"Who exactly are these Dazzlings?" Trisha asked after a few moments of silence.
"Long story short, they're three Sirens who caused immense trouble for Ponies in Equestria," I explained. "They feed off of negative and mistrustful feelings, causing enmity anywhere they go. And they would have gotten away with it, if it wasn't for some meddling ancient Pony wizard, Starswirl the Bearded, or as I like to call him, Starswirl the Thoughtless." I saw Twilight tense up a bit, but she hadn't seen what I'd seen of Starswirl. I promised myself to tell her later. "They ended up in this world and have been living here for at least a thousand years."
"Can they really live that long?" Dash asked.
"They're a type of Dragon," I said, "and Dragons live a very long time, so yes. And I know they were at least in Pendragon somewhat recently, because Sunset Shimmer, under Eris' influence, attacked them and destroyed the gemstones that gave them their power, making them normal humans. But they still might be able to have seen the magic and come here, although I'm not really sure what kind of plans they would have without access to their magic."
"Still, they're from Equestria," Twilight said, "so it stands to reason that they'll come here, looking for the source of the magic."
"Just like they did in Rainbow Rocks," I nodded. "Ugh…is it too much to ask for me to have at least one day without trouble popping up?!"
"You're a trouble magnet, alright," Spike said. "Tough life, Monkey-man."
"Oh hush, Dragon-boy," I said.
"That's Sir Dragon-boy to you," Spike retorted.
"Oh, we're playing that game, are we?" I asked with a smirk. "Then you can call me Emperor Monkey-man, First of His Name, Ruler of the Five Kingdoms, Wielder of Swords and Magic and Protector of the Realm."
"You got that from Game of Thrones!" Dash exclaimed.
"Yes I did, big whoop. Wanna fight about it?" I chuckled.
"Everyone, focus," Jackie said. "Twilight, are yah absolutely sure these Sirens are gonna come trapesing around our farm?"
"I can't really be too sure," she said, "but even if they don't have their magic now, they were in Equestria at one point."
"And they've been using their magic to stay alive, but now they're mortal," I said. "That could be motivation for them enough to at least come and investigate the Equestrian magic they might have seen."
"So what do we do?" Mac asked.
"Well…do you have shotguns or rifles here?" I asked.
"Are ya thinkin' of shootin' them?!" Jackie asked.
"No, not at all," I said. "But I am thinking, now that I have easier access to this world, that we should have a stakeout. On both sides of the portal."
"Darling, as fun as that sounds, how do you suggest we do it? Or coordinate it?" Trisha asked.
"We use the journal, for one," I said. "I don't know what they'll turn into if they go through the Stargate."
"Wait, what's the Stargate?" Dash asked.
"It's what we call the mirror between worlds," Scarlet said. "On the other side, it looks a lot like a Stargate from the TV show."
"Back on topic, do you have a map of the farm?" I asked.
"Ah can get it," Jackie said, standing and running through a door that led to another room. We waited as there was rummaging through a drawer. Finally, with a rustling of paper, she came out with a rolled up piece of old paper. She grabbed a few small random objects from a nearby wallside table and, after clearing off the table, unrolled the map and placed the map down.
I was no farming expert, but the Smith farm looked incredibly large, judging from the size of the farmhouse against all the green land that indicated their property line. "Sheesh, how many acres do you own?" I asked.
"Around four hundred and fifty or so," Mac said.
The farmhouse and nearby barn were located just off of a large dirt road that led to a large street labeled US 830. There was an arrow on the road that pointed towards the direction of Pendragon with another arrow pointing in the opposite direction labeled Brocéliande Forest. The farmhouse and barn were located on the farthest eastern portion of the property, near the long dirt road that property itself was not a perfect square, but was a mish mash of shapes, and I noticed that a few outer portions had been drawn in with a green marker, with purchase dates labeled on them from the past forty years. I pointed to US 830. "Is this the only road that gets access to the farm?" I asked.
"Eeyup," Mac said.
"You sure?" I persisted. "No older abandoned or overgrown roads?"
"Not unless yer countin' the abandoned train tracks here," Jackie said, pointing to a spot located within one of the more recently purchased areas.
"Ah remember a time when the train came and loaded our products," Pomeline said. "Mah grandpappy's brother was a conductor before the train company went under."
"How overgrown is it and where does it come from?" I asked.
"It used tah lead tah an abandoned lumber town in the middle of the Brocéliande Forest," Jackie said, "but the town's gone and instead there's a camp up there. Camp Evertide, right on the shores of Cowichan Lake."
"Huh, alright," I said, "so not all names on Avalon come from Arthurian legend. Still, how overgrown is it?"
"Last time ah went explorin' there, it was hard tah get through," Jackie said, "but Marigold would know better. She, Deanne and Anne explore there a lot of times, especially when they all watched Lord of the Rings fer the first time."
"Don't remind me," Trisha said. "I swear, Anne came home with brambles and sap all over her."
"Deanne's aunts told me the same thing," Dash chuckled.
"Ah'd hate tah see what Apple Bloom and her friends would do if they saw that movie," Applejack said.
"We should still keep an eye on that direction," I said, trying to refocus the conversation. "I don't know where the Sirens are going to come from, but no harm in being prepared."
"Wouldn't it be better to surround the statue?" Mac asked. "Just guard it on all sides?"
"Maybe," I conceded, "but I don't know how desperate they are. I'd like to try and talk them down if possible, but if not, that's what the shotguns are for."
"Now just an apple-pickin-minute!" Jackie said sharply, "we use those fer huntin'! We don't use them tah kill!"
"I know," I said, "and I don't want to hurt them if we need be, but if they're trespassing, I think the law will be on your side for defending yourselves."
"Ah'd rather yah use somethin' a bit less deadly," Pomeline said. "Yah just said yah have magic. Can yah use that?"
I held up my hand. Now that I had it back, for whatever reason, I could feel its normal flow through me. I watched as my normal silvery golden glow appeared around it. I reached out and picked up one of the pieces of wood near the fireplace, then slowly put it back down. "I suppose I could," I said.
"Whoa! What's happening to your hair, darling?" Trisha asked.
"And how did it get so long, anyway?" Dash asked.
Looking behind me, I noticed that my hair, which I had taken to tying back in a ponytail, had somehow gotten loose and was now flowing in the ethereal wind that it normally did. However, after a few seconds, it fell back behind my back, still. I sighed. "Can I borrow something to tie my hair behind me?" I asked, "and my hair is a long story that we can discuss later. As for my magic, I can try and use it, I guess, but I want backup just in case."
Trisha handed me a small pink elastic band. "I don't have any other color," she said apologetically.
"I don't care about color," I said as I tied it back in place. "Thanks, Trisha."
"You're very welcome."
I turned back to the rest. "I don't know if my magic will run out or not, so I'd rather conserve it and use non-magical means. Which means I've got to go back home and grab a few things later." Turning to the other non-Smith family members, I said, "I'm sure you know what I'm going to say about your involvement in this-"
"Do we have to go through this song and dance here?" Dash asked. "We're staying, like it or not. At least, I am."
"I don't know what I can do," Shye said, "but I'd like to try and help."
"We might not have magic, but we can still do something!" Diane said excitedly.
"They're just as dependable as our friends back home," Applejack said softly in my ear.
I nodded. "Pretty much." Sitting up straighter, I said, "Alright, if you're sure you're up to it."
"Great! I'll just text my parents and tell them I'm staying over for a sleepover!" Diane said, grabbing her phone and quickly shooting off a text.
While the others were taking care of their own business, I picked up the journal. "Twilight, Applejack, I think it would be a good idea for you to go back to Equestria. That way, if the Sirens make it past us, you can use the Elements of Harmony on them just in case they turn into their Siren forms. You should go too, Spike, to protect the girls."
"Ah don't like leavin' yah alone, but if this Jackie's anythin' like me, yer in good…hands," Applejack said.
"It's a good idea, but you keep yourself safe, Jethro," Twilight said.
"I don't want to go," Spike said defiantly, crossing his arms.
"You really should," I said. "I need someone back home to protect the girls."
"Then why are Zecora and Scarlet allowed to stay?" Spike asked with a pout.
"They're part of my herd," I said, "and I doubt they'd listen to me if I asked them to go home."
"You're damned right we're not, lover boy," Scarlet said, giving me a playful glare.
I sighed and turned back to Twilight. "Twilight, I trust that you can take care of things back home? Make plans and such?"
She saluted. "I can do that."
"You sure I can't stay?" Spike asked, sounding a bit forlorn.
"Ah don't mind if he keeps Marigold company fer a while," Jackie said. "She actually thinks the Spike from the show is a cool character."
Twilight didn't look too happy about that, but Spike's eyes widened. "You mean it?" he asked.
"Ah'll git started on somethin' fer lunch," Pomeline said. "Will grilled cheese sandwiches be okay for y'all?" When the everyone who was staying nodded in agreement, she stood. "Ah'll git started."
"You want some help, ma'am?" Spike asked. "I can cook pretty well."
Pomeline smiled at the young boy. "Thank ya kindly fer offerin', but yer our guest. Jackie, why dontcha go tell Mari that she can play with young Spike here." With that, she stood and began heading into the kitchen.
"Yes, Granny," Jackie said as she stood.
While she was heading up, Twilight looked over at Spike. "Fine, you can stay. Just be safe, okay?"
"I'll keep an eye on him," I said. "But right now, I need to go back to Equestria and grab a few things."
"Like what?" Dash asked.
"Well, I've got a few weapons that might help in the convincing," I said, standing up.
"Are you sure they'll be comin' today?" Mac asked.
"Possibly even tonight under cover of darkness," I said.
"I guess that would make sense," he said. "They'd need to come before that snowstorm."
"Snow would make them more visible even in the dark in the country," I said. "Now, please excuse me. I'll be right back. Twilight, Applejack, let's go." So saying, we all stood, walked outside and back towards the King Arthur statue…
"Okay, I've seen plenty of swords online and in person before," Dash was saying about an hour later outside the farm, "but that is a wicked cool blade!"
As promised, I'd gone back to Equestria and explained the situation with Applejack and Twilight to back me up. Celestia and Luna were still there, and promised to send a small number of soldiers to help the Elements of Harmony guard the barn and the Stargate. I'd then gotten a few things from home, like an overnight bag, my laptop with all the seasons of My Little Pony on it along magically enhanced Dragon shackles, my imperial garb and my crown, and finally the Eclipse Blade, which I hoped would show the Sirens, if they came, that I was indeed their Emperor. That had been harder to explain to them when Spike, who had sat next to a very excited Marigold, blurted out that I was indeed an Emperor.
When they had inevitably asked for details, I said it wasn't quite for younger ears, so Pomeline had let Spike and Marigold go upstairs where they could eat and watch My Little Pony on my laptop. Once we were alone, I held nothing back, explaining just what had happened during the time between when they left and the present. When it was over, the meal was a bit more somber, especially after hearing about my death and resurrection.
"It's called the Eclipse Blade, Sword of Emperors," I explained as I swung the sharp but lighter than expected broadsword around in the cold afternoon air. The sky had cleared slightly and the sun was now shining on the ancient reforged blade. "It's a sign to all Dragons that their Emperor has returned."
"But yer not a Dragon," Jackie said.
"According to Ember, whoever claimed both Sunsword and Moonsword would become the ruler of all Dragons," I explained. "It never said the ruler had to be a Dragon."
"And what does this has to do with these Sirens," Trisha asked.
"They're not Dragons," Shye added.
"Not in Earth mythology, no," I explained, "but Sirens are a subspecies of all Dragonkin, and if they're as old as I think, they might know about the Eclipse Blade and stand down."
"From what you've said about them, it doesn't sound like they will," Shye, who was sitting with the Smith's dog Winona, said worriedly.
"A good ruler always sues for peace before making war," I said. "I learned that when I was studying when I thought that I was picked to rule the Kingdom of Equestria, not the Aelyssian Empire," I said as I sheathed the sword. Despite being an entire world apart, somehow I could not only still feel Luna's and Celestia emotions, but the blended emotions of Eclipse herself. I thought of Eclipse as a female since it seemed to feel right to do so. They all were worried, but I continued to broadcast my best reassurances through the link. "Honestly, so much has happened since you guys were all in Equestria." I smiled, then turned back to the others. "This is the last chance, you know? Most of you don't have a stake in this fight."
"Love, how stubborn can you be?" Zecora asked, walking over and wrapping her arms around me. "They won't go anywhere, and neither will your herd." She kissed me deeply, before stepping back.
Only for Scarlet to jump into my arms and kiss me just as deeply. "You're stuck with us, babe," she said as she quickly let go.
"Okay, darling, you're going to have to explain that now," Trisha said, pointing at me. "The last time I checked, you were dating Zecora. Are you one of those guys who's into polyamory?"
I pursed my lips. "Equestrian culture isn't like American culture," I said. "Back there, there are at least five or six mares for one stallion. It's a cultural norm for a stallion to form a herd, at least to propagate the species."
"But Zecora's a Zebra," Trisha pointed out.
"True, but herds are common in her homeland, too," I said. "It seems to be a common thing in other races, too. Lycans, Dragons, maybe Deerfolk too, I'm not sure. It's more common there than here."
"And yah just accepted it?" Jackie asked.
"I was raised in a Christian home," I explained, suddenly feeling angry. "It took me months to even consider it, and months before to admit to myself I was starting to fall for Zecora." In an increasingly defensive tone, I continued, "Can you even imagine what it was like? The only human in the world, surrounded by sapient beings who I once thought only as fictional or real animals? I was so scared when I realized how I felt about Zecora, but she's always constantly reassured me that everything will be okay! I fell for her because of who she is inside, and not because she's a Zebra!"
Jackie raised her hands quickly. "Hold on there, sugarcube, ah didn't mean tah upset yah. Ah'll admit, it's a lot to take in, but ah can't blame yah fer adaptin' tah yer new home."
"I'm sorry, too," Trisha said apologetically, "I was just shocked, is all."
I took a deep breath and exhaled. "Sorry, I'm just nervous about all of this," I said, gesturing to the nearby statue. "Dazzlings might show up, having more people knowing our secret, and that thing just out in the open, plain as day."
"How many mares can be in a herd?" Shye asked curiously.
"I'm not sure there's a limit, to be honest," I said, "but then again, you've gotta take into account a lot of things when choosing herd members. From what I've learned anyway. There's got to be constant open communication between members of the family. It's a lot of work, but from what I've heard from another herd, it's worth it."
"Are there other mares you're considering?" Shye asked again.
I sighed. "Sort of. See, three other mares confessed to me, and I've promised each of them dates. I've just not had the time for it with everything that's happened."
"Oh? Who?" Trisha asked.
"Fluttershy, Pinkie and Twilight," I said. "And Princess Luna might be a possible fourth."
"Oh my," Shye said, blushing slightly.
"Equestrian me and Jethro, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Diane giggled.
"That's quite a lot of mares," Jackie said. "Any idea why so many of them are into yah?"
I shrugged. "Maybe it's because I've just been spending time with them as often as I can?" I said. "I mean, before things started getting crazier and crazier, I had so much free time considering I don't need a traditional job. I'd have magic lessons and study Earth and Equestrian leaders with Twilight, discuss Earth fashion with Rarity, bake and introduce Earth recipes to Pinkie Pie, read manga and watch anime with Fluttershy, spend a day or two a week on the farm with Applejack working and practicing controlling my Earth Pony strength and get flying lessons from Rainbow Dash. I've gone from having no friends six months ago to now having a fiancée, a girlfriend, and so many amazing friends. I like to spend time with all of them, whether it's one on one or in a group."
"Well, I do wish you luck," Trisha said, and it sounded like she meant it. "I don't have anything against a polyamorous relationship, but I know it's hard."
"It is," I said, "but right now, I not only have two amazing lovers, but some great friends who can help me through things. I know it sounds cliché, but in multiple ways, friendship really is magic over in Equestria."
"You know, if I hadn't been to Equestria, I probably wouldn't be watching that girly show," Dash said a bit dismissively.
"The show's not perfect, to be sure," I said, "but it's still an amazing show. And I get to live it, and try and change things for the better. You should have seen what I did after I saw the Season Three ending and after the first Equestria Girls movie. But back onto the topic at hand." I looked at the statue once more. "I really wish we could hide that somehow."
"Can't you move it?" Diane asked. "Like maybe to the barn?"
"I don't want to risk that," I said. "In the Equestria Girls movies, moving one end of the portal didn't move the other end, but here? If the time frame is right, the portal moved at around the same time Celestia and Luna teleported it to my house. It might not move back home, but I don't wanna risk it until I know more."
"A wise precaution," Zecora said, putting her hand on my shoulder and squeezing.
"Ah've gotta say, yah don't look quite like an Emperor now," Jackie said, a sudden teasing smile on her face. "What, with what yer wearin'."
I laughed. "Why do you think I brought this?" I reached into my coat pocket and pulled out the ringlet crown I'd brought with me just to further convince the Dazzlings that I was who I would claim to be. "That, and I brought my royal clothes."
"Are you sure you want to be wearing those on a farm?" Trisha asked. "You'll get them dirty," she added, earning her a glare from Jackie.
"I wore them while sitting on a throne that fit a massive Dragon Lord," I said. "Besides, I've found that ancient Dragon clothes tend to be a one size fits all. Literally. I could probably run these clothes through my washing machine and they wouldn't shrink."
"Darling, royal clothes are too exquisite to go through a simple washing machine!" Trisha exclaimed.
"I wouldn't do that," I said. "Not without experimentation. I'm pretty sure there's some more in Virynth Atheos."
"Man, I really wanna explore Equestria," Dash said. "It sounds so cool! Dragons, ancient civilizations, magic! It's like Westeros or Middle-Earth!"
"Only they have some things both those places don't have," I explained, "like old timey film projectors, fridges, ovens, and more. At least, Equestria does. The rest of the world might not. From what I've seen, anyway."
"Mayhaps another time we could come for another visit?" Diane asked, steepling her fingers and giving me a narrowed eyed look. "You know, when the worlds aren't in some sort of super duper trouble?"
"I think that can be arranged," I said, "but right now, we should really focus on the task at hand. Let's go back inside."
"It's a shame we can't use magic like you guys can while here," Trisha said.
"I bet we could do some really cool things with it!" Dash added.
"I don't know how that would work, to be honest," I said as we all headed back into the house. "The Equestria Girls versions of you all got magical powers from Ponying Up whenever they sang in their band, the Rainbooms."
"Rainbooms sounds pretty sweet," Dash said. "But what's Ponying Up?"
"It's what happens to the human versions of the Elements of Harmony in the movies where they grow Pony ears, their hair grows to become a ponytail, and some even grow wings," I briefly explained. "It also happens mostly when they sing."
"Okay…I don't get it, but are you saying I'd get wings if I Pony Up now?" Dash asked excitedly.
"I don't know," I admitted. "Things in Equestria are similar yet different."
"Oooh ooh! Lemme try!" Diane said, clearing her throat, then she began singing, "I'm siiiingin' in the rain! Just siiiingin' in the rain! What a glooorious feeeelin' I'm haaaaappy again! I'll walk down the lane, with a haaaappy refrain! And singin'! Just singin' in the raaaiin!" When she stopped, she held out her hand, clenching her teeth and trying to do something. We watched in curiosity, but nothing happened. "Awww…"
I pat her back. "Don't worry, Diane," I said, "I know you can at least do some cool stuff when you're in your Equestrian form."
"Yeah, that's true," she said with a wide smile as we reached the living room again.
When we reached it, I saw that Marigold and Spike were still sitting on the couch in front of my plugged in laptop. The two were watching My Little Pony, at least the version I knew. I'd asked Marigold to watch them to see if there was anything different about what I knew since we didn't have time to watch this world's version. She looked up at me as the rest of us entered. "Ah can't believe yer an Emperor in Equestria! Ah wanna go visit! And ah know Deanne and Anne would wanna go too!"
"Are they fans of the show?" Scarlet asked.
"Anne is, and ah know Deanne is, but she's always too cool to show it," Marigold said.
"I'd expect nothing less from Scootaloo's counterpart," I whispered to myself. "For now, I don't want you telling them," I added in a louder voice. "Maybe someday, if we can get them to promise and keep that promise. But for now, not even Ponyville knows about this portal to Earth."
"Ah understand, but it's gonna be so hard!" Marigold said before going back to watching the show.
"I know, kiddo," I said sympathetically, "but you've gotta stay quiet about it."
She nodded and quickly became engrossed in the show once more. I saw that they were more than halfway through the first episode. Mac was there with them, and he stood just then. "Hey, everyone. Could you follow me into the other room? We've gotta talk about where we're gonna be stayin' tonight."
"Sure thing." I followed him into the other room. It was time to plan for an invasion…