Man, I really haven't posted much here lately!
Time to rectify that. Also, let me know how I did on The Doctor.
Before I was allowed to leave I was given a very through physical.
Even though I grumbled about it, Nurse Redheart was gentle about it
all. I understood why, though. Now that I was healthy and whole,
they wanted to establish what my normal baselines were. This meant
taking my vitals while I was exerting myself.
“You need run harder,” Twilight said after Redheart murmured
something in her ear. “Nurse say you not even try. Need see what
heart like under strain.”
“Oh is that all?” I grumbled as I rolled my eyes. And then I
began to sprint on the treadmill. Oddly enough... I didn't really
feel the strain like I would normally have. I mean, sure, I could
feel the effort that I was putting into it... but the pain that tells
you you're nearing your limit simply wouldn't come.
Of course, the body enhancements were already starting to take
affect. I wondered if this is how it felt for Yuki.
Yuki... sweet,
loveable, little Yuki... stealing more and more of my heart with that
smile of hers... Will I ever see it again?
“Hey? Why stop?” came Twilight's voice suddenly, knocking me out
of my reverie.
I looked at Twilight with tears stinging in my eyes. At least Nurse
Redheart was taking this well.
“Have you ever known what it was like to lose someone that was a
part of you?” I asked Twilight as I sat down on the now motionless
treadmill.
Twilight's eyes widened a bit and she shook her head.
“There were four women – female humans – that are very special
to me. They are all strong, beautiful, and remarkable women. The
youngest... she always surprises me. She is not physically strong
because she is so young... but she more than makes up for it with an
indomitable spirit. You cannot break her. She'll only smile at you
and ask, oh so sweetly, for even more. The only way you can hurt her
is to take her family away.
“And to her, I am her family. I am the man she wants as her
husband. And I can only hope that the others are helping her as much
as possible, because for me this is taking an effort of will to not
just lay down and die.”
Twilight
swallowed hard at that. Nurse Redheart asked Twilight a question and
there was a brief exchange between the two. Suddenly, the Nurse gave
me a look, and then began nuzzling me, saying something in a soothing
tone.
I didn't have to wonder for long though. Twilight translated for me.
“She say, 'No be sad.' That 'You no be lost forever. You find
home soon.'”
I sighed as I got up, gently pushing the Nurse away. “I hope so,
Twilight. I really do hope so. Now... how much more does Nurse
Redheart need?”
The two ponies had a brief exchange, and Twilight said, “No more.
She get plenty data. Also, you not joke on running. I see data.
Really can run many hour.”
I sighed heavily. “Twilight... can we get going?”
“Why? What wrong?”
“I'm tired and I would like to sleep in my own bed. By the way,
how did you find a bed big enough for me?”
Twilight shrugged. “We have being called Minotaur. Is your size.”
Twilight suddenly blinked at that. “What? You have name for
Minotaur in your language?!”
I nodded. “As well as unicorn, pegasus, alicorn, hydra, manticor,
and griffon. All of them are mythological creatures where I'm from.”
“But how you...” Twilight then blinked and then hoofed her face.
“Oh. Transfictionality. I get now.”
Afternoon was giving way to evening and the market was just now
shuttering their doors and windows. Ponies everywhere were on their
way back home, either from their day jobs or with the goods and wares
they'd purchased. And everyone of them stopped to stare at me, all
in varying degrees of curiosity, surprise, and even a few in horror.
I think the only reason they hadn't broken out into outright panic
was because Twilight was escorting me.
We made it back to her home, the library tree, with no incident and I
found that the tree was a lot larger than the cartoons made it out to
be – it had to be in order to accommodate the library that was held
inside it.
I put that aside, though, as I carefully ducked through the library's
entrance – it certainly was not scaled for anyone larger than, say,
Big Macintosh.
“I don't know if this is going to work as a regular thing,” I
said as I came upright again.
Twilight hummed at that thoughtfully. “Maybe we put door outside
when other pony used to you.”
“Maybe,” I sighed as I got my first good look at the place. It
was much nicer inside that the cartoons implied. There was a lot
less pink – all the walls were a comfortable raw-wood color, and
every available space was packed full of books. Nearby was the loft
where Twilight and Spike slept, along with the stairs that led up
there as well as to the balcony. I had zero notion whatsoever about
those stairs supporting my weight.
There suddenly came a young, slightly scratchy sounding male voice
from the room in back.
Spike the Baby Dragon came in, with two plates in hand and balancing
a third on his head. When he saw me looking at him he startled and
would have dropped the plate on his head had I not reached down and
plucked it away.
There was a short, somewhat heated exchange between Twilight and
Spike. I could guess that Spike was a little upset that he didn't
get more warning about my arrival, though I think the third plate of
food belied that. Perhaps he wasn't aware of the nature of his
guest? Probably – that'd be par for the course around here.
Twilight noticed me looking on with a raised eyebrow and then gave me
a nervous little smile and laugh.
“I sorry. This Spike, my brother. He not expect you.”
I nodded. “Well, let him know that I apologize for the
inconvenience and that I'm looking forward to working with him on
transcribing that book.”
Twilight relayed my sentiments and Spike made a surprised sound that
I'm pretty sure translated into 'What book?'
Before Twilight could say much, I pulled up the book from my library
and had it appear in front of Twilight, which caused her to yelp in
surprise. She quickly mastered herself, and gave me a quick thank
you before turning back to Spike, Washu's book held in her telepathic
grasp, as she began to go over everything with the dragonlet.
I simply left them to it, noting that the plates, now set aside by
Spike, were all identical in contents, so I set to munching on what
was inevitably my share. Fortunately, there was a fork provided,
even if it was a bit small for my hands. The food, while being a
simple fair of a leafy salad with an assortment of other vegetables
and a zingy vinaigrette dressing, was delicious and it was in a
filling portion.
Spike and Twilight looked over at me in mild surprise as they heard
me munching on a particularly crunchy bit.
“Don't worry about me,” I said idly, waving them on. “I can
fend for myself. Carry on.”
Twilight gave Spike a shrug, made some mild mannered sounding
comment, and then joined me at the table where I was kneeling. Note
to self – procure a cushion for my knees.
Over the course of the meal, Spike asked, through Twilight, all the
usual questions. For the most part, Twilight answered for me, but
there were a few questions she had to relay to me for clarification.
“What about family?” asked Twilight.
I raised an eyebrow. “What about them?”
“Can you tell about family?”
I sighed at that. “This... I wanted to avoid this,” I said as I
looked up to the odd ceiling. It reminded me suddenly of being in
Tenju, so I looked back at Twilight, who was giving me a look
somewhere between expectant and worried. “Fine,” I said, all but
snapping. “I'll tell you. But do not expect me to repeat this
often, if at all.”
And so I told them everything. Of my original life and its pitfalls
and follies and its terrible pains and sorrows, and then of my second
life...
About my brothers, Tenchi and Yosho.
My sisters, Ayeka and Sasami.
My friends, Mihoshi and Ryoko, who were so close they might as well
have been sisters.
My beloved mentors, Washu-chan and Yakage.
My Mother and Aunt, Funaho and Misaki.
My Grandparents, Seto and Utsusumi.
My Father, the Emperor, Asuza Masaki Jurai.
And then my wonderful women, Minagi, Yuki, Yume, and Achika.
It was an awkward process. Twilight would whisper the translation to
Spike, but would become so caught up in the tale that she would lose
herself until Spike jabbed her in the ribs with an irritated
expression. And then she would give us embarrassed smiles as she
requested that I back up a bit.
She was utterly astounded at the situation I had found myself in. A
man yanked out of place by a person of evil intents, adopted into a
fantastically powerful family, and urged to cultivate his own share
of power... among other things.
“It strange you have many bride,” said Twilight as she set about
to tucking a more-tired-than-he'd-admit Spike. “But not unheard.
Among pony, we call such family 'Herd'. Fall out of practice recent
century. This despite gender imbalance. Ratio one colt, two and
half filly.”
“Why did it fall out of practice?” I asked.
Twilight shrugged. “Not know certainly. Think culture shift to
monogamy. Many book and play of monogamous romance start two-hundred
year ago.”
I thought about that for a second. “Might have been Celestia.
It's a clever method of gently influencing the populous to control
population growth.”
Twilight gave me a shocked look. “How can say thing like that!?”
“Twilight, my Grandmother is a master manipulator, and I find her
methods admirable. If this is what Celestia did, then she's not any
different from my Grandmother. Hell, I bet Seto would love to spend
an evening with Celestia. I can only imagine the debauchery those
two would get up to.”
“But.. Princess is proper ruler!”
“Just a facade,” I said through a yawn. “Just you ask her
yourself. She'll take you aside and tell you in private – she's
bored to tears most days.” I yawned again and looked out the
window. Only the barest glow of dusk remained, the sun having long
since set. “I'm going to go for a walk.”
“But... what about you get lost!?”
“I can find my way back. I'm not stupid. And I have good night
vision – once the moon is high I'll be able to see very clearly.”
I got up, leaving Twilight to splutter as I went to the door,
carefully ducked through it, and began to make my way to the west.
However, Twilight insisted on following me.
“Can't you take a hint?” I asked acerbically. “I want some
time alone.”
“But... I worry... you might become hurt.”
I sighed heavily – so this is what it was about. I turned and
looked down at Twilight sternly.
“Twilight Sparkle,” I stated loudly. Kinda wished she had a
middle name – it would have had more impact that way. Twilight
Andromeda Sparkle would have been nice – it not only sounds lovely,
but it has gravitas, too. “I have been dealing with depression for
more than thirty years and even though it still hurts me, I am not
going to do anything to harm myself. I just want some time alone so
I can sort through my emotions without anyone distracting me with
warm and fuzzy feelings. Whether anyone likes it or not this is
still something I have to deal with myself, because no one else can.
Do you understand me?”
“Yes,” said Twilight after a long pause. “Just worry you go
into Everfree Forest.”
“No. I was looking for that big hill near Sweet Apple Acres.”
“Oh.”
“Besides, if I go to the Everfree Forest, you shouldn't worry for
me. I'm probably far more dangerous than the most dangerous
creatures there.”
“You not have claw or scale.”
I laughed. Goddess help me, I laughed. She was so innocent, so
naïve. I knew right then and there that I would turn her world view
so upside down that by the time Discord showed up she was going to
chew him up and spit him back out.
As Twilight backed away in fear from my borderline-insane laughter, I
looked down upon her and spoke,
“Twilight Sparkle, remember always what makes us humans special:
Mother Nature has never been kind to my people. She did not grant us
the gifts of sharp teeth or claws, nor of scales to protect our
hides. So we forged our own in fire and crafted them out of steel!”
And then I slapped my C-Pod and called out, “First Cut!”
The blade, naked of it's sheath, dropped into my waiting hand.
“Behold my claw.”
“Ah, may I?” asked Twilight. I nodded my consent and Twilight
levitated the blade out of my hand with her magic and began to look
it over carefully. Of course, she probably knew a few things about
swords, her brother being Captain of the Royal Guard and all.
“You make this?” she asked.
“I did.”
“It very good. Not best, but still excellent. Good style. Good
structure. Very heavy, but good balance. What composition?”
“Seventy-six-point-two-five percent iron. Point-seven-five percent
carbon. Four percent chromium. One percent vanadium.” I then
grinned as I knew the last bit would knock her for a loop. “And
eighteen percent tungsten.”
“Tungsten?! No wonder this so heavy! How you forge it?”
“With a very, very hot fire.” I then tapped my C-Pod and called
for my belt and sheath. Thus provided, I put the belt on around my
waist, sheath on my left side, then motioned to have my sword back.
“You still worried for my safety?” I asked as she passed me back
the sword and I sheathed it.
“No! Now worried for other pony safety!” griped the unicorn.
“The only people that should worry about me hurting them are
monsters. Now please, let me be for some time. I promise I will
come back later.”
“Argh! Alright! But you come back or else I come find you.”
She then turned and trotted off, leaving me to myself. With a sigh,
I went out looking for that nice hill.
I sighed as I heard the approaching hoof beats. Had it really been
that long? I checked the time on my C-Pod – Nope, didn't think
so.
“I didn't think you'd come after me so soon, Twilight,” I said
wearily. “Are you really that worried?”
“And here I thought Bonbon was lying like a rug,” said a voice in
perfect English. I blinked at that and jolted upwards.
Standing before me was not a man, but a pony with a brown coat, black
mane, and a befuddled expression.
“Oh hell no,” I grumbled. I then side stepped to get a look at
the pony's flank. Sure enough, there was a pocket watch cuteymark
there. I sighed to myself and looked the pony in the eyes. “As I
live and breathe. I never thought I'd ever meet you, Doctor.”
“Well, glad to see my reputation precedes me. I'm afraid you have
me at a bit of a disadvantage. Mister?”
“Garrick Grimm. And I'm a man who's every bit as misplaced as you
are.”
The Doctor snorted at that. “That's putting it mildly. Well, you
seem to be on the up and up. What do you know?”
“Happen to know about a woman named Washu Hakubi?”
“We bump into each other now and then. What of her?”
“The version I know is my Mentor and, don't let this get back to
her right away, also a Goddess who's slumming it in the name of
Science.”
“Bollocks! You really are a jumper, aren't you? What the bloody
hell happened?”
“If you know Washu then you probably know about Clay, right?”
The pony sniffed. “A dirty dog if there ever was any...” A look
of realization came over his face. “He didn't.”
I scoffed. “Worse. The Masaki household was just my first
layover.”
The Doctor then proceeded to curse up a blue streak in a number of
languages. Take notes, Katherine. Some of that might come in
handy later.
Katherine's giggle echoing through my head made me smile a little.
Soon enough, though, the Doctor had gotten all the vitriol out of his
system and he turned to me.
“Right then. Best come along with me.” And with that he began
to trot back towards Ponyville.
“You think you can get me sorted out?” I asked, a glimmer of hope
shining in my heart as I jumped up and jogged after him. “Send me
back home?”
“I hope I can,” the ponified Galifreyan said noncommittally.
“I'll need to run a few tests to be sure. I think I know what's
going on, but I really do hope I'm wrong.”
“Shit, you just had to go and say it.”
Under the cover of darkness, the Doctor and I made it back to his
home, a watchmaker's shop with a cozy looking set of apartments up
top. Of course, that wasn't where he really made his home at.
The TARDIS is, and always has been, a blue police call box. And the
inside has always been a ramshackle tumbledown collection of rusty
bits and pieces all thrown together into the semblance of what
someone thought would be what a time machine looks like. And this is
to say nothing of the random bits of kipple left laying all over the
place.
Let it be known that the good Doctor is indeed one of us, for he is
the King of Messy Desks.
“Before I go," I said as he did something around me with his sonic screwdriver, "would you mind teaching me to make one of those?”
“Sonic screwdriver?” asked the Doctor as he poked at me with said
device. “Probably not. Terribly complex little gadget.”
I was not about to let that sentiment go on without a fight. “You forgetting who I said my mentor was?”
“'Course not. Washu Hakubi. Heck of a scientist – give her
enough time she'll work anything out. Hell of a drinker, too.”
“And?”
“And I think this is too complex for you.”
I glared at the Doctor and began to recite a very simple, very basic
block transfer equation – it was literally the block transfer math
version of a 'Hello World' program. It was something that Washu had
been encouraging me to dabble in on the offhand chance that I needed
to do some hard-coding work on my C-Space.
Also, pretty much everything Katherine did was block transfer
equations.
It was pretty dangerous stuff to work with, really. One misspelled
parameter could blow you to kingdom come. But the Hello World
program was a safe bit of math that Washu had thoroughly drilled me
on, and one of the few I felt comfortable in casually dropping in any
given setting.
The Doctor simply gaped at me as the words 'Hello World' appeared
over my head in a garish, glowing neon-green and in a big, friendly
sans font. After the words faded from sight, he then opened his
mouth, closed it as he reconsidered, and repeated the process no less
then five times.
Finally, he managed to settle on something. “Bloody Americans.”
“Oi. I'm a Texan first. Federalist nation, you know.”
“You know a party trick. I'm not teaching you anything.”
“I know the basic concepts, which puts me leagues ahead of most
people you come across.”
“Someone else drummed it into your head.”
“Someone you know and respect, and who felt that I was worthy of
it.”
“Bollocks to that! That woman is a self-professed mad genius, and
I wholeheartedly agree with her!”
“Oh, c'mon. She's not crazy... at least not anymore than you
are. She just likes to have a good time.”
“Her idea of a good time and mine are two entirely different
things!”
“Kettle, cried out the pot, thou art black.”
“Bastard.”
“Am not and you know it. Look, I'm a jumper. You said it
yourself. And there's no telling when I'm gonna find myself up to my
armpits in Goddess only knows what kind of trouble. So how about you
do the right thing and show me how to make that wonderful little
gadget of yours so I'll have a holdout to get myself out of the shit
and into the roses when it counts the most.”
“Now you see here! You say you were one of Washu's students?
Someone she favored? Then prove it. Invent something yourself.
Build something you can use like my sonic screwdriver to get yourself
out of trouble. Impress me.”
I had to admit, he stopped me cold with that one. If there was one
thing Washu was always pushing me to do, it was to stop standing on
other peoples' shoulders and make something new. This was why many
of my weapon designs, save for First Cut, departed so far from the
norms.
This situation was no different. If I wanted a macguffin the likes
of the sonic screwdriver, then I was going to have to think up one
for myself.
I then smiled at the Doctor. “Okay then, Doc. You want me to
knock your socks off? You got it. Just don't be disappointed if I
manage to pull it off.”
“Blinder! That's the spirit! Now, about your current issue...”
“Hit me, Doc.”
“Right. You're too heavy.”
“Heavy? Okay, I know you're not talking about physical mass.”
“Of course not. Temporal mass. The energy with which you've hit
this time-space combined with your temporal mass has you mired in the
muck.”
“So it's like time-space is quicksand (and yes, I know what real
quicksand is like) and I've somehow managed to get up to my neck in
it?”
“An excellent metaphor. Fortunately, someone's got a line tied to
you – I'm honestly not quite sure what to make of it, but I can
tell that the energy signature is Juraian. They seem to be trying to
pull you back, but you're stuck fairly well.”
“It's probably Tsunami. She managed to get some kind of tether
onto me before I got punted.” Suddenly, for some weird reason I
got the image of two children with tin can phones talking to each
other. “Say, Doc? Would it be possible to send some kind of
resonance along this line? A wave of some kind?”
“You want to send a message? Is it important?”
“My fiance is pregnant.”
“Ah... that would be important. Let me see what I can work out.
You're not even going to ask about getting unstuck?”
“Doc, you said I got a Goddess on the other end trying to pull me
out of here. If that's not working, then I doubt there's anything
better you can try.”
“Do you ever get tired of being genre savvy?”
“Sometimes, Doc, but it has its advantages.”
Time to rectify that. Also, let me know how I did on The Doctor.
Before I was allowed to leave I was given a very through physical.
Even though I grumbled about it, Nurse Redheart was gentle about it
all. I understood why, though. Now that I was healthy and whole,
they wanted to establish what my normal baselines were. This meant
taking my vitals while I was exerting myself.
“You need run harder,” Twilight said after Redheart murmured
something in her ear. “Nurse say you not even try. Need see what
heart like under strain.”
“Oh is that all?” I grumbled as I rolled my eyes. And then I
began to sprint on the treadmill. Oddly enough... I didn't really
feel the strain like I would normally have. I mean, sure, I could
feel the effort that I was putting into it... but the pain that tells
you you're nearing your limit simply wouldn't come.
Of course, the body enhancements were already starting to take
affect. I wondered if this is how it felt for Yuki.
Yuki... sweet,
loveable, little Yuki... stealing more and more of my heart with that
smile of hers... Will I ever see it again?
“Hey? Why stop?” came Twilight's voice suddenly, knocking me out
of my reverie.
I looked at Twilight with tears stinging in my eyes. At least Nurse
Redheart was taking this well.
“Have you ever known what it was like to lose someone that was a
part of you?” I asked Twilight as I sat down on the now motionless
treadmill.
Twilight's eyes widened a bit and she shook her head.
“There were four women – female humans – that are very special
to me. They are all strong, beautiful, and remarkable women. The
youngest... she always surprises me. She is not physically strong
because she is so young... but she more than makes up for it with an
indomitable spirit. You cannot break her. She'll only smile at you
and ask, oh so sweetly, for even more. The only way you can hurt her
is to take her family away.
“And to her, I am her family. I am the man she wants as her
husband. And I can only hope that the others are helping her as much
as possible, because for me this is taking an effort of will to not
just lay down and die.”
Twilight
swallowed hard at that. Nurse Redheart asked Twilight a question and
there was a brief exchange between the two. Suddenly, the Nurse gave
me a look, and then began nuzzling me, saying something in a soothing
tone.
I didn't have to wonder for long though. Twilight translated for me.
“She say, 'No be sad.' That 'You no be lost forever. You find
home soon.'”
I sighed as I got up, gently pushing the Nurse away. “I hope so,
Twilight. I really do hope so. Now... how much more does Nurse
Redheart need?”
The two ponies had a brief exchange, and Twilight said, “No more.
She get plenty data. Also, you not joke on running. I see data.
Really can run many hour.”
I sighed heavily. “Twilight... can we get going?”
“Why? What wrong?”
“I'm tired and I would like to sleep in my own bed. By the way,
how did you find a bed big enough for me?”
Twilight shrugged. “We have being called Minotaur. Is your size.”
Twilight suddenly blinked at that. “What? You have name for
Minotaur in your language?!”
I nodded. “As well as unicorn, pegasus, alicorn, hydra, manticor,
and griffon. All of them are mythological creatures where I'm from.”
“But how you...” Twilight then blinked and then hoofed her face.
“Oh. Transfictionality. I get now.”
Afternoon was giving way to evening and the market was just now
shuttering their doors and windows. Ponies everywhere were on their
way back home, either from their day jobs or with the goods and wares
they'd purchased. And everyone of them stopped to stare at me, all
in varying degrees of curiosity, surprise, and even a few in horror.
I think the only reason they hadn't broken out into outright panic
was because Twilight was escorting me.
We made it back to her home, the library tree, with no incident and I
found that the tree was a lot larger than the cartoons made it out to
be – it had to be in order to accommodate the library that was held
inside it.
I put that aside, though, as I carefully ducked through the library's
entrance – it certainly was not scaled for anyone larger than, say,
Big Macintosh.
“I don't know if this is going to work as a regular thing,” I
said as I came upright again.
Twilight hummed at that thoughtfully. “Maybe we put door outside
when other pony used to you.”
“Maybe,” I sighed as I got my first good look at the place. It
was much nicer inside that the cartoons implied. There was a lot
less pink – all the walls were a comfortable raw-wood color, and
every available space was packed full of books. Nearby was the loft
where Twilight and Spike slept, along with the stairs that led up
there as well as to the balcony. I had zero notion whatsoever about
those stairs supporting my weight.
There suddenly came a young, slightly scratchy sounding male voice
from the room in back.
Spike the Baby Dragon came in, with two plates in hand and balancing
a third on his head. When he saw me looking at him he startled and
would have dropped the plate on his head had I not reached down and
plucked it away.
There was a short, somewhat heated exchange between Twilight and
Spike. I could guess that Spike was a little upset that he didn't
get more warning about my arrival, though I think the third plate of
food belied that. Perhaps he wasn't aware of the nature of his
guest? Probably – that'd be par for the course around here.
Twilight noticed me looking on with a raised eyebrow and then gave me
a nervous little smile and laugh.
“I sorry. This Spike, my brother. He not expect you.”
I nodded. “Well, let him know that I apologize for the
inconvenience and that I'm looking forward to working with him on
transcribing that book.”
Twilight relayed my sentiments and Spike made a surprised sound that
I'm pretty sure translated into 'What book?'
Before Twilight could say much, I pulled up the book from my library
and had it appear in front of Twilight, which caused her to yelp in
surprise. She quickly mastered herself, and gave me a quick thank
you before turning back to Spike, Washu's book held in her telepathic
grasp, as she began to go over everything with the dragonlet.
I simply left them to it, noting that the plates, now set aside by
Spike, were all identical in contents, so I set to munching on what
was inevitably my share. Fortunately, there was a fork provided,
even if it was a bit small for my hands. The food, while being a
simple fair of a leafy salad with an assortment of other vegetables
and a zingy vinaigrette dressing, was delicious and it was in a
filling portion.
Spike and Twilight looked over at me in mild surprise as they heard
me munching on a particularly crunchy bit.
“Don't worry about me,” I said idly, waving them on. “I can
fend for myself. Carry on.”
Twilight gave Spike a shrug, made some mild mannered sounding
comment, and then joined me at the table where I was kneeling. Note
to self – procure a cushion for my knees.
Over the course of the meal, Spike asked, through Twilight, all the
usual questions. For the most part, Twilight answered for me, but
there were a few questions she had to relay to me for clarification.
“What about family?” asked Twilight.
I raised an eyebrow. “What about them?”
“Can you tell about family?”
I sighed at that. “This... I wanted to avoid this,” I said as I
looked up to the odd ceiling. It reminded me suddenly of being in
Tenju, so I looked back at Twilight, who was giving me a look
somewhere between expectant and worried. “Fine,” I said, all but
snapping. “I'll tell you. But do not expect me to repeat this
often, if at all.”
And so I told them everything. Of my original life and its pitfalls
and follies and its terrible pains and sorrows, and then of my second
life...
About my brothers, Tenchi and Yosho.
My sisters, Ayeka and Sasami.
My friends, Mihoshi and Ryoko, who were so close they might as well
have been sisters.
My beloved mentors, Washu-chan and Yakage.
My Mother and Aunt, Funaho and Misaki.
My Grandparents, Seto and Utsusumi.
My Father, the Emperor, Asuza Masaki Jurai.
And then my wonderful women, Minagi, Yuki, Yume, and Achika.
It was an awkward process. Twilight would whisper the translation to
Spike, but would become so caught up in the tale that she would lose
herself until Spike jabbed her in the ribs with an irritated
expression. And then she would give us embarrassed smiles as she
requested that I back up a bit.
She was utterly astounded at the situation I had found myself in. A
man yanked out of place by a person of evil intents, adopted into a
fantastically powerful family, and urged to cultivate his own share
of power... among other things.
“It strange you have many bride,” said Twilight as she set about
to tucking a more-tired-than-he'd-admit Spike. “But not unheard.
Among pony, we call such family 'Herd'. Fall out of practice recent
century. This despite gender imbalance. Ratio one colt, two and
half filly.”
“Why did it fall out of practice?” I asked.
Twilight shrugged. “Not know certainly. Think culture shift to
monogamy. Many book and play of monogamous romance start two-hundred
year ago.”
I thought about that for a second. “Might have been Celestia.
It's a clever method of gently influencing the populous to control
population growth.”
Twilight gave me a shocked look. “How can say thing like that!?”
“Twilight, my Grandmother is a master manipulator, and I find her
methods admirable. If this is what Celestia did, then she's not any
different from my Grandmother. Hell, I bet Seto would love to spend
an evening with Celestia. I can only imagine the debauchery those
two would get up to.”
“But.. Princess is proper ruler!”
“Just a facade,” I said through a yawn. “Just you ask her
yourself. She'll take you aside and tell you in private – she's
bored to tears most days.” I yawned again and looked out the
window. Only the barest glow of dusk remained, the sun having long
since set. “I'm going to go for a walk.”
“But... what about you get lost!?”
“I can find my way back. I'm not stupid. And I have good night
vision – once the moon is high I'll be able to see very clearly.”
I got up, leaving Twilight to splutter as I went to the door,
carefully ducked through it, and began to make my way to the west.
However, Twilight insisted on following me.
“Can't you take a hint?” I asked acerbically. “I want some
time alone.”
“But... I worry... you might become hurt.”
I sighed heavily – so this is what it was about. I turned and
looked down at Twilight sternly.
“Twilight Sparkle,” I stated loudly. Kinda wished she had a
middle name – it would have had more impact that way. Twilight
Andromeda Sparkle would have been nice – it not only sounds lovely,
but it has gravitas, too. “I have been dealing with depression for
more than thirty years and even though it still hurts me, I am not
going to do anything to harm myself. I just want some time alone so
I can sort through my emotions without anyone distracting me with
warm and fuzzy feelings. Whether anyone likes it or not this is
still something I have to deal with myself, because no one else can.
Do you understand me?”
“Yes,” said Twilight after a long pause. “Just worry you go
into Everfree Forest.”
“No. I was looking for that big hill near Sweet Apple Acres.”
“Oh.”
“Besides, if I go to the Everfree Forest, you shouldn't worry for
me. I'm probably far more dangerous than the most dangerous
creatures there.”
“You not have claw or scale.”
I laughed. Goddess help me, I laughed. She was so innocent, so
naïve. I knew right then and there that I would turn her world view
so upside down that by the time Discord showed up she was going to
chew him up and spit him back out.
As Twilight backed away in fear from my borderline-insane laughter, I
looked down upon her and spoke,
“Twilight Sparkle, remember always what makes us humans special:
Mother Nature has never been kind to my people. She did not grant us
the gifts of sharp teeth or claws, nor of scales to protect our
hides. So we forged our own in fire and crafted them out of steel!”
And then I slapped my C-Pod and called out, “First Cut!”
The blade, naked of it's sheath, dropped into my waiting hand.
“Behold my claw.”
“Ah, may I?” asked Twilight. I nodded my consent and Twilight
levitated the blade out of my hand with her magic and began to look
it over carefully. Of course, she probably knew a few things about
swords, her brother being Captain of the Royal Guard and all.
“You make this?” she asked.
“I did.”
“It very good. Not best, but still excellent. Good style. Good
structure. Very heavy, but good balance. What composition?”
“Seventy-six-point-two-five percent iron. Point-seven-five percent
carbon. Four percent chromium. One percent vanadium.” I then
grinned as I knew the last bit would knock her for a loop. “And
eighteen percent tungsten.”
“Tungsten?! No wonder this so heavy! How you forge it?”
“With a very, very hot fire.” I then tapped my C-Pod and called
for my belt and sheath. Thus provided, I put the belt on around my
waist, sheath on my left side, then motioned to have my sword back.
“You still worried for my safety?” I asked as she passed me back
the sword and I sheathed it.
“No! Now worried for other pony safety!” griped the unicorn.
“The only people that should worry about me hurting them are
monsters. Now please, let me be for some time. I promise I will
come back later.”
“Argh! Alright! But you come back or else I come find you.”
She then turned and trotted off, leaving me to myself. With a sigh,
I went out looking for that nice hill.
I sighed as I heard the approaching hoof beats. Had it really been
that long? I checked the time on my C-Pod – Nope, didn't think
so.
“I didn't think you'd come after me so soon, Twilight,” I said
wearily. “Are you really that worried?”
“And here I thought Bonbon was lying like a rug,” said a voice in
perfect English. I blinked at that and jolted upwards.
Standing before me was not a man, but a pony with a brown coat, black
mane, and a befuddled expression.
“Oh hell no,” I grumbled. I then side stepped to get a look at
the pony's flank. Sure enough, there was a pocket watch cuteymark
there. I sighed to myself and looked the pony in the eyes. “As I
live and breathe. I never thought I'd ever meet you, Doctor.”
“Well, glad to see my reputation precedes me. I'm afraid you have
me at a bit of a disadvantage. Mister?”
“Garrick Grimm. And I'm a man who's every bit as misplaced as you
are.”
The Doctor snorted at that. “That's putting it mildly. Well, you
seem to be on the up and up. What do you know?”
“Happen to know about a woman named Washu Hakubi?”
“We bump into each other now and then. What of her?”
“The version I know is my Mentor and, don't let this get back to
her right away, also a Goddess who's slumming it in the name of
Science.”
“Bollocks! You really are a jumper, aren't you? What the bloody
hell happened?”
“If you know Washu then you probably know about Clay, right?”
The pony sniffed. “A dirty dog if there ever was any...” A look
of realization came over his face. “He didn't.”
I scoffed. “Worse. The Masaki household was just my first
layover.”
The Doctor then proceeded to curse up a blue streak in a number of
languages. Take notes, Katherine. Some of that might come in
handy later.
Katherine's giggle echoing through my head made me smile a little.
Soon enough, though, the Doctor had gotten all the vitriol out of his
system and he turned to me.
“Right then. Best come along with me.” And with that he began
to trot back towards Ponyville.
“You think you can get me sorted out?” I asked, a glimmer of hope
shining in my heart as I jumped up and jogged after him. “Send me
back home?”
“I hope I can,” the ponified Galifreyan said noncommittally.
“I'll need to run a few tests to be sure. I think I know what's
going on, but I really do hope I'm wrong.”
“Shit, you just had to go and say it.”
Under the cover of darkness, the Doctor and I made it back to his
home, a watchmaker's shop with a cozy looking set of apartments up
top. Of course, that wasn't where he really made his home at.
The TARDIS is, and always has been, a blue police call box. And the
inside has always been a ramshackle tumbledown collection of rusty
bits and pieces all thrown together into the semblance of what
someone thought would be what a time machine looks like. And this is
to say nothing of the random bits of kipple left laying all over the
place.
Let it be known that the good Doctor is indeed one of us, for he is
the King of Messy Desks.
“Before I go," I said as he did something around me with his sonic screwdriver, "would you mind teaching me to make one of those?”
“Sonic screwdriver?” asked the Doctor as he poked at me with said
device. “Probably not. Terribly complex little gadget.”
I was not about to let that sentiment go on without a fight. “You forgetting who I said my mentor was?”
“'Course not. Washu Hakubi. Heck of a scientist – give her
enough time she'll work anything out. Hell of a drinker, too.”
“And?”
“And I think this is too complex for you.”
I glared at the Doctor and began to recite a very simple, very basic
block transfer equation – it was literally the block transfer math
version of a 'Hello World' program. It was something that Washu had
been encouraging me to dabble in on the offhand chance that I needed
to do some hard-coding work on my C-Space.
Also, pretty much everything Katherine did was block transfer
equations.
It was pretty dangerous stuff to work with, really. One misspelled
parameter could blow you to kingdom come. But the Hello World
program was a safe bit of math that Washu had thoroughly drilled me
on, and one of the few I felt comfortable in casually dropping in any
given setting.
The Doctor simply gaped at me as the words 'Hello World' appeared
over my head in a garish, glowing neon-green and in a big, friendly
sans font. After the words faded from sight, he then opened his
mouth, closed it as he reconsidered, and repeated the process no less
then five times.
Finally, he managed to settle on something. “Bloody Americans.”
“Oi. I'm a Texan first. Federalist nation, you know.”
“You know a party trick. I'm not teaching you anything.”
“I know the basic concepts, which puts me leagues ahead of most
people you come across.”
“Someone else drummed it into your head.”
“Someone you know and respect, and who felt that I was worthy of
it.”
“Bollocks to that! That woman is a self-professed mad genius, and
I wholeheartedly agree with her!”
“Oh, c'mon. She's not crazy... at least not anymore than you
are. She just likes to have a good time.”
“Her idea of a good time and mine are two entirely different
things!”
“Kettle, cried out the pot, thou art black.”
“Bastard.”
“Am not and you know it. Look, I'm a jumper. You said it
yourself. And there's no telling when I'm gonna find myself up to my
armpits in Goddess only knows what kind of trouble. So how about you
do the right thing and show me how to make that wonderful little
gadget of yours so I'll have a holdout to get myself out of the shit
and into the roses when it counts the most.”
“Now you see here! You say you were one of Washu's students?
Someone she favored? Then prove it. Invent something yourself.
Build something you can use like my sonic screwdriver to get yourself
out of trouble. Impress me.”
I had to admit, he stopped me cold with that one. If there was one
thing Washu was always pushing me to do, it was to stop standing on
other peoples' shoulders and make something new. This was why many
of my weapon designs, save for First Cut, departed so far from the
norms.
This situation was no different. If I wanted a macguffin the likes
of the sonic screwdriver, then I was going to have to think up one
for myself.
I then smiled at the Doctor. “Okay then, Doc. You want me to
knock your socks off? You got it. Just don't be disappointed if I
manage to pull it off.”
“Blinder! That's the spirit! Now, about your current issue...”
“Hit me, Doc.”
“Right. You're too heavy.”
“Heavy? Okay, I know you're not talking about physical mass.”
“Of course not. Temporal mass. The energy with which you've hit
this time-space combined with your temporal mass has you mired in the
muck.”
“So it's like time-space is quicksand (and yes, I know what real
quicksand is like) and I've somehow managed to get up to my neck in
it?”
“An excellent metaphor. Fortunately, someone's got a line tied to
you – I'm honestly not quite sure what to make of it, but I can
tell that the energy signature is Juraian. They seem to be trying to
pull you back, but you're stuck fairly well.”
“It's probably Tsunami. She managed to get some kind of tether
onto me before I got punted.” Suddenly, for some weird reason I
got the image of two children with tin can phones talking to each
other. “Say, Doc? Would it be possible to send some kind of
resonance along this line? A wave of some kind?”
“You want to send a message? Is it important?”
“My fiance is pregnant.”
“Ah... that would be important. Let me see what I can work out.
You're not even going to ask about getting unstuck?”
“Doc, you said I got a Goddess on the other end trying to pull me
out of here. If that's not working, then I doubt there's anything
better you can try.”
“Do you ever get tired of being genre savvy?”
“Sometimes, Doc, but it has its advantages.”