Shadowmere

The next day...

"So you wish to know of Tamriel?" Shadowmere was leaning against a wall in Twilight's libary while Twilight sat down at a desk, a book about portals and their uses open.

Twilight nodded vigorously.

"What can I say... My land is full of death, betrayal and blood. Now and throughout history. I already explained the history of my family, the Dark Brotherhood and the events of their demise. But I did not explain Oblivion, so I will do that here. Oblivion," Shadowmere began to walk around the room. "Is a number of different realms ruled by beings known as the Daedric Princes. Each Daedric Prince has control over a set of emotions- their sphere and are divided into the bad who control natural disasters and ambition like Mehrunes Dagon and the good like Azura, princess of Dusk and Dawn."

"Princess of Dusk and Dawn?" Twilight questioned.

"A title, nothing more. The good Daedra are not good as such, but give more consideration to their mortal servants. Mages can summon Daedra to serve them in battle and many make bargains with the Daedric Princes in exchange for rare magical artefacts that the Daedric lord own. The Daedric princes have rivalries and alliances between themselves and are constantly battling for power. "

Shadowmere stared as Twilight began taking notes. "This is worse than the College..." He shook his head.

"What about magic?" Twilight asked a question Shadowmere knew was coming.

"Magic can be used by anyone, unlike here, as long as they are trained to. Some races are better at different types of magic than others so Altmer are better magi in general, Bretons are better healers and conjorers, Dunmer are better war magi while Orcs and Redguards rarely have magic."

"And what are you?"

"I am a horse. Like a pony but bigger, as you have noticed. There were unicorn and pegasi variants of my species but they... died out. The vast majority of horses act as transport for the other races and all can only speak with Wood Elves or others of their kind."

"So you let other ponies ride you?"

"They are not ponies but are instead called people. You might meet one if they find the portal as they are naturally inquisitive. Try not to offend them and let me do the talking. Although I might... Have to resort to extreme measures depending on who or what comes through. In the meantime, can I get back to my... Precautions?"

"Sure, just let me ask you more tomorrow?" Twilight looked at him with pleading eyes.

"Fine..."

Shadowmere stalked back to the basement and began looking through the collection of magical devices. "Firelight? No... Metal bar? Yes... Wierd container with green stuff in? No. Ah ha! There's the shock rod!" Shadowmere picked up the deactivated and unpowered shock rod in his mouth and moved it to one corner of the area that the portal was in.

"Now for the other corners..."

He looked around the basement and swiftly found the other parts for his shock grid.

"Twilight!" Shadowmere shouted to the open basement door.

"What?" Twilight appeared in the open doorway.

"Do you have a hammer and nails?"

"Yeah, I used them to build all those devices you wrecked. What do you need them for, anyway?"

"The precautions!"

"Ary you ever going to tell me what the precautions are?"

"Nope." Shadowmere grinned. "But everypony should be amazed."

"Fine. Let me go fetch them."

The sound of Twilight's hooves echoed into the basement.

A short while later, Twilight tossed the hammer and nails into the basement.

Shadowmere picked them up between his hooves and set to work assembling the shock grid.

A few hours and a aching jaw later, the shock grid was finally finished. "At least the Dwemer actually left us a few useful things like these rather than just those damn automations. Now to engage the power..." Shadowmere walked over to the main shock rod and activated the power from the heating orb burning the wierd green stuff which seemed to constantly be renewing.

He turned back to the four poles encircling the portal. Soon enough, the faintest blue sparks began to show on the poles, beginning to leap between them. One leaped onto him and he yelped in suprise as the spark electrocuted him.

Soon enough, the sparks began to jump more frequently, eventually coalescing into streams of lightning between the bars. He clapped his hooves together. "Good old Dwemer engineering mixed with improvisation. Can't do better!" He laughed.

The portal began to shift weirdly. "What have we here?" Shadowmere stared at the portal as it began to warp into seemingly impossible shapes. "Twilight! Somthing's happening with the portal!"

Twilight darted into the basement from her (not very) important studies to and stared at the portal and the shock grid in bewilderment.

"You came through from the other side, any idea what's happening?"

Shadowmere shook his head. "Nope. Unless..."

Twilight grasped the idea quickly. "Some ponys coming through? And what's with the lightning fence? "

"The lightning fence is the precaution, it should knock out anything that touches it."

Twilight stared at him, slightly awed that a non-unicorn could construct and power such a device.

"How did you... " Twilight was interrupted when the portal spat out a strange ape like creature covered in metal, straight into the lightning fence. It screamed as it his the fence before falling prone.

"Let me look at him, you never know what weapons he might be hiding."

Shadowmere reached over to the control/generator rod and switched the fence off.

Shadowmere quickly looked over the body, pulling out a long metal sword, a dagger and a strange gold and black dagger. "Hello old friend..." He whispered quietly as he pulled the dagger and sheath off the person and onto himself. "Take him to the healer, if you have one."

He placed the weapons on the floor, inside the fence.

"I can't carry somthing that large!" Twilight

"Fine." Shadowmere hoisted the knocked-out human onto his back. "Lead the way."

The massive black stallion caught the eyes of every pony that saw him and mutterings could be heard in the crowd that was slowly building up behind him.

"What's he carrying? It's hideous-"

"How'd he get here? I've never seen him before?"

"Where's his Cutie Mark?"

"Why is he so big?"

Shadowmere ignored the mutterings and continued pressing towards the clinic, following Twilight. "Why'd-" He panted under the weight. "I get stuck with a Nord in full plate armour?" He groaned.

They walked into the clinic, finding Nurse Redheart waiting. "What's the problem Twilight?"

"That." Twilight pointed to the Nord on Shadowmere's back. "He's got minor burns and a serious concussion."

"And possibily broken bones." Shadowmere added.

"I'll see him to a bed right away. You," She pointed to Shadowmere. "follow me. Do you know what he is?"

"Yes. And you'll need me to provide descriptions of his anatomy and the like. Trust me."

"Follow me." Redheart led Shadowmere through the corridors to a room containing a bed which Redheart gently rolled the Nord onto.

"He should be awake in a few hours." Redheart informed him.

"I'll stay here, you don't know how he will react."

Nurse Redheart nodded and ducked out the room.

"Were you following me, Nord? Looking for my bounty? Well, too bad for you."

Shadowmere stared into the Nord's glazed eyes. "I have the only way home."

Connor woke in a strangely clean bed, in a white room. It reminded him of the Thalmor torture chambers.

"Divines." He groaned and sat up. "What happened?" He looked around for his gear and noticed he still had his armour on, but none of his weapons, not even the invisible 'Lucky Knife', as he called it.

"You're awake. Good. You'll need a clear head for what I'm about to propose."

He spotted the red-eyed black horse that could only be Shadowmere leaning against a wall.

"You can talk?" Connor sounded suprised.

"When you've been around for more than 200 years, you pick up the language. The others don't understand Tamrelic Common but speak Horse."

"Horse? You've got to be kidding me." Connor laughed weakly while Shadowmere stared him down.

"I rarely joke...?"

"Connor of Anvil, former baker and pirate turned bounty hunter."

"Connor. This... World, is full of ponies. And Pegasi and Unicorns."

"You're serious, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"I thought they were extinct!"

Shadowmere laughed, a low, hollow sound. "I should know, me and Argus killed the last Unicorn. As for Pegasi, I thought the Akaviri stole all of them. This worlds full of 'em. What's my bounty up to now?"

Connor laughed. "It's the largest on record. 2 million dragons, the title of Count of Cheydenhal and Duke of the East to be passed to you and your children, the staff of Chaos, a set of Imperial Dragon Armour and a seat on the Elder Council. And immunity from the Thalmor."

"The Thalmor are after me as well?"

"Yep. Anyway, where's my gear?"

"Your weapons are at my place but I took your Ebony Blade. It is mine, after all."

"Fine by me. Are you sure I'm not drunk and that they're ponies?"

"Yes on both."

"Not the damn ponies... It was bad enough with the rain of flaming dogs but the ponies were just maddening..." Connor muttered to himself.

"Anyway, just remain calm while the healers check on you and I'll take you back to mine where I can introduce you to what amounts to the towns main group of ponies."