Twilight Sparkle's Otherworldly Misadventure

Chapters

New World, New Body
Twilight's New Friend
A Shocking Development
Searching for a Way Home
A New Life
From Friends to Lovers
Unwanted Visitors
The Threat of Loss
The Decision
Beginning Anew
One of Us
Re-learning and Re-newing
The Letter
Epilogue

New World, New Body

Twilight Sparkle stood in her home in Ponyville. Preparations for the first test-run of her latest spell were nearly complete. Four months of pensive study had led her to the moment of truth, which was upon her now. She had calculated all the possible outcomes and knew that in the unlikely event that something went wrong, she could correct the problem with minimal difficulty.

Twilight had developed a new, long-distance teleportation spell. This new technique could take a pony from one end of Equestria to the other, instantaneously. With more work, it may even take a pony halfway around the world. These were distances that even Princess Celestia, the most powerful magic user in the world, couldn’t manage. On emergency visits to Ponyville, the Princess simply teleported from Canterlot, but this was very near the limit of her abilities.

Twilight was about to develop a new spell that had more applications than she could wrap her mind around. Emergency-response teams, such as the Royal Guard and other organizations not found in local areas, would be able to respond to far-away incidents five hundred percent faster. Not to mention the possibilities that would open up in the way of travel. The mere thought of what this might mean, not only for unicorns, but all beings, made her positively giddy.

It was now time perform her first test run. She decided that it would be best to start out small. If she were to teleport to Canterlot, a distance of about forty miles, that would be more than adequate. She decided that since she hadn’t seen her parents in a few months, now would be the best time to do so. She closed her eyes and imagined her parents’ living room clearly in her mind. She concentrated on her new spell and what she meant for it to do. She strained harder and harder as her horn began to glow. In an instant, with a bright flash, the library was empty.

Twilight appeared in her parents’ living room not even a full second after leaving the library. She opened her eyes and was mortified by what she saw. Her parents were staring up at her from the floor, having been interrupted in an act that no child should ever see their parents in. They were committing the very act that had brought her and her brother into existence, in a place where it shouldn’t be committed.

“G’ahhh!” Twilight screamed. She wanted to get away from what she had seen, and fast. She closed her eyes and focused on getting away, despite her parents’ pleas for her to calm down and let them talk to her. She just wanted to get away. She didn’t care where she went, so long as she could get away from the nightmare that would certainly plague her for a long time to come. She strained and let her spell do the rest. Something was wrong, though. The spell wasn’t working the way it had previously. The air around her was crackling with sparks and it seemed that a small tornado was surrounding her. Something was wrong, but before she could open her eyes and cancel the spell that she had unwittingly altered, she lost consciousness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Twilight opened her eyes to find herself looking up at the autumn sky. It had been around noon when she had performed her experiment, but now dusk was approaching. She went to put a hoof to her pounding head and was shocked by what she found. Where there was once a foreleg, there was now an arm with a hand and five fingers. She sat up abruptly and looked at herself, ignoring the throbbing in her head. She had two of these arms and two legs, fully equipped with a foot and five toes at the end of each.

Fearing the worst, Twilight felt her head and realized that her horn was missing as well. She closed her eyes and tried to perform magic, but to no avail. Whatever that spell had done to her, it had taken her magic. After several moments of shock, she realized what she was, a human. She didn’t know how this was possible, because humans didn’t exist. They were in books and occasional stories, but everypony knew they weren’t real. This was impossible.

Twilight eventually decided to try and comprehend her newfound form later. Right now she needed to figure out where she was and what she was going to do to stay warm tonight, as the air already had a sharp chill. She studied her surroundings, seeing that she was in the middle of a field of some sort. The field had born some kind of crop that she couldn’t identify because the crop had been harvested, leaving dried stalks strewn about in the field. She then noticed the sharp pain all along her backside. She had been lying on these stalks and the result was scrapes all along her back. After several moments of attempting to gain balance with her new bipedal figure, she stood and felt the same pricking under her two bare feet. She could see a road of some sort in the distance, about fifty yards away. She didn’t want to walk the distance, but it appeared that she had no choice.

Before she could take her first step, however, she heard a strange sound and looked to her far right, shocked by what she saw. It was a vehicle of sorts, but this vehicle was far sleeker than anything she had ever before laid eyes upon. It was barreling down the road at speeds that she could have never fathomed reaching without the aid of wings. Another human was piloting it. Twilight thought she must have been dreaming, that was the only explanation. The operator of the vehicle looked to his left and then back to the road nonchalantly. Then he did a double take, nearly swerving into the ditch on this right. He stopped his vehicle faster that what Twilight thought was possible and got out of the vehicle, making his way toward her.

She thought it would be best to simply stay put, not knowing what this other human’s intentions were and being unable to run in her current state. She simply did her best to keep her fragile balance, waiting for whatever may come. The man got within ten feet of Twilight and stopped, glaring at her without a word.

Twilight decided that she might need to be the one to speak first. She smiled at him and said, “Hello, I’m Twi”-

The man interrupted before she could complete her introduction, speaking with a harsh voice. “Alright, there are about a thousand questions going through my mind right now. Questions like: who are you, why are you wandering out in the middle of nowhere, why are you cosplaying as Twilight Sparkle. But I think I’ll start with: why are you naked?”

Twilight was shocked. He knew her name. How did he know her name? And what did he mean cosplaying? She was also shocked by how he asked about her lack of clothing. Clothes weren’t exactly a common sight where she came from.

“Well?” the man said impatiently.

Twilight eventually worked up the ability to tell him what was going on. “My name is Twilight Sparkle. I was performing a spell at my parents’ home in Canterlot, but something went wrong. The next thing I knew, I was here. I wasn’t wearing any clothes because before I performed the spell, I was a pony and had no need for clothes.”

The man stared at her as though facing a lunatic. “No seriously, tell me the truth before I call the cops.”

“I AM telling you the truth. My name IS Twilight Sparkle and I’m a pony from Equestria. Where am I now, anyway?”

The man’s expression didn’t change, but he answered her question. “You’re in the middle of a corn-field in Southwest Kansas.”

Twilight's New Friend

John Rickard stood in the middle of a cornfield on the back roads between his hometown and the community college where he taught History. He was facing perhaps the craziest and most beautiful person he had ever encountered. He had more than one reason to believe that she had serious mental issues that needed to be attended to.

Despite his continued efforts to find out who she was, she kept feeding him the same BS that she had when he had first spoken to her. She continually insisted that she was Twilight Sparkle from Equestria, faithful student of Princess Celestia, and the living embodiment of the Element of Magic. She was standing in the middle of a field of dried, dead, brambly corn stalks, completely nude. She had probably figured that since the real Twilight Sparkle never wore clothes, she would be better off doing the same.

John was a dedicated Brony, which was why he recognized what she was getting at when he saw her, picking up on her apparent intent from her hairstyle. She was probably lucky that he was the first person she met in her current state. Bronies in Southwest Kansas were few and far-between. Everyone else in the general area either knew nothing about My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic or didn’t know enough to recognize a cosplayer when they saw one. Anyone else would have called the cops without a moment’s hesitation. This would have put the woman in a jail cell, devoid of the help she may need.

John studied her eyes, doing his best not to focus on the rest of her body. She seemed genuinely lost and confused. She obviously had no idea where she was or what was going on. She hadn’t even recognized the name, Kansas, when he had informed her of her current location. John decided that if someone were to help her, he would be the best choice at the moment. If he was going to help her, he needed to do something before someone else witnessed the spectacle and took matters into their own hands.

He closed the distance between them, removing his shirt in the process. “Here”, he said. “Put this on”. He extended the article of clothing to her. She accepted the shirt and did as instructed. As he suspected, it was big enough to cover everything that needed to be covered.

“Here”, John spoke again. “I’ll carry you to the car.”

“You don’t have to do that”, Twilight replied.

John simply gestured toward the vehicle and the obstacles that lie before them. “Would you rather walk through all this?”

Twilight sighed and nodded, allowing him to take her into his arms and carry her to the intended destination. He put her in the front passenger seat and instructed her to stay put. After she agreed to do so, he started back to the field. He stopped before getting far and turned back to turn off the engine and remove the key from the ignition. The last thing he needed was some crazed lunatic stealing his car.

He made his way back to the spot where he had found her and began studying the area. The field was such that walking through it was impossible without leaving a trail. Strangely, there were no trails in the field, save for the ones he had made. The only other evidence of activity in the entire field was in the spot where she had laid and stood. This was getting more interesting by the second.

John began walking around, searching for any article of clothing. He had studied her feet on the way to the car. They were flawless and uncallused, save for a few scrapes that she had earned by standing. If one were to walk in this field without footwear, they couldn’t travel so much as ten feet without earning bleeding wounds. He didn’t find so much as a sandal or sock within a hundred feet of the site.

John simply stood there, scratching his head in deep thought for several moments. He had no idea what to make of this. He made his way back to the car and took his place in the driver’s seat. He started the car and continued the journey home, paying close attention to this strange woman’s reaction to the vehicle. She acted as though she had never seen a car before.

When they arrived at John’s house, he made sure nobody in the small town was watching as he hastily guided her inside. The first thing he did was rummage through his clothes, looking for something that might come close to fitting her. Eventually, he just gave her a pair of shorts and a shirt that were so big on her, it was preposterous. He was relatively broad, after all.

Tomorrow was Saturday, so he didn’t have to teach any classes. He could use the day to take her to the nearest mall, which was thirty miles away. He would buy her clothes, shoes, and anything else she would need. In the meantime, he needed to get his bed ready for her. He would sleep on the couch. This way, he would be between her and the door if she were to try and rob him blind.

John decided to put her to a test. Ponies didn’t eat meat. If she were to eat meat without being tricked, he would have more evidence to her lack of sanity or her lack of acting skill. He began preparing supper for them. When it was ready, he sat her at the table and put the simple meal in front of her. He then took his place across form her.

“I hope you like ham sandwiches”, he said. He picked up his own sandwich and took a bite, pretending to enjoy it more than he actually did.

Twilight simply stared at the sandwich for several moments before pushing it away and speaking in a solemn tone. “I’m sorry, but ponies don’t eat meat. I can’t eat this.”

John nodded. She had passed this test, but there would be more to come. “Will you eat cheese?” he asked as he put the two sandwiches in a plastic bag and into the fridge with the intent of eating them later.

“I’ve never had cheese, but we don’t have any problems eating it”, Twilight replied.

John set to work preparing one of his all-time favorites, tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. After the meal was made, he placed it in front of her and watched as she enjoyed it more than he had expected her to. After supper, John began changing the sheets on his bed and preparing the couch for his own use. When he finished, it was ten o’clock and past his usual bedtime. He saw her off to bed and retired to his place on the couch. He lay there for several hours, contemplating the situation, before drifting off to sleep.

~~~~~~~~

Twilight Sparkle lay in a stranger’s bed, unsure if she could trust him. She could tell that he felt the same way about her, but she also knew that he was the closest thing she had to a friend. She had no idea how she was going to get back home without her magic and the thought of never seeing her friends again made her weep. There had to be some way for her to get back, but she needed help to know where to even begin. John may be able to help her, but first she had to convince him that she was who she said she was. She knew that this would be no simple task, but she had to do it if she was going to have any chance at surviving in this strange world and returning to her own. Tired, scared, and alone, Twilight eventually cried herself to sleep.

A Shocking Development

Twilight Sparkle stood in the room that had been granted to her, having woken up shortly before. Her mouth gaped open and her eyes were wide. She had known this new world was strange from the moment she had awoken the day before, but what she saw now was beyond anything she could have possibly been prepared for. She had been so exhausted the previous night that she hadn’t noticed them. There, upon the wall before her eyes, were two posters with her image. They bore the image of the form she was currently trapped in. Her hair was frazzled and she had a crazed look in her eyes in both of them. In one of them, she even had an occupied bird’s nest on her head.

Next to those two small posters were two more. They were both humanized. One was of a woman she didn’t recognize. The woman’s eyes were crooked and she had blonde hair. There was text on the poster that read, “Don’t like my name? Deal with it.” The other poster was what she recognized as a humanized Rarity standing over a boulder. The word “Mine” was written in red.

On the wall to her right, there were two more small posters that seemed to be Princess Luna in human form. On the outside face of the bedroom door, there was a somewhat larger poster of what seemed to be a human Fluttershy. She was standing in a doorway, bruised and dirtied, wearing a dress that was not unlike the one she had worn at the Grand Galloping Gala nearly two years before. This poster bore the text, “You’re going to love me!”

On the wall opposite of her two portraits was the largest, and the strangest, of all the posters. This one was of Twilight, Spike, and their friends. They were all ponies in this image, except Spike of course. They were in the library and Twilight was trying to read a book despite the ruckus that her friends were making in the background. Had she not been so confused by her current circumstances, she might find this one rather humorous.

What sort of witchcraft was this? Was John some sort of sorcerer? She had so many questions.

John walked into the room and spoke before realizing how distraught she was. “I’m getting ready to start breakfast. Do you eat eggs?”

Twilight simply looked into his eyes with fear in her own.

“What’s the matter?” John asked.

Twilight responded to his question with a question of her own, gesturing to the posters as she asked it. “What is all this?”

“What do you mean?”

“You have a poster of my friends and I. You have more posters of ponies I know, but they’re human. Who are you? And who is that?” She pointed toward the poster with the blonde-haired woman.

“That’s Derpy”, John answered.

“Who?” She had never even heard that name before. She had never so much as seen a pony who had even remotely resembled that woman.

John simply stared at her with a query look for what seemed like an eternity. “There’s something you need to see”, he said. He turned and left the room.

Twilight followed him to his living room and watched him pick up a strange stick that was laden with buttons of sorts. He pointed the stick at a rectangular object near the wall and pressed a button. Suddenly, a screen on the rectangle came to life and revealed two humans arguing over a matter that she was too late to identify. John pressed several more buttons, causing the screen to respond in various ways. Before long, a sweet voice began telling a familiar story as familiar images began to appear. The tale was of the rise of Nightmare Moon and how Princess Celestia had used the Elements of Harmony to banish her to the moon. Twilight found herself struggling to stand.

Suddenly, Twilight appeared on the screen, having just read the story that the voice was telling. The real Twilight’s legs seemed to disappear from under her and she collapsed to her knees. She watched for several more minutes as an alternate version of scenes from her own life played out before her very eyes. John must have decided that she had seen enough, because he pressed a button that returned the screen to blackness.

Twilight tried to speak, but she had trouble finding words or breath. Eventually, she was able to talk coherently again. “What was that?”

Twilight did her best to listen as John did his best to explain the concept of television and My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. By the time he was done, Twilight was sobbing uncontrollably.

~~~~~~~~

John studied this woman who was crying on her knees in his living room. He no longer held even slight suspicions of her being a liar who intended on taking advantage of him. Despite this, he was becoming more and more perplexed by her by the minute. The first thing that had stumped him was her inability to recognize his Derpy poster. Even if she was a fan of the show whom had somehow convinced herself that she was the real Twilight Sparkle, how could she not know who Derpy was? On top of that, how could she be so surprised to see posters of Twilight Sparkle and her friends? Most of all, how could a crazed fan be so shocked to see the show? Certainly, that wasn’t the first time she had seen an episode. None of this was adding up.

John didn’t feel sorry for Twilight. He felt pure anguish for her. His heart ached for what she was going through and he knew that he had to do whatever possible to help her get through it.

Acting on instinct, he got down on his knees next to her and wrapped her in his arms. She buried her face in his chest and he held her, doing the only thing he could think of to provide comfort. At that moment, he decided to play along with the stranger who was soaking his torso in tears. He still didn’t believe she was Twilight Sparkle, or at least he didn’t think he did. But if he were act as though he believed it, it may lead to helping her rediscover who she really was.

After nearly an hour, Twilight calmed down. He helped her stand and sit down in his recliner. He then took a seat on the couch to her left, making the decision to keep silent until she spoke.

“Am I really just a fictional character from a TV show?” she asked.

“No”, John replied. “You’re here and you’re real, which leads me to believe that the place you came from is real too.”

Twilight stared down at the floor, deep in thought for several moments before speaking again. “The show wasn’t the exact same as the life I remember. The scenery was a bit different and the voices sounded nothing like Spike and the others. The dialect wasn’t really the same either.”

“Are humans known of where you come from?” John asked.

“There are stories and books about them, but they don’t exist in my world. They’re usually described as masters of Science, but even with all the research I’ve done, I could never have imagined the things I’ve seen so far. Why?”

“I have a theory”, John said. “It’s not without it’s flaws, though. What if our worlds are connected through some of their denizens? If certain beings from each world could conceive of the other world, that would explain the TV show in my world and the stories in yours. The concepts would probably be warped over time in the minds of those who are connected or by the process of turning the ideas into something tangible. That would explain the lack of precision on both counts.”

Twilight mulled this over for a while. The idea was not inconceivable, and it offered an explanation for the inaccurate interpretations between the two worlds.

Her thoughts returned to the task that she needed desperately to complete. “I need to find a way to get my magic back so I can find a way home.”

“I don’t think you’ll be able to get your magic back in this world. There’s no magic here.”

Twilight felt like her heart had been ripped from her chest. “How am I supposed to get home?”

“Well, we have science and technology. That would probably be your best bet. The only problem is, I’m no scientist. I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”

“Are there any scientists who could help me?” Twilight asked.

“Trust me, you don’t want to go there”, John replied. “If you tried to explain your situation to anyone else, you would be locked up in a mental institution, for sure.”

“What if I could prove who I am and where I’m from?”

“That would be even worse. They would most likely take you to a lab to study you, or worse, use you to try and find a way to Equestria. Trust me, we’re better off doing this alone.”

Twilight buried her head in her hands and began to cry again. John retrieved his laptop from his briefcase and set it up on the kitchen table. He called Twilight in and began the long process of explaining the Internet to her. He had intended to take her clothes shopping, but that could wait one more day. Right now they had work to do.

Searching for a Way Home

Twilight sat at a desk in John’s classroom at the college, listening to him give a lesson. It was Monday, and John had decided against leaving her alone at his house while he was at work. John was in the middle of one of his Western Civilization courses and they were currently covering the Athens/Persian War, more specifically, the Battle of Thermopolae. While Twilight found all the bloodshed in this world’s history revolting, she couldn’t deny that the subject was fascinating. She enjoyed the enthusiasm John displayed while he taught.

Twilight’s attention drifted away form John when her eyes spotted the blouse she was wearing. The day before, he had taken her to a place called JC Penny and bought her several different outfits and a pair of shoes. She didn’t know how much $548.23 was compared to bits, but she knew it was a lot and she felt tremendous gratitude toward John for his willingness to go to such extremes to look after the needs of someone he hardly knew.

They had spent all day Saturday and the latter half of Sunday on the Internet looking for something that would help them figure out how to get her back to Equestria, but had found nothing. John had told her that the college had a relatively decent library and there was a public library close by. They would search both high and low over the next few days.

Twilight’s attention returned to John’s lecture in time for her to hear how the battle ended and how it affected the war between the Persians and the Greeks. John looked at the clock on the wall and realized he had no more time to spare. “We’ll pick up with the Battle of the Salimis Strait Wednesday. You can expect your first test of the semester in the next couple of weeks. Have a good Monday. I know it’s hard, but try anyway.”

After all the students left the room, John spoke to Twilight. “Well, that’s my last class for the day. Let’s go to the cafeteria and get some lunch. After that I’ll have to stay in my office for at least an hour before I’m free to go.”

They made their way to the cafeteria and John, who ate for free, paid for Twilight’s meal. She followed his example as he took the foods that he wanted, taking the same things. John had kindly foregone his relatively carnivorous lifestyle and adopted a temporary vegetarian diet for the sake of courtesy. Twilight had sampled some amazing food back home, but the cuisine in this world outranked Equestria by far. She made a scene with her expressions of delight as she enjoyed her chef’s salad, french fries, hot roll, and chocolate cake. The food wasn’t quite as good as the meal that John had cooked for her the night they had met, but it was still amazing. She caught John smiling at her several times and barely managed to smile back due to her embarrassment at her lack of self-control.

When Twilight had eaten all she could and then some, they went back to John’s office and got on his computer. They searched for the whole hour in vain. They then made their way to the college library to search the hard books for a scientific solution to her problem. At five o’clock, they left the college and made their way to the public library. They searched there until the library closed down at nine o’clock. They went home to get something to eat and crawl into bed.

The rest of the week was filled with the same routine. She accompanied John to the college and sat for several hours listening to him and learning more about the history of this world, the nation, and the various other subjects that he taught. After that, they would go and enjoy more of the wonderful food the college had to offer. The rest of the day would be filled with failure and regret. They would find theories and ideas about other dimensions and alternate realities, but there was nothing that discussed such travel in a serious and plausible manner. They were no closer to finding answer than they were the day they had started looking.

“Well”, John began as they drove home late Friday night. “Neither of the libraries had anything. If there is a way, I think we’ll find it either on the Internet or through it.”

Twilight didn’t respond. She simply watched the black scenery speed by. The pain in her heart was becoming too much to bear and tears were welling up in her eyes.

John instinctively reached for her hand and grasped it in his own, trying to provide comfort with a simple gesture. “If there’s a way, we’ll find it.”

She clasped his hand in turn, grateful to have a friend so willing to help her in her time of need.

~~~~~~~~

John lay on the couch that night, unable to wrap his mind around the situation he currently found himself in. He believed her. He had finally accepted the fact that the woman he had spent the last week with was, in fact, the REAL Twilight Sparkle. He didn’t understand how or why, but it was her. He had been playing along with her, hoping to be able to prove to her that she wasn’t the Mane Six pony in human form. In the end, it was he who had been persuaded.

Every time John went over all the evidence in his mind, he was unable to produce a different answer. The lack of evidence suggesting that she had placed herself in that field with no clothing combined with her behavior over the past week had convinced him. It seemed that everything this woman did, Twilight Sparkle would have done the same. Every time she reacted to something, Twilight Sparkle would have reacted in the same manner. She was exactly like the pony in every way imaginable. He had observed her almost every waking moment since they had met, waiting for her to do or say something that didn’t match Twilight Sparkle’s personality. He had come up with nothing. She had explained how she had come to this world time and time again. It was the only scenario that even came close to matching everything that he had seen over the past week.

He couldn’t deny her legitimacy any longer. He now found himself confronted with conflicting feelings. He knew that he had to help her get back to Equestria, where she belonged. They needed her there, but it was just as dire for her as it was for Equestria. She needed her friends, family, and old life before she lost her health and sanity to despair.

On the other hand, he didn’t want her to go. Over the past week, he had developed feelings for Twilight. A selfish part of him wanted her to fail in her quest, and he hated himself for it. He had come to enjoy her company a great deal. Now that he knew she was who she claimed, he had no doubt that he would enjoy having her around even more. Watching her go would be harder than he had anticipated before.

~~~~~~~~

Saturday and Sunday were filled with even more disappointment. They had searched the Internet and come up with nothing. Twilight refused to give up hope, though. She was confident that eventually they would come across a solution. It may take time, but she would get home. In the mean time, she had a friend to help numb the heart-breaking loneliness. While she was confident that she would get back to Equestria, she was less than excited to leave her new friend. A friend to whom she was becoming more attached by the day.

A New Life

“SLOW DOWN!” John shouted, unable to control his temper or his voice. “You’re going to get us both killed!”

“Sorry!” Twilight replied, nervously.

“Don’t correct your speed by slamming on the break!”

“Sorry! Sorry!”

After two weeks of living with John, Twilight had finally worked up the courage to ask him to teach her how to drive. The concept of operating a vehicle had intrigued her since she had first ridden in one. She thought she had observed John enough to understand how everything was done. She was wrong.

They were on an ill-used dirt road several miles outside of John’s hometown. He had been unable to refuse her a driving lesson upon looking into her large, pleading eyes. He was, however, able to deny her a lesson on a main road where they might encounter the sheriff, or worse, cause a wreck. He had elected to take her out to a lesser-traveled area for her first lesson. After thirty minutes of Twilight being behind the wheel, they decided to call it a day. They stopped, exchanged places, and headed home.

“We’ll try again after I get home from work tomorrow”, John said.

“I don’t think I want to learn anymore”, Twilight responded.

“Well, two weeks ago you had no idea what a car even was. Taking that into consideration, you weren’t TOO terrible. It’s just like riding a bike, once you learn it simply becomes second nature.”

Out of the corner of his eye, John saw Twilight jerk her head in his direction. He turned to once again be confronted with those beautiful, purple, and irresistible eyes. He turned his attention back to the road and let out an exasperated sigh. “Fine.”

“Yes, thank you”, Twilight squealed.

When they arrived back home, John pulled his bike out from the garage. He then went inside and found his old bike helmet and helped her strap it on. After a little more thought, he went back inside and found his old elbow pads from his days of skating as a teen. He helped her strap those on as well. After more thought yet, he went inside again and retrieved his leather jacket and helped her remove the elbow pads. He helped her to refasten them after she had equipped the jacket. By the time he had deemed her ready to begin, she looked more suited for battle than riding a bicycle.

John began describing how to keep balance on a bicycle, deciding to forego getting her training wheels that might not even exist. He carefully described how to pedal, steer, shift gears, and brake. He then hopped on and rode around for several minutes, demonstrating how it was done. He dismounted and adjusted the seat for her height. He held the bike as she mounted and allowed her to take off. She got all of two feet before she fell, making him happy that he had made her wear all this safety equipment.

“Ow”, Twilight said, rubbing the arm she had landed on.

John helped her mount several more times, watching her fall off within ten feet of her take off point each time. Eventually, he realized that he needed to do more than just help her mount.

“Alright” John said. “This time I’m going to run alongside you and hold you up. Maybe this will help you learn balance.”

“How do I keep balance on this thing?” Twilight asked, losing her patience with the contraption

“You just have to try and keep yourself level until you get some speed built up. Once you build speed, balance just happens on it’s own.”

Once again, John helped Twilight mount the bike. This time, he grabbed the top bar with one hand and put the other hand on her back for support. He began to run with her as she began to pedal.

“Keep pedaling”, John instructed. “Faster.”

John went with her for a whole block and let go. He watched as she continued on for another block and a half without trouble. Suddenly, she noticed that he wasn’t there anymore and panicked. Suddenly devoid of all memory of what she needed to do, she lost control. She collided with a steep curb and was separated form her bike, landing on her back on somebody’s lawn. She picked herself up and waited for John, who ran the distance.

“Are you alright?” He asked, sounding less concerned than she thought he would be.

“I think so”, Twilight responded. “Why did you let go?”

“I was just there to help you get started. If I stay with you the whole time, you’ll never learn anything. Come on, let’s try again.”

“I think I’ve had enough for today.”

“No you haven’t. You just have to keep trying. Come on.”

John and Twilight continued for several more hours. She slowly began to understand the concept of riding a bike. By the time the sun went down, she had been riding for nearly half an hour without falling. They put the bike inside the garage and went into the house. John fixed tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, which had become Twilight’s favorite meal, to celebrate her achievement.

John lay in bed that night, unable to stop smiling. It wasn’t just what Twilight had done that had made him happy, but the fact that it had made her happy. He drifted to sleep that night with her wide and beautiful ear-to-ear smile vivid in his mind.

~~~~~~~~~~

Twilight Sparkle was alone in John’s house. She sat at the desk, looking at the laptop in silence. She had done it. After a full month of searching, she had finally done it. The moment she thought would never come had arrived. She had given up.

There was just no use fighting it anymore. She had been searching every day for over a month. As advanced as this world was, it just didn’t have the technology she needed to find a way back to Equestria. She sat at the computer, letting the tears flow freely.

John arrived home later that afternoon and made his way to the office, surprised not to find Twilight there where she usually was. He made his way into his bedroom and found her lying facedown in the pillows, sobbing. He walked over to her side and began rubbing her back.

“Hey, what’s the matter?” He asked.

“I-I-I give up”, Twilight responded through her tears.

“You gave up?”

“There’s just no point. We’ve been looking for a month and haven’t come up with anything. I just need to face it: I’m never going to get home.”

Instinctively, John sat down next to her and helped her sit up. He took her into his arms and held her tightly. They sat there for well over an hour while, sharing the broken heart and tears over the home and loved ones that Twilight would never see again.

Eventually, Twilight stopped crying. She simply sat in this man’s embrace. The man who had taken her in when she had no place to go and no idea of where she was or what to do. The man who had given her food, shelter, and clothing. The man who had done everything he could to help her get back to her own world and adapt to this one.

Eventually, John spoke. “I know you can’t get you back to your home in Equestria, but I can give you a home here. If you stay here with me, we’ll make a place for you in this world together. I promise I’ll always take care of you. Just stay with me.”

Twilight looked up at him and he looked down at her. Slowly, their heads drew closer together until their lips met in a kiss that sent chills down both of their spines. Time seemed to freeze around them, as they stayed lost in the moment. They had each other, and for the moment, nothing else mattered.

From Friends to Lovers

Twilight Sparkle sat in the passenger's seat of her fiancé’s car, discussing the arrangements for the wedding that would take place in less than a week. Mere days after Twiight had given up her search, John had proposed. They had fallen in love during the month that they had been living together and the fact that Twilight was now a permenant resident of John’s world had permitted them to act on their emotions toward one-another.

The wedding was to be a simple, courthouse occourance. John was the only person whom Twilight had become close to and John apparently had no one that he cared for enough to have at their wedding. They had decided that because they had no guests, there was no point in planning a big wedding. They also wanted to get married as soon as possible, as this would offer Twilight the opportunity to apply for citizenship in the United States.

John's parents had passed away several years earlier. He had a brother, whom had always disliked him for reasons he couldn't identify. John's extended family had always hated his parents and their hatred had passed onto their sons. John didn't have too many friends, either. He had always been the type who just wanted to be left alone. He wasn't very outgoing and would simply rather stay home than go out and socialize. Even at work, he didn't make friends with his colleagues very often. He would talk to some of them every once in a while, but any interaction other than that was rare. There had been a few people that had been close enough to John for him to consider inviting them to the wedding, but their reactions to Twilight had changed his mind.

“Are you sure there isn’t anyone you want at the wedding, honey”, Twilight began.

“The few people I was even willing to consider either refused to accept, or don’t care for you”, John replied. “If you have no place in their hearts, they have no place in mine.”

“But don’t you want friends?”

“I have you, that’s all I need. As far as friends goes, we won’t find anything around here. If you want friends, I’ll take a job somewhere else and we’ll move.”

Twilight reached over and took his right hand, which was hanging from the arm rest. This man loved her so much that he was willing to leave behind everything he knew to make her happy. He had been so kind to her during their short time together so far. It was having him as a friend, and now as a future husband that made her existence outside of her own world bearable.

“I love you so much, John”, she said, massaging his hand in hers.

John lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. “I love you too, Twi. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me. I can’t get you back to Equestria, and that breaks my heart almost as much as the thought of losing you. The only thing I can do for you is strive to be the husband you deserve.”

“I will always miss my friends in Equestria, but that doesn’t seem to matter as much anymore. Even if I were able to go back, the thought of being away from you is too much to bear. I have a chance at being happy, so long as I’m with you.”

John simply kissed her hand once again. Once they got out of the car, he would kiss her properly. She had no way of knowing what it meant to him to hear her say those words.

~~~~~~~~~

“John, I think you’re making a big mistake, marrying this girl”, said Mike Bacher, an old friend from John’s hometown. The two had met up when John went to the local convenience store for fuel. Twilight had not come, which had given Mike the courage to confront John about his choice.

John was weary of this conversation before it began. “And what is it about my fiancé that you find so disturbing?”

Mike was taken aback by the hostility in John’s tone. “John, something about this girl just isn’t right. Her hair, the way she acts and talks, everything about her is just so strange.”

“I’m strange, you never had a problem with me.”

“Think about it, John. You’ve barely known this broad for over a month. You proposed less than a week ago, not knowing anything about her. Letting her live with you after having just met her and providing her with every comfort was bad enough. But this?”

“This “broad” is my future wife. I love her and I want her to be a part of my life. Actually, I want her to be the CENTER of my life If you can’t accept her into your own life, then you have no place in mine. It’s as simple as that.”

Mike just stared at John for a long moment. Soon, he shook his head and turned to leave. John finished fueling the car and then drove home to his fianc’e, having washed his hands of another “friend” who couldn’t accept the woman his life now revolved around.

~~~~~~~~~~

John and Twilight stood in a court room in front of a judge, facing eachother. This was it. They were finally getting married. Twilight was wearing a simple, purple dress. Since they hadn’t had a big wedding, there was no need to go all-out on a dress and tuxedo. Dispite this, however, she was still so beautiful as to take his breath away. He was barely able to say “I do” when the judge had called on him.

The judge wrapped up his business quickly and without emotion or care, wanting to move on to other matters. “By the power vested in me by the State of Kansas, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

He didn’t have to tell them twice. They already had their lips together before he even finished the last sentence.

It was done, they were married now. They had so much to do. They had to start the process of filling the forms for Twilight to get started on the process of gaining citizenship. Right now, however, they just wanted to go home and be together. It was already starting to get dark and they were going to share a bed for the very first time. They drove back to their home to begin their new life together.

Unwanted Visitors

Twilight Sparkle, or Twi as her husband had come to call her, lay in bed on her side. Her husband was nestled against her with his hand over her belly, which was growing by the day. It had been six months since Twi had given John the news of the baby that was now in her womb. He had been so excited that he picked her up in a bear hug and nearly squeezed the life out of her. After three years of marriage, they were ready to start bringing children into the world. While marred by the absense of her loved ones from Equestria, her last three yeas with John had been the best of her life. The idea of raising a family with him at her side brought her more joy than she could express. Her thoughts were interrupted by a jab in her gut.

"Are you alright?" John asked. "I think i just felt the baby kick."

"You did", Twilight responded. "She's been getting a bit rowdy lately. I'm fine."

John propped himself up with his arm and kissed the side of her head. "Why haven't you gotten to sleep yet?"

"I've just been thinking."

"About what?"

"About us and the baby. I've also been thinking about everyone back in Equestria. I'm happy that I get to share a life here with you, but I miss them so much. It breaks my heart that the only grandchildren my parents will ever see will be my brother's foals."

John's arm tightened slightly around her. "I'm sorry, Twi. I know you miss them all. It just breaks my heart that I can't do anything about it."

Twi freed herself from John's hold and turned to face him, accepting his embrace again. "You already have. You've helped me make a place for myself in this world. You've given me a home and you have been the best husband any girl could ask for."

"I love you, Twi. I love you so much."

"I love you, too, Honey."

With that, they silenced themselves and soon drifted off to sleep.

~~~~~

John woke up the next morning and looked a the alarm clock. It was ten o'clock and it was Saturday. He turned to look at the other side of the bed and saw that it was empty. He got out of bed and proceeded to look for Twi. He found a note on the table.

"John, I went out of town to grab a few groceries. We're low on milk and eggs. I'll be home around noon."

John looked in the fridge and found half a gallon of milk and a twelve-count egg carton that still contained seven eggs. He smiled to himself. Twi had become a citizen of the United States of America and an official Kansas resident one year earlier. She had gotten her liscence three months ago. Ever since, she had been taking every opportunity she could to get behind the wheel. She loved driving more than he had ever expected possible.

John decided to use this time to grade tests that had been piling up for the past two days. He pulled out his files, sat down at the table, and set to work. He had not made a great deal of progress in his work when he was interrupted by a knocking at the back door.

"Who in the world would be coming to the back door?" John wondered aloud. He made his way around the corner and faced the back door, freezing when he saw the guests that had disturbed him. He never would have expected to see what lay before his eyes at this moment. He was petrified with fear and awe by the beings that now stared back at him through the window. Beings that he never even thought were real until Twi had come into his life.

~~~~~

Twilight scanned over her list once again. Milk, eggs, bread, cheese, and candy were all in the basket that hung from her arm. She had gotten everything that she had come for, which wasn't much, considering the thirty miles she had driven to get here. She just couldn't help it. She loved driving so much. She was traveling at speeds that even Rainbow Dash would have difficulty maintaining for a long time. There were so many amazing things in this world that everybody took for granted.

Twilight knew she couldn't keep this up for too long. Eventually, she would have to stop using any possible excuse to drive wherever she could. The price of gas these days was just too high for her to be so careless. John hadn't mentioned it to her yet. He knew how much joy she got from being behind the wheel, so he simply told her to be careful.

She was once again reminded of how lucky she was to have been found by him the day she had come into this world. He had been so kind to her during their first month together, and had been a better husband than she could've ever asked for ever since.

With an armful of groceries, she got back in the car and began the drive home, unaware that her life was about to be turned upside-down.

~~~~~

John wasn't sure how long he had been staring at the ponies at the other side of his door. He considered simply hiding behind the corner and pretending that noone was home. He immediately dismissed this idea, however, because they had already seen him. He slowly made his way to the door, barely able to walk. He opened it and came face-to-face with Princess Celestia.

"Hello," the Princess said.

John simply stood where he was, unable to speak. Princess Celestia simply stared back, gaping as though she had never laid eyes on a human before. After a few moments of awkward silence, she continued.

"We're looking for a friend of ours. She's is a unicorn, about the same height a the mares behind me. She has a purple coat, a dark-blue mane and tail with stripes of dark-purple and pink, and pink and white stars on her flank. Her name is Twilight Sparkle, have you seen her?"

No, John thought to himself. Say "no".

"Y-y-yeah," John replied, still having trouble talking. He knew better thatn to lie to them. He could tell by the Princess' reaction to him that he was the first actual human she had ever laid eyes upon. They had pinpointed their position, somehow. They knew that Twi could be found here. Besides, Twi would never forgive him if she ever found out that he had prevented her from a reunion with her friends, nor would he ever forgive himself. She deserved to at least see them again, no matter how much he feared the possible consequences of his decision.

"Where is she?" asked the pony John recognized as Rainbow Dash. "We want to see her, now."

John eventually gained enough composer to talk normally. He stuck his head out of the door and scanned the area. He lived on the very edge of the his small town and he knew that risk of the ponies being seen weren't as high as they would be elsewhere, but he know that this conversation would be better held behind closed curtains. He stepped to the side of the doorway and motioned for his unwanted guests to enter. "Come inside, quickly."

The others altered between staring at John and each other, making no move to do as he requested. He understood their apprehension, having just met him and wanting to be weary of this strange new world.

"Quickly," John commanded. "Before someone sees you."

Single-file, they slowly entered into his home. Princess Celestia went first, followed by Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Spike, and then Fluttershy being pushed in by Applejack. John wondered why Rarity was not with them, but he decided this curiousity would be better sated later. Once they were all inside, John proceded to close the door and every curtian on the first floor of the house. He directed them to the living room and invited them to sit down wherever they like.

They all simply sat on the floor and John sat in the love seat. For what felt like several minutes, they all simply stared at each other. There were several questions flying through John's mind. How did they get here? Why did they wait for three and a half years to come searching for Twi? And most perplexing, how were they still ponies whereas Twi had turned into a human upon her arrival in this world? He decided that these questions would probably be answered later.

For the moment, he simply sat and studied his guests. They weren't the cartoon ponies that they were on My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. They bore many of the same traits as they did in the show, such as facial structure, height, hairstyle, cutie marks, and other features, but they had a real-life look about them.

Eventually, Rainbow Dash broke the silence. "Well, are you going to get her for us, or not?" The others simply looked to her, then back to John with excitement in their eyes.

John cleared his throat. "She's gone right now. She went to pick up some groceries." He looked at his watch and saw that it was about eleven-thirty. "She should be back in half an hour or so." He had intended on explaining their marriage, Twi's humanity, and her pregnancy, but decided that it would be best to wait until he had her at his side to do so. In the meantime, they would simply have to make due with the uncomfortable silence, as none of them were in the mood for small talk.

They all simply sat in silence. John was thankful for this. He was losing his inner composer by the second and it was becoming more and more difficult to maintain his straight face. The temptation to break down and sob was ever mounting. He knew why they were here. They had come to take Twi back to Equestria. Memories of "My Little Dashie" flooded his mind and tears were already beginning to form in his eyes. It took every bit of his strength and concentration to refrain from letting the tears well up and spill out. He began to silently panic as he thought of ways to keep these unwanted visitors from ripping his family apart, forever.

~~~~~

Princess Celestia quietly observed the creature that sat across the room from her. She would have introduced herself and the others from the very beginning, but had seen recognition in his eyes from the moment their gazes had met through the window. Somehow, he knew who they were and why they were here. She could see that he was getting emotional and was struggling to maintain his composure. She perceived by this that he and Twilight had grown close in the short time they had been together. Taking her back to Equestria would be more difficult than originally expected, but it was something that had to be done. It was for Twilight's sake, but more importantly, for the sake of Equestria that they had come for her.

The Threat of Loss

Shortly before noon, Twi pulled into the driveway. She exited the car and made her way to the trunk to gather the groceries. Before she set to the task, however, she heard the front door open and saw John making his way toward her. He closed the trunk and looked into her eyes. Hot tears were pouring from his face, making her worry.

"Honey?" She inquired." What's wrong?"

John didn't respond to her question. He simply took her face in his hands and kissed her with a great deal more passion than usual. Fear filled her as she pondered on what could be the cause of this unusual display of affection, but she simply returned his kiss. When he finally pulled his face from hers, he put his arms around her and pulled her into a tight and loving embrace. She accepted and returned his embrace, but inquired once again as to what was the matter.

"John, what is it? What has you so worked up? You're starting to scare me."

Just as before, John kept silent. He simply held her for a long moment, reveling in her warmth and her smell. Eventually, he pulled away and looked into her eyes.

"Come inside," he said.

"Well, give me a minute. Let me just get the groceries and-"

"Leave them," John interrupted.

Side-by-side, with his arm around her, they made their way into the house. When the living room came into their sight, Twi froze in her tracks. She slowly made eye contact with all of the visitors, whom she thought she would never see again. She simply stood where she was, tearing up and letting a joyous smile break across her face. Her friends, however, did not have the same reaction. They simply sat where they were, staring at her. She couldn't blame them for this. Not only was she human, but she was six months pregnant.

After several moments, she slowly began to make her way to her mentor, who was in the closest proximity to her immediate location. When she finally came face-to-face with Princess Celestia, they simply gazed into eachother's eyes.

"Twilight?" Princess Celestia said.

Twi wrapped her arms around the Princess's neck and hugged her tightly.

"Twilight!" all of her friends exclaimed.

She separated from her teacher and hugged all of them one-by-one. Eventually, their reunion settled down and they all sat down for a long conversation. John took his place next to Twi and took her hand in his.

Twi looked to Spike. "Where's Rarity, Spike?"

"She stayed home with the foals," Spike said. "We knew we were taking a risk by coming here and we didn't know how long we would be gone. We decided that one of us needed to stay in case something happened. I decided that if something was going to happen to one of us, I would rather have it happen to me."

"How did you find me?" Twi asked.

"After you went missing, we started searching all over," said Spike. "After about a week, we finally talked to your parents."

Princess Celestia took her part in the explanation. "Between what they told us about your encounter with them and the research you had left behind, we were able to piece together what had happened. It took all of two months, but I was able to recreate your spell and create another spell that would help us locate you."

Before anyone else could speak, Rainbow Dash spoke up. "Okay, Twilight, who is this guy and why do you look like him? And are you pregnant? What's going on here?"

Twi cleared her throat and began explaining. "Everybody, this is John, he's my husband. And yes, Rainbow, I'm pregnant with our first child."

There were several gasps in the room as this new turn of events was revealed.

"How is that even possible?" Rainbow Dash asked, alarmed. "You've barely been gone for two months."

The information from earlier in the conversation that had not settled in yet did so now, leaving John and Twi in shock.

"Two months?" John said. "She's been with me for three and a half years."

There were more gasps in the room and Celestia was the only non-human who had the strength to speak past the shock. "How?"

Twi simply looked at John, saying nothing. John was no scientist, but he still understood more about the workings of this world than she had come to.

"It could be a difference in the passage of time between our two worlds," John said. That's only one idea, tough. I suppose that whatever method you used to get here may have distorted time, somehow. There's really no way of knowing."

Princess Celestia closed her eyes and let out a deep, exasperated sigh. The task that they had come for was now far more complicated and painful than she could ever have anticipated.

Slowly, Twi began recounting her story from the point where she had suffered the awkward meeting with her parents. "After the spell went wrong, I blacked out. I woke up in the middle of a field in this world, with this body and no magic. Luckly, John happened to be the first one to find me. He brought me home and let me stay while I looked for a way to get back to Equestria. After about a month of searching, I just gave up. There was no way for me to get back without magic. Our relationship took off from there." Twi finished her story and then asked the question that had been on her mind since laying eyes on them. "How are you all still in your original forms? Why didn't you transform like I did?"

Princess Celestia cleared her throat and spoke. "I think it's because we are still connected to Equestria. You see, the spell you created isn't actually a teleportation spell. It's actually a spell utilizes portals. It seems to create a portal, pull you in, and spit you out so fast that you don't recognize that it's all done with portals and you simply mistake it for teleportation. When I discovered this, I found a way to open a portal without being sucked in and keep the portal open until I use my magic to close it. I think that when your portal to this world opened and closed, your connection to Equestria was severed. As a result, you took the same form as John and lost your magic. Our portal is still open, so we're still connected to our world and are able to keep our bodies and our abilities."

Twi and John pondered on this. It made sense and answered the questions surrounding Twi's transformation.

John suddenly grew alarmed. "Wait, where is this portal of yours?"

"It's in a small, wooded area about ten miles to the southwest," responded the Princess.

John let out a sigh of relief. He recognized the area she was talking about. It was a gathering of trees in the middle of nowhere, five miles from the nearest house. It was at least a mile from the nearest road, which was made of dirt and rarely used. To say that the chances of somebody discovering the portal were slim would be an overstatement. This was good, as the last thing Equestria needed was for a human to accidentally stumble upon the portal and tell everybody about it. He shuddered as the thought of the Brony community catching wind of the portal's existence came to mind. He quickly pushed that thought out of his mind, knowing it wouldn't be an issue.

Eventually, Princess Celestia began on the subject that they had all been avoiding. "Twilight, we came here to take you back to Equestria with us."

The room went silent and Twi felt John's grip on her hand go tighter and stiffen.

"I'm sorry, Princess," Twi said. "As you can see, I've made a life for myself in this world. I have a family here. I can't leave my husband here alone."

"I understand, but we need you in Equestria, with us," argued the Princess. "You're the Element of Magic, and thus you are a vital part of Equestria. As you know, the Elements of Harmony are useless unless they are all together. I'm sure that you are also aware that the Elements have proven to be Equestria's only hope on several occasions in your lifetime, alone. Your status as the Element of Magic, even in this world, will be upon you for the rest of your life. A new Element can't be appointed while you live. If you don't come with us, Equestria will have no chance if any threat ever surfaces. We need you there, Twilight, please."

Twi felt John's grip tighten even more and she responded by allowing her own grip to tighten. She couldn't be expected to just leave John behind and raise the child on her own, but she couldn't just leave Equestria to whatever fate would befall it if she weren't there. She felt lost and confused and she had no idea what she should do. She stood and separated her hand from John's. "I just need some time to think." She made her way to the bedroom and closed the door. She sat down on the bed and began to sob uncontrollably.

John stood and began to go after Twi. She was confused and she needed him.

"John, please understand," Princess Celestia said. "We need her with us. The safety of Equestria depends on it."

"I understand," John said. "Now I need you to understand that Equestria isn't the only thing at stake here. You're talking about ripping apart a family. You're talking about taking a woman and her unborn child from the husband and father they have come to love and depend on. You're talking about taking from a man that which has become his sole reason for living and depriving him of the joy of fatherhood. You can't comprehend what you're asking us to do. Now if you'll excuse me, my wife and I have a lot to talk about." He turned and made his way to the bedroom.

~~~~~

"What are we gonna do, Princess?" Spike asked.

The Princess shook her head. "I don't know."

"Princess," began Rainbow Dash. "I know this is going to sound bad, but we could just take her. She doesn't have magic, so she wouldn't put up much of a fight. Maybe we could take away her magic so she couldn't come back here."

There was silence in the room. Nobody could blame Rainbow for thinking of such a cruel solution, as it had crossed all their minds in their desperation. The only thing she could be accused of is being bold enough to say what everyone else was thinking.

"We could never do that," Spike finally said. "Twilight would never forgive us, no matter what we did to try and make it up to her. I know how she and John feel about each other, because Rarity and I are the same way. If we separate then, she will never stop trying to find a way to get back to him. Even if we take away her magic, she will always be trying to come up with a way to come back here. Not only that, but if we force her to come back with us, there would be no point in trying to protect Equestria anymore because we would be going against everything that Equestria stands for and everything we believe in. The only way we're going to get her back home is to convince her to come back with us. No force and no tricks."

No one argued the matter further. Spike was right and they all knew it.

The Decision

Twi sat on the bed with her face buried in John's chest as he simply held her. After several minutes of just sitting there, Twi finally spoke.

"What do I do? I can't just leave you, but I'd never be able to forgive myself if I abandon Equestria."

"You belong with me, Twi," John said with a smile. "But I belong with you just as much. You have a duty to Equestria. They need you. You were able to adapt to my world, so maybe I can adapt to yours."

"I couldn't ask you to do that. You love it here and you love your job so much."

"You're right, I do. But as much as I love it all, I love you even more. Besides, you're needed in Equestria a lot more than I'm needed here and you have friends there. I don't care where I am, if I have you."

~~~~~

John and Twi made their way back out to the living room, hand-in-hand. Twi looked at the Princess and spoke with a calm and confident voice.

"I'll go back to Equestira on one condition: John comes with me."

"He belongs in this world, now ours, Twilight," Princess Celestia responded.

"I belong with my wife," John said.

"It's a package deal, Princess," Twi said. "This isn't up for discussion. You're the last pony I would want to give an ultimatum to, but I'm not going without John."

Princess Celestia smiled at both of them. "Alright, he can come. But you need to realize that it will likely be difficult for you to adjust to our world and for it to adjust to you. Your circumstances in our world will be very different from Twilight's circumstances in yours. I need you to understand that before we go."

"I understand," John said. "It doesn't matter, so long as I get to be with her."

The Princess nodded and the whole room was suddenly in celebration of the old friend that had returned to them and the new friend that had come along. When everyone had calmed down, Princess Celestia spoke.

"Are you both ready to go?"

"Not quite," said John. "There are a lot of records and personal belongings that I don't want to leave lying around. I'm also hesitant to just leave the house and all of our belongings as they are. Give me twenty minutes to set fire to the house and I'll be ready."

~~~~~

John stood in the basement of his home, having finished spreading gasoline in every room of the house. He stared at the match that would start the flame that would engulf his life in this world. He thought about the life he was about to start and his wife, for whom he was doing this. Without anymore hesitation, he struck the match, bringing it to life with flame. He dropped the and walked away, leaving his old life to the fire.

~~~~~

John, Twi, Princess Celestia, and their friends stood facing the portal to Equestria, preparing to enter.

"We had better get going," said the Princess. "There's no knowing how long it's been since we left."

Fluttershy went first, happy to leave this world and get back to her own. She was followed by Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and then Spike. Princess Celestia approached the portal and looked back to John and Twi. She nodded at them and made her way through. John and Twi, hand-in-hand, followed her. A bright, white light engulfed them as they stepped through.

When the light dissipated, John found himself in a dark and bleak room, which he guessed to be the dungeon of Canterlot Castle. The dungeon was obviously underused and was the perfect place to keep a potentially dangerous portal a secret.

"Are you ready?" Asked Princess Celestia.

John and Twi looked into each other's eyes. He bent over and for the last time as humans, they shared a passionate kiss, earning awe from their spectators. They pulled their faces from each other and came back together in a tight embrace. Twi closed her eyes and relished the moment. John looked to Princess Celestia and nodded, following his wife's example afterward.

Princess Celestia's horn began to glow brightly, lighting up the droll room. By her magic, the portal dissipated. John and Twi fainted.

Beginning Anew

The first thing that registered to John was pain. He was starting to come to, albeit slowly. He felt as though he had been run over by a train. He wouldn't have gone so far as to say his whole body was in agony, but he was certainly in substantial pain all over. His headache was the worst part. His head was pounding like gongs and the sounds of the chirping birds, although beautiful, were no help.

Soon, he realized that his body felt different, as well. He only pondered on this momentarily before remembering the circumstances that had brought him to this. He realized that all of the pain and the difference he felt in his body were the result of the anatomical overhaul he had received upon the dissipation of the portal between his world and the one he was now in. Slowly, he allowed his other sensations to return to him.

He realized that there was a blunt object being run gently through his hair and across his face. He also noticed a similar sensation resting on his left arm, or rather, what had once been his left arm. It didn't take long for him to realize that it was his wife, sitting beside him, gracing him with her heavenly touch. Almost immediately, he recognized her aroma. Despite her having returned to her original form, she still bore the same beautiful smell.

Before, he had held no intention of even attempting to open his eyes any time soon. The realized presence of his wife, however, had almost immediately changed his mind. He began working his eyes open. The introduction of light brought intense pain to his eyes and doubled the gongs in his brain. He closed his eyes again after having barely cracked them open. He continued trying to get his eyes open over the course what seemed like an eternity. Each time, he grew more used to the light and the pain eased slightly. Finally, he managed to get used to the light and open his eyes fully.

He observed that he was lying on his back in a bright room. He guessed that it must be guest quarters in the castle. He turned his head left and felt more pain as he silently struggled to regain his breath. He had always thought that Twi had been pretty on the show, but the creature that now sat before him was beyond comparison to anything in the world he had come from. She was looking down at him, wearing the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. He had seen her beam from ear-to-ear before, but this small grin was more radiant than any other smile she had produced before. It was the contentedness, the sheer level of happiness that had not been present that made it so much more beautiful. He knew that would gladly suffer all of this pain every day for the rest of his life if he could just wake up to this sight every morning. All the pain he was in was suddenly made worth it.

"You're finally awake," Twi said with relief in her voice.

"How long have I been out?" John asked.

"A couple of days. You had us all worried for a little bit. I was beginning to fear the worst."

"How long were you out?"

"Princess Celestia said it was about half a day. I had a much harder time of it this time than I did when I came to Earth. I guess that the transformation from pony to human isn't as traumatizing as the other way around. I guess I didn't suffer as much as you did either because I had already been a pony or because I had already experienced a transformation."

"I guess that makes sense. I'm just glad you didn't have to go through the same pain that I did."

Twi bent over and kissed his lips, softly. The sensation he got was the same, yet somewhat different. The chill that ran down his spine was the same, but it was a different spine. The lips that kissed were different, but the love expressed in the kiss was the same. He relished it for the short time that it lasted and did his best to hide his chagrin when she pulled away.

The perfect medicine, he thought. He went to put a hand to his pounding head, faster than he should have, and he immediately regretted it. "Ouch!"

"Be careful," Twi lightly scolded, trying not to giggle. "Remember, you don't have soft hands anymore. You have hard hooves."

"Yeah," John said, rubbing his forehead. "I'll have to try and keep that in mind. Have you seen your family yet?"

"Not yet," Twi responded. "They don't even know that I'm back. I thought it might be best if I had you with me, seeing as how I can't explain where I've been or what I've been doing without mentioning you."

John tried to sit up so as to make his way out of bed. "I guess we had better get going, then."

Twi put her hooves on his chest and softly pushed him back down. "You're not leaving this bed until you're feeling better."

"But aren't you eager to see them?"

"I haven't seen them in three and a half years. I can wait a couple more days. It won't hurt them to wait a little longer either."

John carefully nodded in submission. "Alright."

"Are you hungry?"

Suddenly, there was a loud rumbling from John's stomach. He didn't need to open his mouth to answer that question.

Twi giggled. "I'll have someting brought to us."

She left for a few minutes and then returned and helped John sit up in the bed. One of Princess Celestia's servants brought Twi and John each a daisy sandwich, which was apparently a delicacy in Equestria. John immediately decided that he wasn't hungry anymore.

"Honey, you haven't eaten in two days," Twi said. "You need to eat something."

"I'm good, thanks," John responded.

"John Rickard, eat this sandwich or so help, I will use magic to shove it down your throat!"

John wasn't fully sure that she would stand well on her threat, but he knew than to test her. Slowly, he lifted the sandwich to his mouth and took a very small bite. He was pleasantly surprised, it was actually pretty good. He decided that his taste buds must have changed along with his body. He had eaten a flower pedal once as a child and had not been impressed.

John and Twi were just finishing their meal when Princess Celestia came into the room. "How are you doing, John?"

"Well, I'm alive," John said. "I guess that's a good sign."

"He should be ready to begin walking lessons in a day or two, Princess," Twi reported.

That statement took John by surprise, but then he remembered his circumstances. Walking on four hooves was very different from walking on two feet. He was going to have to relearn just about everything. There's something to look forward to, he thought sarcastically. He had noticed, upon rubbing his head, that he didn't have a horn. He couldn't feel anything resembling wings on his back, either. This meant that he had no handicaps. Luckily, he had Twi to help him through the transition.

"Good," the Princess said. "He has a lot of ground to cover before he's to the point of fitting in. I hope you get to feeling well soon, John."

She turned to leave, but turned back when John called her name.

"Princess Celestia, if there are any measures that can be taken to make sure that spell is never used again, I suggest you do it."

"What?" Twi protested. "But there are so many things to learn from it. I think it can be controlled, we just need to-"

"No, Twilight," Princess Celestia interrupted. "John's right, it's too dangerous." She looked back to John. "I can create a notification spell that will alert me when the spell is used, but that's all I can do. Twilight and I will get started in the morning. For now, both of you need to get some rest." With that, she turned and left.

Twi hung her head in resignation. She knew better than to try and argue. It wouldn't do any good. Besides, despite all the useful applications the spell had, she agreed with them. It was too dangerous. She crawled into bed with John and they both drifted off to sleep.

~~~~~

Today was the day. After nearly three days of lying in bed, John was finally strong enough to move. He had crawled on hands and knees before, but that had always been in an awkward fashion and this was going to start off even more awkward. With Twi's help, he slowly made his way to the mirror in the room to have his first good look at himself. When they finally got there, he was far more surprised than he had expected he'd be.

He had already known that he had a light brown coat and a dark brown mane and tail. His hair-style was still the same, as were his hazel eyes. He was somewhat taken aback when he discovered that his flank was bare. Upon further contemplation, he decided that he shouldn't be too surprised, as he had not yet discovered his special talent in this world. He decided that resolving this issue would not be difficult, as he had already discovered his special talent in his own world: history. That was where he would start.

"We should start getting ready," Twi said. "Princess Celestia has already contacted Cadence and Shining Armor. If they haven't already arrived at Mom and Dad's house, they will soon."

John nodded in agreement and they made their way to the bathroom, where Twi helped him get showered and ready. This was another thing that would take time to grow accustomed to. Showering without hands was more difficult than he had anticipated. When they were fully prepared, they set off toward their destination. It would take a very long time, but Twi was more relieved by this than anything else. She was not looking forward to the questions that would be thrown at her or the explanations that she would have to provide. She looked to John as they awkwardly made their way through the streets. She was ever the more grateful to have him as a source of strength. She was going to need all the help she could get for this.

One of Us

Mr. and Mrs. Sparkle, Shining Armor, and Princess Cadence all sat on one end of the living room in the Sparkles' home while Twi and the newest family member stood side-by-side in the center of the room. All four of them were trying to refrain from demanding her to answer the countless questions that ran through their minds, but this was easier said than done.

When Mrs. Sparkle had first opened the door to find her teary-eyed daughter, the initial reaction between the two had been pure joy. The reaction amongst the other family members when Twi and John had been escorted inside was the same. Eventually, the joy of the moment and all the hugging subsided and they all began to notice that Twi was not only pregnant, but far past the two months that she had been missing. They began to take notice of John immediately following. They put two and two together and things simply became more and more awkward from that point on. From the way Shining Armor was glaring at him, John was beginning to wonder if he would make it out of this experience in one piece.

"H-h-how far along are you?" asked Mrs. Sparkle, barely able to speak.

Twi put a hoof to her belly. "Just over six months."

The room was silent for a long time. "How did this happen?" asked Mr. Sparkle. "You've barely been gone for over two months and you weren't even showing the last time we saw you."

"I wasn't even pregnant the last time you saw me, Dad," Twi responded. "Do you remember how I was trying to get away when I found you two?"

Mr. and Mrs. Sparkle nodded, trying not to hang their heads in shame.

Twi proceeded to explain the circumstances behind her spell and her disappearance. The family was trying to take it in strides, but it wasn't easy. Twi carefully and systematically explained the adventure she had taken part in over the past three and a half years. She told them how she wound up in John's world with a different body and no magic, how they met, how he took her in, the development of their relationship, their marriage, and everything else up until the point where they had been found by the others and came back to Equestria.

When Twi finished her story, there was silence in the room for several minutes. Eventually, Mrs. Sparkle stood and slowly made her way toward John. The two locked eyes for several seconds and then she threw her forelegs around his neck and hugged him.

"Welcome to the family, John," she said. She kissed him on the cheek and made her way back to her spot.

Mr. Sparkle stood and approached John afterward. "Thank you, for looking after my daughter," he said.

John nodded in response. He was approached by Cadence, who gave him the same welcome that he had received form Mrs. Sparkle. When her turn was over, everyone turned to Shining Armor. He and John locked gazes and stood in silence for several seconds. Finally, Shining Armor simply nodded, not saying a single word. John observed that his countenance had softened greatly and nodded back.

Twi sighed in relief. Her husband had been accepted into the family, despite every reason they had to reject him. It had been so much easier than she had expected and she was filled with gratitude and love beyond words at what she had witnessed.

"How long will you two be staying with us," Mrs. Sparkle asked.

"We'll stay the night, but we have to leave tomorrow," Twi responded. "We need to get back to Ponyville as soon as possible and we have a lot to do before we're ready to go."

~~~~~

That night, John lay in a guest bedroom in his in-laws' home, cuddling his wife. She had, once again, proven to be the best thing that had ever happened to him. Before she had come into his life, there wasn't much of a life to live. He had been alone and isolated for quite some time. Twi had given him a family and a new world where he could experience life and all that it had to offer.

He kissed the back of her head, taking care not to wake her. "Thank you, Twi. I love you so much. Thank you." He kissed her once again and drifted off to sleep.

The next afternoon, John and Twi bid farewell to their family. Twi looked to Cadence and said, "hey, I meant to ask earlier, where are the kids?"

"When Celestia contacted us and told us to come over, she said that we should leave them at home," Cadence responded. "She wouldn't tell us why, but I guess now we know the reason. This was all a lot to take in. When we get back to the Crystal Empire, we'll tell them you're back. We'll bring them to Ponyville soon for a visit."

"Please do, I miss them."

Twi and John departed and slowly made their way back to the castle. John was slowly growing accustomed to walking on four legs, but it was still awkward. Suddenly, he stopped dead in his tracks, not moving another inch.

"Honey, what is it?" Twi asked.

"I just realized something," John said.

"What?"

"I'm naked." He couldn't understand why it had taken him so long to come to this realization, but now that he had, he felt self-aware and embarrassed.

"We're ponies, John. We're ALL naked, all the time."

"I know, but it's just so weird. I've always worn clothes, and now that I'm not, it's just hard not to feel really awkward."

"Don't worry, you'll get used to it. Come on, let's get back to the castle."

Slowly, they began moving again. Before they had gotten far, John began chuckling.

"What's so funny?" Twi asked, amused by his sudden humor.

"You know," John began. "When I was a teenager, I always wished to live in a world where women walked around naked."

~~~~~

One full week had passed since John and Twi had come to Equestria. They were preparing to board the Friendship Express to go back to Ponyville. Twi had been nervous about explaining to everyone who why she had been gone so long, why she was pregnant, and who John was. After her tremendous success with her family, however, she was much more laxed over the matter. They were going to let things play out and cross bridges as they came. They would be just fine, so long as they were together.

They still had a lot to do. Princess Celestia had already granted John citizenship and now they just need get him registered in Ponyville. He still had to find his special talent and there were so many things that he had to learn, not only with his new body, but about the community he was going to live in. He was fine by this, though. He had Twi to help him through everything. Whatever he had to go through was worth it, so long as he got to be with her.

Re-learning and Re-newing

*Author's note: There will be a slight reference to another one of my stories, "The Dragon and the Pony", in this chapter. The chapter, however, is set up in such a way that not referring to the other story will have no affect your understanding of the events in this chapter. If you wish to read my other story, great. If not, that's fine as well.*
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John was sitting at the desk in the library, suffering from ever-mounting frustration. He had been struggling with his current task for a whole month, ever since he had come to Ponyville, and had covered very little ground thus far. It was one of the things that he had to remaster in a completely different way than he had when he had been a human. In all of his years, he had never thought he would have a need to learn to write with his mouth, but here he was, attempting to do just that.

He had finally mastered walking on four legs several weeks ago. As difficult as that had been, it paled in comparison to his current burden. The first time he had tried to write with his mouth, he had produced noting more than several pages laden with pencil scratches. The page that now lay in front of him was now laden with squiggly lines. He was, at the very least, learning to move the pencil in more ways. He was, though, a long time away from learning to produce words by this method. He had tried to design gadgets that he could attach to his hoof in order to write, but there was nothing that could compensate for the lack of flexibility and grip that came with hooves.

For what seemed like the millionth time since he had begun trying to learn to write with his mouth, John threw up his forelegs in frustration, spat out his pencil, and scattered the papers across the desk. Twi had come upstairs just in time to see the spectacle.

"Are you alright, John?" she asked.

"Yeah," John said, leaving his seat to start picking up his mess.

"You're definitely making progress." She began powering up her horn to pick up the papers, but decided to use her mouth like he was. She wanted to avoid putting him down in his current state and feared that using magic would do just that.

"This is hopeless. Maybe I just ought to give it up. I can't see myself mastering this in my lifetime."

Twi looked sternly into his eyes. "You'll keep at it, John. No husband of mine is going to not know how to write. I know it's hard, but once you master the motion of your teeth and lips, this will all come naturally. Just promise me you won't quit" She walked over to him and nestled the side of her neck into the front of his. She was partly trying to calm him down and partly doing it just because she loved him.

John closed his eyes and leaned into her make-shift embrace. He could feel his heart-rate slowing, his anger subsiding, and his face cooling. "Alright, I promise."

Twi kissed his mouth and sat down with him, watching him practice more. He kept at it for a whole other hour until they decided it was time for them to go to bed. They prepared and then nestled together under the covers, drifting off to sleep.

~~~~~

The next day, John once again was practicing his mouthwriting at his desk, having been unable to find anything else to do that he could use as an excuse to get out of it. Twi was away having lunch with her friends, and so he was home alone at the time. He was beginning to miss his hands more and more by the day. Due to anatomical differences, Twi had adjusted to life in his world relatively easily, but he would be struggling with adjustment for several months, at least. He had been working for several hours when Spike walked in.

"Good morning, John," Spike greeted.

"Hey Spike," John returned the greeting.

"Still hard at work on re-learning to write, I see."

"I'm actually having more trouble with this than I did with math in college. And trust me, that's saying something. It's embarrassing that school foals learn this faster than I am."

"Hey, you can't let that get to you, John. You're neglecting the fact that foals at that age absorb information like sponges. Not only that, but when they learn to write, it's their first time. You're an old fart who's been writing with hands all his life. Of course it's gonna be hard. Just stick with it, and eventually, you'll be writing with your mouth just as easily as you've ever written with your hands."

"Yeah, I guess you're right, thanks. I just want to get this down because I want to write my first letter to Princess Celestia within a few months."

"You know, John, I haven't lived with Twilight in a few years, ever since I married Rarity. Even so, I still come over every so often to help with writing, practice, study, and whatever else. I'd be happy to write your letter for you."

"Thanks, but Twi and I agree that this is something that I really ought to do myself. I think the Princess would agree too."

Spike nodded in understanding. "Well, keep working at and you'll get there."

"I know, but I would give just about anything to have my hands back at this point."

"Sometimes, we make great sacrifices to be with the ones we love."

John nodded at this. "I guess you know that as well as anyone could."

Spike simply nodded, having been put into deep contemplation by John's words. As a dragon, Spike would outlive all to their friends. He would live to be at least several centuries old whereas the average pony rarely ever reached one hundred. While being with Rarity brought him more joy than he could express, the back of his mind was constantly haunted by the prospect of being without her for so long.

"Anyway," Spike began, having come out of his trance. "Your foal is just a couple months away at this point, isn't she?"

John nodded. "Yeah, if that. She definitely isn't far off. Anyway, did you need something or were you just dropping by?"

"I was just dropping by. I was in the area and decided to come and see how you were coming along. Anyway, I guess I had better get going. I need to pick up the foals from Sweetie Belle's place and get them back home. I'll see you later, John."

"Always a pleasure, Spike."

~~~~~

That night, John and Twi sat on the balcony of the library, watching the sun go down. They were nestled together, enjoying the moment. Suddenly, John decided to ask her a question that had been on his mind for a long time.

"Will you marry me?" he asked.

Twi looked up at him, perplexed. "We're already married, silly," Twi responded.

"Let's do it again. When we were married, there was nobody there to see it. Let's do it again just so we can have all of our friends and family over to see it. I'm sure they would all love to see that. I wasn't able to give you the wedding you deserved in the other world. Let me do it now."

Twi threw his forelegs around him, crying. She was overjoyed at the prospect of a wedding celebration with her family and friends, albeit late. "Yes, John. I'll marry you."

John returned her embrace and for what seemed like an eternity, they sat there, lost in each other's forelegs.

~~~~~

John simply stood in his position, lost in those eyes. Just as he had so many times before, he had lost himself in those beautiful, purple eyes and was at a loss of ability and desire to free himself from their mesmerizing lure. He stared into them as they stared into his soul, peircing him to his core. To his chagrin and embarrassment, he was pulled from his trance when Princess Celestia said his name for the fourth time in a row.

He shook his head and remembered where he was and what he was doing. He began scanning the great hall of Canterlot Castle, seeing all of the eyes that were focused on him. He had drifted away before the wedding ceremony had even begun. He didn't even remember watching Twi walk down the isle in the dress that Rarity had made for her. He looked to his right and locked gazes with the Princess. After several seconds, his mind registered what was going on and he did his best to recover the situation.

"Oh...uh...yeah. I mean, yes. I mean, I do," John barely managed to stutter. He earned glares, chuckles, and whispers from the guests. He looked back to Twi and saw that she was smiling, having trouble not to laugh at him.

"Then by the power I hold," Princess Celestia continued. "I now pronounce you Husband and Wife."

John stepped up to his wife and removed her wedding veil with his mouth. He then moved his mouth down to hers and they enjoyed a long, blissful kiss in front of a cheering audience. He didn't remember much of the wedding reception. In his blissful state, it was mostly a blur. He danced with Twi when the first song began, then he danced with his mother-in-law, Cadence, and then Twi's friends one-by-one. Eventually, the reception ended and the two of them set off to their destination in Manehattan for their honeymoon.

The Letter

Dear Princess Celestia,

I honestly don't know where to begin. Thinking of the difference between the life i used to live and the my current life boggles my mind. I have tried many times to imagine what I did to deserve the wonders that have been bestowed upon me throughout the past four years, but I can never turn up anything. All I can say is that I am the luckiest man/stallion in two worlds.

It is truly amazing to think of the impact a minor decision can have on one's entire life. Nearly four years ago, on a certain day, I had decided to drive the back roads to get home from the community college where I taught history. It was on that path that I found Twi in the middle of a corn field completely nude. I shudder to think what may have happened had I elected to take my usual route, not only what would have happened to Twi, but how monotonous and meaningless my life would still be.

Twi is by far the best thing that ever happened to me. Having the fortune of merely knowing her was more than I deserve. Being married to her for almost four years has brought more joy into my life than I can express in any form of communication. Trying to describe the degree of my love for her and my reasons for loving her would be akin to describing the expanse and complexities of the universe. I can only say that I no longer know the emptiness that once existed in my life.

You may be pleased to learn that I earned my cutie mark a couple of weeks ago. I apologize for having waited to divulge this information to you, but Twi and I agreed that I ought to be the one to tell you and I still did not know how to write at the time. I had been partially correct in assuming that my special talent would be pertaining to history. For the past two and a half months, I have been primarily studying the history of Equestria and some to the outlying lands. Recently, however, I began researching other fields of study that this world has to offer. I began comparing and contrasting the ways of this world with the ways of the world I left behind. I poured through studies such as, Government, Science, Geography, and of course, magic. Eventually, through study and discussion with others, I earned two scrolls on either side of my flank. I can only guess that I am meant to be a scholar of sorts.

I suppose that you will also be pleased to hear that yesterday, Twi gave birth to our daughter and first-child. Starlight Shine was born at eleven thirty-two yesterday morning, weighing three pounds, ten ounces. I know that new-borns aren't supposed to be able to smile, but I could swear that she looked up at me and did just that when the nurse wrapped her in cloth and laid her mother's forelegs. I suppose it could be the incomprehensible joy of fatherhood toying with me, but I suppose there is no harm in allowing myself to believe in what I saw. I cannot express my excitement in raising, not only this child, but the ones yet to come.

I have been asked on numerous occasions if coming to this world was worth leaving behind everything I had once known. Life in this world has been rather strenuous on me. Twi had a fair amount of difficulty adjusting to life as a human, but her trials pale in comparison to what I face trying to adjust to life as a pony. The body of the average pony is extremely limited as opposed to the body of the average human. Simply re-learning to walk was one of the greatest challenges of my life. Adjusting to the physical and sociological differences will prove to be a very long and very difficult road. I know that Twi would have stayed in my world if I had merely asked her to, but she wouldn't have been as happy. With her being back in Equestria, I have seen her smile brighter, laugh more, and get much more joy out of life than she ever did in the human world. That alone makes everything that I must endure well worth it. I will gladly suffer any trial and make any sacrifice, so long as I can see her happy.

Before I end, please allow me to apologize for the poor quality of this letter. As it is probably self-evident, I am still in the process of learning to write with my mouth. My mouthwriting (there's a term I never thought I would use) at this point leaves a great deal to be desired. The process of writing at this point is slow and the results are rather painful to look at. This letter took me well over four hours to compose.

I suppose that I I will end this letter by expressing to you my gratitude for allowing me to come to Equestria. I know that you didn't have a great deal of choice in the matter, but my appreciation for it is more than I can tell. Thank you, Princess.

Yours Truly,

John

Epilogue

John looked at the clock on the wall and saw that it was nearly midnight. His gaze drifted back to the beautiful girl sleeping next to him. She wasn't quite as beautiful as Twi, but she still had him completely wrapped around her hoof. It had been several months since he had started sharing a bed with her. When it had begun, it was rather frequent, but now it was happening less and less. John kept insisting that it couldn't keep going on like this and that his wife was the only girl he should be sleeping with. He had tried to tell this girl that he couldn't do it tonight, but the look in her eyes had eventually caused him to give in.

It was the nightmares that were to blame for this, or at least that's what Starlight was saying. John held no doubts that it was nightmares that had first driven his daughter to start crawling into bed with her parents. Eventually, she had simply grown accustomed to sleeping in their bed, due to John and Twi's inability to say "no" to those eyes. After a while, they had decided that enough was enough. She needed to get used to the idea of sleeping in her own bed, so John had begun escorting her back to her own room and getting into bed with her whenever she came into their room seeking their companionship. John would unintentionally fall asleep in this bed every once-in-a-while, but would usually just make his way back to his own bed after Dusk had drifted off to sleep. This is what he did now.

Carefully, John kissed his daughter's head, removed himself from her bed, and exited the room. He arrived at his own bed and did his best to get in without waking Twi up. He nestled up against her and put his foreleg around her and her belly that was once again growing with life. He began retracing the events that had led to the establishment of this borderline paradise that he was now a part of.

Eight years, John thought. He had been married to this beautiful mare who was now sleeping next to him for over eight years. The first three had been in the world he had been born into. The past five had been in the world he had been reborn into. This was the world their daughter had been born into and would be the world that their second child would be born into.

John had learned through experience that surprises awaited around every corner. It was a lesson that he had been learning and re-learning ever since he had met Twi. He didn't know what to expect, but was convinced that not knowing what was coming was one of the greatest joys in life.

Throughout his life, John had always felt that something was missing. However, that feeling had been dissipating ever since that fateful night when he had discovered what he had, at the time, believed to be a nut-case standing nude in the middle of nowhere. Now, that feeling was non-existent. His life was now complete. There were going to be trials ahead, but he knew that as long as he had his family, he would be happy. With a wide grin on his face, John closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, dreaming of the life he had yet to live.