Jack snuck onto the train, well it wasn't more like a sneak more like a waltz. It was been too long since his had last paid to ride on a train ever since his infliction and transference into another world occurred. He took a moment to find an empty seat although he was sure that it wouldn't be long until another random Pony filled the seat. He looked out the window and saw the village Ponyville. It's where he's been for the last 4 years and he decided a change of venue was in order. The trains main destination was a recently rediscovered Empire in the Frozen North of Equestria known as the Crystal Empire. He wasn't sure how long it was going to take but it didn't matter much more than that to him.
He leaned back in the long reclining seat and took a deep breath. Jack began humming an old tune called Take On Me. It was one of his favorite songs while he was back on Earth and was one of the few things that help him calm down. Over the course of a half hour the train the train was filled with various occupants and began to move. Lucky for him he didn't have to get up for anyone as this seat was located in the back. A lavender colored Mare was going on and on about how her brother and sister-in-law had the child less than a day ago and was excited about seeing her new niece. From what Jack could gather this filly was heir to the throne of the Crystal Empire. It seemed like a good chance to check out who it was. Other Mares we're with her they looked like friends they were friends they were the elements of harmony. Heroes of this nation he recalled. He didn't care much seeing how he wondered more often than not how he got here in the first place, more than fifty years ago. He never really paid attention as there wasn't a need to. No one can see him or hear him just as how he didn't need to eat sleep or even go to the bathroom. All of which he deeply missed. Too long since he's had a good victory piss.
For nearly two days, which were beginning to seem more like minutes now, he road along with these 'heroes'. A new sight would be good for him. He was beginning to remember names, many of which were becoming increasingly unimportant faster and faster. With a blank stare through nearly the whole ride he watched the once lush plains of Equestria slowly turn to mountains, then a dark cave, only for said cave to end with just a blanket of white. It was midday when they arrived.
Quite frankly, Jack was much more interested now he was able to see what all the hubbub was about. The entire empire looked crazy to him. Everything was made of colorful crystals, metal, and dark black stone. Through some means, they were able to sell much of their ancient crystals for some currency met to today's standards. He remembered that the Diamond Dogs, which he observed nearly twenty years ago, had an almost lust-like appetite for gems and other random shiny objects. Unlike dragons however, they were less violent....much less violent...
Anyways, already he was enjoying the new scenery as much as it was worth - free. He let the heroes run along to the castle, but first he wanted to to a little sight seeing. By sight seeing, it meant for him at least to go see a library. If there was one thing he found out while he was ghosting all this time, he could touch a book and learn everything in it, but only retain the information of the last eight he's read. Still with this useful ability, he still couldn't completely interact with books like flipping the pages or picking one up. So Jack went on looking. Libraries were huge, or at least anywhere except Ponyville.
And it didn't take him long to find one either. Jack saw the crystal and metal building just a few blocks down from the castle. Guess it made it easier to store royal doctrines, or whatever may have been here over a thousand years ago. His first task there was to find more books on interdementional travel. He was lucky enough to find two: The Mirror World Mirror and Holes in Space: Pockets for Gods. Upon touching the Mirror book, he learned that there was a mirror that was made one thousand years ago by a unicorn titled Starswirl the Bearded, but it lead to a universe almost exactly like this one aside from a few technological advancements and everyone was human...ish. Holes in Space was a different tale, but all the same, it lead Jack nowhere. With a sigh he fazed through a chair, table, then the exit doors.
"As far as a land of magic goes, no one really seems all to interested on life elsewhere...Guess it comes with having nearly four dozen different intelligent species." He was upset sure, but he already expected this. No ancient B.S. to go by, no myths he could explore now. That was the last library this side of the globe, and it wasn't like he was able to speak to anyone else. It was time to go see what this new Princess was all about.
It took him a couple hours of roaming the castle until he saw a crazy baby flying through the hall. She was pink by the looks of it, but she was somehow flying faster than the ponies trying to catch up with her. Jack chuckled. "Guess I should go the- what tha?" The little filly flew back to him and dropped to the ground.
"Go-ba?"
"There she is!"
"You can see me?"
"Go-ba!" She tried to run into him but just passed right though. She tried this a few more times until a tall white mare calmly claimed the filly. "GoooooOOOooooo~!" She tried to reach out to Jack, but he just stood there, flabbergasted as hell.
Suddenly an idea popped into his mind. "I gotta stay... I think she may be the key I'm looking for."
