MLP: The Portal 2

Chapter 20: Visitor

"You're taking the main role? Are you sure you can handle that?"

"Oh great, Alex is taking the lead? This is gonna be awful."

"Maybe we should just cancel."

These were the words that Alex heard as he made his way towards the entrance to the stage. Though his eyes were focused, he could hear what everyone around him was saying, and this did not instill in him any confidence.

Finally, he stepped onto a platform, a green light coming on above him. He began to float upwards, being revealed to the audience all around him. Bleachers were filled with skeletons all staring at him while an ominous music played.

"Oh my goodness."

A voice broke the atmosphere, and suddenly his surroundings were changed to pure whiteness. Alex looked around in shock, and he found Princess Luna was standing behind him, staring at him. Alex tilted his head, looking surprised.

"Princess?" Alex asked with a raised eyebrow. Luna nodded.

"Hello again, Alex."

"What are you doing here?" He asked, appearing to be on the defensive side.

"I came to see you. It seems that my presence was needed to, considering what I was just seeing." Luna commented, looking around as though the former setting was still around them.

"Uh, yeah. No, I'm okay. You came to see me?" He asked. She nodded in reply.

"I did. I wanted to see how you were doing since we last saw each other. Considering the tense circumstances through which we saw each other last, I thought it'd be best to establish a proper connection, at least between the two of us." Luna explained.

"To what end?" Alex asked suspiciously. Luna cleared her throat.

"Ahem, my sister and I want you to feel comfortable in Equestria, since you have chosen to continue visiting us. Although, I'm here of my own volition." Luna noted. Alex hummed a bit.

"Oh…huh. Okay. Well, thanks for coming?" He said awkwardly. She nodded, smiling a little bit now.

"I've heard you've been making quite a name for yourself here since we last spoke, traveling and performing with the Pony Tones. You must have quite a voice." Luna said, changing the setting now to a café setting in presumably Canterlot.

"Uh, yeah. I mean, I'm alright, I guess. Rarity and Fluttershy asked me to join, and I did." He said, trying to get comfortable in this unfamiliar setting.

"How has it been treating you?" She asked, sipping from her cup.

"It's been good. I mean, it's a lot to process, being famous all of a sudden. How did you hear about me performing with the Pony Tones?" Alex asked curiously.

"One of our guards attended your show. He told my sister and I about it. He said that it was quite a show, and you in particular attracted a lot of attention with a romantic closing song." She recounted with a chuckle. Alex chuckled a bit sheepishly.

"Heheh, yeah. I did kinda do that." He admitted, unsure how else to respond.

"Congratulations on all of the success." She said with a nod.

"Thank you, princess."

"Please, you can just call me Luna. There's no need to be formal when it's just the two of us." Luna said.

"Alright, Luna. So, uh, what's it like being a princess here? What do you do?" He asked curiously.

"Well, as you already know, I take care of Equestrians dreams here in the dream realm, ensuring that they all have a good night's sleep. This and raising the moon are my main roles as a princess.

"As for what it's like? Well, it has its perks and its challenges as anything does, I suppose. But it is my duty… It's also a privilege though, to be able to spend time with subjects on a personal level and reassure them when they feel anxious." Luna explained her thoughts.

"Almost like a therapist, but more to the point." Alex commented.

"I suppose so," Luna said with a smile. "I admit, I was somewhat surprised to hear of your new venture as a performer. However, now I am curious to hear you perform. Perhaps one of these days my sister and I will be able to catch you all perform."

"That'd be really cool. Would you both actually be able to do that?" Alex asked.

"Eventually." Luna answered with some amusement.

"Haha, okay. I guess I'll be looking for you." Alex said.

"Sure. Other than that, how have you been? You've been spending a large amount of time now in Equestria, I imagine. Being on tour." Luna brought up. Alex shrugged.

"I've been pretty good. We actually just finished our tour. I think I'm on my way back to Ponyville now. I took an extended leave from work so I could do this. I go back like next week I think." Alex answered. Luna hummed with intrigue.

"So you are looking to pursue your passion here while maintaining your already established life on Earth?" Luna asked. Alex nodded slowly.

"Uh, yeah. I guess so. I mean, I'm not gonna be here all the time. Gotta still pay for my apartment and for food and stuff." Alex answered.

"I understand. Tell me, what is Earth like?" Luna asked, changing the subject now.

"Uh… I don't know how to really describe it. It's very different from here, but also pretty similar… Maybe I could show it to you?" Alex thought aloud.

"Show it to me?" Luna asked, raising her eyebrow.

"Sure…" Alex thought hard for a moment. The Canterlot café setting melted into whiteness, formulating now into Alex's apartment setting. Luna looked around curiously.

"Ah, is this where you live?" Luna asked, looking around.

"It is. This is my living room." Alex said, standing up and beginning to walk around.

Luna looked around curiously, inspecting the TV and the things placed on its stand. She wandered around a little bit until she came upon a picture frame of Alex and his family. She picked it up and inspected it.

"So all humans look like this?" She asked.

"Well, more or less." Alex shrugged, letting her wander as he sat in the kitchen.

"Who are they?" She asked now, gesturing to the picture.

"My family. That's my Mom, my Dad, and my brother." Alex answered, stepping over to point them out specifically. Luna smiled a bit as she set the picture frame back down.

"You all seem like a lovely family. Do they also know about your ventures here?" She asked.

"Nah, I don't really talk to them much." Alex answered, opening the door and gesturing for her to follow.

"Why is that?" She asked.

"Eh, we just went our separate ways. I call my Dad sometimes; call my Mom and brother other times. It's just me around here." Alex explained as Luna followed her out.

Luna looked around the setting around the apartment. Trees were flourishing to her left, and a street was laid out to her right. Cars were passing, and more cars were parked before them. Not far ahead, there was a basketball court.

"What a strange place." Luna thought aloud.

"It's pretty average really. This is my car." Alex said, gesturing to his black Toyota Camry. Luna made a strange face as she went over to look at it more closely.

"What does it do?"

"Think of it sort of as a chariot that you steer instead of pull." Alex explained, opening up the door to the driver's side and getting in. Luna came around to look at it from the inside.

"How peculiar." She commented.

"I guess. Have a seat." He invited her to sit in the passenger side. She used her magic to teleport into the seat. Alex closed his door.

"That's cool." Alex chuckled before starting his car. As it revved to life, Luna immediately flinched, clutching onto the doors. Alex laughed again.

"That's pretty much how the others reacted to it too." He said, going into reverse and beginning to drive. Luna chuckled nervously, trying to relax.

"It handles quite well for a chariot." She commented. Alex smiled as he drove.

"It's not bad. So, I take it that I'll be seeing you around in my dreams more often?" He presumed.

"I mean, if you don't mind, I wouldn't mind coming to visit on occasion." She answered.

"I don't mind. That won't take away from your duties though, will it?" He asked.

"You'd be surprised how seldom ponies have nightmares." Luna commented. Alex shrugged and nodded.

"Well alright then."