1: The CorridorView OnlineThey Might Be Aliens1: The CorridorShe didn’t expect a corridor. Every time before this, it had felt like falling through fabric, an odd and suffocating feeling. But this time, it felt like she had been ejected from a chute. She expected to be arriving just in time to watch Gusty the Great slay the fearsome Grogar. The ancient times were her favorite to visit because the pony race had not yet settled in Equestria. In those days, creatures of horror ruled the land. Every visit was full of tremendous adventure! So the fact she did not end up there—but here in a hallway—did not peak her curiously or cause her any alarm. All it did was cause the pony to feel wildly annoyed. Time to go. She shuts her eyes, expecting to feel the fall and the fabric at any moment. But nothing happened. She opens one eye to check. Maybe I missed it? But when she opens both eyes, Honey Drift realizes that she did not miss anything and that she had not gone anywhere. She was in the same exact place the chute had dropped her a moment ago. And that only meant one thing. That she was not within time anymore if she couldn’t travel away. Honey Drift decided to have a sit, because she does all her best thinking when sitting. But her body doesn’t move. She tries to budge her torso and then her hooves, but nothing happens. The pony can, however, move her head. She looks down to check her hooves, nervous that something is wrong with her legs. She feels her stomach drop when she sees that she is floating. Am I suspended in place? She swallows her panic and inspects the corridor visually to better understand her situation. Honey Drift would later explain the corridor to have been dug by giant space moles. From her perspective, it tunneled through fluffy mounds of dust. And beyond these enormous pillows were luminous stars, the only source of light here. The glow of these stars seemed to reflect some large particles in the dust. It made it seem like the corridor cut through clouds of sparkles in some places. It was spectacular. But the pony was too unnerved by the quiet, as if noise didn’t exist here, to enjoy the view around her. This place felt supernatural. She also thought it was unlikely she was alone in this place since the corridor certainly didn’t make itself. Instinctively, she smelled the air for clues of life, but it had no scent. She tries to call out to say hello, but no sound leaves her mouth. She tries a few more words, but to no avail. Then in frustration, the pony tries to yell profanity. But her voice could not penetrate the silence. An intrusive thought entered her mind and overwhelmed her with an eerie feeling that maybe she was abducted. After all, how else could she have gotten here? Time travel has not failed her before, nor has it ever dumped her in space. Honey Drift decided it was time to find the exit and her way back Equus. But the pony wasn’t quite sure how to move since she was floating and suspended in place. After some thought, she decided maybe the problem was that she was trying to walk out of here. What if she tried to swim, and just pony paddled her way home? She said it to herself jokingly, as a little levity in a hopeless situation. So the pony was quite unprepared when she was suddenly floating free in the corridor. In a panic, she committed to the pony paddle to move forward, but instead, the movement turns her sideways. The pony braces to hit the dust cloud, expecting it to contain her within the corridor’s barrier. But she continues to drift through the dust and towards the stars. Honey Drift tries to stop, and she tries to paddle in other directions, but this just makes her spin like a wheel. She emerges on the other side of the dust and stares out into the void. And as the pony’s screams die in her throat, she begins to see that what she thought were stars are in actuality, shimmering portals at varying distances. Wherever she is, it’s not space. Honey Drift realizes that some of these portals were very close, but the thought was too late, since she was already cartwheeling into one. The pony suddenly experiences the familiar sensations of strangling and stretching as time swallows her. She is spit out into total darkness. And though she could not see her hoof in front of her own face, she knows with certainty that she was in a barn. Not only could she smell the hay, but she could feel the stalks poking into her fur. Honey Drift holds her breath, listening for signs of life. The nighttime creatures of the forest are enjoying a summer night. Nothing sounds out of place, so she stands up carefully and slowly. The pony waits again for noises before spending a few minutes cautiously reaching out her hooves to feel the immediate space around her. The pony studies the air with quiet huffs. She’s not alone. “H…hello?,” she finally says nervously into the blackness. The light flicks on and Honey Drift immediately feels blinded by it, wincing in pain and shutting her eyes. “Sorry, we should have done that earlier, darling.” Her eyes slowly open once the burning sensation passes. After adjusting to the light, she sees Rarity smiling triumphantly next to the light switch by the wall. Honey Drift slowly turns her head to see that Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie are standing in a circle around her, smiling like statues. And near Rarity, hiding behind the wall and peeking from around its corner, is Fluttershy. “So let me get this straight, you ponies were all just…standing around…in the dark? Cuz that’s totally normal.” “No no no, we were in here waiting for you,” Applejack says matter-of-factly. The rest of the Mane 6 share a secret, knowing look. Except for Fluttershy, who is trembling behind the wall. Honey Drift frowns. She never intended to visit Ponyville again, so she wasn’t sure how the ponies could be expecting her. But she has no energy to challenge this. The whole encounter with the corridor has both annoyed and exhausted her. “I’m sorry ponies, but I’m feeling very tired.” Honey Drift yawns and looks to Fluttershy who is peeking out from behind the safety of the wall. “Same sleeping arrangements as last time? Should I head to the treehouse?” Fluttershy blushes. Last time? The statuesque smiles of the other ponies have faded. They share a nervous look with each other before focusing on Twilight Sparkle. Twilight clears her throat before speaking. “Have we met before?” “Yeah, how do you know about Fluttershy’s treehouse?” Rainbow Dash tilts her head. “Are you like a stalker or something?” Honey Drift fakes a laugh and rolls her eyes. “Hilarious.” She walks over to the wall that Fluttershy is mostly hiding behind. The pony gently takes Fluttershy’s trembling hoof and places it in her own. Honey Drift looks at the pegasus’s face, noticing that Fluttershy hasn’t aged a day since she saw her last. If anything, she appeared younger. Curious. What is happening? Fluttershy turns bright pink from all the stranger’s attention. “Can we please go home?” She is now looking into Fluttershy’s eyes. “I’d like to go to bed.” The pegasus, flustered, drops her gaze to the ground. Fluttershy knows the stranger has confused her for someone else, but her heart has been racing since the moment she took her hoof. Shyly, she looks up at the pony and then moves her eyes to peer over the stranger’s shoulder. Honey Drift can’t see the ponies behind her sharing silent gestures and intense eyeball communications. Nor is she paying any attention to Fluttershy beyond holding her hoof. That’s because the pony’s eyelids have started to droop and she would soon be asleep on her feet. “Ponies, I-I-I suppose that um. I should take our guest to bed,” Fluttershy says in such a way that it sounded like a question. The other four ponies stand there awestruck. Fluttershy has never gone rogue before. They share their shocked faces with each other before collectively looking at Twilight Sparkle. All their ears are flat and pulled back, showing uncertainty about Twilight’s reaction. “Great idea, Fluttershy. I’m sure everything will make more sense in the morning after we have all had a rest.” The four ponies cannot believe their ears. “Sojust to be perfectly clear, our mysterious guest will be staying…in our accommodations?” “And they we will be here in the morning?” Pinkie is trying her best not to scream. Are we having a surprise sleepover?! “Sounds pretty reasonable to me.” “Eh. Whatever.” Rainbow Dash isn’t that interested. Dorks. Fluttershy gently shakes the stranger by the hoof to wake her. Once the pony’s eyes open, she begins to walk and leads the pony by the hoof towards the barn door. But instead of going straight, Fluttershy veers left towards the loft. Honey Drift stops abruptly. “Where are we going?” “To…to b-bed,” Fluttershy responds, but it again sounds like a question. Or permission. “Then why are we going this way?” The pony gestures her head towards the barn door. “The path to Everfree Forest is outside.” Fluttershy blinks and then looks at Honey Drift sheepishly. “I…I don’t know another way.” “What?” Honey Drift is dumbfounded. Did she forget the way to her own house? The pegasus gently pulls Honey Drift by the hoof and leads her again. Reluctantly, Honey Drift follows and casts a backwards look over her shoulder at the other ponies. They’re all smiling like statues again. She turns and allows Fluttershy to pull her into darkness. There is no light reaching this part of the barn and the smell of hay is very pungent here The two ponies continue walking and after a moment, they stop. “Fluttershy, are we in the hay loft?” “Just…just a moment.” Fluttershy is shuffling around in the dark as if she is looking for something. “Are we getting a snack before bed?” A lantern comes on in Fluttershy’s hooves. “No silly, this is bed.” Honey Drift sighs. “So are you guys remodeling your cottages? Why are you sleeping in here now?” “We’ve always slept in the hay loft,” Fluttershy responds quietly. Honey Drift sighs again, exasperated. She knows these ponies have never lived in the barn together. “Where should I go?” She gestures to the hay. Fluttershy points to a spot near the corner in the back of the hay loft. “You could curl up in my spot if you’d like. We don’t have guests stay over so I’m…I’m sorry we don’t have a different spot for you.” At this point, Honey Drift is too tired to care where she sleeps. She steps into the hay loft determinedly, her hooves making crunching sounds as she walks to the corner of the loft. Her body collapses into the hay immediately, the dried stalks feeling both sharp and soft as they come into contact with her fur. “Good night, pony,” Fluttershy says quietly from the entrance of the hay loft. Honey Drift doesn’t respond because she is already asleep.
2: BreakfastView OnlineThey Might Be Aliens2: BreakfastHoney Drift’s eyes fluttered open. She forgot when and where she was. The pony sat up, feeling startled. She looked around the loft to see a few colorful, pony-shaped mounds blanketed under the hay. Slowly, she began to recall yesterday’s string of unexpected and unusual events that had brought her here. After a quick assessment of her surroundings, she noticed that Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle were not among the slumbering ponies in the hay. I bet that means there’s breakfast. Honey Drift stood and stretched out her hooves as far as she could, enjoying the momentary pull of her muscles. Once she felt properly limber, she tried to tiptoe out of the loft without waking or stepping on her sleeping friends. But she hesitated when she saw Rarity sleeping near the entryway. It wasn’t the sight of the unicorn’s head resting on Applejack’s thigh that gave her pause—it was the fact that she had never seen Rarity asleep without curlers in her mane. Honey Drift found it curious but moved on in search of breakfast. In the daylight, the barn looked unfamiliar. Some of the details seemed oversimplified, reduced to a sterile, minimalist style. It reminded her of Manehattan home decor from her own time in the future. As she approached the common area, she realized that nothing about this barn looked lived-in. Just like Manehattan. There was no furniture except for a modern table in the middle of the room. A single plant sat atop it. Breakfast at last. Honey Drift trotted over—but the moment her mouth touched the plant, she recoiled in horror. A plastic salad plant? When did the Mane Six turn into such pranksters? “No. No more deviations.” Honey’s ears perked forward, and all her attention snapped to the tack room, where Twilight Sparkle had just stepped out. A flustered Fluttershy followed closely behind. “B-B-But…” “You have your orders.” Twilight suddenly stopped in her tracks, her gaze locking onto the stranger in the common area. “Good morning, Princess Twilight Sparkle. Good morning, Fluttershy.” Twilight’s admonishing tone instantly shifted to something more playful. “You know you can just call me ‘Twilight.’ We’re usually not that formal at home.” Honey Drift groaned. “I know, I know.” She had heard Twilight say this so many times. “You forget that you were a pretty big deal to me the first time we met!” Fluttershy raised an eyebrow, looking at the stranger questioningly. “I mean, you all were a big deal to me,” Honey added quietly, her gaze softening as she looked at the pegasus. Twilight noticed Fluttershy’s blush and frowned slightly. “Right. We need to talk.” Her playful tone was gone. “Maybe after breakfast?” “I… I um… I could h-h-help with b-breakfast.” Honey Drift’s eyes lit up. Whenever Fluttershy spoke about breakfast, it usually meant a trip to Café Hay. She fondly recalled the cafe’s giant mushroom tables, delicious pastries, and all the sunny mornings they had spent there together. “I would love that!” “Not until we’ve had a moment to talk.” Twilight’s smile was strained. “Sure, but I’m starving. Is Pinkie still keeping a snack drawer in the tack room?” Fluttershy and Twilight exchanged glances. “Actually, I think there’s a snack drawer out here,” Twilight said abruptly, looking at Fluttershy as she emphasized the words. “Oh… oh, yes.” Fluttershy stammered and sprang into action, diligently searching the barn for the elusive snack drawer. It quickly became apparent to Honey Drift that Fluttershy had no idea what a snack drawer was. She watched the pegasus check under the table and the plastic plant. “Yeah, you’re right, Twilight. We need to talk.” “Ooooh! What do we need to talk about?” Pinkie Pie bounced into the common area. Rarity and Applejack entered a moment later. Honey Drift blinked, as if waking from a dream. Rarity’s mane was perfectly curled. “Why aren’t you doing any farm chores today, Applejack? You’re not exactly the kind of pony that sleeps in.” Applejack replied in her finely tuned twang, “I finished them already, sugarcube.” Honey Drift frowned. That was unlikely—she had just seen Applejack sleeping in the hayloft barely an hour ago. Her gaze flickered around the barn. “And where is Rainbow Dash?” “My, someone certainly woke up with a lot of questions today,” Rarity said airily as she walked over to stand beside Twilight. Applejack followed closely behind. “Well, I have some questions of my own,” Twilight interjected. “Take a seat.” The four ponies obediently sat on the ground, crossing their legs as they settled in. Honey Drift remained standing, facing Twilight. Twilight glanced at the others, and for the first time, Honey Drift noticed the silent communication happening between them. This went on for several minutes. She cleared her throat. “Uh, Twilight? Still waiting.” Twilight’s eyes met hers. “How do you know us?” Honey Drift scoffed. Not this game again. She turned and began walking toward the barn door. “Let’s go get breakfast” Twilight rushed ahead, blocking her path. Honey Drift clenched her jaw, irritation creeping in. “How do you know us?” Twilight repeated. “And why do you keep acting like you’ve been here before?” “I have been here before, Twilight.” The ponies exchanged another round of silent looks before Twilight spoke again. “I don’t think so. We would have come across you in our studies.” “‘Studies’?” “Memories,” Twilight stammered, quickly correcting herself. Honey Drift frowned. “Are you trying to say you don’t remember me?” Twilight hesitated, then sighed. “I’m sorry. We have no idea who you are. We looked through all our research.” “‘Research’?” “Scrapbooks!” Pinkie Pie’s smile twitched uncomfortably. Honey Drift sat down, thinking. By her count, it had been 25 years—in their time—since the Mane Six had last seen her. But for her, it had been over 150 years. She still remembered them. So why had they forgotten her? For a moment, she wondered if they were playing this game because they were hurt that she hadn’t visited. She sighed. “Ponies, I’m sorry I didn’t stay in touch. I know it’s been a while since I’ve been to Ponyville, and I know I’m probably harder to recognize since I’m older.” Her expression softened. “But you can all drop the act now.” Applejack’s ears flicked. “Hold on, partner. Who said anything about an act?” “I don’t see an act here,” Pinkie added, her left eye twitching. Rarity laughed nervously. Honey rolled her eyes. “The whole ‘not knowing me’ act.” A collective “ohhhhh” escaped the ponies—until it was abruptly cut off. The tack room door slammed open. Rainbow Dash stood in the doorway, wincing, as if she were about to deliver bad news. All eyes turned to her. Twilight walked toward the tack room, speaking in hushed whispers with Rainbow Dash. After a few moments, she glanced over her shoulder and gestured for Applejack and Rarity to join them. The two ponies stood quickly and walked toward the door. The whispered exchange between them ended. Without another word, they stepped into the tack room single file. The door shut behind them. Click. A heavy lock slid into place. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy looked at each other, then back at Honey Drift. Honey Drift looked at the two expectantly. “So…breakfast?”
3: CupcakesView OnlineThey Might Be Aliens3: Cupcakes“Cupcakes are a breakfast food, right?” Honey Drifts nods. “Really, an anytime food.” Pinkie Pie leaps into the air from her seated position, her excitement uncontainable. She whirls to Fluttershy, eyes sparkling. “I got this!” Fluttershy, in contrast, looks bewildered. Cupcakes? Her research said breakfast was tea and muffins. Besides, the pegasus knows none of them had ever taken a cooking class. “R-right. Cupcakes.” I hope you know what you’re doing, Pinkie. Pinkie, of course, has no idea what she’s doing. “I’ll just be off to the closet for a few minutes.” “‘Closet’?” “Cooking place!” Pinkie twitches. Honey Drift frowns. “You mean… the kitchen?” “Yes! Kitchen!” Pinkie chirps, trotting toward a door on the wall adjacent to the tack room. She flings it open and disappears into inside, slamming it shut behind her. It was the first time Honey Drift had been alone with Fluttershy since arriving. As they sat together on the barn floor, she took the opportunity to study the pegasus carefully. It felt impossible that any time had passed at all… in fact, Fluttershy seemed younger than she remembered. Fluttershy, too, had noticed that they were the only two ponies left in the common area. When her eyes met Honey’s, she quickly looked away bashfully, her shyness getting the better of her. “Can I ask you a question?” Honey Drift asks, her voice quiet but curious. “It’s a bit personal.” Fluttershy blushes, shifting her mane to hide her cheeks. “S-sure.” “How old are you?” Fluttershy blinks. “L-Like right now to the m-minute? Or down to the seconds?” Honey Drift hesitates. “Uh… years is fine.” “And um… y-you mean pony y-years, right?” Fluttershy asks nervously. Honey Drift gives her a confused look, but the pegasus continues her answer, “B-Because in pony years, I’m 18. Why? How old are you?” But Honey didn’t answer. She seemed lost in thought, her gaze distant. A few moments of silence pass before the stillness is shattered by the deafening whir of an enormous machine. The sound rumbles from behind the door Pinkie Pie has disappeared through moments ago. Honey Drift jumps to her hooves, ears pricked. “What’s that?” Fluttershy gently places a hoof over Honey’s and gives it a reassuring squeeze. “It’s okay. It’s j-just Pinkie using t-the printer.” “‘Printer’?” Honey repeats, baffled. “I thought she was in the kitchen making cupcakes” “Yes,” the pegasus says simply, because somehow, both are true. She tugs lightly on Honey Drift’s hoof, wordlessly urging her to sit back down. After a brief hesitation, the pony obeys, settling beside the pegasus—this time even closer, so she doesn’t have to raise her voice over the relentless churning of the printer. “I think I understand why you don’t remember me.” Fluttershy’s eyes widen. “Oh…d-did you figure it out?” “Yes. I time traveled here to Ponyville before you actually met me. When I first met you, you were a few years older than you are now. That’s why you don’t recognize me—I’m early by about nine years.” A sigh of relief escapes Fluttershy’s lips, though it was drowned out by the machine’s noise. “Oh… and how… how did we meet?” The pegasus looks very curious. “The first time I time travelled, I came here to Ponyville to meet you.” Honey lights up. “The legends of the Mane Six were my favorite stories. The magic of friendship is—” Honey grits her teeth as the printer makes a grinding sound. “—incredible!” Fluttershy appears as if she’s trying to piece together a puzzle. “So…w-we have a connection? It just um, hasn’t… happened yet?” The pony smiles broadly. “Are you kidding? I had a connection with the rest of the ponies. You and I shared something completely different. It was really special.” She pauses. “At least, it will be. Nine years from now.” “S-So I guess now would be a good time to mention that we, um… we don’t know your name.” Honey Drift laughs, tilting her head. “I suppose I could make you ponies wait a few years to find out.” She glances down to see she is still holding Fluttershy’s hoof—or perhaps Fluttershy is still holding hers. “I’m Honey Drift. But my friends usually call me ‘Honey’ for short.” “So,” Fluttershy pauses, looking into the pony’s eyes, “I can call you ‘Honey’ as your special friend?” Honey Drift chuckles, meeting her gaze. “‘Special friend’?” “Oh…” Fluttershy blushes deeply, averting her eyes to the floor. “G-G-Girlfriend?” Honey Drift raises an eyebrow. “‘Girlfriend’?” Fluttershy can’t help herself from stuttering, “Y-You said that you wanted to s-s-sleep at the t-treehouse and… and you called it h-h-home.” “Oh, dear one,” Honey murmurs, placing her free hoof under Fluttershy’s chin. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about. As a matter of fact, you could say that we did have a special relationship last time I was here. And we did live together for a brief moment in time.” A smug grin slowly spreads across Fluttershy’s face as she realizes she has a special friend whose hoof was now under her chin. Oh… this must mean she’s going to kiss me. She leans forward, her anticipation building. Sensing the shift in energy, Honey Drift looks at the pegasus questioningly, who was puckered for a kiss. Not one to disappoint a pretty pony, she leans in and presses her lips to Fluttershy’s. The printer stopped, and the barn fell silent once more. The sudden quiet startled the ponies, causing them to break their kiss. The only sound was the gentle rustling of dry hay beneath them as they shift. Still holding hooves, their noses brush together, a testament to their close proximity. Suddenly, a door slams open. Pinkie Pie emerges, balancing an overflowing plate of the most perfect cupcakes in pony history. This abrupt entrance further startles the pair, prompting them to stand. “Cupcakes!” Pinkie sings, placing the plate on the table in the center of the common area. As Pinkie approaches, Fluttershy subtly distances herself from Honey Drift. Honey Drift, however, is entirely captivated by the cupcakes. She licks her lips, her turquoise eyes widening with delight. For the next glorious hour, it’s just and the cupcakes. The pony loses herself in the sugary confections, moaning with each bite, savoring every crumb. The weird barn and the other ponies fade away—only she and the cupcakes exist. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy watch in fascinated silence. After Honey Drift polishes off more cupcakes than any pony has a right to eat, she lets out a contented sigh. Everything feels right in the world again. She smiles dreamily. “Compliments to the chef.” Pinkie giggles. I’ll be sure to tell the printer. “Glad you enjoyed them—“ “—Honey Drift,” Fluttershy adds softly. Pinkie squealed. “Glad you enjoyed them, Honey Drift! But I better clean the closet before the others get back.” “Kitchen,” Honey corrects gently. Pinkie takes the empty cupcake plate and winks at Honey. “Kitchen.” She trots off, disappearing into the closet and once again slamming the door behind her.
