Equestria's New River Spirit

by Autum Breeze

Chapters

Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2

Prologue

Prologue

___________________________________________________________

I walk passed the cinema staff, nodding and retuning their goodbyes as I leave.

I lift my arms up, stretching. That was a lot of fun.

I’ve just been to see the My Little Pony Movie and it was pretty decent. Not over the top amazing, but still a very good movie.

I will admit, I do have to give a negative to how the rest of the Mane 6 abandoned Twilight after she yelled at Pinkie, especially because not only was it obvious Twilight didn’t genuinely mean what she said, it was a heat of the moment “I’m so frustrated and none of you are actually trying to help me, thing”, but it also just didn’t work.

Maybe earlier on in the show’s timeline, like maybe mid-season two, early season three, I could understand her saying something like that, but now? More than seven seasons in?

Nup. Only real let down in the movie for me.

Not to mention, I couldn’t help wonder why Twilight and the others didn’t think to try and get help from the dragons or the Changelings.

They’re allies by this point, so why were they left out of the movie for reinforcements?

Then again, maybe it was for the same reasons Discord wasn’t in the movie. Would’ve been too easy a win.

I shake my head. Gotta make sure I keep these ideas in mind for when I do a review later today before I get home.

Let’s see, it’s… not even 1pm?

I look up at the ceiling. Should I get lunch here at TTP, or wait til I get home?

Glancing around as I walk, I notice I’m walking past a sushi shop.

Man, when was the last time I had sushi? Must’ve been…

I pause, glancing around again. Something feels… off.

I blink, before crying out as my body feels as if it’s been lit on fire, before I feel like my stomach drops.

It takes a few seconds to realize not only that my body doesn’t feel hot anymore, but that the wind is blowing against my face.

Glancing down, my eyes widen in horror as I see I’m falling towards a river.

What the fuck?!

I hold up my arms, bracing for the impact, when my stomach lurches again.

I wait and wait… and wait?

Um… why did the wind stop?

Opening my eyes, I realize I’ve just stopped several feet in the air.

Um… okay, what?

Suddenly, whatever held me up stops and I drop against, hitting the water with a mighty splash.

I shake my head, trying to recover my wits, before something comes up from beneath, sending me soaring up through the water, before I burst forth, coughing, very disorientated.

“Well now, I certainly wasn’t expecting company,” a very flamboyant and vaguely familiar voice says, though I’m still trying to right my thoughts and can’t think about it very well. “You know, you could at least give a sea serpent a little warning the next time you’re going to just drop in like that. Especially this late.”

“I… I’m sorry, sir,” I say, noticing something very off about my voice, but still too out of it to understand what. “I… I don’t really know how that happened either.”

The voice huffs. “Well, I suppose it’s fine. Here, I’ll put you ashore.”

I feel myself moving, before my feet are plopped onto what I’m assuming is ground.

I rub my eyes and shake my head, trying to clear it. “Thank you, sir,” I say, my eyesight starting to returning, everything looking really blurry… and kinda bright yet dark, as if something really bright has been shaded in darker tones. “I don’t know why…”

My eyesight returns and my face goes blank.

Standing before and above me is… Steven Magnet.

I just stare up at him, my expression blank as can be.

“You okay, kid?” the purple sea serpent asks, before sniffing and getting a confused look. “Huh? You smell like a dragon… but also like something else I can’t name.” He shifts backwards, sitting on his own body and rubbing his chin. “I’ve never smelt that smell before, not even during my adventures with Cranky.”

I say nothing. My brain is still rebooting.

Steven Magnet. Steven Magnet is literally right in front of me. But, if Steven Magnet is in front of me, that means he’s in Equestria. And if he’s in Equestria and he’s in front of me, then I’m in Equestria. And if I’m in Equestria…

I slowly look around, not recognizing the location, though very aware that it’s night time. Somehow, I think I would’ve preferred finding myself in the Everfree. At least then I have a base idea of where to go.

“What’s your name, kid?” Steven’s voice pulls me from my thoughts and I blink to see him lean down so he’s at my eyelevel.

“Urm, I’m Hak… Wait, no.” I shake my head. “My name doesn’t start with Hak-anything it’s… it’s…”

I blink, shaking my head again, putting my head atop it.

After several minutes, I open my eyes, narrowing them. “Why can’t I remember my name?”

Steven just folds his arms, shrugging. “Couldn’t help you there, my friend. I don’t even know what you are, let alone who you are.”

“I’m a human,” I say, putting a hand to my chest… before blinking in confusion and looking down. “Wait. These aren’t my clothes.”

They’re really not. When I went to see the movie I was wearing a black t-shirt with a picture of Berry Punch and the caption “Go home, Berry Punch” on the front and a pair of jeans and black sneakers.

Now, I’m wearing very Japanese looking clothes. If I remember right, a short, blue hakama, white kariginu with a blue kimono underneath and beige sandals on my feet.

Studying Japanese culture can come in handy sometimes… though this is not how I thought I could apply that knowledge.

“Why am I wearing these?” I ask, looking myself over, before my hand flies to my throat. “Wait. This isn’t my voice… but I know it.” I hurry over to the water and look at my refection, before deadpanning. “You have got to be kidding me.”

Staring back at me is the face of Haku from the Studio Ghibli movie Spirited Away.

What the heck is going on here?

“You don’t normally look like this?” Steven asks, looking puzzled as he leans down, glancing from me to my reflection.

“Not… normally, no,” I say, taking several steps back, trying to keep calm. “No need to panic. You’ve just turned into an anime character and wound up in Equestria somehow.”

Then again, at least I didn’t turn into a female anime character, like Chihiro. Lord knows how awkward that would be. At least I still stayed the same gender.

“Okay, okay. Need to think. Need. To. Think,” I walk back and forth, hands on my head, before looking around. “Um, where exactly in Equestria are we? I don’t want to just run into dragons or something at random.”

I don’t even know when in Equestria I am. If it’s not post season 7, I could be in some serious trouble if I just ran into someone who doesn’t like ponies till after.

Steven cocks an eyebrow at me. “Random dragons.” He gives a chuckle, shaking his head. “My dear boy, if you wish to avoid dragons, you chose the worst time to come here.”

I glance at him, an eyebrow raised. “Why’s that?”

Steven rolls his eyes as if I just asked “Is water wet?”. “The Dragon Migration?” he asks.

I blink, my face blanking. I’m in season two Equestria?!

I facepalm. Great. Of all the times to end up in during MLP’s timeline it had to as early as season two.

I sigh, pouting. Well, at least it’s not season one. And at least the events of Dragon Quest were pretty close to the end of the season.

Still…

I groan, glancing around. “And how exactly am I supposed to avoid the other dragons?”

Steven gives me an odd look. “Is it because you’re not all dragon yourself?”

“Kinda,” I say, before thinking about it more clearly and nodding. “Yeah, definitely another reason to avoid them. Dragons right now aren’t exactly as willing to accept other creatures, especially a dragon hybrid, this early on.”

Steven shrugs, before giving me a curious look. “So, I take it you weren’t always like this? Or part dragon?”

I sigh, sitting down. “Not really.”

“Care to share?” Steven slithers down until he’s on his belly, resting his chin in his hands.

I think for a moment, before shrugging. What harm could it do?

So, we spend the next half hour or so with me explaining what I can about my world and it’s coronation to whatever could’ve simultaneously turned me into Haku and sent me here to Equestria.

Obviously, I avoid mentioning the movie I’d seen was the MLP movie or how this world is a fictional TV show back home, but everything else I can explain pretty easily and do so.

Once I’m done, Steven sits up a little, rubbing his chin. “Quite the predicament you’re in, my young friend. Are you sure you can’t just send yourself back home?”

I shake my head. “Even if it is possible, at this moment, it’d be extremely unwise to try.” I look down at my hand, palm open. “Haku has magic, some naturally, others he learned under Yuubaba as her apprentice, but trying to use that magic without knowing how it works to be more disastrous and makes things even worse for me than they are now.”

Steven nods, a sage frown on his face. “Indeed. Ponies sadly suffering from that problem. Certain unicorns always think they know what they’re doing without fully understanding the spells they cast.” He cringes. “The things I’ve seen on my adventures of unicorns casting spell they don’t understand.” He shakes his head. “I dare not try explaining them.” He shudders.

I cringe. If he feels that way about, I’m probably better off not knowing myself.

Once he’s composed himself, he looks pityingly at me. “And you can’t even remember your own name?”

I shake my head. “No. only Haku’s name comes to mind when I think of my name. If I try to say or just think of my real name, my mind goes blank. Still,” I smirk, “at least I’m not as bad off as other people are when they’re having my problem. I at least get to stay the gender I was originally born in. Lord only knows how things would’ve been for me had I come here as a normal little girl, like Chihiro. In this world, I sincerely doubt that would’ve gone well for me.”

Steven gets a curious look at that. “Why would so many of your kind write stories like that, anyway, where simply ending up in another world is hard enough, but to go through that kind of change so suddenly as well?”

I shrug. “We humans are funny like that. Still,” I frown down at my hand, clenching it. “Whatever the case, even though I’m still a guy, I’m not in a good position. I know too much about how this world’s timeline is supposed to go and far too early into it. Any interference I make could have catastrophic effects in the future.”

“Such as?” Steven asks, looking equally curious as well as worried.

I think for a moment. Steven didn’t have more than two or three appearances, last I checked. True, he’s Cranky’s friend and the two did go on a lot of adventures, but those clearly ended before the point the show took off, so I don’t know much about him beyond speculation.

I nod, looking to him. “Equestria doesn’t get a fourth princess or a fifth.”

Steven cocks his head. “What, you mean ponies marrying into the royal family? Aside from Blueblood getting married, which I find highly unlikely,” Blueblood’s still a dick in this universe, noted, “I guess you mean is either Celestia, Luna or Princess Cadance get married, have children and those children married?”

I look a little to the side. “Urm, you’re half right.”

Steven frowns in confusion, before folding his arms and nodding. “Very well. I’ll wait to see what you truly mean by that. And, you don’t have to worry. I won’t repeat this to anyone.” He moves to cross his heart and I jump forward, stopping him.

“You don’t have to do that promise!” I say frantically, holding his arm back with one hand. “Seriously, I’ll trust you. You don’t need to do that.”

Man, that was too close. Never do a Pinkie Promise if you don’t want Pinkie knowing about said promise! If Pinkie learns about the promise, she learns about me and if she learns about me… well, right now, I feel we’re all better off her being unaware.

I let go of Steven and jump back down, sighing with relief.

“Alright,” he says, seeming confused. His confusion then becomes a frown as he stiffs the air. “Odd. Do you smell ponies?”

I blink, cocking an eyebrow at him. “How am I supposed to smell…?” I trail off as I do indeed smell something on the air that reminds me of horses, just with a fruitier aroma. “Seriously? Ponies in Equestria smell fruity?”

Before he can answer, there’s a loud crashing sound, causing as both to stop and look for the source of the noise.

Glancing around, I notice fire in the sky, before I blink and it clicks. Those are the phoenixes that…

“Something tells me you might be needed, my boy,” Steven looks to me.

I look back to him, shaking my head and waving my hands. “Uh, NO! I just told you, I know the timeline this world needs to follow and I’m not supposed to be part of it. Anything I do to interfere with what’s coming could have horrible consequences down the line.”

Steven gives me a stern look.

I give him just as stern a look. “I’m serious, Steven. Believe me, there are things that are going to happen I’d rather not happen, but if I stop them, it can easily lead to even worse things. The butterfly effect is a big deal.”

He just shakes his head. “Surely merely observing will not cause any problems? After all, from what you told me, whenever one ends up in your kind of predicament, not everything goes exactly as the timeline you know should.”

I open my mouth to argue, before I blink, realizing he’s right.

In every fanfic I’ve read, and wrote, in which someone gets sent to Equestria turned into a fictional character from either MLP itself or another franchise, the timeline never truly went its original route, no matter how hard the protagonist tried not to interfere with the events of the show.

“I… alright, I’ll at least go and look,” I say begrudgingly, turning and sniffing the air, trying to gage which direction to go from how strong the smells are.

Since Twilight, Rarity and RD remained close to Spike, wherever their smell is strong, he will be close by.

Once I figure out the direction the scent of ponies is the strongest, I run off, giving Steven a quick goodbye, which he returns before diving into the river.

I run up a fallen tree to reach up to the branches of another and run along from tree to tree, sometimes needs to swing from one to the other.

I know I wasn’t ever this fit, so I’m going to assume my new Haku body is running on muscle memory.

“They got away!” A voice says from not too far off, causing me to pause. “Hey! You stole an egg?”

I frown. I know that voice and I know what’s going on here. I change my course, heading towards the sounds of the voices. By the time I get close enough to see properly, making sure to hide my face in the shadows of the leafs above me, Spike is protectively holding the egg that I know will hatch into Pee Wee.

“No!” he’s saying, keeping the egg away from Garble and the other two dragons. “It’s just a defenseless egg, like I was! And I’m not gonna let you hurt it!”

Garble gets a very shocked and angry look. “What did you say?”

Spike doesn’t back down. Man, I forgot how much this must’ve taken him this early on. Gotta give the little guy props. “I said no.”

Garble moves towards him, eyes narrowed. “No one says no to me,” he growls.

Spike starts backing away, not letting him get to the egg, before he bumps into the ponies’ dragon disguise, which they whip off, much to the bewilderment of the three teenage dragons.

“Nopony’s gonna lay a claw on him!” Rainbow Dash declares, hooves raised… as are the other two and I only now realize how dumb it looks. Twilight and Rarity can easily be thrown off their balance like that. Why didn’t they just sit on their hunches while holding the front hooves up? It would’ve had a much better effect and their defences wouldn’t be so flimsy.

Twilight swings her hooves in front of her, her balance only the tiniest bit shifting, just proving my point. Hope Garble and he’s pals don’t have as good eyesight. “That’s right!”

Rarity flicks her mane back. “Fighting’s not really my thing, I’m more into fashion, but” she glares, “I’ll rip you to pieces if you touch one scale on his cute little head!”

The dragons blink, before they burst out laughing, causing the ponies’ determined glares to turn to uncertain glances at each other.

Garble wiggles his fingers in the air. “Ooh, scary, hehe! Spike, are these namby-pamby ponies your friends?”

Spike just glares back at him. “Yes, they are. And they’re better friends than you could ever be.” He walks up to Garble, his expression firm. “Now, if you don’t back off, you’ll see what us ponies do when confronted by a huge group of jerky dragons.”

“Oh, yeah?” Garble leans down, snorting smoke in Spike’s face.
“What’s that?”

Before Spike can answer though, Garble grabs him and yanks him up.

“Spike!” the ponies cry, moving to help him, before the other two dragons block their path.

Okay, Steven, you had a point. This is not what happens in the episode.

“Fume, Clump, keep ’em back,” Garble orders the purple and brown dragons respectively. He grabs the egg, though struggles as Spike refuses to let go.

“I’m warning you —” Dash begins, only for Fume to send a burst of flames her way, nearly singing her wings.

“Give it, twerp!” Garble growls as he continues to try and wrestle the egg from Spike.

“No!” Spike yells, holding onto the egg with everything he’s got. “I won’t let you hurt this egg!”

Garble snickers. “I’m not going to hurt it. I’m going to smash it!”

Okay, that’s enough. It’s clear someone needs to interfere here.

“Enough!” I shout, causing them all to halt and glance around, before turning in my direction. “I won’t let you bring harm to anyone, not those ponies and definitely not that harmless innocent egg!”

Garble sneers up at me. “Oh yeah? And who’re you to tell us to stop?”

I close my eyes, gritting my teeth. “My true name no longer matters, as it is lost to me. So I will take the name this world has given me. I am… Kohaku River!”

___________________________________________________________

Twilight was puzzled by the being who’d just spoken.

She couldn’t make much out from her position and with the top half of the male being shrouded in shadow due to his positon in the trees, but she could make out a shape… odd as it was.

They seemed bipedal, certainly not something seen too often in Equestria. He seemed to be wearing some kind of clothing that vaguely reminded her of the attire she’d seen illustrated in books one early Neighsian history.

But his accent suggested he did not come from there. Maybe he merely had ancestry and his clothing had been passed down to him?

The only thing she could truly make out were his eyes. They were a greyish-green and the look in them was none too pleased.

“Oh yeah?” Garble words reminded her about the matter at hoof, but she noticed he was sneering up at the newcomer. “And who’re you to tell us to stop?”

The being closed his eyes, his teeth showing as his mouth pulled back in a snarl. “My true name no longer matters, as it is lost to me. So I will take the name this world has given me. I am… Kohaku River!”

With those final two words, he opened his eyes, the pupils becoming slits for a split second.

This Kohaku River moved forward, his form shifting into something completely different.

His face turned white, stretching outward until it looked similar to that of a dragon with a long whisk on each side of his snout, his body changing into a long, slender form, his mane, which she could now see was a mangy kind of green, stretching over his body almost to his tail, which was tipped with what looked a green leaf, though it was clearly a scale of fin as he rushed out, roaring as he slammed into Garble and the other two dragons, knocking them back.

Spike, freed from Garble’s grip, fell, clutching the phoenix egg and hurried over to the ponies as the four watched the new white dragon thrashing about, going after each of the teenage dragon, tossing them around like ragdolls, the three yelling in panic, not able to defend against a dragon way bigger and stronger than them.

After about a minute, Kohaku River narrowed them into a corner and pinned the three dragons down to the ground, his eyes glaring into theirs.

“Please, please—” Garble tried.

“Ow, ow, Uncle—” Fume tried.

“Silence!” the white dragon roar, cutting them off.

“We’re gonna shut up, right now,” Clump said hastly.

“Calm down,” Garble laughed nervously. “We’re really sorry.”

Kohaku River just glared down at them. “If you ever try to harm these ponies, dragon, egg or any creatures I care about again…” he left his sentence unfinished.

“Oh. You… you care about them?” Garble asked shakily smiling.

“You do?” Fume laughed nervously.

“Did you know that?” Garble asked Fume.

“Me?” Fume said, shaking his head. “No! I didn’t know. You?”

Garble gulped, looking back up, waving a claw. “No! Of course not!”

“No!” Fume looked back up at the towering figure.

The two looked to each other, before turning to the third part of their trio with forced smiles, asking in unison, “Clump?”

Clump, who had a dazed expression likely from the beating he’d received, blinked, a goofy smile on his face and his tough slightly sticking out from his mouth, before quickly nodding, causing the other two’s facing to fall in terror.

Kohaku River gave a roar that echoed through the air.

Garble gave a very worried smile, waving a claw. “Toodles!”

The three zipped off, hurrying away, tails between their legs.

There was silence as all five remained still as the white dragon stood there on all fours, the ponies and baby dragon too nervous to make a sound.

Eventually, Spike took a step back from Twilight, his movement causing a tiny twig to snap.

Kohaku River’s head shifted slightly, his eyes moving to look directly at the group, who froze in place. He looked at them for several long moments, before he turn away.

They watched as his form began to shrink, returning to the one he’d had back in the tree as he stood back up into a bipedal postion.

Twilight blinked, noticing he had no scales in this form. His skin was pink and bare, similar to the pigs on Applejack’s farm. His ears were not atop his head now, either, like in the form he’d just had. They now rested either side of his head.

His claws looked different now too. They didn’t seem sharp. In fact, if anything, they looked soft and round-tipped.

“Who… who are you?” Spike was the one to finally break the silence.

The being before them did not answer right away. He remained still as the evening breeze blew, lifting his mane slightly.

“My name is Haku,” he finally said, though Twilight noticed something is his tone that said he was both lying and telling the truth. Was that because he’d told the dragons his name was Kohaku River and not Haku River? Was Haku meant to be short for Kohaku? There didn’t seem to be a need to shorten it. “I am not of your world. I am not supposed to be here.”

“Not of… our world?” Rainbow Dash asked, frowning. “Well, if you’re not supposed to be here, why are you here then?”

Haku shook his head slightly. “For that, Rainbow Dash, I have no answer.”

The Pegasus blinked in surprise. “You know my name?”

Haku gave a small, half-hearted laugh, glancing back slightly. “I know a lot of things about you, Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity and Spike.” The small amount of joy in his voice and eyes faded as he looked away. “Or, at least, I should.”

“What exactly do you mean by that, Darling?” Rarity asked curiously.

Haku did not turn around. “I know not how I came here, nor why I have this form. However,” he paused for a moment, before he slowly started walking towards the trees, “you need not worry. I will not interfere if I am not needed, nor am I a concern to your home. I will trouble you all no further. Farewell.”

“Hey, wait,” Dash yelled, flying after him. However, as he entered the trees and Dash went in after him, she came out seconds later, shaking her head. “He’s gone!”

The group all looked to each other with uncertainty.

Who was this Haku or Kahaku River and how was he able to change between the form of a dragon and whatever else he did?

Where had he come from?

And, more importantly, where was he now?

Author's Note

WHY must I keep getting new ideas i want to explore when i'm still working on other stuff?!

Anyway, the idea for this came in my head two weeks ago while i was watching youtube videos and a clip of Haku appeared in one of them, and, because i'd been thinking of MLP
and the hipogriffs prior, i suddenly thought about what Haku would do around them, since he's a river spirit and can likely breathe underwater too, then this came into my mind.

why season 2 dragon quest for the starting point? Well, that was another of the clips that past through the video and it just felt like the right place to start.

i do indeed have a few plans for this, taking advantage of that Alternate Universe tag. as for the romance tag you know doubt noticed, no, Haku will not be in a relationship with anyone in the Mane 6 or Ponyville in general.

and, yes, if it wasn't obvious, the part where Haku fights Garble and crew was inspired by the original Lion King movie, the far superior one.

Anyway, hope this is an interesting enough start for you and, til next time, later everybody

Chapter 1

___________________________________________________________

I wait as I watch Rainbow Dash fly over the water, her image distorted by the rippling as the current drives it down its path.

She flies back over a few minutes later and I sigh with relief.

How can one sigh underwater, you ask?

Well, I am Haku now and, since he’s a river spirit, it only makes sense he can breathe underwater.

I wait a bit, before breaching the surface and glancing around, seeing no sign of the ponies and dragon.

Closing my eyes, I listen closely, but hear no sounds beyond the night and the rushing of the water.

Nodding to myself, I swim back to the edge and get out. Sighing, I look around.

Now what do I do? I suppose I could go find Steven again, but he’s more than likely gone back to sleep and it would be pretty rude to wake him.

I walk over to a fallen tree that I realize is the one Garble and crew slammed into when chasing Pee Wee’s family and sit down so I can think.

Okay, so I’m in season two and the events of Dragon Quest have pretty much just finished.

If I remember right, the next three episodes before the finally aren’t anything I would have to worry about. Hurricaine Fluttershy, Ponyville Confidential and MMMystery on the Friendship Express shouldn’t need my interference… but the finale?

I frown, thinking that over, before blinking as I remember the letter Spike belched during Dragon Quest. Many have speculated that it was meant to inform Twilight about her brother’s wedding so it doesn’t seem so out of left field when she learns about the wedding merely TWO DAYS before it happens.

I blink again as I remember the letter wasn’t actually from Celestia, but had merely been on a sheet of parchment from her personal desk, meaning it could very well have been Shining who’d written the letter, but gotten Celestia to send it.

I rub my chin. The invasion of Canterlot is indeed important as it establishes the Changelings and gives Cadance and Shining and chance to prove their love with the Love Barrier Blast that sends the insectoid-like beings flying… but is it all needed?

If anything, it’s probably better to nip that one in the butt, especially since, as Steven proved, even if small, there was a difference between what happened here and what was supposed to happen in the episode. Who knows what could be different, if anything, regarding the finale?

I cringe, suddenly remembering that fan comic in which Twilight didn’t stop to listen to the real Cadance and beat her to death, not understanding she’d murdered her own foalsiter… or, at least beat her until she was unconscious and heavily injured.

I try hard to mentally keep the latter in mind, so I don’t have to think about the far darker idea and how much it would shatter Twilight upon realizing what she’d done.

There’s a slim chance that could be what happens. Small changes, big ripples.

Shaking my head, I breathe deeply and decide, turning my head to look up at the sky. It’s decided. Destination: Canterlot.

___________________________________________________________

“Sister, what concerns you so?” Princess Luna asks, walking up to the white Alicorn, who was in her study, frowning at a letter, several books scattered on the floor as she sat on a cushion.

“It’s this new dragon Twilight mentioned in her most recent letter,” the Solar Princes said, looking up from her books as her sister entered. “It came shortly after Spike’s Friendship Report. There’s no information about it what so ever.”

“Is that strange?” the dark Alicorn cocked an eyebrow as she settled next to her sister. “You mentioned that Equestia has been out of communication with the Dragon Lands since before my banishment. Surely, in over a thousand years, new dragons could have been born who’s species we know nothing of?”

Celstia blinked, before her eyes lowered rather shamefully. “True. I should have done better to keep in contact.” She rolled her eyes. “Then again, you try reasoning with Dragon Lord Torch.”

Luna cocked her head to the side. “I do not recognize the name. So, a new Dragon Lord took power shortly before or after I went to the moon?”

“Hmm,” Celestia frowned, before levitating a book off another shelf and flipping through it, her frown deepening with each page turned. “This is the downside to our long lives, Luna. Memories stretching so long a time do not always stay. I hope I at least had the forethought to write about it.”

A knock at the door startled them. Turning, they saw it was Shining Armour.

“Captain of the Guard?” Luna blinked. “To what is the meaning of this interruption?”

“Forgive me, Your Highness,” the stallion bowed his head. “I would not have troubled you, but you have a new visitor.”

“Did he make an appointment with my sister?” Luna asked dryly.

Shining Armour hesitated. “Well, no. However, he is making it clear he will not be made to wait. He says he has urgent matters all three of you must be made aware of.”

That caught their attention. This mystery guest wished Princess Cadance to be present too.

To request an audience with all three Alicorns at once… one does not just do that on a whim or for some pity matter.

“Very well,” Celestia sighed, standing up, her sister following suit, the former lowering her books and the letter from her student onto her desk. “Lead the way, Shining Armour. We will speak with this visitor and see what he wishes to warn us of.”

The stallion bowed, leading the two down the hall to the throne room, where guards and castle staff stood outside, looking anxious.

The sisters glanced at each other. To instil such concern among their staff and guards… who was this guest.

“Aunt Celestia. Aunt Luna.” The two turned back to see a pink Aliocrn walking down the halls towards them, a stoic, bored look on her face.

“Cadance,” Celestia nodded.

“Niece,” Luna said a little more coldly. The Lunar Princess had not taken too kindly to the Princess of Love. Something about her made Luna feel… worried. Despite her title, Luna never got a warm feeling from the mare, any warm words sounding hollow from her.

“Shall we get this over with?” Cadance asked, sounding bored and annoyed. “I have other matters I was attending to.”

“We shall see,” Celestia said, eyeing the doors to the throne room warily. “Whomever wishes to speak with us, it must be of great importance if he wished to see you as well.”

Luna noticed a cocky look pass over the pink princess’ face, along with something else. Anger? Concern? Fear? It was hard to tell, it passed by so quickly. Most other ponies might not have noticed it, but Luna’s eyes were keen.

She would be asking about that later.

The three walked to the doors, the guards opening them and the three stepped inside, the doors closing behind them.

The sight that met their eyes was not one any had expected.

Standing by one of the stained glass windows stood a tall white dragon, with white scales and a green mane… one that Celestia recognized right away.

He matched the description from Twilight’s letter!

Cadance cleared her throat loudly in a way that said she was getting impatient, which Celestia did pause at. They’d literally just entered. Since when did Cadance have so little patience?

The dragon looked away from the window, the one depicting Twilight and her friends defeating Discord. He looked between the three princesses, his eyes stopping on Cadance.

He gave a loud sniff, before giving them a cool expression. “Princess Celestia. Princess Luna. It is an honour to meet you,” he said, his voice cool and younger sounding than his form would suggest.

There was a pause, before Cadance cleared her throat loudly. The dragon ignored her, bowing to the sisters.

“You are the dragon that defended my student her friends and assistant,” Celestia said, deciding not to waste any time. “Why are you here? To what reason have you left he Dragon Lands and come to Equestria?”

The dragon closed his eyes. “My reason for being in your world is as much a mystery to myself as it is to you, princess.” He walked towards them, his stride calm and certain.

Celestia could sense no hostility from him and Luna’s posture said the same.

“You have no understanding how you came to our kingdom?” the dark Alicorn asked, an eyebrow raised.

The dragon shook his head, before bowing. “I know not how I got here, nor how I acquired my current form. I merely found myself in your world as I am.”

“You were not always a dragon?” Celestia blinked, surprised, before her eyes narrowed. “Are you from the other side of the mirror?”

Luna glanced at her sister, before her eyes widened. Yes. The way this dragon spoke, it would make sense if he came from that world… but the portal was closed for at least a few more moons. How could he have come through recently?

The dragon again shook his head. “No. I come from a similar world, but not that one. How I breached the barriers between our dimensions and took on this form, I cannot say. I have only been here a short time, as you know from your student, Your highness,” he indicated to Celestia.

Celestia opened her mouth to ask how he knew not only that Twilight had sent a letter about him, but that she was Celestia student, but she did not get the chance.

“How dare you ignore me?!” Cadance said loudly, causing the three to look her way, though Celestia noted a displeased look pass over the dragon’s face upon looking to the pink princess. “I am a princess too! You will treat me with the respect I deserve!”

Celestia blinked, before she realized the dragon had indeed not addressed Cadance once since they had entered.

The dragon looked at her for several moments, before snorting. “When Princess Cadance is in my presence, I will indeed give her the respect she deserves. You, however,” his eyes narrowed and Celestia’s confusion at her words was further by the shocked expression that passed over her niece’s face, “do not get that honour.”

Luna’s expression became suspicious. “To what do you mean, dragon?”

He did not answer her, but stared down at the pink princess. “Let us not beat around the bush. You haven’t gone by princess for a very long time…” his eyes narrowed, “Queen Chrysalis.”

The pink Alicorn’s eyes went wide, while the sisters looked at each other in confusion.

“If you want to escape this without injury or embarrassment, I’d recommend dropping the act now, Cheese Legs,” the dragon said, his tone cool, but firm.

Cadance’s stance became defensive, her mouth pulling back into a snarl. Was it their imagination or did a flash of green energy just pass over her eyes. “How could you know?”

What?

“Your stink,” the dragon replied. “You smell nothing like a pony. You smell of twisted emotions and ill intent. Reveal your true form, or I shall do it for you.”

“Cadance, what is he talking about?” Celestia looked worriedly at her niece.

The pink Alicorn seemed to suddenly remember that the two were there, immediately adopting a worried look and fearful tone. “Auntie, he’s acusing me of being a creature that tried to attack me!” She pointed a hoof at him. “His must be a Chnagleing, a creature able to transform into the ones you love and feed of that love!”

The dragon snorted, seeming amused. “It’s true, I am a shapeshifter,” he started walking towards her, his form shrinking rapidly until he resembled a bipedal creatures the likes of which Celestia had not seen in centuries, the last time she had ventured through the mirror for a glimpse of the world, only to return, uncertain what would happen if she stayed, “but I am not one of your subjects.”

“What did I tell you?!” Cdance pointed fiercely at the biped. “He literally just changed right in front of us.”

“What happened to your magic?” the creature asked.

That caught the Alicorn off guard. “What?”

He smirked. “Your magic was turquoise before, was it not? How come it’s green now?”

The Alicorn blinked, glancing up at her horn, before her mouth hung open in horror.

The sisters also stared, though it was only Celestia who’s eyes were wide with fear.

The creature was right. Cadance’s magical aura had always been a calming turquoise blue, but now it was a green that did not match at all.

The creature just chuckled. “Over confidence can be a serious enemy to an invader, my Queen,” he said the two words mockingly. “History tells of many would-be conquers whose arrogance led to their end; even those who succeeded for a time always fell, because they got too cocky.”

“Does he speak the truth?” Celestia and Cadance looked to Luna, who was eyeing the pink Alicorn with a shrewd stare. “Was thy magic originally a different colour?’

“I… well…” Cadance falter, before blinking and shut her eyes tight. Seconds later, the glow around her horn changed from green to a colour Celestia was more familiar with… though that did not easy the worries now within her.

“Yes. How interesting it took my mentioning it for your magic to return to its normal shade,” the creature folded his arms, his expression becoming unamused.

“I told you!” Cadance pointed at him. “Shapeshifters. He made my magic look different!”

“No… he didn’t,” Celestia said, her eyes widening as realaztion dawned on her. “Cadance, your magic has been green for the last three weeks!”

“And, if I’ve my timing right, Celestia did not learn of my presence until four days ago,” the creature glanced at the Alicorn. “Correct?”

The white Alicorn nodded.

“And your magic has been green since I first met you three weeks ago,” Luna said firmly, taking a step forward. “Our sister remembers your magic being different and we just witnessed it change after you informed us of creatures that can change their appearance after this dragon shapeshifter pointed out the difference after calling you by a different name. Whom should we believe? The ceature whom saved the lives of those who freed me from the Nightmare, or the one I have seen be cold to all in the castle, including her husband to be?”

“I… well… but…” Cadance looked frantically between the two Alicorns and creature, before growling. “Oh, whatever!”

A circle of green flames surroundied her, before an explosion of green and black magic shot up, encompassing her. Her pink fur faded away, revealing hole-poked legs and hole-riddled insect-like wings and a jagged black horn.

She laughed, her voice having changed. “Fools. It’s true, I took Princess Cadance’s place and have been feeding on her coltfriend’s love for her. Even with my cover blown, you three are the only ones aware. Once I silence you, nopony will ever find Princess Cadance trapped in the crystal caves beneath Canterlot and there will be nopony to stop me!”

The creature smirked. “I’d check again, Your Majesty.”

She looked to him, her expression smug. “Oh, really, little creature? And how do you figure that?”

He just nodded his head to the right.

Cocking the area an eyebrow would normally be, she turned… to see a magical square floating there, an image of her on it.

“I had a bit of time to figure out a few basic spells on my travels here,” the male said casually. “One I decided to focus on was a recording spell.” He grinned. “All of Equestria just heard everything. Your plans for an invasion during the wedding just went up in smoke.”

The bug pony blinked in disbelief, before she snarled, lunging for him.

His expression firm and he shifted into his dragon from. Due to her speed and aim and the swiftness of his transformation, she was tossed aside with a merely flick of his head.

The Changeling Queen slammed into a nearby wall and slid down it.

“Guards!” Celestia yelled, the doors bursting opening, Shining among the ponies. “Seize her. Captain of the Guard, take several ponies with you and retrieve Princess Cadance at once!”

Nods went all around, Shining heading back out, three stallions and two mares following him, while double that number remained, surrounding the down Queen.

The Changeling got up, glaring hate towards the sisters and dragon. “This is not over!”

Her horn flared, blinding all present. When the light faded, she was gone.

“We must go after her!” one of the mare guards shouted.

The dragon sniffed. “Do not bother. Her scent is gone. She and her kind have all fled the city.”

Luna looked with narrowed eyebrows. “Her kind?”

“Like I said, her invasion planned has failed,” he replied, shifting back to his biped form. “I cannot smell them anymore. My sense of smell is not too strong, but I can tell they are no longer near the castle. They have fled.”

“Why did you do this?” Celestia asked, her emotions conflicted between grateful and suspicious.

“Firstly, I am Haku, or Kohaku River. However you wish to address me, I do not mind,” he said, turning and walking over to an open window, which the sisters now guessed was likely the Changeling Queen’s escape route. “I have foreknowledge of this world. However, it is not as accurate as I would like. True, I have so far only seen one sign of a shift, but I am not willing to risk lives when they need not be.”

“Then you will tell us of this foreknowledge?” Luna asked, eyes narrowed.

“No,” Haku replied firmly. “I may already have risked much interfering where I have, but I was no willing to take the chance. However, I will tell you this, Princesses,” he looked back over his shoulder at them, “it will soon return.”

“It?” Luna asked, puzzled, while Celestia’s eyes widened.

“When?” the white pony asked, causing her sister to glance at her in confusion.

Haku shook his head, returning his gaze to the open window. “I am unsure. But it WILL return. There is no stopping that.” Her turned back. “Know that I do not intend to interfere too much. I am fully aware of what you plan, Celestia. I have no plans of altering that. For now, I see it best I go, reopening your alliances.”

“Our alliances?” Luna frowned.

Haku nodded. “The hippogriffs and the dragons. I can go to both, be part of both their worlds. I know events to come that it would be wise to not have them not as your allies for.”

Celestia blinked in surprise. “The hippogriffs? I have no heard word from them for several years now.”

Haku nodded. “Hence why I must go there. Do not worry. I have Equestria’s best interests at heart.” He gave a small, genuinely warm smile. “Wish Cadance a wonderful marriage for me.”

Before either to react, he turned, ran and leapt out the window, shifting back into his dragon form.

The two princesses rushed to the window and watched as he flew off into the sky.

“He has no wings!” Luna gasped. “How can he fly with no wings?”

Celestia could not answer, only watch with her sister as Haku disappeared into the sky, a good idea where he was headed.

She wondered, would they ever see him again?

Author's Note

Two chapters in one day? What is this dark magic?

Acutally, i'd had pretty much the entire prologue done yesterday, but certain events prevented me from uploading it til today. for the better, i think, since i was able to give it a bit more of a quick polish before posting.

I hope this didn't feel a bit too rushed. For those wondering how Haku went from thinking he had to make sure not to interfere with the timeline at all to outright stopping the season 2 finale, i based his way of thinking on my own and i tend to overthink things, usually ending up on worse case scenarios when it comes to things i know can go wrong, so the same happened with haku here.

he had time to really stop and think and with all the fanfictions, dark radio plays and dark comics relating to in show events that have been made, having those run through his mind did not help him from going down the rabbit hole of "What worse case scenario will happen if i leave it along?".

So, with that in mind, when i finally get to the next chapter (as i want to get back to at least one or two Equestrian Exploradora chapters before finally trying to get back to A Child of Kindness and Laughter), Haku will be searching for the Sea Ponies to speak with Queen Novo on Equestria's behalf.

I'd say look forward to that, but i don't want you getting too anxious waiting, so i won't and instead wish you the best and, til next time, later everybody

Chapter 2

___________________________________________________________

“You… are such an idiot!” I berate myself, smacking myself in the forehead.

I’m sitting in a small clearing in the woods. Which woods? The heck if I know!

I was so wrapped up in the idea of helping Equestria fix a heap of its problems before they happen, it was only as I’d spent an hour wandering around in these woods that I realized I don’t know where I’m going on what I’m doing.

Not to mention, I’m kicking myself for jumping in as fast as I did regarding stopping Queen Cheese Legs.

There were so many other ways I could’ve handled that.

I could’ve gotten Cadance out on my own and we could’ve gone to ground. I could’ve simply hidden in the shadows and directed Shining to a path that would’ve led him to find Cadance and her tell him.

Instead, like a dumbass, I went head on and brought everything into the spotlight right away.

I could seriously have screwed up the timeline now. I mean, without the Canterlot Invasion, Cadance and Shining Armour don’t display their love with that big explosion.

How’re they gonna do that now?

“Wow. You were right. You are here.”

At once I leap up, getting into a defensive stance, looking around.

From within the shadows of several nearby trees, a unicorn steps out. A unicorn I know very well.

I blink, easing slightly as I notice the season six mane style… though feeling just as worried and confused at the same time.

“Starlight Glimmer? But… how?”

“Okay. Kinda getting weirded out you even were right about your past self knowing me on sight,” she says, looking a little uncertain.

I blink, her choice of words causing me to frown slightly. “My… past self?”

She smiles, nodding. “Yep. I’m from your future, Haku. I’m here because you wanted me to give you some advice… that you only give yourself because the you of the future’s future self told his past self which was himself that advice which he got from his future self and…” her eyes look like Derpy’s. “I think I just broke my brain for a second there.”

I try to sift through her words, before it clicks and I shake my head, waving my arms. “That’s clearly a Bootstrap Paradox, Starlight. Don’t try to look too deep into it. Thinking too hard about it will just give you a headache.”

She blinks a few times, before shaking her head, her eyes returning to normal. She takes a deep breath and nods, smiling. “Right. Okay, then. I’ll just give you the message then.”

“Is that wise, though?” I ask, now focusing more and becoming fully aware what a future version of Starlight coming to talk to a past version of myself would mean. Well, aside from the obvious fact this means I’m going to be stuck in Equestria til at least the end of season five. Joy.

Starlight nods, takes a deep breath and smiles. “Don’t worry about Cadance and Shining Armour. Canterlot still gets invaded by the Changelings.”

I blink, before my eyes widen. “What?! How is that supposed to stop my worrying?! My interfering did nothing to the timeline?!”

“Well, from what you knew of the original timeline, yes,’ Starlight says, frowning, as if trying to remember something. “You do stop Cadance from being impersonated and held captive under Canterlot for months… but the invasion still happens. Shining Armour gets knocked out, which is how the Changelings get in. But, the two beat them, so you don’t need to worry about that.”

I blink for several moments, before sighing. “That’s a relief.” I frown, folding my arms. “Though I am a little annoyed the invasion still happens. Or, will?” My frown becomes uncertain. “I hate time travel. It makes speaking in context really frustrating.”

“I hear that,” the unicorn agrees, nodding, giving me an understanding look.

I frown. “Wait. Does that mean you still try to stop Twilight and the others from forming their Cutie Mark bond?”

Starlight opens her mouth, before freezing and shakes her head. “I can’t explain what happens. You told me only to tell you what the future me from your past told you. I…” She goes cross-eyed again, before shaking her head. “Yeah. Talking time travel really is a pain in the flank.”

I sigh, rubbing my temples. This is getting us nowhere.

“Okay, so, is that all you needed to tell me? I’ll only ask you tell me what… I tell you in the future to tell me in the past?” I think I’m getting a massive headache.

She nods. “That’s a good idea. Okay, aside from that, you’ll want to explore the outer areas of the Everfree Forest.”

I blink. “Why?”

“You told me not to tell you that,” she says, seeming a little depressed she can’t explain further. “Just look around there before you go to the hippogriffs.”

I nod. “Okay then. Was that all?”

She looks away. “Well… be careful.”

I cock an eyebrow. “Starlight, is there something I should be worried about?”

“I-I’ve said enough!” She looks worried, before lighting her horn. “See you in the future. Or, the past? It’s your future, but my past and… GARH!”

A massive flash follows her frustrated scream. When it fades, she’s gone.

I just blink, staring at where the pinkish-purple unicorn had been.

“Um… okay then,” I scratch my head. “And I thought turning into Haku and finding myself in Equestria was gonna be the weirdest thing that’s ever happened to me. I’ve been proven wrong.”

I fold my arms, frowning up at the sky. So, I need to put meeting with the hippogriffs on hold until I’ve explored the outer areas of the Everfree Forest? Wonder why.

I shrug.

Well, I won’t find out just standing around here.

___________________________________________________________

I put my hands behind my head, glancing around.

I’ve been walking around outer edges of Everfree Forest for the last ten minutes, enjoying the peace and quiet of the place.

I mean, it is the Everfree, season two Everfree at that, but, the outer rim does seem peaceful. I can see why Fluttershy built her cottage so close to the edge.

I can faintly hear the daily life of Ponyville off in the distance, but it’s like when you live in the hills and you hear the traffic. It’s there, but it’s so faint it’s somehow soothing.

“Wondering why Starlight said my future self told her to tell me to come here,” I say aloud, passing my gaze over the area again. “Doesn’t seem like anything’s going on? Am I supposed to find a place to hide out where I stay until the end of season five or…?”

“Help!” a pair of voices yell.

My head whips in the direction of the voices and I start running. Within seconds, I whirl around some trees to find a pair of ponies, a mare and a stallion, backed against a large tree trunk, a trio of Timberwolves surrounding them.

The stallion is an Earth Pony stallion with a brownish coat and a deep-purple mane and tail. His Cutie Mark is a camera with a slightly folded map behind it.

Oddly enough, he’s dressed like Crocodile Dundee.

The mare is an orange, slightly lanky looking Pegasus with a blonde mane and tail, the former looking a bit ragged, as is the green kaki shirt she’s wearing and a Cutie Mark that’s a compass with what probably is meant to look like a small gust of wind blowing underneath it.

I shake my head to clear it, before shouting, “Hey, ya pile o’ toothpicks!”

The trio of Timberwolves turn around, before growling and charging at me.

Smirking, I quickly shift into my dragon form, grabbing the lead one with my tail and tossing it to the ground, where it smashes into splinters.

The other two halt in their place, cartoonishly skidding until they stop, right in front of my snout.

I snort.

They whimper and hightail it away.

“And tell every other Timberwolf ponies are off the menu!” I shout after them.

“Crikey! What in the blazes are you?” I turn at the clearly male and somehow Australian accented voice, to see the two ponies getting up clumsily.

Blinking, I shift back to human form, though that only seems to make them look more confused.

“No need to worry,” I hold my hands up in a reassuring manner. “I’m a friend. Name’s Haku. Who’re you two and… why’re you out here?” I’ve only now noticed just how ragged the two of them look.

Both of their clothes are pretty torn up, as if they haven’t been able to change them in days, if not weeks. Their manes are pretty matted too. Man, what have these two been through?

“We… where are we?” the stallion asks, glancing around as he holds the mare in a way that tell me they’re either dating or already married. “And... and why are we horses?”

I blink. Okay, that last one is not a question I expected.

I blink again, before pointing at them. “Wait. Were you two humans?” It’s a wild stab in the dark, but if they were ponies, they wouldn’t think they were horses. Plus, if they’re humans, maybe I’m not the only person who got sent to Equestria.

Though, even so, who have these two turned into, if that’s the case?

“Name’s Snap Shutter,” the stallion says, before nodding to the mare. “And this here lovely sheila is my amazing wife, Mane Allgood.”

At once, I deadpan. Those names are not human names, so they’re not from the real world. Also, it did not escape my notice that Mane Allgood sounds a lot like Jane Goodall.

Whelp, there go those hopes.

I frown in confusion, folding my arms. “Wait, so if you’re not from my world and you don’t know you’re ponies… you come from Sunset’s world, don’t you?”

“Huh?” the two look to each other, confused. “What’s Sunset’s world?”

I sigh, putting one hand on my hip and the other to my head. “Whelp, that’s both easier and more difficult at the same time. So, how’d you both get here?”

“We… we don’t know,” Mane says, shaking her head. “Our plane was going to crash, so we had to bail and landed in the water a little away form some deserted island.”

“We swam there and went exploring then, next thing we knew, we were attacked by some giant Venus flytrap!” Snap says.

I blink. “Giant Venus flytrap…?” Wait, like the one from Friendship Games? But, that was from the Everfree Forest and spilled in from the portal Sci-Twi accidentally opened. How in the world was it on some random deserted island. “So, what happened after it attacked you?”

“We ran, of course,” Mane shakes her head. “But I didn’t see where I was going and I fell off a small incline and fell into quicksand.”

“I went to jump in to save her,” Snap continues on, “but I tripped and fell on top of her. Next thing we know, we’re in some underground cavern and like this,” he indicates to their pony bodies.

“We had no idea how we’d gotten there or like this, so we tried to find a way out and ended up wandering around in these here woods for the last three days,” Mane motions around us.

I frown, rubbing my chin. “But… that doesn’t make sense. That sounds like… there’s a second portal from that world to Equestria and has been all this time! And it was active! Could it be a naturally forming portal? Maybe those kinds remain open all the time.” I blink. “That would be a better explanation as to how Equestrian Magic was seeping into that world to the point that world gained its own Elements of Harmony.”

“What?” Mane looks from her husband back to me.

I blink, shaking my head. “Never mind. Not important. Can you show me where this cavern is? If we find it, we might be able to get the two of you home.”

“Um,” they both look to each other in uncertainty.

“We… don’t exactly know our way around here,’ Snap says.

I frown, folding my arms, thinking, before opening my eyes. “Okay. I’m gonna try something. I just hope it works. Stand still, okay?”

They do and I hold my hands out, a blue aura glowing faintly around them.

This should work. It’s essentially the same principle as the spell I used to broadcast Cheese Legs blabbing her plans to invade Canterlot all over Canterlot.

Yeah, I told her it was broadcasting all over Equestria, but she didn’t know I was bluffing.

Anyway, the spell should allowing me to broadcast their memories on a magical-holographic screen in front of me.

This is smaller scale, since I’m not going to be sending the signal over a wide a range as Canterlot, just in front of me,

“Try to remember everything that happened up until you left the cavern,” I tell them, casting the spell. “Don’t try to describe anything, just think.”

The two nodded uncertainly, but close their eyes, clearly thinking hard, doing their best to remember.

After a few minutes, the screen shows how they came out of a small cave that had Canterlot in the distance.

“Hmm,” I frown, ending the spell as I rub my chin. “That at least gives me an idea where it is, but finding it with this isn’t going to work. Lemme try something else.”

I sit down in a lotus position and hold my hands against each other in front of me, focusing.

Before I figured out how to use any spells, I’d been trying to feel the magic within me. I’d gone into this position at one point, thinking of movie’s where meditation worked and it ironically had.

After a few moments, I can sense Mane and Snap’s enegeires and I follow a trail that seems to stretch back into the forest.

I smile, standing up. “Okay. I know where to go. Let’s get you too home.”

The two looked beyond relieved and I start leading them into the forest.

However, I pause as I suddenly feel a massive wave of magical energy pass over me,

I shudder, almost falling to the ground.

Having my senses open to find the portal’s magical residue, I’d really felt that. Whatever that magic was, it was huge. I don’t even know what scale it was, it was just that big.

“What’s wrong?” Snap asks, getting defensive.

“I… dunno,” I say, holding my head, before shaking it and standing up. “I just sense a massively powerful spell. I’m not even sure what it was, but it was huge. I wouldn’t be surprised if every unicorn in Equestria felt that.”

“Unicorn?” the pair ask.

I shake my head. “I’ll worry about it later. For now, let’s get the two of you back home.”

“Thank goodness,” Mane sighs as we continue on our way. “I’m so worried for Scootaloo. I can only imagine how much she’s been wondering where we’ve been all this time.”

I pause, glancing back. “Wait. You two know Scootaloo?”

They give me a confused look.

“Well, of course we know her,” Snap says as if I just asked the stupidest question in the world. “She’s our daughter, how could we not know her?”

I just blink. Scootaloo isn’t an orphan?! These are her parents?!

___________________________________________________________

“I… almost feel kinda bad for that plant,” Snap says as we walk out of the trees onto a beach.

“Serves that thing right,” I scoff.

We found the portal and, after climbing up through some dirt, we found ourselves climbing out of what looked like quicksand, Mane and Snap now having human forms, Snap know wearing a pair of brown jeans and Mane a pair of kaki shorts.

The portal had still been open, despite it definitely having been well over three days since Snap and Mane had gone through it, meaning I’d been right. It was a natural portal that is always open.

The plant they mentioned had attacked several moments after we crawled out, but I’d barely thought as I sliced my arm through the air, causing it to crumble to the ground.

“So… how exactly are we going to get off the island?” Mane asks as we look over the water.

I scan the horizon, before noticing what looks like a cruise liner off in the distance.

I turn, holding out my right hand. It glows with my aura, it only now occurring to me I seem to be able to use my magic despite being in this world now, and tree branches and leafs fly out from the forest, all piling up on the beach.

I grab some rocks and encircle the wood and leafs, before frowning.

Can I even use fire spells, being a River Spirit? Did Haku ever use one in the movie?

Dammit, I can’t remember.

Before I can do anything more than, Snap pushing me aside, holding a small bit of something in his hands that’s burning. Wait, when did he…?

“I can tell what you’re planning,” he says, putting the firing brush into the tinder. “Guessing you never used fire spells before?”

I nod. “You’re talking pretty calmly about magic for someone who didn’t know about it til recently.”

“We’re good at adapting,” Mane, squinting at the horizon, likely trying to gauge the distance of the boat. “Do you know anything that could make the flames bigger?”

I smirk. “Now, that I can do.”

I clap my hands together, pooling raw magically energy around them, before unleashing it on the flames that Snap has just gotten to start.

At once, the flames shoot up high into the air, becoming as tall as Snap himself.

We wait several moments, myself keeping the pressure on the flames to ensure they keep burning as hard and hot as before, Snap running back and forth, grabbing all the kindling he can find and tossing it on the fire.

“They’re turning!” Mane calls after a few moments, waving both arms in the air. “Someone must’ve seen the flames and told the crew.”

“Well, in that case, my job here is done,” I say, easing the spell and letting the flames burning naturally. “Have a safe trip back home, you two.”

“Wait. You’re not coming with us?” Snap asks as I turn and start heading back towards the trees.

I stop and look back at him, smiling. “Oh, I’ll be back. Now I know there’s another portal to this world aside from the mirror, and that it’s always open, I’ll come as often as I can. I know a certain Equestrian who’s living in your world I’ll want to keep an eye on.” And three sirens, but that’s for later.

The two look to each other, before Mane comes over.

It takes a moment for me to realize what she’s about to do, before she pulls me into a tight hug.

“Thank you for helping us get back, Haku,” she says, holding me close. “Know that you’re welcome any time.”

“Um… s-sure,” I say, not really sure how to feel about this.

When she lets me go, I look between her and Snap. “Don’t tell them about me. Better they think you two made that fire all on your own. If you talk about me or Equestria, they’ll likely think you’ve gone crazy.”

They nod and I head off into the trees.

I have a feeling this is what Starlight meant. I was supposed to help EQG’s Scootaloo’s parent get back to their world and learn about that portal.

Once Sunset steals the crown, things are going to go very differently than the movie.

For now, though, I’ve got a meeting with the hippogriffs and dragons to worry about.

Not to mention, I should probably look into whatever that magical wave was.

Discord’s already been sealed back in stone by the Mane Six and he doesn’t get released again until season three, so it wasn’t him.

I hope it wasn’t whatever Starlight was worried about when I asked if I needed to worry about something else.

Author's Note

And we finally have chapter 2 up at last.

Yeah, like some warned in the comments, moving too fast means you hit a wall and i hit one in a way they probably didn't see coming themselves.

Luckily, I have a backup plans when i hit this particular kind of wall. "Remember your past."

How this applies is something solely done because of myself in past writings. It works a treat and i'm pretty sure i gave enough hints for you all to figure out that Haku is not going to be returning to Equestria as he knew it from before he went through the portal.

I'm quite looking forward to his bafflement upon learning what really happened.

and yes, the Starlight bit was mostly because Haku needed time to think and a reason to NOT be in Canterlot during the invasion because, let's face it, if he knew it was still coming, he'd focus on his magic to the point when the changelings invaded, it would be like Haku sees changelings *finger snap* invasion over.

This way, events have changed and Twilight learns sooner, rather than days before the wedding about it, so is more happy with the marriage.

Plus, Haku has learned of the other portal AND Scootaloo's parents, something he had no clue about since he's only seen up to the movie, so is clueless about the School of Friendship, the portal, Scootaloo's parents, all of it.

Now he knows about Snap and Mane, so he isn't going to be AS shocked when he meets their pony counterparts.

Besides, it's just fun writing characters having brain meltdowns are they try to get the pronouns right when trying to talk about time travel.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter and look forward to the next one.

Please be sure to let me know what you think in the comments and, til next time, stay safe, stay clean and later everybody