"Well, how are our subjects doing?" Senator Ruth's sharp voice interrupted the silence of the portal lab as her heels clicked against the reinforced steel floor. She was approaching Dr. Alfred, whom she had appointed the head of this project. The subjects, each and every one of them from before, were in fact, gone. They had all gone through the portal, it had been two days on earth since the experiment had taken place.

Alfred turned in his chair to look back at her, his nametag had been changed back to "Dr. Hedgeh"; he had done so immediately after the subjects had gone through. He had grown tired of being called "Hedgehog," in spite of his appearance resembling one. "It has now been two days," he quietly stated, "But I'm beginning to notice something strange..."

Senator Ruth placed one hand on her hip, tilting it and frowning softly, her fine black suit and red lipstick making her look a little intimidating, she reached a hand up and adjusted her glasses, gazing at him. "Of course... what have you noticed?" she queried.

Alfred turned back around in his chair, facing his computer monitors once again, exiting out the strings of code and super-complicated math he had pulled up. He pulled up a different window, with colored blips on it, each blip corresponded with an assigned number. "You're well aware that we chipped our subjects while they were unconscious. These minuscule chips, located under the skin at the base of the neck and right next to the cerebellar cortex, monitor our subjects' vital signs. They do nothing else. It was expected that the events of being thrust through this portal would kill our subjects, that's why we picked them up from places such as the street and various convenience restaurants. We figured that-"

"Get to the point, please, Alfred," Ruth interrupted, crossing her arms under her breasts. "It is impressive that you have managed to make technology that even when thrust into a potential different dimension, can still collect data and be recorded back here on earth. But none of what you've said has answered my question... please give me the details on what's so strange about all this."

"Right, well..." Alfred began, scratching the back of his head, and leaning it to the side slightly and turning in his seat to face her, "We can do more with this technology... I just honestly didn't even know if it would work, so I did not want to spend millions developing something that wouldn't work properly, heh... I had ideas to develop a chip that had a built-in camera that could examine the new worlds through the subjects' eyes and-"

"Please get out of the chair, Alfred," Ruth interrupted once again, this time with a small sigh. She had begun to feel he was stalling.

"Ye... yes, of course," Alfred stammered lightly, abruptly getting up out of his seat, folding his hands behind his back and stepping back.

Ruth sat down in the chair and turned to examine the monitors, leaning forward lightly and adjusting her glasses as her piercing gray eyes scanned the computer screen in front of her. After a moment, she looks back at Alfred. "Now then... please tell me what's going on here," she requested.

"Ah, well..." Alfred began, leaning down and pointing at the first blip, which was red, next to a number, the number 1. "Subject one. He's dead." He then began going down the list, through the numbers and blips. "Subject two... dead. Subject three... dead... We sent each of these subjects to different coordinates, Senator."

"I see. What about this one?" Ruth queried, pointing at a blinking, green blip, next to the number "18". She looked back at Alfred, waiting for an answer.

"That's what I found odd..." Alfred's voice had grown quieter, "Three subjects survived... subjects 18, 27, and 30."

"The fast-food worker, lumberjack, and blacksmith?" Ruth queried, keeping her steady gaze on Alfred.

"Yes, yes, and yes..." Alfred nodded, leaning forward and clutching the mouse, hovering the cursor over subjects 27 and 30. Both of them had yellow blips, which were blinking a little quickly. "Something is wrong with these two. They are not in good health; perhaps a foreign illness, or perhaps injuries." he clicks on subject 27, bringing up another window, showing the large, bearded man's picture, and various information about him, even down to his blood type. "Clyde Stevens," Alfred began, "He was the one we deemed subject 27. Wherever he ended up has caused misfortune to befall him, I'm afraid. This database is recording cuts and bruises, and possible infection. He is also emotionally distressed. Perhaps a prisoner?"

"Impressive... but what about subject 18? He seems to be in perfect health," Ruth replied calmly, a gentle squint appearing on her face as she turned to face the computer screens once again.

"Ah... yes..." Alfred replied, clicking on subject 18, bringing up Diplo's profile, "That would be because he is in perfect health. He is, in fact, sleeping... sleeping peacefully. That's what I found strange."

Ruth blinked. "And his x-y-z coordinates?" she asked.

"Well... considering these are worlds that are not our own... we could not give them x-y-z coordinates. We dubbed them different names. 'D-A-O', in fact. Delta, Alpha, Omega..." Alfred replied, taking a step back and folding his hands behind his back, rubbing the back of one of them with the other to calm him down a little bit.

"We may have to pay this world a visit..." Ruth replied quietly.

"Perhaps... we don't know if he simply got lucky and found a way to survive wherever he is..." Alfred replied slowly, getting a little nervous from Ruth's sudden, quiet tone. "It would be too risky, Madam Senator. We don't know anything about the place he's in... just that he's alive and well. We'd need time for further research." he finished.

"It's not that," Ruth stated, leaning forward, laying her chin in her hands, squinting "It is something much more... Subject 18 is in a land that's treated him well, that did not kill or injure him right off the bat... perhaps it is the fortune of this alien world having such mercy on him. There are no miracles... there must be a logical explanation. Perhaps he begged for his life... Perhaps they hailed him as some higher being. As for how things stand right now... where are you, Subject 18? Who have you found that's treated you with such kindness as to keep you alive and in good health? Are there powerful beings where you reside now? Are we able to get in and experience the same beautiful world you must be seeing? Or perhaps is it not beautiful, but rather sinister and you simply do not fear it? Are you hailed as a king, or are you enslaved as a peasant? Would they allow us in for a better future for America? We're long due for a better place."

Alfred stood behind her quietly, listening to her and studying the blip as well, for some reason, Ruth's voice shook him to his very core. It sounded cold and sinister, unlike it had many times before.

Ruth turned her head, looking back at him with her sharp glare. "These are the questions you need to be asking, Alfred. Not myself; I'm a senator, not a scientist. I'm a figure of authority, not a figure of scientific knowledge and research. I will need a week to prepare, but I will be heading in there, to his assigned coordinates. You have a week to try to learn more about the world he's encountered and perceives now."

"Erm... Madam Senator," Alfred stuttered lightly, raising a finger, "If... If I may."

"Go on," She stated, standing up, turning to face him the rest of the way.

"Ahem... In... In the efforts to learn more... pa... part of that requires figuring out how time works there... it could be different, heh... in the time since this experiment... we simply do not know whether it's been only an hour there, or two days like it has been here... I'd give it a month! Just to be safe..." Alfred stammered, looking to retake his authority as a scientist. He didn't like Ruth's tone here, and he certainly didn't like disappointing her; it could mean he'd lose his job.

"You make a fair point," Ruth smiled gently at him, "Now you're using your noggin. Very well! One month. I will expect you've gained substantial knowledge about this foreign land." Her smile fades, "Watch subject 18 closely. If he ends up being the last of our subjects alive... we'll definitely know the land he's in has potential... lots of it." With that, she briskly walked out of the room, leaving Alfred with his computer monitors and the silence once again.

"One month is all I need," Alfred muttered to himself, pulling up a web browser, with his email inbox... he began to type out an email to his colleagues, to inform them of the new events. Diplo's green light started blinking a little faster; he was waking up.

Diplo opened his eyes to see Twilight staring down at him, he squinted as the bright morning sun shone through the window, before putting a hoof over his eyes, and sighing. "Let me guess, even watching me sleep is entertaining to you? That's kind of sad..." he mumbled.

"No, Diplo," Twilight stated, "I had come in to check up on you, and to wake you up for breakfast."

"Woah, I get breakfast here?" Diplo asked, sitting up and rubbing his eyes, blinking them drowsily and staring at her, his mane a mess, "I've always been one to skip morning mealtime. I eat at best twice a day."

Twilight let out a small sigh, her ears flattening a little bit. "You're a mess... you'll really end up hurting yourself if you don't take care of yourself," she stated simply, "First the fact you get little sleep and now you're not even feeding yourself properly."

"You worry too much, princess," Diplo replied, leaning down and falling out of the bed onto his chest, front hooves splayed out in two different directions, his back end leaning up against it, "Oof..."

Twilight gazes down at him, straight-faced. "It is my duty to worry about the citizens of this town. So far, I do consider you one of them, even if you are so unorthodox. Besides, you do remember the prince is supposed to show up today, yes?"

"Oh trust me... I'm aware," Diplo responded, moving his back end to the right, so it flopped onto the ground next to him, he then stands up and straightens himself, he then closes his eyes, leaning down to stretch himself out, "I'm just not thrilled about it."

"The only thing I'm hoping is you won't do anything you'll regret. Head downstairs, Diplo. There should be some toast with butter on the table for you, provided Spike hasn't eaten it all. I have to head to the town center to inform the citizens. I shouldn't be gone long," Twilight informed him, sighing gently, her ears lowering further as she looked at him, "Diplo... I really need you to behave and be cooperative at least until Blueblood is gone... okay? I don't like him either, really... I truly wish he had some discipline and manners... But we've not much of a choice in how we treat him... because he is Royalty by blood and by law."

"I hear you, princess, don't worry about me. Seriously... I'm not even used to it honestly," Diplo replied, one ear lowering as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, averting his gaze for a moment, before gazing back at her with a serious frown, "I'll cooperate. But understand I don't believe in giving respect to anyone that doesn't deserve it, and this Blueblood sounds exactly like the kind of guy that deserves the opposite of it, prince or no."

"I respect your beliefs, Diplo..." Twilight said, giving him a soft, slightly relieved smile, "Hearing that you'll cooperate has given me a good feeling about this day. I must go inform everypony else so they have time to prepare... he should be arriving around lunchtime."

"Gotcha," Diplo replied with a nod, his frown softening, "Also... you really didn't have to do it... but thanks for the food."

"Anytime," Twilight replied, as her horn glowed... she disappears with a flash before Diplo's eyes.

Diplo wasted no further time, he headed downstairs to the kitchen, where there was a plate of toast waiting for him at the table, as promised. There were three slices of it; it would be more than enough for him. Spike was standing at the sink, doing the breakfast dishes, as he had been instructed by Twilight to do so.

"Good morning, Diplo," Spike said cheerily upon seeing him, turning his gaze from the sink to eye him.

"Mornin'," Diplo replied modestly, seating himself with much greater ease than he had before, pulling the plate towards himself and beginning to munch on the toast, eying the small reptile, "Got stuck doing the dishes, hm?"

"Oh, this is a regular thing," Spike replied, turning back to the sink. He was standing on a small stepstool, washing them with a sponge, "Twi already has a lot on her plate, and you were a fine addition to it, basically. At least that's what she told me. She keeps me busy throughout the day, either way."

"I don't get it," Diplo replied simply, taking another bite of toast, listening to him.

"She talked to me before she left," Spike stated, "You're new here, and she's never dealt with a complete outsider before. Other things... she told me not to mention. I... I know you don't like to be left in the dark."

"It's cool. It's not anything too serious, I imagine," Diplo gave him a soft grin, finishing his toast. The grin slipped from his face like hot butter. "This Blueblood guy, though... is he really that bad?"

Spike let out a small sigh, pausing his work to walk over to the table. He takes Diplo's plate in his claws, looking up at him. "Kind of, yeah... Rarity used to have a love interest in him... that quickly changed during the gala."

"Gala?" Diplo queried, frowning and tilting his head to the side, "And who's Rarity?"

"Right, I forgot you're still... erm... uninformed," Spike muttered, "It's a grand event we hold once a year, like a huge party. I'd explain more, but we don't have the time... basically, the story is Rarity met him, and he was only nice to himself. Rarity's another one of Twilight's friends."

"Oh, cool. So basically another teen drama club. Nothing I'm not familiar with already," Diplo replied, letting out a small sigh, "So basically he's an arrogant airhead?"

"Yep," Spike replied, returning to his work on the dishes, "Nopony likes him... The reason Twilight is out right now informing everypony, is so they can go out to his route to be ready to bow to royalty."

"Wait, she said he wasn't going to get here until around noon..." Diplo said, gazing at Spike. He then turned his gaze to the table, frowning at his hooves, before looking back at Spike. "How long did I sleep?"

"Till about 11," Spike replied, smiling gently at Diplo, "You were tired, according to Twilight."

"Eleven? Ack!" Diplo cried, putting his hooves to his head in a sudden panic, "I forgot! I don't have an alarm with me here!"

Spike chuckles. "Don't worry about it. You don't necessarily need one right now, and Twilight didn't mind."

"But this only means we have around an hour to get out there, right? I won't have enough time to orient myself... I can't stand crowds..." Diplo muttered, messing up his mane with his hooves, closing his eyes and laying his head on the table.

"So you're shy?" Spike asked, finishing up his dishes and drying his claws off with a towel, turning his head to face Diplo.

"Not that... I've never been particularly fond of others." Diplo mumbled into his hooves.

"Oh, you'll be fine, you big sissy," Spike laughed, "It's not so bad. Everypony's going to do the same thing."

Diplo looked up at Spike, a dull frown on his face. "Yeah, the unenlightened masses. They just don't want to get in trouble."

Spike blinked, tilting his head, confused at Diplo's verbal imagery.

Before he had the chance to ask about it, Twilight appeared back in her large living room with a flash, and she turns her head toward the kitchen. "Spike!" She called, "Have you finished the dishes?"

"Oh, Yeah, Twilight!" He called back, climbing down from his step stool and running out of the kitchen, into the family room.

Diplo followed him out to the family room, looking at Twilight. "I didn't know I slept as late as I did, princess," he said, the slightly annoyed frown still on his face.

Spike climbed up onto Twilight's back as she looked over at Diplo. "Honestly, it did give me the time to finish a few crucial things before Blueblood's arrival," she replied to him, giving him a soft smile, "It was for the better. We should head out there now... to the end of the pathway leading up to my tree castle. We only need to stand out there; there's already a huge crowd outside."

"Oh joy," Diplo muttered, his ears falling flat.

"Don't be sour," Twilight sighed, her horn glowing as she teleported the three of them outside, on the pathway, she began to walk towards the end of it.

Diplo followed along quietly, not saying a word. Granted, he wanted to say many a negative thing, but he mainly kept them to himself. After all, Twilight did let him sleep in, a treat not often granted to him. Looking ahead, he saw the many pastel-colored ponies lined up along each side of the well-trodden streets. They were all talking and chatting amongst themselves as the three approached them. He spoke up after a moment. "So... how will we know when the jackwad is near?"

"Horns will announce his arrival," Twilight said, mingling herself with the crowd, and pausing there, looking at Diplo, "So when you hear them, that's when you bow. Just stay next to me, okay?"

"Fair enough," Diplo muttered. He didn't want to be in this situation at all, the heat and closeness of the other ponies had already begun to bother him. He shut his eyes, trying not to think about it all. That only made it worse, since the noise seemed to be amplified when he closed his eyes. He snapped them open again, looking up, he saw fillies playing in the street, ponies occasionally crossing as well, to get to their friends on the other side.

Twilight seemed to notice his evident discomfort and opened her mouth to say something about it, but closing it and facing the street as the sound of regal bugles filled the air. Immediately as they sounded, the crowd of ponies fell silent and started bowing respectfully, along with Twilight. The fillies rushed to get out of the street, and the other ponies finished crossing, making way. Diplo could see Blueblood's carriage making its way towards them. It was richly decorated with fine wood, gold, and jewels. Four strong-looking stallions pulled the carriage, decked out in regal-looking decorative armor, two soldiers marched in front, their armor looked less decorative, making it evident that they were the escort. Four more soldiers marched behind them, and Blueblood lay back in his carriage, looking rather bored, his chin was tilted upward, so he was looking down on everypony as they bowed before him.

Diplo was filled with an immediate hatred upon seeing the pure white, golden-maned stallion. But he closed his eyes and bowed as well, his ears lowered.

Even Spike was quiet; he had gotten off of Twilight's back to kneel before this prince.

Things seemed to be going well until Blueblood opened his mouth. "Can't this go any faster? It'll be ages before we're out of this commoner's village," he groaned.

"My lord!" One of the guards replied, "There's somepony in the road!"

Diplo opened his eyes, looking up a bit, to see a foal running around in the street, chasing a butterfly. The foal looked too young to really understand the situation going on around him. His immediate reaction was to nudge twilight to get her attention.

Twilight looked up at him, whispering. "Not now, Diplo, what is it?"

Diplo, with a frown, motioned towards the street.

Blueblood lazily sat up in his carriage, looking down at the foal. "Oh, bother... if it's not one thing, it's another thing. Escort the commoner back into the crowd and let's keep moving, then," he stated, annoyed, "We haven't got all day."

"But my lord!" the second guard retorted, "We should find the lad's parents! We can't just shove him back into the crowd! He's only a child!"

"Do something," Diplo hissed to Twilight, beginning to have a bad feeling about this situation, "before HE does."

"I trust the guards here," Twilight whispered back, frowning at him, "They're the princess's own... they won't let anything happen to the foal. Please... you'll call attention to yourself." She closed her eyes once again and continued bowing, remaining calm on the outside... but on the inside, she was beginning to panic. The situation was neither looking nor sounding good. She had been told to not interfere, but was wondering if she should.

Diplo didn't have this same trust, but he decided to listen to her, facing the situation once again. His heart started to race as he continued to watch.

Blueblood sneered at the guards. "Haven't you learned to take orders? The baby can find his mommy and daddy later."

By now, the foal had sat down in the middle of the road, staring at the butterfly, which had landed peacefully on it, he was smiling at it.

"My liege," the first guard stated, "It is our duty to make sure no harm comes to any citizen of Equestria, no matter how young or old. As a guard, I say we simply find the parents, and we can be on our way. Please, be reasonable."

"Don't act as if you're in any position over ME!" Blueblood retorted, glaring angrily at the guard, "Fine! If you want something done, I guess I have to do it myself!"

Diplo felt a freezing chill run up his spine as he watched Blueblood hop down from his carriage, looking at the ground, slightly disgusted, before approaching the foal. He'd had enough now... Twilight had told him to stay put, but his instincts were telling him to do otherwise. He slowly, quietly edged away from Twilight and Spike, making his way through the crowd, some of them looked at him, but moved out of his way, thinking he was the foal's parent.

The butterfly flew away as the haughty, foul-natured prince approached, looking down at the foal. Blueblood cleared his throat. "Ahem..."

The foal looked up at Blueblood, eyes wide and innocent, he blinked at him, evidently clueless.

"Out of the way, kid," Blueblood demanded, "You stand in the path of a royal procession."

"Your Highness!" One of the guards spoke sharply, in protest, "You are being unreasonable!"

Blueblood looked back at him and fixed him with a glare. "I ought to have you fired! Stay your tongue!"

His sharp tone seemed to scare the little foal, for the kid's eyes welled up with tears, he lets out a small whimper, his little ears drooping as he shrunk away from Blueblood.

Diplo managed to get through the crowd, now at the edge of the street, about 30 feet away from the scene. He was able to see it clearly now.

Blueblood's horn glows as he shoves the foal, a little violently as of his frustration, with his magic, harrumphing.

The foal lets out a small, surprised cry as he careens towards the crowd, right at Diplo.

Diplo's eye twitches and he instinctively stood on his hind legs slightly, letting the foal collide with his softer underbelly, falling onto his back with the foal, grunting, he wraps his forehooves around the foal protectively, the crowd letting out a quiet gasp.

The foal shook in his hooves, tears quietly flowing down his cheeks, Diplo gently stroked the kid's chocolate brown mane, although not his own, he gently set the foal on the ground, rolling onto his stomach and standing up, looking down at him. "You okay, little guy?" he asked the foal softly.

The foal looked up for a moment at Diplo, before scampering off into the crowd, which had begun to murmur and whisper worriedly among themselves.

"Silence!" blueblood barked, turning back towards the carriage, "You citizens truly are pathetic. Have you no class? Letting your kids scamper around in the streets like animals... humph..."

Diplo seized his chance; Blueblood had pissed him off now, he began marching towards him while he had his back turned, a fiercely angry glare in his eyes.

The crowd of ponies fell silent once again, seeing what was unfolding, not wanting to make the situation worse.

This also meant Twilight could hear the hoofsteps on the street, she opened her eyes slightly, looking over to her right, where Diplo was previously standing, only to find him gone. Her panic levels spiked as she quickly turned her gaze towards the street, gasping as she saw him approaching Blueblood in an evident rage; her pupils shrunk. "Diplo, you idiot!" she hisses quickly, starting to push her way through the crowd.

One of the guards also noticed him and barked out. "Blueblood, get back in the carriage!"

Blueblood turned around, letting his gaze fall on Diplo, tilting his chin upward, "Oh, don't worry yourselves, I'm sure it's just the kid's father coming to apologize for the inconvenience."

Diplo didn't say a word, but kept his angered gaze on Blueblood, as he drew closer.

Blueblood didn't move, but smiled lightly, "Finally, a stallion with some common sense, amongst the fools."

Diplo lowered his head to the ground, baring his teeth in a quiet snarl. To him, Blueblood's voice sounded like a combination of fingernails on a chalkboard and a constantly beeping smoke alarm.

Twilight managed to jump out into the street just as Diplo was a few inches away from Blueblood. "Diplo, STOP!" she screamed.

To her surprise, and Blueblood's, he did, but he didn't move from the spot.

Blueblood looked over at the flustered, panic-stricken Twilight as she raced over to them. "Oh, it's you again, princess," He said, "It's about time you showed up. You really do a horrible job of keeping your citizens in check."

"Blueblood, please..." she breathed, pausing a few feet away, taking a deep breath in an effort to calm her nerves, "I'm... trying my best. He's new and a complete outsider... I was trying to teach him-"

Diplo remained glaring at the ground, shaking, moving his front right hoof back, he was ready to lay into the unicorn with all his might, he felt his muscles tensing, it was making him almost sick.

"Don't worry," he said, in a mocking tone, interrupting her, "I know to expect little from you as it is. If this is your 'best,' it's the worst amount of best I've ever seen. You are a poor excuse for a princess."

That finally set Diplo off, he moved back a little bit, bending his right hoof as he looked up at Blueblood, growling before letting out an angered yell, swinging his hoof around with all his strength, "HYYYYYYYAAAAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!"

THUD

His hoof collided with Blueblood's jaw with an audible, powerful crack, making him yelp and sending him skittering across the ground towards the guards, both of whom catch him so he didn't careen into the carriage. The entire crowd of ponies, including Twilight, let out a loud gasp, jaws agape in pure shock.

Blueblood raised a shaking hoof to his swelling jaw, touching it lightly and wincing as he quivered in the guards' grips; he was petrified with fear, as he stared at Diplo.

Diplo glared back, a slight grin forming on his face as he slowly set his hoof back on the ground... some of his mane falls over one of his eyes, giving him a more sinister appearance as he let out a quiet chuckle. The fur on his hoof had become slightly stained with his blood. "Damn... THAT felt good."

--To Be Continued--

Author's Note

Here it is, Chapter 4. First things first, I noticed I'm getting some dislikes on this story, so I have a question. Will the haters of this story please speak up and let me know what I'm doing wrong? It would help me out a ton, honestly. Only constructive criticism accepted!

On another note, that cliffhanger tho. I hope it's becoming clear why I made Diplo the way I made him. If not, maybe it will in later chapters. :) The main point I want to make here is I'm making him this way for a reason. He's a fast food employee for a reason, rather than anyone rich and powerful. I made him come from the human world for a reason, rather than being native to Equestria.

Finally, and this is the most important point to me, I want to thank everyone for all the views on this first story. I never even thought it would get this many, and it's keeping the pressure up for me to deliver (hopefully) enjoyable content. I enjoy writing this, and seeing the amount of love this story has gotten so far makes it so much more motivating. Thank you guys so much, and I'll see you in Chapter 5, which I have yet to decide a name for!