>It's a quiet night
>Maybe too quiet 
>The only sound comes from your van's stereo, playing music with the volume almost all the way down
>You are still trying to figure out what happened
>You were killing time between classes
>You went for a coffee at a nearby coffee shop
>You opened the coffee's lid
>The contents were hot indeed, no need for a warning on the cup
>You pressed play on the van's stereo
>You took a few sips, so far so good
>Next time you realized you weren't in the city anymore
"This can't be true"
>The city literally vanished in front of you, replaced by the countryside 
>You tried to grab the wheel but couldn't 
>Because your hands were no longer hands, but hooves.
*Click*
>Your reminiscing was abruptly cut short when the stereo made the mechanical sound it always makes when the tape is reversed
>Now you realize you've been listening to the same music for several hours straight and quickly press stop
>You don't know where you are but you're hungry
>You look around and immediately notice the huge stain on the passenger seat, caused by the spilled coffee
>Clearly hooves aren't meant to grab coffee mugs, yet that's the least of your worries
>Trying to stop the panic from coming back, you violently hit the glove box with your one of your front hooves and get it to open
>You use both front hooves to grab a chocolate bar you had, hoping for it not to have melted
>You use your (surprisingly sharp!) teeth to open
>Never had a chocolate bar tasted better in your entire life
>Music... You canny eat without music
>No... Changing the tape would be impossible without actual hands
"Sod it"
>You press play on the stereo and let the same tape repeat for the umpteen time


"Yes, finally!"
>You cannot contain your excitement while you make sure you're not missing anything for the trip
"Equestria's best weekend is about to start! 48 straight hours of fun in the countryside, because we deserve it!"
>Starlight Glimmer comes near you, barely containing the laughter
>"Calm down, Trixie! You sound like a radio announcer about to sell a dishwasher"
"Sorry, it's just we haven't left the town in quite a while! I still can't believe Sunburst invited us to his 'tâteau'"
>"I think it's pronounced 'château'. But yes I'm happy we get to visit him. He told me how lonely he felt over there, as there aren't many neighbours around"
>You start pulling your wagon's harness
>Thanks to Starlight, the wagon feels light as you left any unnecessary belongings at her house
>Sadly, that meant no melon spoons or books about optometry will be at hand during the trip
"Okay, you tell me which road to take"
>Starlight happily walks next to you, guiding you with a map
>Around half an hour later you start seeing less and less crowds and more grass around you
>"Want me to carry the wagon for a bit? I don't mind!"
>You appreciate how Starlight cares so much but there is no need! You're Equestria's finest pony, scientifically proved!* (*Not really)
"No need to worry about Trixie! I'm in a really good mood today! But if you want to do Trixie a favor, take her to the burger place we went last time!"
>Starlight cannot help but chuckle
>"You can count on that!"
>By the time an hour had passed, you start feeling thirsty
>You stop moving the wagon to catch a break
>Starlight immediately notices you're tired and offers you a drink
"Not going to lie, Trixie would love it if you could find the water battle for her!"
>"Not a problem!"
>You sit on the ground to catch a break while Starlight looks for the water inside your wagon
>However, something catches your attention 
>A wagon, bigger than yours, parked a few meters from you, right next to a tree
"Starlight?"
>"Yes?", you can hear your friend answering from inside the wagon
"Is there anything in-between a wagon and a garbage truck?"
>"It really doesn't look that bad, Trixie! It just needs a paint job!"
"I'm not talking about my wagon, I'm talking about that wagon!"
>Starlight comes out with the water bottle, looking intrigued
>"What are you talking about?"
"Well, look over there"
>Your friend takes a look at it
>It's some kind of transportation, looking clearly more modern than garbage truck
>Both of you are intrigued, as you don't seem to remember seeing one of those lately 
>Maybe a fellow magician travelling from town to town?
>A fellow magician with deeper pockets than you, clearly
>Without saying anything, Starlight takes the initiative
>She starts approaching that odd white wagon while you take a sip of water
>You don't give it much importance at first, until you see Starlight's face expression changing
>You quickly leave the bottle aside and call up her attention 
"Is everything alright?"
>Uh... Well, could you come here for a second, Trixie?"
>You cannot help but wonder what's happening. You start walking towards her but before even getting close to the wagon you start listening to something... Odd
>Music 
>A song you don't remember having heard before, coming from inside the mysterious piece of transport
"What is that... music?"
>You asked quietly, not that you are scared! It's just you don't want to scare any animals that might be around 
>"I have no idea"
>You try to pay attention and recognize any lyrics 

And we're all to blame,
We've gone to far, from pride to shame,
We're trying so hard,
We're dying in vain

"Oh, I get it"
>You don't get it
>Starlight eventually approaches the wagon's window
>She didn't say anything, she just kept looking 
>You come closer, not before talking a peek at your own wagon
>What did she try to imply with "it only needs a paint job"?
>"Oh, they moved!"
"What? Who moved?"
>"The pony who is sleeping inside that thing... And frankly my sixth sense tell me they aren't feeling well"
>As soon as you approached the window, you understood why Starlight said that
>You saw a green pony, with their eyes clothes but shaking their head, as if they were having a nightmare 
>They were surrounded by assorted garbage like disposable cups and candy wraps
>"I'd normally not wake up somepony having a nap...", started to say Starlight before you interrupted them
"Leave it to Trixie! I'm excellent at interrupting!”

>The image repeats itself again and again
>You taking a sip of coffee, and then the city vanishing
>Your hands are no longer there
>You feet are no longer there
>Not even your clothes are there
>And suddenly you want to scream but you can't
>Instead, the images repeat all over again
>You try to understand what is happening but you can't, you simply can't
>And then a sudden burst of panic erupts
>You violently wake up from your nightmare, grasping for air
>And then you saw it
>Someone knocking at your window
>Well, not someone. but... "somehorse"?
>"Hello? Is everything okay?", you hear saying
>And now you are indeed able to scream, and don't hold it
>The blue horse at the other side of your window gets scared and starts running away
>But it won't compare to you, as you manage to open the door and start running away in panic

"Oh, my!"
>Someday you will have to start speaking up everytime Trixie tries to do something without thinking
>All of the sudden, your weekend has turned into a two different races
>Trixie is screaming and running towards a tree by your left, while the green-colored pony that was inside the wagon runs to the north, also screaming like crazy
>You need to act fast
>That poor pony looked heavily distressed and could be a danger to himself
>You need to think fast
>Come on, Starlight, you can do this
>You take a quick look at your surroundings
>You think for a moment about teleporting Trixie and using it as a speed bump to stop the green pony
>"No, Starlight, surely you can do better than that"

>Grass won't help
>Tiny branches won't help
>No rocks around
"Welp"
>You lock your sight on your friend, who is looking for refuge behind a tree
"Sorry, Trixie
>You use a teleport spell and suddenly, she's no longer approaching the tree, but serving as a speed bump for the green horse
>"Aaaah!", they keep yelling
>Their synchronized screaming is suddenly interrupted when the green horse trips and violently falls to the ground
>Trixie looks clearly shocked, still not knowing how he changed places, until a clear "oh, right" expression shows up on her face
>"Sorry, Trixie, but now the utmost priority is the well-being of that pony"
>You help Trixie get up and then you take a peek at the pony
>He seem to be unconscious, with his head up, mouth open and eyes wide shut.
"Are you alright?"
>"Yes, but please, next time something else to stop him!"
"You're right, I'm sorry. Listen, maybe we should take him to Sunburst's house and see if we can find a doctor nearby."
>"But we don't even know the guy!"
>Fair point
>"Yes, but think... If we ever have a problem and hurt ourselves while traveling, wouldn't we appreciate being aided by others?
>Trixie looks at the green pony, still unconscious on the ground
>"Well, I guess so, but... Don't you think he might be dangerous? I mean, he started screaming as soon as he saw me. Why would anyone react that way at the mere sight of Trixie?"
"Eh..."
>"Trixie's hair looks fantastic!", she yelled at your face
"I didn't say anything!"
>You chuckle, but quickly remember the unconscious pony near you
"Okay, that's it. I'm going to carry him on your wagon to Sunburst's house. I'll think about what to do there."
>"Oh, I can't afford to miss his expression when he sees you arriving with a half dead pony!"
"He's not dead!"
>You lift him using telepathy and Trixie looks at his body slowly flying towards her wagon
>"Does Twilight approve of you moving other ponies against their will?", she asks without taking her eyes from the green horse
"Please, she wishes she could do the same!"

>"Kai"
>...
>"Kai!"
>You shake your head after listening to someone yelling your name
>"You seem to be a bit distracted today"
"Yeah, sorry..."
>You take a look at your mate and then the burger you were eating
"I suppose I didn't sleep quite well last night. And besides... Well, you know"
>"I already told you, mate. You are much more interesting than you think you are... It wouldn't take you much effort to find new friends or a new partner if you actually took the effort to do it"
>He takes a bite of his 'Bacon Explosion' burger and you do the same with yours
"Well, yes, I agree, but you know my tastes are a bit..."
>"Don't even mention the ponies again, please. You are worth much more than a bloody cartoon"
>Even if he means well, his words...
>They hurt
>You lower my head and then take a sip off my Coke
>The day is bright and sunny
>Everyone around seem to be having a nice time, just chatting and eating
>Yet everything inside you feels dark and lonely
>Your friend lets out a sigh and gently hits the table with his right hand to catch your attention
>"Listen... I know we promised to graduate at the same time but... you know I couldn't reject that opportunity"
>"Besides, it's not like we'll never meet again. I'll come around once in a while, and we'll always have Google Meet, right?"
>He's right, though
>There's not always a second chance
>And then, as you kept thinking about it, your friend simply vanishes
>And so does the city around you
>The day becomes night in the blink of an eye, and now everything is cold
>A bit too cold
>More than cold, you could say wet
>Wet?!
>And then you woke up, violently grasping for air
>Your entire face is wet, with water dripping from your hair
>"Yay, it worked!", proudly exclaimed the merry orange horse
>"Yes, but it was Trixie who brought the bucket of water!"
>"But it was my idea!"
>Please... No more yelling
>"Stop fighting, please! We need to make sure he's okay"
>After grabbing some air you just... stay there, looking at those three
>You don't yell or try to run away this time
>Because something tells you there's nowhere to escape to

>It’s been like… three, four years? since you last thought about MLP
>Yeah… It was after you started uni and he left
>And now it’s coming back at you… at full force
>But why
>And more importantly, how?
>”Please don’t be scared, we come in peace”, said the purple pony
>But you know who she was
>And the blue pony, and the orange pony
>You know them too bloody well
>You let out a sigh, deciding it’s best to just tag along
>”Are you okay?”, the purple pony asks
>You sigh again, and try to stand up, only to fall down and hit your head against the floor
>Of course, you dumbass, you can’t stand in two feet
>You don’t even have feet anymore
>The others seem worried, running to help you stand up
>And you let them help you, why not?
>By the time you realize, you’re already standing up…
>On all fours
>You look at yourself
>Your horse fur, 100% green
>Your hooves, your chest…
>”Hmm, I wonder if I’m still a male”
>You check
>Yes, you still are
>The purple pony tries to establish a dialogue again, while the other two look at you intrigued
>”Hello, I’m…”
>Starlight Glimmer
>”Starlight Glimmer.”
>Of course
>Are you okay?”
“Yes… I suppose”
>”What’s your name?”
>”Let’s call him Fluffy Swamp!”, exclaims the blue pony, a bit too loudly for you
>”Trixie, please, he has an actual name”
“Kai”
“My name is Kai”
>The three horses look at you, as if they were expecting you to keep talking”
“That’s it. That’s my entire name”
>Right after noticing how serious you sounded, you realized it’s better not to mess around with horses who are able to use magic… and Trixie
“Sorry, I… I’m a bit shocked after the hit, that’s all. I suppose I must have run into a tree or something”
>”Eh, yes, more or less”, answers Starlight while looking clearly nervous
>Trixie rolls her eyes and lets out an annoyed sigh, but why?
>”Wait, let me dry your face”
>Starlight brings a towel and dries your face, not with her hands but with her magic
“Thank… Thank you”
>”Why don't you take a seat?”, she asks while putting a chair right next to you, again by using her magic
>You instinctively get away from the chair
>She immediately saw how that scared you, but before she apologizes you take a seat without saying anything 
>Thankfully, sitting wasn't very hard
>”Please, Trixie, stay a minute with Kai. I'll be right back.”, said Starlight while approaching the orang–
>Enough with the colours. That's bloody Sunburst 
>She lets out a smile before leaving with him

“Listen, Sunburst… I'm sorry for bringing a stranger to your house all of the sudden”
>You are indeed sorry, but Sunburst doesn't seems too worried and lets out a small giggle
>”Don't worry, Starlight, I'm already used to being in Trixie's company, despite her attitude”
>”Trixie heard that!”
“I'm talking about Kai, Sunburst”
>The orange horse chuckled again while adjusting his glasses
>”You did what everypony would do in your place: helping those who are in need”
>Sunburst’s words feel calming and reassuring
“You are right… Thank you. Just let me check he's alright and then we can start having fun”

>Trixie is close to you 
>Maybe a bit too close
>Even the cat you had as a kid back at home had more respect for your personal space than her
>You don’t say anything, you just try to get used to sitting as a horse instead of as a human
>Your buttocks feel incredibly thick
>Not that you’re complaining
>”Fluff–”
>You immediately cock an eyebrow at her
>”I mean, Kai, yes, Kai”
>”Yes?”
>You look at her and can’t help but remembering your era as a shitposter
>She was the best pony, hands down
>By the time you realize, you’re already chuckling
>Now she’s the one who’s staring at you
“Sorry, you were saying?”
>”Why did you get so scared just by seeing my face?”
>What’s the point of telling the truth? She’d never believe you
“Well… I always scream and run away wherever I see a new pers– pony”
>Meh, there’s no way she’ll believe that either
>”Oh, I see”, she answered, apparently convinced
>...

>”You know… I never saw a wagon like yours. Did you build it yourself?”
>Huh?
“What wagon?”
>”The white one, where we found it”
>Bloody hell!
“MY VAN!”
>”Where is it?! I must find it!”
>And now, without thinking, you were running away once more
>”He's escaping again!”
>That's the last thing you hear from Trixie before crossing the door at full speed

>Your conversation with Sunburst gets interrupted by Trixie's yelling
>You quickly go back to the dining room only to find the door wide open with Trixie pointing at it
>Kai is now vanishing quickly in the horizon 
“Trixie! What did you do to him?!”
>”Nothing! Why is Trixie the one to blame every time somepony runs scared?!”
>You ignore Trixie's screaming and run behind Kai
>No, there's no way you'll catch him
>You look around 
>Trixie is coming at you
>...
>Sorry, Trixie
>You again use teleportation with Trixie to stop Kai
>And once again, Kai trips on her, falling on the grass
>The impact makes Trixie roll in the direction of Kai
>”STOP USING TRIXIE AS A SPEED BUMP!”, you can hear coming loud and clear from the grass
>You approach the duo as soon as possible, feeling guilty for using such a harsh approach 
“I'm so sorry! Are you okay?!”
>Trixie and Kai let out a grunt and try to stand up on their own
>Trixie looks a bit dizzy but in one piece
>”This weekend is not fun at all!”
>Kai catches your attention
>He has trouble standing up
“Are… are you okay?”
>”Well, does this look infected?”
>Kai shows you a cut on the left hind leg
>Congratulations, Starlight, now you've really messed it up
“Oh, my… Don't worry! Please, let's go back to the house and I'll heal your wound!”
>”Just let me go, for Pete's sake! I want my van back!”
>Van? What is he talking about?
>”I think that's how he calls the wagon where we found him”
>”So your friend has a wagon. You didn't mention that earlier”
>You look back to find the source of that response and see Sunburst right next to you
>”Where did you leave his wagon? It's his property, so it's only logical he wants it back”
“That thing is huge. We couldn't take it with us, so we left it where it was”
>”Just tell me where it is!”, Kai screams aggressively, only to seemingly regret it a second later
>”Please… It's…”
>A moment passes, and you can see him lower his head
>”It's the only thing I have”
>You take a deep breath and think on what to do
“Please let me heal you at Sunburst's home. It'll only take a minute. I promise I'll take you back to your wagon thereafter.”
>He looks at you, not quite believing you
“I swear. Please, believe in me”
>A couple of seconds pass in silence, until he shyly starts walking back to Sunburst's château

>Back in Sunburst’s house, he gives you some bandages and takes the opportunity to scold you
>”Well, Starlight, you’ve really messed up this time”
>It’s not the actual words what hurt you, but how Sunburst said them in such a playful manner
“This is not some kind of game, Sunburst! That pony is wounded and it’s my fault”
>You try not to yell, but you’re getting frustrated
>This was supposed to be a fun, worry-free weekend and instead you wounded a pony…
>Well, two ponies: Trixie doesn’t look happy after being used as a speed bump
>”Relax, I was just joking. It’s only a small cut. Besides, why don't you put yourself in his place? He was awoken by Trixie, which would be terrifying for anyone with eyes…”
>”Trixie doesn’t appreciate being the butt of jokes!”, you hear coming from the dining room
>”...Then you brought him here against his will, to talk to complete strangers, again including Trixie.”
“Thank you, Sunburst. I'll think of your words when Twilight kicks me out of Equestria”
>”Nobody is going to kick you out from anywhere! Oh, give me that, I'll go heal Kai myself. You pour yourself some tea and relax”
>Sunburst takes the bandages away from you while pointing at the teapot sitting on the kitchen's table
>Could he… have a point?
>You let out a sigh for the umpteen time today and reluctantly go serve yourself a cup of tea

>”What are you even doing?”
>Trixie asked you while you were trying to lick your wound 
“I saw dogs doing this to heal themselves”
>”You're not a dog, Kai, I mean Fluff—, I mean Kai!”
>”Well, I don't have much experience on being a horse”, you think
>”Hey, buddy”
>Sunburst approaches you with bandages
>You hope his intention is to heal you and not to turn you into a mummy 
>His horn starts glowing, and a few moments later a bar of soap, a sponge and a small bucket of water are in front of you
>That kind of magic looks way more impressive in person than on TV
>”Trixie, would you please leave us alone for just a moment”?, Sunburst asked nonchalantly 
>”I won't let you do anything to poor Kai!”
>”There are some chocolate cookies in the cupboard”
>”Later!”
>Trixie vanished in the blink of an eye, leaving you all to Sunburst…
>He approaches the wet sponge to your wound
>You immediately close your eyes, hoping for it to hurt but thankfully it doesn't
>”Listen…”
>You open your eyes, and notice the horse is looking at you
>”I want to apologize for the inconveniences. You must have been very scared, waking up in front of total strangers…”
>Well, at least he understands 
“Listen, I just want my van back”
>”Hmm, that's what you call your wagon, right?”
“Eh, yes…”
>”You weren't found too far from here, and thankfully this area is quite safe. Look! You're as good as new!”
>Well, that didn't take long 
>The bandage is now in place, and you hope you don't need another one during your stay here 
>That's when the panic starts coming back 
>How long are you going to stay here? Are you ever going back to Earth?
>That's when you start hyperventilating
>”Hey, Kai, there's no need to be nervous”
>Sunburst's voice sounded oddly calming, catching you completely by surprise
>”You're not from here, right?”
>When he said “from here”...
>He wasn't referring to this town
>You know he meant something else
>You stayed in silence for a second, processing that question
>Then, Starlight came into the dining room, bringing a teapot and a silver tray with four cups
>”Who wants some tea?”, she asks in a gentle way
>Sunburst briefly smiles at you, and then directs his attention to Starlight
>”Oh sure, let me help you”
>”Thank you. If you want cookies you'll have to eat the crumbs from Trixie's cape”
>You hear Sunburst's chuckling, but you know that conversation is far from being over

>”You're not from here”
>”From here”
>You can't stop thinking about what Sunburst said
>You try to look him in the eyes, but he's too focused on talking to Starlight 
>Are you overreacting?
>No, there was something about his tone of voice…
>”Kai… Kai?”
>You notice Trixie trying to call up your attention 
>”Are you okay?”
“Uh… Yes, sorry. I guess I'm a bit distracted”
>”Well, it's only logical since you crashed against Trixie!”
>Despite what happened, she manages to chuckle
>Her laughing sounded incredibly sweet, and suddenly you forgot about the pain, if only for a few seconds
>She hands you a cup of tea and a biscuit 
>”I saved the last one for you”
>You stayed there, completely speechless, thinking on what to say
“T-Thank you, Trixie”
>You try to grab the cup and the biscuit with your new hooves
>And you fail
>The cup falls immediately 
>You close your eyes, so you don't get to see how it breaks 
>But you hear it loud and clear
>Conversation between Starlight and Sunburst stops, and they all look at you
>You feel completely humiliated and feel the impulse of running away once more
“I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!”
>Fuck this
>You start heading towards the door
>But then you suddenly stop
>”Stop right there! Trixie won't be used as a speed bump again!”
>Although Trixie’s voice was a factor, she wasn't the only reason that made you stop 
>What is even the point of keeping on running away?
>Remember: there's nowhere to escape to
>And even if there was, would it be worth it?
>You turn around and look at the three horse's faces
>Starlight and Sunburst in particular look disappointed 
>You let out a sigh
>”I'm really sorry, Sunburst… I have cups in my van. Please, allow me to find my van. It's all I want right now”
>Sunburst thinks for a moment before taking a step towards me
>”It's okay, Kai. We all make mistakes. Just let me clean this and we'll go find your van”
“No, please… Let me do it myself”
>Sunburst smiles at me
>”No, Kai, it's nothing. It'll only take me a second”
>He wasn't lying 
>A broom and a dustpan appear just after Sunburst's horn starts glowing, and the rubbish is taken care of in a jiffy
>”So…”
>Sunburst look at you in the eyes
>I think it's time to go find your wagon”

>”You can't keep running away, Kai”
“I'm running away? You're literally leaving to another province, bloody hell”
>I told you I couldn't reject this opportunity. And that's the last time I'm going to see you for a few months. Can't you even do that?”
“I'm sick. I've been coughing all day”
>”You've been coughing all day because you smoke like a chimney. Kai, listen to me, for Pete's sake. You don't have friends to spare. Can you at least come and say goodbye before my flight takes off?”
>You just stared at the phone. A bloody coward.
>He was spot on about everything.
>It wasn't until everything else was gone that you realised you hadn't just lost a mate, you'd lost the last opportunity to be a decent one.
>And now, it was too late

“Trixie, you really don’t need to do this”
>You were sitting on Trixie’s wagon, being carried by the owner herself
>“It’s okay…”
>You know she was about to call you “Fluffy Swamp” but instead of finding it annoying, you unconsciously let out a small chuckle
>”I… know that cut might be hurting”
>It doesn’t, actually
>She’s the one who should be in pain, as you used her as a speed bump twice
>And yet, she’s the one carrying you, as if you deserved such treatment
>You look at the leg Sunburst healed with such kindness
>Not a second passes that you start feeling guilty for breaking one of his tea cups
>But more importantly, you can’t take what he said out of your head
>”You’re not from here”
>You immediately go take a peek out of the wagon’s window, seeing that Sunburst and Starlight are walking along to it

“I’m really sorry about everything, Sunburst. And you too, Trixie… I know this weekend didn’t quite start on the right track”
>You really mean it
>While it wasn’t Kai’s intention to cause any harm, he ended up breaking things at Sunburst’s house, and having to be healed by him
>Although the last one was actually your fault, for throwing Trixie at Kai
>”It’s okay, Starlight. As I said earlier, you saw someone in need and helped them. It’s what to be expected from Twilight’s protégé”
>You feel humbled at your friend’s words, yet you can’t stop thinking at how carefree and upbeat he sounds
>Maybe a bit too much for Sunburst
>”And you too, Trixie. And I’m serious this time”
>”Trixie does what she has to do! Whatever that means!... Look, I can see Kai’s wagon!”
>Indeed there it is, the odd wagon where you found the green horse
>Surrounded by some vegetation, the wagon seems to be intact (not counting some corrosion that was already there when you first arrived)
>That really makes you think… Is it made of metal? Who made it? Kai or someone else?
>And for what purpose?
>Your mental monologue is interrupted by Kai jumping out of Trixie's wagon and running towards his
>”Be careful, Kai!”
>You find Trixie’s concern about Kai to be commendable, if a little excessive
>By the time you reach the wagon, you find Kai looking at it, while music can still be heard playing inside 
>Wait, has the music been playing non-stop during all this time?
>How is that even possible? There’s not a single electric outlet on sight and batteries would have already worn out by now
>Okay, nevermind. There are things more important than that at the moment
>Trixie leaves her wagon aside and hurries to meet Kai

“This song…”
>It’s a song you’ve heard thousands of times
>Heard from a mixtape you recorded yourself
>And yet, right now, it hits different

Cause I will bring you down
I don't wanna miss
I don't think you can handle this
You've lost what you can't find
Never what you had in mind

>You stare at your van, the only possession you have in this world, and hearing the song coming softly from the speakers
>Then you look at yourself, at your hooves, at your fur, at everything
>You didn’t ask for this
>You just want to be back to Earth, damn it
>Why the hell… Why didn’t you say goodbye to him?
>And then, the same memories start to flood your brain
>The day you wanted to talk to him and he didn’t answer
>How you waited and waited, but never got a response
>And then you got the call
>That dreaded call

>”Kai, is everything alright?”
>You normally end up crying after remembering that, so hearing Trixier’s voice was a pleasant surprise
>You turn around, but it’s not Trixie what you find right in front of you
>”So this is the ‘van’ you were talking about, huh?”
>Sunburst adjusted his glasses and looked at you in the eyes
>You didn’t like that look
>Then, you noticed Trixie and Starlight next to you
>You know questions are going to be made, sooner or later, so for now it’s better to just stop the music
>Thankfully, the left door is still open
>You jump in and quickly eject the tape
>”Wow, Kai, that is quite the wagon”, said Trixie with a smile, and you can’t decide if she’s being serious or sarcastic
>Nah, Trixie doesn’t know how to be sarcastic
>You quickly glance at it: dirty, with spilled coffee and cassette tapes on the passenger seat
>You’re sure this kind of filth breaks multiple laws in Equestria
>You notice Starlight is about to say something, but she is interrupted by Sunburst before even starting
>Sunburst’s face shone, holding a smile that didn't look innocent at all…
>The tape… the tape I had on the stereo started flying towards Sunburst

>It wasn't hard to notice how Starlight and Trixie were full of questions 
>They were staring at a lot of things they had never seen located inside another thing they had never seen before today 
>What were they going to ask about first? The driving wheel? The seats? The stereo?
>You're going to find out very soon, but they're not your main concern right now 
>Your main concern is Sunburst
>Unlike his friends, he didn't look confused at all
>To the contrary: he looked very confident while holding my cassette tape in his hooves
>”Interesting. You don't see one of these everyday”
>Are… are you in trouble?
>Trixie and Starlight's attention is deviated towards the tape
>”What in Equestria is that?”, asked Trixie while cocking an eyebrow
>”It's where the music was coming from”
>Sunburst's answers sounded unexpectedly dry
>Most probably, that was the moment when you started to sweat
>”Trixie doesn't remember ever seeing something like that!”
>”Maybe you don't, but I'm sure Starlight does”
>Sunburst's smile shone brightly, and not in a fun, innocent manner
>”These are the tapes the Royal Guards use to record their interrogations”
>Starlight immediately looks straight at you
>You feel as if the passenger seat is burning your body and clumsily start moving, trying in vain to stop the sensation
>”Kai… why do you have a tape from the Royal Guards in your wagon?”
>Yep, you're definitely in trouble
“Uh…”
>”No, Starlight”, Sunburst interrupted
>”The real question is: ‘Kai, would you like to listen to something interesting?’”
>Sunburst's question wasn't actually a question 
>It was an order 
“How… interesting?”
>”Very interesting”, he answered without delay
>His horn started to glow
>And suddenly, another tape came flying slowly towards Sunburst
>”Wait a minute! Where did that thing come from?”, asked a clearly confused Trixie
>”I put it in your wagon while you were taking the cookie crumbs off your cape. Kai, take this and listen to it”
>Starlight takes a step forward towards Sunburst
>”Okay, Sunburst, cut it out”
>”No”, Sunburst answered dryly
>Starlight and Trixie were clearly taken aback by his response
>”What?”, inquired Starlight
>Sunburst cleared his throat and let out a frustrated sigh, as if what he was trying to imply was clear to everyone
>”The reason I invited you to come wasn't just to drink tea and swim in my pool, you know”
>”Sunburst, what is happening? You've never acted like this in our presence”
>Starlight’s voice sounded increasingly aggressive and you could see Trixie feeling clearly uncomfortable
>Then, Sunburst looked at you with a piercing gaze, using his glowing horn to leave his tape flying in front of you, enticing you to grab it
>And you did
>”Play it”, he ordered
>A few seconds pass by while you're trying to understand the situation 
>The tape was completely black and had a small label with an inscription on it: “I-283”
>”PLAY IT, DAMNIT!”
>Even considering how tense this conversation was becoming, Sunburst's shouting caught you completely by surprise 
>You were left flabbergasted and unable to react
>”Stop it, Sunburst!”
>Trixie's attitude has suddenly changed from scared to confrontational
>”Kai did nothing wrong to you! Why are you yelling at him?!”
>”You'll understand after he plays the tape”, he answered without hesitation 
>”Sunburst… You're worrying me. Frankly, I don't know what's happening, but I didn't sign up for this”, said Starlight, clearly trying to regain her composure
>Sunburst took a deep breath, steadying himself, then replied
>”I'm sorry. Allow me to explain”
>”Last week I went to the flea market, looking for some vintage accessories to decorate my château”
>Trixie's eyes rolled as soon as she heard the word “château”
>”However, I wasn't counting on finding that tape. A legitimate interrogation tape recorded by the Royal Guards”
>An interrogation tape
>Why is this related to you at all?
>”After I heard the tape, I knew something was bound to happen, sooner or later”
>”And it did”, he added while staring at you
>And then, complete silence
>Almost as if Sunburst's explanation caught his friends’ attention
>And now they want you… to play the tape