"Wha–Who–She–I–... What's going on?" Alex asked of no one in particular. She had arrived in an unfamiliar place, having been tricked by a genie... again.

The buildings were archaic, the roads were unpaved, and she had just seen a horse with wings pushing a cloud.

She was pointing toward the flying horse, as though she had caught it doing something wrong. After a few moments Alex lowered her hand and took a deep breath.

She looked around, trying to make sense of her new environment. When she couldn't, she did what she always did when things got tough: she gave up.

With that out of the way, she felt like she wanted some place to lie down. She happened to standing in front of a massive tree into which was set a door. Deciding that it was as good a place as any, she approached the door and knocked, half-expecting another winged horse to answer. Instead, a tiny little dragon opened the door, which made her laugh.

"What's so funny?" asked the little dragon.

Alex took a second to regain her composure before replying. "I think I'm lost."

"That doesn't sound very funny." said the dragon.

"We're in agreement on that, little dude." Alex said, barging past the dragon and into the main chamber of the library.

"Hey! You can't just come in without an invitation!" said the dragon, chasing after her on his little legs.

"What am I? A vampire?" Alex asked, her attention stolen by the massive shelves of books that lined the inside of the tree.

"Are you?" asked the dragon.

"Am I what?" Alex responded, having already forgotten what she had just said a moment before. "Am I hungry? Tired? A bit of Both, actually. I'll take a soda and your finest couch, thank you."

Before the dragon could stop her she flopped down onto the sofa, exhausted from the day's events which culminated in her arrival in that strange place.

"Spike? Is some-pony here?" came a girl's voice from somewhere above.

Alex giggled at the term 'some-pony,' her face still buried in a pillow. She thought about checking to see who was talking, but the pillow felt good and she was worried that confronting the owner of the voice might be too much of a hassle.

"I didn't let her in. She just came in on her own. Sorry, Twilight. There was nothing I could do." Spike said as Twilight stepped up beside him, the two of them staring at the boots and behind of the intruder who was occupying their couch.

Alex was wearing a striped, long-sleeved shirt with skinny jeans tucked into heeled faux-leather boots, in one of which she also kept her wand tucked safely for easy access.

"It's ok, Spike; she's a lot bigger than you. Is she... human?" Twilight said.

Spike shrugged. "She looks human. I'd ask, but talking to her is frustrating."

"Excuse me." Twilight stepped up to the side of the couch to address the intruder.

Alex turned her head to the side and tried to blow the hair out of her face. When that failed, she sat up. "Well, this is awkward."

"Yes, it is." said Twilight. Who are you, and why are you in my house?"

Alex looked the pony up and down, then cast her gaze about the library, her eyes settling on the loft above the staircase.

"You live in a library? Where's your T.V.?" Alex said.

"I'm not answering your questions until you answer mine." Twilight said, stamping her hoof.

"Woah, hold your horses." said Alex. "Heh, horses."

Twilight snorted.

"Alright, alright. Sheesh. I'm Alex. Alex Russo. I came here unexpectedly and don't really have a place to stay."

Twilight sighed. "Well, you could have asked first."

"I find that asking gives people the opportunity to say 'no.' It's much easier to just avoid that part altogether." Alex said.

Twilight wasn't a fan of that logic, or this girl for that matter, but she wasn't about to kick her out onto the street. It also occurred to her that making friends with this 'Alex Russo' would be challenge worth writing to her mentor about.

"Well Miss Russo—" Twilight began, before being interrupted.

"Ugh. You sound like my teacher. Just call me Alex."

Twilight was getting impatient. "Well Alex, I guess you can stay here for the time being. I have to ask though: What are you doing here in Ponyville? Do you have anyone you can contact about getting home?"

Alex snorted at the name 'Ponyville,' but managed not to interrupt any more than that.

"I'm not here by choice, and I'm not really on speaking terms with anyone who can help me." Alex said.

Twilight figured she would have to be patient if she wanted to get more out of Alex. If she ran away from home she would have to decide on her own if and when she wanted to return. Twilight was already beginning to regret her decision, but there wasn't really anything for it. Alex would probably be a burden wherever she ended up.

"Twilight, are you sure this is a good idea?" asked Spike.

Twilight shook her head. "We can't just leave her to fend for herself. How would she survive? I already want to kill her."

"Hey, that's rude." said Alex. "Besides, I can take care of myself. See?"

Alex stands, pulls her want out of her boot and gives it a whirl.

"Commakus Pancakus!"

A plate, and a stack of fresh pancakes appeared on the floor between the three of them.

"Oh wow. They smell amazing!" said Spike. "How did you do that? Are you a unicorn?"

"Pff. Do I look like a unicorn?" said Alex, twirling her wand in her fingers.

"Remarkable." said Twilight, impressed. "I've never seen a human perform a spell like that."

"That's because I'm a wizard." Alex said proudly.

Twilight and Spike looked at one another.

"A what?" asked Twilight, curious.

"What? Do you guys not have those here?" Alex said.

Author's Note

I might do more with Alex, but thought this encounter might be best as a standalone piece. It is for this reason that it reads a little like an opening chapter.

I rewatched most of Wizards of Waverley Place recently, and the first episode of the newer show largely because I enjoyed Only Murders in the Building, in which Selena plays a character very different from Alex named Mabel.

The character of Alex Russo is strange, and somewhat inhibited by the old show’s struggle with continuity. However, she still manages to be likable and occasionally relatable (more so later on) while generally being a fairly bad person. Sometimes she seems almost devoid of redeeming qualities, deliberately antagonizing others and causing chaos for her own amusement, not caring and even taking delight in other’s misfortune.

Yet for all that she is inwardly afraid of being unnoticed and alone, keeping others at arms length and acting as though she doesn’t care what others think of her so that people won’t realize just how much she actually does.

She begins as a bullied daddy’s girl who becomes a rebel artist and eventually starts to obtain the confidence needed to come into her own, but still struggles with seeing herself as a good and caring person, as though afraid that this makes her another nobody filling a predefined slot in her community.

In this story Alex is a high-school senior, still struggling to define herself amidst the ever-approaching realities of adult life and coming to terms with her own inadequacies and the fallout of her own destructive behavior.

If I continue to write about this character, I will likely try and explore her contrasts with Twilight Sparkle, who is still learning about friendship and is in many ways the kind of person Alex would consider a ‘dork’ while also leaning on them for support.

There will probably be some more of the usual stuff, which didn’t really have a place in this piece.

Finally, I would like to apologize for the essay, and express my appreciation to those that actually read through it all.
Cheers!