A Whisper on the Wind

Stopper just looked at me, and while I'm no expert on pony body language, I could tell that she wasn't happy about me asking for a unicorn’s horn.

“You… you want a unicorn’s horn? Why the buck do you want one of our horns?! What bucking possible reason could you have to need one?!” she demanded of me, her voice rising with each word.

I paced a few steps, collecting my thoughts. “Because I've been thinking about my place in this new world, and how I want to be a force for good. I want to try and see if I can wield magic like your ancestors did. Even if it doesn't work, I think we could all learn something from the attempt.”

Stopper scoffed. “You don't seriously expect somepony to just give up their horn? Removing it would be extremely painful, with life-long complications!”

“I've thought about that,” I replied, my tone steady. “Instead of condemning somepony else to a life of misery, I have an alternative plan. I want the horn from a dead unicorn.” My expression was devoid of all emotion, projecting profound seriousness.

“You want to… to desecrate somepony’s final resting place? Is that what your world is like, full of hairless creatures that strip the dead of what little dignity they have left?!” she shouted, her voice quivering with rage.

“When you were at your former post, did you strip dead earth ponies of their valuables before you buried them?” I countered, and it stopped her train of rage dead in its tracks. “Are you being passionate about this topic only because I mentioned doing the same thing to one of your kin?”

“I… you're talking about cutting off a horn, about mutilating somepony! We never did that!” She responded, her voice now edged with a mixture of anger and disbelief.

“No, you just murdered them in cold blood, I'll bet.” I sighed. Her expression hardened as I approached her. “Whatever moral high ground you think you have here doesn’t exist. Yes, a unicorn's life needs to have ended for what I want to attempt. But I want to ensure that their life did not end in vain. I think seeing if your magic can flow again is about as noble a cause as any right now.”

Stopper turned her head to the exit, her resolve visibly shaken. “When do you plan on asking Scar to do this?” she asked, her voice now softer.

“If I have results, or if it fails. Until I’ve explored this, I don’t want anypony else to know what I'm about to do. I can’t risk somepony saying no, so… deception it is,” I said, knowing that I was about to cross a moral and ethical line.

Stopper smiled at me. “Well, well, well, the human has a devious side to him after all.”

I shot her an angry look. “And what is that supposed to mean?”

Stopper snorted. “I had you pegged as some naive little colt scout; who knew there was a tiny bit of changeling inside you just waiting to get out?” She tightened her smile at me, which admittedly softened my expression. “Fine. I'll find you a horn. What do you intend to do with it?” she questioned further.

“I’ll show you at the barracks later. For now, I need to speak with our resident blacksmith to see if he has the tools I need. If you need Tricks’ help, you have my permission to involve him.” Stopper merely nodded and departed without further comment.

With the first part of my plan underway, I headed toward Crush to see if he’d get me what I needed. He recognized my approach quickly and offered a three-legged bow.

“If you’re here about that ranged weapon I mentioned, it'll have to wait a little while longer while I source some extra parts,” he explained.

I held up a hand. “Relax, I'm here about another matter. Before I mention that, though, I have to know something… how good are you at keeping a secret? I asked softly, a serious tone bleeding into our conversation.

He put a hoof on his muzzle. “Is this something that Scar would want to know about? he asked directly.

I grunted with a nod. “Yes, it is. I need a tool from my world, called a ‘hacksaw’: it’s a loop of metal that forms a handle, and a larger body attached to it that holds a serrated blade. Do you have anything like that?”

Crush shook his head briefly. “Sounds like a precision tool… we don't have much demand for those. If you could show me a drawing, I could probably fashion one overnight.”

I had an idea. “Assuming it still works, I think I can do just that. Follow me.” I beckoned.

Slightly unsure, Crush followed me to the building where I'd left my laptop. I carefully gathered it from the floor and placed it on the long table inside, taking a seat in front of it. With a single push of the power button, the laptop roared to life, and I felt a profound sense of relief that it’d survived my rough ordeal to date. After a moment, an image of a blue arch appeared, shortly followed by a login screen.

I stood up from my chair and punched the air with a fist. “Yes! This thing still works!” I cheered but quickly sat down again when I realized that I had no way to charge it. “This, my friend, contains something that has the potential to reshape your world; perhaps even your world’s very destiny.”

Crush looked at me with skepticism. “Well, beforehoof you had my curiosity, but now you have my attention.”

I smiled at him. “As a party trick, I kitted out this thing to hold the entirety of our largest encyclopedia. No matter where I was—tent, hotel room, or the middle of nowhere—I had instant access to the collective knowledge of humanity. it’s a complete record of our civilization, from the amazing to the mundane, and even the truly horrific.”

I had an idea. “Watch this,” I said, closing my eyes and turning back to the laptop. With practiced ease, I ran my fingers over the keyboard, entering the password without looking. The desktop screen then appeared, displaying a background of a swirling ocean under a moonlit sky.

Crush was clearly impressed. “You did all that without even looking?!”

I nodded, twinkling my fingers. “It’s called touch-typing. I know where every key is by feel alone. I can type in the dark or even blindfolded.”

After checking that the memory card was secure in its slot, I fired up the search tool. The laptop’s battery was about ninety percent charged, I noted. After a moment, I’d managed to bring up a picture of a hacksaw.

Crush studied the image as I zoomed in. “I'll need to bring in one of my apprentices, but I think we can do this. Is this the secret you mentioned earlier?” He pointed to the laptop.

I nodded. “Yes, but the bigger secret is what I need the hacksaw for. Please don’t mention this to anypony for now. Also, what’s on this laptop must remain hidden. At least for now, while I'm still uncertain of where Alex is or what he was hoping to achieve. Revealing anything could have unforeseen and far-reaching consequences.”

I shut down the laptop to conserve power and then got up to stretch my legs.

“How soon can you have the saw ready?” I asked.

Crush pondered for a moment. “If I start now, I could have it ready by tonight, or more likely, by morning,” he said confidently.

“Perfect. I’ll check back with you first thing in the morning, just to be sure you’ve been given all the time you need,” I said, relieved that my plan was coming together.

Crush then made his way out to begin the task. As for myself, the thoughts I’d suppressed out of necessity began to surface. An overwhelming realization hit me: I might never see anyone I knew ever again. Friends, family, acquaintances… how long until their faces faded from my memory if I couldn’t return?

The sudden weight of that realization became too much, and I collapsed onto my crumpled jacket. Tears streamed down my face, blurring my vision. Through the haze, I spotted a figure at the entrance. They walked in tentatively, and after a few blinks, I recognized Ace.

I wiped the tears from my eyes to try to compose myself, but like our previous encounter, the gesture fooled nopony. Ace approached me silently, and without warning, he sat on my legs and leaned back into me. Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around him, my hands resting on his barrel.

Tears continued to fall as I rested my head against my new friend, my tears matting his fur. I blubbered uncontrollably, my body betraying all the doubts, fears, and worries I’d pent up over the last few days.

Eventually, my sobbing subsided to muffled sniffling as I began to regain control of my emotions. “Thank you,” I whispered. Ace turned around, meeting my gaze as he lay down again.

“If you wanna talk about it… I'm here,” he said, placing a hoof against my chest. I avoided his azure eyes, trying to collect my thoughts.

“I, uh… I was, uh, just thinking about the people I've left behind… and then I remembered when Alex disappeared,” I trailed off, recalling the weeks after he vanished. “Do you remember how I said that he just disappeared one day?”

Ace nodded.

I sniffled, wiping my nose on my sleeve. “I got a call from his mother, very late at night; she asked if I'd heard from him that day at the university. I was due to meet him, in fact, after I changed our plans… but he never showed up that morning. I tried to contact him, but it didn't connect. Mind you… London was terrible for signal in places, so I sent him a message asking him to let me know that he was okay.”

“Was it… unusual for him to not contact you?” Ace askes.

“It wasn't unusual for him at all, he'd done it before, often when he attended my country's facilities as part of our exchange program. When I said to his mother that I hadn't seen him all day, her voice broke. That’s when we both knew that something serious had probably happened to him…”

I replayed that day over and over in my mind for months. I remember thinking that it would’ve been easier if he’d died; at least there’d be closure, and a funeral to attend. But there was nothing, just a sudden disappearance and no clue why.

“His mother invited me to stay with them,” I continued, ”She insisted on paying for my plane fare, but I refused. I wasn’t about to take money from a grieving mother just to make my life easier.”

Ace sat there, listening intently, his presence a comforting anchor in the storm of my emotions. I wiped the remaining tears from my eyes. “I sat at their family dinner table with his parents and sister, as I’d done before… but nobody spoke for a long time. The silence felt like a comforting blanket around us. The void his disappearance left was immense, but we humans cope with grief in our own way; for hours, we shared our memories of our time with him. His mother even shared a few embarrassing stories, but I think he’d forgive her, given the circumstances. And, now I know… that this is what my family will be going through after I disappeared.”

Tears threatened to well up again as Ace continued listening with rapt attention. “I had three people in my immediate family; my sister, my mum, and my dad. My father, Dennis, was an engineer, and an expert with internal combustion engines. Give him any vehicle, and he could tell you how much power its engine had. My mother, June, was a telephonist, an operator until she retired, with the most beautiful customer service voice as you could ever hear.”

Ace fidgeted slightly. “What about your sister?” he asked.

“Anne and I… never really saw eye to eye. Our scholastic upbringings changed us both, and we grew apart over the years. Still, I hope she's doing well… even if I think that she wouldn’t be too upset over my disappearance.”

Ace kept looking at me, those deep azure eyes staring back. “Even so,” I continued, “That all pales in comparison to what's happening out there. Look at me; I'm complaining about never seeing my parents again, and yet that's a daily reality for a lot of you here. God, you must think I'm so pathetic…” I said, looking away, unable to meet his gaze as a wave of shame washed over me.

Ace got up and pressed a hoof into my chest again, a little harder this time. “I don't think you're pathetic…” he said, trying to force eye contact. I reluctantly stopped fighting him and looked down into his eyes. I figured now was as good a time as any to get some answers out of him about what had been happening between us.

“Well, now you've seen me bare my soul a little… can we talk about what's been happening between us?” I asked, noticing his body visibly tense up. I put my hand up. “Let's make this easier for you; I’ll ask you some ‘yes or no’ questions, and you just nod or shake your head, is that okay?”

Ace nodded, explicitly confirming acceptance of my terms as he swallowed hard.

“Is this about something that embarrasses you?” I began.

With great hesitation, Ace nodded slowly. You didn't have to be an expert at reading body language to see the shame behind that nod.

Now for the next question. With everything that’s happened recently, I’ve probably been extremely oblivious, but the shower the other day was quite revealing—pun not intended. “Are you… attracted to other stallions?” I pressed.

He nodded, but now I had a pony visibly choking back tears, doing everything he could to hold back the flood. I didn’t enjoy this, but I had to press on.

“Are you attracted to mares?” I asked. He shook his head, and another puzzle piece fell into place for me, making me realize the significance of what had been happening.

“Ace… have you ever, uh, been with a stallion?” I decided to rip the band-aid off rather than dance around the topic.

He shook his head again, and the waterworks began. His frame hunched over as his resolve crumbled, and fresh tears stained his cheeks. Instinctively, I reached out and pulled him into a tight, almost suffocating hug. Now it was his turn to sob in our embrace. I gave him all the time he needed, occasionally whispering comforting words into his ears as he unleashed what felt like years of anguish.

My heart ached for him. I’d wished for a kinder world when exploring my sexuality, and knowing that he’d likely had a much rougher journey filled me with a cold rage—the kind of rage that can drive one to fight for change.

Several minutes before Ace regained control of himself. By then, he’d slid down my front, his head now resting against my chest as my arms remained around him. I looked outside and noticed that it’d grown considerably darker. As if on cue, I yawned loudly with the pegasus still held tightly in my arms. The room’s ambient light now came only from the soft orange light of magical candlelights, with each of their orange gemstones providing a warm yet inoffensive glow.

“Look, Ace,” I said softly, “I'm probably one of the few people who can really understand what things have probably been like for you here. If you ever want to talk more about this, or about anything else you think is embarrassing, just let me know and we'll talk about it privately, okay?” He swiftly nodded.

I decided that I needed to get up, but Ace had other ideas. As I shifted my body weight, his hold on me tightened. Sighing softly, I ran a hand down his cheek. “Do you want to stay here for a bit?”

Ace nodded again, this time trying to bury his head in my chest. I resigned myself to spending the night here—an act I feared my back would never forgive—and I shifted uncomfortably. Carefully, I removed my jacket from under me and draped it over the sleepy pegasus. Then, I repositioned my backpack to use it as a buffer between me and the wall.

Closing my eyes, I let the sounds of Ace's steady breathing fill my ears. The warmth from his body started to spread under the cover of my jacket, creating a small, cozy cocoon. Slowly, I started to relax, the tension in my muscles easing as I listened to the rhythmic rise and fall of his breathing.

As the room darkened, I felt a strange sense of peace despite everything that had happened. The nightmare of the last few days seemed to momentarily fade, replaced by the simpler comfort of another’s presence. I waited for sleep to take hold, hoping for a reprieve from the nightmarish stranglehold my thoughts had had on me lately.

—

My dreams that night were… odd. Instead of reliving my torture, as had been the case the previous night, I found myself in a much stranger scenario.

I was standing in what looked like a village, although it wasn't any village I recognized. All around me, ponies wandered, but none of them looked at me. Instead, like me, they were drawn to a commotion in the distance, where the sounds of an argument echoed.

As I approached the disturbance, I saw that the shouter was indeed a pony. Though I couldn't make out their features clearly, I noted their vibrant lavender coat and the golden regalia adorning their body. They were shouting at another figure who was pointing a finger at them—

A finger.

A finger.

Just as I was about to focus on that figure, I woke up to the sound of snoring. As the morning haze cleared, I realized Ace was still lying on me, blissfully asleep, his hooves twitching involuntarily.

I needed to get up, but Ace was in the way. A light prod to his withers jolted him out of his comatose state. “C'mon Ace, I need to get up,” I said softly. After a few seconds, he rose to his hooves and hopped off me, leaving a large cold spot where his body heat had been.

He looked at me and smiled softly. “Thanks for last night… I haven't felt this good waking up in… well, I can't remember how long actually…”

I smiled back. “Happy to help. But right now, I need to deal with some pressing issues, like taking a massive leak. I'll find you later, okay?”

“Sure, I'd like that. I should go report to the barracks anyway. Catch you later,” He said, trotting out and leaving me alone. I had to admit, I felt the best I had since arriving in this place. I wondered if it was due to the lack of a nightmare or the comfort of spending the night with another soul.

I didn't have the luxury of pondering that dream further; I had more immediate questions that needed answering.

Who was that mysterious pony, and who was the figure next to them? I hated drawing conclusions from incomplete data but… I couldn’t shake the feeling that I'd just seen Alex, even if I couldn't be completely sure.

For now, I wanted to see if Stopper had been successful in the task I’d assigned her. Stepping out into the misty blue of a crisp spring morning, I made my way to the washrooms to handle my most pressing needs. Afterward, I picked up some breakfast from the makeshift kitchens— a bowl of porridge and berries.

Honestly, I couldn't stand porridge back on Earth, but everypony around me was making do, and I wouldn’t be the exception. I hadn't planned to visit the barracks, but when I didn’t find Crush at his smithing station, I decided to make a short detour to wish everypony a good morning.

As I approached, I heard raised voices. Ace was receiving a severe reprimand from Scar.

“You were supposed to be at your post at oh-six-hundred; it is now oh-seven-thirty. I want an explanation, and I want it now, Private!” she demanded from behind her desk, as Ace's confidence visibly waned. It was then that I stepped in.

“Commander Scar, Corporal Robinson has something that he would like to add to the official record, ma'am,” I began, noticing her surprise at my unexpected arrival. With noticeable reluctance, she nodded, and I continued. “Private Ace was with me last night. As his superior officer, I should have enforced his routine more strictly. The blame lies with me, not him. I request you discipline me in his place.”

Scar reclined In her chair and closed her eyes, her wings shuffling as she considered my words. “In light of this new information, and because this is your first offense, I will enter a reprimand into both of your records. While I agree you share culpability in this matter, Private Robinson, each soldier has a responsibility to be on time to their post. Both of you are dismissed.” She waved us away with a dismissive hoof. We didn’t need to be told twice, quickly vacated the area. Ace was the first to break the silence.

“You didn't have to do that, you know,” he said as I walked beside him, scanning the area for for anypony I needed to catch up with.

“Honor demanded that I do it,” I replied, looking ahead and spotting Stopper and Tricks in the distance. As we approached them, the two unicorns glanced around nervously, as if ensuring the coast was clear. Tricks immediately sensed that something was off with me.

“I'd say ‘Good morning’, but you look troubled,” Tricks greeted me. “Has something happened?”

I crossed my arms, hesitating. “I… had a dream. It was a strange one. I feel a bit silly talking about it,” I dismissed, but my squad wasn’t about to let it go.

“Sir, I'm not sure if anyone's told you, but dreams hold a lot of significance for us. It's even been known for dreams to be shared between ponies, though that hasn’t happened in decades. I think you should share what happened, sir,” he urged gently.

“Before I do that, I have to ask: Do those dossiers of yours include color photographs by any chance?” I asked, shifting the conversation.

He put a hoof to his chin in thought. “I believe they do, yes. Is there a particular reason you wanted to know?” he asked curiously.

“Possibly,” I conceded, “Tricks, can you meet me in the guest quarters with your dossiers as soon as you can retrieve them?”

“I can, yes. I’ll meet you there in a few minutes,” he acknowledged, speeding off. I then turned to Stopper. “I take it your mission was a success?”

Stopper nodded and offered a small bundle of linen, which I carefully took and tucked into my hoodie before zipping it up to hide the package. “Thank you. I’ll make sure this is put to good use. For now, please follow me.”

With a gesture, I led Ace and Stopper to the guest house. “You’re not skiving, are you?” I asked him.

He shook his head. “I’m not on guard duty until tomorrow morning. So, what sort of dream did you have?” he asked as we entered the guest quarters, Flame smiling as we walked in.

“I’m so glad you’re okay. I was worried when you didn’t come back here to sleep last night,” she said, trotting over and giving me a big hug. “Where were you?”

I ruffled Ace’s mane affectionately. “I had a pressing engagement to attend to. But since you’re here, I could use your input on what I’m about to say.” As soon as I spoke, Tricks rushed in, carrying a hefty tome from his saddlebag, and deposited it on a bed. I sat on the bed opposite, collecting my thoughts for a moment.

“Right, I think that it’s time I told you all what’s happened. Last night, I had a dream. In that dream, I saw a pony arguing with what looked like a human. That argument was taking place in a village full of ponies. That pony at the center of that argument had a purple coat; I’d call it lavender if this were Earth. I don’t know if you have an equivalent, and were wearing some gold regalia, possibly ceremonial. Height was, uh…”

I stood up, and pointed a finger at Tricks, trying to remember the angle of the arm from my dream, making assumptions about height based on Alex and I’s height difference. My hand came up some way above Tricks, maybe half again to twice as tall as he was. “Taller than you, tricks… maybe not quite a full meter, but close to it,” I remarked.

I then paused, looking at their attentive faces, and continued. “I couldn’t see everything clearly, but it was a heated exchange. And the human… there was something familiar about them. I think it might’ve been Alex.”

The room fell silent as they absorbed my words. Flame was the first to speak. “That’s… quite a dream. Do you think it means something?”

“I’m not sure,” I admitted. “But if dreams hold significance here, I think it’s worth looking into.”

Tricks opened the tome, flipping through the pages. “Let’s see if we can find any clues. Maybe there’s something in these dossiers that can help us identify the pony or the human in your dream.”

As we pored over the pages of the dossier, a sense of urgency filled the room. The dream felt like a puzzle piece, and we were determined to fit it into the larger picture.

Tricks didn’t need to do much searching. “So: pony, purple coat, taller than average, with regalia. There’s only one possible fit for that. Here,” he said, offering the tome to me with a nonchalant tone, displaying a two-page spread with several color photographs attached.

“Princess Twilight Sparkle,” I read aloud from the header on the first page, my eyes catching a glimpse of the pony via the embedded color photograph. “‘Ruler of Equestria’ and ‘Element of Magic’ it says here. Now, I remember hearing about her before, but I’ve never seen a picture until now. How the fuck is it possible for me to dream about a pony I’ve never seen before?” I asked, though I knew it was a question nopony could definitively answer.

Tricks spoke up first. “Based on my admittedly limited research… I wonder if you experienced what we used to call ‘Dream Bleed,’ where the dream of one is experienced by another, quite possibly carried by the magical currents of the world.”

I looked at Tricks, intrigued. “Are you suggesting that a creature out there is dreaming and I saw their dream?”

The male unicorn shook his head. “Not just any creature; according to our theories of magical transference, it would have to be the same species. If I’m right… you weren't witnessing a pony’s dream, you were witnessing a human’s dream.”

I slowly nodded. “So, this suggests that Alex is still alive, but considering the time that’s passed, he’d be nearing the natural limits of our species’ lifespan.” I exhaled sharply. “Has he found a way to cheat death, I wonder?”

Tricks and Stopper exchanged thoughtful glances, debating silently. Stopper was slowly shaking her head while Tricks was slowly nodding his. Eventually, Tricks spoke up. “There are ways to halt aging. A suspended animation spell, for instance, could stop the aging process. However, such belong to a banned school of magic. Even before the world changed, that kind of magic was strictly locked away.”

“Well,” I mused, “If I wanted to time travel into the future, that’s how I would do it, legality be damned. Could this ‘dream bleed’ phenomenon you mentioned be possible if someone were in stasis?”

Stopper stepped forward. “Magic works in mysterious ways, even to us. I can’t say it's impossible.”

“Nor can I,” Tricks added.

I returned to the dream still echoing in my mind. “So, let’s assume this pony, Princess Twilight Sparkle, was arguing with a human—let’s say it really was Alex. That argument, in the center of a village with lots of onlookers, would have to have been about something serious. For a ruler to have any dispute in public, the issue must’ve been significant.”

I paced for a bit to stretch my legs. “Here’s how it looks to me: Princess Twilight Sparkle and Alex might’ve taken away your magic, quite possibly to stop this Opaline that was mentioned earlier. It sounds like Alex found a way to travel into the future to return your magic when ponies would need it most. This implies Alex didn’t agree with the princess on removing your magic, even if he played a role in it,” I trailed off again, circling once again back to the dream I couldn’t shake off.

If you had a hand in this, Alex, you’d better have had a damned good reason.

“So, what am I to do in the meantime? If Alex plans to restore your magic, it’s unlikely to happen within your lifetime; it’s possible, but unlikely given the state of the world at the moment. Maybe this Opaline is still out there, and the world as it is right now wouldn’t stand a chance against her if she regained her magic. But if future generations can enjoy magic again thanks to Alex’s future actions, maybe that should be our goal.”

I looked around the room at the group of ponies. “Well, what are your thoughts?“ I asked.

Stopper spoke first. “If he is around, we need to find him and wake him.”

“To do what?” I countered. “Let’s say we find him and bring him back. What if he can’t accomplish what you want right now? What then? He’d be pissed off beyond measure, especially at me for not trusting his judgment. No, there are too many variables. Inaction is the safest action for now where Alex’s location is concerned.” I could see Stopper was annoyed but hoped she understood the reasoning.

Ace went next. “I can live without flying, but if what we do means that one day, the pegasi can reclaim the skies… I’d be very happy with that.” He smiled at me, full of confidence that we could achieve that reality.

“I agree,” said Tricks, as Stopper turned to look at him. “All my life, I’ve heard stories of our ancestors conjuring such wonders with their magic. If I knew with certainty that in a hundred, two hundred, even five hundred years from now, unicorns would have magic again… I’d walk into Tartarus to make that happen.”

“I agree as well,” Flame added. “It’s been tough these last few years. But if the result is that ponies get back their magic, I’d endure tougher times ahead.”

I clasped my hands together. “So, my task is clear: protecting you all so your society can prosper. I don't know what that looks like long-term, but for now, it means shoring up defenses and improving the food situation. Anything else is probably a conversation for another time. Thank you all for your input. You’ve been immensely helpful as usual. However, I have another issue to attend to.” I swung my legs off the bed and stood up. “I'll catch up with you all later,” I announced, heading straight for the smithing station.

This time, Crush was there, waiting for me. “I have your order ready; I think you'll like it,” he beamed.

He waved me through to his side and unwrapped a linen cloth, revealing my promised saw.

I carefully took it into my hands, marveling at the craftsmanship. My estimation of Crush's abilities rose considerably as I tilted the saw, examining the serrated blade.

In short, I was impressed. “I don't quite know how to thank you. This is exceptional work, Crush.” I smiled profusely. “Do you have a workshop I can use?” I asked.

Crush nodded and led me further back to a large rectangular area, separated from our current location with a chain-link faux door. Inside was a series of well-used workstations with chairs.

“Can I use this right now? I'd like to put this tool to good use immediately,” I requested. Crush nodded and directed me to use the first station on our left. Once I was comfortably seated, I grabbed a nearby flat wooden board and retrieved the bundle from inside my hoodie.

Unwrapping it carefully, I was taken aback; Stopper hadn't provided me with one horn—she'd provided six! Crush sat down at the workstation opposite mine and regarded me with a skeptical look. “Well, isn't this something?” He said, shuffling his hooves together nervously. “What do you plan to do with all this?”

I held up my hand, and pointed to my outstretched fingers. “Do you see these dark spots in my fingers here?” I asked the earth pony. He nodded. “In two fingers on each hand, I have tiny magnets embedded in them. These magnets are composed of an element called neodymium, which can produce a large magnetic field relative to its size. In my day job, they allowed me to detect if a wall or a panel had a live electrical circuit behind it; I could ‘feel’ the magnetic field from the electricity. I wondered if the same principle would hold with the magic of your world.” I cradled one of the horns, running my fingers over its grooved surface, my head lowered in contemplation.

It hadn’t fully sunk in when I made the request, but as I looked down at the azure-tinted appendage, I realized I was holding the remnants of a unicorn’s life. A pony had been born, lived, and died… and here I was, about to defile their remains in the pursuit of science.

I looked back up at Crush. “Has your species ever held any religious beliefs? Like, I don't know, a belief in some greater force in the universe that you look up to… or fear, even?”

Crush pondered for a moment. “I wouldn't exactly call it a religious belief, but our earliest stories told us what happened when ponies didn't get along. The Hearth's Warming Fable, passed down as part of our oral history, tells of a time when our society was nearly wiped out by a vicious enemy that fed on our hostility. The coming together of the three tribes and the birth of harmony between them led us to prosperity. Harmony was our way… until everything fell apart,” he lamented.

I pressed my questioning a little further. “What I mean is… do you think that there is some omniscient all-seeing force somewhere that could be listening in?”

“You mean… that can hear us talking?” he asked for clarification. I nodded. “Well… I've always suspected that there's been something… but it's just a feeling.”

“May I?” I asked him, gesturing to his hoof with my hand. Slowly, he extended his limb, and I grasped it tightly.

“To whoever or whatever may be listening…” I began, feeling slightly silly talking to nothing. “I haven't been here long, but I’ve come to know this little band of ponies, and I think that they could use my help.”

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. “I’m about to commit an act of grotesque indecency because I believe it can help us all. I’m asking for your forgiveness for this crime, but I am also asking for help to make this work. I pledge myself, to whatever or whoever is out there, that if you help make this work, I’m willing to become an avatar of your will.” I opened my eyes, released Crush’s hoof, and set to work.

Slowly, I made the first cut with my new saw. After a minute or so, a thin sliver of horn had been freed, swiftly followed by a second. I held up both discs and passed them to Crush. “I know it's not a lot to work with, but can you use your whetstone to make these discs razor-sharp?” I asked.

He mulled over the idea before taking the two discs to the whetstone and setting to work with diligence. In almost no time at all, Crush handed them back; the rim of each disc was indeed extremely sharp.

“How squeamish are you?” I asked the earth pony. He raised a hoof in question, but at that moment, I plunged the disc into the center of my left hand, deliberately and very slowly sliding it under my skin. I’d been expecting pain, but expectation never fully prepared me for the sheer rush of agony flooding my nervous system as I resisted the urge to scream.

After a minute or so of careful and painful positioning, the disc had entirely disappeared into my palm. The workstation was smeared crimson, a reminder of the blood dripping from the wound I was now attempting to staunch. “Do you, uh, have anything for the bleeding?” I asked, my face undoubtedly contorted in pain.

Crush got up and rummaged around in a wooden box across the room. Taking out a flask, he hoofed it to me. “Take a sip only,” He cautioned.

I did as instructed, bringing the glass tip to my lips after uncorking it, letting the lime-green liquid touch my tongue. I was immediately assaulted by an extremely strong menthol sensation, and as I swallowed it, that sensation followed, spreading a cooling numbness across my chest and into my injured hand. As I looked down, I noticed the wound starting to heal before my eyes, of pain progressively disappearing it was completely gone.

I pushed the cork back into the flask and looked at Crush. “That was… I have no words. How the fuck did you make this?” I asked.

Before answering, he went to a separate box and extracted a yellow gemstone, placing it on the stained workstation. “This is a Zebrica Stone; it's from a tribe very far away. This is what makes alchemical reactions possible in the absence of magic.”

I mulled the answer over in my head. “Alchemy… There are references to the practice on my world dating back to ancient times. It was believed that one could turn lead into gold. Naturally, it was all bollocks, but the idea persisted in our fiction. What can you make with this?” I asked, pointing to the gemstone.

Crush sat back down at the workstation opposite me. “Primarily? Potions. I can take various reagents and make potions from them. The one you just tried was a healing potion, which is fairly simple to make. But, I can make more exotic potions; invisibility, super-strength, and many others.”

Just when I thought this world had shown me everything, it revealed something new. “Right… Now, where was I…”

—

It had taken two hours of excruciating pain, tempered by Crush's stash of potions, but as I walked out of the smithing station, I looked down at my hands and admired my handiwork.

A large disc rested under each palm, while smaller square horn fragments were strategically embedded at key points, including each finger segment and around my palms.

Encouraged by stray twinges of electric arcing across my hands, I came to the unfortunate conclusion that I might need to wear gloves in the future if ever wanted to hold my hands together again.

I headed to the barracks and, seeing nopony there, retrieved all three tomes from Scar’s desk. I then went into the study to read the first volume of the magical instruction books we'd confiscated.

It was… an interesting read. I soon learned that unicorns did indeed have to make the magic ‘flow’ from their horn. The tome advised that using a mental mnemonic often helped serve as an easy shortcut for spellcasting, but it also advised that mnemonics could be verbal or somatic instead. The first chapter outlined the importance of finding a way to immediately stop all magic casting, to prevent a runaway spell from wreaking havoc on the environment, the caster, or others.

The first spell detailed was Levitation, with annotations on controlling the flow of magic.

Levitation is the simplest spell a unicorn can learn. It counteracts Gravity and, when properly used, can make day-to-day life much easier. To begin, focus on an object, and imagine lifting it with your mind. If you are successful, you will be able to raise the object by a couple of meters. It will be difficult at first, but as you practice, it will become progressively easier, eventually becoming almost effortless.

On the desk was a small stone paperweight, oval in shape, with a polished granite appearance. Deciding to use this as my first target and slightly unsure of what to do, I stretched out a hand and imagined lifting the stone with my mind. The pieces of horn seemed to project a new sense within my brain; it was thoroughly disconcerting, but before long I was able to feel a small pulse within my hand as a faint glow surrounded it. Concentrating for a few moments, I aligned the pulses emanating from my hand with the suggestions from the spellbook.

At first, there were no results. The stone sat there, quietly mocking me as I tried to invoke the ancient power of the unicorns. Recalling the book's advice, I looked down again at my palm.

While the mnemonic you choose may be entirely within your mind, beginners may find it easier to verbalize a command, or even move their hooves in a specific gesture that can be mentally tied to the act of casting the spell.

I had an idea.

Back on Earth, I'd been a fan of a tabletop game called Dungeons & Dragons. The Fighter had always been my favorite class; there was something cathartic about playing a character that just hit everything with a sword until it died. However… I did possess a soft spot for the Sorcerer class, respecting a class that saw magic in the world and sought to learn it at all costs—even crossing a few moral or ethical boundaries to do so.

In Dungeons & Dragons, levitation fell into a school of magic called Transmutation; which was all about altering the nature of reality. Perhaps, in this world, such categorizations held a certain logic to them.

I raised my hand again, hesitating at the sheer silliness of what I was about to do; I reminded myself there was no hidden camera looking to catch me in a ‘Gotcha!’ moment.

Focusing my thoughts, I spoke a single word. “Levitate,” mentally tying the spell name to the action I was trying to perform.

A short shock caused my hand to spasm and my concentration to falter, but the rock itself moved slightly, teetering on its center of gravity. The shock felt like gripping one of those electro-mechanical amusements that challenge you to endure gripping two vibrating metal cylinders without pulling your hands away.

To this day, I have never been bested by one of those infernal machines, and today was going to be no different. Refocusing, I was now prepared for the surge of power. This time, my concentration held; my hand felt like it might vibrate off my wrist, but I kept my focus on the stone.

This time, I shouted the command. “Levitate!”

After a few seconds, the rock slowly lifted off the desk, suspended several centimeters above the wooden surface. The paperweight was encompassed in a pulsing blue aura, which reminded me of the color of my eyes.

Testing the book's recommendation, I broke my concentration with a deliberate mental image of a ‘Stop’ sign, the kind you'd see on any roadside across most of Earth. The stone fell back to the desk, bouncing after its initial impact and eventually settling with a series of deep thunks.

To say I was thrilled was a colossal understatement. I leaned back in my chair, feeling giddy at what I'd just unlocked. Eagerly, I turned to the next page in the musty tome, which detailed the next spell: Telekinesis.

Telekinesis is the next spell most unicorns learn, an extension of Levitation. This spell allows you to manipulate objects in a magical grasp, with the added bonus of immunity to things like temperature that your hooves would be vulnerable to. Together, these two spells form the foundation of unicorn society.

The instructions advised casting Levitatation first, then casting Telekinesis while Levitatation was still channeling. It seemed unicorns could cast more than one spell simultaneously, a feat I hadn’t considered. Up to the challenge, I stood and conjured the levitation spell again. As I held the stone in the spell's aura, I attempted to generate a second magical pulse in my hand while keeping the first pulse distinct.

I had mixed results; the field around the stone shifted visibly, but the stone didn’t move from its hovering position. As I tried to produce the second spell, the pulsing of the first one was disrupted, and I had to pour all of my concentration into keeping it stable.

Eventually, maintaining the rhythmic pulse of the Levitation spell became easier, and I started to focus on casting Telekinesis.

After several minutes without progress, I reconsulted the book and realized that I’d overlooked something.

When you have established the Telekinesis spell, you will need to modulate the field. This will allow you to move the object through all three axes of movement. At first, this will happen slowly, but after practice, you will eventually be able to control the movement of objects with extreme speed.

I decided this spell might need a verbal command too. After brief experimentation, I was able to move the stone in a variety of directions using the command ‘Kinesis’, albeit slowly as warned. Nevertheless, I felt more than a little chuffed. As I brought my spellcasting to a halt, the stone fell from the air and landed back on the wooden desk.

Over the next hour, I practiced my spellcasting technique, alternating between Levitation and Telekinesis. With each attempt, the spells became easier to manage and control. By the end of my session, I could exert much finer control over the stone. I even managed to launch it at a fair speed andbring it to a complete halt mid-air.

Deciding I’d done enough for now, I carefully closed the tome and left it on a shelf. As I walked out of the study and then the barracks itself, an idea struck me—I was going to field-test my newfound abilities with a bit of fun before I went to see Scar. Nothing too serious, just some harmless mischief.

Walking out of the room and then the barracks itself, I resolved that, gosh darn it, I was going to field test this first with a little fun. Nothing lewd of course… maybe some light mishaps though.

I found Crush still at the smithing station, engrossed in polishing a metal peytral at his whetstone. “Hey, Crush. Could you show me more of those potions of yours?” I asked casually, surreptitiously eyeing the shelves above us.

Looking up, Crush replied. “It’ll have to wait. I’m smoothing out some battle dents in this armor.” As he spoke, I silently directed my focus behind my back, targeting a chisel on the shelf. It fell with a dull thud on the padded floor, catching Crush’s attention. Seizing the moment, I then caused a sickle on the shelving opposite to fall next, followed swiftly by a hammer dislodging itself with another thud.

Crush grew suspicious, his gaze narrowing. “What are you up to?” he asked warily.

Deciding to reveal my new abilities, I targeted Crush this time. Raising my hand, I attempted to envelop him in my arcane grasp but struggled to establish the field. Remembering my original focus method, I shouted, “Levitate!” My hand responded, an azure glow engulfing Crush as I floated him off the ground to his mild protest.

“What are you doing?! Put me down!” he exclaimed, his hooves flailing ineffectively as I concentrated harder to lift him, his body being much heavier than the paperweight earlier, but I was now well-versed in adapting my focus. After a few moments, I managed to elevate him several feet above the floor, his hooves danging as he realized he was powerless to escape.

“Kinesis!” I commanded next, carefully maneuvering him out of the smithing station toward the arena where we’d battled before. Balancing both spells took effort, but I managed to gently place him in the center of the arena. His hooves flailed comically as he landed, trying to regain his footing on the grass.

Standing nearby, I awaited his reaction, unsure of what to expect. His face betrayed a mix of surprise and amusement, which quickly erupted into laughter.

“Well, now this is something for the history books!” Crush boldly stated, “I’ve heard stories of other creatures using magic, but honestly, that was kinda impressive! Slightly terrifying at the same time, too,” he added, making his way back to his station. “You know you can't keep that a secret forever, right?”

I nodded with a grin. “Oh, the cat will be well and truly out of the bag by the end of the day, but I wanted some fun first,” I said with a wink.

Departing with a wave, I strolled around the settlement, noticing a heightened buzz of activity that there hadn’t been before, with ponies nustling about carrying various goods. It didn't take long to spot Stopper and Tricks together, who seemed inseparable. They were in the company of Scar, who wore an expression that spelled trouble. Stopper and Tricks appeared uncomfortable under Scar’s scrutiny as I approached, catching the tail end of their conversation, which sounded like an interrogation.

“... and then my scouts reported some disturbed graves north of here. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?” She was demanded, her voice laced with irritation. She didn't look at me when I joined them, her focus fixed on the two unicorns.

I could see the weight of the situation pressing on them both torn between loyalty to me and their duty to obey the chain of command and spill the beans. To ease their dilemma, I turned to Scar, feigning innocence. “Hey, Scar… when did you last see a pegasus fly?” I asked.

She spun to face me, incredulity written across her face. “... What are you talking about?!” She demanded.

Extending my arm toward her, I focused my mind on her grey-furred body. “Levitate!” I commanded, the familiar blue aura enveloping the surprised pegasus, lifting her off the ground. “W-What are you d-doing?! Get me down!” Scar protested, her hooves pedaling uselessly in the air as she hovered, drawing the attention of bystanders.

Moving to the next phase, I shouted. “Kinesis!” exerting control over Scar’s levitated form, guiding her gently upward before bringing her to a halt mid-air. “Spread your wings!” I instructed, cupping my other hand to my mouth to project my voice, ensuring I could be heard. Hesitant at first, Scar unfolded her wings, eyeing me with a mixture of apprehension and trust.

With precise movements, I continued manipulating her in the sky, increasing her speed gradually. Her initial concern gave way to a smile as she experienced the sensation of flight once more, the wind rushing through her feathers.

As her faux flight reached its peak, I gently her back to the ground, Scar landing with a sense of newfound calmness. Folding her wings, she approached me, curiosity gleaming in her eyes. Glancing at Stopper and Tricks, I noted their stunned silence, both rooted to the spot, unsure of what to make of the display.

“That was incredible! How did you…?” Scar asked, making me turn to face her.

“That,” I began, “Was quite possibly the most incredible thing I've ever done. And yet, I've no one left to share it with…” I said quietly, cradling my right hand in my left as my fingers ran over the raised indentations.

“That's not true, sir!” Tricks shouted, causing me to snap my head in his direction. “You've got us to share your achievements with!”

Scar nodded. “If that was what I think it was… you've done something that no creature on Equus has done in over fifty years. Although, it can't just be luck that you're not only the second human to come here, but you're also the second human ever to wield magic…”

Her passing comment derailed my train of thought. “... What did you just say?” I asked, not quite believing what I'd heard.

“That you’re only the second human to come here?” she clarified.

I shook my head. “No, you specifically said that I’m the second human ever to wield magic. Are you saying that, after all this time, you knew that Alex could do this too? And yet you said nothing?” My words were sharp, aimed like barbs at the now wordless pegasus.

It was time for some answers.

With a huff, I put my hands on my hips and glared at all three of them. “Barracks. Now.” I ordered. Despite Scar being my commanding officer, she complied, as did the unicorns, and soon we were back in Scar’s office. Taking a bit of a liberty, I sat in her chair as the three ponies lined up on the opposite side of the desk.

I cast an expectant look at them. “I think that Alex being able to wield magic is something you should have told me about. What else do you know about that, Scar?” I asked, impatience clear in my voice.

Over the rim of the table, I saw her hoof pawing at the floor. “ W-We don’t know much. The orders passed down to me were to ensure that if he were to ever come back, the gauntlet he’d retrieve would be protected… with our lives if necessary.”

My eyes narrowed. “What’s so special about this gauntlet?” I asked pointedly.

“It’s what allowed him to wield magic, sir,” replied Stopper. “That’s why we were convinced he’d be coming back to dominate us… that gauntlet, according to the stories I’ve heard, made him extremely powerful.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about this?” I demanded.

“You didn’t ask,” she said dismissively.

I took a deep breath before asking another question. “Are there any photos of this gauntlet?” I asked the group.

Tricks, always prepared with his dossiers, quickly scanned through the pages and showed me a two-page spread with a large photo on the second page.

It was unmistakably Alex. The color photo, taken from the front, featured Princess Twilight Sparkle by his side, looking up at him with what could only be described as ‘bedroom eyes’.

If I'm reading that correctly… you lucky son of a bitch, Alex.

The photo also showed him wearing the gauntlet. My first thought was that it looked like a discount Infinity Gauntlet, but then I reconsidered, realizing that I probably couldn't have done any better with this world’s resources.

My eyes were drawn to several gemstones of different colors set into the knuckles of the gauntlet. I tapped the photo, highlighting my attention to it for the group.

“If Alex was inspired by what I think he was, I'm guessing that those stones are the source of the gauntlet’s power… and, by extension, his.” I mused aloud, mostly using the group as a sounding board. “Did you know about this, Stopper?” I asked directly.

“I did, yes,” she replied.

“And… you just let me use those horns knowing full well that there was another way to do this?” I accused, realizing the jig was up as Scar turned to the unicorns and scowled.

“I thought it was a fool's errand. I never actually expected you to succeed! Besides, those gemstones, never mind the buckin’ gauntlet, haven't been seen since Equestria fell. It's not like that option was ever on the table anyway,” she answered, her voice tinged with annoyance at having to state what she felt was obvious.

I raised a finger. “Ah, but Scar said a moment ago that if Alex ever came back he'd retrieve the gauntlet. That would mean he's got it stashed somewhere…”

I mulled over an idea. “No… he might have planned to use it in the future. Besides, I don't think I need it. So… what to do now…” I pondered aloud, letting my thoughts trail off.

I turned in the chair to look at Scar. “Let's deal with the proverbial elephant in the room. I ordered these two to retrieve some unicorn horns from already dead ponies. I then grafted pieces of some of them into my hands. See?” I raised both of my hands, displaying the indentations and slight scarring from my handiwork.

“They were acting under my orders for a project of serious importance, as you witnessed the conclusion of,” I continued. “As I promised them, I came to you after I finished my testing. This could significantly help our chances of survival—yours and mine.”

Scar sighed. “I can’t claim any moral high ground here. We’ve all done worse to stay alive. If it can help us, I'm fine with it. Although a heads up would’ve been appreciated…” She paused, the silencing hanging in the air.

“Granted, but then I wouldn't have been able to surprise you,” I countered.

“That was bucking terrifying! But it felt so good—the wind through my wings… I'm glad that I got to experience that. It made me realize what we're all fighting for. Actually, now that I think about it… I think you might be able to solve a mystery for us…”

I was curious. “What kind of mystery?” I Inquired.

Scar pointed to the desk. “Bottom drawer, in the blue box.” She said, her eyes urging me to reach for it.

I opened the drawer and took out the box, placing it on the table. Slowly, I unlatched the clasp, and inside a velvet inner layer was a crystal with a yellow hue and an inscription in an unfamiliar language. The crystal was cylindrical, with four sides and equilateral pyramids at each end.

Stopper didn't need prompting to explain. “That’s a Mnemosyne Crystal.”.

“I remember that Mnemosyne was the Greek Goddess of Memory on Earth, a titan seen as a predecessor to the pantheon of Greek gods. Is this a ‘memory shard’?” I asked.

Stopper nodded and extended a hoof towards the crystal. “Yes. If I had magic, I could see what's recorded on it… but I can teach you how to do it instead.”

I liked that idea. “Then let’s do that. Let’s formalize our next steps…” I started, closing the box. “Stopper and Tricks, you'll assist me with magic training, and together we'll uncover what's on this crystal. Then, we'll break for Estrus, because nopony is going to be focused during that. After the season, we'll reconvene to discuss our next steps—hopefully with a map. Agreed?”

Everypony nodded. The two unicorns made their way out, leaving Scar behind. “I'll be back in a bit. When I return, I'll discuss your Estrus arrangements,” she stated. After I nodded in agreement, she left the building, leaving me alone for a moment.

Curiosity got the better of me. I removed the crystal from its box, holding it in my hand. It felt cool to the touch, like an ice cube. In an instant, a flash of icy cold shot up my body, and for a moment my mind felt like it had the worst case of brain freeze ever.

I was not prepared for what came next.

END OF ACT I