Chapter Two: Strange New World
Wind Whistler sat at the table and recited the names of the others in her mind. She and her companions had introduced each other and she was letting the information sink in. She had never been the best with names. She could recite the names and atomic numbers of all ninety elements off the top of her head, but learning the names of 29 other ponies took practice.
It was important to remember the specifics of their appearance and speaking mannerisms too. Just coat color was useless with some like with the three pink pegasi. Straight blue hair was Firefly; longer, purple hair and the Trottingham accent was North Star; and curly pink, hair and a pension for calling ponies ‘darlings’ was Heart Throb. They also had three white unicorns; Moondancer with wine red hair streaked with lavender, Glory with dark purple hair streaked with light blue, and Gusty was the unicorn with dark green hair streaked with bright red. The nurse was named Truly while the other white earthling with curly hair a noticeably lighter shade of pink was called Sundance, and the pegasus with rainbow hair was Starshine.
Of particular interest were the two ponies resembling element bearers from a century ago. One was even named for her famous double. Applejack was an orange earthling with golden blond hair, but she kept her mane and tail longer and curlier than the portraits of her namesake. Posey looked like Fluttershy with a yellow coat and smooth, pale pink hair but was an earthling and kept her mane and tail significantly shorter.
The group even had a Twilight. Though, Twilight was a common name among unicorns, and Twilight Mist looked nothing like the Princess of Friendship. She actually looked much like Twilight Sparkle’s mother with her light pink coat and white mane streaked with dark purple.
A few of the ponies had some accessories beyond the tail ribbons that mysteriously appeared on them while they were unconscious and displaced. Wind Whistler herself was wearing her favorite, white, ponyshoe-shaped headband; and Gusty had a purple, maple leaf barrette holding back her mane on one side. Truly was the only pony dressed, wearing in her nurse’s uniform when she was taken. Shady was the neon pink pony with the sunglasses, and Magic Star had the wand in her mane. Two ponies had large ribbons in their manes; Bow-Tie was the blue earthling with yellow ribbons in her sides of her mane and Ribbon—the blue unicorn with neon yellow hair streaked with red—had a white ribbon in the main body of her long mane and another at its end.
Wind Whistler’s recitations and memorizations were interrupted by the arrival of dinner. Cupcake—the third white earthling with curly, teal hair—placed a mass of grass and wild flowers on the table in front of Shady.
“Are we sure we can eat this?” Shady asked as she poked the pile of blades and blooms in front of her. “For all we know it’s poisonous and will kill us.”
“They look exactly like edible grasses and flowers back home,” Cupcake said.
“But we’re not back home,” Shady said.
“The environment of this world very similar to ours,” Wind Whistler said. “We’re still breathing meaning the atmosphere is composed almost entirely of molecular nitrogen and oxygen. The temperature range and intensity of solar radiation are also comparable to Equestria. Life in such conditions should be basically like ours with similar chemical compounds. However…” she trailed off as she looked at the pile Cupcake placed in front of her.
“These leaves and flowers look identical to flora endemic to Equestria,” Wind Whistler said. “The probability of identical plant species arising on two different planets are astronomical.”
“How does that compare with our odds of being abducted?” Bow-Tie asked.
Wind Whistler did not answer as she was pondering. “There is a possible explanation. These plants could be originally native to Equestria and were brought here. Or perhaps the opposite is true. The plant life of Equestria is native to this world and was taken there long ago.”
“How about we stop talking about the food and eat it,” Licety-Split—the purplish-pink earthling with curly hair a similar pale shade of pink as Wind Whistler’s—grumbled. “I’m starving. I just wish I had some ice cream to wash it all down.”
“Unfortunately the pantries and freezers are empty,” Cupcake said. “We’ll just have live off the grass for now.”
Wind Whistler looked at her pile of grass blades and flowers. They could have done an analysis of the vegetation if they had the equipment and testing chemicals, but they did not. All they had were themselves, but they had to eat something. They could be eating poison, but no food at all was absolutely fatal.
She took several of the blades and many flowers into her mouth and began chewing. It tasted like a meadow salad which used wild grasses and flowers. Of course it lacked the dressing and spices typically added to such a dish, but the flavor seemed consistent.
“Well, assuming this doesn’t kill us, we won’t starve,” Gusty said, “but we’re going to need a plan if we want to get home.”
“I say we explore the surrounding area,” North Star said. “This planet must be inhabited, and the locals might know how we got here and how to get home.”
“The locals might also find we’re a good menu item,” Shady whimpered.
“We’ll have to do something!” Truly interjected. “Grass and flowers might fill our bellies, but we’re going to need more for our nutritional needs. We need eggs for protein and fat, milk for calcium, and other fruits and vegetables or vitamins and minerals.”
“I’m going to air on the side of caution for the moment,” Magic Star said.
“I’m going to?” Gusty cut Magic Star off, glowering at her. “Who made you leader?”
Magic Star looked to Gusty. “Sorry. I suppose I’m just use to taking charge of a situation. However, we probably should put it to a vote.” She looked to the rest of the ponies around the table. “Anypony else want to be the leader?”
Wind Whistler did not want such a role. She could not imagine the strain of being responsible for the lives and welfare of 30 ponies. Besides, leadership meant socializing which was far from being her forte. Machines and science were predictable; ponies were anything but.
No other hooves were raised. Even Gusty kept hers down.
“I just wanted to make sure no one else wanted the job.” Gusty sat back in her chair. “What’s the plan, fearless leader?”
Wind Whistler set her teeth on edge, but hid it. She was not too keen on other telling her what to do either. So often they relied on their current emotions and not logic in their decision-making. Magic Star seemed like an intelligent and reasonable pony best suited to lead them, but Wind Whistler thought it was still a lot of power to put in the hooves of one pony. However, there was a remedy.
“Might I suggest a group this size would be best served by a direct democratic system of decision making,” Wind Whistler said. “While having one leader is beneficial for organization, they are not necessarily the best informed on all possible situations. A vote on all important decisions would also limit the influence of personal bias.”
“I have no problem with that,” Magic Star replied.
Wind Whistler nodded.
“With that done, my first suggestion as leader is we send the pegasi out in groups of three in three different directions,” Magic Star said. “Basically go out a ways and come back with your findings. If you encounter intelligent life, don’t make contact, but rather observe and figure out their disposition. How does that sound?”
Wind Whistler and the other pegasi looked to each other. They bobbed their heads and shrugged. Lofty—the yellow pegasus with yellow hair—murmured, “Sounds reasonable.” They turned to Magic Star and giving her a nod of approval.
“If we find non-hostile life, we might be able to establish contact and trade for what we need,” Magic Star added.
“Trade what?” Lickety-Split asked. “We don’t have anything.”
“There’s some gold, silver, and jewels in the vault,” Sparkler said. “I’m not sure how far it will go though.”
“Hopefully it won’t have to go that far because we’ll be headed home soon.” Heart Throb looked to Magic Star. “We’re trying to get home, right?”
“It is our top priority,” Magic Star said. “However, there’s no telling how long it could be. We should also prepare for the possibility we’re here for the duration.”
“If we’re here for that duration,” Applejack chimed in, “we do have the apple and cherry trees.”
“We can offer a share of the harvest,” Cherries Jubilee—the peach-colored earthling with curly, coral-colored hair—added.
“One thing at a time, ponies,” Magic Star said. “It’s getting late and we should turn in after dinner. Tomorrow’s a big day.”
* * *
Wind Whistler pulled open the door to one of the bedrooms and looked inside. There was a simple bed against a wall with a mattress, white sheets, and cream-colored blanket neatly made. A writing desk was against the same wall as the door, and an oak dresser with a mirror sat against the wall opposite the bed. Heavy, red curtains covered much of the wall opposite the door over what Wind Whistler assumed was a window. A small chandelier provided light, but there was an unlit lamp on the desk too. It was much like the other bedrooms they had found, and like the rest of the castle everything looked like it was just been cleaned up and made.
“Do you get the feeling this castle was prepared for us?” North Star asked from behind her.
Wind Whistler looked back to her. “You don’t feel thoughts, but I do think this castle was prepared recently for habitation.”
“It would have been nice if they had filled the pantry too,” North Star said.
“Perhaps someone knew we would arrive here somehow, but did not know what we were,” Wind Whistler suggested. “Every species has their own dietary requirements. We are just fortunate we can consume the local flora. At least hopefully.”
It had been a couple hours since dinner, and Wind Whistler had not felt any ill effects yet. By morning they should have their answer regarding the edibility of the local plant life one way other another.
North Star yawned. “Well, see you in the morning.” She walked towards another door in the hall.
Wind Whistler walked into the room and pulled the door closed. There were more than enough rooms for each pony to get their own. That suited Wind Whistler as she a hard time sleeping with others in the room, but she also had a hard time sleeping in a strange bed.
She hit the switch, and the chandelier shut off.
I wonder how this castle gets electrical power, she thought. Something to put on the growing list of things to investigate, but it could all wait until later.
She climbed into the bed and slipped under the covers. She laid her head on the two soft pillows. The bed was comfortable but unfamiliar. She stared at the darkness knowing she required sleep. She was going to spending much of the next day in flight, and needed the rest. She ran through math problems and random academic facts to exhaust her brain. Eventually, at some point, she sank into sleep.
* * *
Paradise thought things were looking up as the pegasi made their morning preparations. Their dinner agreed with them, and the pegasi had a light breakfast so they would not be weighed down by digestion. The skies were clear blue, and the air was cool. She was even able to truly appreciate this planet’s beauty with the rings in the sky and the smaller moon that that seemed even closer to the sun than the day before.
“Okay, pay attention!” Magic Star shouted.
Everypony looked her way.
Magic Star motioned with her eyes to a jar with nine stems sticking out. “There are nine pegasi, so you’ll split up into three teams of three decided by drawing lots. An orange flower means you go west, yellow is for northeast, and blue is southeast. Pick in alphabetical order and try to not look.”
Firefly was first and pulled out a yellow flower. Next was Heart Throb who drew a blue flower, and Lofty drew another blue flower after her. Medley got a yellow flower, and North Star drew the first orange flower.
Paradise stepped up to the jar and grabbed a steam with her teeth. She pulled it out and walked down to the others lined up with their flowers in their mouths. She was not sure which color she had, but the process of elimination would tell her.
Starshine drew the last yellow flower, and Surprise took out the final blue flower.
That means I have an orange flower, Paradise thought.
“The choice seems to have been made for me,” Wind Whistler said as she stepped up to the jar. “However, I will pick for the sake of formality.” She took out the last orange flower.
“Okay,” Magic Star said as Wind Whistler walked into the group. “North Star, Paradise, and Wind Whistler take the west. Firefly, Medley, and Starshine take the northeast. Heart Throb, Lofty, and Surprise take the southeast. Remember, just observe, no contact. Also turn around before noon so you’re back before nightfall.”
The pegasi nodded.
Paradise spit out her flower and looked to her teammates. “So, ready for the west?”
“I am,” North Star said with a big grin on her face. “I can’t wait to boldly go where nopony has gone before.”
“I too am curious to see what lies around us,” Wind Whistler added.
“Good luck, everypony,” Magic Star said.
Paradise spread her wings and leapt into the air after Wind Whistler and North Star. They flew by the castle towards the mountains in the distance. Beyond that was an alien planet where they could encounter anything. She had read so many novels about strange new worlds, and here she was living in one.
* * *
Lofty could tell where the southeast route was going to take them almost immediately. Having spent so much time in the air over Equestria, she knew how one type of terrain led to another. Beyond the valley were foothills that smoothed to plains with plant life becoming smaller and sparser as the elevation slowly lowered. It all led to a bleak desert where mesas and columns of stone rose from the floor. Even on an alien world, the way terrain tended to blend together was the same.
The trip had been uneventfully aside from Surprise’s running game of
I Spy. There was no sign of habitation, not even a road or dirt trail. Though, such harsh terrain like this was probably seldom traveled and the weather would wipe away the effects.
Thinking of the weather caused her mind to wander onto the storm the previous afternoon. She shuddered at its violence. The valley seemed to take it in stride with no substantial damage, but it would likely been a disaster in Equestria.
Then there was the ice that fell from it. It was a well-known fact the temperature went down with altitude, but on a hot day like yesterday water would not freezes until several kilometers in the air. Those chunks had to have been in the very top of the cloud.
“I spy with my little eye,” Surprise began her latest round, “something starting with the letter ‘M’.”
“Mesa,” Heart Throb answered, not bothering to hide her disinterest anymore.
“You got it!” Surprise cheered. “Why don’t you go, Lofty?”
Lofty decided to humor her and looked down for something. They were flying over an expanse of yellowish-orange earth, but something seemed off with this particular desert. The sunlight glistened off objects widely scattered across the desert floor.
“I wonder what those glistening things are,” Heart Throb said. “They look absolutely glamorous from up here.”
“You’re supposed to say ‘I spy with my little eye’,” Surprise grumbled, “and it’s Lofty’s turn anyway.”
“I think the game can be put on hold,” Lofty said. “We should go down and take a closer look.”
“Are you sure that’s wise?” Heart Throb asked?
Lofty shrugged. “I don’t see anything suggesting life. Besides,” she flew close and whispered into Heart Throb’s ear, “it’s better than another round of
I Spy.”
“You have a point,” Heart Throb murmured.
Lofty angled her wings down and glided down in a spiral pattern. She flapped just above she reached the ground to hover a fraction of a meter above it and place her hooves on the soft, sandy ground. It was midmorning, but she could already feel the parched heat rising off the ground, and the smell of heating sand and gravel entered her nostrils with every inhale.
“We’ll make this quick,” Lofty said as Heart Throb and Surprise landed. “This desert will probably be baking this afternoon.”
Lofty looked around them and it was crystals that caught their eyes. Some were just clusters sticking out of the ground, but others appeared to be shaped like cacti. The sun glistened off them and created rainbows on the ground where the light shined through them.
“This place is amazing,” Heart Throb said. “It’s gorgeous and yet desolate, like something straight out of the Saddle Arabian Nights.”
Lofty walked up to one of the crystals shaped like a tall cactus complete with a couple arms jutting out and bending up. “If I didn’t know any better, I would say these are plants.”
“How do you know you better?” Surprise asked. “Maybe they are plants.”
Lofty bent her mouth into a frown as she stared at the crystal. “A valley with plants just like in Equestria then a desert of living crystal?”
Lofty looked to the south and the rings arcing across the sky. She remembered the Everfree Forest of Equestria. It was essentially an alien landscape in Equestria with its own rules and life.
Her train of thought was interrupted by glistening at ground level. Six points of light twinkled and wavered like they were moving. Lofty squinted and concentrated to see the glistening was coming off six objects which were moving towards them and kicking up dust behind them.
“What are those?” Surprise asked.
“I can’t tell,” Lofty answered. “However, we’re supposed to avoid contact so get in the air. They might not have noticed us.”
Lofty leapt into the air and flapped her wings to climb into the air, and she could hear Heart Throb and Surprise behind her. She looked back towards the ground and the glistening objects. They were headed to where they had been standing, and one had left the ground and heading for them.
Lofty faced forward and beat her wings faster. The object streaked in front of them in a blur of pink, green, aqua, blue, and purple. It came to an abrupt stop ahead of them, and it was a pony. Lofty stopped to hover, and Heart Throb and Surprise stopped behind her.
The pink pegasus mare glistened in the light and had curly locks of green, aqua, blue, and purple hair as well as a white ribbon tied around the dock her tail like them. Her blue eyes caught Lofty’s attention because the light reflected off them in polygonal shapes. It took a second for her to realize she was a crystal pony from the Crystal Empire.
“Oh-thank-Celestia-you’re-ponies-too,” the crystal pony said so rapidly it was hard for Lofty to follow. “We-were-looking-for-a-crystal-cactus-to-get-water-and-we-saw-you-there-and-didn’t-know-what-you-were. Then-you-took-off-and-Galaxy-told-me-to-check-it-out-and-I-was-fortuntely-able-to-catch-up-with-you. Though-I-am-the-fastest-flier-in-the-Crystal-Empire-so-I-guess-that-isn’t-a-real-big-surprise. And-it-turns-out-you’re-ponies-too-but-not-crystal-ponies. Did-you-randomly-appear-here-too?”
Lofty took a couple seconds to process everything that came out of her mouth. “Umm…yes. About thirty of us appeared in a castle in a valley about a hundred kilometers northwest of here yesterday.”
“That’s-the-same-time-we-showed-up-in-this-desert,” the crystal pony rapid fired from her mouth. “Though-we-had-to-sleep-in-a-cave-last-night-and-couldn’t-find-any-food. You-wouldn’t-happen-to-have-food-on-you-do-you?”
“I’m sorry, but no,” Lofty apologized. “I’m Lofty, and this is Surprise and Heart Throb. Who are you and your friends?”
“Oh-I’m-Whizzer-which-makes-a-lot-of-ponies-chuckle-whenever-they-here-it-for-some-reason,” Whizzer answered. “Come-and-meet-the-others-quick-quick-quick.”
Whizzer tilted her body down and zoomed towards the ground in a blur.
“And ponies say
I’m hyperactive,” Surprise commented.
“Hopefully they’re not all like that.” Lofty slowly sank towards the ground.
She landed in front of the six crystal ponies, and a pink unicorn with long, curled hair streaked red, pink, white, and orange stepped forward.
“I’m Galaxy,” the unicorn introduced herself, “and these are Gingerbread, Sweet Stuff, Masquerade, Fizzy, and you already met Whizzer.”
She motioned to the others in sequence. Gingerbread was a white earthling with straight hair streaked bright blue, dark purple, pink, and a lighter shade of purple; and Sweet Stuff was the other earthling with a power blue coat and curly locks of purple, white, and two shades of pink hair. Masquerade was a yellow Pegasus with flowing hair streaked aqua, green, light green, and chartreuse; and Fizzy was a turquoise unicorn with curly locks of dark green, white, and two shades of pink hair. All six were crystal ponies, their coats and hair glistening in the sun and crystal hair ornamentation in their manes. Even their tail ribbons had a crystal sheen to them.
“I think Whizzer said you appeared here yesterday,” Lofty said.
Galaxy nodded. “We’re from the Crystal Empire as you could have guessed. We woke up in a nearby cave and were afraid to venture too far from shelter until morning. We were getting water when we spotted you.”
“Get water from where?” Heart Throb looked around at the bleak and parched landscape.
“It’s in the crystal cacti.” Galaxy plunged her horn into the trunk of a nearby crystal, and when she pulled it away a stream of water gushed out. “It’s drinkable.”
Lofty put her mouth to the stream and sucked water into her mouth. It was a little warm, but the water was fresh. She pulled her mouth to say, “Amazing.”
“Unfortunately the cacti themselves are inedible,” Galaxy said. “We haven’t eaten since we got here.”
“We can take you back to our valley!” Surprise interjected. “There’s plenty of grass and flowers there, and we found a big castle with more than enough of room for six more ponies.”
“The vegetation also returns to normal closer to the valley,” Lofty said. “Scrub brush might not taste all that good, but it’s something to put in your stomach.”
“Thank you,” Galaxy said.
“We should head back now,” Lofty said to Heart Throb and Surprise. “I know it’s just midmorning, but it’ll probably take longer to make our way back from the ground.”
“Fine by me,” Heart Throb said.
Lofty looked to the northwest and the desert extending to the horizon. There were also the foot hills and mountain passes to navigate. She preferred to fly, but they now had four, ground-bound ponies to escort back. She started walking with the others behind her. She quickened to a trot and finally a gallop she could sustain for a lengthy period of time.
Galaxy ran up to be abreast with Lofty. “You found a castle?”
Lofty looked to her. “We actually woke up in it.”
“Lucky!” Gingerbread interjected. “We had to freeze in that cave last night.”
“At least we’ll get to be the castle from now on,” Sweet Stuff said. “We can stay there, right?”
“Sure, the more the merrier!” Surprise cheered.
“More importantly, this means there’s intelligent life on this planet,” Galaxy thought out loud. “Have you met any?”
Lofty shook her head. “Not yet. We’re not even sure what lives here. There are other scouting teams though, so they might run into it.”
* * *
Wind Whistler flicked her ear at the sound of huffing and gasping. She looked back to Paradise who was now well behind her and North Star. She had her head down as she flapped her wings weakly and breathed heavily.
Wind Whistler slowed up to let Paradise catch up to her. “Are you all right?”
“Sorry,” Paradise panted. “This is probably the most I’ve flown in a single day. I spend all my time in the library reading, so I’m not use to being on my wings all that much.”
“Maybe we can stop for a rest,” Wind Whistler suggested.
North Star stopped and pivoted in midair. “We can’t rest. Every minute we spend resting is a kilometer we don’t cover.”
“Our progress would be even more stymied by overexertion,” Wind Whistler fired back. “Besides, I failed to hear the part where this was competition to see which team could traverse the most distance.”
North Star crossed her front legs and glowered at them. “Fine. We’ll take a fifteen minute break.”
Wind Whistler flew down towards a clearing in the trees next to a fast flowing stream. It was the perfect place to rest as well as hydrate. No sooner did Wind Whistler plant her hooves on the ground than she stuck her snout in the water and lapped up a generous amount of the cold, fresh water before swallowing it down.
She took a moment to process where their travels had taken them. The terrain climbed in elevation into a glacier-covered mountain range they had just crested. This side of the mountains was far more densely wooded with tall conifers, and water ways were larger and faster. The ground itself was more jagged with rocks from pebbles to boulders littered everywhere. This side of the range likely received far more precipitation than the grassier east side including their valley, and the other teams had likely run across deserts going farther east.
“Down right rugged, wouldn’t you say?” North Star asked.
Wind Whistler looked at the forest of towering pine trees that had their needles in clusters high above them rather than the cone ponies typically associated with pines. The trees seemed uneven like they had lost and gained branches at random over their lives, and there were logs devoid of foliage lying on the forest floor or propped up against standing trees.
“What a mess,” Paradise commented. “It looks like no one has come to clean up in years.”
“It’s possible nothing cleans up the forests,” Wind Whistler said to no pony in particular. “Nothing controlling the weather is also possible, and the sun and two moons might move on their own as well.”
“You do realize you’re suggesting this is Everfree—Earth,” Paradise commented. “I like to keep an open mind, but how do you think the others will take it?”
“We really don’t have much of a choice,” North Star said. “This isn’t our world, and whatever rules it goes by aren’t up to us.”
A shadow passed over them. They looked up and saw a massive bird glide overhead, but with a silhouette unlike any bird in Equestria. Its wingspan was wide, but its body was unusually long and thin and seemed to have a discernable head. It also had two pairs of limbs besides its wings: long legs extending back from its widened bottom torso and another pair swept back from the shoulders.
“What kind of a bird is that?” Paradise asked no one in particular.
“Let’s follow it and find out.” North Star took off after it.
“Back into the air,” Paradise groaned.
As they gained altitude, they maneuvered to stay out of the vision of the strange bird. It only flapped occasionally as it appeared to ride the air currents mostly. Wind Whistler made note of that for future reference.
As they reached a token safe distance, Wind Whistler realized the bird was wearing some kind of black dress with the back open for the wings and the top held up by a collar around its neck. Its features also made her think it was female, though she had no basis for it. It had a fluffy, golden blond mane that seemed to curl at the ends much like a pony’s. Wind Whistler decided to use female pronouns for the thing until proven incorrect.
The bird or whatever manner of creature she was seemed to have not noticed them as they followed her. Her route took them down from the mountains into the foothills and then a lush, green plain. Wind Whistler saw the first signs of artificial structure since the castle in the form of fences dividing the grassland into pastures. There were herds of cattle as well as equines wandering the pastures.
“Did you see the ponies down there?” Paradise asked. “Perhaps they’re from Equestria too.”
Paradise and North Star veered off and spiraled down towards a group of ponies. Wind Whistler looked to the bird now pulling away before following them down. If they were fellow arrivals from Equestria, they took priority over following a local creature.
As she approached the ground and could better gauge the size of the equines, Wind Whistler realized they were far larger than ponies. When she landed and could stand next to one of the mares, the top of her head failed to reach the mare’s shoulders. Their legs and barrels were much more slender than a pony’s and their snouts were longer with looser lips and comparatively smaller eyes spaced farther apart. Their coats were all either brown, tan, white, gray, or black, and their manes had a similar pallet.
“What part of Equestria did you come from?” Paradise asked another equine, this one a black stallion.
The stallion snorted and grunted in response. He shook his head and walked away from her.
Paradise hovered off the ground so she would planet her pasterns on her hips. “Hmph. Rude much?”
Wind Whistler looked into the dark brown eye of the tan mare next to her. The pupil was square unlike the round pupils of ponies’ eyes. She stared at Wind Whistler blankly like an animal that did not see her as a threat or opportunity. The mare also smelled of body odor like she had not bathed in days. In fact, the whole area smelled of the odd mix of a fresh meadow and an unclean restroom.
Wind Whistler furrowed her brow. “I don’t think these equines are sapient. They might be native animals of a similar body structure to us but different evolutionary path. Ponies evolved to be more intelligent while these creatures evolved to be larger.”
“This place just keeps getting curiouser and curiouser.” Paradise petted the mane of a brown mare which nuzzled up to her in response. Paradise laughed. “They’re certainly friendly, though.”
“Probably because our pheromones are similar enough to those of their mares,” Wind Whistler said. She doubted such beasts had a concept of platonic friendship or a concept of what a concept was for that matter.
“Dag blast it,” a voice grumbled. “She’s early.”
Wind Whistler looked to the source and saw something running towards them. “Something’s coming! Hide!”
“Where?” North Star asked.
Wind Whistler quickly surveyed the open field and noticed a nearby trough. “Behind that.”
They fluttered to the trough and sank down low to just peek over it.
The creature coming towards them at first mystified Wind Whistler, but then she remembered the sketches of the beings from the other side of the mirror made by Princess Twilight Sparkle. He was a male of that bipedal species of apes she encountered. He was husky in build with a short, reddish-orange mane and mustache and stood a bit less than two meters in height. His skin was pale pink in color, and the definition of his facial features suggested middle-aged.
“Is that what I think it is?” Paradise asked.
“If you think it’s what Twilight Sparkle called a human,” Wind Whistler answered, “I believe you are correct.”
The human male ran to a brown stallion and pulled himself on his back. “Sorry for no tack, but we’re in a rush. Yah!” He smacked the rump of the stallion causing him to whinny and run towards a fence. The stallion jumped the fence and galloped in the direction the bird creature had been flying.
“How did we get into the mirror world?” Paradise asked as they stood up, “and how are we still ponies?”
“I don’t remember Twilight’s journals saying anything of rings or two moons,” North Star said. “Maybe he just looks like a human like these equines look like us.”
“Whatever the case we have encountered intelligent life,” Wind Whistler said. “Should we report back or follow him and observe?”
“I say we follow him,” North Star said without hesitation.
Paradise took a couple seconds. “My wings say head back, but my brain says follow him.”
“I believe we should take this opportunity to observe,” Wind Whistler said. “He is also heading in a similar direction as the bird creature. We might be able to observe both.”
“Then it’s settled.” North Star took off and flew after the dwindling figure of the human and the equine he was riding.
* * *
Wind Whistler noticed the human was headed to where the dirt trail intersected another and stopped. The bird creature had also landed there and seemed to waiting at the intersection. “A serendipitous circumstance. It appears an imminent rendezvous will transpire between the human and the bird creature.”
“What?” Paradise asked.
Wind Whistler heaved a sigh. “I think the two are going to meet.”
“We can hide in that cluster of trees.” North Star pointed to some trees near the intersection.
Wind Whistler flew into the canopy of the trees and was careful to avoid snapping any twigs. She landed on the leaf-covered ground and crept into a bush where she could see while still concealed.
“I just had a random thought.” Paradise worked her way into the bush, every rustle setting Wind Whistler on edge for fear they would be spotted. “These humans are primates and must ride the large equines because they can run farther and faster, right? What if ponies could train small monkeys to serve as our hands?”
“Maybe we can discuss it at a more fortuitous temporal conjuncture,” Wind Whistler whispered. “Currently, it is imperative we keep our presence concealed from these two.”
They were the closest they had been yet to the bird creature and saw her standing upright for the first time. Her head was much like the human’s only with smoother, feminine features. She also had pale blue skin and pointed ears, and the whites of her eyes appeared more yellow in color. Slung across her back was a quiver stuffed with what Wind Whistler assumed were arrows with their feathered tails crowded in it, and a long bow rested on her shoulder. There was also a sheath strapped to her belt with a hilt in the opening and likely a blade concealed in it.
Although she had a generally human frame, her features from the clavicle down were avian. Gray feathers covered her body except for the forearms and lower legs which were covered in yellowish-orange scales like the feet of a bird. The legs ended in feet with three toes forward and one toe back, and the arms ended in hands with three long fingers and a thumb. The fingers, thumbs, and toes all had sharp talons like those of a bird of prey, and her wings now folded behind her reminded Wind Whistler of a hawk or an eagle.
“This is a predator!” something shouted in her voice in the back of her mind.
“Fly away! Now!” Her heart pounded in her chest, likely making sure every cell in her body had adequate energy and oxygen as well as infused with adrenaline should it come to fight or flight. She tried to modulate her breathing, but it sounded like a hurricane to her. Every sound was deafeningly loud, and every tactile sensation stingingly intense. Every muscle in her body was tense, and she had to consciously fight her wings demand to be open. These were the prey instincts buried deep within the collective subconscious of ponykind from a time in the distant past when they were hunted for meat by predators.
Ponies had learned to ignore their instinctual fears around predatory races like griffons through their intellect and reason, but this was different. Maybe it was because they were only a small collection of unequipped ponies on an alien world, or because this creature looked like she could break the biggest griffon Wind Whistler had ever met in half. This creature could easily carry off a full-grown pony and make them a menu item like Shady had warned the previous evening. There was also the knowledge griffons did not eat ponies. Aside from looking like a meat-eater, there was no telling what this bird creature ate or what she would add to her diet given the opportunity.
If she was not already concealed, Wind Whistler would without hesitation have dove for the nearest cover and hoped she would go unnoticed. Even now it was fear driving her hope they were hidden well enough more than Magic Star’s orders to avoid contact.
As the human dismounted and walked towards her, Wind Whistler could better gauge her height which was staggering. She towered over the human who Wind Whistler had considered tall in his own right. Even with her lighter, feminine frame; the bird creature was the more imposing of the two.
The bird creature held out of her hand. “Do you have it?”
The man reached on his pants’ pocket and pulled out a chain with a red, heart-shaped object as a pendent. “Here it is. Now, where’s my daughter?”
“She’ll be returned to you in good time,” the bird creature replied with a dispassionate coldness to her tone that made the hairs on Wind Whistler’s back stand on end. They were witnessing a ransoming, not exactly the best first impression for this world to make.
The man pulled the heart pendent back towards him. “That wasn’t our deal! I hand you the locket, you return Megan! Come back with her unharmed, or you’ll never get it!”
“Foolish ape,” the bird creature snarled and grabbed the chain.
The two tugged at the chain.
“Give me back my daughter!” Despite his smaller size, the man was able to keep the bird creature from pulling it out of his grasp.
The bird creature grimaced as she strained against the man. She let go with one hand and raised it over her head with its sharp talons in position to strike.
