Chapters Prologue: My Past
Prologue: My Past
After six long years of college, I had finally gained my Master’s degree in Science with my minor of creative writing already in my bag. After getting my own office, and a steady back drop job, I mostly searched for a more efficient fuel source, being as the government had made a contest to see if anyone could make it. My search into combining fossil fuel and ethanol and making it completely renewable took me almost nowhere. Ethanol and gasoline where combinable but they still lacked cleanness and efficiency. Eventually I, and many other well known scientists, dropped out of the running. Efficient and clean were soon seen to be complete antonyms of fuel. The contest was soon called off and replaced with one to see who could harness the energy of plasma. Yet again nothing could be done to harness it to become fuel, armor, or ammunition. The world was rather depressed in the double failure of thousands of scientist to complete the challenges, although the general public had no idea of how much work had gone into the projects we had been trying to do. After a while I did discover several new compounds that soon became a replacement for “Playdough”, which again was almost an insult to my work. Imagine using hundreds of hours of personal time discovering new elements only to have them turned into a replacement for an already outdated toy. I also rediscovered how to make flubber, without so much of the explosion like in the movie. I discovered element after element that either became a popular toy or a disregarded mass of fat like antigravity material, although you think the government would like several batches of an antigravity matter. No matter how you sliced it, I was no good at finding useful things. But in the midst of repeated failure, a shaft of light came, a new challenge. The government again issued a challenge, but this time it was to create a traveling device. I first thought of making a hover board with the flubber compound, but then I began thinking. What the government wanted was a machine that could travel, but they had not specified which of the three types they wanted. To explain myself, you must understand there are three types of travel, better put, three ‘plains’. First, and most commonly thought of, is distance. Traveling in distance is basically achieved by walking, running, driving a car, and so on and so forth. Second, a little less thought of, is time. We think f Doctor Who going into the Tardis and whirling of through time. Now the third is the least thought of, and is that of space. You say ‘You already said distance’, yes I did but I my mind distance and space are different concepts. Distance is feet and inches and so on, but space is, as commonly referred to, dimension but more appropriately universes (which in itself becomes contradicted because universe means one place and being multiple universes, it should be called the multi-verse). Why did I just switch from dimension to universe? Simple, our world has four dimensions already and we travel in them sometimes without really thinking twice. The dimensions are these: length, width, height, and time. Yes time is a dimension and I could prove to you in more than a thousand ways that we travel through all of these dimensions regularly, but we only got time for a few. Length, we travel from point A to point B every day, and it works the same for width except for in a different direction. Height, when we go up stairs we gain height and therefore travel through it, also we sit down, go into our bed, and so on, and in doing so gain or lose altitude or height. And as for time, you are doing it now. Time is always making forward motion, and as time moves on you aren’t getting trapped in five minutes ago but continue to travel with time. You are already variably traveling through time, funny huh? But we are getting side tracked. We are still considering the third type of travel, space. Now a parallel universe is what we are traveling to in the type of traveling being space. Now a parallel universe always has a certain distance from the universe you are traveling from. Whether that space being a millimeter or several light years it always is not it the same place as yours. The only problem is that we can’t get enough energy behind the machine to make it stand still and yet move. I know being still and moving sounds impossible to do but you got to listen. When I say remaining still, I mean when we come back to our home we are in the same place, and when I say we move, I mean we move to the other universe. ‘But why do we need energy to do both and why don’t we have enough energy to do so?’ you might ask. Well, we need energy to get there and back like a car needs fuel. Everything in the universe needs energy, although usually in different forms. Why don’t we have enough of the energy to do it? That process takes a lot of energy to accomplish. It take enough just to travel one, but all three at the same it utterly huge amount of necessary energy, and yes we have to travel all three plains of movement at the same time. Parallel-universal movement is so insanely energy consuming that it is near impossible. But back to the governments challenge. I decided, finally, to travel through all three plains of movement. Yes, I just said that it is near impossible, but remember I said specifically NEAR impossible. All I had to do was get a power source that could give me the power, or create a universal rift, or what is erroneously called a dimensional rift. I hired several other scientist to help me find a way to open such a sought after portal. I veritably gave on the idea of creating a Police Box that was huge on the inside but rather small of the outside, which would have given a rather large nod toward my favorite time and space traveler.
I had been sitting in my office trying to design a ‘Rift Maker’ as it came to be called in my group. All I could think of were those silly looking contraptions for the old 80’s movies that had to spires that shot electricity back a forth until it became a gateway shaped hole that led to another place and time. While sketching out a more comedic lenient design, one of my most trusted fellows came bursting through the door, quite over encumbered with papers and files. His brown hair shifted a little a he came in, and his white lab coat trailed behind him. I quickly shoved my sketches of to the side and allowed him to drop his burdens on my solid oak desk.
“Doctor Webster, sir, we’ve done it!” Yes that is my name, Webster, Johann Webster that is. I cleared my throat before asking the obvious question of the day,
“We have discovered how to open a rift.” He had me intrigued now, and it was very much evident on my face. Before I could even ask he answered what was on my mind, “We found that if you have to electromagnets of like polarity in extremely close proximity and with enough power, they will start to circle each other without aggravation. Soon enough a field of energy will from and serve as a transport rift.” At his explanation’s end I was very skeptical, more so than usual. How could two simple electromagnets of like poles create a rift in the described manner? “But there is one thing we lack to complete it.” Ah, here is the always present catch to the plan. “To cast the field of energy far enough and large enough, we need a veritable energy projector and simultaneous energy restrainer.” Again I was faced with this recurring problem, the problem of the duel functional machine. How could an object project, yet restrain, energy it is given? “We also have found the means to do it. What we need is a crystalline structure in these specifications.” Baedeker said as he pointed toward the large bunch of folders and papers.
“I doubt any jeweler would be able to meet with the specification that is contained on all of those pages.” Baedeker snickered a little and pulled out the folder on top of the pile.
“Well, these are the laymen’s terms explanation of the rest of these papers scientific explanations.” I chuckled a little at that. The single folder was a lot less intimidating than the stack from which originated. I opened it up and was faced by quite a few specifications. A ruby that was to be cut in an octagonal shape with rounded edges and… the other specifications were so vast that I didn’t know what type of jeweler would comply with the specifications.
It had been three weeks after I had taken the specification to the closest jeweler shop, who interestingly enough actually complied with our meticulous specifications. I had just received a noticed from the owner that he had finished and it was ready for pickup at his shop. After picking up the gem, I returned to the test site, which was nothing but an abandoned air hanger at the city limits. We had permission for the local government to test our equipment, which we insisted on not mentioning what it was. I arrived and soon was met by Baedeker and two of his friends, being Hopkins and Hartman. I gave the gem to Baedeker, who promptly attached it into its socket, right between the two large electromagnets. The room was filled with scientists that I had hired or had volunteered to work for me. Everywhere one looked there was desks and computers and generators, each of which performing their own tasks with meticulous precision. I had decided that we should erect more generators than those that were present in case we didn’t have enough energy, but with all the generators already present the likelihood of me being right was rather slim. Even though I was probably wrong, my good friend Baedeker complied with my request. Soon, over a dozen large generators were stationed outside of the building and were ready to be connected to the ‘Rift Maker’. I inspected, one last time, all of my fellow scientists who set about their work to ensure the success of this attempt of creating a traveling device that the government probably would not have thought possible to be received from their simple challenge. Everything was in order; just two things remained to be done.
“Webster, sir, we have a set of coordinates set. The ‘Rift Probe’ sent back coordinates and all necessary data for the portal to be opened and the subject get out on the other end.” The ‘Rift Probe’, as it had been called by the team, had done its job, which was to detect parallel universe’s Earth equivalent location. Yes, each universe, or multi-verse, had its own Earth. Whether by that name or not, it didn’t matter. Finally it came down to the final question.
“Men, we are ready, soon we will send the first man into ‘Rift Space’. Only one matter lays unsolved. Who will be the brave soul to walk the paths of time and space?” The room fell silent after I had made my proclamation. As I had guessed, no one was really willing to go into an unknown territory, even for the sake of science. I knew one man who would do it, and no matter how much others would try to dissuade him, he would stay fast on his goal. He was the one man I could rely on and predict how he would react. “Being as there is an utter lack of test subjects; I shall venture forth and complete our set goal.” Everyone in the room clapped, I hope for my sake they weren’t clapping as a mocking of my insanity. Soon enough the team was off doing the pre-teleportation checklist.
“Energy levels?”
Chapter 2: The End
I woke up the next morning, this time before the sun had risen. I put on my white coat, flipped on my glasses, tied on my bowtie, and proceeded set about my day. I looked around Ponyville for a coffee shop; I hardly believed that it had been more than a day from my last cup. I was rather worn out from all my travels the days previous, no matter how short they were. I soon found Sugar Cube Corner. I thought that they might have coffee, and most likely donuts. Suddenly a stupefying realization hit me upside the head. I still had no equestrian money, or bits. What I needed was a job so I could get some good, honest work in and get some money. As soon as the words work and honest, a certain name came to mind, Applejack.
After a nice walk to Sweet Apple Acres, I found myself gazing at the large expanse of apple trees. I soon came to the barn where I saw Applejack coming. I quickly got up to her a greeted her.
“Hello, are you Applejack?” I put doubt into my statement so my life would be a tad bit easier in the long run. I didn’t want the same thing that happened with Fluttershy to happen again with a braver pony.
“Well, last time I checked I was, so I guess I still am. What can I do yah’ for?” Her thick southern draw was even thicker than it was in the show. I cleared my throat and began,
“My name is Johann Webster, I come from a city and the western border of Equestria. While traveling here, I ran out of money and I am in an awful predicament. I was hoping I might be able to work here to get some money.”
“That’s funny you should ask, I don’t see no ‘help wanted’ sign up anywhere.”
“I know my request is rather questionable, especially since you have truthfully pointed out that you have no indication of necessity of my assistance, but I assure you that I am a hard worker who will be worth his wages.” Applejack looked at me with a bit of confusion, but eventually took a deep breath and replied,
“I guess I could give yah a job to get you back on your hooves.” I smiled, and followed Applejack. Soon I was bucking apples like no tomorrow, trying to prove my worth as a worker to be as I had said. At the end of the day I had bucked at least thirty basket loads of apples, and for doing so from around sunrise to sunset, I earned a good amount of twenty bits. I felt pretty proud of myself for working so hard, it was a nice feeling knowing that I had done something worthwhile in a day instead of inventing flubber. I trotted back to my tree and set myself up once more, I also placed my money into my saddlebags. I fell asleep with the prospect of coffee and donuts the next morning, before heading off for Sweet Apple Acres.
I awoke and started my day once more. I felt as if I was beginning a rhythm of life in Equestria, although I would prefer not sleeping under a tree. The simple prospect of my loved morning starters made me happier and faster, as I trotted towards Sugar Cube Corner. I entered the happy little shop and was greeted by a loud ‘bang’. Confetti blasters went off in every direction, making me jump a little. I soon saw the shop outfitted for a party. Evidently Pinkie hadn’t failed her part in all of my welcome to Equestria. Pinkie suddenly jumped out of the crowd and did her traditional ‘surprise’ shout. I milled about the party and found all of the six main characters in doing so, even Rainbow Dash. Through the course of the party, I actually managed to get the donuts and coffee I wanted and needed so desperately. I had some cakes, chips, something of a vegetable on a stick with a cracker on it, and a few dozen donuts. My stomach filled and my energy levels through the roof, I was definitely ready for anything this day could throw my way. Although one thing made me wonder, If Applejack was at the party, how am I supposed to get money for working when no work can be done without a supervisor? I could only guess we would get to the task after the festivities. Boy was I wrong on that score, not only did Applejack stay at the party until it ended, but it ended the next morning around seven. Fortunately, I had grabbed a mug of my precious brown brew and a few dozen more donuts, and snuck out of the party around ten. I know the events of the party were blurred, and the scenario quite blurred, but being as parties are, it was about as distinguishable as I have put it. As I said before, I got out of the party and back to my ‘happy tree’.
The next morning I awoke to the smell of warm coffee. My mechanism had worked after all. I had made a fire the last night that was very small, yet constantly kept in full light. It was intended to heat my morning coffee and to wake me with the most delectable smell that could be thought of in the morning. I opened my eyes slightly, only to rush them farther open in an instant. The reason of my haste in opening my eyes was because I was a hoof, although I took no time in looking at the color. I rushed to my hooves and shook the dirt and leaves that clung to my black shirt. I then looked up at the pony that stood in front of me, it was the fact I looked UP that startled me. You must know that in human form I was near six feet tall, towering over most of my fellow scientists, And in pony form I was still rather tall in comparison to other ponies, being at least a third their size above their heads. This pony, however, was taller than me, not extremely taller just taller than me in the same comparison as me to the rest of the ponies. This pony was evidently a unicorn, because of the horn on its head, but after a few seconds of wiping the crust off of my eyes and placing my glasses on, I saw she was an alicorn. I fell to my face, Celestia. I had not expected to see her at least for a few months, more like forever. Why would she be here? The smell of my coffee couldn’t have gotten all the way to Canterlot, much less tempt her to try and acquire some for herself, being as she probably could have had a proper coffee roaster make her some that was a whole ton better than this simple brew. Celestia probably was smiling at me, but I couldn’t see with a muzzle full of dirt.
“Please, raise yourself, good sir.” I lifted my snout from the dirt and summoned my bowtie and lab coat with the aid of my magic, which had been perfected so I could lift most anything without much trouble. I whipped my mane into the correct form with a wave of magic, and stood up straight to look up at the Equestrian monarch. I quickly noticed that she was flanked on both sides, on one with her own sister and the other by Twilight. I could only guess that it had been Twilight who had told Celestia of his arrival and maybe had poked a few questions and was here for real answers, answers that I had not completely formulated how to give in polite conversation. I only could bow my head once more as I said,
“It is nice to make your acquaintance my liege.” I could only guess that liege was appropriate in this case, being as it was used in most every story or movie of knights and what not. When I looked back to her, she indeed was smiling, along with her sister although I noticed that Twilight remained rather blank as far as noticeable emotions go. “Please, join me for morning repast, and while being so engage, come to know each other in a suitable manner.” I brought out my donuts and transferred some of the coffee’s excess heat to the small delicacies. Soon we were sitting in a small circle enjoying the small delights, and I excused myself several times for only having old supplies instead of fresh baked goods. Soon the discourse they had intended from the beginning began to unfold.
“Twilight has told us about how you came to Ponyville a day ago…”
“Actually, it was two days ago, your highness.” She nodded and smiled and continued,
“We have done some research into Equestrian’s records to find about you and how we might adequately greet you, but in our search we found no records of education or jobs.” Crud, they already have veritably have found me. Should I dig the hole deeper or should I try to shallow it out? “We have come here to ask you to tell us all the truth.” I stood up and stretched my legs.
“If I told you the truth, would you believe me? If I gave you the impartial story of my past, would you hear me? Nay, you could not believe me if I accounted the truth unto your ears, nor would you hear me if I told you of my past life. My life must remain in the shadows of partial truth so that all may know what should be known of me and not that which is impractical to ones ears.” I made my voice alter into a tone of a poet, for I could only guess someone else had said those words before me because they sounded so familiar to my ears.
“Come with me, please.” I followed after her. We soon were in the Ponyville Park. It was rather empty, although I have to say it was still early morning. Celestia stopped under a willow that was in the central area of the park. “Sir, I would like to know the truth.” I cleared my throat, but before I could begin, Celestia began to laugh scornfully. “Who am I trying to fool? I already know who you really are and where you come from. But more importantly, why you have come into my domain, and for such selfish actions and intentions, you will be hanged.” My mind whirled as it tried to process this completely overbearing load of information. How did she find out who I was, where I was from, what my intentions were, and most of all, why was Ito be hanged. My mind tried to wrap around the dozen concepts; unfortunately, I would only have a matter of minutes to try. I didn’t notice right away, but Celestia was gathering the elements of a gallows all around me, a noose, a trapdoor, and several other things. I finally came to my senses, but it was far too late, for Celestia already was slipping the black hood over my head. I heard the muffled sounds of her voice addressing the ponies of Equestria, who all this time had been gathering around to watch my demise unfold. I felt the floor disappear under my hooves as the door swung open. In the last moments of my life, I could only hear countless gasps issue forth as my neck cracked under the strain of the rope and gravity’s implied force. The small shafts of light that had been breaking through the hood faded away. I was dead, no turning back now, as if I could have done so earlier. But no more, I was dead. My limp corpse swaying in the wind, as a few ponies approached to take my dead body to be burned, by the orders of the ‘loving’ ruler of Equestria. My body burned, but somehow while being dead, I could feel every ounce of pain and agony. I now was dead, and ‘My Equine Adventure’ found its terminus in a very unbefitting end.
I started up, and in doing so, knocked my head against the root of the tree above me. It was all just a dream. I can still feel the fearfulness of it as I try my best to write it, and again I ask your pardon for writing so unspecific and hurriedly of it, for to this day it shakes me to think of it. The smell of coffee was in the air, coupled with the coolness of the autumnal air that flowed around me. I knew that life would continue, even if I had just died… in my dream of course. My legs ached, and my forehead was drenched in the fountains of perspiration I had issued forth in the intensity of my dream. I poured myself a warm cup of coffee and ate a few of my donuts. I wrapped my coat around me and summoned my bowtie to its proper place around my neck. I had to go to Sweet Apple Acres today, I had told Applejack that I would be there yesterday, but because of the party, we could not work that day.
I soon arrived at Sweet Apple Acres, and to my slight surprise, Applejack and Applebloom were already awake and working hard. I joined them promptly, after I rolled up my lab coat’s sleeves. It was hard laborious work, but I liked it, even though I had become accustomed to desk work in previous years. We worked from dawn to dusk, and in doing so, cleared a good portion of the farm. I trotted up one of the various hills in the farm, and was met by a beautiful prospect. All around me, for as far as the eyes could see, were apple trees. It wasn’t a big surprise, it was just very pretty. Even Nova Scotia’s orchards couldn’t compete with this.
It had been four weeks since I had first arrived it Equestria. In the past few weeks I had done little else then drink coffee in the morning and head off to work in Sweet Apple Acres. I had won a considerable gain through my weeks of works, but now it was nearing winter time. Work at Sweet Apple Acres was finished, and with its completion I was found without a job. Considering I had gained over a hundred bits in my days of work. I was arranging to get a property of my own, a place to spend winter and, in all likelihood, the rest of my stay in the equine world. I guessed that I probably didn’t have the financial backing necessary for such an undertaking, but there was another way that buying a house of buying materials to build one.
I trotted out of the hardware store. It was a more beneficial journey than I had thought possible to have occurred in one simple store the size of my old office. I had bought an ax, four poles with a piece of string, and a shovel, all the things I would need for my next activity in Equestria. I was about to make my mark one that would take a few thousand years to remove naturally, I was going to build a house, and not just any type of ordinary house.
I trotted into the Everfree forest, whistling a merry tune as I inspected the ground and the surrounding trees trying to find a perfect area to situate my abode. I had come to the Everfree because rent was cheaper than in the Sahara back on Earth. Nopony technically owned any of this land, except Zecora, so I was free to build where I chose and not have to worry about having to pay bills of any kind. I soon found a suitable spot, and set up my markers of the borders of the house, something that gave me a rush of exhilaration. I proceeded to cut down a number of trees that were inside the area that I intended for my new house down to a height that I preferred.
Weeks past, and soon, my house was complete. I had made use of the trunks of the chopped down trees, and made the solid foundation of my abode with the planks I had made from the felled trees. It was definitely high enough from the ground to avoid flooding, yet close enough to jump from the roof and have a good possibility of not hurting oneself, if you landed the right way of course. I had lined my fireplace with some stones to keep the fire that I intended to make, from burning my house down. I then proceeded to make a cobblestone walkway to the edge of the forest. On either side I planted some roses and a stout row of solid fences, which also surrounded my house for a little extra protection from monsters. By now it was time to commence winter, and it meant my flower’s new found home was about to be disrupted. I knew I would probably be able to make it through the winter. I still had some left over waste wood, and I had purchased a white winter coat and some earmuffs to match. This would be my first winter without a heating system in my house that wasn’t produced by electricity, but I was, in a small way, looking forward to the long winter days.
Chapter 3: Winter Days
The snow soon drifted down from the thick grey clouds that had gathered in the sky. I was rather happy at the sight of the white flakes as they floated down to the ground around my house. It was only the eighth time I had seen a snowfall, back at my home it never snow because of the tropical conditions. I might have gone outside and thrown a snowball in the air towards Ponyville, but I knew work was waiting to be done. I had fashioned a bed out of some of the better waste wood, and made a mattress out of an old curtain, that I had found, that I stuffed with cotton. My house only had one window, but that window had no glass to keep heat in. For the most part, my house would be rather cold, but warm enough to improve on outside conditions. You might ask why I had a window if it only lost my house’s heating. Simple, it had a view. I looked over a special flower bed, whose flowers, never wilted in the winter and stayed bloomed all year around. On the outside, I had to say, my house looked rather rustic. The boards were curved on the walls and only the corners were straight in any way, but in my eyes, it was very pretty. The chimney came up from the farthest wall from the door and always was to be seen with smoke coming out the top. The stairs I had made were completely stone, making it so I didn’t have to worry about fixing splintering wood, or having to ward of pesky termites, which still might be a concern from my walls and flooring. Inside my abode, on the far right side of the wall by the fireplace, was my bed; while to the left was a closed room that contained the bathroom. To the immediate right from the door, was where I had my kitchen, to the left was nothing of great importance accept a painting had made during construction. The window I had mentioned before was between my bed and kitchen. It was a simple set up, but effective for the purposes of living and having a chance of prospering.
It had been three days of winter, and already my food was running low. I made the walk to Ponyville, only to find it relatively deserted. Had their fear of Zecora come upon me simply because I had a house in the forest, or was it because they decided that outside conditions were not pleasant enough to have them come outside? Every store I passed was rather empty of wares, and the usually packed shops were empty as a poor man’s pocket. Eventually I headed towards Twilight’s library. If anypony still was here, it would be her. I reached the tree library, and knocked on the door. With the last strike of my hoof on the door, it creaked open. The inside of the library still had books, if anything it was a sign that either she left in a hurry or that she was still around. I called out as I walked the desolate room of the library, but no answer was made. By this time I had genuine concern that something terrible had happened while I was building my house. I had searched the entire library for any signs of Twilight or Spike, but I had no such luck of finding either of the two or any signs of a note that would explain their absence. Remembering the episode from the show of when Zecora first came, I instinctively trotted off towards Sugar Cube Corner. When I arrived, I found the door swaying in the wind. Either Pinkie had left in such a hurry that she didn’t close it, or somepony forgot to close it on the way in. I walked in and called out several times for Pinkie, but again I was met only by the sounds of the howling wind from outside. I had searched all of Ponyville’s main area, but no ponies were around, and no hoof prints showing their departure. I headed towards Sweet Apple Acers, hoping to find somepony still around. I soon was in sight of the snow covered apple tree fields. The barn beyond already had icicles forming from the roof. I arrived at the front door of the house, hoping that Applejack and the rest of her family were still in bed or getting up to do some chores. No such luck, their beds were made neatly, and their night clothes hung on their bed posts. At least the night clothes were a good sign, well, depending on how you viewed it. It could mean they are still here because they would probably want to grab the nightly garb, or it meant that they were scared away from their home so terribly that they had no time to grab them. I hoped the optimistically view was the correct one, that they were not gone from their home, just up and about. The next place to look would be the barn. As I went down the stairs, certain things began to fall into a rather weird picture. First, all of Ponyville was deserted, only leaving signs of their departure by open doors and empty shops. Second, The Apple family was not here in their house, yet I saw no signs of life in the barn. Usually when I was here working and they were doing something in the barn, they usually would light a lamp. I knew they would have to be in the barn because the trees were barren of any fruit, and they would never permit any animals wander outside of the barn during the winter excusing their absence in any way. These drops of information were starting to seep through my mind into the part that usually put information together to form a complete picture of logical reasoning, or at least slightly logical reasoning. I could imagine the whole of Ponyville in the barn, waiting for me. Probably another party arranged by Pinkie Pie. But what was the occasion? House warming for my new abode? Was it for my first winter season in the Ponyville area? What could it be that Pinkie was going to celebrate? I came to the barn at last. If anything, this barn would be the last place for them to be hiding, and it would be the place where Pinkie would throw a party if she at all would. I slowly walked around the barn. I confirmed that it was large enough to hold all of Ponyville inside. I also noticed that there were two doors. Oh how much fun this would be!
Pinkie and the others indeed were in the barn, and indeed it was a celebration intended for none other than Johann Webster.
“Hey, Twi, why do you think he is circling the barn like that?”
“Well, why don’t he just come in and get it over with!” Applejack said with her patience nearly worn out. The shuffling slowly stopped, and the barn was plunged in silence once more.
“Do you think he left?” Fluttershy squeaked.
“I don’t hope so! If he did it would ruin the party!” Pinkie Pie said in a mock shout. Everypony inside strained their ears to hear if he was coming in, or if he had left. Slowly the door creaked open. The faint red glow of Johann’s magic wrapped around its frame. When the door was open completely, it revealed the form of Johann standing still as a post. Pinkie pulled the cord on her party cannon, and quickly made sure that it was aiming at Johann. The sound of blast of confetti blasted around the room. Suddenly a pony by the door lit the lamp as the whole of Ponyville yelled ‘SURPRISE’! But the laughter and shouting ended quickly, for as the confetti settled, they only saw his winter coat and bow tie lay in the snow. Pinkie Pie rushed forward to see what had happened, what she found could’ve brought a tear to a ponies eye. There in the snow, laid the twisted, snow covered body of Mr. Johann Webster. Had the confetti blast really done that to a pony? Pinkie lifted the body in her front hooves. His face and body were already chilled. It was undeniable, he was dead, and this wasn’t a terrible dream that they all would wake up from. Twilight was the first by Pinkie. She gazed at the limp face in shock. Applejack came next, then Fluttershy, followed by Rainbow, and the rest then crowded behind them all. A few sniffles were heard amongst the crowd, while others were simply too shocked to do anything but let their jaw hang wide open. Slowly, the snow in front of them shifted. From it, came the ghostly form of Johann, wearing his lab coat and red bowtie. He had a smile on his face, as he ascended upwards. Pinkie put down the dead corpse and looked at the ghostly entity the floated upwards into the sky.
“Mr. Webster?”
“Yes, Pinkie Pie, it is I.”
“W… what happened to you?” A tear dripped down his snout as he continued to float upward into the heavens.
“Don’t worry, Pinkie, I don’t blame you for this, nor do I blame any of you.” Pinkie began to cry as the shape slowly faded into the clouds above. They saw no more of him, Mr. Webster was gone. He was dead, and it was their fault. No matter if he said that he didn’t blame them or not, they still had done the deed. He was dead, and they would never see him again. Pinkie grasped the dead form of Mr. Webster and began to cry on it. She hadn’t intended any of this to happen. For Mr. Webster to die or for it to be them who caused it.
I slowly trotted up beside Pinkie, who still was holding my dead form tightly.
“What’s wrong, Pinkie?” She didn’t look up at me; instead, she continued to sob upon my cold, dead coat.
“I killed Mr. Webster!” She said with a very trembling voice. It was a wail, not a simple response. I had to keep myself from chuckling a little at the antics of the crowd, who only now, looked up to me. Twilight, still looking at me, pocked Pinkie on the shoulder.
“Uh, Pinkie, you might want to look at who just said that.” Pinkie looked at Twilight with a slightly angry glare, but then turned to look at me. Her eyes widened with shock and amazement.
“M… m… m… Mr. Webster, but how are you there if you are here?” I couldn’t help but laugh. I struggled to stop my laughing fit that had so suddenly seized me.
“Snow and magic, Pinkie, snow and magic are all that it was!” With that I lit my horn, and my dead body turned to snow in Pinkie’s hooves. She gazed at the snow turned corpse of what she thought was me. “The shuffling noise, you undoubtedly heard, was me forming a snow pony and dressing it with my things.” I said as I reclaimed my coat and bowtie, “I then simply proceeded to make it into me with metamorphic magic. What was supposed to be my ghost was simply just a blob of magic with good shading and coloring.” I said as once again summoned my ghost, who laughed alongside me at my joke. I leaned against my ghost, and was sent falling to the ground, rolling around in uncontrollable laughter. Pinkie was angry now, not to mention serious, which is an extremely rare quality for her. She stepped over me, looming like a hawk that was looking at a bunny that had just kicked it. I could help but smile, after all, I only had just come out of a laughing fit. Her eyes looked like fire, sort of what she appeared like in the episode were Applejack didn’t win first place in the rodeo just after Applejack supposedly didn’t keep her promise. Pinkie Pie snapped me out of my thoughts with an angry snort.
“HOW DARE YOU MAKE ME THINK YOU ARE DEAD WHEN YOU ARE JUST FINE?!” I forced my way up to my hooves and put my dead up against hers, locking our eyes together. A smirk broke across my face,
“Where you get the nerve to pull every pony from Ponyville and frighten the wits out of me only for a party?” Pinkie and I wherein a stalemate. Neither one of us was going to back down to the other, but both knew that we both had some fault in the matter. Twilight came between us and pulled us from our staring contest.
“I think we can all agree that you both got each other back. Now can we set all this aside, go inside, and enjoy the party that we intended to do in the first place?” With that, Pinkie perked up and bounced inside the barn. I, on the other hoof, stifled a laugh, as I reflected on how well played my joke was.
The party was as blurred as the first. I received several house warming gifts, which included a pan, a whisk, a paddle, a comforter, a rocking chair, and a lamp. All the gifts were accepted with many smiles and thank you. I also acquired a few baskets of apples and many other food items, although they were not house warming gifts. After the party was over, I went back to my house. I was trotting back to the cobblestone walkway, when I saw a hooded figure, Zecora. She was returning from her trip to town. I smiled to myself, she probably thought that the ponies in Ponyville still had their doubts about her, and therefore had shut her quite out of their company.
“Ho, ho, stay until I come up to you!” Zecora turned to me and removed her hood. “Stay until I have come up to you!” I repeated. She stood her ground and waited for me to arrive, with my cart of goods. The words I had chosen made me feel as if I was an actor for a play of ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’. Ah, the good memories of reading the inspiring book filled m heart with warmth as I walked up to the lonely zebra. “Are you not the one they call Zecora?” she nodded. “My name is Johann Webster. I am relatively new here, that is, to the Ponyville area. I also live in the forest, as I have heard you do.” she smiled slightly. She wasn’t acting right in my mind. She should be uttering phrases that rhyme and that might throw me off for a few seconds. “I assure you that the ponies of Ponyville did not shut their windows and doors because of your presence. In fact, it was not because of you at all. See, Pinkie decided she would throw me a house warming party, and so, everypony in Ponyville left to Sweet Apple Acres. It is there where they attempted to surprise me with the intended party, but it did backfire slightly.” I chuckled lightly as I remembered how surprised they were when they thought I was dead and even more so surprised when I walked up beside them.
“You make it sound as if Pinkie failed. Tell me, how did her plan turn tail?” I found it easier to understand her then I thought it would be.
“Truly, she did not recant her party. Nor did she give up on the notion of surprising me. But after looking around all of Ponyville for them, their plan became rather apparent t me, and so I set up a plan of retaliation.”
“Your words have me trapped. Tell me what you did act.” I began explaining my contrivance that was the blunt retaliation of Pinkie Pie’s surprise party. We exchanged laughs as we walked, but eventually, the trail split and we had to go our separate ways. I soon came to my beautified lain that lead farther into the Everfree forest’s looming overgrowth. As I walked down my snow covered path, I resolved I would clear the snow from it when I could, so that anypony that wished to visit would find the distinctive trail with ease. I reached my house at last. I swung open the door and brought in my small, two-wheeled cart. I began unloading its articles into their respective areas. Since the first build of the house, I had made the left side of the room closest to the door my pantry, which became well stocked with all the supplies I had purchased or had been given. I then towed my cart into my outdoor shed, which I made at the same time as my pantry. I shoveled the snow that covered my cobblestone lain, which activity only occupied me for a few minutes. Afterwards, I went back inside, and stacked up the fire, making sure it burned high and bright. I went into the kitchen, and began making chocolate covered apple slices. I sat down in my new chair and began to chomp on my delicacies while rocking back and forth. One thing bothered me though. My meal was missing something, something that could make it more substantial and something that could wash it down. Two things came to mind, and soon enough they both were present, in the grasp of my magic. I dipped my chocolate covered apple slices in my jar of peanut butter, and sipped at my cool glass of sparkling cider (the nonalcoholic kind). It was nice to relax, after so many weeks of hard labor. But as I sat rocking happily in my comfy chair, I heard a knock on my door. Quickly putting down my things on a stool, made from a stump, I called out,
“Come in, the door is unlocked.” At that I heard the door creak open, revealing three little fillies. “Why, hello my little crusaders! What can I help you with?” The three wiped their hooves on the mat I had fashioned from moss that had been covered in carpenter’s specialty glue from one of my building projects. The three scurried up to me.
“Well, we remembered that we hadn’t really introduced ourselves, and we thought that we should. I’m…”
“Applebloom, I know, remember? I worked at the farm for a while? Also, you are Scootaloo and you are Sweetie Belle.” Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were slightly shocked to have a strange pony recognize them and know their names, while as Applebloom looked quite cheery. I smiled at all of them; this especially seemed to lighten the mood. We spend a few hours together, enjoying my treats and playing a few odd ball games. When they left, it was getting dark out. I made sure the fire was well stocked, and then went into my bed, and enjoyed a dream of having a cake eating contest with Pinkie.
The months of winter passed by slowly, and surprisingly, without any mayor catastrophe of starvation or danger, of which I had fully expected at the start of it. I always was well stocked in food and wood. Winter Wrap up went through without so many songs as the episode had, which was a relief for my ears being as I couldn’t simply skip to the part without the song in real life. During the activities of Winter Wrap up, I simply cleared the snow from my roof and walkway. I made everything ready for spring as best as I could in my current knowledge. Slowly, the birds began returning from their southerly abodes to live once again in their loved home. The flowers that had been along my fence now grew back. They all were red, very beautiful thing to have on the walkway to your house. A though came to mind that I might redecorate my house back on Earth to be more like this one. I shook my head at this; it had been three months and a half. If Baedeker hadn’t come for me yet, I might as well give up all hope for an earth bound return. I might as well live content with what life had given me and accept this as my new home, my new planet, my new body, and my new life. These thoughts might have made me depressed, but the fact my dark and dismal prison was a world of butterflies, rainbows, and friendship, it wasn’t all that bad. My life would have to continue, no matter in what world I was in. Earth or Equestria, it might as well be the same place, except one thing. Back on earth I had a wife and a six year old son, both probably waiting hopefully for my return. I sighed at these thoughts. My wife would have to continue the road of life without a partner, and my son would have to learn chemistry by another’s banks of ‘infinite’ knowledge. These thoughts tormented me. Family and friends that I had left behind, work unfinished, goals unaccomplished. No, I would return to Earth, it was too important to live my life in a strange world when I had a family to provide and protect. My Webster natured ambition and will would see me through, even if Equestria had to be shoved through the course of what might take years in natural processes. I would do it, one way or another.
Chapter 4: My Homeward Struggle
Chapter 4: My Homeward Struggle
Doctor Baedeker crouched behind one of the desks, as one of the machine’s electro magnets flew off. It crashed through several computers, and hurt quite a few of his fellow scientist. Suddenly a high pitched shriek filled the room. Baedeker chanced a look over his desk, only to see the ruby shatter into hundreds of tiny fragments. After a few seconds, a ‘boom’ echoed around the room. Baedeker stood up, and what he saw greatly concerned him. The main body of the machine was on fire. Several of his co-workers rushed in with fire extinguishers.
“What just happened?” Baedeker shouted as the scream of extinguishing foam cleared. Behind it was a charred machine. Evidently a large shard had hit the machine directly, easily said because it still was sticking out slightly.
“Sir, it appears that the machine worked and failed.”
“What do you mean by that, Doctor Hartman?”
“Well, sir, the camera’s recording showed Dr. Webster making it through, but, as you see, the machine had a critical error.”
“How long do you estimate it will be until we can go to Webster and get him back home?”
“A few months in the very least. I keep you posted on our forward progress.” then turning to the rest of the scientist, “I want a full report of the all of the damage. I need to know what functions the computers that were damaged. Let’s go people, move.” Baedeker walked out of the room. This was a dark day in science for sure. Sure, they had successfully made and executed a test on the Rift Maker, but in doing so they might have lost their head scientist, and his greatest friend.
It had been a full month since Webster had been teleported, and still no word from Hartman. Mr. Hartman was their team’s head technician, and if he couldn’t fix the machine, no one could, which in itself was comfort and concern. Comfort, he was the best of the best. Concern, if he failed, they had no one else to look to for help. Suddenly, Dr. Hartman walked through the door of Baedeker’s office.
“So, Dr. Hartman, do we have good news?”
“Yes, we have some good news, but we also have some bad news. First, I’ll tell you the good news. We have found a way to repair the machine, improve its efficiency, keep it from blowing up or destroying itself in some other manner, and a way to make the portal a two way gateway. We also perfected a trans-universal communications device.” Baedeker didn’t smile. No matter how good this news was, it was tied to bad news, and in most cases, the better the good news the worse the bad news.
“”That’s the bad news, Doctor?” the smile that Hartman had on died out.
“Although these advancements have already been proven, for the most part, fully functional. The repairs on the ‘Parallel Universe Transport Device, Human Version III’ will take a substantially long time to complete. The data on the fifty-seven damaged computers needs to be reprogrammed onto new computers, and that alone will take a while. Not to mention to repairs on the main body of the device are great. The shard of ruby that had jammed itself into the machine, clipped several vital wires, not counting the damage caused by the fire. The device is almost completely destroyed.” Baedeker thought on this.
“It sounds as if it might be easier to simply build a new one. Can’t we just forget repairing the old one and order the build company to send a new one?”
“It might be less hassle right now, but it would take longer than repairing our current one.”
“Might we only recode the vital systems among the fifty-seven broken computers so as to cut time and be able to retrieve Webster from whatever parallel universe he is in?”
“The only problem is that those computers are all vital systems for the machines. All of our computers are absolutely necessary. In fact, if you remember back, Webster told us not to include unnecessary computers for this mission. If anything, we need more computers to run all the systems that we now have confirmed we need.”
“You mean to tell me that it seems we didn’t have enough computers with enough coding to make it work correctly even though we veritably filled that place to the brim with computers?”
“I’m afraid so, sir. It seems that we didn’t have enough coding to make the system work to its best possible performance level even though we filled every one of those one hundred fifty-two computers with the maximum amount of coding. I think we could use some more stabilizing systems, energy spreaders, and many other diverse systems plus backups for those and for the backup for the backups. If all this means a bigger area, then so be it, but we need more computers. I can say fairly surely that we were slightly careless in our last attempt. We thought we could do without those systems, but we end up needing them all the more than we realized. All these operations of repair, reset, and reboot will take at least a year if not more.” Baedeker put his face in his hands. After a moment of calming down he looked up at Hartman.
“Do what you must. If Webster is going to wait, we better start shortening the amount of time it will take. I want every possible man to work for as long as possible. Do shifts with extra coffee if necessary, we need to work 24/7. Webster is counting on us, now go!” With that Hartman ran out the room, already flipping out his phone. “Don’t worry, Johann, we’re coming for you.”
I was sketching up ruffs sketches of how to make a ‘Rift Maker’, but nothing was looking right. I had no idea how Baedeker got it to work, or how he had built it. I might as well wait until somepony invented a teleportation device of the same magnitude as the one I had, or I could ask somepony who had one already. I remembered a pony in one of the episodes called Doctor Hooves. He was Doctor Who in pony form, and if anypony here could help me, it was him. But how would I explain myself? How would I persuade him to allow me to go with him back to my Earth?
I trotted down the streets of Ponyville, trying to find any sign of the Doctor or Derpy. It was possible that Derpy was delivering letters. But where would the Doctor be? Then again, how hard could it be to find a small, blue police barn amongst all the techno colored building of this small town? Answer, how hard is it to find a needle in a hay stack? Easy, just keep on looking. Eventually he would have to return, and I hoped I would be there when he did. As I walked down an alley, I bumped into something, something invisible. Slowly the shape of the Equine version of the TARDIS zoomed in and out of vision. Whether coming or going, I wasn’t sure at that moment. Soon the answer came, it was coming in. The reason I knew was that every time it faded into view, it became more visible instead of less visible. After it was completely solid, the door opened, right into my face.
“WHOOPS! Sorry, fellow didn’t see you there.” I shook my head.
“Oh, it’s nothing, I’m quite alright. I, in fact, find it an honor to get smashed across the face with a door by a Time Lord.” I already knew it was him by the British accent the laid heavily on his speech. When I repositioned my glasses on my snout, I saw the Doctor starring me in the eyes.
“How do you know I’m a Time Lord?” I chuckled. I had to be slightly giddy; he had been one of my favorite TV characters since I was eleven. I stood up and brushed myself off.
“It’s quite easy to tell when your box is zooming in and out of visibility as it does. I’m Johann Webster, and you are The Doctor. It is nice to finally meet you face to face, sir.” I said as I extended my hoof in greeting. His face said everything. His left eyebrow was raised at me and his mouth was kinked in a half frown, as he extended his hoof to mine. “So, how does it feel to be on the other side of the confusion? I know how many times you have done the same too others.”
“I have to say it is definitely a new feeling for me.” I chuckled slightly. Afterwards, I cleared my throat.
“Look, let’s get down to it shall we? First I’d like to explain I am not an Equine.”
“Hog wash! You’re clearly equine as I am Time Lord!” I raised an eyebrow at him. “Well, maybe not that clear. Let me rephrases that. You are as clearly equine as my box is blue and your bowtie is red.”
“True, my outward appearance makes my words confusing, but I must insist you hear me out. I am a human scientist who conducted an experiment with a device called the ‘Rift Maker’. It transported me to here, and now I need to get home. Now I ask you to please take me back to Earth in the TARDIS.” The Doctor looked at me in his strange way. After a few moments of deliberation he replied,
“No.” with that he closed the door on his box, and it soon began to fade away. Still as mysterious as ever I see. I trotted away and began to think of what other ways might be possible. There was magic, but I didn’t know any spells like that. But I could think of one unicorn that did. But again there would be a problem. The Doctor was trust worthy enough for me to share m secret. If he thought it was a lie than he wouldn’t publicize it. If he thought it was truth he would have given me a ride. But sharing my secret with a unicorn would be hard. A Pinkie Pie promise might bind the unicorn to its word of secrecy but even that might not end well. A pony is a pony, and like humans, you’d be hard pressed to keep a secret of this magnitude. I reminds me of the episode where Twilight learned the lesson of promises. But still, I couldn’t truly say the same principal applied here. First, she tried harder because Pinkie popped out of random places and said ‘FOREVER’ but my luck might not be a providential. Second, she was bound because it was a promise to a friend, while as I am not quite sure I would yet be considered a friend; especially after I tricked them into thinking I was dead. The only pony I knew who would consider herself a friend no matter what would be Pinkie, but Pinkie is no unicorn. The one unicorn who I thought of was the bookworm of Ponyville, the personal student of the Princess, the one who could suddenly combust out of rage-shift. That’s right, Twilight Sparkle, the only unicorn who would have the spell is anypony did.
I walked into the library, met by the happy jingle of the welcome bell. I knew it was there before I entered because I was the one who installed it as a winter job.
“Oh, hello, Mr. Webster, what can I help you with today?” the voice of Twilight rung out as I trotted past the threshold of the library. I looked around the walls of the library, more specifically at the books. Evident by the few gaps present on the shelves, a few ponies had been checking out books lately. The bags under Twilight’s eyes told me that she probably had been studying late for the last few night, only to be confirmed by the fact her head swayed up and down as she drifted in and out of dream land.
“More to the point, Twilight, how can I help you?” Twilight lazily raised an eyebrow, only to have it fall back into its usual position.
“Help me? I’m sorry; I have no more jobs for you to do. Thank you for…” her last words were cut off by her falling asleep, only to bob back up into the land of the living. “What was I saying again? Oh, Mr. Webster, nice to see you again…” Again she submitted to sleep. I placed a hoof on her shoulder, which startled her awake, “I WASN'T SLEEPING, CELESTIA, HONEST!” I had to admit she was rather comical when she was drowsy.
“Twilight, tell me, what have you been studying and for how long?” Twilight was obviously still drifting in and out of reality, especially in the light of her next statement.
“I have no idea what you are talking about, dad. I haven’t been studying past bedtime, honest.” I knew if I told her I was Johann, she probably extremely confused. So that only left one option, pretend to be daddy for a while.
“Twilight Sparkle, you can’t tell me you haven’t been studying past proper hours. You are veritably sleeping on your hooves, you obviously haven’t been sleeping properly, now tell me want you have been doing. ”
“But, daddy, I’m telling you I’m fine. I haven’t been studying late; besides, I don’t have any tests to study for.”
“Yeah, what about the exam you said was for next Tuesday? You can’t expect me to forget about that. You said it was going to be the most important exam of your life.” Twilight dozed off for a few seconds then came back. She shook her head vigorously.
“Well, maybe there is that exam, but I already finished studying for it. Can I go out and play now? Shining said he was going to show me a new game today.” I shook my head.
“No, you are not going outside until you are properly rested. You need your rest, and I know for a fact that you haven’t been getting enough of it. ”
“But, dad…”
“No ‘buts’ young lady, now go to your room this instant or you won’t go outside to play for a week!” She groaned and turned around towards her room. I followed her to make sure she was going up stair to her room, I’m sure her dad would do the same, and being the player of his part, I wasn’t about to let it slip. I have to say my experience with my own son prepared me for this situation. He once studied for an exam for two days straight, only to be too tiered to go to school the day of the exam. Rather funny when you think about it though. At any rate, Twilight got into her bed and fell into dream land and did not rise again for as long I was in the room. After making sure that she wasn’t pretending to be asleep, I went downstairs. Spike smiled at me as I passed. He had been in the kitchen when the incident started, and had entered about the time Twilight had said Shining was going to show her a new game.
“Glad to see you got her in bed.” He said to me with a smile.
“Are you telling me that her number one assistant couldn’t get her to bed when she thought she was a kindergartener?”
“Hey, she only gets like that after a long while. You were just there when she snapped.” He said with the accompaniment of waving his hands back and forth defensively. I smirked and continued to the door.
I had walked in silence as I took the beautiful path back to my abode. I wasn’t lined with fountains and marble statues, but it was still nice. I took me past several flowering trees that waited for a bee to com and pollinate so it could produce its fruit, the path also took me through several flower field that, thankfully, were not poison joke. Everywhere I looked, I could find a pleasant prospect, but all this beauty could not stop my mind from wondering. Wondering if there was hope for me. If I would ever get home, if I’d ever see my precious family again, if I ever would be able to properly thank Baedeker for all he has done as I planed, if I’d ever get the chance to see my friends again, if I could ever set foot on our earth again. Usually when I got homesick I would just go to where I felt homesick for and so get rid of my feelings of dread. But in this case, that option was the one I was looking for in every direction. I was truly torn. I loved Equestria as it were my own, but I longed for Earth, for my family. My father would definitely be disappointed if he knew I didn’t do all I could to get back. That thought stung more than the rest I had awakened. My dad, why did I have to think of him? Now don’t get me wrong, I love my father as much as any man could. The pain comes from the past, but, more specifically, his death, that along with my mother who followed only two years after. My dad had suffered through long days of pain as he died slowly of some form of cancer. The doctors said he was too fragile for chemotherapy, and for his type of cancer, there was no other remedy. After he died, my family was shook, to say the least. He was the best dad I could have ever have hoped for. As you might aspect, because I am the youngest in my family, I took it the hardest amongst my siblings. My mom grieved greatly, and a little over two years after my dad was gone, she suffered a stroke. No one was around at that time; my biggest brother was on a business trip of some kind, while the next was working on some epic math problem, my sister was on the third day of her four day tenth anniversary trip, my other brother was working his shop as he usually would, and me, well, I was in my lab probably inventing my flubber compound. The pain of the loss came back all at once. The dams that held back the headwaters at my eyes were beginning to breach, and I could feel it. To lower the amount of embarrassment that I would achieve if somepony found me weeping in the middle of the road, I walked under a rather shady tree that was in good proximity to my area. Tears that had been held at bay for more than ten years came out all at once. Tears of regret for my parents passing, tears for my daughter who never was properly born, tears for friends I had lost, tears originating from thousands of causes, all of them ganged up and smashed the wall that held them back in a matter of seconds. As the multitude of the pain filled tears dribbled down my cheeks and snout, I relived it all. Every moment of loss that I had somehow come out of without a tear, every grueling instance of pain; I relived every horrid second of it. Seeing the body of my mother lay on the ground in the kitchen with smoke everywhere, I saw my dad dying with me holding his wrinkly hand tightly with mine. I heard the words of the doctor echo in my ears as he said my daughter died in the birth process. I could hear the goodbyes of many friends as they grew apart from my life. I had to say that all in all, up to this point since my dad passed on, was one painful moment to the next, almost never a moment to relax and really enjoy life. But, I did realize there might be a moment I had time to enjoy life from then to now. It was time I had spent here in Equestria, I was happy here. Maybe, just maybe, I could get my wife and son to come and live the rest of our lives here. Yeah, that would be great, the painful daily life on Earth was veritable torture compared to the loveliness of Equestria. Besides, my son almost always came home crying because some idiotic bully from school hurt him physically or mentally. My wife complained about the neighbors occasionally on how they threw back her offers of help with sneers and looks of disgust. Yeah, this would be the perfect place; every neighbor would be glad for help and glad to help. Schools… well, they were rather the same because of two fillies, but beyond those two was a classroom filled with fillies and colts who would love to be friends. If only I could bring them here, if only I could. My eyes were still gushing out tears of pain, with a small mixture of tears of joy for the plan of a new country that would be better for my family. I heard hoofsteps on the road, but I didn’t care, my grief was too great to hide, and maybe talking would console me a bit if the pony would have it. The strokes of hooves came closer, but they seemed to slow as they came closer. The hooves slowly stopped all together, I could only guess that the pony had stopped, although by the sound of distance in the last hoof fall told me that it was still not looking at me probably. I slowly ran out of tears to shed; only wishing for more so I could rid myself of all of my grief. Crying is all good and well, but when your tears dry out you can only wish for more to send forth from your eyes. The pain of loss still held me fast in its painful, unforgiving grasp. It was then I began hearing the steps hitting the stones on the path again. I would have to confess, at that moment the only face I wanted to see was that of mw wife and son, and if more my sake it was them, I have to say it probably wouldn’t have helped me in my current state. The steps grew closer and closer as the pony made progress along the road. All I could do was to wait, with my head hung long; too tired to lift myself from my hiding place and walk away. Slowly a shadow casted itself along the murky cobblestone road as the pony drew ever closer. I cleared my throat as quietly as possible, so that if the pony would talk my voice wouldn’t be too terrible but also to make it so my throat clearing wouldn’t be the cause of them coming to me. The pony eventually came into view, it was the last one I expected to see coming. The one I hoped wouldn’t come, for her own sake.
“Webster, is that you under there?” I nodded slowly, still fighting back the pangs of sorrows. “I’m so glad to find you. I heard that you…” She was cut short by placing her hoof in the turf near me. It was saturated with tears, and was more like a marsh-like terrain than the forest terrain that was everywhere else. “Mr. Webster, are you alright? Do you need something?” If I could, I would have smiled, but the pain held me back from that and talking. I could feel the knout in my throat keeping my vocal cords from moving. “Johann, it’s me, Twilight, Twilight Sparkle. Are you alright, should I go get somepony?” The knout began to relax its grip on my throat, allowing me to speak.
“Oh, Twilight, it hurts so much…” My voice cracked as I spoke. I know, the line was rather corny, but in my agony, it was the only words that would form correctly.
“What hurts, Johann? You can tell me.” I knew I could, but the knout began to coil in my throat again, as if to say one phrase was enough. “Johann, it’s alright you can tell me.” A tear streaked down my cheek. Her pleading voice was enough to set ones heart aflame. I only wish I could have answered her, but the knouts grip was so tight that I found breathing a stretch for me. “You wait here, I’ll go get Fluttershy. I’ll be back in a few minutes, just wait right here.” With that she was off like a shot, my only life line.
“Oh, Twilight, I’m so sorry…” With that I fell over, exhausted from crying for so long.
I opened my eyes to the sight of extremely bright lights. I blinked several times before my eyes adjusted. Was that the rising sun? I was moving and it was very bright, but it was on a blue sky. To tell the truth, I couldn’t see anything besides the light. I slowly began to here the pumping of oxygen capsules and the beeping of heart monitors. I looked around as much as I could, I could see that it was a hospital and I was in one of the less crowded rooms, while still having to share the room with three others. How did I get here, and why was I wired up to so many machines? Well, actually it was many wires for just one machine, but it had the same effect.
“Mr. Webster, are you awake?”
“Well, Ah would guess he is since his eyes are open.”
“Well, Applejack, one can never tell.”
“Well, Ah can tell, and Ah know he’s awake.”
“Lower your volume, you two. Who knows what’s wrong with him. You might just be making it worse.”
“Yeah, you guys have no idea how boring it is to be in the hospital like this.” I almost felt compelled to say ‘I second that motion’, but it wouldn’t have been appropriate considering the circumstance. I heard hoofsteps as somepony came through the door.
“Is Mr. Webster awake yet?”
“I think he just woke up.”
“Oh, good, you girls go wait outside. We’ll be out in a few seconds.”
“Alright, Nurse Red Heart, let’s go girls.” With that several ponies left. I could only assume it had been Twilight and her friends.
“Mr. Webster, are you awake.” I lifted myself up in my bed, stretching my joints out.
“I suppose I am.”
“Good to hear that, sir. Would you like to tell me what happened?”
“No, I would not like to tell you what happened.” I had learned in previous years that doctors and nurses were people of specifics. If you answered a question, they usually would want a full sentence instead of a monosyllabic answer. Of course, most of their questions were one sided in that if you answered no to a question they wanted the answer yes too, they would force you to do what they want. Although I can’t blame them, they’re just doing their jobs to the best of their abilities. I could only hope equine doctors would be satisfied with my answer and not force me like the rest of doctors I have faced.
“Mr. Webster, I need to know what was wrong so I know what to do for you now.” Of course, you can’t expect doctors to be too different from one parallel universe to the next. It’s all medical procedure. But as for all procedures, there are ways to get around them with a bit of dignity while retaining your privacy.
I trotted out of my room, dressed in my usual clothes instead of the green robe they gave me. I had maneuvered around the nurse’s questions with almost political tactics. Always answer questions as broadly as you can is the way to work around, unless you really feel like telling them, which in my case, I did not. Eventually the nurse will get the hint that you are not going to tell them, and after around a dozen times of reassuring them you are fine, they let you go. As I had expected, Twilight and friends were outside the door.
“Mr. Webster, so good to see… wait, you are already leaving? Don’t you think that…?”
“No, Twilight, I don’t think I need to stay here for an extended visit. Yes, I am sure I am doing the right thing in my choice. No, you can’t persuade me to stay. I am sorry that I troubled you all, but when you found me, Twilight, I was completely and utterly physically fine.” The seven friends, including Spike, looked at each other rather perplexedly at how quickly I had anticipated their questions and how I had shoved them of so quickly.
“But, Johann, you said…”
“Yes, I said that it hurt so much. You must understand it was not physical pain, I am perfectly fine, thank you for your concern, but it was not needed.” I quickly left, leaving the seven friends to wonder about me. I wasn’t about to answer their questions, they would in all inevitability be too painful for me.
It had been two weeks since the incident that landed me in the hospital. Thankfully, most every pony had moved past that and had continued living normal life; although I knew the suspicion would never be completely gone. I never got around to asking Twilight about the spell, I knew that in all likelihood it would drive suspicions higher than necessary. Even though the possibility to ask Twilight my all important question, I still endeavored to find a way home. While doing so, I spent most of my time at Sweet Apple Acres, earning some money in advance for the winter in case I had to stick it out for another year. Although Apple bucking season was several months out, it was still the season to work. From tending the animals around the farm, or sprucing up things that wouldn’t get dirty afterwards, I was rather busy throughout the day, which gave me the usual feeling of exhilaration, because I had the knowledge that what I was doing would benefit many others, but as with all jobs, it soon came to an end. But I remained idle in no wise. When my days at Sweet Apple were over, I started to tend to a farm of my own. I had a single apple tree along with other berry giving plants, including a coffee plant. I had a range of plants from wheat to strawberries. It was a nice life, it was peaceful. I knew that my wife and son would love this place. It would trap them like a fly on tap, but it would be a whole ton better than being stuck to some strip of plastic with adhesive on the side. Of course, my house would need expanding before they came, if they came.
It had been six long months in Equestria. In that time I had expanded my house and farm, made a proper farm, painted my house orange, and had added the long awaited fountains to the garden and walkway. I can’t really complain, it has been nice to live here all this time, but the absence of my wife and son took its gruesome toll on me. I had added a second floor to my house; I fortified the foundation with cement. I had added a few more windows and installed glass panes into each to contain the heat during winter. I could only help but wonder, when was Baedeker going to come for me? Was Baedeker going to come for me, and for how much longer must I wait for him? Should I give up on that hope, or should I continue waiting for him to come to me?
Baedeker was in his home, lying in his bed. He had just woken up, but he wasn’t ready to get moving. Mornings were never his strong suite, but having Webster gone was just another reason for him t stay in the comfortable embrace of his bed. It had been months, and no word of progress from Hartman. Hartman was the best, and as far as Baedeker could tell, had been awake for most of the time that Webster had been gone. Baedeker, on the other hand, only had a Masters in theoretical science. It had been in college when he had met the half psychotic Johann Webster. It was the fact they both had their Masters in theoretical science that they were in this problem. Although it sounds simple, theoretical science is a rather hard work. It is laborious, but in most cases, fruitful. Through his efforts of hours on end, Webster had made Smart-dough (the replacement for Playdough), and compound X-89 (flubber). Baedeker had to say that Webster had a better time than he did. Baedeker’s parents forced him into this like most parents would for their sons to be a lawyer, while Webster; he wanted to be a scientist. Webster, in some instances, had been thought of like Belle’s father in ‘Beauty and the Beast’. He had some radical ideas in science, most of which eventually were proven correct, and all those instances of fluke erroneous calculations turning into the best thing since sliced bread had made him out to be a walking example of serendipity. Baedeker was startled by the ringing of his phone. He looked at the screen to see the caller, Dr. Hartman. Baedeker lifted the phone from the stand and pressed the blinking green button.
“Hello, Hartman, any news, particularly good news.”
“Well, Baedeker, I am calling to tell you all the coding is done. We only need to manufacture a few more add-ons for the machine and in will be ready to get you to Webster and get him back here.” Baedeker’s jaw dropped.
“You are telling me that Webster is coming home before schedule?”
“I guess I am, sir. I’ll call you again when we are ready, okay?”
“Alright, I want to be kept posted, keep up the good work.”
“Sure thing, Dr. Baedeker, I’ll get right on it.” With that Hartman hung up. Baedeker was left shell shocked. His long time friend was finally going to be coming home!
Chapter 5: Decisions in the Making
Chapter 5: Decisions in the Making
Ten months, that is how long it has been. Some might think that is a rather short time, but when you have family, friends, and colleagues waiting back home for you after you voluntarily did what I did and now can’t go back; it truly seems like an eternity. But enough of my small glimmers of depression caused by the inability to socialize with other humans or the fact my new equine stomach can’t handle beef or pork; now let’s back to the long days that cause me to realize these things. In the past few weeks I had seen hordes of Pinkie Pies rushing through the forest, rather close to my house. Then there was the visit from Bab Seed, and it was I who had my popcorn knocked away by the Cutiemark Crusaders as they rushed to save her from the trap they had made… a pity really, I was enjoying that popcorn rather greatly. I also was one of the ponies that wanted to get into Ponyville when Trixie, and in fact I did and was set to work trying to help Applejack create a peel-less apple, although I knew unless it was going to be accomplish by a plant that doesn’t have a peel in the first place and cross pollinating the two, it would be impossible. Soon after the girls launched their plan to give Trixie the boot and have Twilight get back into Ponyville’s secluded state and beet of Trixie, which she did in a rather comical way, well at least it was comical to me. Well, anyway, these advents gave me a sense of where in the show I was, although I already knew when I came that season two’s first two episode at least were over, but now that I had an idea of where I was exactly, then I could veritably say what would happen next, not that I would take any steps to prevent it. But at this moment, future events were not my concern at all, in fact I could care less about it since I didn’t want to change them in any way unless I thus completely throw the show for a loop, or have I already done that with my very presence. Well enough about paradoxes I might have created or might created in the future; I am going to the library for a bit of educative excursion. I entered the library, once again hearing the bell I installed during last year’s winter ringing joyfully, bringing back memories of day past. Soon enough I saw Twilight placing some of the recently returned books back onto the shelves. She turned to see me entering with a smile,
“Well hello, Johann, what brings you to the library today?” She said rather joyfully. One good thing came from her tone, the fact that so far she was having a good day, which in all eventuality might make what I was about to do a bit easier.
“Well, I was passing by to see if you could perhaps help me with something.”
“Alright and how may I be of service?”
“Well, back home I have been studying a group of ancient creatures, that I have a theory, ruled Equestria before even Discord’s first reign. I was wandering if you have any books that have any information that might help me, my home town’s library has rather low amounts of valid scientific research books, much less any books that really have any information that I haven’t gathered already by my studies.”
“Really, a group of creatures that ruled before Discord… maybe the griffons but their empire back then was rather reserved. It wasn’t until after discord’s reign that they became... well… jerks. So what are these creatures you are talking about?” She said as she started removing books from shelves, probably books she esteemed to have the information I sought.
“I don’t get this; none of the books I thought would have answers had answers.”
“Well, I would suppose the study of humans is rare since they seemingly disappeared after Discord came into power and all that is left is ruins and a few relics of the past. Which reminds me, I think I might have brought one of the things I found while searching over an underground site of human civilization, would you like to see?” Twilight’s eyes dilated until the black part of her eyes was around six eighths of the area of her eye’s shape. I shuffled through my saddlebags and pulled out my tri-fold wallet that I had put in my lab coat before I left to Equestria. “Even though I speculate its age to be well over thousands of years old it still looks rather new.” I walked over to the table and set it down. Twilight sat down on the other side looking at the wallet. “It appears to be made of leather, or perhaps some cheep imitation thereof. I believe that this is what they used to carry some of their smaller, yet personal items.” I opened it up to reveal its contents. In the center section was a picture of me in human form with my wife and son. on the left side was a clear pouch that allowed you to see my comical rendition of safety which was just was a piece of old paper that said ‘Warning: this wallet is protected by ADT’. On the right side were a few pouches that contained a credit card and a few discount members’ card. Inside the pouch a few green corners of dollar bills poked out. I removed the contents, all except my fake ‘ADT’ security card, and carefully set them down on the table so Twilight could see.
“What are all these things?” She said as she looked over them.
“Well I have a few theories on what things are what and what purpose they served.” I lifted up my driver’s license. “This is some sort of card that allows you to use a special type of transport. It gives information about the pony that has it so that somepony who is not allowed to use the special transport can be caught fairly easily.” I lifted up a few of the discount membership cards and spun the around in a circle so Twilight could see each. “I’m guessing these allow the creatures to enter a market and pay less than somepony that doesn’t have it.” I lifted up my credit card and allowed Twilight to hold it. “This probably is something of money, allowing the pony that has it to use it as money when they don’t have the money at their disposal at the moment, sort of an advanced IOU promising that the pony that uses it will pay back the pony who they used it with.” I lifted up a sample of each bill I had, being a one five ten and twenty, and showed them all in the same circle I had done with my discount cards. “These are probably the proper tender, although I see no way it really has any value except the fact it has a number, a face, and an official seal on it, thus founding my theory that these types of money only represent value while having no real value of their own.” Twilight looked rather intrigued at all this. “That information literally took me month to gather, being as there were no records of their civilization and how they functioned as a whole.” She gazed at the items on the table and picked up one item with her magic.
“What is this though?” She had lifted my family photo.
“That is most defiantly the picture of the creature that owned this pouch along with his family.” She turned it around to see if something was on the back, and I knew that there was.
“What is this strange writing mean?” She pointed at my wife’s rather neat handwriting on the back. I knew that she probably, and most definitely, did not know what it meant being as it was written in English and not in Equish. I in fact had to deal with the problem of not knowing Equish rather early on when I wanted to buy donuts but had no idea what their price was. Because of that I stood outside the school house some day and caught some lectures from Mrs. Cherilee and picked up some grammar, not to mention I made a spell to make all Equish writing into corresponding English translation of what it is intended to mean.
“Well, after the long process of translating with the aid of some old human records I deciphered the meaning to be this. ‘With all our love to a husband and a father no matter how far away you maybe.’ By what I can tell the message was written by the creature’s wife or son for the reason of the message making that sort of clear.” Twilight smiled slightly. I might guess it was because the sight of a happy family sharing their love.
“How did you get these things?” She asked.
“As I said…”
“Not where, I know you said in a ruin of what once a city of theirs, but how did you get your hooves on it?”
“Well, being as I was one of the few to work on the site, it wasn’t hard to gain possession of something from the site that originally was deemed unnecessary for further discovery of an ancient race of believed extinct creatures.”
“You say ‘believed’ as if you think they still live.”
“Well, I do have a theory of why they were here and why they disappeared so abruptly. You see, they were a very advanced culture for their time. They had a grasp on science that even we Equines haven’t even started to scratch at. They had technologies that still boggle the minds of our most innovative scientists and inventors. They were much more complex than what we would expect possible for their time, and to make it a bit clearer at what I am getting at. They were literally centuries if not millenniums farther into the future yet millennium in the past, yet while we were rather primitive in technologies and survived Discord, it seems that they being so advanced still died out all over our world, for at that time they probably inhabited the world in greater numbers and areas than us ponies, at the same moment, they just collapsed completely and since that time they have not been seen in Equestria. Now tell me, Twilight, how is it possible a greater, more expansive, more advanced, and more intelligent race disappear so quickly while a race of less advanced beings live on?”
“Johann, I think you know the answer to this and are proof to your very theory.” She said with a smirk.
“Well you would be surprised.” I said with a small blush at how she veritably had joshed me about for coming up with so many answers. “I think human as a populous did not originate in Equestria but simply came here from somewhere else. And I don’t mean another place in Equestria or on another continent, I mean another world, but to be precise, another universe.”
“What do you mean by that, Johann?”
“I mean that humans were so advanced that they actually were able to travel between the multiple universes and so came to Equestria, settled, and when Discord came, they knew he was bad news and so left to go back to their own world.”
“That is a lot to swallow, almost too much to believe. How can you be so sure?”
“Well…” I sighed. Should I tell her or wait for another time? Should I risk everything that I had made in this world to tell her the truth, or should I conceal it a little bit longer. “Can you keep a secret for me, Twilight?”
“A… secret, sure, I can keep one.”
“Good, although you might find it hard to believe once you hear it. After I tell you this the only pony who can know besides you is me and the Princesses, alright? You can’t tell Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie; although she might already know, Fluttershy, Spike, or anypony except Celestia and Luna if you deem in necessary and wise. Do you understand me, Twilight Sparkle personal pupil of Celestia?” The only reason I can come up with why I said ‘personal pupil of Celestia’ was I wanted to be bit extra formal and at that moment I was being as serious as any pony or converted human being can be.
“Yes, I understand, now tell me before I burst.”
“Alright…” I exhaled the whole way and inhaled deeply, with absolutely no intention to ramble off my secret but just to calm down and prepare for the truth to be revealed. “You want to know the truth?”
“Of course I do!”
“As far as I know, there was no human civilization in Equestria even though most everything else I said of them is absolutely the truth.”
“What do you mean?”
“What I mean is that humans as far as I know only set foot…”
“Don’t you mean hoof?”
“No, I mean foot. Well as I was saying, as far as I know humans only set foot in Equestria around ten months ago.”
“Is that why the ‘wallet’ looks so new?”
“Partially, yes, it is why the wallet is new. Do you want to know what happened to the human who came into this world ten months ago?”
“Well yes, I might be able to talk to him and see what his culture is like and what his home world is like.”
“Why talk to the human when I have the answers?”
“Because a first hoof witness would be more reliable than a second hoof one.”
“Should I show you to him then?”
“If you know where he is, then lead the way.”
“You have already met him.” I stated flatly.
“No I haven’t. I don’t really know what a human looks like so I couldn’t have met him. If this is just a trick and humans don’t exists than tell me now.”
“They don’t exist in this universe, but they do live in another and they have come.”
“Johann, just tell me where this human is then and stop stalling.” She said slightly aggravated at me.
“I am that human, Twilight.” Twilight looked at me suspiciously.
“If you are a human than are you using some technology to make you blend in with pony kind?”
“No, in fact at the moment I have none of the machines I have talked of.”
“Then how can I trust that you are telling the truth? You look like any other pony.”
“I’m sure you can think of something to test me with.” I said with a smile. I would have to say at this point if anypony could think of a test for me, it was Twilight.
“Well at the moment I can’t really think of anything so how about you just tell me how you got here if you really are a human.” And so I started from the announcement of the government challenge and told her the whole tale.
“…That is when I woke up and found myself in the outskirts of Ponyville changed into a unicorn by the proximity of distance between me and the beating heart of this planet. See, if I had been farther away I have a theory that says that I would have retained my form. To tell the truth, the only reason I have this theory is because of what happened to me. So then I met…”
“Hey, Twilight, somepony is wandering around town looking for… oh hey! Johann, somepony is looking for you out here; I would guess it is one of your friends from back home.” Spike rushed in as I was about to explain how I met Fluttershy and get to Ponyville.
“Did you ask the pony what his name was?”
“Sorry, I tried but he just kept on talking about what I looked like and stuff about me being a dragon. Hey, haven’t any of the ponies back where you come from seen a dragon? He was acting kind of weird.”
“Actually, Spike, dragons are one of the rarest sights where I come from, the only reason I didn’t flip out when I met you was because I, like Twilight, am well read. So, where is this fellow at?”
“Last I saw he was near the Quill and Sofa talking to most every pony that walked in and out. I think he might need some help though.”
“Why, what’s wrong, Spike?”
“Well, he kept on freaking out about things.”
“Such as…” I said in a motion to say what he meant.
“Well, Cutiemarks that someponies had, the color of their coats and manes, and other stuff. I think you might want to hurry before somepony calls the authorities or the asylum on him.”
“Lead the way, Spike, and please, speed is in dead of the essence.” Spike darted off with Twilight and I following close behind.
“Johann, do you know who it might be?” Twilight said as we ran after Spike.
“Unless I miss my guess, it’s my old friend, William Carter Baedeker.” A smile broke across my face as I said the words. Spike led us past the town square and straight to the Quill and Sofa where I hoped to be promptly reunited with my friend.
Chapter 6: Sweet Reunion
We rounded the last corner according to Spike and soon came in sight of the gigantic store’s sign. I quickly noticed a pony that had a coat only a few shades lighter than mine and a tail and mane that were the color brown. With these characteristics I was sure it was my old friend, not to mention the fact that his Cutiemark was a bubbling test tube on a heater with a coil that swirled to a smaller one on the side. We all stopped a little distance away and Spike pointed breathlessly at the pony that I had noticed.
“That… is the pony... that is looking for you...” I smiled at Spike and nodded. I trotted off with Twilight at a light pace towards the lab coat clad pony.
“Excuse me.. Sir and madam… have you two fine chaps seen a man named Johann Webster? I’m looking for him with the utmost level of importance.”
“Why y…” Twilight began only for me to hip check her for silence. Baedeker looked at this awkwardly, but past it off as a social quirk.
“Dear Sir, would you be so kind as to follow us to my abode, there we can talk without the ears of the rest of the public.” Baedeker slowly nodded as I set off, followed by Twilight and him. As we walked down the path towards my house, Twilight sped up her pace to catch up with me.
“Why don’t you just tell him that you are you?” She said in a whisper.
“Social preference, imagine him reacting to finding me in this form after ten long months of searching, the reaction would draw to much attention from the populace of Ponyville.”
“I’m going to say it right now; this might serve as a test if you truly are a human or just acting to be one transformed.”
“I would think that his reaction to the other ponies might be counted as a point for my case.” At any rate, we soon arrived at my home after a stroll through the forest. I opened the door and allowed my two guests to enter before me. I quickly slipped in and out of the pantry. I entered the room with a tray of NON-alcoholic apple cider, being as Sweet Apple Acres does NOT manufacture the vileness of such beverage. I know, such things are personal preference of self preservation, but as long as I live the only way I would feel right to drink something alcoholic would be either ‘Cold or Flu Relief Sleeping Aid’ or when no other consumable drink nearby, and in the second instance I still would be hard pressed. To continue, I brought into the room a tray of apple cider and chocolate covered apple slices, something that since my arrival had become a personal favorite of mine. I laid down into my big, red, high backed chair, chuckling to myself on how comical Baedeker looked as he sat in the normal human way.
“Now sir, let us start with this, what is your full name?” I said trying to at least slightly disguise my voice.
“My name is William Carter Baedeker. Please, if you have seen Johann please say so now, and if you haven’t say so, so that I may return to my search.”
“Well Dr. Baedeker, look no further than your most gracious host. Good to see old pal.” I said with a smile, extending my hoof for a shake. Baedeker stared at my blankly, although it didn’t take long to see his jaw drop.
“Johann, is that… really you?”
“Well if you don’t like this form than you could have just said so.” I said, taking on the posture of having been offended.
“No-no-no-no, it’s quite alright, it just.. I just thought that… you know… you would be at least… in a way slightly… uh… human.”
“Don’t worry, Bill, I understand completely, although I would think if we teleported in far enough from the planet we would retain our usual forms, but that is a theory to test another time. Tell me, have you secured safe passage back to Earth?”
“Let me give the boys back home a call and see what we’re doing statistically. But while my inter-universal communications device locks on to their signal, would you mind telling me who this is, Johann?” He motioned towards Twilight with his hoof, who all this time had looked rather dumbfounded at how we talked to each other.
“Well this is the local librarian, Twilight Sparkle, who is none other than the personal pupil of one of the monarchs, Princess Celestia, the ruler of the sun.”
“Alright, I got the name and title but you lost me at the local form of government.”
“Well this land has a form of monarchy in that the two sisters, Celestia ad Luna, reign together with the equal title of princess. Under them are several other minor princes and princesses who rule their own sections, such as it would fall upon Dukes and Duchesses in our form of monarchy. Celestia is the ruler of the day and raises and sets the sun each day, while Luna raises and sets her moon each night.”
“Well that is interesting, does the fact that the two sisters raise and set their own celestial bodies mean that the planet is unmoving in its orbit?”
“Quite so, the planet does not move even slightly, only the sun and moon, and it is their relation in distance and angle that makes the different seasons instead of the planets relation to the two bodies, the same goes for tides and all effects that the two bodies would have on our world is the same in this world except how it is achieved. For instance, all weather is free roaming in our world and is made by the water cycle while in this world it is manufactured by weather pegasi in several different locals.”
“Well this is certainly very interesting.” Suddenly a buzz came from the box that Baedeker had placed on the table.
“Baedeker, did you call? What’s your status? Have you found Johann yet?” Twilight jumped at the sound of a voice coming from the box.
“Yeah, I alright, the teleport was successful and I found Johann. Are you guys set to give us a ride home?”
“Aye, sir, we are ready to go on this end, just set up the beacon and we’ll have you sent back.”
“Alright, see you guys soon enough, this is Baedeker out.” He said as he released the button on the side that kept the channel open on our end.
“Well, Twilight, are you convinced quite yet?” She just stared at me with her jaw hanging loose. “I’ll take that as a yes and get on with life. Baedeker, you got the beacon?”
“Aye, sir, here you go, I think you know this place well enough to select a suitable place to go back from.” I nodded and went out the door, and after Baedeker and Twilight were out I locked the door and hid the key behind a block of stone in the stairway up to the door. Even though I was leaving, I knew that I would return someday, and when that day came I wanted to have my house ready for me.
After a few minutes of trotting down the road and off into the infrequently walk part of the fields, we soon came to the spot where I had been when I first had come into Equestria ten months ago. I planted the beacon and tapped the blue button on the top, which turned red when I hit it. I looked over to Twilight, who was standing a little distance off as I had instructed her to.
“I will return Twilight, but until then you might wish to tell Celestia of my presence. Stay strong in your beliefs and walk the path of life you wish, but keep it in mind that one day I will return, and that time I might bring my family along, but until I do I want you to walk your life as you would otherwise.” I gave her one last smile as I finished my climatic speech. Suddenly the sensation I had achieved during my coming to Equestria came back. Again it started as if it were just the usual breeze for the time of year, then it turned into a hurricane of wind rushing by me. Suddenly there was a flash of light and then darkness. Slowly I came to my senses and found my figure to be once again bipedal. I touched my leg to make sure I was completely dressed, and I was. I slowly stood up with Baedeker beside me smiling. We looked in front of us and saw a room filled with scientist applauding us for a job well done. I was home, Equestria was behind me, but I could help but feel that I had left something behind. Not a physical item but the feeling of wishing to already be back where I was not a second ago.
And so came ‘My Equine Adventure’ to a close, but as I had said to Twilight, some day I might take it back up again, to enjoy the splendor of Equestria and all the ponies I had left behind.
I woke up suddenly by the sound of a loud bang. I looked around the room. Strange, the whole place was lit up by some light, yet it was fading. I pulled the cord on my bedside lamp, hoping Ruth wouldn’t care too much about the disturbance, and I also grabbed by glasses and put them on quickly to see what had happened. I looked at the foot of my bed and saw a scroll slowly losing its aura of bright light. I grabbed it and turned off the lamp and snuck out of my room to my small office across the hall. I opened the scroll and found a strange writing on it… Equestrian! I quickly took out a small piece of paper I had in a small cup that otherwise was filled with pencils, and fed both pieces of paper into a machine that started translating it and typing it across the computer screen.
‘Dear Johann Webster,
After months of trying to form this spell I have succeeded to send you a message by locking onto your life force and sending this to you. In this letter is contained the events that happened directly after your departure to Earth.
Sincerely Yours,
Twilight Sparkle’
Well at least she had made a spell to get me a message; I was kind of wandering beforehand how my disappearance had been explained to others and how she had dealt with Celestia.
‘Fjkgisjhfusbsuudhdbfsibahv’ Wait… that can’t be right. I looked at the scroll and saw a sizable burn mark and only a few letters showing here and there and some of the ink from the other letters blending with the papers burnt areas. Eventually I found a part that wasn’t burnt and where letters and words were able to be distinguished.
‘Dear Princess Celestia,’ Ah, this must be where she sent a letter, this part is definitely one that I want above all else.
‘You may have been unaware that for the past few months Equestria has been home to a foreign creature, a creature that does not even belong to this universe, a traveler of sort if you will. To continue, this visitor was in the form of a pony, although in his world he is not equine at all. For the months he was here he helped us ponies in Ponyville. He helped harvest apples with Applejack, he helped tend to some animals with Fluttershy, he help Pinkie get a few new tricks, he helped almost everypony if not everypony in Ponyville, and he helped me twice. He installed a bell, that I decided to remove and keep safe in his memory, and he helped me gain a better grasp of our worlds. He showed me that even a people forged in violence can make peace and bring happiness. His people, known as humans, at one time did come to Equestria and settle. They left records of themselves and how they came to our world and why. What catastrophe they ran from, and what they decided to face after meeting a special somepony.
After some research I found records, ancient scrolls and tomes locked away in the deepest parts of the Royal libraries that staid that Luna herself found these creatures. They were frightened and lonely in this world with no other humans except the measly two hundred that still lived from the original ten thousand that came to our world all those years ago. The records said that Luna was on the brink of becoming Nightmare Moon when she found them. They trembled at her voice, and coward into the corners of their homes, even though they possessed the power to… dispatch of her. Eventually a young girl came out and looked at her. Luna’s voice lowered and asked the child why the others coward in the darkness while she came out. The girl didn’t answer a thing to her, but just stared at her and reached out and touched her mane lightly before retracting her hand and falling into a little ball before her, crying. It was said that some humans came out and told her the story of sadness and why they had left. This experience had an effect on both peoples. The humans returned because that one little girl showed the courage that no other human had, and this experience of fear and genuine innocence took hold on Luna and is said to have work at her while she sat long years on the moon. I believe it is that event that made her not kill me the moment she saw me and my friends. She saw that fear in my eyes and the small size I had bunched myself in earlier on, I think it was that that made her softer; I think it was that that made her easier to be converted even though she might have denied it as Nightmare Moon. I also read some books on human history that they gave over to Luna the day they left. These books depict lives of agony and war, day after day it seems a new war came up, but the visitor that came to our lands was different. He didn’t bring conflict; instead he brought happiness to us all. When he left, the only thing he left for us ponies here in Ponyville was good memories and wishes for a swift return. When he was here he said he had a family and friends he wished to return to. Some here in Equestria and maybe some there on Earth might think our two kinds our so vastly different that our kinds could not sustain a relationship for too long before friction was caused, but by what his man showed me, I think our two people were meant to walk together, to live together. He said before he left back to his home that he would return with his family someday, I can truly say I look forward to this visit with eagerness. Celestia, if I was offered to go to Earth before I knew Johann, and with the knowledge of their past I now have, I frankly would have said no. I would say my reasons were friends and family and the love of harmony and not of chaos and war that reigns on Earth. But now, if I was asked to go with the knowledge of all that and the knowledge of the human who visited us, I most definitely would say yes. This man, Johann Webster, showed me that behind the haze of war that looms ever above humanity’s name, there is a haven of peace and happiness and through all the wars and conflicts, there is always a safe haven with our friends. I know this report is long, but with the visit of such an important figure of inter-universal travel, there is much to be said.
Your Faithful Student,
Twilight Sparkle’
I looked away from the screen. Truly Twilight was a master at writing beautiful things, at least in how I saw it. The words did the justice and far more for humans than we could ever deserve. In my time of reading books, most depicted human and equestrian relation as very strained, yet I had had a very peaceful and unstrained relation with many ponies. If anything, I think the majority would say that the way I acted with ponies was realistic, that somehow ponies would hate me for coming to their world, and that the ponies would wish me gone for the joke I played that one winter. But strained or happy moments and come together for a peaceful relationship. Besides, I should know better than a few… I’ve lived through it. ‘My Equine Adventure’ seemed to have ended, but having left Equestria doesn’t mean it’s over yet, no, it just means it’s on a slight hold. With all this in mind, it only seemed right to do one thing, write. It was then and there I started to write down my tale and publish it on ‘FiM Fiction’ that lonely day of October 12, 2012. And now my writing draws to a close after the failed attempt of National Novel Writing Month and other obstacles to write. As I write these last few lines I can say that I promise that one day, Ruth, Jason, and I will all go back to Equestria, to relive the wanders of that land, for when I promise, I mean it, and when I mean it, nothing is going to stop me. So as I jot down these last few words, expecting all haters to attack me on points of incorrect scenarios, just remember all of you, I should know how it all happened, remember, I lived through it all, and I have come to the end of writing it all.
Epilogue: Family Discussions
Epilogue: Family Discussions
I closed the book and continued to sit on my son’s bed. I smiled at him and he smiled at me. I had been writing this story and each night I finished a chapter I would read it to him as a good night story.
“Daddy, did you really do all that? You know, going to E...que…stry...ah?” he said rather slowly as he tried hard to pronounce it correctly.
“Yes, Jason, it all happened, it’s a true story unlike many stories like it.”
“Are you really going to take me and mommy there someday?” He said hopefully.
“Yes I am, I just have to convince your mom to let us all go.”
“I hope she let’s us go soon, I can’t wait to meet Miss Pinkie and Rainbow, it’s going to be so exciting.” He said literally bouncing in his bed with excitement.
“Well you better rest up then, you never know when your mom might agree, and you will want all the energy you can get.” He nodded and slammed into his pillow and started mock snoring. “Goodnight to you little booger.” I said while giving him a small rub on the head.
“You too big booger.” he said with his eyes still closed as he cracked a smile. I quietly exited the room and turned off the lights and closed the door. I walked down stair and found my wife Ruth washing the dishes.
“So how did the reading go tonight?” She asked without looking back to me.
“Oh, fine as always, along with the same plea he gives each night.” I said after kissing her on the cheek.
“And you two know the answer I give every night to the same plea.”
“And you know as well as I do that Jason and I am just going to keep bothering you until you give in. I mean, why don’t you want to go? We wouldn’t lose too much. We got a house over there along with new friends awaiting our coming.”
“You know me well enough to know that…”
“To know you don’t take to change to well. And here we are, you married to a scientist when you thought I was just a singer.”
“And you are a very good one, and I mean both singer and scientist. I just that I can’t stand to think of changing bodies, it’s just too much for me to handle.”
“Yet you were willing to change so much else. Ruth, how about I make you a deal. We go to Equestria, see if you like it by staying for one week, and if you haven’t changed you mind by then, then we all go back to living here. But if you change your mind and end up liking it then we will stay, who does that sound?”
“Well… maybe…”
“Just tell me when you are ready and I’ll be ready soon after.”
“Alright, but don’t hold your breath on me.”
“Fair enough, but one way or another we are going back to Equestria, whether it be days or years from now, we eventually will go.” I said with a smile. She nodded to be and continued her washing. I headed up to the room and sat down on the bed and began undoing to strings on my boots. Suddenly a light flashed from the foot of my bed. I looked and saw a small wallet. I opened it and found pictures of ponies and other things of Equestria. I noticed a bunch of bit inside of the money pouch and a small corner of a paper poking out from one of the pouches. I drew out the paper and read these words after a rough session of translation.
‘To a scientist who we all wish to return, with all our love no matter how long it maybe until he returns.’ Under those words were a load of signatures, all of which were from ponies of Ponyville. I smiled at it and looked at the ceiling with a sigh.
“Soon ponies, very soon.” I said. I grabbed the wallet and stuffed it into a draw were I kept several things of importance to me. I smiled and laid down in my bed, not even caring that I still had my lab coat, undershirt, and jeans on. My thoughts were consumed by the thought of seeing the ponies once again, and how they would react to my family, and slightly more important, how my family would react to them. All these thoughts consumed me until at last weariness over took me and chased me of to the land of dreams.
THE END
Chapter 1: New World, New Rules, New Body
Chapter 1: New World, New Rules, New Body
I finally woke up after my little escapade. My head still slightly hurt, but other than that I felt alright. I looked around, but all I saw were blurs of fields of flowers. My glasses were gone! I had lost them upon my entry. I started to shuffle frantically, and rather awkwardly, around the flowers in an attempt to find my glasses. I realized that something was shifting among the grass behind me. Out of instinct, I turned and tried to see what was coming towards me. All I could see was a yellow blur. I waved toward it trying to gain its attention. Evidently my attempts worked because soon enough the figure drew nearer to me. I then began to speak to whatever it was,
“Excuse me, it seems I have lost my glasses among these flowers. Would you please help me find them?” The figure seemed to nod and start searching around me. A few times it brushed by me, all I felt was fur. Man, this person must be hot in that fur coat. Then again, it might be usual to wear fur clothing, and if that was true then I needed some new clothes, and stat. Soon enough I heard a voice, a female one, I could only guess it was the person helping me find my glasses,
“Pardon me, sir.” I looked toward the person and signaled for her to continue. “Are these your glasses?” Sure enough they were. They had the distinct markings of erosion by means of sweat making the metal parts in contact with my ears either green or a more silver like color.
I awoke the next morning, completely bewildered by the fact that the sun was in my face and that my alarm was not sounding. Although the shock of thumping against a tree almost frightened me to death, I quickly realized that I was not in my apartment in Ponce anymore. I no longer was in my home of Puerto Rico, no more. But soon the prospect of meeting my favorite equine TV stars was enough to get me started on the day. I fixed my mane in the way I usually would do with my normal hair, brush the bangs to the side and pat down the obstinate tuft of hair on the part line. I stretched my back in a more cat like manner than what an equine would probably do, but it was a little bit understandable since I had only been in this form for a few hours. I set my direction toward the rising sun and trotted off again towards the town, that had still had not shown itself on the horizon. After a few minutes, I found myself at Rarity’s shop. I looked down on my clothes, they looked rather clean in my eyes, but I might want a saddlebag or a hat to complete my outfit, and turn from a scientist to a respectable gent… stallion. I walked in, and as I did, the bells above the door announced my presence. I could only hope that she was open or else I might get charged with breaking and entering. With the prospect of an accusation of breaking and entering, a memory came to mind… a time when that accusation had come my way in a very ridiculous manner. I had been living in Greenville, South Carolina for about three days after graduating from college. I had just purchased a small apartment and had been fixing it up to my liking while I worked to get the money to fly to Puerto Rico, the place where I had been born and raised. I had just come back from shopping for provisions. I walked up the stairs and came to my room. I inserted the key, but it didn’t fit. I looked at the plank to the left of the door, yep, 89-B my room, also confirmed by my key chain. I then reached behind my mailbox and found my spare key, but I still didn’t budge. I scratched my head at my predicament. Already knowing the door’s one weakness, I gave it a solid kick at the center. The door swung open and smacked against the wall. I flipped on the lights and was met by a very weird sight. Two couches on the right, a love seat on the left, and a picture of some person at Disney on the far wall. This wasn’t my set up at all! My set up was one couch and a loveseat on the left, my entertainment center on the right, and a painting I had made of a flower during college. I walked out of the apartment, only to be seen by the returning owner, who promptly ran back down the stairs and began dialing on his phone for 9-1-1. Great, now I had an owner who thought I had stolen his stuff and put it into a brown bag, because that is what my groceries were in. Soon enough, the police arrived, to find me standing by the door of the man’s house.
“Sir, please come with us.” I happily complied; I had nothing to hide, only an embarrassing mistake, which I still did not understand. As we descended the stairs they read me my rights, took my bag, and gave me a nice pair of solid steel handcuffs. We arrived in the police station rather quickly where I explained my story. The owner, who had come with us, began to laugh towards the end, at which, the officers and I were rather perplexed. After he recovered from his laughter, he explained his reaction,
“The plank to the right of the door is the number of the room. Your apartment was one door over.” Soon the officers and I began to laugh. I was promptly relieved of my cuffs, given my groceries back, and returned to my REAL home.
Suddenly a voice brought me back from memory lain.
“May I help you, sir? Is something wrong?” I shook my head trying to focus on reality.
“Sorry, I just had a memory pop up, and yes, I was looking for something to complete my outfit. A hat or something of that nature, and also I was hoping for some saddlebags, if you carry any.” Rarity looked at me in slight confusion of the nature of my request, but soon I found that she was circling me, looking at my current outfit, and probably, how to collaborate as best as she could with it. Soon she was off to a side room, but I dared not follow in case she was coming back or I was not to follow. Soon, she reappeared with white saddlebags enveloped in her magic. She was fitting a metal buckle to it that bore a partial representation of my Cutiemark. “Oh, the buckle is not necessary ma’am.” Rarity again looked at me, and quickly discarded the two buckles. I fumbled with them in my magic, which was red, and finally placed them on my back. Soon she led me into a room that had attachments for any number of outfits. I soon was trying every top hat, tie, straw hat, and every other trinket she could muster up. We eventually arrived at the end of her selection; if this one didn’t fit I would have to go on looking like my scientific self. She levitated it to it position and allowed me to glance at my reflection in the mirror. It was a red bowtie, and no matter how simple it seemed compared to the rest, I liked it. “Perfect, just what I was looking for.” At these words Rarity looked surprised, as I could see in the refection in the mirror behind me. I took out my wallet, as useable as possible, and looked inside. Nope, they were still just green dollars and a few quarters and dimes. I had no way to pay for it, no matter how much I liked it, and even with her being the element of generosity, I could not expect that I could get it. “Unfortunately, it seems I can’t get it.” At this I sighed heavily and took it off. Rarity looked even more surprised, as her jaw gapped open.
“May I ask why not, good sir?” Rarity asked me. I took a deep breath in and a deep breath out. I then turned to her as I said,
“It seems that I forgot my coin pouch, and it would be more than a month’s travel away, so I must leave it.” I made no attempt at dramatizing with ‘woe is me’s and so on and so forth. I made my tone as serious as possible, making sure whatever decision she would make would not be in consequence of any woeful tone I produced. Not waiting for her to answer, I started towards the door of the shop, only to feel her magic grasp me and tie the bowtie around my neck. I started to reach my hoof to untie it, but I felt her magic grasp it and put it on the ground once more. I turned to her and said once more, “I have no way to pay you for it, no matter how much I would love to have it I cannot accept.” Rarity gave me her look. The one that meant, take it or take it. She was as abstinent as the tuft of hair along my part line, but in no ways as annoying.
“I insist, and if the time comes, you can repay me.” I nodded and smiled. I now knew that I probably wasn’t going to leave the area. I couldn’t leave for a while yet, not with this debt to Rarity.
Soon enough I saw the most energetic pony in all of Equestria. She reacted almost the same way she had done for Twilight in episode one. The thought of Twilight gave me an idea. She was the most knowledgeable pony in the vicinity. Since I had lack of knowledge towards the time line, mostly because I hadn’t watched to many MLP episodes in recent days, she would be the most suited to inform me. I headed towards the tree library, only hoping on my memory of directions from the show to aid me through the streets. I soon reached the library; it was bigger than I had thought it would be. I didn’t just look like a tree, it was as large as any tree in Pennsylvania’s many forest. I walked in and wasn’t really quite sure what to expect, but the sight of the towering shelves was comforting enough. I reminded me of my office, with more encyclopedias and books of common knowledge, or not so common knowledge, than you could shake a pen at. I soon heard hoofsteps coming down the flight of stairs. Soon, enough Twilight appeared and looked at me. Strange, every pony I had met so far gave me that look. I could only guess it was because I was a new comer to their town, but unknown to them was the fact I was a new comer to all of Equestria.
“May I help you find something, sir?” I nodded and replied,
“Yes, I was hoping for some… insight.” Twilight raised an eyebrow at me. I knew my request wasn’t what you would expect. I then continued in explanation, “I am a scientist who is passing by and I was hoping for some incite in the ways of the town, and I thought the library would be a good place to start.” Twilight then seemed to understand. We must have talked for several hours, but it was a nice talk. I soon was up to speed on the current events and was as packed with as much information as I was when I was twelve to thirteen, the prime years of my bronyhood. Finally she made me a question I had hoped to avoid,
“Where are you from?” I pondered how to answer this, and soon I thought I had an answer that was a polite one and that would smack the troublesome question down to the dirt.
“A far away city, but it is of little importance. I doubt many ponies would know of it or where it is, being as it is a border colony, in a way much like Ponyville that borders the Everfree forest except we border the known world.” Twilight seemed to take this answer, although I knew it was in no wise a truthful one, no matter how you sliced it.
“So mister… Oh my, it seems I didn’t catch your name.” I wasn’t quite prepared for this one yet. Should I go with my real name? It might aid my friends in finding me if they came to find me, but it would be such an unusual name for a pony. Then a thought came to me. My username in that pony site… um... Oh yes, Fim Fic. What was it... oh yes, Young Quill Master. I could use both names but rely on one in a stronger manner than the other with the ponies.
“My name is Johann Webster, well, that is when I am in the lab. Most call me Quill Master, being as I like to write.” Twilight seemed a bit confused by my double name. “My real name is Johann Webster but I am usually called Quill Master by those outside of the lab, as in common pony folk.” Twilight now seemed to understand.
“Well, Mister Webster, Do you have a place to stay here in Ponyville?” I chuckled to myself because she had used my real last name instead of my other one. But then again, how would it sound being called ‘Mister Master’? Just didn’t sound right, so Webster had to do.
“No, but I will manage, I have before.” I replied rather flatly.
“Alright, if you think you can make it.” Twilight seemed concerned, but I wasn’t about to stay in the same house as a lady I had no relationship to. I headed out of the library and onto the streets. I started my search for a place to sleep in to pass the night that had already come upon me. I soon found a suitable place to bunker down, another tree with raised roots. I took off my coat and bow tie and hung them on the branches of the tree. I folded my glasses and placed them where nopony would step on them and were I would not roll over and crush them.