I needed a few minutes to bring myself out of my stupor. Sunny kept nudging my arm with her snout, her darting eyes alarmingly searching for an answer to my claim. After shaking myself awake and calming my breath, I attempted to reassure her, promising her that she wasn’t a danger to herself or her friends.

Perhaps I was mistaken, and whatever happened to Sunny was a completely unrelated event, but until I could explore the issue further, I wouldn’t be able to fully confirm my suspicions.

‘Probably best to take the cautious approach on this one for now, or else things could get very bad very quickly.’

Her panicked breathing had slowed, and I could tell she had calmed down a bit. Now she would be a little more comfortable with some more questions. “Sunny, can you… show me this ‘transformation’? It might aid my investigation if I could observe how it manifests.”

I saw her desire to comply in her beautiful eyes but, with a frown, she lightly shook her head. “I haven’t been able to since it happened… the only reminder that it happened at all is this streak in my hair, see?” She dejectedly pointed to her head, her hooves highlighting the rainbow-patterned streak in her mane.

‘This just gets more and more complicated… Ugh, I’m too old for this shit… literally, actually.’

I run a hand through her soft, silky main, following the rainbow-colored path across her scalp. Sighing privately to myself, I tried to reassure her once again. “Sunny, I promise that we’ll find out the truth behind this transformation thing. Once we’ve figured things out, I can hopefully guide you a little on how this all works using my knowledge from the past, maybe even help find a trigger for unlocking it consciously.”

I did possess a fair amount of knowledge regarding alicorn magic, but the most dangerous aspects of that knowledge were deliberately kept hidden by the princesses, a knowledge that, in the wrong hooves, could have caused cataclysmic damage. I tried on many occasions to get access to that knowledge, but I was always turned down. It was hard not to feel a little resentful that I wasn’t trusted to handle such knowledge, but I ultimately realized that protecting a nation trumps a blow to my pride.

Sunny described her transformation flawlessly, and the only conclusion I could draw from her description was that she indeed had acquired an alicorn form. Translucent wings and horns. However much of an ascetic or truly practical assets they were, we would have to wait for it to happen again.

If alicorn-level power came with them, it would be imperative for me to intervene. Such raw magic without proper guidance could only end in catastrophe. A wondrous gift which turns you into a loose cannon if not handled properly. Twilight had to undergo her own training after being ascended as a flesh n’ blood alicorn. I would've preferred her or any of the other princesses to be hee and teach Sunny if her powers turned out to be the real deal.

She would have to settle for me.

Sunny looked a little disappointed, probably because she was expecting some more immediate answers to her predicament. I held one of her hooves in my hand. “I know it sucks not having answers, but can you trust me enough to put those questions aside for now until I have some real ones?”

A moment of silent debate later, Sunny nodded. After we had reached an understanding, we parked the issue of her alicorn powers for the time being. We would’ve more than enough time to brak our heads cracking that one. Drained by the emotional rush, I made use of the location we were currently in and decided to go for a quick swim on the tranquil sea, my nose having well noticed that both me and my clothes urgently needed some cleaning, however sad excuse a swim at the beach is for a cleaning method.

‘I’ll see if Izzy can whip up something for me. I doubt there are any clothes available in the stores fitted for humans, and I highly doubt the owners will be willing to accept commissions from me for the time being.’

Sunny, also itching to leave the touchy subject behind for the time being, chose to accompany me in my swim. We spent the next few hours messing around, playing in the water and relaxing under the sun, trying to leave behind our worries and talking like two good friends whose friendship was rapidly blooming. Just as I had experienced with Izzy, I liked being around Sunny. Albeit more relaxed than the wacky unicorn, she also had a very charming personality, and both her speech and actions oozed an all-encompassing hope that fueled her every dream. How she had handled her friends during the makeover efforts spoke volumes about her ability as the leader of this new group of friends, a role which she had unconsciously filled during their journey, even if she hadn't realized it herself.

A shadow of a certain alicorn princess flicked through my vision every time I saw her. The resemblance, while not complete, was enough for me to easily discern the parallelisms.

A cold dagger dug into my heart every time it happened.

While we dried our bodies over the warm sand, a few curious foals left their shovels and buckets behind and approached me after a period of hesitation, inquiring about my weird looks with their characteristic foallike curiosity, much to the concern of their parents who watched with worry from afar. I gladly answered all their questions, and let them play around with my hands and hang from my shoulders. A few gentle pets and playful tickling turned them into real fans very quickly.

One of them even asked for my username on numerous social media sites, whose existence I was completely unaware of. He had extracted a smartphone of his own from his mane, wanting to add me into his friend’s list.

‘Cliptrot? Ponygram? Prancebook? Faust above…’ I could only sullenly lament to myself after hearing the excited foals boast about their online misadventures.

Years spent on Earth had taught me the wonders and horrors of social media being exposed to younger minds. I prayed to Faust to please don’t let it be the case here.

Foalish shenanigans aside, I had a great time, much better than the past few days had been roughing it in the wild and meeting the new ponies. During the final days before my journey into the future, I barely had any chance to just relax and have some fun with my friends. We were all worried sick, pressured to the point of bursting, and really, REALLY afraid of the terrifying events going on around us. The waking hours were spent with nothing but work and concern, watching helplessly as Equestria crumbled around us.

Memories that shook me to my very core. Sunny’s presence did wonders to soothe my nerves and distract me from the dark thoughts of longing, regret, and guilt lurking behind the darkest corners of my mind, waiting to bring me down like they had managed to succeed several times before. I had learned how to deal with these kinds of thoughts in the past, and promised my loved ones to never allow myself to suffer alone like that, for they were my family and I could always count on them.

Faust dammit I was only making it worse…

But I simply couldn’t afford any self-doubt about the importance of the mission. Lots of mentalization had been required to keep myself from simply losing my wits the moment I entered stasis. It was simple and very clear, and nothing, absolutely nothing could stand in my way.

However, as the saying goes, one’s worst enemy is oneself. As the days went by, the harder and harder it was for me to accept my new situation. I kept silent, for theirs wasn’t the responsibility to keep me from crashing down. I only hoped the new gang would help me, as the old one did numerous times.

‘I don’t want to add my burdens to their growing list of problems. They already have enough of them as it is… but I don’t think I have much of a choice now that they’re elbows deep… Come on, Alex, don’t lose yourself now! Stay focused, search for the solution! For them!’

It was when the sun had started to set behind the tall mountains in the distance, and the temperature had begun to drop, that Sunny and I decided to call it an afternoon and return to the Crystal Brighthouse, much to the disappointment of the younglings whose collective ‘awwws’ almost bought them a couple more minutes with the freaky tall creature. I didn't miss the sigh of relief from their parents the moment we announced our leave. They’d come around eventually, I had no doubt.

On our way back to my new permanent residence, we took a small detour around midtown and grabbed some takeout on our way back from a place Sunny recommended, neither of us in the mood to cook dinner for five hungry equines and a slightly less hungry human. You guys simply don’t understand how much a pony can scarf down when their mind’s into it. It’s way worse than in those Japanese mangas I swear…

The ambience was certainly quieter than this morning, the setting sun providing a warm illumination punctuated by the light coming from the numerous houses where families and friends sat down for dinner. The tramway car passed us on its way to the town's upper level, carrying the last ponies returning from work near the business district right around the town hall’s location. A curious contraption, resembling those of the major cities around the seventies or eighties you’d see in the old movies. Very charming.

And it ran on electricity. Can you believe that? Ponies using electricity and not magic to pull their weight! Yeah, sure, the absence of magic for several centuries surely called for a complete change of paradigm, but it was just such a foreign sight for me.

And how much work it took me to make the ponies see the benefits of it over the total dominance of magic in virtually every corner of their society.

On our way up the cliff-end hill where the brighthouse stood, I took a moment to enjoy the scenery. Horseshoe Bay overlooked the easter waters of the Celestial Sea, separating the lands of Westria, where Equestria propre, the Crystal Empyre and many more micronations and city-states were located, and Essia, land of griffons, dragons and many other creatures whose historical enmity with the ponies had limited relationships with the continent we now inhabited. If this world’s history was something, it was convoluted.

The golden rays from the hiding sun reflected on the surface of the water, painting beautiful forms and shapes that changed with the undulation of the waves coming to their inevitable end against the stony walls of the twin cliffs that delimited the bay.

Noticing my halt, Sunny trotted back to stand beside me, her eyes sparkling with wonder as mine did, immensely enjoying the canvas of warm hues before us. By force of habit, I placed my hand on her back and gently rubbed it up and down. She returned a grateful smile and pressed herself against my side, our previous quarrel on the beach now all but forgotten, but surely to return in due time.

“I often forget the little things, like a beautiful sunset…” I spoke softly, enjoying the feeling of her firm against the palm of my hand. Therapeutic in all senses, at least for me.

“Yeah… Sometimes, you just need to take a moment. It helps a lot more than what ponies might think.” Sunny agreed, matching my tone of voice suited for the tranquil moment. I moved my hand to scratch behind her ears, which didn't take long to elicit a small full-body shudder from her, her smile only getting wider. That’s what you get from having superficial nerve-clusters around your scalp and ears.

After a few more moments of contemplating the gorgeous sights, we resumed our way up the hill. Sunny was still eager to still engage me in some conversation. “So, how was your day before I found you? I hope nopony gave you a hard time.”

I appreciated the concern. She was going her way to make sure I felt welcomed in this new place, a sentiment I appreciated in earnest. “Well, I had a brainwave, and decided to go to the town hall.” I spoke with a friendly pat of appreciation. “A quiet regal building, all things considered. I remembered that Equestria at least used to have a functioning immigration system, and I wondered if there was still one around now. Luckily, there was… kinda. There were a LOT of questions involved, but they gave me a temporary residence permit, which will just have to do until I can get something more permanent organized.”

Sunny was impressed. “That was some quick thinking! Now that you have that permit, you shouldn’t have a problem accessing most of the town’s infrastructure and social programs.” She congratulated me on my initiative with an eager grin.

I returned the gesture. “Thank you. That permit was the easy part.” I continued my retelling of that day's adventures. “You should have seen me talking to the ponies at the Maretime National Bank when I asked to open a personal account without having a single bit to my name. They had to call a manager over since it wouldn’t let them open an account with zero bits.” I snickered under my breath at the ridiculous outcome. “I then noticed that he was meticulously watering a potted plant instead of actually doing his job. I told him that if he wanted to consult the branch manager, I would wait for him!”

Sunny almost fell over laughing at my retelling of the conversation I had. Absolutely ridiculous, but what else can you expect from Equestria? I also found that, while bits still were the official currency of Equestria, they now came in both coins and bills, which was a hundred times more practical when dealing with large denominations.

“They still couldn’t open an account for me, so that’s a bit of a bummer.” I lamented, although my sorrow was short lived. “Although, you know, Sunny? Even considering that, I think I’m feeling like I’m more or less settled in now. It’s a good feeling.”

Sunny was in agreement. “I think so, too. What’s the next step in your plans?” She couldn't help but wonder.

I still didn’t feel fully comfortable sharing the full version with Sunny and her friends. My intentions with the Unity Crystals and the future of magic could be very easily misinterpreted as malicious, and that would only wreck what little progress I had made since I had awoken. I had to be tactful and wait for the appropriate time. I also didn't want to keep them in the dark forever, mind you. I could only pray they saw my side of things and understood why I had to do what I intended with the crystals.

“Well, I think my next order of business should be trying to learn a bit more about the Unity Crystals themselves. I don’t plan on messing around with them again, Sunny, so please don’t worry about that. Getting zapped twice before was enough punishment.” I rubbed the phantom pains from my forearms. “But, I do feel that there’s much more to them than I initially thought, and I think that some intensive study is required to understand them better.” A reasonable approach, yet I already knew that that particular endeavor was going to be a royal headache to accomplish. All I carried with me was my knowledge. Equipment, references… heck, actually experts on the matter to assist me…

I might as well do as Izzy said and smack them around to see what happened.

“Also, I think I should begin cataloging and organizing your dad’s journals, as well as any evidence he managed to collect. I want to see if I can make any sense of what happened during my absence, and perhaps find some clues that might help me in my overall mission.”

Those summed up to be whatever years happened between my entering into stasis and today. How much had Twilight managed to hold Equestria together before breaking up like this? It had to be at least a couple of years, I hoped; but it was painfully obvious how most of that time had been spent in isolation for each of the three tribes.

And what about the other races? Are they still around, is the world in peace? ‘Casue if they suddenly went knocking on our door for a fight the ponies were virtually defenseless. I mean, I surely could pull my weight, but best if the griffons didn't get any sudden ideas.

Altoghut, if something like that was bound to happen ,it would’ve done so a LONG time ago. Why it hadn’t? That was another mystery for me to solve.

The list was growing uncomfortably long.

Sunny nodded in agreement, “That’s very reasonable. In the meantime, my friends and I will keep protecting the crystals and… well, as you said, just be ourselves and keep showing other ponies the wonders of being united in peace as we once were. I’m sure us all working together will return Equestria to its former glory!” She passionately exclaimed while pumping her front leg in emphasis.

Her excitement was contagious, as it saw me grinning enthusiastically in return. “I’m sure you will, Sunny. I couldn’t have asked for a greater set of helping hooves than you and the team.” I gave her an encouraging pat.

“Well, don’t forget that you are now also part of the team, mister!” She corrected me with a knowing wink.

“Whatever you say, Tangerine.” I answered, replying with a wink of my own. In return, I got a playful nip to my hand, causing me to almost drop the food I was carrying.

Once we reached the brighthouse, Sunny quickly entered first with me walking in just behind her. “You can put the takeout food on the kitchen table, Hitch should be joining us later for dinner.” She instructed, motioning for the aforementioned location. “In the meantime, I’m going to take a shower. I have sand in places I didn’t even know I had. It’s coarse and it gets everywhere.”

I sympathized with that feeling, yet I was glad I didn't have fur like the ponies do. Cleaning all that sand off gotta be an adventure on its own.

After she turned around and left, I thought to be a polite houseguest and started to set the dishes for dinner. Once everypony’s place had a plate and utensils, I felt like killing time and stepped into the living room, tiredly sinking into the too-low-for-my-height sofa. I used a simple summoning spell to pull the TV remote into my hand, its shape a striking resemblance to remotes back on Earth, only with hoof-friendly buttons adapted for their size.

“Let’s see what passes for TV in ponyland, shall we?” I asked myself. After channel surfing for a good ten minutes, I came to the conclusion that most of the content was also very similar to what we had back on Earth in general terms. Both for the good and the bad stuff. The quality of the cameras, as well as the special effects and sound, had greatly improved since the rough attempts that had only started to appear in Equestria at the time of my arrival. The times of a pony playing piano for an audience enjoying a mute film were thankfully behind us, although that kind of screenplay did have a charm of its own. Progress’ progress, I guessed.

After a few more minutes of senseless zapping, I heard the bathroom door opening upstairs. “I’m all done, Alex. The shower is yours if you want to clean up a bit!”.

“Thanks, Sunny!” I voiced loud enough for her to hear and abandoned the TV in favor of taking the ramp up towards a much-needed bath. The interior had drastically changed from the bathroom I remembered before the lighthouse’s transformation.

‘Definitely much bigger, presumably to better accommodate all of us.’ I inwardly reasoned.

I took off my salty clothes and stepped into the shower. To my dismay, the only shower gels available were Sunny’s, so it looked like I was going to smell like sunflowers for the time being. Without giving it much thought, I started to clean myself, taking special care to wash the nasty scar under my left pectoral…

I also took the chance to wash all my clothes in the nearby sink. It wasn’t as efficient as a washing machine, but it would have to do. A quick wind spell was all I needed to get them nice and dry in very little time. Thank goodness Rarity made sure all her creations were shrinking-proof.

By the time I was done cleaning away the sand and salt, Hitch had already arrived. From the muffled conversion and her tone of voice, it seemed Sunny was heatedly scolding the sheriff regarding the matter of the still-active defenses spread around town. As I walked in, I could see that they were both distributing our dinner, Sunny not missing a beat on her admonishing and Hitch’s expression one of shame. “I know, I know, Sunny. We’ve just been so busy rebuilding the town.” The poor stallion tried to defend himself. “Look, I promise to take care of it as soon as I can… before anypony ends up getting hurt, or worse.”

“Nice to see you again, sheriff.” I greeted, as I entered the kitchen, providing a short break for the bruised sheriff.

He stepped back to address me, his guilty expression only worsening. “Alex, I’m terribly sorry about what almost happened. We’ve all been so busy fixing the town after Sprout’s little… ‘incident’, and welcoming new ponies, that we’ve clearly not been vigilant enough to remember the defense systems.” He spoke ashamed, gently pawing the marble floor with his forehoof. “But be assured that I will personally deal with the problem. It’s absolutely unacceptable to have those things still active and endangering our citizens.”

His resolution was more than enough reassurance for me. “Thank you, Hitch. From what Sunny told me, it could have ended very badly for me if one of those traps had managed to ensnare me. Now that I think about it, I never actually thanked you, Sunny.” I returned to the earth pony waiting with her scolding features lessening as I spoke. “So, I’ll do it now. Thank you, Sunny, you might just have saved my life earlier.”

With a faint blush, she waved her foreleg dismissively, trying to lessen its importance. “Don’t mention it, Alex. I couldn’t let our newest friend get hurt, right?”

I nodded in gratitude. Without anything else to add, we started eating our dinner, casually talking about our day, and listening to Hitch’s perspective of the story regarding the reunification of the crystals.

Lessons were learned, and friendships were made. All in all, it sounded like a very heartwarming journey. I paid special attention to both the locations described and how the different races behaved in their own corners of the country.

First, there were the earth ponies, who had become absolutely terrified of the other pony races, all of whom lay beyond their enclosed town of Maretime Bay. Their isolation fueled a mindset of suspicion and fear towards them, eventually leading them to set up defenses, which they conjured using technology like the trap I encountered earlier. Thankfully, their xenophobic tendencies only went as far as simple traps, self-defense gadgets and something Hitch called a ‘Splatapult’, mostly deterrent-spirited and without a mind of hurting anypony. They had nothing truly dangerous, like firearms, munitions or explosives.

Then, there were the pegasi, now comfortably living under their own monarchy that had ruled over their city-state, Zephyr Heights, for the last few centuries, according to what Zipp had explained to me the day prior. They were proud, warrior-spirited, and regarded the other races as inferior, demeaning the earth ponies as dumb, and the unicorns as dangerous due to shared fear of their magic. Luckily, no ruler from the self-proclaimed Zephyr Dynasty had thought it a good idea to try and subjugate the other tribes. The winged ponies just seemed very content with just minding their own business while keeping a watchful eye on their land-bound cousins. Sunny recounted how the pegasi had embraced cellular communications technology, digital information delivery systems, and social media, the last of which I had already been made aware of earlier, way more than the earth ponies and the unicorns had. Hitch agreed with Sunny that their city was a great example of how far the pegasi had come in terms of technology.

That’s what their city had been designed for, after all…

Finally, there were the unicorns, arguably the most magical of the three tribes, but now greatly reduced in number to just a small community of superstitious, grumpy ponies with barely any drive to even get out of their bed in the mornings. Their economy was practically non-existent, but in spite of that, they had attached great importance to physical possessions, part of their ridiculously long list of superstitions and beliefs. Hitch indicated how he thought that the unicorns had very clearly been held back by those very backward beliefs, and how they reacted very strongly against anything they considered counter to their superstitions. I found it interesting that they had renamed the forest they inhabited to ‘Bridlewood’. I had no knowledge of such a place before my journey, nor could I be sure of up to where the original forest had expanded in all these years. That’s what several centuries and zero supervision do to your geography.

In all the years that had passed, none of the pony tribes had been willing to try and start a dialogue between them, much less any trade or sharing of information, except for a few brave ponies who ventured out to see what lay beyond their city’s limits. There had been a few shy attempts to reconcile with the other races, but none of them had borne any fruit, nor had any taken place in the last century or so according to Sunny. For centuries, they all just lived apart, lost in their own lives without caring about anything outside their borders. A huge contrast from the ponies I had come to know during my early years in Equestria.

‘There’s much to do if we’re to restore things to how they were. The effects of so many years of living in isolation will take a huge effort to reverse…’

Having finished our dinner, I did what any conscientious houseguest would do. “Sunny, mind if I cleared the table and washed these dishes? You paid for the food, it's only fair I do the washing up.” A grateful nod from the earth pony was my answer. Sunny and Hitch then both yawned in tandem.

“I’m feeling kinda tired, so I think I’m gonna call it an early night.” Sunny remarked after the yawn had run its course. “Hitch, you can crash on the sofa if you want.”

Hitch nodded in appreciation. “Thanks, Sunny, I’m feeling kinda beat too. I’ll see you both in the morning.”

They both sleepily waved to me and went on their sleepy way. I returned to the kitchen to collect the plates and utensils, put the condiments back and get the sink ready for a good scrubbing session. A few minutes later, I was done, the dishes now placed on the drying rack along with the rather ornate utensils. On my way up the ramp, I wished Hitch a good night, only getting a half-asleep grunt in return from the living room.

Once in my new room, I removed my shoes and shirt and sat in the chair facing the small window, admiring the moon and the surrounding night sky. With nothing to distract me, my thoughts returned to those of my old friends. Memories swirled around, matted with feelings of guilt and self-loathing chewing hard at my self-esteem. But before I could lose myself deeper into the dark thoughts, I shook myself awake and proceeded to tuck myself into the barely-fitting bed.

Fewer nightmares accompanied me during the night, meaning I had managed to get a more or less decent rest. But even then, I still awoke with my hand pressed firmly against my scar, still feeling the phantom pain sensation that would forever follow me. Such a cruel destiny for the one who had drawn the short straw…

Not wanting to delve too much into it, I quickly got out of bed and, after a good morning stretch, redressed and prepared to face the new day ahead of me.

After a hearty breakfast of refined sugary breakfast cereals with the ponies, Hitch decided to accompany me back into town. It was very early in the morning, and only a few equines were walking the streets on their way to work. Suddenly remembering a possible job opportunity, Hitch informed me of a group of ponies that might require my help. Not warning to waste a fresh opportunity, we took a side path towards the outskirts of town.

With Hitch’s help, I managed to convince the few electrician ponies working on repairing the thermo-solar energy plant to let me lend a hand. My speciality wasn't electronics per se, but I still managed to help them repair and reinforce the wiring, and fix the electrical transformers that seemed to have overloaded after the previous magical outburst from the Unity Crystals when they had joined together. You can thank my sister for my average knowledge in electronics and programming.

Magic overloading circuits was one of the MANY headaches I had to deal with at the beginning of the ISIT program and the integration of modern technology in an Equestria stuck in an aborted industrial revolution. I was able to quickly scavenge some knowledge from my past projects and advised them on how to prepare in case something similar were to happen again.

With that sorted, I walked away with a few bits for my trouble, and the trust of the local electrician ponies, who kindly offered me a chance to work with them again if the need arose. Hitch himself was rather impressed that I had that kind of technical knowledge in my pocket. However, since I had already made clear that that field wasn’t my true speciality, I asked him if the town’s hospital had some kind of clinical laboratory I could enroll in, since that is what my studies back on Earth specialized in and the best palace I could make use of my abilities.

Upon his affirmative answer, I parted ways with him and, while he headed for his office to begin the morning load of paperwork, decided to visit the hospital and ask about the possibility of working there, as I possessed plenty of previous experience in lab work, both form my days in college and after my arrival in Equestria. Much more than in anything related to electronics, at least when it came to handwork, that is. Fifteen minutes later, I arrived at the main entrance and asked for the director, a stallion named Rusty Scalpel.

‘Mmfff, that name doesn't inspire a lot of confidence for a place like this, that’s for sure.’

I had no references that could support my previous experience, for obvious reasons, so I asked for a trial to demonstrate my skills.

After giving myself a few minutes to familiarize myself with their lab’s equipment, I set about analyzing various samples and running various protocols, the same as I had done dozens of times before. The technology, while considerably more modern than the one I used in the old days with the lab ponies, was not that different to my workplace back in the human world.

Ah, the sweet times of being an underpaid predoctoral assistant…

My performance and aptitude for the work, added to my general knowledge of the three tribes of ponies, convinced the lab staff and the director that I was a desirable candidate to hire. Apparently, they urgently needed somepony with specialized knowledge about the other races now that they had started to migrate into the town, either for avisist or with more permanent plans in mind. Guessed ponies were in a rush for some beach and sun rays while it was still summer.

Because I would need to leave town several times during my research, I decided it best to negotiate an hourly contract since I wouldn’t always be available for work, granting me the flexibility I required for focusing on different fonts at the same time, if you will. Thus, we were able to come to an agreement and, seeing as I was already there and my future coworkers were eager to meet me, I decided to work a couple of extra hours to finish familiarizing myself with the lab’s environment and personnel.

The ponies working there looked at me mesmerized, some of them furiously taking notes on my strange methods, but I was like a fish in the water. It wasn't a huge lab, but neither was the hospital, although some renovations would be in order both to deal with the influx of ponies and the particular necessities of each of the immigrant tribes. I made a note to have a meeting with the director to help him deal with that.

By the end of the morning, I had made friends with several staff members, and I had promised to teach them all some more of my lab tricks when we had a chance to.

With a few more bits in my possession, I decided to return to the Maretime National Bank, and try once again to open an account. Still a bit reluctant due to my low capital, they nevertheless allowed me this time to open one in the branch and were so kind as to inform me that I would soon be able to make transactions, as well as withdraw or deposit money at the other branches located in the other cities in the near future. Evidently, the financial companies of each tribe were beginning to negotiate and reach new agreements to promote the mobility of resources and capital between them, which was a very good thing to hear. The fact that the three of them still embraced the Bit as common currency would only facilitate the transition.

On my way back to the brighthouse, I caught sight of Sunny rushing around town in roller skates while towing a small cart full of smoothies.

‘Skating ponies… that’s a new one for me. How can she balance herself on four legs?….. Way better than humans can, now that I think about it.’

Merrily chucklin at the curious sight, I continued my path out of town towards my new home. All that walking would help me get back in shape. Sleeping for seven centuries straight isn’t what the doctor would recommend if you wanted to remain fit. Some morning runs along the beach and easy exercises would get me back to my old self in no time.

‘Better not push it too hard, either, since now I’m technically… how much would it be… seven hundred and… forty six, I think?... Bah, not that it matters anymore…”

Once in the main hall, I heard a ruckus coming from one of the corners of the lower floor, Izzy’s designated space to be more precise.

Poking my head in to investigate, I came across the very same mare, who appeared to be taking various items out of a saddlebag and placing them around her work area.

“Hey there, Izzy! How was the trip?” I greeted her while stepping into her workshop.

She turned around and enthusiastically greeted me back. “Helloooo there, Alex! I’m finally back!” She boldly announced with a funny pose. “The trip was nice, nothing special to it, really…” her posture suddenly sagged. “The unicorns seemed a bit more excited now that all the ponies are starting to interact together… they also looked somewhat relieved when I told them I was moving to Maretime Bay…” She sighed sadly and finished with her ears and head dropping.

“Heh. Well, it’s their loss!” I cried, walking all the way to the dejected unicorn. “If those dull unicorns can’t deal with la Izzy, then la Izzy will graciously leave them in the dust, and move to where she’s wanted, which just happens to be right here with us!” I exclaimed, followed by some gentle encouragement with a few affectionate rubs on her wavy mane.

Her sorrow mood was promptly evaporated by my touch, and her smile illuminated the room again. I continued my caressing, to her obvious enjoyment. “Ho ho! Now that’s something I can get used to! Mmmmmm…” She cooed while directing my hands with her head movements.

Chuckling at her antics, I stopped my petting and ushered her. “Come on, you silly filly, let's finish unpacking your things.” With a fake pout at being denied more pets, she was more than happy to let me lend a hand, and continued organizing her stuff while I took what remained out of her bag and handed each item to her. It mostly consisted of crafting materials and utensils, some of them fabricated by the mare herself. I couldn’t help but be impressed, especially since I knew for a fact she had had to come up with all of this with her hooves instead of her horn.

Once done, she reached for the side of her desk and grabbed a small string bracelet with numerous gems sewn into it.

“Here you go! Your very own friendship bracelet, courtesy of ‘la Izzy’ Eeeheheheh! Now we all have matching sets!” She excitedly exclaimed, doing a happy trot in place while showcasing hers, partially obscured by the slightly longer fur of her fetlock.

I grabbed the offered bracelet, putting it on my right wrist and carefully examining the gems it contained. A close look revealed them to contain a fair amount of magic inside. Not the types of gems I would’ve chosen for the task, but I realized I could use them as an impromptu substitute for a piece of equipment I had previously made. One that I planned to recreate eventually, and which centerpiece rested in my left pocket.

The lightbulb didn't take long to lit over my head. “Thank you, Izzy, it looks great. Although, now that I think about it, I might need your help with a small project of mine…” I voiced my plans with a mischievous smile.

“Owww, that sounds ominous... I’m in! What’cha need? I can craft anything your tiny brain could possibly imagine!” She answered while puffing her chest in mock pride.

With a roll of my eyes, I explained my idea. “I was thinking of using the bracelet’s gems as well as my own to create a sort of Atlas Gauntlet, similar to the one I used to carry in the past.” I explain, the blueprint already formed in my mind. It only was a matter of available materials, which Izzy’s large collection would surely be able to provide. “Although this one would be, for now, a less refined version. I’m gonna need a glove with a special layout. Mind if we take a look around, and see if we can find anything that might suit me?”

With her tail wagging in excitement, she dragged me all around her workplace, showing me the different materials she had at her disposal. I ended up choosing a piece of material that closely resembled synthetic leather and a few scrap parts that contained traces of magic-conducting metal. Once we had everything we needed, we started to, as Izzy called it, ‘unicycle’ my gauntlet.

It only took us a couple of hours. The result was a rough and inefficient version of what was arguably one of my greatest-ever creations. For now, this inferior version would have to suffice. We managed to integrate the bracelet into the design along with the gem I carried from the past. These would be attached to the glove and would be in conductive contact with each other via the magically-conductive metal bands. The power output was laughable, and magic-conversion efficiency a sad excuse of what my most advanced prototypes could deal with.

But it would do for the time being. The rest was up to my concentration and skill.

“Thank you very much, Izzy. This turned out pretty decent if I say so myself." I thanked the unicorn who was now looking in awe at our recent creation, her smile almost falling out of her face.

To be honest, it looked more like a cheap imitation of the Infinity Gauntlet, if you know what I’m referring to. It wouldn’t allow me to erase half the universe, for now… but at least I could defend myself and be of more help to the group. Just as it was my original intention when I first sought to build it, many many many MANY years ago.

“Can I see how it works?!! Pleasepleasepleaseplease!” Izzy pleaded with her own set of puppy eyes, launching herself into me for enhanced effect.

This time however, I was prepared to resist her adorableness. “I’ll show you, Izzy, but I think it would be best if we wait for Sunny and Hitch to arrive. I'm meeting them for an impromptu picnic in half an hour, would you like to accompany us?”

Izzy snorted in mock derision at such an obvious question. “Duh! Of course I’m up for a picnic with my bestest of friends!” She beamed at my invitation.

While we waited for the rest of the ponies to arrive, I talked to Izzy about fixing up a few additional pieces of clothing for me. While claiming not to be her field of expertise, I allowed her to examine the clothes I was wearing more closely, and I had her look over a few sketches I had drawn of them. She accepted the challenge and, of course, wouldn’t hear a thing about payment.

“What kind of friend would I be to ask you for payment when, firstly, you don’t have any money at the moment, and secondly, you’re my friend?!” She rebutted, going as far as looking offended that I had ever suggested paying her.

I was quick to reassure her. “I didn’t mean it like that, Izzy. I actually managed to gain a few bits from doing some honest work today. “I pulled aid bits from my pocket for her to glimpse. “Also, offering payment for a service done for a friend doesn’t mean you’re being a bad one by accepting it. This is your vocation, after all. If you wanted to, you could give them a special discount, or something similar, what we called ‘mate’s rates’ back on Earth. I wouldn't think bad of you for doing so, you silly filly.”

She still looked unsure. “I don’t know… it sounds wrong to do something like that to a friend… I don’t want to lose any of you. I’m willing to do anything necessary to keep my friends happy!” She wailed in distress.

What can you expect from a pony living in a world like that, where all the friendship lessons my pony family had learned and showed to the world were all but an old mare's tale?

I couldn’t help myself and gave her a big hug. “Thank you, Izzy, that is very kind of you. Why don’t we talk more about it with the rest of the gang, and see what their opinion on the matter is, hmm? I’m sure it’ll help.”

I felt her nod against my chest, her breathing now slow and gentle. After parting from the hug, we spent the next few minutes talking about my new job and what she meant by 'unicycling'. I found it a very interesting and creative concept, and I encouraged her to keep going with it. She also showed me a few of her trinkets, spread haphazardly around her workshop. All of them had something in common: they were created using recycled materials and given a new purpose, whether it was artistic, aesthetic, or functional.

“Wow, Izzy, they look great! Perhaps I could commission something from you to decorate my room, how does that sound?”

With a furious wag of her tail, she nodded enthusiastically, a brilliant smile on her muzzle at the prospect of creating something for me.

So engrossed we were in our conversation that we didn’t hear Sunny entering the brighthouse.

“Izzy, you’re back!!” She yelled at the sight of us.

“Sunnyyyy!!!” Cried a very happy Izzy, rushing towards her friend and glomping her with a jump, the two mares now on the floor squealing in delight.

It was a really heartwarming moment to witness. These two really hit off after meeting each other at the beginning of their journey. After disentangling themselves, and another hug from Sunny for little ol’ me, we gathered our things and set off for the picnic. Sunny confirmed that Hitch would be joining us shortly, as he had some pressing matters to attend to in the office first. She was kind enough to prepare some vegetable sandwiches as well as a few snacks, along with some of her famous smoothies that she had brought with her on her way back from her smoothie stand.

We settled on a beautiful hill not too far from the brighthouse, the gorgeous sights of the sea and the coastal town making for a very picturesque scene. The girls talked about the things they had done while being apart, myself politely listening in the background while admiring the sights around us.

A few minutes later, Hitch arrived, carrying a bag with what smelled like more treats for our picnic. After a cheerful greeting from Izzy, we began with our meal.

The food was stupendous, as was the company. The ponies were engrossed in their chit-chatting, laughing at the memories of their very first journey, and sharing thoughts about the future. It reminded me a lot of my time with the girls…

After we finished our meal, I found myself once again assaulted by Sunny’s questions, her and then the rest wanting to learn more about my time in ancient Equestria. Furiously scribbling down in her notebook, Sunny recorded some of the anecdotes and adventures I recounted from during my early years in the land of the ponies. They all looked absolutely thrilled, Sunny especially, her eyes almost bulging out of their sockets in amazement.

‘Heh, yeah, I’ve been in all manner of crazy adventures.’

Izzy also eagerly encouraged me to show them our latest creation that was currently resting in my left pocket. With an amused roll of my eyes, I showed the earth ponies my prototype gauntlet.

“It looks similar to the one in the diagram with your signature! Is that….” She began to wonder while cautiously poking it with a hoof.

“It is, Sunny. This is a simplified, rough version of the Atlas Gauntlet. It allows me to store magical energy and cast any spell I wish with the only limitations being the amount of magic stored and how much energy output the gems can handle.” I explained in my best attempt of a lecture voice.

“Now, that’s something alright!” A surprised Hitch responded.

“Can you show us how it works?! Pleasepleasepleaseplease!!” Pleaded Sunny in a similar manner to Izzy before, Izzy eventually joining in with the sad puppy look in a fearsome double combo.

It was too much for me this time. With an amused chuckle, I put on the gauntlet and cast a few simple levitation and wind spells, to the ponies’ delight.

“It’s AMAZING! And so… practical! No wonder this was described as an outstanding revolution in my father’s notes!” Sunny cheered after my little demonstration.

“Yeah, almost makes this old thing feel outdated.” Izzy added while poking at her horn.

Hah, if only she had known the severity of that EXACT train of thought…

With a sad smile, I explained the nature of that issue. “Actually Izzy, that was one of the problems I had to face when I first introduced the technology. Many ponies started to think that, with the new advances I provided, the need to turn to the other tribes for help was unnecessary, and that it was much easier to take the matter into their own hooves and go on without assistance. I’m afraid the new technology ended up only aggravating those developing rifts between the ponies.” I recalled with a defeated mutter. Leagues away from their original intent, but ponies were adamant on considering substitutes more than aids.

“My original goal was to breach the species barrier both in and out of Equestria, and grant the chance for everycreature to live their best life regardless of possessing or not wings or a horn or neither.” I continued with my description, the ponies listening with rapt attention. “But my purpose was gravely misunderstood, and that ended up having terrible consequences…” I finished with a dejected sigh, my thoughts returning to the infamous incident that completely altered our efforts to restore harmony between ponies.

The ponies rose to give me sympathetic pats, with Sunny going as far as giving me another big hug while reassuring me that they under absolutely no circumstance would think less of me.

‘We’ll see if that stays true after you hear the full version, Sunny. I’m not exactly what you might call an epitome of righteousness…’

Thanking them for their support, we spent the better part of the afternoon chatting about various topics, the ponies telling me more about their respective hometowns. Sunny never left my side, now snuggling closer with my arm around her while I absent-mindedly rubbed my thumb over the fur of her shoulder. She was adamant of staying close to me, and I was more than happy to grant permission. I mean, who wouldn't want a cute pony at their side, right?

When it started to get a bit chilly, we packed up and headed back to the brighthouse. Without much to do with the rest of the afternoon, Sunny decided to show me one of her favorite movies. She described that it was about a group of explorers going into the mysterious Bridlewood Forest to recover a valuable relic from the hooves of its dangerous inhabitants. Biting on my jacket sleeve, she led me towards the living room and took a seat to my right. Izzy, who was sitting to my left, could only laugh at the many inconsistencies the movie showed about her race. It seemed a bit exaggerated to me, too.

After the credits rolled, we grabbed a light dinner from the kitchen and headed to bed, the ponies reminding me to wake up early to watch tomorrow’s royal parade. That reminded me that I was going to have a couple of words with the pegasi sisters when they returned.

Not feeling very sleepy, I spent the next hour starting the process of cataloging Argyle’s documents and diary entries. From what little I stopped to read in-depth, many of them described famous events and characters from the post-Nightmare Moon era. He made a big effort and tried to depict them as close to the actual truth as possible, but it seemed many centuries and the general disinterest to preserve history had caused many important details to end up gravely distorted or outright lost to time. Still, I was convinced I could make great use of them, especially those going over the period of time after my absence.

However, a quick look at the immediately available documents revealed only but a trickle of half-cooked theories and possibilities. I guessed how, when your country is literally crumbling around you, the last thing you think about is leaving recorded evidence behind. A real shame. For me, it meant that I would have to look somewhere else for information, something already within my goals but now gaining a new level of importance.

Regardless of that, I’d look them over and, with Sunny’s permission, add my personal touch to correct or expand on the vents he had described. Who knew? Other ponies might want to learn about it eventually, now that they weren’t preoccupied in senselessly hating one another.

When I felt my eyelids starting to drop over my tired eyes, I knew it was time to call it a day. Undressing to my underwear and getting under the covers, my mind drifted once again to the memories of my past, but also to a lesser extent recalling the events of the last few days. Thoughts of my new friends and my new surroundings filled my sleepy mind. Now that got a tiny smile out of me, something I found myself doing more and more without the need to fake it. Ponies and their never ending friendship and support would get you out of the deepest hole.

‘Baby steps, Alex, baby steps.’

Since the moment I embarked on my journey, I knew there was little-to-no chance of ever returning to the past. Long hours of lone meditation had been undergone for the sole purpose of dealing with that aspect of my mission, to the point I almost called it over several times at the prospect of having to renounce everything. After Starlight’s incident with time travel, the prospect of traveling back in time was a very delicate matter. I truly didn’t want to lose hope, but under no circumstances I would attempt to return if that endangered my friends’ lives, new ones and old ones.

‘But before I even contemplate any of that, I need to first complete my mission. Then… then we’ll see.’

I woke up to Izzy loudly knocking on my door, urging me to hurry up or I would miss the parade. Sensing her urgency, I bounced out of bed and took a quick shower to wake myself the rest of the way. Once fresh and awake, I went downstairs to join the others who were already sitting in front of the TV, expectantly waiting for the parade to begin. For the first time, I got to see some images of Zephyr Heights, its white and gold shades reminding me a bit of Canterlot while what little I could discern from its layout reminded me of a modern human city.

‘Woah, the pegasi sure dig the big screens, huh?’ I mentally chuckled at the sight of the several brief shots of the pegasi filling up the streets to bid farewell to their princesses, and the humongous screens filling every connectable wall retransmitting the very same thing we were watching on TV.

How did TV actually work, I wondered. The ponies didn't have satellites or anything alike as far as I knew. A question for another time, although I could bet my arm it had something to do with magic or something. It was always magic, even while they couldn't even access it.

The cameras focused then on the main chariot, where the pegasi sisters sat at the sides of an older pegasus mare, who I assumed must be the Queen. Sunny confirmed my suspicions, mentioning that her name was Haven. The Queen was standing firm and royal, with Pipp enthusiastically waving to the hordes of ponies clamoring for their princesses. Zipp, on the other hand, looked like she wanted to be swallowed up by the earth, her expression uncomfortable and eyes nervously darting around, shying away as best she could from the cameras and screaming fans.

After a few minutes, the sisters seemed to have gotten into a small argument, with her mother intervening and giving Zipp a sharp look which settled the pair down.

“Look! There they are! Hi, Zipp! Hi, Pipp!” Exclaimed Sunny while waving her forelegs at the TV.

“Are those pegasi crying?” Asked a flummoxed looking Hitch.

Izzy sighed dejectedly. “I know exactly how Pipp and Zipp feel right now… I remember it like it was yesterday” Added Izzy, dreamily referring to her visit to Bridlewood.

“Uh, Izzy? That was yesterday.” Sunny gave her friend a deadpan look.

“Was it? Ooow…” Izzy’s eyes widened in realization. That silly mare could be so random at times. “Ooh, look! The queen!” Izzy suddenly cheered when the cameras focused on the pegasi leader. I could only chuckle at her antics, rubbing her neck affectionately.

The Queen was giving some kind of parting speech, showing numerous pictures of the sisters growing up, usual motherly business for all equinekind to see, and to the painfully visible embarrassment of Zipp.

Once she was done embarrassing her daughters, the main course of the parade was finally at hand. However, while trying to unveil a concealed monument in honor of their daughters leaving the city, an accident involving a flying out-of-control pegasus unleashed chaos that quickly spread throughout the parade.

We all started cracking up at the ridiculous sight that lasted for a few minutes, the announcers wincing at the numerous bumps and crashes the out-of-control pegasi suffered while flapping around the place like headless chickens. Not like you could ask more of them, considering they had only regained their wings a couple of days ago.

Thankfully, it seemed nopony was hurt in the end. The cameras ended their transmission with the sisters flying away from the parade carrying their things, which meant they would arrive here in a matter of hours.

With the parade over, I said goodbye to my friends and headed back to town. I intended to work for a few more hours in the lab and get to know the staff a little better. We all arranged to meet after lunch to welcome back the sisters.

A quiet morning awaited me. The hospital didn't have many patients at the moment, so there wasn't much work to do. I took the chance to teach the lab ponies a few more tricks I learned from my time on Earth, as well as get to know them better. When it was time for lunch, I went to the lower level of the town and headed for the local market, see if my nose caught something appetizing.

I ended up buying two vegetable sandwiches and a soft drink from a vendor near the beach accessway. The ponies acted a bit calmer in my presence, many giving me a shy smile or a small wave as I passed by. A contrast improvement to my first day.

I perched my back against the boardwalk railing and quietly ate my lunch as I watched the ponies go by the street, lost on their own lives and worries. One of them turned out to be Jazz, who was trotting absentmindedly while meticulously consulting some papers. Feeling like chatting for a bit, I yelled a call of attention that made her look back at the road and, after casting a puzzled look around, she saw me waving at her from where I was resting. With a friendly smile, she came over to chat with me while putting away the papers back in her saddlebag.

“Hi there, Jazz, how’s the new business going?” I greeted the earth pony mare after swallowing another bite of the sandwich.

“Good morning, Alex! It’s going great, actually. I believe we’ll be ready to open tomorrow, if not the day after. I’m just waiting for the manager to return to Maretime Bay and give the final go-ahead.” She greeted back, contagious enthusiasm dripping from every eager word coming from her beaming muzzle. “I was just revising the last of the paperwork on my way to get some lunch. Thankfully, once this is over, I can finally focus on bringing style and fashion to our customers. Oh, I’m so excited!” She finished with an excited trot in place.

“Hehe, I can see. Well, I don’t want to keep you away from your meal, Jazz. I’ll try and visit during the opening, sound good?”

She beamed further at my proposal. “Of course, Alex! I’d be delighted to see you there! Perhaps you’ll be my first customer, although I’m not sure if hoof polishing or mane styling is what you’re looking for…” She regarded my alien hands with uncertainty.

“Don’t worry about it, I’ll visit nonetheless…” A pair of distant figures in the sky brought my attention skywards. “Oops, that’s my call. I’ll see you around, Jazz.” I spoke a hasty goodbye as I saw the two flying figures approaching from the west heading north towards the Crystal Brighthouse, most likely the sisters returning. Another pair of figures lagged behind. From what my poor eyesight could discern, it looked like they were carrying heavy packing with how uneven and tired their flight pattern seemed.

‘A princess’ worth of personal belongings, I reckon…’ I facepalmed inwardly.

“See you there, Alex!” She said her goodbyes with a wave of her foreleg.

Returning one last of my own, I quickened my pace back towards my new home. The sisters had ended up arriving a bit sooner than I did to our shared residence. I could hear the cheerful greeting of my friends as I neared the front entrance.

“….and that pony crashed against the balloon and, like, ALL went absolutely nuts! I thought for a moment our surprise would be ruined!” I could hear Pipp animatedly retelling the events we had glimpsed this morning on TV.

Feeling a bit impish, I started messing around with the royal sisters once I had entered the building and gained their attention. “Well, well, if it isn't their royal Majesties, who grace us with their presence. Please, tell me, Your Highnesses, to what do we owe this tremendous honor?” I shot with an exaggerated posh voice and a profound reverence.

“Uuuuuh, what are you doing?” Asked a flummoxed Zipp. Pipp, on the other hand, didn’t seem too bothered, giving me an approving smile at my choice of titles.

“Well, as it happens, I had to learn from our friend Izzy here that two of the ponies to whom I was introduced the other day were actually PRINCESSES, and didn’t even bother to tell me so! I think that’s a rather important piece of information to omit when introducing yourself, don’t you think?” I jabbed with a raised eyebrow, arms crossed and an unamused expression on my features.

“Hehe, yeah, perhaps we should have told you. It kinda slipped my mind, to be honest.” Replied an embarrassed Zipp, nervously pawing at the floor.

“I, for one, think we were just a bit too shocked with your sudden appearance. We were worried sick for our friend here and…. I guess we didn’t consider it important at the moment. Also, please take heed of the fact that you were a complete stranger who, just before our arrival, had broken into Sunny’s house! Not the typical kind of pony I would freely share all my personal info with!” Answered Pipp harshly while looking a bit bothered at my accusations.

I didn't want to start a fight either. “Yes, yes, I know, it wasn’t the first meeting I would have chosen either. Just… please make sure to inform me of these kinds of things, they could be important. A royal family outside the Alicorn Dynasty is something I have to take into consideration going forward. There wasn’t anything remotely similar to this during my time in ancient Equestria.” I implored the sisters, now losing my teasing attitude.

Zipp, looking quite unsure after my exaggerated greetings, continued to avoid my gaze. “Sorry about that, Alex… If I’m honest, I don’t really like being treated like royalty. I’ve had enough of that back home and I would REALLY appreciate it if you would just treat me like a normal pony… please?” I heard her ask while approaching me. Her eyes bored a tired, desperate look once they left the marble floor to meet mine.

I could plainly sense the gravity of her plea. ‘Woah, she really doesn’t like the royal treatment… Now THAT I can understand.’

Her sentiment was a kindred one, and I saw no reason to deny her. “Very well, Zipp, you won’t hear another royal greeting or anything similar from me from now on. I concur, it gets very tiresome very fast...” I remembered tiredly the numerous times I was referred to as royalty regardless of how many times I asked not to be. Regardless of how official or permanent said titles were, it rubbed me wrong. Every. Single. Time. Even worse when it came from loved ones.

At that moment, Sunny chose to intervene in an attempt to diffuse the awkward atmosphere that threatened to fall over us. “Okay, ponies, now that we’re all back, how about we help you finish unpacking and… I don’t know… watch a movie or play some board games?”

The ponies turned to cast a fearful look towards the huge pile of luggage littered in the corner of the room. I could almost hear the nervous sweating dripping from their brows.

“Yeaaaah, that’s gonna take a while…” Muttered Izzy.

“I only brought the essentials, I swear!” Wailed Pipp in response to the annoyed looks her friends were giving her.

With a resounding facepalm, I ushered my friends to get a start on it. “Come on guys, the sooner we all start, the sooner we all finish…”

Two hours later, and a LOT of trips up and down the ramps, we had managed to get everything more or less in place. The rest would be her problem.

‘I’m too old for this shit...’

We spent the rest of the afternoon catching up on what we had done while being apart, myself politely listening in the background since my day had been all but exciting. A simple, average day around town, one I had not enjoyed in a loooong while. The ponies in their chattering sounded very eager to start their new life together, at least.

“So, you’re the manager of the new mane salon, huh? I met with Jazz Hooves not long ago, she seemed very eager to start.” I mentioned, surprised after hearing Pipp mention the new business in town.

“I am! I have SO many new ideas I want to try! The moment I saw the building for sale, I knew I had to act quickly. Now the ponies of Maretime Bay can enjoy the latest trends while showing off their EXUBERANTLY-stylized manes, courtesy of moi. It’s going to be REVOLUTIONARY!! Also, it’ll help me practice my new hits. Mane styling AND music, now that’s something this town desperately needs, right Zipp?” She boldly declared while standing up and taking a victory pose. Her enthusiasm was clearly visible, not like the one coming from her sister.

“Uh huh….” Answered the white pegasus with a tired roll of her eyes, the rest of the ponies giggling at the sisters’ antics.

After a quick dinner, the ponies began to retire to their respective beds. However, before she could speed away flying, I asked Zipp to remain in the living room and have a word with me. There was an issue I wished to address with her.

“Okay, I’m here. Is… anything wrong?” Zipp began after returning from the kitchen. I motioned for her to take a seat at my side. With a confused look, she complied without a word.

“I’m going to be blunt, Zipp. The way you looked during the parade? It was almost as if you were wishing for somepony to please take you out of your misery. It was kind of painful to witness you like that, to be honest… and your earlier reaction to my mock greetings? I’m going to take a wild guess and presume you don’t particularly like the royal treatment.”

Even if she had already confirmed it before, I wanted to get the whole picture. She lowered her gaze with a dejected sigh. “It’s been like that ever since I was a little filly. Since I’m the older sister, I have the duty of inheriting my mother's throne. But…” Her wings folded over her chest to partially conceal herself in shame. “Over the years, I’ve learned that’s not what I want to do with my life, no matter how many times I’m told or how much my mother insists on it. I like freedom, exploring, and now that I can, flying! I love spending time with my new friends!”

A spark of life lit her eyes with every one of her passions, only to wither away when she continued. “Governing, attending meetings, passing laws… none of that appeals to me. I've spent so many years pretending to be what I'm not, that now that I can enjoy more freedom, I don't even know what to do with my life! I don't even know who I am anymore...”

Feeling her pain as if it was my own, I placed a reassuring hand on her back. “Have you talked to your mom or your sis about this?”

She leaned a bit closer, accepting the gesture. “More times than I can count, but my mother always says the same thing. She believes duty is above whatever personal desires I have.” For a moment, it was almost as if she had aged a century before my very eyes, so tired she was of having the same discussion with her family.

“Don’t get me wrong, she loves my sister and I with all her heart, and we both love her, but it’s SO frustrating to be ignored over and over again! My sister always complains about my attitude regarding taking the throne. She thinks she would make a better queen, even if I believe she doesn’t fully understand the responsibility. ‘Ruling a kingdom is NOT like being an influencer, Pipp!’ That’s what I always tell her, but she just sticks her tongue to me and ignores me!” Her muzzle scrunched in annoyance.

“Sisters will be sisters, right?”

She could only nod tiredly in agreement. “But, now that I’m here with all of you, I can escape my mother’s incessant attempts to get me to act ‘more royal-esk’ and learn how to govern, but I’m afraid that that won’t last forever.” Her ears were now completely pressed against her scalp, her posture sagging and just looking very tired.

I gave her a few sympathetic rubs between her wings, a sweet spot exclusive for winged ponies. I had the perfect example in mind to encourage her. “You know? In the beginning, Twilight Sparkle didn’t want to become Equestria’s ruler, either.” I started. That immediately got her attention, her eyes now focused on me.

“What are you talking about?” She inquired, changing her posture to completely face me.

“When she first ascended as an alicorn, she shared royal duties with the rest of the princesses. Her main goal? To spread friendship and harmony all over Equestria with the help of her friends, teaching ponies all around the magic of friendship. But when the time came for her to inherit the throne, things became very different. She couldn’t stop panicking, and she kept droning about how she wasn’t ready, that she would fail her mentors and everypony else. She always had a knack for overreacting, that mare, but it was true that she was thrown into the position without much consideration or preparation… she really wasn’t given a chance per se. That’s something I always complained about when speaking with Celestia and Luna about the matter. I believe they were too rash with their decision...”

Zipp looked astonished at my words. “Woah, that must have been hard for her…”

A stiff nod sealed the message. “It was. Much more than she wanted to admit to us. But we were always there for her. She made the wise decision to not deny the company and counsel of her closest friends, and together we managed to reign over Equestria with pride and confidence, for a while that is…”

I turned to regard her with a more serious look. “Zipp, nopony, and I mean NOPONY can tell you what to be or not to be, not even your mother.” Her features became aghast at my claim, but I remained firm. “You need to be honest with yourself. It’s your future and the future of the pegasi at stake. Be their leader, their guide in this new world we are slowly building, the princess they want you to become… or don’t be anything. But whatever you choose, you have to be one hundred percent sure, Zipp. Don’t make the mistake of becoming something you loathe. That can only go wrong…”

The look on Zipp’s face turned to a pensive one. “I’ll… think about what you said, Alex… thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Zipp, now off to bed you go.” I ushered her to join her friends in the main bedroom with a pat on her rump.

“What about you?” She asked me while standing up and stretching her wings.

“I’m going to stay here for a bit longer. There are some things I need to mull about, and I would rather do so without Izzy’s snores hammering my ears.”

With a small laugh and a parting wave, Zipp flew up the ramp.

I was left alone in the living room. I leaned back on the sofa and looked up at the ceiling. The glow of rainbow energy could be distinguished through the glass cylinder above me, casting slow waves of rainbow colors into the surrounding walls.

With a tired sigh, my thoughts went to my current situation. ‘Well, here I am. Several centuries into the future, with a new group of friends and my original plan completely ruined. Now, I have to start all over again. I need to learn what happened during my absence, and look out for any others that might remain in Equestria outside the three pony states… Sigh, after Twilight’s coronation, I thought I could finally retire from adventuring, but I guess that won’t be the case. The only thing left to do, is to go forward. Always forward…’

Author's Note

Aaaand that’s it for Act 1. Now that everything’s in place, it’s time to go deeper. Stay tuned for Act 2 and the mystery of the missing crystal.