BTS - You Never Walk Alone ft. Mane Sixby BlazerChaptersWhere Did You Come FromBest of MeButterflyIDOLWhere Did You Come FromAuthor's Note For those unfamiliar with BTS, here are the names of the members. These are used interchangibly by the members when in conversation with each other. RM - Kim Namjoon Jungkook - Jeon Jungguk Jimin - Park Jimin Jin - Kim Seokjin V - Kim Taehyung J-Hope - Jung Hoseok (Hobi) Suga - Min Yoongi Where Did You Come From “All right. Run…” “BANGTAN!” “Man, it’s good to see everyone in the same room again,” RM began, looking down the line of the members. “Yaaaaa… How nostalgic. How long’s it been?” J-Hope asked to nobody in particular. “Too long. By the way, did you all get the honey I sent you?” Jin asked the group, glancing about. “Yeah. It was good,” Suga remarked. “I put it on toast with peanut butter,” Jungkook reminisced, his eyes sparkling as he recalled the decadent meal. “It’s still in my cupboard at home. I’m not sure what to use it for,” Jimin sighed, shrugging helplessly. “Wait, you guys got honey? Where’s mine?” V piped up, his eyes scanning the group as if he was going to find his gift sitting somewhere nearby. “You got some; I gave it to you when we met up last month,” Jin replied, making eye contact with V. “Remember?” “No, that was a long time ago,” V admitted. Jin’s eyes grew wide before he turned away with a huff. “Ai-sh! Seriously! This guy! Forgot I gave it to him in person…” “Really?! Sorry hyung. I don’t remember even getting to eating it… Is there any more?” “Anyways,” RM began again, talking louder than before, “What are we going to be doing today?” “If you really can’t find the honey I can ask my grandpa if he has any more,” Jin stated in a low voice. V nodded graciously before turning to the PD expectantly. Seven sets of eyes locked on to the Producer Director standing behind the middle camera. The PD’s gentle voice floated back to the group in reply. “Today, you’ll be searching for treasure in the woods.” *** “They were clearing Everfree Forest back to its original borders when they hit a stone structure.” “Could you describe it to me?” “A raised circular platform. No sigils or any symbology to indicate who or what might’ve created it. There’s only a singular hole in the middle.” “Curious.” Princess Celestia stepped into the clearing, politely smiling at the awed earth ponies she was passing. A singular pegasus guard marched stoically beside her, eyes forward. “And how old are the maps they were using to reference these ‘original borders?’” “Unknown, your majesty. Should we requisition the maps?” “That would be most prudent, captain. The sooner we can pinpoint just what this structure is, the sooner we can determine its purpose and capabilities.” The Princess took a cursory glance about the deforestation operation. The bark of the stumps were an unnaturally dark color—almost black. Although she remembered these trees as saplings upon her last visit, that was millennia ago. The world was a much wilder, more dangerous place back then. Before the days that magic was carefully regulated by safety councils and officials, leading every pony with a degree in magic and a maniacal power complex to construct a ‘pièce d’ résistance’ in various unremarkable clearings in Everfree Forest. They arrived at the edge of the new forest line, focusing on the circular tablet that lay before them. The workers had left much of the foliage near the mysterious tablet alone—the thickets surrounding it a stark contrast to the neatly cropped grasses that marked the start of the earth ponies’ domain. “Perhaps we should abandon our efforts to reclaim this part of the countryside from the forest. There’s no telling what other relics lie hidden in Everfree’s depths.” “Permission to speak, your majesty?” “Granted, Captain.” “Better we rip off the band-aid and deal with what comes. Tear down or confiscate anything too dangerous while leaving the rest for civilian organizations to preserve.” “Fair enough,” she mused. The two stayed there a while longer, their eyes fixated on the stone tablet. “Call my pupil. Perhaps she might be able to pinpoint the origins of this structure.” “By your will, your majesty.” *** “AaaAAAGH!” “Whoa! J-Hope, you okay?” “Did you hear that?! Those wings sounded like an airplane!” J-Hope pulled his arms in close, eyes darting around the tree trunks nearby. “And to think I almost put my hand on that hercules beetle,” he sighed. “What makes you think it’s a ‘him,’ Hobi? It’s rude to assume,” Jimin quipped. “He might be onto something. Females tend to be bigger when it comes to bugs,” RM chimed in. The seven of them followed Jungkook single file through the thick brush. Their youngest member had been given a dangerous-looking machete—which he used to eagerly hack at any nearby shrubbery. Several crew members followed them closely, keeping their bulky cameras trained on the hilarious spectacle that was BTS attempting to traverse mildly difficult terrain in the middle of a Korean summer. “At least we haven’t run into any cicadas. Those are really nasty,” Suga mused. Jungkook suddenly turned around, holding the machete hilt-first. “My arm’s tired. Someone tag me out.” “I’ll go,” RM volunteered, taking the bladed tool. “Let your hyung show you how it’s done.” “He tells that to the gorilla of BTS,” Jimin laughed, smiling at Jungkook. “The map says we should be coming up to our first clue,” V mumbled, eyes focused on a topographical map given to him by the crew. It had taken all seven of them putting their heads together, but they managed to triangulate their approximate position thanks to the instructions of the crew. As always, the Run BTS crew proved to put the members in the most bizarre circumstances—there was no telling what kind of know-how would be needed. “Whups!” Suga stumbled forward, his fall unnoticed thanks to his position at the back of the line. Glancing back at the trampled grass behind him, he noticed the handle of something sticking out of the ground. From what he could see between the long strands of thick grass growing around it, the elongated stick looked far from natural. A single camera returned to observe a curious Suga pushing aside the trampled underbrush to reveal the culprit for his tumble. A shining silver handle protruded from the earth. The end was hollow and caked with dirt filling the empty interior. Intricate plant-like designs swirled around the contoured handle, continuing into the soft dirt beneath. “What’s this,” Suga said to himself, his TV instincts reminding him to speak up for the camera. Grasping the end, he began to lever it back and forth, attempting to uproot the mysterious object. A few strong passes was all he needed to remove the handle—revealing a ten-inch wand attached to it. “Whoa,” he breathed, admiring the beautiful craftmanship of the strange object. The vines engraved on the sides continued onto a spherical crystal attached to the tip of the silvered shaft. The sun refracted off of the crystal’s surface, scattering auroras like shards of shattered glass. “Yoongi! You alright?” Jungkook came jogging over, followed by another camera. His eyes bugged out of his head when he saw the strange staff. “Whoa… Is that real?” “I don’t know. It was half-buried in the ground here.” Jungkook turned to the crew, eyes pleading. “Is it from you guys?” After a couple of seconds, Suga shook his head. “C’mon. They’re not gonna tell us anything.” Without another word, they hurried to join the others ahead. As the camera operators jogged after them, they looked at each other with confusion. That definitely wasn’t their prop. *** “It’s quite possible this tablet could be one of many undocumented creations from the Great First Age of Magic,” Twilight explained, picking her hooves up high to avoid tripping on the uneven ground. “Can’t believe that you were able to make something really cool sound super boring,” Rainbow groaned, flying ahead to see the structure herself. “I ain’t sure we can be of any help, Twi,” Applejack admitted, skirting around one of the larger stumps left behind. “I wish we could have waited until morning to visit. I can't see a thing," Rarity whined, gingerly stepping over an abandoned burrow as she followed the group. “I’m just glad everyone’s together,” Fluttershy commented, her wings keeping her aloft in order to avoid dealing with the trouble of walking on the difficult terrain below. “Maybe it’s the top of an ancient triple-layer cake,” Pinkie chirped, hopping from stump to stump playfully. “Dedicated to the wonder that layered cakes bring to the world!” “Only you would think of a lost civilization that worshipped layered cakes,” Rainbow chuckled, having returned hearing the tail-end of the conversation. “So, what do you think it is, darling?” Rarity gazed at the nondescript stone structure ahead. “Like I said earlier, there’s no telling what it could be. Many magical objects and structures were constructed in the Great First Age of Magic,” Twilight stated, levitating a book from her satchel. She flipped through the pages, eyeing a timeline that outlined various time periods of recorded knowledge. “So this thing could range from a magical bomb to the world’s largest toaster?” Rainbow asked. “Or! A statue dedicated to the creation and consumption of layered cakes!” Pinkie Pie added. *** “Alright, it should be… There!” V pointed to the clearing ahead. “I think we all saw it from here, Taehyung,” Jin panted as he trudged through the tall grasses. “Cartographer Taehyung! Nice job,” RM called from the front, making sure to cut the brush enough to allow the other members an easier time. One by one, they moved into the clearing, closely followed by the camera crew. Jungkook was drawn to the mysterious structure in the middle: A nondescript circular stone platform with a single hole in its center. “Wow, this looks pretty real.” “I think I’ll be the judge of that. It’s probably just fiberglass orrrRRRRRGGGGHHHOooookay, that’s real.” Jin stepped back, wringing his hands from his attempt to shift the seemingly immovable platform. Jimin set his hand on the stone and dragged it across, awed by the enigmatic structure. “Yaaaa… This is awesome.” “The rock feels cold even though it’s so hot outside.” “Waaa… So nice. I could take a nap here.” Jimin, Suga and Jin settled onto the cool tablet while the others looked to the crew for an update. “We found the tablet. We get a second clue, right?” “Good job. We’ll go ahead and take a quick break first before we continue filming,” the PD called from his retinue. “Take ten! We’re back at 23:12!” “Thank you, 23:12!” Assistants streamed from behind the cameras, swarming each member with brushes, combs and spray bottles. Electric hand-fans were distributed among the members along with bottles of water—both of which were graciously accepted. After a couple of minutes, the assistants returned to their places behind the camera to enjoy their own break while the seven members moved to lounge around on the tablet. “Hey, Yoongi. Come here.” Suga rolled to his side, eyeing Jungkook with a hint of malice. “No.” “Then give me that wand-thing.” Suga rolled it over to the eager Jungkook. “Go nuts.” V crawled over, joining Jungkook near the tablet’s center. “Whatcha got going on there?” “Just wanted to try something,” Jungkook murmured, balancing the staff on the spherical jewel and placing it onto the hole. The gem proved too large and remained seated atop the tablet rather than disappearing inside. “Turn it over like this,” V whispered, placing the staff end onto the hole. The two younger members grinned as it slotted almost perfectly into the stone. “Careful. I don’t want it to get stuck and get Suga-hyung mad.” “Oh, right. Let’s not do this, then.” V pulled on the wand, finding it completely stuck. “Uh oh.” Without warning, it began to slowly descend into the hole. V and Jungkook watched in shock as the rod lowered itself into the hole, an audible click signaling the wand touching something deep inside the tablet. Immediately, the entire tablet was enveloped in a bright purple glow. “What?” “Ooh!” “Eek!” “Whoa!” “Oh crap.” “Taehyung…!” “Wha?!” Both members and crew gazed upon the purple cylinder that formed around the platform, completely trapping the group in an ethereal prison. Runes and sigils of an unknown language decorated the translucent walls, swirling in hypnotic patterns and obscuring everyone’s views of each other. “What happened?! What’s going on?!” “Roll cameras! Roll cameras! Everyone quiet!” The stern words of the PD blanketed the chaos with barely-maintained professionalism. The PD pointed at the group, nodding at them. RM hopped off the platform, pressing his hand to the cylinder. He held his hand there, his eyes wide. “I can’t get out.” The PD looked up from his display, his worried expression sparking fear in the normally unbothered leader. “Is this part of the shoot?” RM asked. And then the group disappeared. *** “Ooh! There it is again! Another doozie!” “I don’t like this, Twi. That’s the second one in a row. We should leave.” Twilight frowned, turning away from the tablet. “You’re right. She’s never been wrong before.” “Oop. Too late.” Rainbow Dash pointed at the tablet—which was now glowing a bright purple. It immediately illuminated the clearing, highlighting everypony’s face with its eerie color. “What’s going on?!” “Talk to us, Twi!” “I don’t know what’s happening…! Everypony, get back!” All six of them turned away just before the tablet groaned audibly—mist exploding from the center of the platform. Within seconds, everything was completely obscured by purple smoke. There was a secondary flash of purple light before the glowing suddenly ceased, leaving the clearing dark once more. “E-everypony okay?!” “Twilight! Where are you!” “Cast a light spell, darling! We’ll come to you!” Focusing briefly, Twilight conjured the purple orb that had illuminated their investigation only seconds ago. Coughing and sputtering, the six mares reunited around the light source. “Is everypony here?” “I think so. Fluttershy, you alright?” “I-I’m scared, Rainbow…” “Should we try to leave?” “Is it bad that I think another doozie could be coming on?” “Hold on! I think I heard somethin’.” They all froze at Applejack’s command, all holding a collective breath as they listened carefully. For a moment, all was still. The trees creaked and groaned in the gentle breeze, more and more of the mist being dispersed but still leaving much of the clearing covered. “Ha-choo!” “Shh!” Twilight’s eyes widened in horror as she stared at the tablet behind the fog ahead of her. “W-who’s there?! Show yourself!” She cried, her horn aglow with an offensive telekinesis spell ready to fire. “Wait! We mean no harm!” A male voice. Unfamiliar. “Who are you?! Identify yourself!” “We’re BTS! You ever heard of BTS?” “What? What’s that?” “Oh, crap. They don’t know about us!” “Just be quiet! I got this!” More masculine voices. The first voice cleared his throat before continuing. “All you need to know right now is that we’re not here to hurt anybody!” “How can we trust you?” “We’re victims of circumstance! We were in a forest filming a show when we suddenly found a big stone tablet! Something weird happened and everything’s went dark… And now we’re here!” Twilight took it all in, her discomfort starting to fall but noted her companions still looked unsure. “I’m going to clear the fog. Don’t run off, alright?” “Huh? How are you gonna do that?” “Just don’t move!” With a nod to her friends, she whipped up a quick Prestidigitation spell. A large chunk of the fog centered over the tablet was funneled upward, the wind whipping around the figures crowding it—much to their dismay. “Aaaah!” “Yiee!” “Noo!” “Get off me!” “Ai-sh!” “We’re gonna die!” “Shh! Quiet!” Squinting in the low light, Twilight upgraded her Light spell into a Daylight spell, fully illuminating the intruders. Seven bipedal creatures huddled together on the tablet, some holding each other while others stood with their arms raised. They resembled griffons or dragons in their upright stances and opposable thumbs but lacked any scales or fur—a pale peach color indicating nude skin. They wore strange clothes that covered their bodies—no doubt the replacement for their lack of any protective natural coats. Their faces were flat, lacking any sort of beak or muzzle. What are they?! The one standing in the front slowly stood upright, hands held high. He squinted at Twilight, holding one of his raised hands over his eyes. “Now that you’ve seen who we are, can you show us who you are?” “Very well. However, I have a feeling that you’ll be surprised by what you see.” The creature shrugged. “It’s been a weird day. I think we can handle it.” Doubting his words, Twilight moved the daylight spell back, allowing her and her friends to be illuminated. A chorus of gasps rang out from the huddled creatures. One of them exclaimed something, although it was too quiet to hear. “What did you say?” Twilight asked. There was a pause before the figure in the front spoke again. “We think you all look very cute.” Best of Me“Not a single call’s gone through. Their phones are either out of battery or someone turned them off.” “I’ve called headquarters. They’ll be contacting the proper authorities.” “Is it a good idea to make this public?” “We’ve got no choice. It’s been at least several hours and they still haven’t turned up.” “Better they’re found quickly rather than avoid losing face.” “Alright, listen up, people!” The PD stepped forward, his face grave. “Our top priority is the well-being of our boys. The departmental budget is yours to use.” A round of surprised murmurs broke out but was quickly silenced when the PD held up his hand. “I hold everyone here in the highest regard and trust the money will be used efficiently. I don’t care what we must do—all that matters is that those boys are brought home as soon as possible. Call or email me with any updates or information.” He exhaled shakily before adding, “Good luck, everyone.” *** “We’re an idol group.” “Idol group? Is it an occupation?” “You can say that. It’s more of an entertainment concept.” “And what do idol groups do?” “A lot of things. Our main focuses are music and performance, but we try to engage with our fanbase through things like variety shows, signings, virtual hangouts—” “Virtual?” “Hm? You don’t…? Oh.” “Nevermind, please continue.” “Basically, we nurture our bond with our fanbase as much as possible—without them, we would’ve never made it this far.” “Of course. Okay…” RM clasped his hands across his knees, leaning forward in his chair. He glanced around the library-turned-living space, noting the warm, vibrant tones of the room. It was two floors tall, a vaulted ceiling allowing occupants on the first floor to see the second level and vice versa. While the second level looked to be more of a bedroom, the lower level was a veritable treasure trove of knowledge. Books crowded various nooks carved into the tree itself. Loose parchment crowded with notes detailing subjects both familiar and unfamiliar littered any available desk, table or chair space—save for the two that he and his interviewer were occupying. The extreme coziness of the space made his own apartment look like a cold, sanitized prison cell by comparison. “So, RM,” Twilight chewed the name carefully. “I heard your companions calling you Namjoon. Is that a nickname?” “It’s my given name. RM is my ‘stage’ name.” “Ah, so do you prefer one or the other?” “No preference. I answer to both.” “Interesting… And does RM stand for anything?” “It stands for ‘Real Me.’” “I see. ‘Real Me…’ Did you get that, Spike?” “Every word,” the purple lizard stated proudly. While RM had initially been flabbergasted at the sight of a walking talking reptile, the normalcy that everyone seemed to downplay or ignore every contradiction to his own reality reined in his wonder. “I had another question for you, RM.” “Yup.” “You told me that you were the ‘leader’ when everyone was introducing themselves back in the forest. Can you describe to me what those duties entail?” RM crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair. “Well, a ‘leader’ of an idol group mostly what you’d expect. We take care of the other members—mediate discussions during arguments, check in with everyone before, during and after any group activities, and so on. We also do a lot of the speaking when it comes to accepting awards, talking to large audiences composed of those unfamiliar with us, and so on. In those situations, we’re usually the group representative.” “I understand. Sounds pretty important.” RM shrugged, “We all have our part.” Twilight regarded him with a cautious wince, “I wanted to ask you a more personal question regarding your role as leader. Is that alright?” RM gestured to her with an open hand. Nodding, Twilight continued. “Have you ever felt weighed down by the burden of being so responsible? Of either overseeing the harmony of everypony when together, representing the group in a positive way, or in some other capacity?” Spike paused in his writing to look up at Twilight with a concerned expression. “Not really.” Twilight blinked, her eyes marginally wider as RM continued. “Being a leader does have some tougher moments, especially when members are fighting each other. It gets to be a lot at times. However, my members always seem to know when I’m getting overwhelmed and step in to help. They’ve all got my back just like I’ve got theirs.” RM smiled, eyes unfocused as he thought of the group. “With that kind of support, it’s pretty hard for me to be down for too long. Once I was able to let myself ask for help from time to time, I realized how reliable and strong my members can be.” Twilight and Spike both stared intently at the human. He looked completely different with his gentle, reminiscent grin and profound wisdom tumbling from his lips. He looked so… vibrant. “Does that answer your question?” “Hm? Oh, yes. Thank you. I appreciate you humoring me.” “Are you a leader, too?” Twilight shook her head. “Not in the same capacity as you, no. Maybe mentally, perhaps.” RM watched her intently as she managed a sad smile. “When you said you were responsible for taking care of everyone, I knew I had to ask you about the weight of it all. I may not necessarily be the leader, but I feel like with the responsibility granted to me by the Princess, I have some obligation to step into that role.” “Do your friends often ask you for advice?” “They do.” RM nodded. “I would too—all these books give you the vibe of someone who would hold a lot of answers.” “Thank you.” Twilight’s ears folded back. “But sometimes, I’m afraid that I won’t be able to help them. Part of why I do what I do in this library is because I want to be there for them—and the fear that I might not be able to if I stop. But what you said about your group having your back… I think I needed to hear that.” RM nodded again, a grin tugging the corner of his mouth. “You’re a good person, Twilight. I’m sure your friends have noticed your efforts, too. Otherwise they wouldn’t have stuck around, right?” Twilight looked up, returning RM’s smile with a much brighter one than before. “Thank you.” For a moment, the two enjoyed the sweetness of each other’s words. Not before a low growl shattered the sentimental silence. “Ugh… Sorry, I’m really, really hungry.” “Oh! No, I’m sorry! Let’s go get something to eat! Do you like hay? Grass?” “I… Er… I can’t eat either of those…” *** “Wow… This place is incredible.” “Why, thank you!” J-Hope set his hands on his hips as he spun on one foot, his eyes scanning the interior of the Carousel Boutique. Every window boasted an extravagant outfit fitted perfectly to the mannequin wearing it: From the simpler yet stylish cottage dresses and button-up/slacks combos to the most extravagant three-piece suits and evening gowns. “Man. I wish I hadn’t left my wallet with the crew…” “Speak up, darling. I can’t hear you.” “Oh, nothing. Just really like your outfits.” “Ohoho! Well, aren’t you just the sweetest!” “Whoa, you make hats too?” J-Hope moved towards the haberdashery section of the store, examining a feathered bycocket with excitement. Rarity failed to hide a proud smirk. “Well, of course! Some of my finest outfits wouldn’t be complete without them.” “Which do you think those are?” “Hmm… If I had to choose…” She moved towards a side room, opening the door with her magic. “This way,” she whispered, stepping inside. J-Hope followed without delay, eager to lay his eyes upon what outfits this fashionista believed to be ‘the best of the best.’ “These ones will always be my favorite.” J-Hope examined the six dresses arranged in a neat row. He held his chin in contemplation as he eyed what appeared to be some fairly normal dresses with different color schemes. The first dress seemed to be a common ball gown: A maroon shawl swaddled the upper half while the main body of the dress was supported by lavish white petticoats. A gold tiara with a purple gem set into the center rested on the mannequin’s head. All in all, within expectations for attending the fanciest of operas. As he examined the other dresses, however, he noticed an overall theme with each one. From Athenian royalty to the starry cloak of a sorceress, each gown was meticulously crafted and detailed from head to toe. “There’s something different about these ones.” “Good eye, my dear.” “Did you make these for someone?” “Exactly!” J-Hope’s eyes almost seemed to twinkle as he drank in the various themes of each outfit, each one seeming to be more detailed than the last. “There’s so much personality in each one—almost as if I could learn a lot about the owners of these dresses just by studying these clothes.” “You’re too kind, darling. I wish I had you around for all my clothing line releases. It would’ve been exactly what I needed to hear back then.” The whistle of a teapot turned their attention to the kitchen. “I have a dragon-pearl jasmine tea that is to die for. Would you be interested in trying some?” “Oh, sure; I’d love some. Thank you.” Within minutes, an arrangement of cookies and jam sandwiches was prepared as Rarity’s magic sliced bread, emptied biscuit boxes onto snack trays and levitated the entire tea set over to the dining table. J-Hope’s jaw remained open for the entirety of the impromptu magic show, bowing as Rarity approached the table. “Wow… Uh, thank you. Everything looks delicious.” “I should hope so. Wouldn’t be putting my best hoof forward if I served you stale cookies.” Taking a small sip of the tea, J-Hope nodded in approval. “Yep. It’s good.” “Oh, dear. Guess we’ll have to drink the lot of it, then.” J-Hope smiled as he took a dainty bite of a butterscotch cookie, humming his delight as he wolfed down the remainder in a couple more less-controlled mouthfuls. “So, I’ve been meaning to ask you about your world. What’s it like?” J-Hope washed down the last of the cookie with another sip of tea before replying. “Kind of a broad question. What to say… It’s a busy place. There’s a lot going on.” “I guess that can be said about both our worlds.” “Yeah. I’ll admit that I definitely like it here. Everything’s a slower pace out in the countryside, or at least in smaller towns. Do you have big cities here?” “Of course. We have our capital, Canterlot. Then there’s Fillydelphia, Detrot, Seaddle…” “That’s kind of like where I live now. A lot of my work goes on in big cities, so I need to live as close to it all as possible.” “Of course. I occasionally have to spend a month or so at my shop in Canterlot, so I know how intense that can be.” “Mhmm. Anyways, our world is a huge place. Seven billion people crowded together on one big rock floating in space.” “Seven billion?!” “Yeah. It’s a lot of people.” “How do you all get along?” J-Hope sighed, staring at his tea. “It’s half and half. There’s a lot of good and a lot of bad.” “Oh, dear. I’m sorry.” “No, no, you’re okay. You sort of get desensitized to it after awhile.” “So what do you mean by ‘bad things?’” “It can get pretty bad. Enough to drive you crazy if you focus on it for too long.” Rarity cocked her head. “That doesn’t sound like an ideal living at all.” J-Hope shrugged. “It’s up to everyone to do what they can. It’s why we do what we do.” “Why you do what you do?” “I mean, don’t get me wrong: Not everything is bad in our world. It’s split down the middle. Some will say there’s more good, others vice versa, but I always think it’s in the middle. Neither half-empty or half-full. That’s why doing good is so important—maybe you can tip the scales towards positivity for maybe a day or two.” Rarity nodded emphatically. “But of course! Not to mention it feels good to give to others.” “Exactly. So especially when writing music or interacting with our fans, we’re always trying to make something that promotes or spreads something positive. Hopefully, our fans can reciprocate that positivity to others to let us tip that scale just a little bit more.” The mare smiled, clasping a hoof over her chest. “Oh, wow. You’ve all really thought this out.” J-Hope grabbed another butterscotch cookie, inspecting it for a moment. “We’ve had a lot of time to think about things. We’ve been at this for almost a decade now.” “I wonder what you were all like when you first started.” J-Hope laughed, his booming voice breaking the relative quiet of the sitting room. “You would’ve hated the way we looked. It was awful.” “Oh? And why would you think that?” “It was bad… At least, by our standards today.” “Care to fill a curious mare in?” J-Hope’s mind drifted to that debut stage. The tank tops. The chains. The snapbacks. Flashing his abs. Rarity leaned in expectantly, becoming worried as J-Hope’s expression morphed into a thousand-yard stare. “J-Hope? Are you alright? Say something!” *** Suga found himself completely alone. Just the way he liked it. He had missed the days where his wandering held no consequence—not to mention most of the town’s residents were too nervous to approach their first human. That left him with few worries as he found himself gravitating towards what appeared to be a local park. Moving to the shade of a large willow, he ran his hands through the long, hair-like branches as they swayed in the gentle breeze rushing through them. Grunting as he sat on the grass below, he lay down with his hands behind his head, his eyes sliding closed. The excitement of the day had left him drained. First, their arrival in the middle of the night, then being interrogated by the ruler of the country they had accidentally “invaded,” before being deemed as “trustworthy” and left to roam the town under supervision. Suga’s company was one of the Princess’s own royal “guardsponies.” He felt the other guides that were provided all seemed like too much for him—having someone that didn’t talk back seemed like a better alternative in the heat of the moment. Sighing as another breeze played with his hair, he felt like he had made the right choice. “Sugar, is it?” Suga’s eyes snapped open as he bolted upright, his voice catching in his throat as he suddenly noticed the large blue equine sitting next to him. “Did we get that correct?” “I-it’s Suga,” he wheezed, taking a few big breaths to calm himself. “Forgive us. It was not our intention to startle you.” “No, no. It’s fine.” The blue horse leaned in, her eyes seeming to search Suga’s for something before staring out into the park. “We only wished to inform you of what we discovered while examining the artifact you brought with you.” Suga turned towards her. “Sorry. Who are you?” The blue horse smiled, bowing her head. “We are Princess Luna. It would please us greatly if you came with us. We have much to discuss.” ButterflyV hummed a familiar tune to himself as he walked. Finding himself uncomfortable with all of the stares of the town’s inhabitants, he opted to go for a stroll around Ponyville’s exterior. Having seen only a couple of oblivious pegasi flitting above, the serenity of the surrounding forest fringes eased his anxious mind. “So quiet,” he mused, the only noises being the occasional bird call or rushing of a breeze through the treetops. He stopped in the middle of the trail, inhaling deeply through his nose. The air seemed so clear—a tinge of coldness stinging his nostrils and chilling his lungs. Every breath was like a long sip of cold water. Having found the peace he was searching for, he moved towards the side of the road to look for a place to sit. He opted for a large smooth boulder poking from the rough grass that lined the edges of the path, seating himself atop it and letting his legs dangle down towards the trail. Reaching into his pocket, he removed his phone—the screen having been dark and unresponsive ever since their arrival in this alternate reality. While he was certain he wouldn’t have a signal anywhere in this “Equestria,” he wished he could at least take photos or listen to his music. A tug at one of his pantlegs jolted him out of his reverie, instinct forcing him to jerk his leg away as he looked towards the source of the disturbance: At the foot of the boulder, a small white bunny met his concerned gaze. Strangely, it seemed to be much more expressive than the critters back on Earth—the short snout twisted into an annoyed scowl. Despite its unfriendly expression, V couldn’t ignore the abundance of cuteness sat in front of him. “Hey, buddy,” he ventured, moving off the boulder to kneel in the road. The irritated lapin stayed where it was as V sat down across from it. “You’re a grumpy one,” he chuckled as he leaned back, noting the bunny’s eyes never left his own. “Is that your boulder?” The bunny sat unmoving, its scowl starting to worry V. For a moment, he could swear he saw its eyes narrowing at his comment. “Okay, well, I’ll leave you alone,” V mumbled, starting to stand up. The bunny dashed back a short distance before stopping and staring like before. “Whoops, sorry,” he offered. Looking at the rabbit once more, he blinked in disbelief. It had its paws on its hips, angrily thumping with one of its back feet. “…Crazy,” V breathed as he moved to walk around the rabbit. As he started to approach, the bunny darted to the middle of the road, staying right in front of him. “Huh?” V moved to the left, the rabbit moved left. He moved right, and the bunny followed. The critter mirrored his every movement—effectively blocking his way forward. “I need to go that way, buddy,” V explained, again moving to sidestep the rabbit once more—only to be blocked again. After staring at the animal’s defiant face for a few seconds, he sighed. “I guess I’ll head back, then.” Turning to leave, he looked down at his broken phone. He wondered what the other members would say if he talked about this encounter. “Oof!” “Angel, NO!” Something hard smacked the back of his head. Whirling around, he saw a small pebble clattering to the trail it had been plucked from. He looked up—staring straight at a yellow pegasus who, in turn, was staring at the rabbit. Its expression had shifted into something more apologetic or fearful in the face of the pony’s ire. “NEVER do something like that for me ever again! They were going to leave! You should be ashamed of yourself!” The bunny deflated further and further as the tirade continued, the fear evaporating and steadily being replaced by a melancholy guilt. “Now you march your fluffy tail back home and—!” “H-hello,” “Eeep!” V bowed his head in greeting, but as he looked up, both the pony and rabbit had vanished. Confused, he glanced around in a brief search for his vanished company. “I-I’m sorry…” He turned towards the source—a sliver of the pony’s face poking out from behind a nearby oak. “I’m so sorry… Angel… He’s just being protective of my home… I didn’t mean for anypony to get hurt… I… Oh, dear…” “Oh, no, I’m sorry. I should have picked up that I wasn’t wanted here sooner. Angel did a good job of keeping you safe.” “It’s not okay. He hurt you… I’m really sorry, mister…?” “V. My name’s V.” “V?” “I mean, you can call me Taehyung, too, I guess.” “D-do I call you V or…?” “Uh… Just… V… is fine.” There was a long pause as both worked hard to formulate their next words. “I should maybe—!” “Did you want to—!” “Oh, sorry. You first,” V offered. “No, no, I interrupted…” “No, go ahead.” The small pony cleared her throat before moving further out from the tree. “Did you want some tea? As an apology for my friend’s behavior. I mean… If that’s okay with you… I don’t want to intrude on your plans…” “Oh, no, no! I don’t have anything planned.” “O-oh. Okay. Well, then, follow me.” *** Jin’s eyes grew wide at the breathtaking view before him. Rows and rows of apple trees stretched ahead of him—all of them blooming. Flowers of every hue between white and pink dotted the sparsely-leafed orchard like glowing crystals. Hummingbirds and bees flitted from flower to flower, adding to the fertile spectacle of springtime in an apple orchard. “C’mon. Don’t wanna keep Granny Smith waitin’,” Applejack huffed. While she was mildly proud of her healthy trees, she was tired of stopping every few minutes while the human ogled every ounce of the admittedly vibrant countryside. While gorgeous, it was a sight she saw every year. Jin was already in step behind her, having snapped out the instant he heard her voice. “Sorry. Everything is—!” “Beautiful, yes. I heard ya the first several times.” “Ah, sorry.” “And quit apologizin’.” “Okay. Sorry.” Applejack sighed as she led the endlessly bowing Jin into the main farmhouse. As the door swung open, they were immediately met with the smell of tart apples and spicy cinnamon. Applejack smiled briefly as she savored the scents wafting across her muzzle: apple cider donuts. The kitchen was messy—but closer inspection revealed a method to the madness. On the humble four-burner stove sat two pots: One for the apple cider, and one for the vegetable oil. Near a large wooden cutting board and some equally large metal mixing bowls sat a number of ingredients sat at the ready: baking soda, salt, nutmeg, butter, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and two ceramic jugs of the titular apple cider. All the prep appeared to be finished—no doubt thanks to Granny Smith and Applebloom’s hard work. “Alrighty, everypony! It’s time to cook!” “Heya, Granny Smith!” “Oh, hello.” Jin bowed towards the yellow-green mare emerging from the walk-in pantry. She wore her silver mane in a tight bun representative of a filly ready to work. She wore a peach-colored apron with cream-colored embroidery forming the shape of a halved apple on the front. As Applejack studied her grandmother’s face, her heart fluttered with doubt. Granny’s wrinkled muzzle was set into a grim expression—an expression she hadn’t seen in a long time. “So, yer Jin.” “Ah, yes. Nice to meet you.” “So, Ginny, ye say ye can cook?” “I like to learn, ma’am.” “Well, you better learn quick, boy!” “R-right!” Granny Smith pointed a hoof at the sink. “Wash yer hooves, city boy! Time ta work!” “O-okay! Yes, ma’am!” Jin hustled over to the sink, struggling with the strange handles designed for pony mouths rather than human hands. Applejack couldn’t help a grin as she watched the human scramble between the different stations under Granny’s stern supervision. “Reduce that cider! Don’t ye dare burn it, we don’t got any ta’ spare!” “Okay!” “Now leave it! Time ta’ git the dry ingredients in’ta’ the bowl!” “Right!” “Save some o’ that sugar an’ cinnamon! That goes on the donuts after!” “Yes!” “Check on that cider! It’s boilin’ over!” “Aish! Okay! Sorry!” “An’ quit apologizin’!” “S-sorry!” “Applejack!” The orange farmpony froze, her mirthful grin all but evaporated in the face of her grandma’s terse call. “Y-yes, Granny Smith?” “Be a dear an’ grab some o’ the sweet apple tea from the icebox in the basement. An’ Big Mac’s waitin’ outside fer yer help to finish up today’s to-do’s.” “Of course, marm.” Applejack started for the door leading to the cellar—biting back mild disappointment of missing the hilarious spectacle of the tiny elderly mare hollering at the cowering form of the much larger human. It was like Fluttershy’s confrontation with the dragon all over again. She descended into the dimly lit stairwell, Jin’s yells and screams echoing behind her as the door eased itself shut. “Ahhh… That was scary,” Jin sighed. He reclined on his wooden chair, massaging his face to work some of the tension out from his overloaded brain. They had finally finished reducing the cider and combined all the ingredients to create the thick, heavy dough. Having just finished moving it into the refrigerator for a one-hour chilling period, they had a little time to rest. Applejack had brought out a pitcher of sweet tea—delightfully refreshing and fruity—but had left soon after to finish her chores for the day. “Yer quite the talented city-slicker, Ginny.” Jin looked over to the wizened mare—her demeanor had completely changed from her ‘Gordon Ramsay’ impression that shouted forceful instructions at the back of his head for the past half hour. He gave a warm smile, welcoming her shift in personality. “Thank you, ma’am. You know a lot about making these donuts.” “Well, somepony’s gotta know all these things. It’s how we pass things down.” “Did you ever make a recipe book?” “Now why would I go an’ spoil good ol’ oral tradition an’ do that? We Apples learn by doin’, plain n’ simple.” “Of course, I should have known.” “No, no, sugarcube; it ain’t yer fault.” She stared out the window at the orchard, her gaze piercing the disturbed flour from their recently-paused bout of frantic baking. “Yer a sweet young man. Polite as they come.” “Oh, thank you.” “Do ye have any family back home?” Jin tapped his glass of sweet tea thoughtfully. “Well, there’s my mom, my dad, my older brother, my grandpa…” “An’ what d’ya think of yer family? Yall close?” Jin nodded. “This place reminds me of my grandpa—he owns a small beekeeping farm. Not as impressive as your orchard, of course!” Granny Smith waved a hoof dismissively. “Oh, don’t muss yer mane over it, sweetie. Ye said yer grandpa is a beekeeper?” “Yes. He gives everyone amazing honey whenever he harvests it.” “Sounds like a kind pony.” “Well he’s… Yes. He is very kind.” “An’ what d’ya think about family in general?” Jin set his glass on the table, studying how it sweated condensation onto the plaid tablecloth beneath it. “They’re important. They were all there for me when I was young. And I never want to forget what they’ve done for me—especially now that I can pay them back with my success.” “Are ya close with yer brother?” “I mean, closer than I was before.” Jin chuckled to himself. “He definitely got a lot nicer after I became an idol.” “Does this ‘idol’ business have t’do with ye bein’ so handsome?” Jin’s couldn’t help another chuckle as he shrugged. “Sort of. And thank you.” “Oh, of course, dearie. So what d’ya do as an ‘idol?’” “We sing and dance, mostly.” “How wonderful! Yer a singer?” “Yes. I love it.” “Can ye give this old mare a sample? Been a mite long since these old ears have heard anypony singin’!” Jin nodded, smiling and taking a breath—his mind drifting to a more recent song. “La da-da-daaaah, la da-da-daaaah, la da-da-daaaah, la da-da-dah. Yeaaaah, laaaa-daaa-dah-dah~…” Granny’s eyes squinted as she beamed a big smile. “The voice of an angel. Figures ye have the heart an’ face of one, too.” Jin nodded appreciatively, cheeks ablaze with a heavy blush. “Thank you, Mrs. Smith.” “Call me ‘Granny,’ sonny.” The door opened suddenly, Applejack having returned for a brief break. Sweat matted stray hairs of her golden mane against her forehead. As the earth pony moved to the countertop to pour herself a glass of tea, Granny sighed to herself “Ah wish ye would stay—Applejack could use a stallion like ye…” “Thank… Huh?” “This again, Granny?” Granny smiled at Applejack as if nothing was wrong. “This young boy can sing, too. Did’ja know that, sweetie?” “Well, ain’t he just a peach.” “An’ he’s so handsome and kindhearted. He’d be perfect fer ya.” “Can ye quit it?! I’ve told ya I’ll settle down with somepony when I’m good n’ ready,” Applejack huffed, her face now a deep shade of red. “What d’ya think, Ginny?” Jin looked between Applejack and Granny Smith, not eager to disappoint either of them. “M-maybe we should get back to those donuts…” *** “It’s a special blend. I call it ‘citron green tea.’” “Thanks. Smells amazing.” V took the large teacup with both hands, enjoying the lemony smell wafting from the verdant liquid inside. He looked around the cozy abode, admitting that it was nothing like what he had expected. On the exterior was a leafy cottage that resembled a shrub that had been converted into a home—numerous doors and birdhouses adorning the exterior for various wildlife to take refuge in should they need it. The interior contrasted wildly with the ‘nature-ey’ vibes of the outside: A prim and proper sitting room complete with matching leaf-green furniture and a large oval rug in the middle. A couple of small wicker pet beds were tucked next to and underneath a few places, although they were all empty at the moment. In front of him sat his host: A cream-yellow pegasus with a long, flowing mane that covered one of her eyes. The pink river of hair looked extremely silky to the touch—a small urge to stroke it itching beneath V’s restraint. “What kind of animals do you take care of Miss Fluttershy?” “All kinds of critters, really. Whatever needs my care—any and all are welcome.” “Wow, that’s amazing. How long did you study to learn all of that?” “Oh, well… They didn’t really have schools for treating the kinds of animals I take in here…” “You learned on the fly, then?” “I suppose you’re right.” “Yaaaa… That’s crazy.” V glanced at Angel Bunny—Fluttershy’s apparent companion—who had moved to take residence under her forelegs. Now that he was sleeping, he looked like a completely normal bunny. “Is Angel your companion?” “I would say he’s my best friend.” “Heh. I love how sassy he is.” “That’s one way to put it. Do you have any fuzzy friends, Mister V?” V smiled, nodding as he did. “Yeah… His name’s Yeontan.” “That’s a nice name. What kind of animal is he?” “He’s a Pomeranian. He’s five years old now.” “Oh, a Pomeranian? They’re so fluffy! How cute. What’s he like?” “He’s pretty sassy. I think him and Angel would either get along well or be archenemies.” Fluttershy giggled. “It would be too cute if they met…” “Tannie’s so loving, too.” “That’s wonderful… I would love to hug a fluffy Pomeranian.” “Have you ever thought about how loving animals are?” Fluttershy beamed up at V. “Unconditionally loving. No matter what.” “And how they’re always themselves.” “Right. You can trust them never to be two-faced towards you.” “It’s almost easier to be with animals than with other people—or ponies, in your case.” Fluttershy’s smile faded. V sat upright, his heart breaking as the little pony’s expression darkened. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…” “No, it’s okay. It’s true.” The mare stared into the depths of her teacup. “I’m… not great at interacting with anypony. I get so anxious sometimes that I can’t leave this cottage. Even then… That’s me most days…” V frowned. “I see. That’s okay, though.” Fluttershy shook her head. “No, it’s not. It’s something I want to… need to fix, someday.” She held her head up, her eyes blazing with fiery determination. “I want to be brave. I want to make more friends—other than ones that just listen. I need to step out of what’s comfortable, and…” Her eyes cooled to azure embers as she lowered her head again. “I mean… I want to…” V smiled sympathetically. “I mean, you’re friends with all those ponies that greeted us when I first got here, right?” Fluttershy reciprocated with a smile of her own. “Yes. Best friends.” “Then it’s only a matter of time before you’ll be confident enough to do exactly that,” V stated. He gestured to the wicker beds. “You’re so kind to animals in need, to other people and ponies,” V sighed to himself. “I really wish ARMY could meet you. They shower good people like you with so much love and support…” Fluttershy studied V’s frustrated expression before nodding. “ARMY sounds like a wonderful group of ponies.” V’s warm smile returned. “They sure are,” he mused, reclining in the chair again. “At any rate, you’re going to find lots of ponies will be attracted to that kindness. All that’s left is to take that step when you’re ready.” The pegasus nodded vigorously. “Mm!” The two smiled at each other before both taking sips of their tea. “I really wish my phone worked so I could show you my funny videos of Tannie.” “Oh? I’m afraid I don’t understand…” V looked at his pocket wistfully. “Right, I forgot these aren’t a thing here…” “What’s a ‘video?’” “Hmm… Why don’t we table this conversation for later?” *** “A week?!” “Yes.” Suga faced forward once more, the glorious sunset failing to soothe his frayed nerves. “So all we can do is wait until that rod recharges?” “Correct.” Suga ran his hand through his hair, pausing to scratch the back of his head with both frustration and bewilderment. “I’d… better tell the others.” Luna stood, glancing down at the anxious human. “We shall talk more as the week continues, Min Yoongi. Until then, perhaps you might indulge yourself in all Equestria has to offer.” She flashed a smile. “We doubt it wise to dwell on that which nothing can be done.” With a gentle flap of her wings, the Princess thrust herself into the sky—leaving a befuddled Suga staring vacantly into the horizon. Author's Note If you can guess the song Seokjin is humming, you are insane and have my respect. IDOLJab. One-two. Weave. Jab. Jungkook broke out into another brief jog, restarting his countdown from ninety seconds to zero as he focused on the trail ahead. Hitting the end of the count, he stopped again, weaving his head. Weave. Jab. Jab. Weave. One-two. One-two. Weave. One-two. “What’s all that supposed to be?” Jungkook stopped, doing his best to hide his surprise as he searched for the phantom voice’s source. “Up here.” He glanced up, his eyes lighting up with excitement. “Whoa… A flying one!” The pegasus chuckled to herself as she gestured to her wings. “Yeah. Awesome, right? Do you not have pegasi where you’re from?” “Only in storybooks and drawings.” “Huh. Anyway, whatcha doin?” Jungkook shrugged. “It’s boxing.” “Whuzzat?” “It’s a head-to-head sport. You gotta knock down your opponent using only your hands.” “Huh? So like pushing them over?” “Nah. Punching them. Like this—!” Jungkook jabbed twice, following with a left hook. He lowered his fists and shrugged. “Yeah. There’s a lot more to it, but…” “So, it’s like fighting?” “Sort of. It’s more like competing rather than fighting.” “That’s… really weird. Fighting for sport.” The human rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Well, it goes a bit deeper than that… I think it’s really freeing.” The pegasus cocked her head. “I always thought fighting just hurts ponies’ feelings and bodies.” Jungkook shook his head. “I mean, it hurts when you get hit. Don’t get me wrong. But to give something your all—to have to stand your ground and prove yourself against an opponent doing the same thing… I feel like there’s something really pure and noble about it all.” “Huh. I guess I can see where you’re coming from.” The pegasus stuck out a hoof. “I’m Rainbow Dash, by the way.” “Oh, hello—I’m Jungkook,” the human replied, bowing and taking her hoof in both hands, “Nice to meet you.” “Why do you bow like that?” “Oh, it’s how I say hello.” Rainbow turned her head the other way. “Weird.” Jungkook chuckled. “I don’t think I can even be offended at that considering the circumstances.” “Anyways, do you play other sports?” Jungkook tapped his chin thoughtfully, “I kinda like them all, I guess.” Rainbow gestured to her wings, “So can any humans fly where you come from?” “There are, but they use machines called ‘airplanes’ to do it.” “Do you do competitive flying with those?” “Maybe? I wouldn’t really know much about it—let alone even flying an airplane.” “Why’s that?” “Airplanes are pretty hard to fly—they’re really complicated. Never had time to learn.” “Man. Humans really could use some wings.” Jungkook looked at the sky wistfully. “Yeah. I wish I could fly.” The two stared skyward for a moment before Jungkook shivered. “You alright?” “Yeah. I’m fine. Just got cold all of a sudden—I think my sweat’s cooling me off too much.” Rainbow smirked, “Well, you may not be able to fly, but did you wanna see somepony who really knows how to fly?” Jungkook spread out his arms, “Show me what you got.” *** “You have a piano?” “Of course! I use it for writing songs.” “Just like Suga-hyung.” “Exactly!” “Right… What?” The pony calling herself Pinkie led Jimin through her spacious room. The entire central tower of this “Sugarcube Corner” had been converted into a large loft boasting a vaulted ceiling. A staircase led to a balcony that overlooked the large bedroom, the large window that Jimin recalled seeing on the tower’s exterior bathing the area in gratuitous natural light. The vibrant pink and purple hues worked in unison with the cream walls and pastel blue floors, giving everything the appearance of sugary icing. His nose picked up the faintest hint of bubblegum—a fitting addition for an entirely pink pony. “Anyways, I’m glad you decided to help me with what I have in mind!” “I hope I can help.” “It’s actually writing a song for your party!” “Party?” “Your ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party!” “Oh, you don’t have to…” “Of course I do! You’re BTS!” “I mean… Wait, what?” “And you came to visit Ponyville! I never thought you’d be right here in my backyard!” “You know about us?” “Who doesn’t? You’re famous everywhere! And what would be more fun than writing a song with one of you!” “But how do you know about…?” “Oh, silly! I’ve been around since the beginning! I’ll never forget that debut performance. I loved how you were all little edgy teens back then!” “Oh, dear… You watched our debut…” “And the way you flashed those abs!” “Aish…” “And the way you used to make everyone yell your name when you introduced yourself, so funny!” Jimin slumped against the wall, cradling his face in his hand, “Ahh… You remember that, too…” “I’d say I’m your biggest fan! At least in Ponyville. Or probably Equestria. Maybe even this entire plane of existence!” “Well, thank you for supporting us. I’m glad you like what we do.” “And thank you for discovering that interdimensional portal to Equestria and making this collaboration possible!” “You’re… welcome?” “Now, back to the song! As much as I would love to cover one of your songs, we have to be careful here…” “Oh? Is there a law in Equestria about that?” “No… I can’t say exactly where, but let’s just say it’s against the rules to write lyrics of a copyrighted song here.” “I’m sorry but I am very, very lost.” “No worries! Thinking out loud! Now, for the song, I had some lyrics that I drafted a few hours ago!” “Weren’t we all in that meeting together? How did you draft out lyrics?” “Easy! In my head, silly-billy! Here we go!” The piano began to plonk out a familiar melody as Pinkie sang with gusto. Raise your hooves, party’s on! Courtesy of your friend, Pinkie! Bangtan walkin’ into town, Ponyville’s the place to be! Cupcakes, great bakes, stuff your face—everypony groovin’ on! Tell your friends, tell your folks that it’s time to party till the break o’ dawn! The mare spun on the seat, beaming a dazzling smile. “Whatcha think, Jimmy?” “Whoa. That sounds great. And that’s the melody to—!” “Don’t spoil it, Jimmy! Anyways, we gotta keep going! We have a ways to go!” “Wait, spoil it for who? I think you’ve lost me again…” *** “Wow! Wow-wow-wow!” The human’s eyes spun and danced as they followed Rainbow Dash carefully through the sky—the pegasus’ wild turns and dives holding Jungkook’s rapt attention. Suddenly, he realized she was headed straight for him. Unsure of what to do, he bent his knees and tensed his body as Rainbow came closer and closer—her silhouette pulling up just above ground. His jaw dropped as she began to trot along the ground, keeping her wings outstretched as she hovered just low enough to keep the illusion of her trotting at over a hundred kilometers an hour. In the blink of an eye, she was less than ten meters away—the mare banking sideways and breaking away from her approach. Her wake slammed into the unprepared human, Jungkook holding up his arms to protect himself from the wave of condensed air crashing over him as she passed by. Turning around, he watched as she flared her wings out to slow herself to a stop. Hovering back over, she tossed her mane as she grinned. “Whaddya think?” “Wow… You’re amazing.” “Right?” “How long have you been flying like that?” “Ever since I was a little filly.” “No wonder. Makes me think of how good I could be at a lot of things if I just kept at it as a kid.” “Was there anything you did that you wish you kept up with?” “Yeah, actually. I used to want to be a professional badminton player.” “Huh? Like the one with the little ‘birdie’ thing you hit with a racket?” “That’s the one.” “Wow. You’re weird, Jungkook.” “What’s wrong with that?” Rainbow stifled a giggle, “You go from ‘fighting for sport’ to wanting to be a world famous badminton player.” Jungkook shrugged, still unfazed, “That was a long time ago. Not long after I decided to become a singer instead.” “Pfft, and how’s that working for ya?” “Better than I could have dreamed.” “Wait, really?” “Weren’t you at that meeting this morning where we explained all of this?” “Eh, it was still too early for me to function.” The human couldn’t help a smile, “At least that’s something we had in common.” “Hey, why don’t you show me how you do that thing you were doing.” “You mean earlier? My shadowboxing?” “Whatever you were doing with your hands.” “Oh, sure. You gotta stand on two legs, though…” *** “Pinkie… I’m not sure what this has to do with party planning…” “Shh!” Jimin frowned, crouching in the bushes next to Sugarcube Corner. It had been a blast writing the song with Pinkie Pie (not to mention she was a musical savant) but as soon as the writing concluded she had rushed downstairs, leaping into the flower garden and beckoning him over. That was almost five minutes ago—the pink pony refusing to explain their actions any further. “Here they come… Get ready!” “What? How? What are we even doing?” Jimin fell silent as he heard footsteps nearby. They were getting louder, closer. With a burst of confetti and a cacophony of party horns (from where, Jimin had no clue), Pinkie burst from the foliage ahead of him. Instinctively, he stood up—an apologetic smile crossing his face as he stared at the yellow earth pony in front of him. “YOU’VE JUST BEEN SERVED! TONIGHT! TOWN HALL! BE THERE! PINKIE OUT! C’MON, JIMMY!” “I’m sorry! Sorry! Sorry!” Jimin’s apologies faded into the distance as the two beat a hasty retreat to a nearby alleyway between two houses—both panting to catch their breaths. “Nice one, Jimmy!” “What… What was that?!” “Invitations, Jimmy! Only three-hundred twenty-one to go!” “Wait, we’re giving them out individually?!” “Yeah! Here. Take half!” “Whoa! Hey!” “Meet back here in an hour! Good luck!” Fumbling with the large stack of envelopes, Jimin turned to reply to a Pinkie-shaped dust cloud. “Man… This feels like another day in Run BTS…” *** “Hey! Namjoon!” “Yoongi!” The leader took a seat next to Suga—the human having sat at the foot of a large fountain in the park. A few ponies frolicked in the grasses nearby but all of them kept a respectful distance. The two humans watched them with idle curiosity as they talked. “How’d it go? The interview with the purple one?” “You mean Twilight? Yeah, it was good. Just had some lunch over at a café.” “Ah. I should get something to eat there, too. What’d you have?” “They had eggs on the menu, so I got an egg salad sandwich. Pretty good—I’m wondering if their palates are similar to ours.” “Oh, interesting.” “Were you able to get something to eat? Twilight gave me some money if you haven’t.” “I’m okay. Appetite hasn’t come back yet.” “Really? You sure that’s normal?” “Too excited to eat. It’s a lot to take in.” “I see. Well, take a few bits just in case.” Suga winced as several warm coins were pressed into his hand. “Were you holding these the whole time?” “My pants don’t have pockets and my jacket pockets are shallow so I had to hold the coins in place while walking.” “Gross… Thanks.” “Sure.” “Oh, I should tell you. One of the Princesses told me about the thing that brought us here.” “That magic staff?” “Yeah. Listen to this. We’re stuck here.” “For how long?” “A week.” “A week?!” “Yep. It’s gotta ‘recharge’ before we can use it to go back.” “Man… There’s no telling what’s gonna happen while we’re gone…” The two sat there for a moment longer before suddenly shivering. “Man… Kinda cold.” “You, too?” “Yeah. What was that…?” “Rapmon! Yoongi!” RM and Suga looked up at the approaching Jimin, their smiles dissolving into confused stares as they eyed his giant stack of envelopes. “Uh… Hey, Jimin. What’s with the letters?” “Invitations for our welcome party.” “We’re having a welcome party?” “Pinkie Pie’s throwing it.” “The pink one that abducted you?” “Yoongi.” “Sorry. Whisked you away?” “Better.” “She’s like a cartoon character come to life.” RM and Suga took a look around, the ponies nearby talking amongst themselves. “Yeah. Lot of that going on.” “You guys doing okay?” “Yeah. You get anything to eat?” “Pinkie’s host family runs a bakery so I ate there.” “Bakery? So like breads and pastries?” “I think just pastries. I’m on the mother of all sugar highs right now.” “Man. Finding proper food here is gonna be hard.” “Anyways, I gotta run. Still gotta give out all these invitations.” “Give some to us. We can hand some out.” Jimin dropped half of the stack on the spot, jogging off. “Thanks guys! See you at the party!” RM and Suga collected the fallen envelopes, each opening one to inspect the card inside. “Where is this party, anyways?” “These envelopes are adorable.” *** “Oh! Taehyung!” “Seokjin!” “Hey, Flutters!” “Hello, Applejack…” The two groups converged, each toting various items. V and Seokjin bowed to the ponies accompanying their fellow member. “Hello, I’m Jin.” “Hello, I’m V.” Applejack and Fluttershy nodded, reciprocating with greetings of their own. “Nice to meetcha. I’m Applejack.” “And I’m… Fluttershy…” “What were you two up to,” Applejack began, gesturing towards V and Fluttershy. V nodded to the yellow pegasus with a gentle smile. “Well, you see… Angel Bunny had a mean streak and threw a rock at Mister V while he was walking in the woods near my cottage. When I came out to reprimand him, Mister V said hello, and… We ended up having tea… It was wonderful.” “Wow… I’m envious, Taehyung.” “Sounds mite peaceful, Fluttershy. Glad you two are gettin’ along alright.” “And what’s in the cart, Applejack?” Fluttershy gestured towards the crate on the earth pony’s vendor cart. “Jin helped Granny Smith with the largest batch of apple cider donuts since Shinin’ Armor’s weddin’. Ain’t seen anypony work with Granny so well. Or scream that high.” “Sounds like Jin,” V chuckled quietly. “You should’ve seen her, Taehyung. It was like my life was on the line,” Jin sighed. “Prolly was,” Applejack mused. “Donuts turned out great, though!” “So those donuts must be for the…” “Yup.” “Should we…?” “Sure.” “Should you what? What’s going on,” Jin ventured. “We’re throwin’ ya a welcome party. Figure we’d tell ya since I see the invitations are already goin’ out.” She nodded towards a pink pony cranking what appeared to be a cannon attached to a bag of envelopes. The mare gave a maniacal cackle as ponies scrambled for cover from the automatic onslaught of pastel-pink party invitations. “THAT’S RIGHT! RUN, PONIES! RUN TO THE PARTY! TONIGHT! TOWN HALL! HEEHEEHAHAHA!” Jin and V stared in awe as the terrifying spectacle unfolded before them while Applejack and Fluttershy continued talking. “I didn’t get to talk much with ‘Ginny’ here, but Granny said he’s a good ‘un.” “Mhmm. Mister V was very sweet and patient. He also has a dog like yours, Applejack.” “Really? Well, ain’t that somethin’.” Applejack looked over the two humans gasping in horror at Pinkie’s antics in the town square ahead. “Guess the Princesses were right about trustin’ these folks. They really don’t mean us any harm.” “I wonder what they’ll think of the party.” “Judgin’ by how enthusiastic Pinks is handin’ out these invitations, I think we’re in for quite a night.” *** “Whoa. What’s going on?” “Beats me. C’mon! Let’s take a look!” Jungkook jogged into the town square as he followed Rainbow Dash towards the crowds, eyeing the stage with interest as numerous ponies milled about. He spotted some familiar faces standing tall above the throngs of miniature horses. “Jungkook! Just in time!” “Over here!” Following the voices of his members, he joined them at the foot of the stage—Rainbow Dash still following close behind. As she approached, a wave of greetings rolled out from the group. “Oh, hello…” “Hello.” “Hello, nice to meet you.” “Hello, hello.” “Hi, there.” “Hey, guys. What’s happening,” Jungkook inquired, eyes still on the stage. “Well, it’s a—!” “Shh! It’s starting.” A fog rolled out from the stage, blanketing the front row in an ominous cloud. A few surprised gasps and cries rang out as a mysterious figure appeared in the mists. At least, mysterious to the ponies present. For the humans, it was pretty obvious it was their missing member. “Jimin?” Their seventh bandmate walked onstage, smiling and waving. He held a microphone up to his lips. “Hello everyone! Thank you for coming!” “What’s he doing up there? I didn’t think he was gonna be a part of it.” “I want to be a part of this performance…” “Shh! Let him talk…” “On behalf of my group, BTS, I wanted to thank you for the warm welcome you’ve all given us. You’ve humbled us with your generosity and willingness to accept individuals so different to you with open arms. For that, we are all very, very thankful.” A round of polite applause broke out, the peculiar sound of numerous clopping hooves having a bass ring in comparison to the clapping of hands. “I am sure many of you are wondering what we do back in our world. That is a question I can answer for you… with a demonstration!” He pointed to his left—a white pony with a frizzy mane of alternating blues and bizarre sunglasses grinning back at him. "Music!” As a basic snare kick began to play, all the members began to look at each other with confusion. It was their song, Dynamite. A spotlight shone from an unknown source—landing on a pink pony astride a large platform situated on top of an enormous blue cake emblazoned with their symbol: two doors opening outward. The guitar riff kicked in as Jimin and the pony began to sing together. We wel-come you to Equestria! It’s-time-to have some fun, turn the music up! Raise your hooves, party’s on! Courtesy of your friend, Pinkie! Bangtan walkin’ into town, Ponyville’s the place to be! Cupcakes, great bakes, stuff your face—everypony groovin’ on! Tell your friends, tell your folks that it’s time to party till the break o’ dawn! Smi-les all a-round ya, Can’t believe you came and found us! (Woo-hoo!) Now you get to hang out With the ponies of Eque-stria! (Huh!) Music gettin’ loud! Gotta sing it out! Never had a doubt—! That Pinkie knows how to party! (Hey!) So let’s go! We wel-come you to Equestria! It’s-time-to have some fun, turn the music up! Shake your tail and feel the beat, it’s Jimin and Pinkie! Join the night of dancing in the streets. (Woah-ooh-oh!) Pandemonium descended upon the town square. Ponies sang and danced as the music continued on, Jimin and Pinkie belting the melody with all of their might. The members all nodded approvingly as they heard their song in a new light. “Yeah! That’s my boy!” “Man, when did they write all this?!” “Not bad, not bad.” “Get it, Jimin!” “I love how they sound together!” “Jimin! I LOVE YOU!” Rainbow cringed as she watched them cheer on their bandmate, finding her secondhand embarrassment slowly overcome by mirth as the performance eventually concluded—the town square filling with cheers and whoops as Jimin and Pinkie bowed, both waving as they started to walk offstage. “Thank you! Hope you enjoyed our song!” “Everypony enjoy the party! Snacks and drinks courtesy of the Apple Family and Sugarcube Corner!” As the two exited the stage, the music increased in volume as the familiar rock beat of Dionysus began to play. “How did she get all of our music?” RM yelled above J-Hope’s intro. “We should ask her to feature on an album in the future,” J-Hope mused before making a beeline for the masses forming at the snack tables. “Food! Be right back,” Jungkook exclaimed, following J-Hope to the snacks. “Get me a plate,” Suga yelled after them before returning to the group. “So that’s what you guys sound like,” Rainbow Dash hollered to the remaining members. RM nodded. “More or less. It’s the biggest part of what we do next to interacting with our fans.” “Maybe we can organize a performance in the future. Suga, can you talk with that DJ and work something out?” “Maybe if they ask us we’ll set something up but no need to assume they’ll even want us performing for them.” “I dunno; they sounded pretty hyped after that performance.” “Hey guys!” Jimin leapt off of the stage, landing in the midst of his members. They all began patting him on the back both literally and figuratively. “That was awesome. Proud of you.” “I wanted to be up there with you so bad.” “Tell Pinkie that she’s got a good voice.” Jimin held up his hands, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “Guys! Guys! She knows who we are! She knows BTS!” “Wait, what?! How?!” “I didn’t think we were so famous that other planes of existence would hear about us.” “Ask her if she has a favorite member.” *** “Check this out.” “This’d better be good… I have work in five hours…” “Just listen!” Allie passed Sadie the laptop as her eyes grew wide with concern. Sadie watched the screen intently, her tired gaze resting on the subtitles at the base of the video. “…mysteriously disappeared. It’s been almost fifteen hours since the initial loss of the legendary idol group. Rescuers have yet to find any signs of their whereabouts. It is unknown if this is the result of a kidnapping or simply unfortunate circumstances leading to their disappearance. If you or anyone has heard any information pertaining to the whereabouts of BTS, please contact your local law enforcement immediately.” Sadie looked to Allie, her mouth open in shock. Allie could only nod. “It’s already all over WeVerse. No VLives since the incident, either. It’s real.” “Oh my god.”
Where Did You Come FromAuthor's Note For those unfamiliar with BTS, here are the names of the members. These are used interchangibly by the members when in conversation with each other. RM - Kim Namjoon Jungkook - Jeon Jungguk Jimin - Park Jimin Jin - Kim Seokjin V - Kim Taehyung J-Hope - Jung Hoseok (Hobi) Suga - Min Yoongi Where Did You Come From “All right. Run…” “BANGTAN!” “Man, it’s good to see everyone in the same room again,” RM began, looking down the line of the members. “Yaaaaa… How nostalgic. How long’s it been?” J-Hope asked to nobody in particular. “Too long. By the way, did you all get the honey I sent you?” Jin asked the group, glancing about. “Yeah. It was good,” Suga remarked. “I put it on toast with peanut butter,” Jungkook reminisced, his eyes sparkling as he recalled the decadent meal. “It’s still in my cupboard at home. I’m not sure what to use it for,” Jimin sighed, shrugging helplessly. “Wait, you guys got honey? Where’s mine?” V piped up, his eyes scanning the group as if he was going to find his gift sitting somewhere nearby. “You got some; I gave it to you when we met up last month,” Jin replied, making eye contact with V. “Remember?” “No, that was a long time ago,” V admitted. Jin’s eyes grew wide before he turned away with a huff. “Ai-sh! Seriously! This guy! Forgot I gave it to him in person…” “Really?! Sorry hyung. I don’t remember even getting to eating it… Is there any more?” “Anyways,” RM began again, talking louder than before, “What are we going to be doing today?” “If you really can’t find the honey I can ask my grandpa if he has any more,” Jin stated in a low voice. V nodded graciously before turning to the PD expectantly. Seven sets of eyes locked on to the Producer Director standing behind the middle camera. The PD’s gentle voice floated back to the group in reply. “Today, you’ll be searching for treasure in the woods.” *** “They were clearing Everfree Forest back to its original borders when they hit a stone structure.” “Could you describe it to me?” “A raised circular platform. No sigils or any symbology to indicate who or what might’ve created it. There’s only a singular hole in the middle.” “Curious.” Princess Celestia stepped into the clearing, politely smiling at the awed earth ponies she was passing. A singular pegasus guard marched stoically beside her, eyes forward. “And how old are the maps they were using to reference these ‘original borders?’” “Unknown, your majesty. Should we requisition the maps?” “That would be most prudent, captain. The sooner we can pinpoint just what this structure is, the sooner we can determine its purpose and capabilities.” The Princess took a cursory glance about the deforestation operation. The bark of the stumps were an unnaturally dark color—almost black. Although she remembered these trees as saplings upon her last visit, that was millennia ago. The world was a much wilder, more dangerous place back then. Before the days that magic was carefully regulated by safety councils and officials, leading every pony with a degree in magic and a maniacal power complex to construct a ‘pièce d’ résistance’ in various unremarkable clearings in Everfree Forest. They arrived at the edge of the new forest line, focusing on the circular tablet that lay before them. The workers had left much of the foliage near the mysterious tablet alone—the thickets surrounding it a stark contrast to the neatly cropped grasses that marked the start of the earth ponies’ domain. “Perhaps we should abandon our efforts to reclaim this part of the countryside from the forest. There’s no telling what other relics lie hidden in Everfree’s depths.” “Permission to speak, your majesty?” “Granted, Captain.” “Better we rip off the band-aid and deal with what comes. Tear down or confiscate anything too dangerous while leaving the rest for civilian organizations to preserve.” “Fair enough,” she mused. The two stayed there a while longer, their eyes fixated on the stone tablet. “Call my pupil. Perhaps she might be able to pinpoint the origins of this structure.” “By your will, your majesty.” *** “AaaAAAGH!” “Whoa! J-Hope, you okay?” “Did you hear that?! Those wings sounded like an airplane!” J-Hope pulled his arms in close, eyes darting around the tree trunks nearby. “And to think I almost put my hand on that hercules beetle,” he sighed. “What makes you think it’s a ‘him,’ Hobi? It’s rude to assume,” Jimin quipped. “He might be onto something. Females tend to be bigger when it comes to bugs,” RM chimed in. The seven of them followed Jungkook single file through the thick brush. Their youngest member had been given a dangerous-looking machete—which he used to eagerly hack at any nearby shrubbery. Several crew members followed them closely, keeping their bulky cameras trained on the hilarious spectacle that was BTS attempting to traverse mildly difficult terrain in the middle of a Korean summer. “At least we haven’t run into any cicadas. Those are really nasty,” Suga mused. Jungkook suddenly turned around, holding the machete hilt-first. “My arm’s tired. Someone tag me out.” “I’ll go,” RM volunteered, taking the bladed tool. “Let your hyung show you how it’s done.” “He tells that to the gorilla of BTS,” Jimin laughed, smiling at Jungkook. “The map says we should be coming up to our first clue,” V mumbled, eyes focused on a topographical map given to him by the crew. It had taken all seven of them putting their heads together, but they managed to triangulate their approximate position thanks to the instructions of the crew. As always, the Run BTS crew proved to put the members in the most bizarre circumstances—there was no telling what kind of know-how would be needed. “Whups!” Suga stumbled forward, his fall unnoticed thanks to his position at the back of the line. Glancing back at the trampled grass behind him, he noticed the handle of something sticking out of the ground. From what he could see between the long strands of thick grass growing around it, the elongated stick looked far from natural. A single camera returned to observe a curious Suga pushing aside the trampled underbrush to reveal the culprit for his tumble. A shining silver handle protruded from the earth. The end was hollow and caked with dirt filling the empty interior. Intricate plant-like designs swirled around the contoured handle, continuing into the soft dirt beneath. “What’s this,” Suga said to himself, his TV instincts reminding him to speak up for the camera. Grasping the end, he began to lever it back and forth, attempting to uproot the mysterious object. A few strong passes was all he needed to remove the handle—revealing a ten-inch wand attached to it. “Whoa,” he breathed, admiring the beautiful craftmanship of the strange object. The vines engraved on the sides continued onto a spherical crystal attached to the tip of the silvered shaft. The sun refracted off of the crystal’s surface, scattering auroras like shards of shattered glass. “Yoongi! You alright?” Jungkook came jogging over, followed by another camera. His eyes bugged out of his head when he saw the strange staff. “Whoa… Is that real?” “I don’t know. It was half-buried in the ground here.” Jungkook turned to the crew, eyes pleading. “Is it from you guys?” After a couple of seconds, Suga shook his head. “C’mon. They’re not gonna tell us anything.” Without another word, they hurried to join the others ahead. As the camera operators jogged after them, they looked at each other with confusion. That definitely wasn’t their prop. *** “It’s quite possible this tablet could be one of many undocumented creations from the Great First Age of Magic,” Twilight explained, picking her hooves up high to avoid tripping on the uneven ground. “Can’t believe that you were able to make something really cool sound super boring,” Rainbow groaned, flying ahead to see the structure herself. “I ain’t sure we can be of any help, Twi,” Applejack admitted, skirting around one of the larger stumps left behind. “I wish we could have waited until morning to visit. I can't see a thing," Rarity whined, gingerly stepping over an abandoned burrow as she followed the group. “I’m just glad everyone’s together,” Fluttershy commented, her wings keeping her aloft in order to avoid dealing with the trouble of walking on the difficult terrain below. “Maybe it’s the top of an ancient triple-layer cake,” Pinkie chirped, hopping from stump to stump playfully. “Dedicated to the wonder that layered cakes bring to the world!” “Only you would think of a lost civilization that worshipped layered cakes,” Rainbow chuckled, having returned hearing the tail-end of the conversation. “So, what do you think it is, darling?” Rarity gazed at the nondescript stone structure ahead. “Like I said earlier, there’s no telling what it could be. Many magical objects and structures were constructed in the Great First Age of Magic,” Twilight stated, levitating a book from her satchel. She flipped through the pages, eyeing a timeline that outlined various time periods of recorded knowledge. “So this thing could range from a magical bomb to the world’s largest toaster?” Rainbow asked. “Or! A statue dedicated to the creation and consumption of layered cakes!” Pinkie Pie added. *** “Alright, it should be… There!” V pointed to the clearing ahead. “I think we all saw it from here, Taehyung,” Jin panted as he trudged through the tall grasses. “Cartographer Taehyung! Nice job,” RM called from the front, making sure to cut the brush enough to allow the other members an easier time. One by one, they moved into the clearing, closely followed by the camera crew. Jungkook was drawn to the mysterious structure in the middle: A nondescript circular stone platform with a single hole in its center. “Wow, this looks pretty real.” “I think I’ll be the judge of that. It’s probably just fiberglass orrrRRRRRGGGGHHHOooookay, that’s real.” Jin stepped back, wringing his hands from his attempt to shift the seemingly immovable platform. Jimin set his hand on the stone and dragged it across, awed by the enigmatic structure. “Yaaaa… This is awesome.” “The rock feels cold even though it’s so hot outside.” “Waaa… So nice. I could take a nap here.” Jimin, Suga and Jin settled onto the cool tablet while the others looked to the crew for an update. “We found the tablet. We get a second clue, right?” “Good job. We’ll go ahead and take a quick break first before we continue filming,” the PD called from his retinue. “Take ten! We’re back at 23:12!” “Thank you, 23:12!” Assistants streamed from behind the cameras, swarming each member with brushes, combs and spray bottles. Electric hand-fans were distributed among the members along with bottles of water—both of which were graciously accepted. After a couple of minutes, the assistants returned to their places behind the camera to enjoy their own break while the seven members moved to lounge around on the tablet. “Hey, Yoongi. Come here.” Suga rolled to his side, eyeing Jungkook with a hint of malice. “No.” “Then give me that wand-thing.” Suga rolled it over to the eager Jungkook. “Go nuts.” V crawled over, joining Jungkook near the tablet’s center. “Whatcha got going on there?” “Just wanted to try something,” Jungkook murmured, balancing the staff on the spherical jewel and placing it onto the hole. The gem proved too large and remained seated atop the tablet rather than disappearing inside. “Turn it over like this,” V whispered, placing the staff end onto the hole. The two younger members grinned as it slotted almost perfectly into the stone. “Careful. I don’t want it to get stuck and get Suga-hyung mad.” “Oh, right. Let’s not do this, then.” V pulled on the wand, finding it completely stuck. “Uh oh.” Without warning, it began to slowly descend into the hole. V and Jungkook watched in shock as the rod lowered itself into the hole, an audible click signaling the wand touching something deep inside the tablet. Immediately, the entire tablet was enveloped in a bright purple glow. “What?” “Ooh!” “Eek!” “Whoa!” “Oh crap.” “Taehyung…!” “Wha?!” Both members and crew gazed upon the purple cylinder that formed around the platform, completely trapping the group in an ethereal prison. Runes and sigils of an unknown language decorated the translucent walls, swirling in hypnotic patterns and obscuring everyone’s views of each other. “What happened?! What’s going on?!” “Roll cameras! Roll cameras! Everyone quiet!” The stern words of the PD blanketed the chaos with barely-maintained professionalism. The PD pointed at the group, nodding at them. RM hopped off the platform, pressing his hand to the cylinder. He held his hand there, his eyes wide. “I can’t get out.” The PD looked up from his display, his worried expression sparking fear in the normally unbothered leader. “Is this part of the shoot?” RM asked. And then the group disappeared. *** “Ooh! There it is again! Another doozie!” “I don’t like this, Twi. That’s the second one in a row. We should leave.” Twilight frowned, turning away from the tablet. “You’re right. She’s never been wrong before.” “Oop. Too late.” Rainbow Dash pointed at the tablet—which was now glowing a bright purple. It immediately illuminated the clearing, highlighting everypony’s face with its eerie color. “What’s going on?!” “Talk to us, Twi!” “I don’t know what’s happening…! Everypony, get back!” All six of them turned away just before the tablet groaned audibly—mist exploding from the center of the platform. Within seconds, everything was completely obscured by purple smoke. There was a secondary flash of purple light before the glowing suddenly ceased, leaving the clearing dark once more. “E-everypony okay?!” “Twilight! Where are you!” “Cast a light spell, darling! We’ll come to you!” Focusing briefly, Twilight conjured the purple orb that had illuminated their investigation only seconds ago. Coughing and sputtering, the six mares reunited around the light source. “Is everypony here?” “I think so. Fluttershy, you alright?” “I-I’m scared, Rainbow…” “Should we try to leave?” “Is it bad that I think another doozie could be coming on?” “Hold on! I think I heard somethin’.” They all froze at Applejack’s command, all holding a collective breath as they listened carefully. For a moment, all was still. The trees creaked and groaned in the gentle breeze, more and more of the mist being dispersed but still leaving much of the clearing covered. “Ha-choo!” “Shh!” Twilight’s eyes widened in horror as she stared at the tablet behind the fog ahead of her. “W-who’s there?! Show yourself!” She cried, her horn aglow with an offensive telekinesis spell ready to fire. “Wait! We mean no harm!” A male voice. Unfamiliar. “Who are you?! Identify yourself!” “We’re BTS! You ever heard of BTS?” “What? What’s that?” “Oh, crap. They don’t know about us!” “Just be quiet! I got this!” More masculine voices. The first voice cleared his throat before continuing. “All you need to know right now is that we’re not here to hurt anybody!” “How can we trust you?” “We’re victims of circumstance! We were in a forest filming a show when we suddenly found a big stone tablet! Something weird happened and everything’s went dark… And now we’re here!” Twilight took it all in, her discomfort starting to fall but noted her companions still looked unsure. “I’m going to clear the fog. Don’t run off, alright?” “Huh? How are you gonna do that?” “Just don’t move!” With a nod to her friends, she whipped up a quick Prestidigitation spell. A large chunk of the fog centered over the tablet was funneled upward, the wind whipping around the figures crowding it—much to their dismay. “Aaaah!” “Yiee!” “Noo!” “Get off me!” “Ai-sh!” “We’re gonna die!” “Shh! Quiet!” Squinting in the low light, Twilight upgraded her Light spell into a Daylight spell, fully illuminating the intruders. Seven bipedal creatures huddled together on the tablet, some holding each other while others stood with their arms raised. They resembled griffons or dragons in their upright stances and opposable thumbs but lacked any scales or fur—a pale peach color indicating nude skin. They wore strange clothes that covered their bodies—no doubt the replacement for their lack of any protective natural coats. Their faces were flat, lacking any sort of beak or muzzle. What are they?! The one standing in the front slowly stood upright, hands held high. He squinted at Twilight, holding one of his raised hands over his eyes. “Now that you’ve seen who we are, can you show us who you are?” “Very well. However, I have a feeling that you’ll be surprised by what you see.” The creature shrugged. “It’s been a weird day. I think we can handle it.” Doubting his words, Twilight moved the daylight spell back, allowing her and her friends to be illuminated. A chorus of gasps rang out from the huddled creatures. One of them exclaimed something, although it was too quiet to hear. “What did you say?” Twilight asked. There was a pause before the figure in the front spoke again. “We think you all look very cute.”
Best of Me“Not a single call’s gone through. Their phones are either out of battery or someone turned them off.” “I’ve called headquarters. They’ll be contacting the proper authorities.” “Is it a good idea to make this public?” “We’ve got no choice. It’s been at least several hours and they still haven’t turned up.” “Better they’re found quickly rather than avoid losing face.” “Alright, listen up, people!” The PD stepped forward, his face grave. “Our top priority is the well-being of our boys. The departmental budget is yours to use.” A round of surprised murmurs broke out but was quickly silenced when the PD held up his hand. “I hold everyone here in the highest regard and trust the money will be used efficiently. I don’t care what we must do—all that matters is that those boys are brought home as soon as possible. Call or email me with any updates or information.” He exhaled shakily before adding, “Good luck, everyone.” *** “We’re an idol group.” “Idol group? Is it an occupation?” “You can say that. It’s more of an entertainment concept.” “And what do idol groups do?” “A lot of things. Our main focuses are music and performance, but we try to engage with our fanbase through things like variety shows, signings, virtual hangouts—” “Virtual?” “Hm? You don’t…? Oh.” “Nevermind, please continue.” “Basically, we nurture our bond with our fanbase as much as possible—without them, we would’ve never made it this far.” “Of course. Okay…” RM clasped his hands across his knees, leaning forward in his chair. He glanced around the library-turned-living space, noting the warm, vibrant tones of the room. It was two floors tall, a vaulted ceiling allowing occupants on the first floor to see the second level and vice versa. While the second level looked to be more of a bedroom, the lower level was a veritable treasure trove of knowledge. Books crowded various nooks carved into the tree itself. Loose parchment crowded with notes detailing subjects both familiar and unfamiliar littered any available desk, table or chair space—save for the two that he and his interviewer were occupying. The extreme coziness of the space made his own apartment look like a cold, sanitized prison cell by comparison. “So, RM,” Twilight chewed the name carefully. “I heard your companions calling you Namjoon. Is that a nickname?” “It’s my given name. RM is my ‘stage’ name.” “Ah, so do you prefer one or the other?” “No preference. I answer to both.” “Interesting… And does RM stand for anything?” “It stands for ‘Real Me.’” “I see. ‘Real Me…’ Did you get that, Spike?” “Every word,” the purple lizard stated proudly. While RM had initially been flabbergasted at the sight of a walking talking reptile, the normalcy that everyone seemed to downplay or ignore every contradiction to his own reality reined in his wonder. “I had another question for you, RM.” “Yup.” “You told me that you were the ‘leader’ when everyone was introducing themselves back in the forest. Can you describe to me what those duties entail?” RM crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair. “Well, a ‘leader’ of an idol group mostly what you’d expect. We take care of the other members—mediate discussions during arguments, check in with everyone before, during and after any group activities, and so on. We also do a lot of the speaking when it comes to accepting awards, talking to large audiences composed of those unfamiliar with us, and so on. In those situations, we’re usually the group representative.” “I understand. Sounds pretty important.” RM shrugged, “We all have our part.” Twilight regarded him with a cautious wince, “I wanted to ask you a more personal question regarding your role as leader. Is that alright?” RM gestured to her with an open hand. Nodding, Twilight continued. “Have you ever felt weighed down by the burden of being so responsible? Of either overseeing the harmony of everypony when together, representing the group in a positive way, or in some other capacity?” Spike paused in his writing to look up at Twilight with a concerned expression. “Not really.” Twilight blinked, her eyes marginally wider as RM continued. “Being a leader does have some tougher moments, especially when members are fighting each other. It gets to be a lot at times. However, my members always seem to know when I’m getting overwhelmed and step in to help. They’ve all got my back just like I’ve got theirs.” RM smiled, eyes unfocused as he thought of the group. “With that kind of support, it’s pretty hard for me to be down for too long. Once I was able to let myself ask for help from time to time, I realized how reliable and strong my members can be.” Twilight and Spike both stared intently at the human. He looked completely different with his gentle, reminiscent grin and profound wisdom tumbling from his lips. He looked so… vibrant. “Does that answer your question?” “Hm? Oh, yes. Thank you. I appreciate you humoring me.” “Are you a leader, too?” Twilight shook her head. “Not in the same capacity as you, no. Maybe mentally, perhaps.” RM watched her intently as she managed a sad smile. “When you said you were responsible for taking care of everyone, I knew I had to ask you about the weight of it all. I may not necessarily be the leader, but I feel like with the responsibility granted to me by the Princess, I have some obligation to step into that role.” “Do your friends often ask you for advice?” “They do.” RM nodded. “I would too—all these books give you the vibe of someone who would hold a lot of answers.” “Thank you.” Twilight’s ears folded back. “But sometimes, I’m afraid that I won’t be able to help them. Part of why I do what I do in this library is because I want to be there for them—and the fear that I might not be able to if I stop. But what you said about your group having your back… I think I needed to hear that.” RM nodded again, a grin tugging the corner of his mouth. “You’re a good person, Twilight. I’m sure your friends have noticed your efforts, too. Otherwise they wouldn’t have stuck around, right?” Twilight looked up, returning RM’s smile with a much brighter one than before. “Thank you.” For a moment, the two enjoyed the sweetness of each other’s words. Not before a low growl shattered the sentimental silence. “Ugh… Sorry, I’m really, really hungry.” “Oh! No, I’m sorry! Let’s go get something to eat! Do you like hay? Grass?” “I… Er… I can’t eat either of those…” *** “Wow… This place is incredible.” “Why, thank you!” J-Hope set his hands on his hips as he spun on one foot, his eyes scanning the interior of the Carousel Boutique. Every window boasted an extravagant outfit fitted perfectly to the mannequin wearing it: From the simpler yet stylish cottage dresses and button-up/slacks combos to the most extravagant three-piece suits and evening gowns. “Man. I wish I hadn’t left my wallet with the crew…” “Speak up, darling. I can’t hear you.” “Oh, nothing. Just really like your outfits.” “Ohoho! Well, aren’t you just the sweetest!” “Whoa, you make hats too?” J-Hope moved towards the haberdashery section of the store, examining a feathered bycocket with excitement. Rarity failed to hide a proud smirk. “Well, of course! Some of my finest outfits wouldn’t be complete without them.” “Which do you think those are?” “Hmm… If I had to choose…” She moved towards a side room, opening the door with her magic. “This way,” she whispered, stepping inside. J-Hope followed without delay, eager to lay his eyes upon what outfits this fashionista believed to be ‘the best of the best.’ “These ones will always be my favorite.” J-Hope examined the six dresses arranged in a neat row. He held his chin in contemplation as he eyed what appeared to be some fairly normal dresses with different color schemes. The first dress seemed to be a common ball gown: A maroon shawl swaddled the upper half while the main body of the dress was supported by lavish white petticoats. A gold tiara with a purple gem set into the center rested on the mannequin’s head. All in all, within expectations for attending the fanciest of operas. As he examined the other dresses, however, he noticed an overall theme with each one. From Athenian royalty to the starry cloak of a sorceress, each gown was meticulously crafted and detailed from head to toe. “There’s something different about these ones.” “Good eye, my dear.” “Did you make these for someone?” “Exactly!” J-Hope’s eyes almost seemed to twinkle as he drank in the various themes of each outfit, each one seeming to be more detailed than the last. “There’s so much personality in each one—almost as if I could learn a lot about the owners of these dresses just by studying these clothes.” “You’re too kind, darling. I wish I had you around for all my clothing line releases. It would’ve been exactly what I needed to hear back then.” The whistle of a teapot turned their attention to the kitchen. “I have a dragon-pearl jasmine tea that is to die for. Would you be interested in trying some?” “Oh, sure; I’d love some. Thank you.” Within minutes, an arrangement of cookies and jam sandwiches was prepared as Rarity’s magic sliced bread, emptied biscuit boxes onto snack trays and levitated the entire tea set over to the dining table. J-Hope’s jaw remained open for the entirety of the impromptu magic show, bowing as Rarity approached the table. “Wow… Uh, thank you. Everything looks delicious.” “I should hope so. Wouldn’t be putting my best hoof forward if I served you stale cookies.” Taking a small sip of the tea, J-Hope nodded in approval. “Yep. It’s good.” “Oh, dear. Guess we’ll have to drink the lot of it, then.” J-Hope smiled as he took a dainty bite of a butterscotch cookie, humming his delight as he wolfed down the remainder in a couple more less-controlled mouthfuls. “So, I’ve been meaning to ask you about your world. What’s it like?” J-Hope washed down the last of the cookie with another sip of tea before replying. “Kind of a broad question. What to say… It’s a busy place. There’s a lot going on.” “I guess that can be said about both our worlds.” “Yeah. I’ll admit that I definitely like it here. Everything’s a slower pace out in the countryside, or at least in smaller towns. Do you have big cities here?” “Of course. We have our capital, Canterlot. Then there’s Fillydelphia, Detrot, Seaddle…” “That’s kind of like where I live now. A lot of my work goes on in big cities, so I need to live as close to it all as possible.” “Of course. I occasionally have to spend a month or so at my shop in Canterlot, so I know how intense that can be.” “Mhmm. Anyways, our world is a huge place. Seven billion people crowded together on one big rock floating in space.” “Seven billion?!” “Yeah. It’s a lot of people.” “How do you all get along?” J-Hope sighed, staring at his tea. “It’s half and half. There’s a lot of good and a lot of bad.” “Oh, dear. I’m sorry.” “No, no, you’re okay. You sort of get desensitized to it after awhile.” “So what do you mean by ‘bad things?’” “It can get pretty bad. Enough to drive you crazy if you focus on it for too long.” Rarity cocked her head. “That doesn’t sound like an ideal living at all.” J-Hope shrugged. “It’s up to everyone to do what they can. It’s why we do what we do.” “Why you do what you do?” “I mean, don’t get me wrong: Not everything is bad in our world. It’s split down the middle. Some will say there’s more good, others vice versa, but I always think it’s in the middle. Neither half-empty or half-full. That’s why doing good is so important—maybe you can tip the scales towards positivity for maybe a day or two.” Rarity nodded emphatically. “But of course! Not to mention it feels good to give to others.” “Exactly. So especially when writing music or interacting with our fans, we’re always trying to make something that promotes or spreads something positive. Hopefully, our fans can reciprocate that positivity to others to let us tip that scale just a little bit more.” The mare smiled, clasping a hoof over her chest. “Oh, wow. You’ve all really thought this out.” J-Hope grabbed another butterscotch cookie, inspecting it for a moment. “We’ve had a lot of time to think about things. We’ve been at this for almost a decade now.” “I wonder what you were all like when you first started.” J-Hope laughed, his booming voice breaking the relative quiet of the sitting room. “You would’ve hated the way we looked. It was awful.” “Oh? And why would you think that?” “It was bad… At least, by our standards today.” “Care to fill a curious mare in?” J-Hope’s mind drifted to that debut stage. The tank tops. The chains. The snapbacks. Flashing his abs. Rarity leaned in expectantly, becoming worried as J-Hope’s expression morphed into a thousand-yard stare. “J-Hope? Are you alright? Say something!” *** Suga found himself completely alone. Just the way he liked it. He had missed the days where his wandering held no consequence—not to mention most of the town’s residents were too nervous to approach their first human. That left him with few worries as he found himself gravitating towards what appeared to be a local park. Moving to the shade of a large willow, he ran his hands through the long, hair-like branches as they swayed in the gentle breeze rushing through them. Grunting as he sat on the grass below, he lay down with his hands behind his head, his eyes sliding closed. The excitement of the day had left him drained. First, their arrival in the middle of the night, then being interrogated by the ruler of the country they had accidentally “invaded,” before being deemed as “trustworthy” and left to roam the town under supervision. Suga’s company was one of the Princess’s own royal “guardsponies.” He felt the other guides that were provided all seemed like too much for him—having someone that didn’t talk back seemed like a better alternative in the heat of the moment. Sighing as another breeze played with his hair, he felt like he had made the right choice. “Sugar, is it?” Suga’s eyes snapped open as he bolted upright, his voice catching in his throat as he suddenly noticed the large blue equine sitting next to him. “Did we get that correct?” “I-it’s Suga,” he wheezed, taking a few big breaths to calm himself. “Forgive us. It was not our intention to startle you.” “No, no. It’s fine.” The blue horse leaned in, her eyes seeming to search Suga’s for something before staring out into the park. “We only wished to inform you of what we discovered while examining the artifact you brought with you.” Suga turned towards her. “Sorry. Who are you?” The blue horse smiled, bowing her head. “We are Princess Luna. It would please us greatly if you came with us. We have much to discuss.”
ButterflyV hummed a familiar tune to himself as he walked. Finding himself uncomfortable with all of the stares of the town’s inhabitants, he opted to go for a stroll around Ponyville’s exterior. Having seen only a couple of oblivious pegasi flitting above, the serenity of the surrounding forest fringes eased his anxious mind. “So quiet,” he mused, the only noises being the occasional bird call or rushing of a breeze through the treetops. He stopped in the middle of the trail, inhaling deeply through his nose. The air seemed so clear—a tinge of coldness stinging his nostrils and chilling his lungs. Every breath was like a long sip of cold water. Having found the peace he was searching for, he moved towards the side of the road to look for a place to sit. He opted for a large smooth boulder poking from the rough grass that lined the edges of the path, seating himself atop it and letting his legs dangle down towards the trail. Reaching into his pocket, he removed his phone—the screen having been dark and unresponsive ever since their arrival in this alternate reality. While he was certain he wouldn’t have a signal anywhere in this “Equestria,” he wished he could at least take photos or listen to his music. A tug at one of his pantlegs jolted him out of his reverie, instinct forcing him to jerk his leg away as he looked towards the source of the disturbance: At the foot of the boulder, a small white bunny met his concerned gaze. Strangely, it seemed to be much more expressive than the critters back on Earth—the short snout twisted into an annoyed scowl. Despite its unfriendly expression, V couldn’t ignore the abundance of cuteness sat in front of him. “Hey, buddy,” he ventured, moving off the boulder to kneel in the road. The irritated lapin stayed where it was as V sat down across from it. “You’re a grumpy one,” he chuckled as he leaned back, noting the bunny’s eyes never left his own. “Is that your boulder?” The bunny sat unmoving, its scowl starting to worry V. For a moment, he could swear he saw its eyes narrowing at his comment. “Okay, well, I’ll leave you alone,” V mumbled, starting to stand up. The bunny dashed back a short distance before stopping and staring like before. “Whoops, sorry,” he offered. Looking at the rabbit once more, he blinked in disbelief. It had its paws on its hips, angrily thumping with one of its back feet. “…Crazy,” V breathed as he moved to walk around the rabbit. As he started to approach, the bunny darted to the middle of the road, staying right in front of him. “Huh?” V moved to the left, the rabbit moved left. He moved right, and the bunny followed. The critter mirrored his every movement—effectively blocking his way forward. “I need to go that way, buddy,” V explained, again moving to sidestep the rabbit once more—only to be blocked again. After staring at the animal’s defiant face for a few seconds, he sighed. “I guess I’ll head back, then.” Turning to leave, he looked down at his broken phone. He wondered what the other members would say if he talked about this encounter. “Oof!” “Angel, NO!” Something hard smacked the back of his head. Whirling around, he saw a small pebble clattering to the trail it had been plucked from. He looked up—staring straight at a yellow pegasus who, in turn, was staring at the rabbit. Its expression had shifted into something more apologetic or fearful in the face of the pony’s ire. “NEVER do something like that for me ever again! They were going to leave! You should be ashamed of yourself!” The bunny deflated further and further as the tirade continued, the fear evaporating and steadily being replaced by a melancholy guilt. “Now you march your fluffy tail back home and—!” “H-hello,” “Eeep!” V bowed his head in greeting, but as he looked up, both the pony and rabbit had vanished. Confused, he glanced around in a brief search for his vanished company. “I-I’m sorry…” He turned towards the source—a sliver of the pony’s face poking out from behind a nearby oak. “I’m so sorry… Angel… He’s just being protective of my home… I didn’t mean for anypony to get hurt… I… Oh, dear…” “Oh, no, I’m sorry. I should have picked up that I wasn’t wanted here sooner. Angel did a good job of keeping you safe.” “It’s not okay. He hurt you… I’m really sorry, mister…?” “V. My name’s V.” “V?” “I mean, you can call me Taehyung, too, I guess.” “D-do I call you V or…?” “Uh… Just… V… is fine.” There was a long pause as both worked hard to formulate their next words. “I should maybe—!” “Did you want to—!” “Oh, sorry. You first,” V offered. “No, no, I interrupted…” “No, go ahead.” The small pony cleared her throat before moving further out from the tree. “Did you want some tea? As an apology for my friend’s behavior. I mean… If that’s okay with you… I don’t want to intrude on your plans…” “Oh, no, no! I don’t have anything planned.” “O-oh. Okay. Well, then, follow me.” *** Jin’s eyes grew wide at the breathtaking view before him. Rows and rows of apple trees stretched ahead of him—all of them blooming. Flowers of every hue between white and pink dotted the sparsely-leafed orchard like glowing crystals. Hummingbirds and bees flitted from flower to flower, adding to the fertile spectacle of springtime in an apple orchard. “C’mon. Don’t wanna keep Granny Smith waitin’,” Applejack huffed. While she was mildly proud of her healthy trees, she was tired of stopping every few minutes while the human ogled every ounce of the admittedly vibrant countryside. While gorgeous, it was a sight she saw every year. Jin was already in step behind her, having snapped out the instant he heard her voice. “Sorry. Everything is—!” “Beautiful, yes. I heard ya the first several times.” “Ah, sorry.” “And quit apologizin’.” “Okay. Sorry.” Applejack sighed as she led the endlessly bowing Jin into the main farmhouse. As the door swung open, they were immediately met with the smell of tart apples and spicy cinnamon. Applejack smiled briefly as she savored the scents wafting across her muzzle: apple cider donuts. The kitchen was messy—but closer inspection revealed a method to the madness. On the humble four-burner stove sat two pots: One for the apple cider, and one for the vegetable oil. Near a large wooden cutting board and some equally large metal mixing bowls sat a number of ingredients sat at the ready: baking soda, salt, nutmeg, butter, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and two ceramic jugs of the titular apple cider. All the prep appeared to be finished—no doubt thanks to Granny Smith and Applebloom’s hard work. “Alrighty, everypony! It’s time to cook!” “Heya, Granny Smith!” “Oh, hello.” Jin bowed towards the yellow-green mare emerging from the walk-in pantry. She wore her silver mane in a tight bun representative of a filly ready to work. She wore a peach-colored apron with cream-colored embroidery forming the shape of a halved apple on the front. As Applejack studied her grandmother’s face, her heart fluttered with doubt. Granny’s wrinkled muzzle was set into a grim expression—an expression she hadn’t seen in a long time. “So, yer Jin.” “Ah, yes. Nice to meet you.” “So, Ginny, ye say ye can cook?” “I like to learn, ma’am.” “Well, you better learn quick, boy!” “R-right!” Granny Smith pointed a hoof at the sink. “Wash yer hooves, city boy! Time ta work!” “O-okay! Yes, ma’am!” Jin hustled over to the sink, struggling with the strange handles designed for pony mouths rather than human hands. Applejack couldn’t help a grin as she watched the human scramble between the different stations under Granny’s stern supervision. “Reduce that cider! Don’t ye dare burn it, we don’t got any ta’ spare!” “Okay!” “Now leave it! Time ta’ git the dry ingredients in’ta’ the bowl!” “Right!” “Save some o’ that sugar an’ cinnamon! That goes on the donuts after!” “Yes!” “Check on that cider! It’s boilin’ over!” “Aish! Okay! Sorry!” “An’ quit apologizin’!” “S-sorry!” “Applejack!” The orange farmpony froze, her mirthful grin all but evaporated in the face of her grandma’s terse call. “Y-yes, Granny Smith?” “Be a dear an’ grab some o’ the sweet apple tea from the icebox in the basement. An’ Big Mac’s waitin’ outside fer yer help to finish up today’s to-do’s.” “Of course, marm.” Applejack started for the door leading to the cellar—biting back mild disappointment of missing the hilarious spectacle of the tiny elderly mare hollering at the cowering form of the much larger human. It was like Fluttershy’s confrontation with the dragon all over again. She descended into the dimly lit stairwell, Jin’s yells and screams echoing behind her as the door eased itself shut. “Ahhh… That was scary,” Jin sighed. He reclined on his wooden chair, massaging his face to work some of the tension out from his overloaded brain. They had finally finished reducing the cider and combined all the ingredients to create the thick, heavy dough. Having just finished moving it into the refrigerator for a one-hour chilling period, they had a little time to rest. Applejack had brought out a pitcher of sweet tea—delightfully refreshing and fruity—but had left soon after to finish her chores for the day. “Yer quite the talented city-slicker, Ginny.” Jin looked over to the wizened mare—her demeanor had completely changed from her ‘Gordon Ramsay’ impression that shouted forceful instructions at the back of his head for the past half hour. He gave a warm smile, welcoming her shift in personality. “Thank you, ma’am. You know a lot about making these donuts.” “Well, somepony’s gotta know all these things. It’s how we pass things down.” “Did you ever make a recipe book?” “Now why would I go an’ spoil good ol’ oral tradition an’ do that? We Apples learn by doin’, plain n’ simple.” “Of course, I should have known.” “No, no, sugarcube; it ain’t yer fault.” She stared out the window at the orchard, her gaze piercing the disturbed flour from their recently-paused bout of frantic baking. “Yer a sweet young man. Polite as they come.” “Oh, thank you.” “Do ye have any family back home?” Jin tapped his glass of sweet tea thoughtfully. “Well, there’s my mom, my dad, my older brother, my grandpa…” “An’ what d’ya think of yer family? Yall close?” Jin nodded. “This place reminds me of my grandpa—he owns a small beekeeping farm. Not as impressive as your orchard, of course!” Granny Smith waved a hoof dismissively. “Oh, don’t muss yer mane over it, sweetie. Ye said yer grandpa is a beekeeper?” “Yes. He gives everyone amazing honey whenever he harvests it.” “Sounds like a kind pony.” “Well he’s… Yes. He is very kind.” “An’ what d’ya think about family in general?” Jin set his glass on the table, studying how it sweated condensation onto the plaid tablecloth beneath it. “They’re important. They were all there for me when I was young. And I never want to forget what they’ve done for me—especially now that I can pay them back with my success.” “Are ya close with yer brother?” “I mean, closer than I was before.” Jin chuckled to himself. “He definitely got a lot nicer after I became an idol.” “Does this ‘idol’ business have t’do with ye bein’ so handsome?” Jin’s couldn’t help another chuckle as he shrugged. “Sort of. And thank you.” “Oh, of course, dearie. So what d’ya do as an ‘idol?’” “We sing and dance, mostly.” “How wonderful! Yer a singer?” “Yes. I love it.” “Can ye give this old mare a sample? Been a mite long since these old ears have heard anypony singin’!” Jin nodded, smiling and taking a breath—his mind drifting to a more recent song. “La da-da-daaaah, la da-da-daaaah, la da-da-daaaah, la da-da-dah. Yeaaaah, laaaa-daaa-dah-dah~…” Granny’s eyes squinted as she beamed a big smile. “The voice of an angel. Figures ye have the heart an’ face of one, too.” Jin nodded appreciatively, cheeks ablaze with a heavy blush. “Thank you, Mrs. Smith.” “Call me ‘Granny,’ sonny.” The door opened suddenly, Applejack having returned for a brief break. Sweat matted stray hairs of her golden mane against her forehead. As the earth pony moved to the countertop to pour herself a glass of tea, Granny sighed to herself “Ah wish ye would stay—Applejack could use a stallion like ye…” “Thank… Huh?” “This again, Granny?” Granny smiled at Applejack as if nothing was wrong. “This young boy can sing, too. Did’ja know that, sweetie?” “Well, ain’t he just a peach.” “An’ he’s so handsome and kindhearted. He’d be perfect fer ya.” “Can ye quit it?! I’ve told ya I’ll settle down with somepony when I’m good n’ ready,” Applejack huffed, her face now a deep shade of red. “What d’ya think, Ginny?” Jin looked between Applejack and Granny Smith, not eager to disappoint either of them. “M-maybe we should get back to those donuts…” *** “It’s a special blend. I call it ‘citron green tea.’” “Thanks. Smells amazing.” V took the large teacup with both hands, enjoying the lemony smell wafting from the verdant liquid inside. He looked around the cozy abode, admitting that it was nothing like what he had expected. On the exterior was a leafy cottage that resembled a shrub that had been converted into a home—numerous doors and birdhouses adorning the exterior for various wildlife to take refuge in should they need it. The interior contrasted wildly with the ‘nature-ey’ vibes of the outside: A prim and proper sitting room complete with matching leaf-green furniture and a large oval rug in the middle. A couple of small wicker pet beds were tucked next to and underneath a few places, although they were all empty at the moment. In front of him sat his host: A cream-yellow pegasus with a long, flowing mane that covered one of her eyes. The pink river of hair looked extremely silky to the touch—a small urge to stroke it itching beneath V’s restraint. “What kind of animals do you take care of Miss Fluttershy?” “All kinds of critters, really. Whatever needs my care—any and all are welcome.” “Wow, that’s amazing. How long did you study to learn all of that?” “Oh, well… They didn’t really have schools for treating the kinds of animals I take in here…” “You learned on the fly, then?” “I suppose you’re right.” “Yaaaa… That’s crazy.” V glanced at Angel Bunny—Fluttershy’s apparent companion—who had moved to take residence under her forelegs. Now that he was sleeping, he looked like a completely normal bunny. “Is Angel your companion?” “I would say he’s my best friend.” “Heh. I love how sassy he is.” “That’s one way to put it. Do you have any fuzzy friends, Mister V?” V smiled, nodding as he did. “Yeah… His name’s Yeontan.” “That’s a nice name. What kind of animal is he?” “He’s a Pomeranian. He’s five years old now.” “Oh, a Pomeranian? They’re so fluffy! How cute. What’s he like?” “He’s pretty sassy. I think him and Angel would either get along well or be archenemies.” Fluttershy giggled. “It would be too cute if they met…” “Tannie’s so loving, too.” “That’s wonderful… I would love to hug a fluffy Pomeranian.” “Have you ever thought about how loving animals are?” Fluttershy beamed up at V. “Unconditionally loving. No matter what.” “And how they’re always themselves.” “Right. You can trust them never to be two-faced towards you.” “It’s almost easier to be with animals than with other people—or ponies, in your case.” Fluttershy’s smile faded. V sat upright, his heart breaking as the little pony’s expression darkened. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…” “No, it’s okay. It’s true.” The mare stared into the depths of her teacup. “I’m… not great at interacting with anypony. I get so anxious sometimes that I can’t leave this cottage. Even then… That’s me most days…” V frowned. “I see. That’s okay, though.” Fluttershy shook her head. “No, it’s not. It’s something I want to… need to fix, someday.” She held her head up, her eyes blazing with fiery determination. “I want to be brave. I want to make more friends—other than ones that just listen. I need to step out of what’s comfortable, and…” Her eyes cooled to azure embers as she lowered her head again. “I mean… I want to…” V smiled sympathetically. “I mean, you’re friends with all those ponies that greeted us when I first got here, right?” Fluttershy reciprocated with a smile of her own. “Yes. Best friends.” “Then it’s only a matter of time before you’ll be confident enough to do exactly that,” V stated. He gestured to the wicker beds. “You’re so kind to animals in need, to other people and ponies,” V sighed to himself. “I really wish ARMY could meet you. They shower good people like you with so much love and support…” Fluttershy studied V’s frustrated expression before nodding. “ARMY sounds like a wonderful group of ponies.” V’s warm smile returned. “They sure are,” he mused, reclining in the chair again. “At any rate, you’re going to find lots of ponies will be attracted to that kindness. All that’s left is to take that step when you’re ready.” The pegasus nodded vigorously. “Mm!” The two smiled at each other before both taking sips of their tea. “I really wish my phone worked so I could show you my funny videos of Tannie.” “Oh? I’m afraid I don’t understand…” V looked at his pocket wistfully. “Right, I forgot these aren’t a thing here…” “What’s a ‘video?’” “Hmm… Why don’t we table this conversation for later?” *** “A week?!” “Yes.” Suga faced forward once more, the glorious sunset failing to soothe his frayed nerves. “So all we can do is wait until that rod recharges?” “Correct.” Suga ran his hand through his hair, pausing to scratch the back of his head with both frustration and bewilderment. “I’d… better tell the others.” Luna stood, glancing down at the anxious human. “We shall talk more as the week continues, Min Yoongi. Until then, perhaps you might indulge yourself in all Equestria has to offer.” She flashed a smile. “We doubt it wise to dwell on that which nothing can be done.” With a gentle flap of her wings, the Princess thrust herself into the sky—leaving a befuddled Suga staring vacantly into the horizon. Author's Note If you can guess the song Seokjin is humming, you are insane and have my respect.
IDOLJab. One-two. Weave. Jab. Jungkook broke out into another brief jog, restarting his countdown from ninety seconds to zero as he focused on the trail ahead. Hitting the end of the count, he stopped again, weaving his head. Weave. Jab. Jab. Weave. One-two. One-two. Weave. One-two. “What’s all that supposed to be?” Jungkook stopped, doing his best to hide his surprise as he searched for the phantom voice’s source. “Up here.” He glanced up, his eyes lighting up with excitement. “Whoa… A flying one!” The pegasus chuckled to herself as she gestured to her wings. “Yeah. Awesome, right? Do you not have pegasi where you’re from?” “Only in storybooks and drawings.” “Huh. Anyway, whatcha doin?” Jungkook shrugged. “It’s boxing.” “Whuzzat?” “It’s a head-to-head sport. You gotta knock down your opponent using only your hands.” “Huh? So like pushing them over?” “Nah. Punching them. Like this—!” Jungkook jabbed twice, following with a left hook. He lowered his fists and shrugged. “Yeah. There’s a lot more to it, but…” “So, it’s like fighting?” “Sort of. It’s more like competing rather than fighting.” “That’s… really weird. Fighting for sport.” The human rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Well, it goes a bit deeper than that… I think it’s really freeing.” The pegasus cocked her head. “I always thought fighting just hurts ponies’ feelings and bodies.” Jungkook shook his head. “I mean, it hurts when you get hit. Don’t get me wrong. But to give something your all—to have to stand your ground and prove yourself against an opponent doing the same thing… I feel like there’s something really pure and noble about it all.” “Huh. I guess I can see where you’re coming from.” The pegasus stuck out a hoof. “I’m Rainbow Dash, by the way.” “Oh, hello—I’m Jungkook,” the human replied, bowing and taking her hoof in both hands, “Nice to meet you.” “Why do you bow like that?” “Oh, it’s how I say hello.” Rainbow turned her head the other way. “Weird.” Jungkook chuckled. “I don’t think I can even be offended at that considering the circumstances.” “Anyways, do you play other sports?” Jungkook tapped his chin thoughtfully, “I kinda like them all, I guess.” Rainbow gestured to her wings, “So can any humans fly where you come from?” “There are, but they use machines called ‘airplanes’ to do it.” “Do you do competitive flying with those?” “Maybe? I wouldn’t really know much about it—let alone even flying an airplane.” “Why’s that?” “Airplanes are pretty hard to fly—they’re really complicated. Never had time to learn.” “Man. Humans really could use some wings.” Jungkook looked at the sky wistfully. “Yeah. I wish I could fly.” The two stared skyward for a moment before Jungkook shivered. “You alright?” “Yeah. I’m fine. Just got cold all of a sudden—I think my sweat’s cooling me off too much.” Rainbow smirked, “Well, you may not be able to fly, but did you wanna see somepony who really knows how to fly?” Jungkook spread out his arms, “Show me what you got.” *** “You have a piano?” “Of course! I use it for writing songs.” “Just like Suga-hyung.” “Exactly!” “Right… What?” The pony calling herself Pinkie led Jimin through her spacious room. The entire central tower of this “Sugarcube Corner” had been converted into a large loft boasting a vaulted ceiling. A staircase led to a balcony that overlooked the large bedroom, the large window that Jimin recalled seeing on the tower’s exterior bathing the area in gratuitous natural light. The vibrant pink and purple hues worked in unison with the cream walls and pastel blue floors, giving everything the appearance of sugary icing. His nose picked up the faintest hint of bubblegum—a fitting addition for an entirely pink pony. “Anyways, I’m glad you decided to help me with what I have in mind!” “I hope I can help.” “It’s actually writing a song for your party!” “Party?” “Your ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party!” “Oh, you don’t have to…” “Of course I do! You’re BTS!” “I mean… Wait, what?” “And you came to visit Ponyville! I never thought you’d be right here in my backyard!” “You know about us?” “Who doesn’t? You’re famous everywhere! And what would be more fun than writing a song with one of you!” “But how do you know about…?” “Oh, silly! I’ve been around since the beginning! I’ll never forget that debut performance. I loved how you were all little edgy teens back then!” “Oh, dear… You watched our debut…” “And the way you flashed those abs!” “Aish…” “And the way you used to make everyone yell your name when you introduced yourself, so funny!” Jimin slumped against the wall, cradling his face in his hand, “Ahh… You remember that, too…” “I’d say I’m your biggest fan! At least in Ponyville. Or probably Equestria. Maybe even this entire plane of existence!” “Well, thank you for supporting us. I’m glad you like what we do.” “And thank you for discovering that interdimensional portal to Equestria and making this collaboration possible!” “You’re… welcome?” “Now, back to the song! As much as I would love to cover one of your songs, we have to be careful here…” “Oh? Is there a law in Equestria about that?” “No… I can’t say exactly where, but let’s just say it’s against the rules to write lyrics of a copyrighted song here.” “I’m sorry but I am very, very lost.” “No worries! Thinking out loud! Now, for the song, I had some lyrics that I drafted a few hours ago!” “Weren’t we all in that meeting together? How did you draft out lyrics?” “Easy! In my head, silly-billy! Here we go!” The piano began to plonk out a familiar melody as Pinkie sang with gusto. Raise your hooves, party’s on! Courtesy of your friend, Pinkie! Bangtan walkin’ into town, Ponyville’s the place to be! Cupcakes, great bakes, stuff your face—everypony groovin’ on! Tell your friends, tell your folks that it’s time to party till the break o’ dawn! The mare spun on the seat, beaming a dazzling smile. “Whatcha think, Jimmy?” “Whoa. That sounds great. And that’s the melody to—!” “Don’t spoil it, Jimmy! Anyways, we gotta keep going! We have a ways to go!” “Wait, spoil it for who? I think you’ve lost me again…” *** “Wow! Wow-wow-wow!” The human’s eyes spun and danced as they followed Rainbow Dash carefully through the sky—the pegasus’ wild turns and dives holding Jungkook’s rapt attention. Suddenly, he realized she was headed straight for him. Unsure of what to do, he bent his knees and tensed his body as Rainbow came closer and closer—her silhouette pulling up just above ground. His jaw dropped as she began to trot along the ground, keeping her wings outstretched as she hovered just low enough to keep the illusion of her trotting at over a hundred kilometers an hour. In the blink of an eye, she was less than ten meters away—the mare banking sideways and breaking away from her approach. Her wake slammed into the unprepared human, Jungkook holding up his arms to protect himself from the wave of condensed air crashing over him as she passed by. Turning around, he watched as she flared her wings out to slow herself to a stop. Hovering back over, she tossed her mane as she grinned. “Whaddya think?” “Wow… You’re amazing.” “Right?” “How long have you been flying like that?” “Ever since I was a little filly.” “No wonder. Makes me think of how good I could be at a lot of things if I just kept at it as a kid.” “Was there anything you did that you wish you kept up with?” “Yeah, actually. I used to want to be a professional badminton player.” “Huh? Like the one with the little ‘birdie’ thing you hit with a racket?” “That’s the one.” “Wow. You’re weird, Jungkook.” “What’s wrong with that?” Rainbow stifled a giggle, “You go from ‘fighting for sport’ to wanting to be a world famous badminton player.” Jungkook shrugged, still unfazed, “That was a long time ago. Not long after I decided to become a singer instead.” “Pfft, and how’s that working for ya?” “Better than I could have dreamed.” “Wait, really?” “Weren’t you at that meeting this morning where we explained all of this?” “Eh, it was still too early for me to function.” The human couldn’t help a smile, “At least that’s something we had in common.” “Hey, why don’t you show me how you do that thing you were doing.” “You mean earlier? My shadowboxing?” “Whatever you were doing with your hands.” “Oh, sure. You gotta stand on two legs, though…” *** “Pinkie… I’m not sure what this has to do with party planning…” “Shh!” Jimin frowned, crouching in the bushes next to Sugarcube Corner. It had been a blast writing the song with Pinkie Pie (not to mention she was a musical savant) but as soon as the writing concluded she had rushed downstairs, leaping into the flower garden and beckoning him over. That was almost five minutes ago—the pink pony refusing to explain their actions any further. “Here they come… Get ready!” “What? How? What are we even doing?” Jimin fell silent as he heard footsteps nearby. They were getting louder, closer. With a burst of confetti and a cacophony of party horns (from where, Jimin had no clue), Pinkie burst from the foliage ahead of him. Instinctively, he stood up—an apologetic smile crossing his face as he stared at the yellow earth pony in front of him. “YOU’VE JUST BEEN SERVED! TONIGHT! TOWN HALL! BE THERE! PINKIE OUT! C’MON, JIMMY!” “I’m sorry! Sorry! Sorry!” Jimin’s apologies faded into the distance as the two beat a hasty retreat to a nearby alleyway between two houses—both panting to catch their breaths. “Nice one, Jimmy!” “What… What was that?!” “Invitations, Jimmy! Only three-hundred twenty-one to go!” “Wait, we’re giving them out individually?!” “Yeah! Here. Take half!” “Whoa! Hey!” “Meet back here in an hour! Good luck!” Fumbling with the large stack of envelopes, Jimin turned to reply to a Pinkie-shaped dust cloud. “Man… This feels like another day in Run BTS…” *** “Hey! Namjoon!” “Yoongi!” The leader took a seat next to Suga—the human having sat at the foot of a large fountain in the park. A few ponies frolicked in the grasses nearby but all of them kept a respectful distance. The two humans watched them with idle curiosity as they talked. “How’d it go? The interview with the purple one?” “You mean Twilight? Yeah, it was good. Just had some lunch over at a café.” “Ah. I should get something to eat there, too. What’d you have?” “They had eggs on the menu, so I got an egg salad sandwich. Pretty good—I’m wondering if their palates are similar to ours.” “Oh, interesting.” “Were you able to get something to eat? Twilight gave me some money if you haven’t.” “I’m okay. Appetite hasn’t come back yet.” “Really? You sure that’s normal?” “Too excited to eat. It’s a lot to take in.” “I see. Well, take a few bits just in case.” Suga winced as several warm coins were pressed into his hand. “Were you holding these the whole time?” “My pants don’t have pockets and my jacket pockets are shallow so I had to hold the coins in place while walking.” “Gross… Thanks.” “Sure.” “Oh, I should tell you. One of the Princesses told me about the thing that brought us here.” “That magic staff?” “Yeah. Listen to this. We’re stuck here.” “For how long?” “A week.” “A week?!” “Yep. It’s gotta ‘recharge’ before we can use it to go back.” “Man… There’s no telling what’s gonna happen while we’re gone…” The two sat there for a moment longer before suddenly shivering. “Man… Kinda cold.” “You, too?” “Yeah. What was that…?” “Rapmon! Yoongi!” RM and Suga looked up at the approaching Jimin, their smiles dissolving into confused stares as they eyed his giant stack of envelopes. “Uh… Hey, Jimin. What’s with the letters?” “Invitations for our welcome party.” “We’re having a welcome party?” “Pinkie Pie’s throwing it.” “The pink one that abducted you?” “Yoongi.” “Sorry. Whisked you away?” “Better.” “She’s like a cartoon character come to life.” RM and Suga took a look around, the ponies nearby talking amongst themselves. “Yeah. Lot of that going on.” “You guys doing okay?” “Yeah. You get anything to eat?” “Pinkie’s host family runs a bakery so I ate there.” “Bakery? So like breads and pastries?” “I think just pastries. I’m on the mother of all sugar highs right now.” “Man. Finding proper food here is gonna be hard.” “Anyways, I gotta run. Still gotta give out all these invitations.” “Give some to us. We can hand some out.” Jimin dropped half of the stack on the spot, jogging off. “Thanks guys! See you at the party!” RM and Suga collected the fallen envelopes, each opening one to inspect the card inside. “Where is this party, anyways?” “These envelopes are adorable.” *** “Oh! Taehyung!” “Seokjin!” “Hey, Flutters!” “Hello, Applejack…” The two groups converged, each toting various items. V and Seokjin bowed to the ponies accompanying their fellow member. “Hello, I’m Jin.” “Hello, I’m V.” Applejack and Fluttershy nodded, reciprocating with greetings of their own. “Nice to meetcha. I’m Applejack.” “And I’m… Fluttershy…” “What were you two up to,” Applejack began, gesturing towards V and Fluttershy. V nodded to the yellow pegasus with a gentle smile. “Well, you see… Angel Bunny had a mean streak and threw a rock at Mister V while he was walking in the woods near my cottage. When I came out to reprimand him, Mister V said hello, and… We ended up having tea… It was wonderful.” “Wow… I’m envious, Taehyung.” “Sounds mite peaceful, Fluttershy. Glad you two are gettin’ along alright.” “And what’s in the cart, Applejack?” Fluttershy gestured towards the crate on the earth pony’s vendor cart. “Jin helped Granny Smith with the largest batch of apple cider donuts since Shinin’ Armor’s weddin’. Ain’t seen anypony work with Granny so well. Or scream that high.” “Sounds like Jin,” V chuckled quietly. “You should’ve seen her, Taehyung. It was like my life was on the line,” Jin sighed. “Prolly was,” Applejack mused. “Donuts turned out great, though!” “So those donuts must be for the…” “Yup.” “Should we…?” “Sure.” “Should you what? What’s going on,” Jin ventured. “We’re throwin’ ya a welcome party. Figure we’d tell ya since I see the invitations are already goin’ out.” She nodded towards a pink pony cranking what appeared to be a cannon attached to a bag of envelopes. The mare gave a maniacal cackle as ponies scrambled for cover from the automatic onslaught of pastel-pink party invitations. “THAT’S RIGHT! RUN, PONIES! RUN TO THE PARTY! TONIGHT! TOWN HALL! HEEHEEHAHAHA!” Jin and V stared in awe as the terrifying spectacle unfolded before them while Applejack and Fluttershy continued talking. “I didn’t get to talk much with ‘Ginny’ here, but Granny said he’s a good ‘un.” “Mhmm. Mister V was very sweet and patient. He also has a dog like yours, Applejack.” “Really? Well, ain’t that somethin’.” Applejack looked over the two humans gasping in horror at Pinkie’s antics in the town square ahead. “Guess the Princesses were right about trustin’ these folks. They really don’t mean us any harm.” “I wonder what they’ll think of the party.” “Judgin’ by how enthusiastic Pinks is handin’ out these invitations, I think we’re in for quite a night.” *** “Whoa. What’s going on?” “Beats me. C’mon! Let’s take a look!” Jungkook jogged into the town square as he followed Rainbow Dash towards the crowds, eyeing the stage with interest as numerous ponies milled about. He spotted some familiar faces standing tall above the throngs of miniature horses. “Jungkook! Just in time!” “Over here!” Following the voices of his members, he joined them at the foot of the stage—Rainbow Dash still following close behind. As she approached, a wave of greetings rolled out from the group. “Oh, hello…” “Hello.” “Hello, nice to meet you.” “Hello, hello.” “Hi, there.” “Hey, guys. What’s happening,” Jungkook inquired, eyes still on the stage. “Well, it’s a—!” “Shh! It’s starting.” A fog rolled out from the stage, blanketing the front row in an ominous cloud. A few surprised gasps and cries rang out as a mysterious figure appeared in the mists. At least, mysterious to the ponies present. For the humans, it was pretty obvious it was their missing member. “Jimin?” Their seventh bandmate walked onstage, smiling and waving. He held a microphone up to his lips. “Hello everyone! Thank you for coming!” “What’s he doing up there? I didn’t think he was gonna be a part of it.” “I want to be a part of this performance…” “Shh! Let him talk…” “On behalf of my group, BTS, I wanted to thank you for the warm welcome you’ve all given us. You’ve humbled us with your generosity and willingness to accept individuals so different to you with open arms. For that, we are all very, very thankful.” A round of polite applause broke out, the peculiar sound of numerous clopping hooves having a bass ring in comparison to the clapping of hands. “I am sure many of you are wondering what we do back in our world. That is a question I can answer for you… with a demonstration!” He pointed to his left—a white pony with a frizzy mane of alternating blues and bizarre sunglasses grinning back at him. "Music!” As a basic snare kick began to play, all the members began to look at each other with confusion. It was their song, Dynamite. A spotlight shone from an unknown source—landing on a pink pony astride a large platform situated on top of an enormous blue cake emblazoned with their symbol: two doors opening outward. The guitar riff kicked in as Jimin and the pony began to sing together. We wel-come you to Equestria! It’s-time-to have some fun, turn the music up! Raise your hooves, party’s on! Courtesy of your friend, Pinkie! Bangtan walkin’ into town, Ponyville’s the place to be! Cupcakes, great bakes, stuff your face—everypony groovin’ on! Tell your friends, tell your folks that it’s time to party till the break o’ dawn! Smi-les all a-round ya, Can’t believe you came and found us! (Woo-hoo!) Now you get to hang out With the ponies of Eque-stria! (Huh!) Music gettin’ loud! Gotta sing it out! Never had a doubt—! That Pinkie knows how to party! (Hey!) So let’s go! We wel-come you to Equestria! It’s-time-to have some fun, turn the music up! Shake your tail and feel the beat, it’s Jimin and Pinkie! Join the night of dancing in the streets. (Woah-ooh-oh!) Pandemonium descended upon the town square. Ponies sang and danced as the music continued on, Jimin and Pinkie belting the melody with all of their might. The members all nodded approvingly as they heard their song in a new light. “Yeah! That’s my boy!” “Man, when did they write all this?!” “Not bad, not bad.” “Get it, Jimin!” “I love how they sound together!” “Jimin! I LOVE YOU!” Rainbow cringed as she watched them cheer on their bandmate, finding her secondhand embarrassment slowly overcome by mirth as the performance eventually concluded—the town square filling with cheers and whoops as Jimin and Pinkie bowed, both waving as they started to walk offstage. “Thank you! Hope you enjoyed our song!” “Everypony enjoy the party! Snacks and drinks courtesy of the Apple Family and Sugarcube Corner!” As the two exited the stage, the music increased in volume as the familiar rock beat of Dionysus began to play. “How did she get all of our music?” RM yelled above J-Hope’s intro. “We should ask her to feature on an album in the future,” J-Hope mused before making a beeline for the masses forming at the snack tables. “Food! Be right back,” Jungkook exclaimed, following J-Hope to the snacks. “Get me a plate,” Suga yelled after them before returning to the group. “So that’s what you guys sound like,” Rainbow Dash hollered to the remaining members. RM nodded. “More or less. It’s the biggest part of what we do next to interacting with our fans.” “Maybe we can organize a performance in the future. Suga, can you talk with that DJ and work something out?” “Maybe if they ask us we’ll set something up but no need to assume they’ll even want us performing for them.” “I dunno; they sounded pretty hyped after that performance.” “Hey guys!” Jimin leapt off of the stage, landing in the midst of his members. They all began patting him on the back both literally and figuratively. “That was awesome. Proud of you.” “I wanted to be up there with you so bad.” “Tell Pinkie that she’s got a good voice.” Jimin held up his hands, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “Guys! Guys! She knows who we are! She knows BTS!” “Wait, what?! How?!” “I didn’t think we were so famous that other planes of existence would hear about us.” “Ask her if she has a favorite member.” *** “Check this out.” “This’d better be good… I have work in five hours…” “Just listen!” Allie passed Sadie the laptop as her eyes grew wide with concern. Sadie watched the screen intently, her tired gaze resting on the subtitles at the base of the video. “…mysteriously disappeared. It’s been almost fifteen hours since the initial loss of the legendary idol group. Rescuers have yet to find any signs of their whereabouts. It is unknown if this is the result of a kidnapping or simply unfortunate circumstances leading to their disappearance. If you or anyone has heard any information pertaining to the whereabouts of BTS, please contact your local law enforcement immediately.” Sadie looked to Allie, her mouth open in shock. Allie could only nod. “It’s already all over WeVerse. No VLives since the incident, either. It’s real.” “Oh my god.”
