Newcomers

Chapter 1: A Brush in the Woods

Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God do you learn.

                                                                                                                                                        – C. S. Lewis

        I came skidding to a stop in a brightly lit forest. My mind felt mushed and smashed like you if you had just got off a particularly fast amusement park ride. I tried to think where I was only a moment before. It seemed so distant, like a dream. I could remember farther back. About a week before I had taken a family outing to a restaurant, but I couldn’t remember anything about today or yesterday.

 Still groggy, I try to stand. I was able to for a second, but my balance fails and I fall backwards.

That’s strange why can I stand. Maybe I’m just dizy. I rolled over, and I saw a hoof, where my hand should have been. “Gaa! Where is my hand” I sit up mind racing. Hooves! Maybe, no that’s ridiculous. I look at my feet hoping it was a trick. Maybe I had imagined it. I check my feet and to my dismay they were also hooves. In shock I let out a whiny. I cover my mouth. “Good Lord, I’m a horse!” I try to stand with my new legs, but they spread apart like a newborn foals. I fall once again. Who knew standing could be so hard? I try one more time and I get it. Wobbly, but it will do for now. Then I realized something strange. I could still talk.

I let out another whiny “Okay I’m a talking horse in the middle of the forest. Maybe its a dream. That’s it, just a dream.” I was muttering like a madman by then.I bend down and bit some skin on my leg. I felt the pain, but didn’t wake up. I felt like I was in a mixed up Gulliver's Travels.

“You have got to be kidding me. This has to be a dream! This is impossible” I wobble over to a nearby stream and look in. I see a deep blue unicorn, with a blond mane looking back at me.“I’m a unicorn! And a blue one at that. Good thing I like blue, but still how does any of this make sense.”

I decide I might as well treat this world as real for the time being. I walk in a circle till I feel a bit more sucur on my legs. Once I do I walk further into the woods.

I wasn’t completely lost. I knew a thing or two about surviving, all be it from Survivor Man. I was walking down stream. If there was any intelligent life nearby they’d be down stream, I just hoped they didn’t eat horse. I didn’t, however, know too much about horses. I knew they were herbivores and they were fast, but other then that not much.

I felt a distinct sense of pride when I got a rhythm about walking with four legs. It was funny, I thought I was going mad, but found pride in walking.

The woods were silent aside from the occasional bird chirp. Everything seemed brighter than it did back in the real world, like life here was fuller. The leaves were greener, the flowers brighter. My mind came back to me when I stepped on a branch.

I look up to see a clearing in the woods. Once again the grass was greener there then in my world.

        Suddenly a crash a lightning broke through the silence. I heard shouting and what sounded like gunshots. What’s happening. Hoping no one sees me, I ducked under a bush and watched the battle. I saw more ponies fighting each other. One side with spears and melee weapons. The other clothed in modern kevlar armour and guns. They were still losing.

Pegasi, or at least what I thought were pegasi, would swoop down and attack them in close range. The unicorns casted magic helping them, or harming the enemy.

It was,honestly, an amazing spectacle. The unicorn magic running across the field making a beautiful rainbow of colors. The pegasi made trails of various things as they fly, but this was a  battle no matter how you put it. There would be death, but I digress.

My mind was scrambled. I was bewildered by the things taking place before my eyes. More of them! Where am I? My mind was a mess with questions and no answers.I look up to see a pegasus on a storm cloud.The dark gray pegasus stomps on the cloud electrocuting many of the opposing forces. He had a righteous anger in his face.

“You will not conquer us! We will defend against you vile ponies!” Jumping from the cloud he lands a sturdy kick to one unicorns jaw. “Die you bastards!”

The flame in his eyes was truly terrifying, but behind the face I saw horror as well. He didn’t want to kill, but he knew he had to.

 One unicorns levitated a small Glock and fired hitting his leg. The armour absorbed some of the shock, but still went through, “Gaa!” He lets out a scream, but keeps going, “Keep fighting men! Kill these invaders!”

He was strong, incredibly so. He still fought even though he was injured. On top of that he fought with the same, if not more, zealous anger. It was truly a spectacle.

        I felt a sudden urge to help them. I didn’t know why. I mean why should I have helped him. I didn’t know him, he was just a pony in a world I still thought a dream.

I get up anyways, but stop myself. Don’t go out there. You’ll get killed. I continued to argue with myself. But I have to do something! No you don’t. just let them die. I decide to ignore my, most likely, correct self and help.

I see one of the fallen soldiers glock. I concentrate my energy. If they can levitate things I can too. It flew to me, surrounded by a blue aura. I was absolutely astounded by it. I had just used magic. I was filled with a type of child like glee, but it fades as the battle jolts me back to the real world.

I collected myself and aimed a careful shot. It rips through one of the unicorns chest. The glee was gone.

Good Lord I just killed someone. I really wasn’t a soldier or a fighter and at that moment I knew it wasn’t a dream. The closest thing I had ever done to being in the military was that I had been in the coast guard for a year.

My heart pounded quickly. A steady thump thump. I breath deeply and slow down my heart. I take my second shot, this time they noticed.

        An enemy soldier shouts to his companions “We’re being flanked!” There attention was diverted, but sadly to me.

        The gray pegasus, apparently the commander of his side, shouts out “We have reinforcements prepare to charge!”

Good lord what have I done. I see a lance about as long as my body lying next to me on the ground. I levitate it to my side. To my surprize it collapses into itself. I flick it with my magic and it extends again. Tapping it on a small stump I find it’s completely solid. “I guess magic can do more then levitate things”

I collapsed the lance. Levitating two things was like me trying to multitask. Your focus needed to be completely on one thing to use it well. I wait for the word from the commander.

“Charge”The battle was on. I set off running into the heart of the fray. My mother always said I lacked a sense of self preservation, I found then she was right. While running through the underbrush I trip and  roll into the middle of the fray. I meant to be there, of course, but in a more composed manner.God damn it. I still can’t walk correctly.

 A green pony, supposedly one of the invaders, was fighting a soldier.  With a quick motion the he whips the soldier with the butt of his gun. The soldier falls unconscious, the attacker then turns around and stomps on his skull. My stomach turned as red splatters around the area.

He then turns to me. Raising his gun, which was held in his mouth. “Well hello. You don’t seem to be with either side, do you? Well It really doesn’t matter my order are to kill everypony” Aside from his voice being muffled you could understand him quite well. He looks back to me “Ahem. Now I’ll kill you quick. But don’t feel bad at least you're getting the honor to be killed by the great commander Hugo.”

I scoot back still not standing. “Why do you want to kill me? What have I done to you.”

“Nothing” he gives me an evil looking smile.

“Then why kill me?” I doubted my arguments would change his mind, but they would buy me time.

“I need to kill you because I was ordered to.”

I levitate the glock to the back of his head while we were talking. I smiled to myself. Now I’ve got you. I tap his head with it.

He whips around with a quick kick, knocking the gun out of my grasp. I needed to think fast. I look to my side and see my salvation. All I needed was a bit of time.

I used my lance and sweep his feet out from under him. His gun was also knocked out his mouth, but to my surprise he kicks up with ease.

He smirks and says “Nice try, but”

 I interrupted him “You’ve still lost”

“What?” He looks, but it was too late. The gray pegasus gave him a flying kick with his hind legs, sending him reeling.

“You!” He stopped mid sentence and looked around. His entire squad was dead. Seeing his defeat he ran.“I’ll be back, and I’ll win next time.”

The pegasus flies after him, but Hugo kicks him square in the jaw. The commander is sent back doing an aerial flip and skids to a stop. “He’s got quite a kick” He smiles as he wipes off a bit of blood off his mouth.

A single unicorn approached and stood at attention. The gray pegasus nodded to his soldier. signaling permission to speak “Commander Thunderclap, do you require assistance with your wound sir?”

He looks to his leg as if he had never noticed the bullet hole in his armor “That would be wonderful.”

The unicorn walk off, probably finding the squads medical team.

Thunderclap stood up, and looks to me “And you.” His tone had dramatically changed to one of frustration, as he glared at me angrily. “You almost got yourself killed! The last thing I need is a dead civilian. That is a nightmare of a report. Not to mention your family and friends. The reason we’re here to keep civilians out of the fight.”

I back up finally standing, but gather myself and bark back, “I was trying to help, and I did.”

“How so? We had the battle under control.”

“Your ‘reinforcements’ that was me. I distracted their leader while you killed his men and I killed two of them myself” My words made my mouth go numb. I still hadn’t fully came to grips with my actions.

“Okay, I’ll give you the fact that you helped, but why are you even here? The Everfree is dangerous when we’re not fighting a war” What looked like a doctor came over. He wore a white doctor's coat and green tie. He removed the bullet and wrapped his wound. The bullet wound was quite shallow.

Thunderclap barely flinched. He was calm and strong. Like a statue. I still marveled at the ponies strength and endurance.

The doctor walked a bit and called to a light gray pegasus  “Come on Ditzy, lets tend to the rest of the patients.” A gray pegasus followed behind him her eyes looking in different directions.

Thunderclap turns back to me. He looks at my side “A lance and shield.” He stops to think. “I see. Your cutie mark means bravery. To do what you just did it would have to be, or your extremely stupid.”

I look at him puzzled “My what?” I was already confused and his comment only gave me one more question.

He seemed more confused than I was “You don’t know what your cu-”

“Thunderclap! An urgent message from the Princess. I’m sorry, but it couldn’t wait” A soldier had suddenly interrupted our conversation.

Thunderclap nods to him and turns to me “I’ll be a moment. meet me in my tent in about half an hour, so we can continue our discussion.” He looks to the soldier who had interrupted us “ You’re on babysitting duty. Make sure our guest doesn’t leave.” With that he walks down to a crimson tent, that was put up surprisingly fast.

***

I just killed two people, or should I say ‘ponies’. How did I do that? I’ve never killed before, nor did I ever expect to. My mind was still racing with thoughts like these when an blue unicorn walked to my side.

“Okay sir, Thunderclap is ready to see you”

I was wondering that he had called me sir. I had only just gotten there. Maybe it was just normal practise. “Um, yes I’ll be there in a moment” Okay here I go. I walk into the crimsoned tent and sat on a small cushion. I was determined to get answers.

I cleared my throat nervously.“Hello commander Thunderclap. Permission to speak freely.” I tried to be respectful. I guess asking for permission was silly. I mean, I wasn’t part of their military.

He sat in silence. He was looking me over, which was honestly uncomfortable for obvious reasons.

I took this time to examine the pegasus as well. He was larger than most of them, all of it muscle. Along with that his wings were larger as well, as if adapting to the extra wait.

“I could see that you are not from around here Mr. ?”

“Aren Martin”

“Well, Aren, where are you from?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you”

He smirked as if he knew something I didn’t “Try me”

I wondered whether or not to tell him. I find that it really couldn’t hurt. “Well I’m from,” I stop pondering how to say it. The conversation was quickly turning very uncomfortable for me “Well honestly a place nothing like here.” I was dodging the question. I really didn’t want to talk about it.

        “How so?”

“Just very different. A different world altogether. A different shape too. We aren’t ponies there. We do have ponies in the world though, but they’re not intelligent like you”

The news doesn’t even phase him. He just nodded and said “Okay. Well I believe you”

I didn’t expect him to believe me. I thought he’d call me a lunatic and throw me out. I’m honestly glad he didn’t  “Say what now?”

“I believe you”

“But why? I mean I’m telling the truth, but it is a tad crazy. I barely believe it myself”

He smirks and says “I have my reasons”

I look at him suspiciously, but I decided to trust him. “Well what do I do now? I’m a fish out of water here.”

He looked at me “Well you're going to do what you think is right. you’ve got a whole new world of opportunities, literally.”

I look at him like he’s the crazy pony. “Alone, in the middle of the woods. I’ll be a bear’s lunch and what the heck do you mean ‘do what you think is right’ this isn’t some child's story book”

“Not quite.”

“What do you mean ‘not quite’. I couldn’t survive here without any guidance. I wouldn’t make it a few days in the middle of nowhere with little direction”

“I mean I’m going to come with you. It would be inhospitable to leave your guest to prepare his own food, so to speak”

“What? Why? You have your tropes to take care of. I couldn’t let you abandon them”

“No I don’t. These men were specifically assembled to fight the invaders in the Everfree. Each one is a trained soldier and commands their own squads.”

“The Everfree?”

“The Everfree Forest, it’s a place where ponies don’t rule. It’s wild, something rare in Equestria”

“Equestria?” I felt like a child just coming to school for the first time. It was degrading.

“You really don’t know anything, do you”

“I got here, I fell a few times then I found you. I’ve literally only been in this world for all of a few hours.”

“Okay,okay I’ll give you a rundown of the basics. We live in Equestria, most of our residences are ponies, we have some zebra and donkeys. Everyone has a special talent shown by their cutie mark on their flank. It most of the times becomes their job, sometimes their pass time. You for example have a lance and shield, most likely meaning bravery. An example of your cutie mark not being your occupation. Mine, however, is a thunder cloud standing for my skill with the weather and the manipulation of it in combat, making me a captain of the guard. We have three types of ponies, earth ponies, good with the land, strong and hardy. Pegasi, With wings and have the ability to manipulate the weather. We are also the fastest ponies if we can use our wings. Then we have unicorns, which is what you are. They can use magic, generally based on their talents. Some can use all magic. Then we have alicorns, there are only three known alicorns in existence, Princess Celestia, she raises the sun. Princess Luna, she raises the moon. Luna and Celestia are sisters. Then there is Princess Cadence. She is the niece of Celestia.”

The information came very fast and the question my mind registered was a very stupid one “So she’s Luna’s daughter?”

“I don’t know.” He stopped and thought for a moment, “Anyways, the princesses live in the royal city of Canterlot. Many pegasi live in Cloudsdale. There is also Ponyville just outside of the Everfree.”

“Okay I think I understand. Where are we going next?”

“Well I don’t know. This is your story. You chose the next step.”

I stood up and walked outside the tent.Where am I to go. Well I need to learn more of what’s happening, so I guess Ponyville is our best bet. Coming to a decision I call to Thunderclap “We’re going to Ponyville. I need to learn more about what’s happening.”

“Well then let’s go! Follow me and I’ll lead you through the forest.” He burst out of the tent and gallops down the road. He chucks a bag behind him landing at my feet.

I sigh and say under my breath. “If he going to be this enthusiastic the entire time I’m going to end up strangling him. Can I do that with hooves?” I run into the forest catching up with Thunderclap.

***

We were steadily walking through the undergrowth as a question crossed my mind. “Why didn’t your troops have guns?” It seemed a fair question. They obviously weren’t primitive, I mean I saw a modern doctor just a little before.

“Well we don’t know how they work. The first time we saw them was when those ponies attacked Baltamare. Their completely new to us”

“Well I know how they work.” Suddenly the truth hit me. “these guns they’re from my world. I’m from the place that they come from, at least some of them.”

“I see. Well you at least seem well enough. You did help us, so I trust you completely, but you said you knew how they worked?”

I pull out the gun I found on the battlefield from my pack. “There’s a trigger you pull that fires a gun” I pointed to the trigger on the gun. “It must be hard to fire without magic. The kick must be strong enough to break your teeth. It is possible though”

Thunderclap picked it up with his mouth and shot it with his tongue. He dropped it back on the ground. “ I can handle the buck. It tastes a bit funky though”

I let out a little laugh at the fact he said buck rather than kick. “Okay. We should keep moving.” I levitate the gun and shake it off before putting it into my bag.

***

We were nearing the edge of the forest now. I could see the town in the distance. It was small, but welcoming. “Is that Ponyville?” I inquired.

“Yes it is. There we can get some sleep and food. Maybe some help”

“Help with what? I’m on no real mission here. I’m just like a lost child in a Walmart”

“Well whatever you’re here for and by the way what’s a Walmart. Is it like a Trotmart”

Putting aside the Trotmart comment, I was very tired by him being cryptic “I don’t know what I’m here for. I don’t even know how I got here.”

“What I know is that you’re here for a reason, even if you and I don’t know what. Things don’t just don’t happen, especially something so strange”

“You think so? I’m not really big on destiny”

“I do. Now lets stop babbling and get going, I’m hungry and I heard that the café here sells good food. Maybe I'll have a hayseed sandwich.”

We walk slowly towards the town. It was about noon by now, we had spent a night in the forest. Thunder said we were lucky to find a clearing, or we’d have problems with monsters. I hadn’t believed about the monsters until later when I heard the howls of what he called ‘timberwolves’. By his description I really didn’t want to get into a fight with them.

By then we were at the town entrance. “Where do you want to go first Thunderclap.”

“I was thinking to the sandwich shop. It’s called ‘la sandwicherie’. That name always made me laugh because it means ‘the sandwich shop’. So simple but when in a different language it sounds so elegant.”

“Well a sandwich sounds nice to me. Where is it?”

“It’s just down the road, do you have any money?”

“What do you think? I’ve only been here for a day and I don’t even know what your currency is”

“Good point” He delves into his bag and pulls out a small sack. He holds it out for me to grab. I levitate it up to my eyes and look in. I see small gold coins.

“You use gold coins as currency?”

“Yup. They’re called bits.”

“Bits. How many does a sandwich cost?”

“About five or so”

I look into the bag and see about forty ‘bits’. “Well thank you for the money.” Slightly uncomfortable with the gift I follow him. Why is he so generous? Why did he believe me? It doesn’t make sense! I don’t trust him. If somebody told me they were from a land of magical ponies I would call an asylum, let alone trust him. My mind contradicted my actions, but I was strangely drawn to fallow Thunder.

We reach the shop, Thunder motions towards the outside tables. “We can sit out here”

I hadn’t paid attention to the weather, from what I could tell it was probably late summer. “All right. That sounds good” I sat on the cushion and wait for the waiter. “What do we do next, Thunder? I feel like I have to do something about this war. It’s just a strange urge to do something”

“Well then do something”

“You’re not being helpful”

“I can’t tell you what to do that is up to you. Aren I understand you feel like you have to do something, I knew that from the first time I talked to you. Not just anypony would rush into battle like you did. I can’t tell you what your next step is. Like I said this is your story”

The waiter came then. “May I take your order sirs?”

Thunder was first to speak “Yes. I’ll take some haybacon and a muffin.”

“And you sir”

“I’ll take” I look at the menu. “I’ll take the HLT”

“And what would you like to drink?”

Thunder answered first again “I’ll have some orange juice”

Looking at the menu once again I answered “Um. I’ll have a glass of milk.”

The waiter left with the order in mouth. “Hey thunder, do ponies have clothes” I was

wondering because I really wanted some. He had taken off his armour last night and never put it back on, so I assumed clothing wasn’t very common. I had seen a few ponies wearing hats, but not many.

“We do, but we mostly only wear them for special occasions or it’s necessary. Some ponies wear clothes often others barely ever. It’s a lot about personal taste. The town has a boutique if you want to get some clothes.”

“That would be great” I smiled uncomfortably

The waiter came back with our order and said “Here is your orders sirs. That will be ten bits total.”

We both handed him five bits each and started to eat. Slowly I took a bite of my sandwich. Not bad. I didn’t think hay would be this good. I started to stuff myself realizing how hungry I was with a whole day without food.

“You like that don’t you, Aren”

“Yes. I didn’t think I would like hay. It’s not something we eat where I come from. We feed it to the animals that we” I stopped myself right there. Horses were herbivores, so telling him we eat animals might be a bit strange.

“Your mind was probably altered slightly when you came here. Making you more pony-like. Basic things like your tastes and hormones”

“Lets not get into that discussion” I would have rather not gone into the pony hormonal structure.

He smiled “All right then”

We finished our meal and I thought about our next move. “I think the boutique sounds nice.”

***

We had arrived at the small blue building that was the Ponyville Boutique. I knew a boutique was a mare’s clothing store, but Thunder had informed me they provided very nice male clothing as well.

There was a single gray unicorn at the front desk reading a magazine and chewing some gum. She looked up from her magazine and looked us over, only to return to reading it. “Miss Rarity is out at the moment hun, but you can look around. See anything you like tell me and I’ll ring you up.” She spoke with an old New York accent, something that sounded like the sixties.

Thunder nods as I went off into the racks of pony clothing. I found a nice red cape just long enough to leave me feeling secure. It still let me run with ease. It was perfect, it covered me without limiting mobility.

We paid the mare at the front desk and left with a grin on my face. After I had put it on I realized how soft it was, but with that little diversion I was back at square one. I had no idea what next. “Unicorns can do magic, I mean asides from levitation?”

“Yes, what about it”

“Well I don’t know any magic besides levitation, which from looking around everyone, I mean everypony, knows very early.”

“Your right, so what’s your plan”

“I learn how to use some more advanced magic. The question is where and how”

“Thats a good idea. There is a library in town. The unicorn there might be able to help. She know quite a lot of magic and has a lot of books that could help.”

“Well then let's be-”

A mares scream in the distance had cut me off. Thunders ears shot straight up, like a dog listening for a kill “You may want to hold that though it looks like we have trouble.” After he said that, Thunder flew up to get a better look.

“What do you see?!” Ponies were gathering in the street looking for the source, while pegasi stared in shocked aw.

“Not again! We have more soldiers! Their coming from the forest! Damit, not here! This town is full of civilians!” At this point he was yelling at the oncoming soldiers.

The news moved fast and the crow quickly swelled into a panicked frenzy.

“I thought you had killed them all!” I was constantly being pushed and shoved by the crowd. I was barely able to stay in one place.

“So did I! Where are they coming from?! They look different this time, and I can’t see Hugo” His eyes never left the approaching mob as he was talking.

“I don’t know? What I do know is that we have to help the town’s folk!” Without waiting for a reply I gallop off to fight. I’m mad. I have officially crossed the line of insanity! I’m running lance in hand, or in hoof I should say, to the rescue of some type of damsel in distress! I’m not a knight in shining armour! I look back to see Thunder catching up to me. Well at least I have help. “Come on Thunderclap, we’ve got a town to defend!” A righteous flame burned in my heart, as I ran.

“Aren! Behind you!” Thunders voice rang out with urgency.

I turn around only to see a frying pan smash into my face. I fall limply to the ground, in my last seconds of consciousness I heard a yelp of pain from Thunderclap.

***

I wake up, but stay quiet. I hear a battle raging in the distance, but I also hear a voice. It was a mare’s voice.

“I’m sorry for what happened, I thought you were one of them” The voice was very sweet, and had a type of natural seduction to it. Like a siren, for all I knew it could be.

“No problem, but I have to say your a crack shot with that magic you used” The second voice was Thunder’s!

What is this! He’s chatting it up with the pony who smacked me over the head! I let out an unintentional moan.

“Oh I think sleeping beauty is awake over there” I hear rattling, then I see Thunderclap walk over. He started to speak in an intentionally childlike voice, “Wakey wakey sleepy head” He dumps a bucket of ice water on me.

“Gaa! God damn it Thunder! You didn’t need to douse me with water!”

“I know, but what fun would that be.” He looked out the window and his smile faded. I could tell he was being defensive. Hiding behind humor. I could thank Doctor House for that diagnosis. I had enjoyed House back in my world it was the closest thing to a soap opera I watched.

“It would be better for me.”

He snapped out of it and looked back to me “But not for me” A weary smile came back on his face.

“Are you two done?” It was a sweet voice. Even when harsh.

“Just let them fight it out” This one was a boys voice, maybe about his late teens early twenties it had an air of arrogance to it. I was probably only a few years older than him, considering I was only twenty-five.

“We really don’t have time for that” The mare came back. “We were pressed for time waiting for him to get up. I voted for dragging him on Thunder’s back

The tone of the boy’s voice became very somber “I know, the town is being raided and we were told to get out.”

Remembering what had happened before I was knocked out, I interrupted. “Is everypony in the town safe?”

Thunder was the first to respond and answered me “ Yes. They all evacuated. The guard is handling the fight.”

“Well then what are we going to do?” I stand up. I was pretty wobbly, but I manage to stay on my feet. “I can’t just sit here”

A flame red unicorn walks in. “Well you’re not sitting are you?” He lets out a laugh at his own bad joke, his black mane moving as he throws his head back, the yellow streaks shifting out of place. “By the way I’m Ember the  pyrotechnician. I deal with magic with fire. A showstallion really”

I look at his flank and see what looks to be a flame dragon on it. I walk closer and ask “So you can control fire?”

“Not just control it. In a way I am it.” He lets out a breath and with it comes fire. “You see? It’s like we co-exist in the same body.” His smoky eyes twinkle with his words. He must have found the relationship mesmerizing.

Thunder steps in “These two are unicorns, brother and sister.”

Finally the last unicorn walks in. She was a magenta color, with deep purple eyes. Her crimson mane was smooth and beautiful. My eyes wandered to the flank where I find an open book with strange symbols on it. “What does your name?” I asked looking towards the mare.

She clears her throat “I’m Shimer.” She walks further into the room.

Still confused by her mark I ask “What does your cutie mark mean?”

She sighed and began to speak, “It means magic, and understanding. I have the ability to quickly learn, and understand just about anything. That includes magic. I’m a scholar. I was going to be moving to canterlot soon to start a class of advanced studies in the school of magic.” She turns back to us. “that is until a war broke out. From what I hear canterlot’s on high alert, being the capital.”

The itch to help came back over me like a wave, “We need to do something! It’s driving me mad standing here, chatting away while pe-, no ponies, are dying.”

Shimer turns to me “I’ve told you already the guard is handling it”

We hear a loud boom, something like a bomb going off. then a crash. We rush to the window only to see town hall fall to the ground. I look to shimer “They seem to be handling it real well”