A/N: August 31st once again and it is officially my 23rd birthday today!
If you're wondering what I am planning to do next in my real life: I will be going to Fan Expo again this year to meet both Andrea Libman and Charles Martinet. I'll be bringing the Fluttershy drawing that I originally wanted her to sign when she and Tabitha were guests in 2014, but ended up missing her. Now I'll be able to meet her and after that, I'd just have to meet Ashleigh Ball, John de Lancie and Kelly Sheridan. I do want to meet Kathleen Barr one day though so I can hear her do the voice of 'Queen Chrysalis'.
I have seen the most recent episodes "The Times They Are a Changeling" and "Dungeons & Discords". Both of them are great episodes. I decided to make mention of the Discord episode in the previous chapter, so it already happened by the time they get back. For Thorax the Changeling, I already am making bets that he'll be in the Crystal Empire two-parter that I am planning out which brings me to this plan:
My plan after the Earth chapters is a Fluttershy chapter and then the wedding. After that there will be a bit of a hiatus for a small short time. Then I will be back to continue writing. Pretty sure the new cover gave it away by who is going to appear in the story.
Review Responses:
WarHusky2000: Thank you! :) Do you listen to Sabaton by chance?
Guest: Looks like you'll have to find out!
Jack905: When it comes to villains, I am inspired by most Disney villains like Shan Yu, Frollo or Gaston. But I was also inspired to make her the villain because I was going through some stuff and it all just popped in my mind. It's funny because I didn't originally plan it out until the chapter "This Is The Life".
jvs12: As usual, thank you.
4theworldman: Wait until Part 5, you'll find out.
Snake eyes: I don't plan on having them in human forms for the Earth chapters. They're just their usual pony forms. If they went through the mirror portal to Canterlot High; completely different story.
billykilly: I did do a bit of this and that for this chapter, next chapter should have more though if I don't forget that. Heheheh.
Steve03: The trouble will double by the time Part 5 comes in, so expect a bit of 'action' in the final part of the Earth chapters.
guest: Thank you. There will be more adventures.
Fire bird: The phone charges automatically when in the atmosphere of Equestria. Most likely the case is that there is magic about and it gives the phone enough power to function without the battery draining at all.
Ice cream lover: Oh, just wait and see in the next chapter. It's going to get crazy considering Fluttershy is Ann's favorite pony from the show.
Anon: Maybe... ;) Could very well be a 'Yes'.
The inside of the cottage looks to be spick and span like this was the first time anyone or anypony was coming in to inspect the house before making a decision to spend money on it. All dust looks to have been wiped clean and the power seems to be still in great condition after the basement power was checked for the entire place. Really good news on our end.
"Whoo-ee," I can hear Applejack commenting as she takes a look around the room. "Rarity, both ya and Fluttershy really did a great job tidyin' up."
"Oh darling, it's nothing at all." Rarity responds to her. "I figured the place needed it after not having been used for a long time. It's the honor for Brayden who was dear enough to invite us on a trip to his world."
I look at all of everypony who was there, judging and agreeing pretty much with what Applejack has commented, also compliment how neat my place looked now than before.
"Well, I suppose a tour would suffice now then." I said to them. "Well, the first thing you see upon stepping into the cottage is the living room, where many come to socialize. We have a television so we can watch programs or th enews on what is happening in today's world. Underneath the TV and hooked up to it is the two consoles, the Xbox One and the Xbox 360. I have a few others, but they are in the basement right now."
"While we were stumbling through downstairs to check the power, we found a couple of these things called D... VDs. What exactly do they do?" Rainbow Dash asked.
I turn to look at my rainbow-maned friend. "They play movies, of course. With the TV, I also have a Blu-Ray player there hooked up and ready to watch movies. Up in my room, I also have an extra TV with a DVD player if in case somepony isn't really that comfortable with the film we watch here and wants to see something more light-hearted. I will be happy to help you with that in case."
I walk over to the small coffee table close to the couch and pull open one of it's storage, revealing a bunch of board games. "If for some reason the power goes out by electrical storm or something haywire is going on, we have these to entertain ourselves."
Pinkie bounces up and down when she sees the board games. After having showing my friends a few of the board games like Boggle or Candy Land, I close up the coffee table's shelf door and begin making my way towards the arched open area that leads into the kitchen.
"This here is where the kitchen will be. If you are in need of a snack or if it is time to cook breakfast, lunch or dinner, let me know so that I can begin preparing and making the food for you."
"Ah could help ya make an apple crisp while at it," Applejack tells me with a bright smile on her face. "Definitely haven't baked somethin' together yet, so this could be a good chance to talk to one another."
I smile at her. "And I promise you Applejack that it will be done." I told her, knowing the spark ensured the honest trust between one another. A promise is a promise kept, and there will be no way that I will break it. Hell, I wouldn't even break a Pinkie Promise if I ended up making it with Pinkie in sight as I know she would be enraged if it happened.
"Down the hallway here," I take a few steps to the side before reaching the wall's turning point. "The door into the basement is there and at the end of the hall is the bathroom in case any of you need to use it. It's not the only one as there is two other bathrooms: one upstairs and one in the basement. And yes, there is a tub and a shower for the upstairs bathroom if you need to shower or have a bath, but the downstairs basement only has a shower."
Moondancer smiles when she is taking in the information of where to go around the house. "Well that's good. Hygiene is the best way to keep us clean." She tells me.
"For sleeping, let me guide you upstairs to show you." I turn my sight towards the wooden steps leading to the second floor, while I can hear the hooves following right behind me as I walk. I am aware that Rainbow doesn't have her hooves on the floor as she is flapping her wings and flying.
From the bottom of the steps, we move upward into the lit stairway after I have turned on the light to see where we were going. At the top of the steps isn't the end, but in more description there is a wall there, so with a turn to the right, there's another set of steps to climb in order to reach the second floor.
The second floor is how you would think of it, there is two windows on the right of the room to shed light into the hallway, with four doors on the left.
"This here is the upstairs floor. At the end of the hall to the left is my bedroom door. If there is an emergency and I am sleeping there, be sure to knock on the door and let me answer. Next door left of my room is the guest bedroom, where I suspect that you will be staying for the night." I said to them, approaching the closed door and putting a hand out to show which one it was. "There is two beds to use, and you have the sleeping bags that both Rainbow and Pinkie brought up from the basement."
"I call a bed!" Rarity proudly exclaims showing no remorse about it.
Rainbow groans with a bit of annoyance by the sound of it. "Come on Rarity, you always call it first!" She retorts.
The white unicorn giggles with a clever smile on her face. "Terribly sorry darling, but next time we go visit somewhere, it'll be your chance."
"Probably never." Rainbow mutters to herself for both me and her to hear, which I did have a bit of a smile on my face as she said that, trying not to laugh. Wouldn't want to piss off the fastest friend I have now wouldn't I?
Moondancer trots forward a few steps. "Guess I'm going to call for the other bed," She says to us. "Well, looks like all the beds are taken now so I think it means everypony else gets to have the sleeping bags."
Applejack turns to look at her and speak by her southern accent. "Ah don't mind sleepin' on the floor, but anythin' to enjoy the visit."
"Sorry I couldn't get enough beds." I apologized, raising the both of my hands in the air to display an innocence.
Pinkie appears right behind me, gently squeezing my back and wrapping her hooves around me. "Oh it's alright there Brayden! I was lucky to have found a stash of blankets to keep us warm at night." She tells me with a giggle.
"The blankets are optional," I said to her as she released her hooves and hops off from my back. I turn around and can see her with those cyan eyes of her looking at me. "By the looks of it, I think it's the summer equinox, so don't get too cozy or you'll feel hot. To keep a good balance, I have fans in the upstairs room on the ceilings to keep it cool. If it was winter, then it would be off and you'd be all cozy in the blankets right about now."
"What about the other two doors there?" Twilight asked with a smile on her face.
I take a slight walk over between the two other doors that I haven't pointed out yet, first starting with the one on my left. "This is where the bathroom will be," I responded to my fiance's question before pointing out the other door on my right. "And this is where I would go to listen to music. It used to be the dancing room, but most music is played downstairs. I'd usually go here now to listen to music privately."
Starlight Glimmer raised a hoof in question which I pointed out to her so she could ask. "So, with the tour of your cottage wrapped up here, can you give us a moment to settle our beds in the guest room?"
I nod my head. "Of course, everypony can take as much time as they need to set up." I told them as the team move on to do that.
Half of my friends were headed back downstairs to gather the sleeping bags. The other half being Starlight Glimmer, Applejack, Fluttershy and Rarity go into the guest bedroom to check out how the room looks on their own end. Personally, I haven't been in it enough times, but I knew that's where my adoptive parents slept before I knew that Celestia was my birth mother... still have no idea who my birth father is.
On my mind, I swear that I caught an image of my Earth friends here, possibly missing me and thinking that I was dead. Then I remember... I have my cell phone on me, and it means there is bars available for me to text or call them after having been at another world across the galaxy without any bars to contact anyone, just music to listen to on my earphones.
I reach into the back pocket of my shorts to get my phone. If you're wondering why, I always make sure to bring it with me anywhere I go for memories or just in case that I am able to get cell phone data in the atmosphere travelling. I unlock my phone and press the 'Text' application to open up old conversations that I have exchanged between me and my friends here.
The most recognizable friends on here: Alex, Andrea, Ann and Rebecca. My thoughts on texting someone are directed towards Alex who was known to be one of my best brony pals in high school along with Ann when me and her weren't out dating. Sure he acted like a bit of a dick, but he was very friendly to get along with.
I already know that for him, this is going to turn out a complete surprise for him to find out that I wasn't dead after all. I select him and I begin to send him a text. "Hey, guess who?" I texted to him and then sent the message to him.
Figuring that he might not answer immediately, I place my phone back into my pocket until I can feel it vibrate as that is where I have it set up. To kill off some time, I should go to my room and place the Song of Order in there for now and check up on what's going on lately in the world on the internet.
I walk to the end of the hall, opening up the door to my room, still seeing the standard bed still in the same spot that I remember sleeping in on the visits here. My left hand moves back grasping and unsheathing the mystic claymore by the red pommel. At the corner to my left at the end, I let go of the blade and allow it to float and keep everything relaxed and easy-going with the humming that it emitted.
My laptop is sitting there on top of the desk, having gathered a bit of dust the last time I was here to visit for usage of this. I head over to the desk, taking a seat in the 'spinny' chair. Yes, I know it is a bit of an office chair, but I love calling them spinny chairs. Reason why I do is unknown, so I guess it's just for fun.
I lift the black lid of my laptop and check the wires to make sure that it is connected. Ah good, they are connected. I press the silver button on the top left past the keyboard, seeing the small speck of white light on it activate the white light.
There comes the start-up screen... and then it's loading. Oh boy, I haven't been using these for a while so I better get used to placing my fingers to type again. The desktop shows up on the screen after it has finished loading up and there is the recognizable background with an artistic depiction of Princess Luna standing happily and looking up into the skies of Equestria which looks like she is glancing at the moon.
I connect the mouse to the laptop and begin moving it over to the Internet icon, clicking it and accessing the browser that comes up on my screen with the usual search engine that is used by the majority of people.
The mouse clicked on as I look onto the recent news that have gone around the world. Well, not really much has changed from around here locally since I was assumed dead, so it's not like I was important to this world by only a single individual, but again I do not seek fame and fortune.
For the rest of the world, I do not think anything has changed at all. Business continues to run like usual and the war news still never-ending; the attacks from the Global Persecution agents made onto the soil of the other Middle-Eastern cities filled with the innocent civilians. Politics seem to be focused on what is happening in the United States of America right now based on the election for the upcoming November.
Wait... Fallout 4 came out according to gaming news which already reports that a future DLC is coming?! I think I have really missed out on a lot since...
"What's that Brayden?" I can hear a voice asking from my bedroom by the time I turn my head to look and see Rainbow standing there, leaning at the open arch and holding an inquisitive look on her face.
My head was turned, but I turn in the chair to face her. "This object is my laptop. I used this to look up information, find out about what happens in the world, listen to music, watch YouTube videos, and how I stumbled upon the show which led me to getting to know you girls."
"YouTube videos?" She asked.
I signal for her to come and join next to me so that I can show her. I turn to the laptop and request for the search engine to go to YouTube so I can explain what videos really were on the net. The website pops up and she trots up next to me.
"Well, I know that they have film reels and such over in Equestria, but how would they be able to show them here on this screen?"
"It's all digital," I responded to her question. "Over time, film reels evolved on this world, becoming video cassettes, laser discs, DVDs, Blu-Rays... and now with digital - the world can download for a cost. With YouTube, all it takes is a camera, camcorder or phone to record something, and then they upload it onto here for views and all to see."
She still looks to be a little bit confused by all of the technology mumbo-jumbo. Seeing how she hasn't exactly been here to my world, I'm sure that everything would seem a bit strange to her eyes being that this is human technology.
I turn around back to my computer and put my fingers onto the keyboard again, typing out something random that popped into my mind along the lines of skateboarding videos. Once the list has loaded up, I click on a random video and allow it to load up the video for the both of us to watch.
The video starts up and it has a skate park in the video with a few teenage kids my age or a year younger skateboarding and doing stunt flips and tricks, and all the sort with their boards. Over the footage, I can hear rap music in the video that sounds decent enough being that the topic is about life in general.
"Cool!" She comments as her rose colored eyes are watching the other humans like me, performing these tricks for their friends who stand by in the video and watch.
"Hey, what's you two looking at?" I can hear Pinkie's voice right behind me, being that she has peeked around the office chair to my right.
"I'm just introducing Rainbow Dash to the internet here on my laptop," I said to her, turning to see her cyan blue eyes staring right at me. "She was curious as to what happens on here, a place where mankind can share what happens in the world, and share videos or anything serious, funny, sad or just about anything like videos on the website YouTube."
"Oooooh YouTube, I want to see some funny stuff!" Pinkie exclaims with a bright smile on her face.
On my mind, something actually came to mind... clips from "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" are a major find on YouTube a lot, and even some episodes come on there. I don't think it'd be the perfect time to show them though, because being that they have lived through those times before; they'd be a little bit surprised. But hey, Pinkie did predict that I watched them on moving pictures.
I keep that thought in the back of my mind for now, tapping my fingers onto the keyboard once again and typing in the keywords into the search bar above. After clicking to search for it, the video stops and another listing of videos show up. I click on the one that was all about fathers getting breakfast served to the shower by their kids all thanks to a television show host telling them to do it.
I can feel a vibration in my back pocket, and I can tell that perhaps Alex got my text message after all. "I've seen this video many times, so I'll let you both watch it." I said getting up out of the seat.
"Where are you going?" Rainbow asked me.
I turn to look at her. "My phone in my pocket has vibrated, and I am going to check what's up with it." I stated to her.
She nods her head, using her front hooves to climb up onto the office chair and begin watching the video with Pinkie who laughed when she saw a few kids pouring oatmeal and orange juice into the shower while their dad was in there. Which of course, you don't actually see the dad in there based on the curtain blocking the view.
I smile, stepping out into the hallway again to take my phone from my back pocket. I activate the screen with the button on the top-right, seeing the text message right there before my own eyes. By the look of it, I can tell that it's Alex and he sounds pretty damn surprised.
"Holy shit. Is that you Brayden?" His text had said to me.
I activate the Text app and begin to tap on the keyboard located on the screen to bring out my response to him. "Yes Alex, it's really me. I am alive and kicking." After typing that in, I press the Send button to which it proceeds right away to deliver the message.
Moments pass and with my phone vibrating, his response seems outrageous that even I don't know what his face is like unless I go to meet up with him somewhere in the city. "Dude, you've been dead for two years. This is impossible... how can you still be alive? Your body is buried in the local cemetary."
"It's a very long story, and I know that this may be really hard for you to understand. But I have come with a couple of friends at my side that even you would be surprised to see." I texted to him.
His message took a bit of time, but he eventually responded in the text. "I really have to see if it is really you. Do you know where and when we could meet up?"
I begin texting again. "I'm thinking we could meet up near the old movie theatre if it is still there, I'm thinking a few hours because I plan on showing my friends my video games and music CDs and maybe all of us are going to watch a movie after I show them. I'll bring them along to meet you and hell, you might recognize one of them."
"I'll be ready. Text me when you're on your way to the old theatre. As soon as you send me a text, I will come." He responds back to me.
"Are you using your phone for something Brayden?" I can hear the sweet innocent voice of Fluttershy across the hallway who is trotting forward towards me by the time my eyes turn up to look at her.
I didn't want to lie to my closest friend, so I will be honest with her on this. "When we came back here, I realized that my phone now has a thing called 'bars' that allow me to call or text others, so I texted one of my best friends here on Earth, and he's replied to me and wants to see me later tonight."
"That must be really good to know that your friend is happy to hear that."
"It is, Fluttershy," I said to her. "I might have mentioned about my friend Alex to you before. He's one of my high school friends who introduced me to the show which led me here to this very moment that has passed with you girls, all at my side."
"That's good to hear, I can't wait to meet your friend." She tells me. "That is if I don't act shy..."
"Flutters," I said to her, gently moving my right hand and placing it on her left cheek. "You don't have to worry about it. I know you, and you've definitely brought a great and wonderful change to yourself. The change I see, is the friendship between both you and us."
She looks rather touched to hear those words, her pale light grayish gold cheeks glowing a bit pink as her cyan eyes turn to look at my hand, gently touching her cheek. I can tell that she really likes it when I do that, and I guess it makes her feel a little comfortable to be with me.
"Umm, Brayden?" She asks me, sounding a little nervous.
I nod my head to let her know that I was there to listen. "Is there something you'd like to say?"
A quick notion of a bit of a shiver comes from her, but I tell she is nervous to tell me something. Only a few have ever been this nervous to tell me something and that was Coco Pommel when she had a crush on me. I'm not sure why, but I can't tell if Fluttershy is going to confess to me but I doubt that my own best friend would have a crush on me.
"Yes there is," She says to me keeping that smile on her face as she silently and quickly drew in a breath of fresh air. "It's that I have a c-"
"Ba-hahahahaha!"
I can hear Rainbow Dash laughing in the other room that interrupted what she was going to say to me. With that, I can also hear Pinkie laughing with her as well, as they were in my room watching videos on my laptop most likely.
"Brayden! You've got to come in here and see this!" She calls to me. "This video is quite hilarious!"
"I'm coming in a moment Pinkie, Fluttershy is trying to tell me something!" I called out to her before turning to look back at her in front of me whose left front hoof has taken my right hand off from my cheek and is holding onto it. "You were saying?"
"Oh... I forgot what it was." Fluttershy says, sounding only a little disappointed.
My left hand moves, taking her hoof that holds onto my right hand and my hands both holding onto it and my brown eyes glancing at her own. "Well, as your closest friend; when it comes back to mind, you know what to tell me."
She giggles for a moment, letting me know that she will give me the chance to tell me whenever she should remember about it. At that moment, I let go of her hoof, and allow her to join me with our other two friends watching YouTube videos in my room.
All was well set-up upstairs by the time that Rainbow, Pinkie and Fluttershy had the fair share of videos of people on Earth or funny hilarious stuff that happened with animals on the planet whether its about cats, dogs, parrots, seagulls, birds... practically any thing that enlightened us with humor abroad. It was for a while that distracted both the three other friends and myself until Twilight called me over to let me know that the room for my friends were all set up thanks to her, Rarity, Applejack, Starlight and Moondancer.
The entire guest bedroom was all laid out with sleeping bags, each with names on paper that I have written down with a pen so that they know which sleeping bag is theirs. Both Rarity and Moondancer have claimed the two beds already, but I have placed white pieces of paper so that they know which side is which. Rarity's bed is on the left side whilst Moondancer sleeps on the right side.
After all of them were settled and okay with the new plans of when it came to sleep, I bring them downstairs back into the living room where I have decided to show them the collection of movies and video games that I had here.
I decided to show them the movie collection first from the shelf of DVDs, Blu-Rays and hell... even VHS because the VCR was still working when Twilight was checking it out. They got to see a few of my favorite choices on the shelf from childhood movies to the ones I had up until my 'death' here on Earth.
My friends look over the covers of the cases, looking to see which movie interested them the most. I stand by and watch them as each of them pick up the cases in their own way whether by hooves or magic if available to them.
"You have an interesting choice of taste in these kind of movies Brayden," I can hear Starlight Glimmer talking to me as her horn is channeling magic and a few cases are being levitated. "So far, I am interested in a few of these titles like 'Quest for Camelot', 'Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring' and 'The Avengers'."
"I really like this one here, 'Aladdin'! Maybe we can watch it? If not this time, maybe in Equestria!" Pinkie exclaims happily, bouncing up and down in her infinite happy mood.
"Ah really don't know what to choose," Applejack tells me, looking really confused. "Bein' away from Equestria on a far-away world can be quite confusin' and strange to me. But Ah guess Ah'll have to choose this one 'Ghostbusters'. Ghosts might not exist as Princess Celestia says, but Ah'd watch a fun one."
While looking on the news, isn't it a bit of a coincidence that they released a remake of it with an all-female cast playing the roles of the Ghostbusters. Seems interesting, but I don't think there's enough time on Earth to go and see it. Even if I did, it'd be too risky to enter the public eye with my friends without getting attention drawn to us.
"This one looks good!" Rainbow suggests to me, holding a copy of 'Hercules' in the both of her hooves.
I chuckle and raise the both of my open hands to calm them down. "Now girls," I said to all of them. "One at a time now... you don't have to show me. I'll look them over for you and we'll all decide if it's an appropriate one for all of us to watch together."
All of my friends looked understanding of what I would be doing to decide on what the movie for the late afternoon would be. I gather at the coffee table, walking around to each spot that each friend sat at that have already picked.
I already now knew the choices that Starlight, Pinkie, Applejack and Rainbow have selected from the movie shelf, so I observe and browse through every other movie selected by the others. For Rarity who was the first, I can see that she has selected 'The Devil Wears Prada'. Moondancer's corner had 'Alien' and 'GoldenEye'. Yeah... I think those would be a bit too much for the girls to handle themselves. Though I do admit that 'GoldenEye' is really good, but at the moment... not now.
My fiance Twilight has selected the two films already with a smile on her face, as my eyes look and see that she has picked 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" and "Beauty & The Beast". Fluttershy on the other hoof has picked "The Lion King", "Mulan" and "Pocahontas" for her choices.
"Alright, all of you have made some pretty good choices here." I said to them, standing between both Twilight and Fluttershy as I spoke to them with their ears perked upward to listen to what I have to say. "It is quite difficult for me, but I remember growing up as a kid watching The Lion King a major number of times. I also remember Mulan in the fifth grade of elementary school."
"Would you like to watch it Brayden?" Twilight asked me. "You don't have to pick the choices I had if you don't want to. We can always watch them back in Equestria when we bring them with us."
A smile came onto my face and I look at Fluttershy's choices, seeing that The Lion King was one of my most memorable movies to grow up with. "I'll pick this one for us to watch. I loved this movie as a kid and I would love to watch it again with you all," I said to them, taking the copy in my hands. "For the other ones you all brought out, I will make sure that we will watch it next time, which probably will be back at home in Equestria."
Rainbow Dash chuckles and says "This movie should be interesting."
"No doubt about that Dashie. And I'm pretty sure that you'll love it too." I responded to her statement with a clever smirk on my face.
Everypony else with me pretty much agreed on my choice and got up onto the couch as I place the movie in and begin it by pressing 'play'. When the Walt Disney logo comes up onto the screen, I take a seat between Twilight and Rarity while Pinkie magically pulls out a bucket of popcorn to share with all of us.
After the logo was gone, there came that classic shot of the orange sun in the movie rising above the horizon with the chant to open up the very first song. I knew everything was going so well when Fluttershy saw all of the animals on screen.
"Awww, they're so adorable!" Fluttershy states with an adorable squee.
When the small cub version of Simba appears on screen in Sarabi's paws, pretty much everypony at the same time could be heard by my own ears saying "Awwww!" Even I think that's adorable as well, so all of us were equal on that.
After the first song has passed, the movie goes on as we watch what happens in the movie; like Mufasa talking with Simba above Pride Rock, to the song 'I Just Can't Wait To Be King' which everypony began to sing along to the chorus when they finally figured it out. They did feel a bit nervous however when both the young lion cubs were being terrorized as dinner for the hyenas but were relieved when Mufasa came to save the day.
As soon as Scar's villain song came up, I knew all too well that I was going to sing along with it as I had a fetish for singing along to villain songs even though my heart is good on both the inside and outside; so even my friends knew that I was more friendly and knew that this evil business was no good.
All took a turn for the worse when the stampede scene came in and Mufasa was climbing the cliffside just to escape the deathly fall below. But of course the villain grips fiercely onto him before quietly saying to him "Long live the king!" Then came the moment where he throws Mufasa into the stampede and I could hear Fluttershy gasping with worry especially over Simba's cry from witnessing that.
The scene that practically makes everyone cry comes in where Simba sees his dad Mufasa lying dead on the ground. I wasn't crying as I have seen this part a bunch of times so I didn't really cry about it; but I was more in complete shock. My eyes turn to look at my friends and their reactions to this scene and needless to say: It's kind of what I did expect.
Hearing Simba's pleas for Mufasa to get up, Fluttershy at the end of the couch was edging close to the verge of tears. Everypony else is either in shock about it, or have tears dripping down from their eyes. With no help coming for anyone to help Simba, the lion cub's tears began to crawl down, and I knew Fluttershy wouldn't be able to handle this part.
She lost it, and I can hear as she is trying to muffle her cries but she is unable to hold it back. My heart aches a bit because she was upset and I really didn't want to see her upset about this; even if it was only a movie. I take a hold of the remote and pause the movie before getting up to go over to her.
"Are you okay Fluttershy?" I kept a calm, gentle tone in my voice when I was speaking to her. My hand is gently placed onto her back, as I can see her face turn to look at me, the stains from the tears that continue to crawl from her eyes.
"He- He lost his dad!" She sobs, still unable to control herself on this.
I can hear a sniff from behind as I was comforting my best friend, turning quickly to see Rainbow Dash having a tear crawl down her face. She is quick to notice and wipes the tears from her eyes.
"I... I wasn't crying at all!" Rainbow said to me, trying to sound brave about this.
"Rainbow Dash! That's not helping at all," Twilight scolds her. "Fluttershy's upset about this, and Brayden has to calm her down."
I gently pull the pegasus close towards me, giving her gentle shushs and gently rubbing her back with the both of my hands and make her a little more comfortable. Her head moves close to my chest and she begins to cry into my chest while continuing my remedies of comfort to calm her down from this. At the same time, I'm just thankful that she didn't pick 'Old Yeller' or I never would have heard the end of it if we watched it.
Her wings unfold and wrap around me in a hug, my angelic wings not opening to wrap around her in the wing-hug she was giving me. A few of her tears fall onto my short-sleeved shirt, and I allow it to do so; but for the sake of being there as a close friend as she had given me the Spark of Kindness through her soft-spoken words.
"Uhh, Pinkie?" I called out to my friend who was sitting there on the couch as well whose tears had crawled down her face for a bit. "Can you go and get some tissues from the bathroom for Fluttershy? Make sure to get one for yourself as well, you have tears too."
"Okie-dokie-loki!" She says to me, getting off the couch and trotting towards the bathroom as I take a seat next to Fluttershy, not releasing her from the gentle hug.
"Why?" She sniffles for a moment, glancing upward at me as the tears are slowly starting to ebb away. "Why did Mufasa have to die?"
I gently shush her again, using my right hand to gently stroke her mane. "It's not real Fluttershy. It's how the artists and story writers decided this. Remember that it's only a movie, and I will admit that I did cry at this scene when I was young."
"So he's not really dead?" She asks, getting a little bit calmer as my voice softly talks to her.
"It's just... a movie Fluttershy!" I can hear Rainbow Dash on the other side, looking a little annoyed yet trying to hide that she was tearing up.
I turn towards my rainbow maned friend. "Then how come I saw you starting to tear up then?"
She looks a bit guilty about that, but lets down after she realized that I noticed. "Oh... point taken."
I turn back to Fluttershy who was already given tissues by Pinkie and was blowing her nose and then putting the tissue she used into the garbage can nearby. I offer her another tissue which she accepts from me, while I place my hand onto her cheek to let her know that I was there for her even when she was this upset.
"T-Thank you Brayden," She says to me, sniffling again and wiping the tears from her face that had crawled down her cheeks. "I think I will be ready to continue watching in a few moments. I just need to blow my nose."
A smile came onto my lips as my arms release her from the hug. "Take all the time you need." I said to her.
She releases her wings from around my back, and blows her nose on the tissue before throwing it into the can where her previous tissue had gone. I feel quite happy with how calmer she is and I move back to my spot between both Twilight and Rarity, taking a few bits of popcorn that Pinkie was offering to me.
"Brayden?" I can hear Twilight ask me before I can reach for the remote to resume the movie. "Can I tell you something?"
I turn to look at my fiance and can see her smile on her mouth of hers. "What is it Twilight?" I asked her, wonderwing what she was going to say to me. By the look on her face, it seems like she will be giving me a positive comment.
"Brayden," She takes and holds onto my right hand with her left hoof, gently rocking it back and forth. "What you did to cheer Fluttershy up was one of the nicest things that I have seen you do, and for that I am very proud of your actions."
"Oh, it's nothing." I said to her, as my cheeks start to blush a little bit with pink.
She giggles for a moment. "You might think that, but perhaps this will make you believe that it was something after all." After she has said that, she moved forward gently placing her lips onto mine and sharing a quick, yet gentle peck with me.
Feeling happy and with that encouragement, I turn back around after a quick gaze and smiles shared between both me and her and take the remote in my hands. I press 'play' and the movie continues to resume where Scar goes to tell Simba to run away from the Pride Lands and never return as part of his dark plan.
The rest of the movie seemed to go on pretty well for all of us after that moment: Timon and Pumbaa appeared and everypony began to sing along to 'Hakuna Matata', which I also did as well and I can tell from Starlight's face that she was really putting both of those two characters as one of her favorites.
When the love song began after an older Nala found the older Simba, I can feel Twilight scoot closer to me, silently requesting to relax her head on the side of my chest. My response was moving my right arm around her neck gently and allowing her head to rest there, allowing her to relax with me.
The movie went on, with a few laughs from my friends when Rafiki appeared with the 'Asante sana squash banana' singing that he was doing, with the surprised reactions of seeing Mufasa's ghost all the way to the return of Pride Rock. A few gasps were heard when Scar put the blame of Mufasa's death on Simba, but a few cheers were made when Simba forced Scar to tell the truth that he murdered his father.
We eventually got to the end of the movie where all of Pride Rock came to peace after Scar's defeat and everypony still went "Awwwww!" as soon as they saw both Simba and Nala's cub who I knew was Kiara in the next movie which also had a great villain song in that one as well.
The credits began to roll and everypony began to clap their hooves and smile at the same time, knowing that they really enjoyed the movie. I also enjoyed it as well, even if I had seen it before and proceed to get up and head over to the TV to take the movie out.
"That movie was... so awesome!" I can hear Rainbow Dash saying with the trademark line that I remember her saying from the first season.
"Really fun and enjoyable movie. We'll all have to sit down and watch another movie together sometime again." Starlight comments, a smile seen on her face when I put the DVD back in its case.
"Of course."
I place the DVD back onto the shelf with all of the others with everypony picked arriving back there as well by both Rarity and Starlight's own magic.
Hmm... might as well check the time on my phone. I slip it out from my back pocket while at it and check the time electronically from there. 6:55pm... looks like it would be a pretty good time right now to go and meet up with Alex in town.
To think about this, I also have to be careful as I don't want any of the girls to be spotted in the public eye. I question to myself how I can keep them safe as possible, and I think I have a bit of an idea. The garage outside at the front of the house, where the back-up van usually would be for the family if something broke down or a tire was loose.
"Okay, I know what we're going to do next." I spoke to them, walking towards the front door.
"We're all going out for a bit of a trot?" Rarity asked. "As long as the sun hasn't gone down yet, it's perfect as I would like to see what the winds of the sea are like here."
"No, not now Rarity. Maybe later though," I said to her. "We're going to be taking the van to town, and we're going to meet up with a friend. The van itself has windows, but I don't believe that anyone will even notice any of you sitting behind me or in there as long as we keep our distance."
Rainbow Dash zips right up closer to me, having a look that screamed out if I was crazy or not. "Are you nuts?! You're putting us in danger if you do that!"
My left hand places itself on Dashie's right shoulder to keep her calm about this. "Don't worry about it though, as long as I am aware of a vehicle approaching nearby, all I'd have to do is remind all of you to duck and stay out of sight."
"I remember that you were talking about your friend upstairs with me," Fluttershy comments with a smile. "I would like to meet another human. No offense, of course."
I wasn't at all offended at all by my best friend, as even I know my friends or fiance wouldn't think of calling me the term 'human' since they know that I have been offended by that term or being called a 'thing' a few times. "Do not fear Flutters. None taken." I said to her with a warm and friendly smile on my face.
"Well, I guess it's alright with me then," Twilight says to me, getting up on her four hooves and moving off of the couch. "What say we all go on a bit of a trip to the town Brayden grew up in?"
My friends nod in agreement to this, all getting up and off the couch as I turn and make my way to the front door. I unlock the door and allow my friends and fiance to exit the cottage first before I close the door behind me.
The garage was right there, separated from the cottage itself as I can see the sun starting to make its slow approach to the west and its color in orange. My bare feet walks across the wooden steps and then there is the transition onto the dirt path that I would walk upon. The motorcycle is still there, so I move it to the side of the garage for now in case I need to go out and drive on my own.
The garage door looks to have been unopened for a while, so I place my right hand onto the handle and pull it upward, revealing the van that carried a paint of dark red for the vehicle's body. My bare feet treads towards the side of the vehicle, with the sound of hooves following behind me as my left hand grips onto the sliding door's handle and giving it a pull to open it up.
Its door opens up and I allow my friends to enter into the van first, as each of them climb up onto the vehicle step inside with Pinkie bouncing inside first and then Rarity entering last. After they were secured inside, I close the vehicle door and move to the door closest to the driver's seat.
Managing to slip through into the driver's seat, I put on my seatbelt and turn around to look at all of them, a little confused that this was different than the usual carriage taxi that would be seen in any town or city throughout Equestria. They were completely unaware that these kind here were more advanced in this world than theirs as of now. But even then, I am sure that they wouldn't want to advance at all, so I'm sure they're fine with the carriages as am I.
"Alright, now buckle up the seatbelts as I don't want anything bad to happen to any of you." I suggested to them, showing the side passenger seatbelt as a demonstration as to what I was talking about.
My friends looked like they understood what it was after all of that and take their seats in the back and the center of the vehicle, strapping themselves in. The passenger seat was empty before; so Rarity joined to have a seat there while I was just trying my hardest to find out where exactly the van keys were.
"Are ya lookin' fer somethin' Brayden?" I can hear Applejack behind me asking a question, probably on what I was doing.
I open the cabinet between the driver's seat and passenger's seat, looking to see if the keys were last left there. "I'm trying to find the keys to begin operating the vehicle and to begin driving. Can't seem to find them though."
The sound of channeling magic could be heard for a few moments, and then there is the sputters of the vehicle powering up before it has fully turned on and was ready to be driven by me. I was in surprise by how this magic could have been activated, and I turn to look at my friends to see who could have possibly used their magic to kickstart it back to life. I would normally think it was Twilight herself, but by the smile on Starlight's face I can tell that it was her all along.
"You can thank me later. Don't you have a friend to meet?" She says to me.
I smile back at her and begin to rev up the engine. The engine has a bit of rustic sound to it, but eventually clears up enough to start moving along. Gas meter? I'd have to be very careful with driving since there is only half tank available. Guess that could make up for a few trips to town and back.
"Alright, let's rock and roll!" I said as I remove from braking position and turn on the van's radio which was tuned to a random channel as music begins to play through the van's interior from all sides.
[Play 'Panama' by Van Halen]
My foot lands on the pedal as the vehicle begins to pick up speed. The van moves out from the garage and I make a turn on the wheel to change direction to the right where the road would be with most other cars.
As I am driving down the road to transition soon, I do glance to the van's mirror to see Pinkie bopping her head up and down to the music with a delightful smile on her cute face. Fluttershy herself still is a bit wary, but does manage to put on a small happy look on her face when I turned to look at my friends.
Putting my eyes back on the dirt road, with no cars in sight I make another right onto the road that a few cars I saw were going down and past the property. From there, I can see the sight of the town only a couple of kilometers away, maybe a mile? I don't know really. Haven't driven anything in a while, so it's new to me quite again. But on the bright side, the girls will able to see a few of the icons of North America while at it.
The scenery of the pine, birch and oak trees could be seen as I continue to drive away. As I am quite sure about it, Fluttershy is probably staring out of the closed van window and taking a look out at the environment and on the look-out for other animals that were throughout the soil of the Earth. But hey, maybe there will be an eagle or two out and flying about so she can see the animals of Earth that were the same from Equestria's standards.
Radio's song really has the vibe kicking in me, and I have the good feeling that I just have to turn up the volume on the radio as soon as I remember where the guitar solo was going to go into play. Once it's up by a lot but not at a deafening volume, I begin to headbang along with the drums while the solo kicks in and squealing by the harmonics. But I should remember to keep my eyes on the road at all times, especially if there is double-tapping in a guitar this magnificent for the ears.
"It's quite loud dear!" I can hear Rarity saying to me as I headbanged for that small bit.
"Exactly, Rarity!" I exclaimed with a bit of happy laughing. "Music like this is meant to be loud!"
After that exciting moment there of feeling young once again, I turn the radio volume down back by a bit to a comfortable volume and put my eyes back on the road as we approach into town itself where the buildings would appear much taller than it was back in Equestria.
The beach signs, all of the busy people walking on the sidewalk and enjoying their day... the Mickey D's sign standing there with the restaurant location sitting there with business a-boom. I watch the traffic that is coming onto the road, waiting for a green light as a red light was still shining.
"Wow... look at this place..." Moondancer commented with a bit of surprise. "There must be hundreds... more than a thousand humans out and about..."
Starlight Glimmer giggles a bit before she speaks. "We're just entering in, everything seems to be much bigger than it is over in Equestria, but it's probably because of our difference from the rest of humanity itself. But so far, I believe all of us are intrigued so far. Earth is looking to be a majestic place so far."
The green light shines; both the traffic and the van I drive beginning to move once again. I take a turn to the left which makes a road to the right into a straight line as that is where the old movie theater would be.
The music on the radio fades when the radio announcer comes on and speaks. "That was the song Panama by the legends Van Halen, and you're tuned in to 105.5 Party FM."
I can hear Pinkie gasp to herself when she heard the word 'Party' in the radio station's name. "A party?!" She states with excitement.
"Not exactly Pinkie," I said to her. "But they play a variety of music from rock, pop, rap, country and electronic music."
The sound of an acoustic guitar is then heard and I was shocked on the inside and I only felt myself cringe a little bit...
Goddamnit... no! They had to play this annoying song next after a good one, and I already know how I feel about this boy band since I first heard them and even the girls were having their ears exposed to this garbage that their fans considered 'pop'. Ugh... I'd totally regret it if one of the girls begins to sing this.
Rarity seems to have a smile and is bopping her head along to the rhythm of the song. Something inside me has a bad feeling about this, as I can tell that somehow tolerating the sound of the crap that I am hearing.
"These boys have wonderful singing voices, don't they?" She comments.
Blah... if they weren't so overplayed by the fans, I would appreciate them a little more. The second chorus was coming up and Rarity was already starting to hum it, having me cringe a little more than the first time remembering that stupid damn song. The worst part really happens when my close friend begins to start singing the chorus.
"Baby you light up my world with nopony else, the way that you flip your mane gets me overwhelmed, but when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell, you don't know... you don't know you're beautiful!" She managed to get out with singing before I was starting to lose my sanity on every level of hearing it.
"Enough!" I literally said with an annoyed tone in my voice. "I'm changing the radio station to something else!" With that, I move my right hand off from the wheel at the red light, ready to change from this nightmare of a song.
"NO!" She snaps at me, stopping me and pinning my arm onto the cabinet with the both of her hooves to keep me from changing or turning off the radio. "This song is so good, and I will listen to it!"
"Come on Rarity," I said to her, already tired of hearing this song. "I know you really like this song, but I want to listen to-"
I was interrupted by her when she impersonated the hissing of a cat towards me, and even that gave me the sign to back down and let her listen to the rest of this song which is probably already close to finishing up by the time the 'bridge' comes into play. I don't really want to argue with her at the moment, so I'll leave her to that to listen to the rest of the song.
Hmmmmm... this red light is taking a bit of a while. Might as well text Alex to let him know that we're on our way.
After having gone through a few of the crap that the radio station plays, they manage to swap into a good handful of songs that I really enjoyed. Though I can't imagine Rarity being a Directioner, I just hope to Celestia that she doesn't go too crazy about it.
Music tastes... oh yes! On our way to the movie theater, I did get to ask the girls what their favorite kind of music is that they like to listen to and I managed to get the results from each of them: Applejack is a fan of Country music which seemed obvious, Rainbow Dash likes Rock music according to the times I've sung in Equestria and here listening to the radio, Fluttershy likes calm, new age or classical music, Pinkie likes pop music which I did expect, Rarity... likes jazz and classical music but now apparently she is now a new Directioner... Celestia help me. Twilight was more open to any kind of music, but I think she really likes metal, rock and slow romantic songs since I've sang to her and with her at one point. Starlight and Moondancer seem to be on the same kind of music entitlement of being open to any kind of music, except Moondancer is aiming more towards classical music that were emerging in the 'baroque' period of Equestria.
The van was parked right outside of the old movie theater, and the building's condition still stands, but it looks like it'll be removed at some point later on. So many good memories at this theatre, like seeing the most popular movies out there or movies that I desperately wanted to see.
In the van, the radio station has been changed to a more calmer station as I continue to wait for Alex to arrive on the spot. The sounds of double bass, soft drums and the saxophone could be heard through the speakers as everypony with me was waiting patiently. Since the vehicle has stopped with at least the radio still active, my friends and I have our seatbelts off and relaxing with only a few words to exchange among one another.
Quiet is in the air aside from the sounds of the quiet wind never blowing through back here, and the car horns blaring off in a large distance and echoing away. The only other thing I can hear is Pinkie snoring for a bit; probably got bored of waiting for Alex to show up and decided that a nap should hurry things along. The sun has set over the hillsides, revealing a purple toned color to the sky as the orange fades out to purple which eventually will fade into night when the stars come out.
But hey, even the Morning or Evening Star is out... or as I call it 'Venus' the second planet in the Sol system.
The sound of a motorcycle could be heard on approach towards the area we were waiting in, and even that sound alone by the open driver's window was enough to awaken Pinkie from her nap. It sounds like it is getting closer towards us.
"Is that your friend Alex coming?" I can hear Twilight ask from behind me.
I thought about it based on the sounds of the engine itself and it matches about the last time I saw him riding along. "I believe it might be, unless he ended up getting a new motorcycle. I don't know yet, but let's find out."
The motorcycle was heard only for some time and all of us were just continuing the long wait until something should happen. With the sound approaching closer, the faint tones and beats of music can be heard as well. What kind though? Probably electronic based by the sound of it.
From the street ahead, a motorcycle comes into view as it makes a turn straight towards the van itself. The driver riding it has a helmet with a black visor on it so I cannot really tell who could be operating it as he made his swift approach, stopping in front of us a couple of feet away. The visor staring back doesn't lose its glance as it continues looking darts at me. Everypony else in the van seems to have ducked in case this was trouble that we were going to experience.
Doesn't seem dangerous though, as he isn't armed with any weapons. But I should have known that it was Alex by the time he removes the helmet revealing the face I remembered in high school days before.
I pull the handle on the door and allow myself to step out into the parking lot where my friend awaited me, holding a bit of surprise when my face comes into the light and shows that I was really there and not any kind of illusion to trick him with. After all, I don't exactly have any tricks up my sleeves.
"You're... you're alive!" He manages to get out as my bare feet begin to make close approach towards him.
I place a clever smirk onto my face. "You know damn well that I am, and I have survived in many ways possible." I tell him.
The first thing Alex does when I approach him is me raising my hand and gripping onto his hand before pulling him into a friendly bro-hug. The hug lasted quick enough but I let go of him and glance at him again, being unaware that he hasn't seen my wings yet.
"Wow... even you feel really real," He said to me and looking around at me with the shirt I was wearing and how I looked in general with my hair being much longer than when he last saw me, and my chin having got a beard in the process. "How did you get this all grown out? You seemed dead when I had gone to your funeral... but it's not possible! The conspiracies the bronies made were true!"
My face turns rather confused by what he was talking about as he finished. "Conspiracies? Alex, don't tell me that you've been getting into that kind of crap. You know that I don't believe in that kind of stuff."
"No, I'm not kidding. The bronies were going crazy when they found out that there was a human in the show, and at first I thought they were joking as well until one of them sent me a YouTube video that linked to the incident where you first appeared in the Season 4 finale! Don't you remember? Lord Tirek?"
I crossed the both of my arms with a look on my face that pretty much tells that I didn't know what in the hell he was going on about and that he must have lost a bit of his marbles. "I remember Tirek and ended up distracting him while my friends were going to the Tree-" I manage to get out before I put silence to myself.
"Wait... you do remember now! You were actually there, in Equestria!" He says to me. "These very eyes have seen the episodes that you were in! The Moondancer episode, the Tantabus, Starlight Glimmer and the time travelling spell?! You were all there, including the new Trixie episode months ago."
"But see, I don't have proof so I'd have to see it to believe it." I commented, still rather not convinced about this.
He proceeds to get out his phone, turning it on and going to the 'YouTube' app where he types up words called 'Human in Equestria', and puts on a video of the Tirek incident or as the two-part episode was called "Twilight's Kingdom" which was the episode I was yet to see having avoided spoilers at the same time for that. He plays a clip where there is a voice-over about the incident where this only ended up happening one time but going on for much longer, and then every other showing of this episode was just the episode without me in it.
I was in complete shock about this... Me? Having appeared in the show and I was witnessed by possibly thousands, maybe millions of bronies all over the Earth by now about this. The question though is how such a thing like this was possible.
"As soon as it happened, the entire fandom went completely nuts over it, and wondered what happened or if it was a hacking done by a programmer outside on the seas or at the close-by building. Nothing affected there, but later reports suggested that it was a signal from deep space that interrupted from the original frequency that could be Equestria itself," Alex says to me with a smile on his face sounding very proud as he spoke. "And all I can say is Congratulations man, you actually found Equestria in the galaxy our system is in."
My head shakes for a moment to snap me out of it. "If the bronies actually see that I'm here, they'll all want to come back to Equestria with me! I don't know though... I heard of sleeper agents, so it's quite risky about it because neither myself nor my friends know what they'd do there."
"Probably maybe an autograph?" He suggests.
"Even if that is so, I can't risk my friends being spotted by the public as they could very well be taken away by scientists and studied like crazy which would put even Equestria in danger as they'd find where the system is in the near future. It could lead to an interstellar war if done the wrong way."
He chuckled a bit at the mention of an interstellar war being possible. "Come on man, you've let that alien movie get to you too much! I'm sure they'd all welcome every brony with open arms!"
"Knock it off with that sarcasm, this is meant to be a serious matter to me," I said to him, not wanting to joke around with him as of the moment. "Any of them could have... intentions."
"Come on though Brayden, give them a chance because not all of them are like that. Sure there are only a few rotten apples in the fandom but they are all friendly as you were when we went to brony meet-ups."
Somehow I can't really resist about what he said there, and he kind of sounds like he is telling the truth. The majority of bronies I've met are really nice and easy to get along with because they'd talk about bronies and other interests outside of the fandom. Don't really think I've met any bad apples, so I shouldn't judge. After all, doesn't love and tolerance come into effect? Yes, it does.
"Alright then, I'll reserve judgement for now." I said to him.
He puts a smile on his face. "Thank you," The tone of his voice sounded like he really appreciated what choice I had to make and probably knew that it was hard to make that choice, and then it changed when he sounds questioned yet curious at the same time. "Now... I was wondering if there is a chance I could see and meet your friends."
No turning back now... Alex will probably be the second human in a lifetime to ever see a pony from Equestria in the flesh as I turn over towards the van and make a signal at my friends in the van who are seeing my hand wave to them to move out from the van and come introduce themselves to him. I don't think that he has noticed Rarity in the passenger's seat, nor any of my other friends who have got up from the van's seating and moving towards the van's sliding side door. Still, I believe he'll be in for a surprise.
The van's door slides open when the pale, light grayish orchid aura color of Twilight's magic surrounds it and gives it the push. After the magic disappears, the first to hop on out of the van is her, and she is still in the shadows, but I know by the feeling when she enters under the streetlight and the front of the car, she'll be revealed in the flesh to his own eyes.
She sets hoof into the light and in front of him as I extend my hand over to her as a bit of an entrance and introduction to her. The sound of my friends' hooves are heard following behind as Twilight continues forward to Alex who looks rather speechless about this.
"They're... no-" Alex stutters a bit to get out as from out of the shadows; Pinkie, AJ, Moondancer start to appear before the others continue to come into his view. "Are- a-are you serious right now Brayden? I... this must be a dream I am seeing."
"Oh, it's not a dream if you're still awake Alex," I can hear Fluttershy saying to him as she stops and stands next to Twilight as looks a bit confused yet shocked. "You're shaking a bit. Are you okay?"
"I-I-I am okay! I-I just am surprised that you are all actually real! You... you know my name too!" He exclaims, as if trying not to panic about this.
I chuckled for a moment. "No need to fear, if all of them are my friends... they can be yours too. Allow them to take a moment to properly introduce themselves to you here." I say to him.
Twilight trots forward by a few steps and approaches him, offering her hoof for the traditional hand-hoof shake that I have shown her and the rest of our friends since I first arrived in Equestria. "My fiance Brayden has told us about you, and it is quite nice to meet you. My name is Twilight Sparkle, and I am the Princess of Friendship, but you probably knew that already."
He has a look on his face that pretty much tells that he was still in a bit of a shock even by the time he takes Twilight's hoof. He still holds a mild tense to his face but is slowly starting to get a bit more used to the image of them being real. "I... it's good to meet you Princess Twilight." He tells her.
After shaking her hoof, Fluttershy approached him afterwards and shakes his hand with her hoof; following after that being Rarity, Applejack, Moondancer, Pinkie and Starlight Glimmer. By how I remember now... Rainbow Dash is his favorite pony since I remember that in high school, he'd go a bit too crazy about her, saying she was sexy and all that. Hopefully, he won't act immature in front of her.
She trots forward to her with a clever smile on her face. "I will admit myself that I knew Brayden had friends, but didn't tell me about you until we got here to Earth. Name's Rainbow Dash, a Wonderbolt and of course... the fastest flyer in Equestria." She tells him only sounding like she was bragging a little bit.
He chuckled a bit before offering his hand to shake her hoof. "Well, I already am officially crazy. My favorite pony is talking to me."
"You're not crazy, pal! You're looking at the most wonderful and best Pegasus in all of Equestria!" Rainbow Dash boasts again before stopping to look at a few of our friends behind us who are rolling their eyes as this was typical of her to do that.
"Annnnnnd she is also Brayden's flying trainer... since he recieved the gift of being able to have wings on his back!" Pinkie exclaims excitedly.
He looks shocked once again and turns his head to look at me, not once reacting negatively about it. "So it is true from the recent Trixie episode that the bronies leaked on the internet! You actually have wings!"
Behind me, I allow my diamond blue wings to slowly spread open so I can show the actual proof to him that it was all real and not all fake and staged. The streetlight flickers a bit, but it is still working enough for him to see.
"Holy shit... your wings make you look like an Angel!" He comments loudly.
"I do look like one, but I'm still learning slowly on how to take flight above the clouds in the skies of Equus," I explained to him. "These wings were given to me while my anger from within had gone corrupt which all led to the start of being here and bullied on Earth. I was no longer afraid thanks to Nightmare Moon, Princess Luna and Starlight."
Starlight looks rather enlightened to hear me mention her name as a smile appears on her face. I turn and nod to her in response as it was more along the lines that I am still thankful that she was there to help me in my time of need.
"How's everything here on Earth? Is everyone else at high school doing okay?" I asked, allowing my wings to close up again and rest since I wasn't really planning to show that I can fly. Good reason to not fly any way because we are in a populated area and it could put me and everypony else at great risk from the scientists.
Alex looks at after having glanced towards Rainbow Dash for a quick moment and responds to me. "It's the same thing every day. Go to class, another class, lunch, class, class. Everyone like Andrea hasn't really changed... but Ann seems more quiet again."
The memory and image of her had come to my mind, and I knew that mention of her made me wonder if she was okay even if I had supposed been killed. The last time I ended up talking to her was during our date to the movies together in April 2014 where we were seeing the next film in the Spider-Man series. Hey, I have a bit of a side to watching superhero movies... not my fault that they're really good.
"Why is she quiet?" I sound a little worried about her as I spoke. "Is she okay?"
"She's not, man," He says to me, exhaling a sigh and sounding disappointed in himself to tell the news to me. "The night you died, she was trying to call you on your cell phone. You didn't pick up and she figured that you must have been busy and would call back. Never happened, and she tried numerous times after that, just to hear from you. Still no response. She got worried and called everyone else who knew you... even me. I didn't know where you were at the time. Eventually a search party was formed into town... trying to find you in case this was a prank you were trying to pull on us..."
"I wouldn't pull any pranks on anyone or anypony." I stated before letting him continue.
He was patient when I spoke, but moves onward. "Eventually, the clues led the the fast food restaurant "Big Burgers" where there was evidence by the broken beer bottle... they found your fingerprints on it, and the trail from your motorcycle leading to the park. They followed it, only to find it stopped and left dirt when it had fallen into the waters below. So the team proceeded into the waters and retrieved a motorcycle that was yours. Damaged, not longer able to work. But when they took something else out from the water, Andrea, Ann and I were expecting a dead animal... but it turns out that it was you."
Fluttershy gasps softly and with shock in her voice. "Oh Brayden, I'm so sorry that happened to you..." She was only able to get out, feeling bad as her head hung down towards the parking lot's ground.
"You looked in quite a bad shape. There was a wound that ripped some of the flesh off from around your chest. Not to mention the gunshot wounds that you had on the both of your hands and one on your back. I can still hear Ann's hysterics when she saw you dead... I was holding her in a hug and I didn't want to let go. Honestly, that corpse from your original self still haunts me even to this day... but it all changed when I recieved a text message from you."
"At first, I thought you changed your phone number so I didn't want to make any bets." I responded to him.
"My number?" He says, before shrugging it off. "No, I don't change my number at all. I only am aware that Ann had to change hers because a few of the bullies at the high school were saying that they were glad you were dead."
I am a bit disappointed to hear that bullies are still very common on Earth, including bigotry which was something I had to deal with my entire life. "They did get in trouble, right?"
"They got suspended for one... maybe two days most. Rebecca who I haven't seen lately since the funeral, nothing really much has changed for her except she was taking more courses now that school has started up again."
I scratch my head as he mentioned that school has begun. "Wow, the times really change. Talk about September already being here."
"Tomorrow, I think you should come on down back to the school and see Ann and Andrea. Ann will be in for a surprise and Andrea will be happy to see you again, just like I was on this very night."
"Why not? I might as well, just to see if she still remembers me." I commented.
"She should, after all she still holds onto that picture of you and her," He tells me before walking backwards. "Well, I should get going back to my place. Can't stay up too late especially on a school night."
I nod my head in understanding and wave goodbye to him. "Alright, slice!" I said to him in a 'see you later' motion for now as I could see him tomorrow at the high school.
I can hear Twilight's stomach right beside me as she stood there, and that pretty much gave me the sign that she was hungry and I didn't want to worry her about me not eating anything. Alex gets on his motorcycle and speeds off back the way he came, signalling me with the index finger as the sign that I will see him again.
Another day on Earth was fantastic and I think the girls look really happy by the looks on their faces and the happy murmuring about how beautiful it was. I should drive back to the cottage with them, as it has been a long day. Dinner will be served, and I plan on it being healthy food for this dinner, but breakfast will come in the morning.
Time to get into the van... I'm sure that Applejack wants a turn on the way to listen to country music. I already know she'll love it.
I thought I caught a bit of a shadow of a human figure standing there, but when I have turned my head... the figure was gone. Ah well... I'm hungry so I could care less who that was as the thought of a fruit salad is already invading my mind.
The figure in the leather jacket hides in the shadows, waiting until the van had pulled right out from the parking lot and had sped off into the night.
He finally gets out a phone and unlocks it, selecting the addresses of people that he is working alongside with, scrolling down to the closest that he can find. 'Khaln' is the only option in the list he suggests and presses the call button to make contact. The dial tone goes on for a small amount of time, but eventually the man picks up.
"What is it? I'm eating dinner with the other men right now." He informed the figure.
The figure only had to speak a few words. "Sir... the target Brayden that scratched your motorcycle... he's still alive."
A/N: Next chapter will hopefully be soon. September pretty much means that I could potentially be looking to find a job which could slow down the writing of the story. Maybe... maybe not. Only time will tell.
Thank you for the birthday wishes if you leave them in the reviews, but only if you want to.
Well, got to go and sleep now. Will catch you in the next chapter.