Chapter 2: A Newly Acquired Acquaintance

Everything was dark, but light was fading in, bit by bit. Under her eyelids, Rainbow could tell it was light out still but dared not open her eyes for that reason. She had a headache, and knew the light would only make it worse. But, as she sat in the middle of the road, she remembered why she had a headache. Rainbow Dash slowly opened her eyes, and...

“AAHHHH!!!”

She came face to face with P.E.T.A.L.D., who was staring down at her, uncomfortably close to her face. She was propped up by dozens of those wiry tentacle things which shone in the midday sun. They extended and pushed the odd machine up until she was hovering several feet above Rainbow’s head. The central part of her form tilted like the head of someone looking at something out of curiosity.

Rainbow scooted back and got a better look at the thing in front of her. Still a really weird watch, so she hadn't dreamed it. It was so… weird, though!

“What are you?”

“I thought I told you already. I am–”

“Yeah, yeah, P.E.T.A.L.D.,” Dash said, cutting her off and rising to a sitting position, “I know, but where did you come from?”

P.E.T.A.L.D. paused for a moment. “My dimension of origin, X-17-I.”

“Um, what does that mean?”

“Well,” she said, adjusting her many arms to lower herself to eye level with Rainbow, “it basically means that I inhabit one of many alternate universes within the third ring of the multiverse, and THAT means I'm from a close offshoot of the Prime Third Dimension. According to my sensors, right now, we’re in Y-97-E, which means… well, how about I show you, instead?”

Rainbow Dash grabbed her chin with a hoof, weighing her curiosity against her trust of this strange device. After a moment of contemplation, she sat upright, looked P.E.T.A.L.D. in the face, and nodded. “Go for it.”

“Very well,” she said, “allow me.” P.E.T.A.L.D. rose higher on her ‘legs’ as her face was tilted downwards, and a light shot down from her face and formed an image on the ground. It was a vast field of clouds, with lightning striking in large spikes at random points. Concentric circles of clouds swirled around like a hurricane, with a giant orb of bright light in the center. The whole thing moved in a rapid fashion, as the currents of clouds whipped around the middle. There were smaller orbs in the arms of the hurricane, and small channels flowed even more rapidly within the clouds, looking much like streams flowing into a river with their own speed independent of the rest of the storm. The entirety of it was absolutely massive.

“Whoah, what is that?”

“That,” P.E.T.A.L.D. said, “is a hologram.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “I know what a hologram is, what is that?!” she said, gesturing to the whole projection.

“Oh. That, Miss Dash, is the Void.”

The way she said the name made it sound ominous. “The Void?”

“Yes. The space between spaces, an endless hallway of doors that open and shut at random, an icy chasm of turmoil that is ever-changing, as vast and as open as the fields of your imagination. It is entirely inhospitable and it holds the keys to infinity and the secrets of all time and space. All known and unknown realities are held within its tumultuous grasp, and to traverse all its paths would be an endless nightmare, which only those who are already mad would leave from intact. No living thing without incredible strength and willpower has ever escaped it with their life, if they escape at all. It truly is a Hell unlike any other.

“But, I go through it all the time, so it's cool. Any questions?” P.E.T.A.L.D. looked up from the projection just in time to see Rainbow wobbling, though she managed to catch her before she fell over again. “Too much too soon?”

“You think?” Rainbow deadpanned, a slight shake in her voice.

Her ‘mouth’ line squished up, in what could only be described as an attempt for something with no facial features to look embarrassed. “Sorry, I forget how much this information affects newbies at first. It is an awful lot to take in.” She thought for a moment how to make things better. Then, her ‘grin’ returned. “Want me to show approximately where we are?”

“Sure, I’m already feeling small and insignificant, why not show me how small?”

“Umm… okay?” With a bit of hesitation, P.E.T.A.L.D. projected a beam of blue light from the center of the swirling vortex and moved it until it rested near the second ring from the center, and followed the point as the circle spun slowly. “This is the realm of Y-97-E, your dimension, and its offshoots.”

“Offshoots?”

“Yes. You see, when something happens in one dimension, the effects are visible throughout the Void. Even something as small as you blinking at one point instead of another can change everything you know about the world you live in. Do you know what the Butterfly Effect is?”

“I think so. Twilight told me about it once, after she saved the past last year. Oh, she’s my friend, the Princess of Friendship.”

“Princess of Friendship? Are you acquainted with the monarchy? Well, I must meet her at some point. I’m sure she can tell me much more about this new world! I just love learning about new realms!”

“You sound like you’d get along great. So, quick question.”

“Shoot.”

“If this is us,” she said, pointing to the beam, “where are you from?”

“Oh, that’s easy,” P.E.T.A.L.D. said, moving the beam to the third ring, on the other side of the orb. “This is the position of Earth Prime, and this,” she said, moving it ever so slightly to the left, “is X-17-I. My world.”

Rainbow looked at the spot and compared it to the position of her sphere swirling in the sea of clouds. She wondered just how far apart they were. This was all so much in such short time; she was barely wrapping her head around it.

“So, you’re not pulling my tail? This is real. You’re from another dimension, and you’re a talking watch?”

“Sentient computer program, but yes!” she said, grinning widely.

“… Y’know, that’s actually really cool.” Rainbow allowed herself to let it all sink in, and a smile started to form. “Actually, that’s AWESOME! Wow, a real live alien right here in Ponyville! Wait’ll I show the girls! They’ll FLIP!” Rainbow had started flying a short distance above the ground and was going in circles around the map of the Void.

P.E.T.A.L.D. looked on and couldn’t help but giggle at her excitement. As she watched, she thought of something.

“Pardon me, but did you say, ‘Ponyville?’”

Rainbow stopped mid-flight and turned to her. “Huh? Oh, yeah, that’s where I’m from. Well, technically I’m from Cloudsdale,” she said with no small amount of puff-chested pride, “but Ponyville’s where I live now. I can take you there if you want!”

“That would be splendid!” P.E.T.A.L.D. said, turning off the hologram and retracting her many legs. As she sat on the ground again, she regained her appearance as a watch, leaving her strap unlatched. “I hope you don't mind, but I need to conserve battery power. As I am fairly light, I believe it would be best if you wore me around your ankle – in the interest of speed, of course.”

Dash shrugged. “Sure. I mean, it's not like you're radioactive, right?” She chuckled at her own joke.

“I am, actually. But don't worry; it probably doesn't affect your species.”

Rainbow’s laughter cut off as her eyes grew to gargantuan size. “Uuhhhh…”

“Heh, maybe I shouldn't have mentioned that?” P.E.T.A.L.D. asked, trying to give a cockeyed smile as an apology.

It didn't work.

But, hesitantly, Dash wound up picking her up despite thinking it was the biggest mistake of her life, and allowed her ends to connect like puzzle pieces, quickly forming a solid band of metal. Once she was wearing P.E.T.A.L.D., Dash felt the same unease she had felt when she had first touched her. Probably the radiation poison setting in. As she feared her oncoming death, Dash remembered something. “Say, what are you made of, anyway?”

“Oh, a plastic byproduct and living metal, primarily. Why?”

“No reason, other than I have no idea what those are.”

“Oh my. I have much to tell you of my world, then. For now, however, we’d better get going.”

“Alright, then hang on.”

P.E.T.A.L.D. was nervous now. “Why?”

Rainbow spread her wings, crouching down and looking ahead. Fire burned behind her eyes as she gave her response, “I’m tired of walking.” And with that, she shot off at the speed of sound, heading for town over the trees as her passenger held on for dear life.

~~~

Twilight sat in her castle, sipping black tea with milk and going over her mail. She didn't even care how bad it might stain her teeth, she needed the caffeine and was fresh out of coffee. She had an awful sleep last night, and it showed. Bags under her eyes, mane in a tizzy, and she couldn't stop yawning. She sat in a soft chair in a brightly lit room, in front of her was a coffee table with her tea set and a pile of mail next to it. If she didn't have to respond to all the letters from Celestia, she'd still be sleeping. Alas, no such luck would befall her this day.

But, hey. At least it was quiet.

“INCOMING!!!”

Twilight knew that voice. She also knew she had three seconds to either chance her skills with magic while groggy and shut the windows, or exert what little strength she possessed to dodge her friend and maybe save the tea. She chose to dive, and just in time.

CRASH! The table and chair, scrolls and envelopes were violently tossed to either side of her missile-like companion. She covered her head with her hooves and realized her crown had fallen off. She turned back to look for it, and saw Rainbow Dash sitting in the middle of her imported tea set -sigh-, limp and unmoving. She ran over to her, pushing the scalding tea away with her magic. Twilight leaned in to check for bruises and cuts, but found none. She wasn't moving, though.

“Rainbow? RAINBOW!” Twilight leaned in, starting to shake. This wasn't happening. She bent down and tried to hear her breathing.

“…”

“… Rainbow?”

“BOO!” Twilight screamed, shooting straight up in the air and clinging to the ceiling. Below, Rainbow guffawed giddily. “Gotcha!”

“RAINBOW DASH, THAT’S NOT FUNNY!” Twilight hovered down until she stood next to the misbehaving mare. Rainbow was still laughing.

“Heh, heh, uh, sorry, Tw-Twilight, ha ha ha! Oh, it was worth it!” She wiped a tear from her eye. “Say, you busy?”

“Not. Anymore.” She spoke through gritted teeth.

“Well, I brought something for you.” Twilight’s expression softened slightly. Her ears perked up, and Rainbow continued. “Twilight, allow me to introduce my new friend, P.E.T.A.L.D.!” The name was accentuated with a waving of her hoof.

Twilight looked in the direction she was pointing in. “Um, okay. Where are they?”

“Huh? No! Here!” she said, pointing to her leg. But P.E.T.A.L.D. wasn't there. “Wait, what? Where'd she go?!” She looked around, and from inside her mane, a rustling was heard. As Rainbow looked up, the round body of her new companion appeared.

“Sorry, I like to make my own entrances!” With that, P.E.T.A.L.D. jumped up with the ends of her straps, connected them in midair, and rolled like a cartwheel down the curve of Rainbow’s nose. After spinning in the air for a while, she landed on the ground, rolled to Twilight, and sprang up, catching herself with her tentacles and extending them until she was eye-level with Twilight. “Hello! I'm the Portal Energizing Teleportation and Location Device! But you can call me P.E.T.A.L.D.”

Rainbow Dash looked smugly at Twilight. “So, what do you think?”

“Um, what?” Twilight looked on in utter confusion. “What is this supposed to be?”

“Twilight, it’s P.E.T.A.L.D.! She’s a… a…”

“Sentient com–”

“–puter program, right! I found her in the woods this morning! She’s from another dimension and is gonna tell us all about the multiverse, and she wanted to talk to you about our world! She’s a TOTAL EGGHEAD!!!” P.E.T.A.L.D. glared in response.

“Uh, not that being an egghead isn’t cool, or anything…”

“Wait, did you say it’s from another dimension?”

“She, Twilight, she is from another dimension.” Rainbow suddenly looked confused. “Wait, you are a–”

“Yes, Miss Dash, I’m a girl.”

“Yeah, I knew that.”

“And you’re what, exactly?” said Twilight, looking at the machine in front of her.

“I’m a device created for the purpose of locating and apprehending criminals through the use of gateways to alternate realities.”

“Did you hear that?! She’s a superhero, too! How awesome is that!?”

Twilight took a few steps back, studying the machine very carefully. Her horn lit up as she probed it with magic.

“WHOAH, THERE! What is this?! Hey, whatever you’re doing, don’t do it there! I have sensitive hardware!”

“My apologies, I’m just looking to see if there’s any latent spells attached to you. So far, nothing. You’re definitely not organic, but you’re not run by magic, either. Very interesting.”

“Magic, huh? So it’s one of those worlds, isn’t it? Oy.” If she had eyes, P.E.T.A.L.D. would have rolled them. The servos in her camera lenses would have to suffice.

“Well, I’m not sure about any of this, and I will certainly have questions to ask the two of you later, but for now, I’m exhausted, and need to lay down after my sneak attack.” Twilight then headed out of the room and down the hall, leaving the others in the chamber alone.

“Wow,” said Dash, breaking the silence. “That was weird. Normally she would be way more excited than that. She must be on the verge of a coma!”

~~~

“Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh, OHMYGOSH!!!”

Meanwhile, in the main hall of the castle, Twilight was as giddy as a schoolfilly. Prancing around and flying through the rafters, she still felt like a sack of hammers that got tossed into the river, but her rising heartbeat made her feel lighter than air. This was the most astounding, not to mention important, finding of her life, if not all of Equestrian history! First contact with an interdimensional entity! Of course, she had to keep her cool – who knew what this thing was capable of? It could melt her face in a split second if she made it mad, but it seemed to like her, so that was good.

Ohmygosh, it seemed to like her! It was all too much for her to handle. And then, from the castle doors came a knock and in came Spike.

“Twilight, I’m back from getting groceries! And I bought your favorite blend of coffee!” Immediately, the little guy was set upon by his friend and guardian, getting so close to him that all he could see were eyes.

“BREW EVERY. LAST. DROP. WE HAVE A LOOOONG DAY AHEAD OF US!”

~~~

Beyond the town, a portal opened.

Author's Note

Chapter graciously edited by the fabulous atronosthelast.