The first tentative traces of birdsong filled the air as I walked through the statue gardens of Canterlot Castle, the situation with Tirek had since been resolved and now ponies were attempting to return to some semblance of normality. As I walked through the gardens everywhere I looked there were stone statues of all manner of creature, from ponies, to dragons, to griffons, to minotaurs, to centaurs, I’m certain I even saw a qilin of chinese mythology at one point. All were wearing some kind of armour and at the base of each statue was an inscription telling who they were and what they did.

These were the original Wrakjon.

As I was studying one statue in particular of two dragons I heard hoof steps approach.

“Blazewing and Frostfang” I heard the stern voice of Princess Luna say “two brothers, each with power over fire and ice respectively, I recall the pair of them were quite the loose canon at the best of times, as most dragons are, but they did save the lives of our ponies a number of times”

“Is there any chance they could be brought back?” I asked after a moment. “I mean you brought back ol’ calm and normality over there” I jerked a thumb at the chimera-like creature I had encountered earlier, who was currently dressed in a maid outfit, dusting off the statues and looking none too happy, suddenly his ears began to combust and he looked over.

“I heard that, human!” I heard him call, but I chose to ignore him. At my question Luna let out a sigh.

“I...do not know” she said, sounding unsure “In theory, certainly, as you say we we able to release Discord. But reforming these old guardians after discords manipulation of them would prove...difficult. Maybe once you return from your quest we can look into it”

“Perhaps” I said, holding my staff in both hands and studying the runes and patterns inscribed into the wood, before glancing up and making note of just how small I felt in the face of these immortalized legends which surrounded us. I turned to Luna, beginning to say something “I just....” I trailed off and let out a sigh, not sure how to voice my worries. Luna reached up and placed a hoof on my shoulder, a kind, knowing smile on her face

“Do not focus so much on trying to live up to expectation of that which came before you, instead focus on making your own mark on history” she said and at my surprised look she elaborated “I know the feeling of standing under somepony else's shadow all too well. I let it get the better of me and paid the price for it” I nodded and placed a hand on the base of the statue. The events of the past three days beginning to hit me; friends and family, an entire life once lived an entire world away, now forgotten but still lost, the full realisation of just what had happened, what I’d been through hit me at full force, I found myself having to hold onto the staff and lean against it for support as I began to be overcome with emotions. I turned my head away from the princess, shame mixing with grief and pain at the loss of composure in front of this nation’s co-leader.

“Forgive me” I choked out, quiet sobs wracking my body, my hands trembling as I tightened my grip on the staff. In response I felt Luna squeeze my shoulder with her hoof.

“There is nothing to forgive” she said “to show emotion in the face of great personal loss is nothing to feel shame about” I fell to a sitting position as I was overcome with loss and tears trickled down my cheeks. Luna lay down next to me, draped a wing across my back and lifted my chin up with a hoof so that she could look me in the eyes.

“You fought with courage today.” Luna said “Though you might not remember them, your ancestors watch you even now from the halls of paradise. If you continue as you have today then in time you will bring honour and pride to your bloodline, and should you one day fall you will be welcomed to those halls with open arms”

I don’t know how long we remained like that, but by the time I’d cried my last tears it had gotten dark, at which point Luna, who had stayed by my side the whole time to provide comfort, gently bid for me to stand and suggested I make my way to wherever it was I was staying. I thanked her, and apologised profusely, before making my way through the city.

After meandering through the city for some time, too emotionally drained to care much where I was, I wound up walking through the front door of the tavern that the four of us would be staying at before leaving at first light tomorrow. Upon entering I made my way over to the quiet bar and perched myself on the barstool, catching the attention of the bartender, a Minotaur cow.

“Now then!” she called cheerfully as she made her way over, her melodic accent very similar to welsh and her light voice completely at odds with her huge stature. “What can I get you then, my lovely?”

“Something strong that doesn’t taste like drain cleaner or set my throat on fire” I said, before adding “there’s an earth pony lass, Octavia Melody, booked a room for 4...stick it on her tab” the minotaur looked along the back shelf for a moment, before taking out a whisky glass and pouring a bright green liquid into it.

“Give this a try” she said. I gave it a curious sniff, and upon detecting a fruity aroma I proceeded to give it a sip before downing the glass, it’s taste was similar to its smell, though from the amount of alcohol I could taste I was hesitant to enquire as to its volume.

“Another” I said, holding the glass out. She wordlessly refilled the glass.

“Where are you from then?” she asked “you certainly don’t look local, you sound like you’re from Trottinghamshire”

“I’m from England...I think” I answered, she must have took note of my downcast demeanor.

“Drinking to forget?” she asked. I studied the liquid in the whiskey glass for a moment.

“No” I said, taking another sip “drinking to remember.”

“Tough day?” she asked. I let out a chuckle.

“Tough week” I said, before recounting the past few days in brief, all the while she dutifully nodded and listened, only occasionally getting diverted to serve other patrons. When I’d finished the bartender hummed in sympathy.

“We all go through hard times” she said, she’d since placed the bottle of liquor on the table for me to refill my glass at my own leisure whilst she had moved on to polishing the pint glasses between serving the odd patron every now and then “The way I see it, you gotta learn to take these things in ballance”

“Such as?” I asked.

“There’s no denying you lost everything, and that’s a terrible thing no doubt about that.” she said, nodding her head with a solemn look on her face, before shrugging “But the way you’ve described it; it sounds to me like you’ve gotten a pretty good head start in a new life, you’ve already got yourself a purpose and some folks to help see you through, you may one day even come to call them friends, and maybe with one or two of them something more. And who knows, you might have been a king or a murderer for all anybody know, this is an opportunity to start fresh, wipe the slate clean.”

“Thanks” I said, my spirits feeling genuinely lifted after her little pep talk “you sure you aren’t in the wrong line of work? You’d make a mint as a therapist”

“Being a bartender’s practically the same thing” she said, with a shrug “you ain’t the first person I’ve had vent to me. Killers, thieves, people who’re close to jumping off the edge of the mountain? You name it, at some point or another I’ve probably talked someone out of doing something they’d grow to regret. You soon learn to spot those who look like they just need to let it all out. Plus it keeps my business good.”

“Well you might have just found yourself another loyal customer” I said “providing I’m able to make it back here after travelling the world”

“I’ll hold you to that” The bartender said, winking. I hummed in amusement and settled down for another hour or so of nursing the liquor in my glass before retiring for the night.

Upon arriving in my room I set about getting ready to settle down for the night, just as I was about to get undressed I heard a voice.

*Psst*

I looked around in confusion, but didn’t see anyone in the room.

*Psst*

This time I heard the sound of a music box, and looked on the bedside table to see a music box, with a figure representing Princess Twilight Sparkle, dressed in a ballerina costume and posed appropriately, on the top spinning around. What made me do a doubletake was when the figure seemed to blink.

“What the everloving fuck?” I asked rhetorically, this made the figure come to a grinding halt and wrinkle her nose.

“Do you have to swear so much?” she asked.

“Princess Twilight?” I asked, picking up the music box and examining it “how the hell are you a music box?”

“Yes, it’s me, though I’m not actually here” She explained, twisting her body to counteract my examinations “it’s a simple spell, useful for letting ponies keep in touch over long distance”

“so...Pony skype?” I asked, prompting the princess to look at me with a puzzled expression.

“No idea what a skype is” she said, shrugging “but sure, let’s go with that”

“And the reason for all this is?” I asked.

“Look, you’re an alien, to put it bluntly, and I’m not just talking about someone from across the seas. One who’s now been tasked by the gods to travel around the world for reasons only they can thathom” she said, looking less than amused at the idea “I figured the least I could do after you helped us fight Tirek was to be there in spirit to provide a little guidance”

“Um..what about Fantasia?” I asked, looking at the staff currently propped up against the wall. At this Twilight pulled a very strained smile

“Yeah….” she said “the thing is, our gods tend to take a more laid back approach, sure, she’ll know about each country and the species which reside in them, but she won’t know much about their culture, their politics. Plus I would be lying if I said I wasn’t interested in hearing your perspective on things as you travelled”

“More interested in the second half of that statement?” I asked, raising an eyebrow, she gave a sheepish smile.

“More interested in the second half” she admitted, her face suddenly became more serious “But still, I’ll be here to help. Even if it’s just someone to vent to, or dare I say it, a shoulder to cry on” I regarded her with a sideways glance

“You’re a princess” I said “you’re literally royalty, isn’t there’s like a bajillion protocols about how people are supposed to address you?”

“Yes, I'm a princess” Twilight said, rolling her eyes “But I'm also the princess of friendship, I wouldn't be very good at my job if I didn't check up on you every now and then to make sure you're doing okay in your new life”

“Fair point” I muttered, conceding her point.

“So” the purple alicorn said “what’s your journey plan?”

“Well, naturally our first stop would be Trottinghamshire” I said “come to think of it, from the way Autumn Skies described it to me, it’s almost like it has aspects of my own homeland”

“Oh? Like where?” she asked, a curious look on her face.

“Well, the region where Autumn comes from her accent is a dead match for a west country dialect back home” I said, before humming in thought “though her and Octavia keep telling me I sound like a...Yarvik tyke? Not sure what a tyke even is” at this Twilight went wide eyed

“I’ve read of them, though I’d be careful when you do encounter them” she said, a look of worry on her face, and after my questioning look she elaborated “They’re earth ponies, though they act more like griffons than ponies, and they’re divided into warbands. Also they have a habit of being a bit...rude” I deadpanned at that

“You’re talking to a working class gutter-mouth and you’re telling me to be careful because they’re rude?” I asked.

“Point taken” she conceded sheepishly “so...here are you headed afterwards?”

“Autumn’s suggestion was to go through Caracoler, Heimut & Thestralia then onwards to Zemlystali to catch an airship across to the eastern continent, since they seem to have an integrated canal system, meaning we’ll be able cover the distance fairly quickly as opposed to on foot” I explained, though when I mentioned Heimut the princess’s face fell.

“I would strongly advise against travelling through Heimut” she said “they aren’t the most friendly of ponies to outsiders at the best of times, and that’s without mentioning non-ponies”

“Aren’t you supposed to be the princess of friendship?” I asked “have you not thought to go and spread some...well, friendship?” at this she chuckled awkwardly at this.

“Yeah...go and spread friendship to the supremacist ponies, simple...” Twilight said, trailing off “they’re an extremely prideful nation, but it’s one thing to be proud of your history, another when it’s outright at the expense of others, the entire time I was there it felt like any hospitality was a chore for them, and it doesn’t help that their leader has been making political moves to take territory in the surrounding countries. She’s put the entire region on a knife edge”

“She?” I asked.

“Kaiserin Reinesfell Willensstark” she said, no small amount of disdain creeping into her voice, before a worried expression adorned her face “look, if you do end up going through Heimut anyway, then at the very least be careful”

“I’ll bring it up with Autumn” I said “But I have a feeling she won’t budge. It’s weird, since Fantasia spoke with us Autumn has become distant, cold even, especially with me. When I pulled them to one side about it Octavia and Vinyl shrugged it off as simply being a matter of her being the only one with any formal training out of the rest of us would-be warriors, thus putting her in the role of command, but I think there’s more to it”

“Hopefully you can work things out, but keep me informed just in case” she said, a comforting smile on her face “as I said earlier, I’ll be able to talk if ever you need me, providing I’m available of course. Just press the crystal on the base and it’ll let me know you need to talk”

“I’ll keep that in mind” I said, glancing at the clock “look, it’s getting late, and I’ve gotta be up early tomorrow, so it’s probably best if you...finish the...spell?”

“Right, I guess I’ll next speak to you when you’re on your way” and with that, the figure returned to its ballerina pose and turned from Twilight into a nondescript porcelain figure, with a sigh I placed the music box in my shoulder bag and continued getting ready to go to sleep, anxious of the initial days ahead in this strange new world.

Author's Note

yeah, I can't get over how adorable the concept of music box Twilight is

plus there will be times when it actually comes in useful.

also, to provide some context, here's the world map, as of the season 4 finale

as you can see, heavily based on the official world map along with what's been seen in the show canon, but with a number of differences to add more world building potential.

Nations in blue symbolise majority equine populations, various greens represent Artiodactyls (deer, bovines, yaks, etc.) and brown represents griffons. the others are admittedly a mixed bag which I need to get around to organising. but in time I'll post an updated map in here