It took me a few minutes to regain my composure, my tears drying up alongside any remaining strength in my body. Sunny stood respectfully aside during my emotional outburst. It was only when she noticed that I had stopped crying that she approached me cautiously, extending a trembling hoof to touch my shoulder.

“H-Hey… um,” she began, sensing my slight twitch as a sign that I was listening. “I think it would be better if we headed back downstairs. We’ll wait for my friends to arrive, and then we can discuss what just happened, sound good?” Her voice was hesitant, but she lightly stroked my shoulder in a reassuring manner. Despite the scare I had given her, she still tried to make me feel better.

Finding myself too exhausted to protest, I returned a limp nod and wiped away the last of my stinging tears. Reassured by my willingness to cooperate, she stepped back, now facing my full height for the first time.

“Wow…” she mumbled, astonished, her eyes wide and sparkling with the last rays of the afternoon sun. “Okay, just… follow me and… careful with your head, else you might bump into something, hehe…” She laughed timidly while retracing her steps toward the elevator. As expected, my height must have unnerved her, as it did with many ponies back then. Not to mention that time travel and a few days roughing it in the wild didn’t exactly improve my appearance.

Honestly, at that moment, I couldn’t have cared less.

“Lead the way,” I croaked, my voice hoarse from all the crying. It took a considerable effort, but I managed to calm my breathing, and the itching in my eyes began to fade. Now that her rear was in front of me while she headed for the elevator, I could better discern her cutie mark. It depicted a shooting star with a pair of smaller stars near it. Not many earth ponies possessed star-themed cutie marks; that was more of a unicorn thing. I took careful notice of it.

Filled flanks (yes, I did peek), trimmed fluffy fur, brushed mane and tail, strong earth-pony muscles, adorable snout, beautiful eyes... I didn’t know what I was expecting; she just seemed to be… average, for a pony that is. It was a relief to see that ponies had not changed at all over the years.

‘You showed me how much things can change in a few years, Starlight. That was NOT a pleasant ride.’

We stepped into the elevator, neither of us saying another word, feeling the weight of the uncomfortable silence between two hesitant strangers. She looked on edge, stealing small glances at me, only to quickly return her sight to the floor and pretend nothing had happened. Her front hooves shuffled nervously against each other, now more so due to my proximity.

I took a last sideways glance at the crystals before the elevator began its gentle descent down the tower. I just couldn’t believe it. Starlight and I had been so sure that it would work.

“It doesn’t make sense. It just doesn’t make any sense. It can’t end like this.” I repeated softly to myself, again and again. Sunny, her sensitive ears twitching, pretended not to hear.

Once the elevator completed its journey, Sunny hopped out with agile ease and pointed a trembling hoof towards the same couch I had caught her napping on. “Um, w-would you mind waiting there while I prepare some snacks for us and my friends? It’ll only take a moment,” she asked with an inviting smile, yet her shaky voice betrayed her nervousness. Once again, I simply nodded and took a seat on the left side of the couch without a word.

After holding her gaze on me for another second, she found my position satisfactory and, albeit hesitantly, trotted towards the kitchen, leaving me alone with my gloomy thoughts. For a few minutes, I just sat there, unsuccessfully trying to get my thoughts in order and hastily attempting to come up with a new plan. My eyes were drawn to the banner bearing Twilight’s cutie mark. A renewed sense of hate filled my very being.

‘It was you, right? You couldn’t leave things as they were. You had to mess it up! AGAIN!’

My anger rose once again, threatening to burst and seek retribution over the poor mare’s furniture. At the time, it was the only explanation I could come up with for the catastrophic end my brilliant plan had met. All that effort wasted…

I had half a mind to just stand up and leave the mare be. I had already caused enough trouble as it was, and I really didn’t want to deal with Sunny’s friends, especially after she told them what she had caught me doing. No doubt they would totally freak out when she told them what happened. Better to get out of their manes and return to the chamber. Fewer problems for them and me. I needed time to think of an alternative approach. I couldn’t just surrender. I wouldn’t surrender, not after all I had left behind.

‘I need books, anything that can point me in the right direction. I don’t know for sure how much knowledge survived the fall of Equestria… Perhaps Canterlot or some other big settlement managed to remain, even if it’s just a couple of ruins. I need to try!’

Just as I was about to stand up and be on my way, the front door burst open, followed by a yellow-furred earth pony stallion rushing in. Breathless and sweaty, he started looking around the room in a mad search for the orange-furred mare, his eyes full of worry.

“Sunny! SUNNY!! I came as quickly as I could. What was that explosion?! The whole town was shaking! Sunny?!” He kept searching everywhere, his aqua-green mane and tail following his movements erratically as he turned around and around trying to find the earth pony.

So desperately was he searching for her that it took him a few seconds to notice the strange creature sitting on the couch as if it owned the place. Our eyes met, and his expression immediately shifted from worry to disbelief. But I didn't have the strength for more than a passing glance. Tired of the awkward moment, I turned my attention back to the banner. Now that he had arrived, I could not escape without being seen.

‘Dammit, I only needed a second…’

“Over here, Hitch! I was just preparing something to eat,” Sunny called from the kitchen. A moment later, she returned, carrying a tray with a few glasses of water and an assortment of snacks on her back. Hitch ignored her call and kept staring at me with a dumbfounded expression.

“Sunny… what’s that…” he started to ask.

“It’s fine, Hitch, he’s a… guest. Yes! A guest. We have some VERY important things to discuss, but we should wait for the rest of the gang to arrive,” Sunny revealed while carefully placing the tray on the small coffee table in front of the couch. “Help me gather some chairs, would you?” She turned towards the yellow earth pony once everything was secured in place.

“... Sure thing, Sunny,” he mumbled, keeping his golden eyes fixed on me until he had turned around completely. I could now see a kind of shoulder strap with a golden star fixed on it. His cutie mark resembled a shield with a blue horseshoe inside.

‘A sheriff… just what I needed. At least she didn’t call me a trespasser,’ I thought to myself, realizing that my situation was only getting more and more complicated. I sighed and, without anything better to do aside from scowling, continued to immerse myself back into my planning.

Shortly after he had left to help Sunny, the door burst open again. This time, two pegasi mares entered the foyer and found the two earth ponies on their way to bring in the chairs from the backroom.

“Sunny, Hitch! Thank hoofness you’re okay! We had to stay back and help a few ponies who fell after the shockwave! What in Tartarus happened here?!” demanded the snow-white pegasus, whose mane and tail as well as her wings sported a variety of colors ranging from dark blue to brilliant rose in a beautiful gradient pattern. Her cutie mark resembled a two-toned lightning bolt with a tiny crown above it. Looking closely, I could find many similarities with another pegasus I knew.

‘Oh, please. One was enough! No more, please!’

“Yeah. I was just visiting a small shop for sale near the market when suddenly the whole town just, like, started shaking! I almost dropped my phone!” added the smaller pegasus. This one had light pink fur with a lighter hue near her fetlocks. Her wings were a bit different than I was used to, them being more… puffy, I guess? Her mane and tail were the same color as Sunny’s. Her cutie mark resembled a two-toned musical note with another tiny crown inside.

‘Similar to the other pegasus, perhaps they’re related?’ I wondered, tiredly enduring the two pegasi’s astonished looks after they realized I was sitting there as if I were a piece of furniture.

“Girls! It’s great to see you!” Sunny called out to the pair of pegasi, dragging another chair in front of her. “Mind helping us set up the chairs for the meeting?” she requested, pushing the chair all the way in front of the table.

“Uuuuh… Sunny, there’s a… in your… couch?” blurted the white pegasus, as still as a stone. The other one reached under her wing and pulled out a rectangular device. Pointing the back end at me, she tapped it a few times. It took me a moment to realize what she was holding.

‘There’s no way…’

“Is that a smartphone?!” I inquired aloud before I could catch myself.

The pink pegasus recoiled from my outburst and jumped back as though I had just caught her with her hooves in the cookie jar. Losing her stance, she fell on her rump and, in her scare, dropped what I could now safely call a smartphone. The bright light of the screen, now facing up, sealed my suspicions.

‘An honest-to-Faust digital smartphone… and it’s not mine!’

I barely managed to hold in my laugh, thinking about the absurdity of the situation. Yet, I couldn't help the smirk that appeared on my lips. This didn’t go unnoticed by the now-fuming pegasus.

“What’s so funny, huh?!” the mare demanded angrily, sounding bothered by the jump scare. She reached down and retrieved her phone in a swift move, choosing to store it back under the safety of her wing.

“Nothing, please forgive me,” I proffered, resting my back against the couch pillows once more. If only they knew how much effort it had cost me to explain human technology to the ponies after my arrival in Equestria. I could only mentally chuckle at the new reality in front of me.

‘I wonder if they finally used my own as a template… I mean, I guess without magic, technological advancement gained a new level of importance.’

The pink pegasus shot me one final disdainful glance before seating herself beside the other pegasus. Sunny and Hitch returned from the back room, each carrying a chair, and they completed the semi-circle around the table.

The earth pony mare volunteered to speak first. Her initial nervousness had dissipated in the presence of her friends. “Okay guys, we’re still missing Izzy, but she shouldn’t be long. Meanwhile, let’s do some introductions! I’ll start. Ahem… Hi there! My name is Sunny Starscout. I’m just a humble earth pony who likes to make smoothies, hehe, and I guess I also try to make the world a better place! Even if I try too hard sometimes…” She finished, sounding a bit embarrassed.

‘At least she doesn’t look uneasy around me now,’ I mentally celebrated.

My observation was confirmed when she, after her introduction, chose to sit next to me on the couch.

The yellow earth pony had taken the chair closest to the door, effectively blocking my escape route.

‘Hmm, smart pony…’

Ignoring my pointed look, he grabbed one of the glasses Sunny had provided and introduced himself. “I’m Hitch Trailblazer, the sheriff of Maretime Bay. I won’t assume anything, but based on your appearance and the situation we’re in, I find it hard to believe you’re a ‘guest’ as Sunny claims.” He made no effort to hide his suspicions, his narrowed eyes promising to keep tabs on my every move.

“Hitch, stay calm,” Sunny requested, making calming gestures towards her friend. “Let’s focus on the talking part of the meeting, please.”

Hitch snorted dismissively and leaned back in his seat, his eyes never leaving me.

“Thaaank you. Now, who’s next?” Sunny turned towards the two pegasi sitting next to Hitch.

With a sigh, the ivory pegasus introduced herself. “I’m Zipp Storm… and I’m afraid I share my buddy’s suspicions. I’ve never seen anything like you before, and the Unity Crystals don’t react like that unless something big is happening…” She too narrowed her eyes at me. Unbothered, I remained neutral, absentmindedly munching on a sandwich Sunny had prepared. Strawberry jam, very tasty.

‘Sorry, pegasus, you’re not going to get me. No no.’

The pink one gave a passing glance towards Zipp and followed her lead with a pronounced accent. “My name is Pipp Petals, and I also concur with my sister.”

‘So, they are sisters.’

Reaching for her wing again, she extracted her phone and held it in front of her. “Also, would you mind taking some pictures with me later? That would be, like, a BOMB on my feed. Pretty please?” She pleaded, innocently batting her eyelashes and wearing a winning smile.

“Pipp! Now is not the time!” Her sister scolded the tiny pegasus.

“Come oooon! Can you imagine the views I would get? It would be the perfect thing to announce my new single!”

From the heat of the conversation, it seemed they were about to start fighting, but thankfully Hitch was brave enough to intervene before the situation escalated.

“Girls! That’s enough!” He scolded the sisters. Still giving nasty looks at each other, they laid back in their seats, sticking their tongues out at each other in a foalish manner.

“SO!” Sunny interceded, trying to ease the atmosphere. “With that out of the way, why don’t you tell us your name?” She looked expectantly at me, using her front hooves to balance herself as she inched closer, her curiosity unrestrained.

She looked really adorable. Sadly, I had no intention of revealing my identity to these ponies.

‘That would only complicate things more, especially with Sunny studying ancient Equestria. Time for some improvised excuses… I’m so tired of them.’

I scanned everypony. Their looks mirrored Sunny’s, except for Hitch, who still gave me the stink-eye.

“Well… you see…”

*SLAM*

Before I could even begin, the door was almost torn off its hinges. A purple unicorn with a cobalt-blue mane and tail stood panting at the door, clearly having run all the way from town.

“Ugh! Finally… phew! Sorry, Sunny, I rushed as soon as I could. Everypony was panicking and…” Before she could finish, her eyes met mine, and whatever she was about to say was erased from her muzzle. Her expression changed to one of astonishment and… slight perturbation.

‘I’m getting tired of these looks. I don’t look that weird… right?’ I asked myself, recalling the numerous times I had found myself in this situation.

“Hi, Izzy! Don’t worry about it. I can imagine the town is a bit restless after that shock,” Sunny addressed the new pony with a friendly wave. “Still, it’s great to have you here. Now we’re all present!” Sunny beckoned the unicorn with her hoof towards the remaining free chair.

But instead of taking a seat, the unicorn mare slowly approached me, her eyes never leaving mine. She looked deeply puzzled. Halfway there, she suddenly stopped, and her features morphed into one of fear.

“Y-you…” She stuttered, her right trembling hoof pointing at me.

“Me...” I responded, a bit nervous at her sudden change of demeanor.

“Y-y-you have… n-no s-sparkle….” She managed to blurt out, her fear blossoming into outright panic. “YOU HAVE NO SPARKLE!” She wailed, looking really perturbed, her pupils reduced to a pair of pinpricks behind several strands of her long mane.

‘No sparkle? What does she mean by th- Oh. Yeah, that’s going to be a bit difficult to explain.’

I realized why she was so bothered. It had also been a shock for Twilight the first time she realized that particular aspect of my alien anatomy.

The remaining ponies mirrored Izzy’s confused and uneasy demeanor.

‘Yeah, better clear this up fast.’

“You’re right, Izzy.” I conceded in a calm voice. “I don’t possess any magic of my own, which I think you’re referring to. That doesn’t make me any less alive, though.” I explained to the pony audience with a tiny chuckle.

‘Although, after what happened today, I almost wish that was the case… oh no. Not going there, brain. Shut up and focus!’ Those thoughts were the last thing I needed at the time.

My quick explanation failed to appease the unicorn. “Bu-but, everything alive has some kind of magic inside of them! Even when it went missing, there was still something there! It makes us what we are!” She rebutted nervously, looking towards her friends for confirmation.

“Close, but not quite there, Izzy. Sorry, but now is not the time for magic lectures.” I closed the topic with a calm tone. It didn’t manage to ease her completely, but at least she stopped screaming. Nodding in defeat, she shakily crossed the remaining distance and took a seat to our left.

Sunny was about to say something, but I decided to cut her off. I was growing tired and wanted a quick way out. “Look, guys. I know you must have a thousand questions for me, but if I’m honest, I’m feeling like crap right now and really don’t have the energy to answer all your questions. So, this is what we’re going to do: I’m going for a quick trip to the bathroom, with your permission of course, Sunny, to clean myself up a bit and refresh my mind. In the meantime, you can talk with each other and try to calm yourselves down a bit, hmm? When I return, each of you gets one question. We can finish with the rest another time, yes?” I proposed while standing up and addressing each of them.

Nopony protested, and Sunny courteously pointed towards the back of the room, past the elevator.

“Thank you, everypony.” With that said, I took my leave. But before that, I noticed Hitch nervously twitching in his seat. I could imagine what he wanted.

“You can accompany me if you want, sheriff. Heaven forbid I leave your sight for a second.” I teased. “Hopefully, it will stop your balls from itching, am I right? I’ll even let you hold my purse while I do my business.” I spoke with a mischievous grin. The girls barely managed to hold in their laughs while Hitch glared daggers at me.

‘That’s right, nothing like a bit of humor to lower the awkwardness of the room. I’m really fed up with that.’

No doubt grumbling obscenities under his breath, Hitch came down from his seat and followed behind me, drilling a hole in my back with his scowl.

I had no trouble finding the restroom. Hitch stood aside while I entered. I looked at him as I passed by and teased with a naughty grin. “Do you mind lending me a hoof? I promise I won’t bite~” Faust forgive me, I just couldn’t resist.

“Just… shut up and be quick about it.” He grunted grumpily while sitting on his haunches, ready to stand guard for little ol’ me.

“As you command, sheriff.” I obeyed with an exaggerated bow as I closed the door. The bathroom had a simplistic, if not girly, design, but that was to be expected considering Equestria’s general tendencies. I approached the sink and looked at my reflection in the mirror.

‘... Yeah, I look like crap.’

My brown hair was messy and greasy, a bit longer than I usually preferred, reaching well down my neck. My chocolate-brown eyes looked back at me, worn out and with the beginnings of bags under them, no doubt from the lack of sleep. Funny, considering I had just woken up from a thousand-year-long slumber. I guessed I was just that lazy.

I had just turned twenty-eight when I set on my ‘journey’. The Equestrian herbivore-friendly diet and having to walk everywhere did absolute wonders for my physique… as far as a lab rat physique can go. Still, I looked good enough to prevent ponies from running away from me screaming… most of the time.

I took off my worn-out blue jacket and cerulean shirt and proceeded to wash my face, upper torso, and armpits to remove some of the smell and filth.

‘I don’t know how Sunny managed to not scrunch her muzzle in disgust. Ponies are way more sensitive than me to strong smells.’

While cleaning myself, I became lost in my memories once again.

I waited near the entrance to the royal palace, listening to the bustle of the city below. In my left hand, I absentmindedly rolled around a small blue gem between my fingers, part of my latest and most advanced prototype fresh out of the R&D department. It was sure to be a hit when Twilight and I presented it at Fillydelphia’s M&S National Congress next month. As I lazily flipped the gem around, lost in thoughts about tomorrow’s work in the lab, I heard him calling.

“Hey there, dude. How’s it going?” A blue-feathered griffon with amber-colored chest fur greeted me, approaching the entrance with a suave gait. He was wearing a pristine military uniform, a corporal’s uniform, no less. Not a speck of dust or grime on it.

“Nice costume you got there, Gallus. Where’s the dress party?” I greeted back with a smirk, holding out my fist. The young griffon rolled his eyes and bumped it with his talons.

“Yeah, yeah, very funny. They’re already busting our flanks enough at boot camp for you to start making jokes. I swear, some days I really wish I’d stayed at the Friendship School.” He moaned, his sky-blue predatory eyes showing a hint of exhaustion. I had always kept my distance from military affairs since coming to this magical land, but I could sympathize with the poor griffon’s plight.

Together, we started walking towards the inner square of the castle past the gates, heading to the left-side gardens for a break.

“I can see that now, bluebird. Still, you knew what you were getting into when you enlisted,” I said, noting his slightly saggy posture.

Gallus shook his head with resolve. “I don’t regret it, not for a second. The inter-racial inclusion initiative has done wonders for integration in the EUP. Now we’re more diverse and ready than ever!...” His enthusiasm quickly faded. “... I just wish Silverstream didn’t give me such a hard time for joining.” He looked down at the paved road sadly. The energetic hippogriff had also written to me about the issue.

“I know, Gallus. Just try to understand where she’s coming from. Her people had it rough with the Storm King’s invasion. No wonder she doesn’t want any of her loved ones involved in anything that could risk their lives.” I tried to reason. “Especially if what Smolder told me was true...” I nudged him on his side, an embarrassed grin appearing on his beak while the feathers on his cheeks turned a shade redder.

“Hehe, yeah… that was a surprise for both of us. But it’s going smoothly if I do say so myself.” He affirmed, sticking his chest out in pride.

“I’ll believe it when I hear it from the other party…. OUCH!!” I rubbed my arm where Gallus had punched me, now giving me a scowl but barely able to hide his smile.

“Shut up, space monkey. You’re in no position to talk about relationships.” He jabbed with a knowing leer.

“Touché.” I conceded. We arrived at the center of the gardens and found a nice bench at the side of the central plaza, where an ornate fountain depicting a heroic unicorn from times long past refreshed the surrounding area. Fully aware of what was expected of me, I reached out and started scratching the feathers at the back of his head. His eyes rolled back, a happy grin splitting his beak.

“Mmmmm... thanks, dude. I really needed that...” He half whispered, half moaned, getting lost in his happy place.

“You’re welcome, bluebird.” I answered, starting to relax myself. Humans do enjoy petting other creatures as much as they like being petted; it is a universal law.

We stayed like that for a few minutes, Gallus on the verge of falling asleep. We had been very good friends since his arrival at the school a few years ago, having met before that during a not-so-fortunate encounter back in his hometown. I knew for a fact he kinda liked these things, even if he wouldn’t admit it to anycreature.

The sound of multiple hooves marching in formation dragged me out of my thoughts. Searching around, I witnessed a small unit of around twenty ponies and two yaks marching in tight formation around the plaza. Their drill instructor, a black-furred pegasus with a looming scar splitting his features and wearing an appropriate drill instructor uniform, set a brisk pace. I took careful notice of the equipment the recruits were dressed in, and what I saw baffled me, finding something far from the standard guard uniform. In my stupor, I stopped petting Gallus and shook him out of his happy place.

“Gallus… hey, Gallus!” I kept shaking him. Grumbling a bit, he reopened his slightly glossed eyes.

“Mmmmmgg, why did you stop?” He moaned, still half asleep. Wordlessly, I pointed towards the unit that had just started another lap around the plaza.

“Gallus, what are they wearing? I’ve never seen that kind of equipment in the Royal Guard, and is that a… shield on their backs?” I asked the sleepy griffon while squinting my eyes to see better.

It took his half-asleep brain a moment to reboot and process my question. Yawning shamelessly, he answered me with a slurred tone. “That’s the new equipment that arrived last week at camp. Supposed to be some… what did they call it?... Anti-riot equipment or something like that? They’re beginning to train a couple of the third home-defense battalion units with them. They came with new routines, too.”

I could only hold my baffled sight on the retreating soldiers, my mind a mess, dragging out old memories of my lost homeworld.

‘Anti-riot units? Since when is that a thing?!’

As if young Gallus was reading my mind, he continued explaining the new situation, now sounding more awake. “Yeah, it surprised me too when I heard it. Apparently, the Royal Guard alone isn’t enough to prevent the growing conflicts escalating, and general unrest from the population centers is at an all-new high. The princess consulted with the high-ups and thought it would be more effective to create a specialized division to cope with the growing issue.” He explained, also sounding a bit bothered by the measures taken. “... Not gonna lie, it’s a bit unnerving that things have reached this point.” He concluded with an uncertain tone.

Me? I simply couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I had heard about the recent issues happening alongside a few major settlements near the west coast, but I never imagined it had gotten this bad. And all under my nose!

‘This isn’t looking good… It's not looking good at all! I need to speak with Twilight about this. Pronto.’

*Knock Knock*

“Hey, you awake in there?!” Hitch’s call snapped me out of my daydreaming. Glancing back at my reflection in the mirror, I shook myself awake and swiftly finished washing my face.

“In a minute!” I called out. Satisfied that I had done the best I could with my disheveled appearance, I turned off the tap and dried myself with a nearby towel. 'I hope Sunny doesn’t mind...'

With a sigh, I opened the bathroom door and stepped outside, feeling refreshed but not necessarily better. A good night’s sleep was the only real cure for my exhaustion. Hitch was waiting nearby, glaring at me and tapping the floor impatiently with his forehoof. Ignoring him, I made my way back to the living room where the girls were chatting quietly.

Sunny saw me return and immediately patted the side of the couch, beckoning me to sit back in my original place. Seeing no reason to refuse, I complied and waited expectantly as everypony settled back into their seats.

“So, who’s first?” Sunny prompted, looking eagerly at her friends. Before they could discuss the order, Hitch rose from his seat and stepped forward.

“I’ll go first,” he declared, his voice firm. “What were you doing at Sunny’s house, and what did you do to the Unity Crystals?!” His tone was accusatory, and his posture was tense, as if ready to pounce.

“Um, Hitch… that might not be the best way to start…” Sunny began, but I interrupted her. Better to get this over with quickly.

“I broke in and tried to tamper with the crystals,” I stated flatly, barely reacting to the bombshell I had just dropped. The stunned expressions on Sunny’s friends were priceless.

‘Didn’t expect me to be so blunt, did you?’ I grinned devilishly.

Sunny raised a forehoof to her forehead, looking dejected. “W-what…?”

“Y-you did what…?”

“Huh...?”

The girls stammered in disbelief, their voices overlapping, when Hitch’s loud scream silenced them all.

“YOU DID WHAT?!!!” he yelled, pointing an accusing hoof at me. His eyes bored into mine, and his trembling limbs suggested he might leap at me any second. I raised an innocent eyebrow and flashed a sly smile, which only seemed to infuriate him more.

Ignoring Sunny’s feeble attempts to calm him down, Hitch jumped from his chair and yanked my left arm hard, dragging me towards the door.

“That’s it, you’re coming with me! I will not have criminals loitering around my friends!” he barked. “You, my friend,” he jabbed me in the ribs, “are going to pay for what you’ve done!” He snarled, his grip unyielding. I didn’t see any hoofcuffs, but his strength was motivation enough for me to avoid resisting.

After all, this was my goal from the beginning.

We had barely taken a couple of steps when Sunny hurriedly intervened, almost tripping over her own hooves. The rest of the mares followed, forming a barrier between Hitch and me. Sunny strained her not-so-toned earth pony muscles, pushing Hitch to the side as the others surrounded him, their voices loud and insistent as they tried to change his mind.

Hitch’s permanent scowl and nasty side-glares in my direction indicated he wasn’t being swayed.

‘With any luck, I’ll spend the night in the brig and avoid further questions. They don’t need to know about my true objectives. As far as they’re concerned, I’m just a weird monkey-like creature who meddled with things he shouldn’t have.’

While the ponies argued, I took the opportunity to look around the room. I hadn’t had a chance to take a closer look after breaking in. My eyes fell on a map of Equestria hanging on the wall, surrounded by boxes labeled and filled with papers and other items, some carelessly scattered on a wide desk.

Curious, I stepped closer to the map. Multi-colored sticky notes with strings pointed to various locations on the continent. Straining my memory, I couldn’t recognize any of the documents, many of which were dated long after I had hidden myself away to begin my journey through time.

‘Hmm, this might be useful,’ I thought, noticing a piece of paper sticking out from the mess. Carefully, I extracted it and scanned its contents. It was a diagram I instantly recognized.

‘No way…’

In the top right corner were two marks: Twilight’s cutie mark and another consisting of circles arranged around a central one, resembling a flower. But it wasn’t a flower. That symbol held significant meaning for those of my kind. It was the symbol I had chosen as my own, engraved or embossed on my tools and clothes, and used as a signature, much like how ponies used their cutie marks.

So absorbed was I in the drawing that I didn’t notice the background conversation gradually go quiet, nor Sunny’s hoofsteps slowly approaching from behind. She stood to my left, head tilted in curiosity about what had caught my attention.

To my dismay, it only took her a minute to make the connection. The diagram I was holding was a copy of one of my own. One of the first prototypes we had ever designed for advanced applications. It depicted a gauntlet, with a series of small gems connected to each other, and encrusted in the frame.

A human hand-shaped gauntlet.

‘The Mk 1.2 Atlas Gauntlet…’

I remembered the name I had given it, a reference no living creature of Equus would ever get. One of my first attempts to completely integrate the use of magic into my own person. More efficient and comfortable than holding a bunch of gems in my fist. I had designed it to fit my human hand, but my plans included all matter of different limbs from the numerous creatures of Equus.

A gasp drew my attention out of the diagram towards the mare at my left. I saw with raising panic how she recognized to whom those diagrams belonged. I could see it in her eyes, darting from the symbol on the paper and the ragged one engraved on my left chest pocket of my trusty jacket.

‘She’s figured it out… fuck me sideways!’

“I-It’s you…” Sunny mumbled in disbelief, her eyes wide with astonishment as she stared at me.

“N-No, I’m not…” I stammered, pathetically attempting to deny my identity. But the mare was far too sharp to fall for such a weak excuse.

‘Now I’m in deep, DEEP trouble.’

Taking a step back, she pointed her hoof at me and screamed, “IT’S YOU! OH MY GOSH, IT’S YOU!!” She trembled on her hooves, looking as though she might faint from the excitement.

“What are you talking about, Sunny? Who is he?” asked Izzy, now joined by the rest of the girls around the desk.

“Yeah, what’s going on, Sunny?” probed Zipp with a concerned expression. Pipp scanned everypony wordlessly, clearly as confused as her sister.

“I-It’s…” Sunny tried to speak, her overflowing excitement rendering her speechless. She took a deep breath, barely able to keep still on her hooves. “It’s… ahem, HE, is Alexander the human!” she eagerly announced to her friends. All they returned were even more confused looks.

I had harbored a tiny glimmer of hope that she had mistaken me for some other creature, even though I had always been the only human in Equestria. Sadly, luck didn’t seem to be on my side that day. I looked away with a defeated sigh, mentally preparing for what would surely follow.

“What are you talking about, Sunny? I don’t remember ever hearing that name before,” a now somewhat puzzled Hitch inquired, finally losing his glare in light of the new revelation.

‘Something’s something, I guess...’

Sunny couldn’t contain her excitement any longer and started trotting in place. “He appeared in many of my father’s notes!” she began. “A creature from a land far, far away who one day suddenly appeared in Equestria. He was friends with Princess Twilight and the Element Bearers! He helped protect Equestria numerous times, and his advanced knowledge from his homeland helped us advance our own by many, MANY years! Guys?!” She finished, gasping for air like a drowning fish and searching for any sign of recognition from her friends. None of them seemed to know who I was. Now that the cat was out of the bag, that didn’t improve things, either.

She turned back to me and stood up on her hind legs, her fluffy chest pressing against my own as she clung to my jacket with her hooves. Her aqua-green eyes fixed on mine, filled with wonder and curiosity.

“You’re Alexander, the so-called Prince of Knowledge, right? You disappeared a long time ago, never to be found again. B-Because you had traveled here, right?!” she asked loudly, shaking me slightly.

But I didn’t answer her, fixing my gaze elsewhere on the floor. Shame and sorrow drowned my entire being. ‘It’s been a long time since I’ve been called that…’

“Alexander…?” Sunny’s voice softened, noticing my sinking mood, her eyes now filled with worry at my lack of response.

I couldn’t stand it any longer.

“Hitch, I think we should get going,” I informed the sheriff in a low voice, gently pushing the clinging mare away from me. She fell back onto all fours and gave me a look of both sadness and disbelief.

“B-But…” she started to say, sounding dismayed. None of her friends moved a muscle, unsure of what to say or do.

“Now, Hitch!” I repeated, more loudly this time. Not meeting their eyes, I walked past the ponies and headed for the door, barely able to hold back my tears. Hitch, as puzzled as the rest, wordlessly began to follow me, his concerned gaze shifting to his friend, who now had a faraway look on her face, a limp hoof hanging in the air in a feeble attempt to make me stay. The rest of the girls still didn’t move an inch, not knowing what to do.

I reached for the handle and angrily opened the door. A crisp night breeze blew from the sea, moving a few loose strands in my field of vision. A waxing gibbous moon shone above the water, painting the calm sea in swirling patterns of whitish hues. Far down the road, the town was asleep, barely any lights aside from the street lamps could be discerned from up here.

‘Better for me, I don’t want to draw any attention while getting to the police station,’ I thought, thanking the goddess and beginning my march down the road, not waiting for the stallion who was supposed to take me into custody.

Hitch hurriedly trotted to keep up with my pace, his face now one of concern more than anger. Before I could take more than a couple of steps down the dirt path, a voice screamed from the porch.

“WAIT! Please wait!” Hearing the loud pleading behind me, I strained my neck and saw Sunny running out of the lighthouse, the rest of her friends fast on her tail.

She screeched to a halt and stood in front of me, her features full of guilt and anguish. With a shaky voice, she apologized. “Wait, please! I-I’m s-sorry if I’ve said something wrong. I j-just…”

She was on the verge of tears, something that was far from my current target. She wasn’t at fault for my sudden change of attitude, and I would definitely appreciate a curious pony when I found one. My soft heart ached seeing her like that. I placed a hand in front of her muzzle, signaling her to stop. She did so and locked her eyes onto mine, now adorned with a few shy tears that shone in the moonlight. I had always been a sucker for those weaponized sad pony eyes. Now, it was no different.

I cupped her cheek with my right hand and started petting her with my thumb. That seemed to relax her a bit, as it had done with many a pony before. In a calm tone, I tried to soothe her concerns. “It’s fine, Sunny, you did nothing wrong. It’s just… It’s been a long day, and I have a lot on my mind. I think it’s better if I spend the night in the brig. I don’t want to blow up in front of you all, no more than I already have…”

She kept her sad eyes on me, while unconsciously pressing her muzzle sideways against my hand. “I-I just…”

I used my thumb to quiet her once more and spoke honestly. “I’m sorry for breaking into your house, Sunny… and messing with the Unity Crystals. I can understand how important they must be for all of you. I was desperate and acted recklessly… I hope you’ll be able to forgive me.”

Just as I was a sucker for the sad eyes, ponies were big on sincerely regretful apologies, and I truly felt like crap for giving her the scare of her life. It said a lot about their general character.

Now that we were outside, I gazed once again upon the broken lighthouse. The moonlight was enough to illuminate the deep crevices and broken parts of the structure. A crazy idea appeared in my mind.

‘Let’s see if I can still do some good today.’

After following my gaze for a second, Sunny looked back at me confused, unsure of what had drawn my attention. Before she could begin to wonder, I announced in a determined tone, “Let me try and compensate you, Sunny.”

I took a step forward, now standing in the middle of a semicircle of ponies. Drawing from my deep library of spells, I extended my left arm while clutching the gems in my pocket with my right. Clenching my teeth, I mentally prepared myself for what would surely be a huge drain on my reserves.

‘As if I hadn’t had enough for today… Very well, focus!’ I prepared, steeling myself for the task ahead.

“Reparo!” I screamed, pointing my free hand towards the lighthouse. The freshly recharged gems in my pocket powered up immediately, obeying my command. I scrunched my face, expecting the usual energy surge and the electrifying sensation that always accompanied high-tier spellcasting. However, that didn’t happen. Instead, the gems started flashing. I couldn’t see them, but I felt their radiating heat fluctuating rapidly.

In sync with the rhythm of my gems, the Unity Crystals began to flash too, a buzzing hum rising behind.

‘A-Are they somehow synchronizing? But that’s not possib-’

Before I could finish my thought, a blinding light emanated from the top of the lighthouse. So bright, we all had to shut our eyes and turn our heads away. The intense light enveloped the whole building, the buzzing sound growing louder and louder, almost making my bones vibrate.

There was no colorful explosion or tremor this time. Instead, when our eyes adjusted to the light, we saw the entire broken structure transforming before our eyes. The piercing brightness only allowed us to discern the contours of the morphing lighthouse. Accompanying the light, a familiar sound rang above the loud buzzing: the characteristic chime of crystal magic.

The bursts of clinking sounds corresponded to new additions to the structure. The tower grew wider, and the house-like base expanded.

We watched in amazement at the unfolding spectacle. It continued for another minute, none of us moving or even blinking. I certainly hadn’t expected this.

‘The Reparo spell does NOT work like that, not even close!’ I panicked, keeping my eyes fixed on the transforming building.

After what felt like an eternity, the light and buzz suddenly ceased, revealing the transformed lighthouse. It was an entirely different design.

The ground plan had changed; the lower house now featured a tall arch-like entrance adorned with colorful glass decorations and an engraving of the Unity Crystal above the door. Two new side rooms jutted out from the main building, surrounded by vibrant maroon-leafed trees that hadn’t been there before.

The tower had lost its striped pattern. Instead, a semi-transparent cylinder extended from the lower house to the upper gallery, which now had wing-like side ornaments and another depiction of the Unity Crystals crowning the top. The exterior had become crystalline, reminiscent of the structures in the Crystal Empire. The magic rainbow once again poured from inside the tower up towards the night sky, gently illuminating its surroundings with a pale glow.

We stood still, open-mouthed, and the ponies’ eyes were wide, reflecting the light from the crystalline lighthouse. At the same time, they all snapped out of their stupor and turned to me, wordlessly demanding an explanation.

I flinched at their intense looks, knowing a million questions were about to burst from their muzzles.

‘Okay, time for a smooth escape; I really don't want to deal with this right now.’

Just as they were about to bombard me with questions, I turned around and resumed my trek towards the town. “Well, look at that,” I said nonchalantly. “At least it saved you from the pain of rebuilding it. I hope you like the new design, Sunny, because I have absolutely NO idea how that just happened. I’ll see you tomorrow, girls, or maybe not, we’ll see.” I waved my hand in a parting gesture. “Are you going to show me the way, sheriff? I might sneak away otherwise…” I teased as I approached the point where the path divided.

After a moment of indecision, Hitch hastily bid farewell to his friends and galloped to my side. The girls were still too astonished to react properly, no doubt choosing to explore Sunny’s new abode instead.

Both of us walked side-by-side in silence. A few minutes later, we arrived at the town’s entrance, marked by a tall decorated arch with the town’s name. The streets were completely deserted, as expected at this hour. We marched towards the main street, where I could see market stalls stored away, small restaurants, and shops lining the road. I even thought I saw a cinema among the businesses.

Electric street lights provided gentle illumination to the paved stone streets. Tramway rails ran along the avenue.

‘Huh, now that’s something new. Equestria only had a railroad system last time I checked.’

We kept walking, reaching what seemed to be the second level of the town. No lights were flicked on by the resident ponies as we passed, meaning we would reach our destination without causing a fuss. The town reminded me of Ponyville, only more modernized in some aspects, at least by human standards.

At that moment, Hitch tried to start a conversation. “Hey, um, how did you…” he began hesitantly.

Unluckily for him, I just wasn’t in the mood. “I’ve no idea what to tell you. That wasn’t what I intended. The spell doesn’t work like that. Sorry,” I answered flatly, dismissing any attempt to further our talk. Besides, we were approaching what I believed was our destination.

Shuffling a bit, he nervously added, “Oh, um, it’s okay, just wondering… Oh look, we’re here.”

He quickened his trot to surpass me and stopped in front of what resembled an office, its colors ranging from dark blue to milky white, with a huge golden star-shaped badge above the windowed doors, clearly marking it as the sheriff's office. A small board fixed to the wall displayed pictures of several ponies with short descriptions. I took special notice of a red-furred stallion with a blonde mane, his photo placed more prominently than the others, emphasizing its importance.

Hitch opened the doors and motioned me inside. He flicked the lights on and continued across the office to open the door of what would be my resting place for the night, a metal-barred cell, fit for holding a single prisoner. Walking past the front desk and a bunch of cabinets filled with numerous files, I reached the cell and stepped inside, dropping my rear on the way-too-small bed.

Hitch gazed at me sadly, a guilty expression on his features. “I’m sorry it has to be like this, but…”

Once again I chose to interrupt him. “You don’t need to feel sorry, sheriff. You’re just doing your job. I’m truly deeply sorry for what I did. This definitely is not my usual behavior.” I sympathized as I raised my gaze from the floor to peer into his sorrowful eyes.

“Have a good night, sheriff, we’ll speak more in the morning.” I finished while laying down completely on the bed, my feet and arms dangling limply from the sides. Thankfully, I had already enjoyed plenty of chances to get used to small beds by then.

Without anything else to add, Hitch wished me a pleasant night and promptly left the building, flicking off the light and leaving me to mull in the darkness. He made sure to lock down the office just in case. After a last glance through the glass doors, he moved away and out of my view.

Breathing a heavy sigh through my nostrils, I allowed myself to sink deeper into the bed, as deep as a jail bed can go. Now that all the excitement and awkwardness of the day had passed, I finally had the chance to reflect upon my situation.

‘My plan has failed, I’m currently behind bars. I have no immediate way to return home, and I now have a bunch of overcurious ponies bombarding me with pointless questions… Heh, it almost reminds me of the first night I spent in Equestria. The weirdest day in my entire life.’

Turning around to face the wall, my thoughts drifted once again to my friends, all of whom I had left behind. For the first time since I had awoken from my journey, the true weight of my decision buried me under a choking blanket of pain and longing. My breath became erratic, and my eyes filled with tears.

‘What have I done…. Oh, Faust, what have I done?’ I repeated to myself over and over. For the second time that day, I openly wept, eventually falling asleep.

Seeing the two figures moving away towards the town, I was left standing there, now doubt looking like an idiot. But so many things were going through my mind that I barely had the chance to react. I watched the human take the left road on his way to town, Hitch hurriedly catching up and mirroring his gate.

The girls and I just stayed there without saying a word.

“Sunny…?” A voice woke me up from my trance. I peered to my right and caught Izzy approaching, wearing the same expression as the rest of us. “Um, it’s getting pretty late. How about we return inside and see how the new lighthouse looks?! It sure seems it has changed quite a bit! Also, do you mind if we crash with you tonight? I don’t think anypony wants to take the walk back home, or flight... you know what I mean,” She asked with a pleading look.

I was more than willing to comply. “Of course Izzy, you’re all welcome to spend the night. It’ll be a great way to inaugurate the new lighthouse! Assuming the beds haven’t disappeared, that is,” I gazed back to the sisters, both returning approving nods.

With nothing much to do, we turned back and proceeded towards the renewed lighthouse, my mind full of thoughts, most of them worries.

‘That was Alexander, the human of legend. One of the smartest and greatest scientists Equestria has ever had. His work is present in most of our technology. So many books were written. And yet, time seems to have erased most of his legacy…’

I still couldn’t bring my head around the fact that the supposedly deceased human prince had suddenly appeared seven hundred years later to break into my home.

‘... He looked dejected, almost defeated. Something went very wrong up there... And yet, he didn’t seem so bad at the end. He was polite, and accepted his punishment without protest…’

I continued muttering in my thoughts. A sudden feeling came to the front of my mind, that being the feeling of his hand on my cheek, gently stroking my fur to help calm me down. A small smile found its way to my muzzle at the recent memory.

As I said, only most of them.

Author's Note

Another one for you. Feel free to point out any mistakes or wierd expression you find. My goal is to improve my writting after all. Hope you enjoy it.