A long time ago, in the enchanted land of Equestria, a young alicorn princess harbored an insatiable curiosity about the unknown, driven by a desire to explore realms beyond her own. Determined to unlock the secrets of alternate realities, she enlisted the help of her faithful assistant. Together, through tireless research and experimentation, they crafted an unprecedented spell designed to pierce the veil between worlds.

As the chosen day approached, the princess’s excitement was palpable. She could scarcely contain her anticipation for the groundbreaking event that was about to unfold. She confided in her closest friends, sharing both her exhilaration and a touch of apprehension. United in purpose, the five mares joined the alicorn in the grand Thrones Room at Friendship Castle, taking their places around the central table with a mixture of nervousness and eager anticipation.

Swallowing her final reservations, the princess levitated the spell scroll before her, her horn glowing with concentrated magic. The objective was straightforward: to create a stable rift through which they could glimpse other realities. However, the simplicity of the goal belied the complexity of the spell, an intricate weave of arcane equations and ancient incantations that had never before been attempted. Confident in her meticulous preparation, the young alicorn initiated the spell, her calculations having been checked and rechecked multiple times.

At first, a small flicker of light shimmered above the table, but it quickly morphed into an unstable vortex, growing more turbulent by the second. Panic surged through the room as the alicorn struggled to regain control. The portal, intended to be a mere window, had become a chaotic maelstrom threatening to spiral out of control. Summoning all her magical prowess, the princess fought to close the rift, her focus unwavering despite the mounting pressure.

After a minute of intense exertion, the vortex was finally sealed, and the roaring winds that had whipped through the room subsided. Relief washed over the princess; she had averted a potential disaster. However, the absence of celebratory cheers from her friends caused her to pause. Turning to face them, she noticed their gazes fixed on a point across the room, away from the Cutie Map and the thrones.

Puzzled, the princess stepped away from her throne and circled the table, her mind racing with thoughts of what might have gone awry. As she reached the spot where her friends were staring, her speculations came to a jarring halt. Her breath caught in her throat as she beheld a strange, bipedal creature, its eyes wide with fear and confusion, darting around the room as if struggling to comprehend its surroundings.

A sense of dread settled in the pit of the alicorn's stomach as she grasped the full gravity of the situation. She approached the trembling creature, her friends watching with bated breath. With a gentle voice and a warm smile, she attempted to bridge the gap between their worlds.

“Hello there, um… Are you okay? Can you understand me?”

The bewildered being, evidently from another dimension, removed its glasses and wiped them on its shirt. After placing them back on its face, it blinked rapidly, struggling to process the sight before it. Its response, a single word tinged with disbelief, encapsulated the strangeness of the moment.

“...... Huh?”

"Hehe, yeah, that was quite an experience. Not exactly the most dignified arrival, but at least I didn’t run around screaming like a lunatic," I mused, chuckling as I reminisced about my unexpected journey to Equestria all those years ago. It was the most bewildering day of my life. One moment, I was trudging home from college, exhausted from a long day peering through a microscope. The next, I found myself tumbling through an unstable dimensional rift, landing in a world of colorful ponies.

A crazy day, indeed.

Sleep had eluded me in the brig, haunted by memories and recurring nightmares. Frustrated after yet another failed attempt to rest, I paced the small perimeter of my cell, lost in thoughts of my lost past and humming a fitting tune.

The sun had risen hours ago, its early rays filtering through the tiny barred window above my bunk. I had expected Hitch to arrive at dawn to, hopefully, release me, but he hadn’t shown up. To make matters worse, I was famished. My recent meals in the field had been anything but plentiful.

‘I hope he brings breakfast. I swear, I’ll steal his doughnuts from under his snout if I must.’

Hunger had put me in a foul mood. Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait much longer. A few minutes later, the sheriff opened the front doors and stepped inside, casting a quick look around for me. His features relaxed when he found me, bored to tears, sitting on the bed.

To my surprise, a second pony followed him into the office. From my vantage point, I discerned that she was an earth pony mare, likely in her fifties. Her coat was a soft peach pink, and her mane and tail were a golden shade of blonde, styled in curls that gave her a mature, sophisticated look, despite not technically being old.

Her appearance was further enhanced by stylish, bright-pink glasses perched on her muzzle and pearl earrings that clicked softly, an unusual accessory for ponies, as far as my experience went. A necklace of spotless white pearls, identical to her earrings, adorned her neck.

Her cutie mark depicted what appeared to be a rising stock diagram, reinforcing her image as a businessmare.

'Definitely a businessmare.'

I wasn’t sure how to feel about her unexpected presence. She didn’t seem surprised by my appearance, unlike most ponies. Perhaps Hitch had already informed her about me, indicating that this wasn’t a coincidental visit.

'Just great...' I mentally cursed. Despite my hunger, my spirits were higher than yesterday. But I wasn’t in the mood to deal with a businesspony.

Hitch approached the cell door, carrying a paper bag in his muzzle. The incoming aroma revealed its contents to be a variety of freshly-baked pastries.

'At least the good sheriff remembered breakfast.'

Passing me the bag through the bars, Hitch turned his attention to the mare, who was now slowly approaching my cell. She seemed a bit nervous, which was understandable.

Once she was close enough, Hitch introduced us. "Miss Cloverleaf, this is… Alexander, isn’t it?" I nodded. "Yes, Alexander. Our new… temporary resident."

Turning to me, he continued, "Alexander, this is Miss Phyllis Cloverleaf, head of Canterlogic Industries and a member of the Town Council, our local government system, in case you were wondering."

'I wasn’t, but whatever…'

"It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mister… Alexander. Forgive me, but it’s a rather unusual name," she said with a polite laugh.

'I’m not a pony, what did you expect?' I mentally scoffed, struggling to rein in my bad mood before I said something regrettable.

Instead, I decided to be polite. "Don’t worry about it, Miss Cloverleaf. I get that a lot. It’s a pleasure to meet you, too." I extended a fist through the bars, which she hesitantly bumped in a pony-style greeting. "Before we start what I’m sure will be a very interesting conversation, is this going to happen with me behind bars, Sheriff?" I asked, glaring slightly.

Hitch shuffled his hooves. After a moment of indecision, he took the keys from his side bag and reached for the cell gate. "Don’t try anything funny, you hear?" he warned while unlocking the door.

Bothered by the mistrust, I replied sarcastically, "Damn, I’m busted. I was just planning to knock you both out and run around town naked, screaming about the end of days. Shame you caught me in time, Sheriff." Phyllis giggled at Hitch’s unamused expression.

She stepped between us. "Don’t worry, Sheriff. You’ve informed me already of his situation, and he doesn’t seem the aggressive type." Hitch gave her a skeptical glance, but she ignored it. "I wanted to discuss your situation. As a Town Council member, I need to be informed about what happens in our town, and the presence of a strange creature is concerning."

Hitch brought us some chairs. I began munching on my breakfast, a couple of freshly baked doughnuts. I offered one to Phyllis, but she declined.

"No, thank you. I’ve had my fill this morning," she said politely.

I shrugged and continued eating, waiting for her to start. After collecting her thoughts, she began.

"First, welcome to our town, despite the circumstances," she said, wincing slightly. "Before the reunification of the Crystals, we rarely welcomed new faces. It’s a treat to do so now, especially with the other tribes traveling around Equestria again." She smiled warmly.

“Thank you kindly, Miss Cloverleaf.” I offered a respectful half-bow. “It’s always a relief to feel welcome in a new place, especially given my… different appearance. Unfortunately, visiting new places hasn’t always been smooth sailing for me.” My posture sagged slightly as memories of numerous unpleasant first encounters surfaced.

“I can only imagine, my dear… but fear not!” she declared with resolve. “I’ll personally ensure that your stay here is nothing short of pleasant and productive! Now, this brings us to the second matter at hoof: your incarceration…” The atmosphere in the room grew tense. This was a delicate topic for all present. I had undeniably broken into Sunny’s home, making me subject to their laws.

Choosing to face the issue head-on, I spoke. “I understand that my actions have serious consequences. I’ll accept whatever judgment you deem fair.” I stated with genuine respect. “The last thing I need is more trouble with the law.” I concluded solemnly, looking repentantly at Phyllis and Hitch, who had just re-entered the office carrying three steaming mugs of coffee.

A smile returned to the mare’s face at my words. With a relieved sigh, she continued. “Phew! That’s a relief to hear, my dear. You’ll need to clear the details with the sheriff here, but seeing as nopony was injured and no charges were pressed, I don’t see any reason to keep you behind bars… right?” She turned towards Hitch while accepting a mug.

Hitch, though untrusting, reached with his forehoof to deliver my mug. “We’ll see about that…” he muttered under his breath.

Phyllis’s sharp ears caught his words. She repeated louder and more sternly, “Isn’t that right, Sheriff Hitch?”

Caught off guard, he quickly corrected himself. “Y-Yes! Of course, Miss Cloverleaf. He’ll be out in no time.” He conceded with a nervous grin, fidgeting in his horseshoes. “I just need to fill out some paperwork and clear a few details...” He handed me my mug nervously and retreated to his desk to begin the paperwork.

‘No doubt about who’s in charge here. I’ll remember that.’ I made a mental note.

“Once again, thank you for your consideration, Miss Cloverleaf. I’ll be sure not to waste this new opportunity.”

Phyllis returned my smile warmly. “You’re welcome, sugarcube. And speaking of opportunities, it’s the perfect moment to address our final topic!” She seemed more enthusiastic now, clearly eager about her proposition.

“I’m not sure I follow, ma’am…”

“Oh please, do you really think I don’t recognize the symbol on your jacket? I own the largest technology company this side of Equestria, and I’m fully aware of whose work our basic designs are based on. I can’t imagine how you ended up here, but I see this as a perfect chance for cooperation… don’t you think?” She ended with an alluring smile.

‘Great, she’s recognized me and wants me to work for her. Tough luck, lady, I have more pressing matters at hand.’

“I appreciate the offer, Miss Cloverleaf, but I can’t give you an answer right now. I have urgent issues to resolve and haven’t decided where to take permanent residence. I will seriously consider your proposal, but now is not the time for such decisions.”

Her ears drooped in disappointment. With a sigh, she concluded our conversation, “I’m saddened to hear that, darling, but I understand. If you ever change your mind, the offer stands. Now, I’m needed elsewhere this morning, so I must bid you farewell.”

Finishing her coffee, she stood and approached the door, leaving her empty mug carelessly on Hitch’s desk, staining a stack of papers. I didn’t miss Hitch’s brief glare.

Turning back before exiting, she addressed us both with a bright smile. “Farewell, gentlecolts. I’ll see you around town. I hope you have a wonderful stay, Mister Alexander. Sheriff.” She nodded and briskly left the office.

Once alone, Hitch gave me a pensive look. “Look, you’ve behaved adequately since I brought you here, and none of the girls has pressed charges. Given Phyllis’s insistence, I’ll do the risky thing and let you go. Don’t make me regret it. Are we clear?” He warned, stomping his hoof on the desk.

“Crystal clear, sheriff. No more issues from me.” I replied sincerely.

‘Especially after I leave this place. So much to do, so little time…’ I mussed, standing up and discarding the empty bag in a nearby trash can.

He trotted around the desk to the doors. “Very well. Here’s what we’re going to do. No doubt the girls will want to see you again, especially after the lighthouse… incident. There are many things we still need to discuss, like where you’ll stay and what you’ll do next.” Hitch stated, crossing the doors to the busy street.

It was a bright day, the sea breeze carrying a salty taste and the call of seagulls adding a pleasant coastal feel. Ponies were immersed in their midmorning activities—vendors called from their posts, foals played and screamed in delight. It was a typical rural pony town, a peaceful scene soon to be disrupted by the presence of a tall, furless creature.

As we stepped onto the street, dozens of heads turned in our direction. Before Hitch could warn me about ponies being skittish—something I was painfully aware of—a full-blown panic ensued among the townsfolk.

“HEY, HEY! Calm down everypony, there’s nothing to fear!” Hitch shouted, rushing towards the panicking crowd. I stood there, unfazed by the familiar scenario, humming the same tune from my cell.

After a few minutes, the ponies stopped running in fright. Hitch managed to explain my presence and reassure them that I posed no threat. Satisfied with the lowered sense of unrest, he returned to my side and signaled me to follow him to the lower levels of the town.

Ponies moved aside, giving us a wide berth and eyeing me with fear and uncertainty. One pony, however, was not convinced and, upon seeing us, began screaming at the top of his lungs.

“AAAAAHH, IT’S A…… A……. AAAAAAAAHH!” He shrieked, trotting in place before turning tail and jumping over the railing. My heart stopped for a moment, only to relax at the sound of water splashing below.

‘Faust dammit! I thought for a second that…’

I couldn’t finish my train of thought after hearing Hitch’s apologetic voice.

“I’m sorry for this, Alexander. I imagined something like this might happen, but I thought that by walking at your side, the ponies wouldn’t react too... impulsively.” Hitch winced, avoiding my gaze guiltily. “Even though the races have started to reintegrate, we still seem to have serious issues when dealing with strangers.” He lowered his head, his ears pressed against his scalp, looking downright downhearted.

“Don’t worry about it, Hitch. I’m used to it by now.” I consoled him with a gentle pat on his withers. “Let’s just head straight to the lighthouse, lest somepony ends up injured or worse.”

I quickened my pace, and Hitch matched my stride after mulling over my words for a moment. We passed many small establishments and two-story apartment houses on our way out. Many of them had torn posters and signs depicting unicorns and pegasi in menacing and intimidating ways. It was ridiculous, considering how the average pony is the most adorable creature to ever exist.

Upon closer inspection, I noticed more of the same propaganda posted on walls, street lamps, and other visible places. However, it seemed the earth ponies had started to remove this harmful propaganda in light of the new relationships between the tribes.

‘It’s as good a start as any,’ I mentally observed.

By the time we reached the lower exit of the town, I had glimpsed a few unicorns and pegasi among the town’s regular earth pony population. There were no issues or disagreements, just friendly conversations. The sight warmed my heart and lifted my spirits. ‘Let’s hope it stays this way. I doubt the ponies could survive another major catastrophe like last time… or the time before that.’

My mission now seemed more important than ever. I had to ensure history didn’t repeat itself and break the cycle the three tribes seemed to have fallen into.

‘I hope these guys understand. If not, I’ll have to find an alternative. One way or another, magic will be freed, and peace will be fully restored.’

We started our path uphill, the rainbow beam continuing its endless path towards the sky. The new crystalline lighthouse shone with a myriad of colors, making it considerably more visible than its predecessor. As we neared our destination, I discerned the four mares from yesterday standing around a foldable table, cheerfully conversing while pointing at different parts of whatever was on top of it.

Hearing us approach, Sunny strained her neck to look behind her. At the sight of us, a bright smile spread across her face. She enthusiastically galloped toward us, shouting our names in excited greeting.

In a moment, Hitch found himself enveloped in a warm hug. With an embarrassed smirk, he embraced Sunny’s gesture. After the short exchange, Sunny turned towards me. Her body language suggested she wanted to give me a hug but decided to restrain herself, looking conflicted about how to approach me. With an amused shake of my head, I decided to allow her to do as she intended.

“Bring it in, Sunny. I know how much you ponies like your hugs.” I chuckled while kneeling to give her better access.

The smile returned to her muzzle. Not a moment too soon, she wrapped her forelegs around my upper torso, pressing her head against mine. It could have been my imagination, but I could have sworn I felt a slight nuzzle from her. At that moment, I registered her scent. Sunflowers. Peculiar, but far from unpleasant.

Before I could ponder further, she pulled back and looked at both of us excitedly. Trotting in place with unrestrained energy, she hurried us towards the table where the rest of the girls patiently waited.

Catching Hitch’s bemused look, I simply shrugged. “Might as well see what this is all about.” I proposed while following Sunny.

A moment later, the golden earth pony shook his head in defeat and proceeded behind us. Once we reached the small group of ponies, the mares greeted us with a good morning and scooted aside to give us space around what I now discerned was a small model of the new lighthouse. Who had crafted it so quickly and with such detail, I couldn’t begin to guess.

Once we were settled around the table, Sunny spoke with a lively tone, “Guys… welcome toooo… the house of our dreams!” She loudly proclaimed, her eyes sparkling in wonder. A cacophony of stomping and cheering followed her announcement. All of them looked very excited about their new shared home.

Not wanting to dampen the mood, I decided to intervene. “How did you find the new lighthouse, Sunny?” I asked, remembering that the girls had stayed behind yesterday to explore it.

She turned her glowing face towards me, giving me the most excited, cheerful look I had ever received from a pony since my arrival in Equestria. “It’s absolutely perfect! It has everything we need! There’s room for everypony to stay in if they want to. OOOHH!! This is gonna be GREAT!!” She celebrated with a cute dance. Her excitement was contagious, and I couldn’t help but smile.

‘She reminds me a lot of somepony else…’

“That’s great news, Sunny! This way, we don’t have to be apart if we don’t wish to.” Added Hitch, addressing everypony. They all felt relieved and hyped about being able to stay together.

Izzy gasped as she realized something. “Now we can spend every minute of every day together, for the rest of our lives! Heheheheee!” She squealed loudly. Her friends chuckled nervously at her claim.

“Hehe… what?” Mumbled Zipp in an uncertain tone.

With a singsong voice, her sister sang while dramatically posing in the air. “It's going to be iiiicooooniiiic-kuh!”

I found myself enjoying their antics. It reminded me of my younger self with another group of inseparable friends. Feeling the mood drop drastically, I shook my head to dispel the dark thoughts.

‘Not everything is lost, Alex. Now is not the time for that.’

“You guys are in luck, as I happen to be pretty hoovesy.” Hitch proudly stated, smugly twisting a wrench around his hoof, only for it to crash against the lighthouse model, breaking it into several pieces.

“Ooh, whoops? Hehe, sorry…” He sheepishly apologized, lowering his head in shame.

Shaking her head in amusement, Sunny addressed the group. “There's a lot to get done, but we can do anything if we work together. Now, I think if we just—” She was rudely interrupted by her friends grabbing materials from around the table and stampeding towards the building in a mad rush. We were left standing there, looking like idiots.

Taking a moment to recover, Sunny’s expression returned to one of happiness. “Enthusiasm! I like it! Wait up, roomies!” She called after her friends, running towards the main entrance.

After a few steps, she stopped and looked back at me. I was left standing there, unsure of what to do. I didn’t want to impose, so I began to turn back towards the path leading to town when I heard her calling to me.

“Hey Alex, aren’t you coming?! There’s much to do if we want to turn this place into the perfect ‘homebase’, hehe.” She happily beckoned me to accompany her.

I didn’t return her enthusiasm, hesitantly responding. “I don’t know Sunny. This looks like a thing between your pals and you. I don’t want to get in the middle of...”

But I was abruptly interrupted by her outburst. “ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? THIS…” She sharply pointed towards her home, “... only became possible thanks to you! There’s NO way you’re sneaking your way out of this. Now stop being a stick and get your rear over here!” Her tone didn’t leave room for protest.

‘Being a stick? That’s a new one.’

I had planned to take a look around town, see if I could find anything useful to help start my new plan, and maybe scare a couple of ponies out of their fur if I had the chance. Of course, I also wanted to return to the chamber—perhaps something useful had been left behind after it was sealed. I hadn’t thought of taking a closer look at my awakening; not that I was in any state to make intelligent decisions after my groggy reanimation.

But it seemed that would have to wait if Sunny had anything to say about it.

Not wishing to antagonize the mare, I chose to comply with a sigh. “Very well, Sunny. Lead the way.” I surrendered to her beckoning and motioned with my hand.

She giggled enthusiastically, waiting for me to catch up. She stuck right by my side until we entered the new building together, the doors closing behind us, leaving me virtually trapped.

Taking a closer look inside, I noticed considerable changes in the interior that matched its crystalline outer appearance. An idea suddenly popped into my head. “Hey Sunny...” I started while looking down at her.

“Yes, Alexander?” Her ears perked attentively.

‘Oh, that I have to remedy.’

“Okay, first of all, just call me Alex, please. ‘Alexander’ is too much of a mouthful.” She giggled while nodding in agreement. “Second, now that I can take a closer look, I think a better term to describe your new home would be a ‘brighthouse.’ ‘The Crystal Brighthouse.’ How does that sound?”

Her eyes lit up, her smile growing wider. “That sounds amazing! Oh my gosh, it’s perfect! Wait ‘til the girls hear it!” She trotted in place while we finished crossing the foyer to stand in the middle of the vast hall that now engulfed the central structure of the building.

However, what awaited us inside was a mess of ponies running around, redecorating, moving furniture, painting walls—you name it.

‘Oh boy…’

“Hello, Pippsqueaks! And welcome to the ultimate DIY home makeover!” Pipp shouted while hovering in the middle of the main hall. Her phone in her hoof, she seemed to be live-streaming the event.

After a moment of hesitation, Sunny rushed over to join her friends. However, their disorganized efforts caused them to crash into each other, creating a chaotic storm of torn paintings, mismatched colored walls, construction materials littered everywhere… and ridiculous amounts of glitter covering every surface.

I sighed heavily. “This is going to be a loooong day,” I lamented while standing near the door, trying to avoid getting dragged into the blizzard of overexcited ponies, who had by now started singing a typical ‘out of nowhere’ Equestrian song about positive feelings and friendship.

I had never felt the need to join the many musical numbers that took place during my years in ponyland. Whatever harmonious magic induced such events seemed to have no effect on me. ‘Thank goodness for that. My singing is terrible. Like, window-shattering, suicide-inducingly terrible.’

With my self-preservation instincts screaming at me NOT to step in, I leaned against the wall, passing the time by watching the ponies running back and forth, each carrying out their own version of ‘home makeover,’ frequently crashing into one another and undoing each other’s efforts.

Sunny stood in the middle of the chaos, darting her head around, trying unsuccessfully to coordinate her friends and mitigate as much damage as she could. She looked completely overwhelmed.

“Guys, please! Just stay put for a moment and let us come up with a plan for…” She pleaded, trying to be heard without any apparent success.

‘Poor Sunny. This is actually HER home, but I guess she doesn’t want to hurt her friends’ feelings.’ I observed, feeling dejected at her poor efforts to bring the rampaging ponies together.

*Splat*

The sudden noise of something soft crashing into the nearby wall brought me out of my stupor. I turned to see what used to be a pancake, now flattened against the wall, missing my head by inches.

‘What in the world…?’

I followed the sugary projectile’s path to what looked like a robot standing in the middle of the kitchen, randomly launching breakfast dishes everywhere. Izzy stood beside it, completely ecstatic. “What about my automatic breakfast butler robot?” She asked to nopony in particular, immediately jumping into another mess and leaving that monstrosity behind to paint the kitchen walls with smushed batter.

‘Where did that thing come from?!’ I wondered, dumbfounded even though I was accustomed to Equestria’s recurring nonsense.

“Ponies!” Sunny wailed in a final attempt to bring order. Things were getting out of control, and the small equines were now outright panicking.

The erratic flight path of a panicking Pipp caused her to crash into a small portrait hanging on the opposite wall from my position.

I saw the blood drain from Sunny’s face. “NO!” She cried, launching herself off the ground, barely managing to catch the portrait before it hit the marble floor. Once tightly secured between her forelegs, she sat there, sadly inspecting it for any damage.

With the storm having diminished, I used the chance to walk safely towards Sunny, my mind set on helping her restore order. But before I could reach her, she cast a fearful glance around the room and hurriedly escaped up the twin ramps, away from the chaos. The sound of a door closing forcefully revealed her hiding place behind a pair of wooden doors in the middle of the corridor stretching through the upper floor.

Similar situations in the past had taught me what was most likely to happen now. Knowing she could use a friendly presence, I chose to follow her steps upward, leaving the mass of lost ponies to fend for themselves for a short while. ‘Here comes the big comforter… No, that came out wrong.’

I neared the doors and rested my head against the hardwood. I managed to hear her sad voice muttering dejectedly. “I don’t understand… I thought working together would be easy, but it’s super messy…”

I quietly opened the doors and entered what I could only describe as the main bedroom, a circular room with several beds placed around a central transparent column, the rainbow energy pulsating inside it in its endless path skyward. Numerous paint splotches, torn paper, and insane amounts of glitter indicated this room hadn’t been spared from the chaos either.

Sunny stood near one of the beds, tearfully staring at the portrait with a defeated gleam in her eyes. In a faint voice, she whispered, “I wish you were here. You always knew how to bring out the best in me…”

The message behind her words and the way she gently brushed her hoof over the portrait spoke volumes about whom it might depict.

‘Oh, crap. I need to tread very, very carefully here.’

I chose a sympathetic approach. That always seemed to work with ponies in most circumstances.

“Hey, Sunny.” I softly called her. She was so absorbed in the picture that she hadn’t noticed my approach. Her droopy ears flicked to attention, and she tore her gaze away from the portrait to regard me with surprise.

“Oh, h-hey there Alex, are you enjoying the makeover effort? Our friends seem to have taken it really, um… seriously, hehe…” She finished with a fake smile while rapidly brushing the beginning of tears from her eyes.

“I saw what happened back there, and that’s not taking things seriously, Sunny. That was a total mess.” I clarified while taking a seat on the bed, patting the place beside me for her to sit.

She accepted my invitation and slowly dragged herself over the mattress to my side. Once she was comfortable, I placed an arm around her, gently pressing her against me. I had learned well about the effect physical contact had on ponies. Unlike humans, ponies usually welcomed it and saw it as a sign of trust and comfort. It wasn’t rare to find friends, family, and even acquaintances sharing a gentle nuzzle or a friendly hug in Equestria.

As I expected, she visibly calmed down at my touch and proximity. Her big, teary eyes searched mine. “You’re right. It’s a complete disaster. I was so excited to finally share a place with my closest friends, to work together and create something wonderful! But I guess I was wrong…” Her head dropped, her sniffling growing louder as she struggled to hold back her tears. She kept her gaze on the ground before returning it to the portrait still tightly grasped in her hooves. I looked over her shoulder to get a better view of the picture. It was a family photo, with a filly Sunny riding on the back of a blue earth pony, the old lighthouse captured clearly in the background on a sunny day. Bright smiles adorned both their faces.

‘Her dad, perhaps?’

Glued cracks around the frame showed it had suffered damage before. However, it seemed no further damage had come to it during the makeover rampage.

Sunny continued brushing the picture of the stallion. “My dad always knew how to bring out the best in me. Ever since my mom passed away, he was always there for me. Teaching me about how all of ponykind used to live together in harmony, and always encouraging my efforts to change everypony’s mind...” She somberly explained, a teary smile breaking through her sadness for a brief moment.

With a gentle scratch between her ears, I readied my pep talk. “Perhaps that’s what your friends need right now. For you to step up and bring them together, to bring out the best in them. Regardless of all their enthusiasm and differing opinions, this is your home, Sunny. It’s time for them to slow down, and listen to you.”

Pushing against my hand in bliss, she voiced her main concern. “But… I don’t want to hurt their feelings. We only just recently had the chance to be together as friends. I don’t want to lose that. I don’t want to be left alone again…”

Moving my fingers to scratch around her right ear, I softly reassured her. “You won’t, Sunny. I don’t know exactly what you guys have been through together, but from what I’ve glimpsed, I can assure you that they all love you and will most certainly listen to you.” A resounding crash from the main hall interrupted my speech. Turning our sights to the door at the same time with a wince, I continued. “And right now, they could really use a bit of guidance… and I believe you are the perfect pony for the job.” I affirmed with full confidence, giving her my most encouraging smile. She returned her gaze to the portrait one last time, her indecision swiftly changing into determination.

‘If I had a bit for every time I’ve done this…’ I thought with merriment as Sunny energetically stood up.

“You’re right!” she declared boldly. “My friends need me! I’ll bring them together, and we’ll turn this place into the most amazing shared home base in the history of Equestria!” She pumped her front leg in determination before carefully placing the portrait on a nearby table and whispering, “Thank you, Dad.”

Facing me, she rewarded me with a bright smile, her eyes filled with appreciation. “And thank you, Alex. I really needed that. Since my dad passed away, I’ve had nopony else to help me through these kinds of situations…” She nervously fumbled with her forehooves. “I guess my many years of trying and failing have done a number on my confidence, hehe.”

Now understanding the context behind the photo, I softly replied, “You’re welcome, Sunny girl. Now get out there and bring some order to your house.” Not a moment too soon, she hastily turned towards the doors and galloped straight into the chaos that continued to persist after our conversation. Getting up with a stretch, I also began my path downstairs.

“Okay, everypony, just STOP!” I heard Sunny shout in a commanding voice from behind the doors. As if a switch had been flicked, the cacophony of screams and chaotic sounds came to a screeching halt, giving my poor ears a much-needed break.

‘Finally, thank Luna.’

I peered through the railing to see Sunny standing in the middle of the mess, fixing her friends with a serious expression. All of them looked relieved that the turmoil was finally over.

“Look, I love how much energy you’re bringing to this, but this is supposed to bring us together, not pull us apart. And right now…” She said while sweeping her hoof at the surrounding disaster.

“Yeah, it’s a mess,” admitted a guilty Zipp with an embarrassed look, attempting to disentangle herself from a bunch of decorative wallpaper and string lights keeping her limbs tightly pressed against her frame.

“Y-yeah, I-I-I didn’t want to say anything, but…” added Izzy, sharing the same expression as Zipp.

“I’m in way over my head over here!” yelled Hitch while desperately hugging a wooden board as if it were his lifeline.

“THIS IS A TOTAL MAKEOVER FAIL!!” Pipp wailed while dramatically laying on the floor, but making sure to keep her phone up and recording.

Before the mood could sour further, Sunny energetically intervened. “It’s not a fail! It’s a… work-in-progress! Yes! Come on, everypony. We can do this. Together!”

Shooting a confident look to her friends, Sunny managed to lift the depressing atmosphere encompassing the room. With renewed determination, the ponies followed her lead and started again, this time working together and singing their song with rhythm and cooperation.

Once again, I chose to sit on the sidelines and watch their efforts to redecorate their new place. It only took them a couple of hours of productive teamwork to clean up the brighthouse, unleashing their own creative views and spicing it up in their unique way. Each pony had taken a corner of the building as their own, with the same approach applied to the main bedroom. Four beds were placed around the exterior wall, each belonging to one of the girls. There was one free space since Hitch had a house of his own down in Maretime Bay.

I could understand Hitch preferring not to bunk with the mares. It’s one of those unspoken rules that transcends entire galaxies.

When they were happy with the changes, the ponies called it a job well done. Pipp called the ponies to her side and used her phone to take a celebratory group selfie. “Say ‘bestieeees’!”

I had to give it to these ponies; their coordinated efforts paid off, and in record time no less. I couldn’t help but take a good look around the renovated place. ‘It’s the perfect place for them.’ I sighed nostalgically.

A sharp call brought me back from my musings. Sunny was calling for me from down the main hall. Following the sound of her voice, I arrived to find the group all looking at me expectantly.

“Sooo, what do you think, Alex? How do you think it turned out?” asked an excited Izzy.

‘They want my opinion? Uh, okay…’

“It looks fantastic, guys. A great team effort.” I congratulated the team of ponies with a small clap. Their resultant cheerful smiles and light whooping were very endearing to watch.

With a cute dance, Sunny addressed her friends, “Alex has come up with a great name for our new home. What do you think of naming it… ‘The Crystal Brighthouse’? Sounds awesome, right?” She inquired with barely-restrained cheer.

A chorus of approvals was all the answer she needed. Happily trotting in place, she shared a brilliant smile with her friends, their now-home baptized and ready to host them.

After a few minutes of friendly talking, Zipp decided to change the subject and focused her attention on me, who was currently resting my back against the railing of one of the twin ramps leading to the upper floor. “So, now that that’s out of the way, how about we finish yesterday’s round of questions, hmmm?” She proposed with a questioning eyebrow.

The rest of the ponies waited for my approval. Seeing I was overwhelmed, I caved with a sigh and gave the go-ahead.

“Great! Why don’t we go to the living room? We’ll be more comfortable there. I’ll hurry and bring some refreshments.” Sunny offered while galloping towards the kitchen.

“I’ll help you, Sunny.” Izzy volunteered while prancing behind her friend. The rest of us proceeded towards the back of the building.

“Oh, my GOSH! This is gonna be so exciting!” Cheered Pipp, phone at the ready to record anything of worth, which, given my situation, was most likely everything.

“Finally, we’ll get a good explanation regarding what happened the other day, this time without any sudden interruptions, right, Mister Cranky Sheriff?” Zipp warned while narrowing her eyes at the golden earth pony.

“Yeah, yeah, I also need the full version if I’m to determine if he’s in the clear or not.” He raised his forelegs in surrender while rolling his eyes.

I gave him a side glance. He seemed to have forgotten the pointed warning that Miss Cloverleaf had given him regarding my incarceration. Choosing to simply ignore the comment, I moved on to sit in the middle of one of the three couches surrounding the table near the fireplace.

The pegasi sisters sat on the left couch while Hitch chose the right couch. After waiting a few minutes, listening to the sound of Pipp tapping on her phone in the rather awkward silence, the figures of Sunny and Izzy carrying trays full of snacks and drinks for everypony appeared from behind the open entrance.

The unicorn chose to sit with Hitch, while Sunny motioned me to scoot over so she could sit by my side with a pleading gaze. With a mock roll of my eyes, I complied with her non-verbal request. She smiled in appreciation and laid down in the typical pony-loaf position, looking nothing short of adorable.

Now that everypony was present, I rose from my seat and cleared my throat. “Well, I guess you’re all well past due a proper introduction,” I began in a formal voice.

Seeing them all here with me, after learning a bit about each of them by witnessing their interactions… the resemblance was undeniable. I looked at them and saw the shadow of my pony family, the group of mares I had called my own and shared the best years of my life with. I trusted them with my life, and at that moment, I felt I could trust these ponies too. They deserved to know after all the hassle I had put them through with my rude appearance.

With a deep breath to calm my nerves, I gave them what they desired. The full truth.

“My name is Alexander Kintobor, founder and first doctor in Bioarchaeology, head of Equestria’s ISIT department, bearer of the Element of Perseverance, and Equestrian Prince of Knowledge.” I proudly announced, chin up and confident posture. Just as I had done before, I stuck with that name. The joke had run too far by then to change it.

As had happened the day before, muzzles fell to the floor and eyes widened in undisguised surprise, except Sunny, whose eyes were now full of wonder.

‘Weren’t expecting that, huh? This ought to be fun…’

Author's Note

Ding! Ding! New chapter! I wanted to thank you all for the positive feedback and adding the story to your favorites (and other bookshelves, same gratitude 🙃). I know gen 5 isn’t everyone’s favorite, but still, I want to try and write the best story I can (and hopefully give it a bit more dignity in my opinion).

Many chapters to write, many themes to explore. Hope you enjoy the ride.
Until next time, hopefully soon (college’s a bitch).

P&P.