that I happen to love your backside as well."

Her joyful outburst this time woke all of the others in the cabin.

After the surprised awakenings of the others and the following recriminations, the exhausted passengers once more settled back to sleep.

"Karn, as much as I love you, please promise me you won't say anything silly like that again? I don't want to make the others angry or have them being tired in the morning!"

"I promise, Fluttershy. I'm sorry, I just become a little inebriated when I'm here with you like this," he smiled, while once more smoothing his hand along her back. "Being near you does make me a little silly at times."

"Hmmmm," she moaned, rubbing her cheek on his chest. "I've started to notice that as well."

He could feel her muscles gently relaxing as she lay on top of him. This was no aspect of his ability to sense energy, even if that particular skill had become ever so slightly stronger lately. She was just so deeply relaxed and obviously very comfortable. "I'm sorry if I get carried away sometimes, Fluttershy. In fact, I should probably find you a suitable nickname."

"... a nickname?"

"Well, yes! Gigglepot? Snugglepot? Snugglebunny?"

She managed to suppress a giggle once more by biting her lip and placed her hooves on his chest. She leaned up to look at him and managed a happy but somewhat firm whisper. "Karn, please! I don't want to wake everypony up again!"

He smiled lovingly at her. "I know. I'm sorry, Flutter Puddle," he whispered back, earning him a playful pat on his chest from Fluttershy. "Okay, okay. Just Fluttershy for now!"

She leaned close to his face, meeting his eyes. "Do you promise?"

"I promise."

They gently joined their lips together once more in a slow, passionate kiss before she snuggled against him once more, her head resting on his chest and just under his chin. Karn continued to stroke her back and tried to trace her cutie parks with his other hand once more. Gently nuzzling her crest, he kissed her again. "Goodnight, Fluttershy. Sweet dreams."

"Thank you, Karn. I hope you can get some rest as well."

The warmth and sense of well being that flowed through him helped him slide off into a deep sleep quite quickly with a contented smile on his face.

He found himself faced with an old battlefield. The field was pock marked by craters of various sizes, broken wire, remnants of machinery, broken weapons and containers of supplies long since emptied and abandoned. The thing that struck him was the absence of decay. There were no bodies, no skeletal remains, no ragged and torn uniforms holding cadavers together ... it was eerily quiet. It was if the entire landscape to the four corners of the land had once been the scene of yet another bloodbath, but that the organic detritus of that battle had been scourged away.

Karn found himself momentarily surprised. The field of battle wasn't one that he could especially remember. It was very much like any of the slaughterhouses he'd somehow survived over the centuries. Wordlessly, he scanned the muddy, desolate wasteland and hoped for some kind of visual cue as to where he was within this dream. It appeared he was very much the only human - dead or alive - within the confines of this field. Why had his mind brought him here? He'd fallen asleep with Fluttershy resting so agreeably atop him.

A commanding, familiar and yet concerned voice behind him seized his attention. He spun immediately on his feet, to be met face to face with Princess Luna.

"Princess! Wha-"

"We thought it would be wise to see for ourselves what it is that you have seen before you came to Equestria," she started simply, her eyes meeting his.

"... Well ... I would assume you're not impressed, Princess."

She looked up from him with a flat analytical gaze, as she likewise scanned the horizon. "I noted that you had memories of places like these, albeit with a great deal of horror spread across them. I have brought you here in your dream without the horrors that had haunted you previously. I thought being with you here would help make your recollections of your former life a little easier for you to reach out to," she declared.

Karn found himself speechless. He stared blankly at Princess Luna, who met him with an unreadable stare of her own. He slowly turned, walked around the edge of a crater to find an upturned rocket crate. Seating himself on one end of it, he rested his forearms on his knees and just stared out across the battle ground. He'd never had the chance in his former life to observe a field such as this, with all its churned up, shell-cratered rubble. The fact that is was so quiet and so peaceful was something else that lent the atmosphere a very alien feel. The only times he'd seen a field such as this, it brought with it a chorus of screams, aircraft ferrying wounded to safety, death rattles and men blown into all kinds of strange and terrifying shapes. Some hanging lifelessly over razor wire, others blown quite in half, still others roaming around still alive but completely out of their minds.

Princess Luna made her way around to where he was seated.

"Karn, is this what your kind wrought on your own worlds?"

His gaze remained fixed straight ahead. Guilt, sorrow, remorse and disgust welled up in him. "I am afraid it was, Princess."

They were both silent for a moment. "I can see that you are not proud of what your people managed to ... achieve here."

"Princess ... I was fighting in places like these for so long that at the end I could no longer remember for what or why we were fighting," he muttered angrily. "We would turn fields into unending seas of butchery and by the end I could no longer understand why. I no longer fought for any cause beyond making sure my men were taken care of. I tried where I could to make sure their burial markers were well recorded so that their remains could be repatriated for ... " he began, stopping.

Luna looked passively down towards Karn, without having so much as blinked. "You wanted their remains repatriated so that their relatives would know of their final resting places."

Karn remained unmoved, staring across the ground that resembled little more than the surface of some moon orbiting one of the lower levels of hell. "So many men were buried out in these fields and subsequent bombardments or assaults would obliterate any record of where they were buried. I was determined never to allow that to happen to those under my watch."

"Karn, you seem to have an intense hatred for this warlike aspect of your species. Yet you kept fighting until you arrived in Equestria."

"I had not quite reached the point where I desired to die, Princess."

"I do not understand?"

"I could either continue to fight and face death in battle. Or I could refuse to fight and face being beheaded for what they would loosely term cowardice," he pointed out. "The third way out was insanity."

"You would have considered lunacy a way out?"

"Once one faces enough trauma, your mind becomes utterly destroyed. My own mind already shows the subtle cracks in my sanity hinting at the possibility of a break with reality. If I had not left when I did, I am sure that I would have become just another foaming lunatic under permanent care for the rest of my life," he said, his voice utterly devoid of any kind of doubt. "I have watched men who have finally cracked, Luna. Sometimes they would piss and shit themselves and just wander aimlessly back and forth across no man's land. They would be laughing. Just ... quite completely out of their minds. I'd seen this so many times that I hoped a sniper, an artillery shell or even disease would do for me before I reached that point."

His observations hung in the air of this cinematic show within his mind.

"Karn, I can see from your remorse and your regret that the part of your mind grounded in reality is of no threat to any pony now living in our realm. I must insist that you remain as open as you can with Twilight especially. It will take you time to mend. You have a caring soul, no matter what horrors you have committed. Celestia and I would like to see you more often, so as to follow your progress. For not only do we see you as a potential friend, we see you as someone in search of answers. Given that you have a romantic attachment to one of our elements of harmony - Fluttershy, kindness herself - I think you would agree that our keeping such a close watch over you is ... prudent?"

Karn nodded slowly before finally turning to gaze up at Princess Luna, the look on her face all seriousness. "I could not agree more, Princess."

"You have a good heart, Karn, and a kind soul. These things are at odds with your role as a warrior. The two have served to break you," she observed before looking back up at the war torn landscape. "What we can do, we will do."

With that, she vanished and Karn found himself quite suddenly at the edge of a wonderfully crystal blue lake. The air was fresh and the sky blue and behind him a field of beautiful wildflowers covered the ground.

He suddenly bolted awake. His eyes were wide and he panted, wondering what on earth had just occurred. His momentarily unseeing eyes were met with the concern of Fluttershy, who had been awake for some time resting on him under their blanket.

"Oh my goodness! Karn? Are you okay? What happened?"

He allowed his breathing to slow a little to calm himself before slowly glancing around the cabin, as he became once more aware of where he was. "I'm sorry, Fluttershy. I just had a very unusual dream."

"Are you having those horrible nightmares again?" she asked nervously.

"No, nothing like that thank goodness! I was just ... I was in a former battlefield but it was deserted and peaceful. It was just a lot of torn up earth and the usual refuse of war ... the odd thing was that Princess Luna was there."

"She was?!?" asked Fluttershy, quite surprised.

"She asked me a few questions about what kind of world I'd left, specifically in relation to war. She ... seemed to be understanding, now that I think about it. She didn't really seem to show any kind of emotion. She wanted to make sure that I kept in touch with Twilight about my progress," he continued. "In fact she also made it a point to tell me to be careful around you, what with you being one of these elements of Harmony," he smiled. Gently wrapping his arms around her, he drew her to him and kissed her gently. "Maybe we can exchange war stories?"

As the Friendship Express continued on towards Ponyville, there was a good deal of sorting out to do and tidying up. Rarity had naturally commenced a great fuss as to which of the many fine garments she'd brought along should be worn for disembarking - one that would befit her return from the metropolis of Canterlot.

Rainbow Dash found the entire concept just too much. "Rarity, I'm pretty sure the platform is going to be largely deserted at this point, and in any case who is going to care what you're wearing? They already know you're on your way back from Canterlot!"

"Ugh! That is simply not the point, my dear! Being suitably dressed for my return is a matter of principle!"

Rainbow Dash just rolled her eyes. Her packing had taken next to no time at all and she sat on one of the carriage seats. One hoof lounged casually over the back of the chair.

Karn had been absent mindedly watching the familiar town of Ponyville roll into view through the window. Feeling refreshed after what had been an admittedly unusual yet deep sleep, he began to test his abilities to sense energy once more. He was still astonished to discover that he could just barely sense the flow of bio-electricity that flowed through Twilight's muscles. The sensation was weak but if he concentrated enough he could still sense it. It was almost like observing a slow moving trail of ants at some considerable distance. He could see the movement but only if he concentrated hard enough.

As he was doing so, Twilight used her magic and lifted her case from its resting place above the carriage chairs whilst getting ready to disembark.

Karn suddenly found himself utterly aware of every movement of energy within her. It was as if someone had turned on an arc light. He threw himself back into his chair in complete surprise, utterly awestruck. He was now able to sense every inward electrical pulse of her body from the pathways of her heart to those powering her muscles.

Noticing his look of sudden surprise, Twilight ceased her magical hold on her case and rushed over to him. Having released her magic, his astonishingly vivid sense of her body's energy vanished just as suddenly.

"Karn? What's wrong? Are you having flashbacks again?" she pleaded.

He just stared wide-eyed at her, his mouth open but unable to say anything for a good minute or so before he slowly got ahold of himself. He carefully made eye contact with Twilight.

"Twilight ... what were you just doing?"

"I was getting my bag down, ready to disembark from the train! What's that got to do with what just happened to you?"

"Twilight, I'd been sitting here just trying to reach out and sense energy in my surroundings. I've gotten ever so slightly stronger at that. but not to a degree that made it worth mentioning or researching further. I just assumed that being in a more relaxed environment was helping me to focus. Was there anything else you did just now, whilst reaching for your bag?"

"No, Karn, I was just reaching for it with magic t-..."

"With magic?" he asked suddenly.

"Well, yes, it's a little easier than trying to reach up for it with my mouth, so I- ..."

"Twilight ... would you mind trying a very brief, simple experiment with me just now?"

"Well ... I suppose so? What kind of experiment are you talking about?"

Karn placed a pack of playing cards onto the chair opposite him. "Now, I'm sitting here. I am not actively reaching out to sense energy of any kind. Can you levitate the deck of cards for me?"

"That's ... a little confusing, but okay," she obliged. Her horn glowed and the deck levitated a foot or so above the chair, before she set it down again.

"Okay, so that time I felt nothing unusual at all. This time, I want you to try it again only I am going to try to reach out and sense energy within my surroundings and within you in particular. Ready?"

She turned back towards the chair, her horn glowed once more. Before the deck of cards had even begun to levitate, Karn nearly leapt out of his chair. "Gah, shit almighty!" he cursed.

Releasing the cards and dropping them immediately, Twilight crossed to him and rested her hooves on his shoulders. "What was it? What just happened?"

He pursed his lips and blew out a very long breath. "It seems, princess, that if I am reaching out in any way to sense energy and whomever I am sensing begins to use magic ... it's like every light bulb in the world being turned on. With you sitting there, I can make out the electrical flows around you, but only weakly. As soon as you reach for magic, every single vibration of energy within you becomes blinding to my senses. But, as I say this only appears to happen if you are reaching for magic and only if I am actively trying to sense energy in any form."

There were confused looks from the others in the cabin. Twilight, though, grasped the magnitude of this discovery.

"Karn. once we are back in Ponyville and you get settled with Fluttershy, you must return to my lab! Whatever this is, it's clearly very significant!"

Karn nodded up at her. "Then we are of the same mind, Twilight. Whatever is going on here, I'm not entirely sure that I trust it."

Fluttershy hugged him firmly.

Outside Ponyville, along the dirt track leading to the Everfree Forest, a solitary patch of ground gave one incredibly brief, very tiny and yet very bright spark. At subatomic levels way beyond the comprehension of any living things, some strings forming the very basis of matter began to vibrate in subtle and unusual ways.

Author's Note

As someone who has moved from a small town in Australia to a very large town in the USA (Houston, Texas specially), I was attempting to add a few observations here that have occurred to me on my learning to adapt. There are always large cultural and societal differences - large things that are obvious to you. Driving on the opposite side of the road, the light switches being the other way around, the toilets working differently, the accents and such.

Then there are the slightly less obvious things. The advertising of tobacco products (illegal in Australia), tobacco products being in colored packages (illegal in Australia) and in full view when you walk into the store (also illegal in Australia). Beer is sold at service stations, regular gun shows, the right to bear arms, the curious collection of shows on the TV, AC voltage being 120V at 60Hz instead of 240V at 50Hz.

Then one finds the thousand and one tiny little things. Subtle differences with trees, a different taste in pop music, the way people here will greet me by calling me "Sir" which is something that would never happen back home.

I was trying to explore these cultural aspects of Karn's having been torn from his own world into this one. It's also a good opportunity to help fill in some story gaps - notably the kind of country he came from, and the types of people he associated with.

POST EDIT 2017-09-05: Removed some lovey-dovey cruft and fixed numerous spelling and grammatical errors.