Not our world anymore (IC)

[GalacticWar_Xavier]

Airimus turned back around, "I don't know, then..." he said, and looked up at the statue he and the rest of the group other than Twilight and Starling, had just come from, "I guess I'm just worried about you and Winter Bell, Twilight Sparkle..." he turned back around to hear her response. Twilight nodded, offering a smile, "You don't need to worry about us, Airimus. Winter and I have both been through a ton, even back in our own time." Airimus nodded, sighing heavily, "I guess that's why I felt you deserved better, but you don't seem to be disturbed by it." Twilight nodded, "Just don't say that I'm being naive again." Airimus nodded again, holding his hands up in a gesture of peace, "I won't. Sorry about that." Twilight nodded happily, "Apology accepted, oh and you both can just call me Twilight, I know my other friends found 'Twilight Sparkle' to be a bit of a mouthful."

The humans both nodded, "How is Twilight Sparkle your name, anyways?" Airimus asked, "Does it work like human names? Like mine is Airimus and then my family name is Pavonis." Twilight took a breath to answer, but held it, "...Well... My mother's name is Star Sparkle. And my father's is Crescent Sparkle. So, yeah, probably. Speaking of which, why are human names in some language that no one seems to speak?" Airimus let out a slight laugh, "Now that is a really, really good question. My name means 'Guarding Winds'... But no one calls me 'Guarding Winds' Pavonis... That would just roll off anyone's tongue, huh? But I don't know. Maybe humans have made up nonsense words for names because we're lazy."

Rex looked to Winter, "Hey, Winter, erm... Are you going to tell Twilight about what happened up at the statue?" He asked, it seemed like a pretty major event, and he was pretty sure no one had told her about it yet.

[Blue Fox]

Amalthea was happy that it was all sorted out. She had been worrying that things might not have gone so well, but she knew with Twilight there nothing could have possibly gone wrong. Not only this it wasn't as though Airimus was totally unreasonable or anything so deep down she knew it was going to be all right. It still didn't stop her worrying though. "We should re join the others and let them know you're ok" said Amalthea as she turned to go back inside. Winter looked to Rex and nodded, "I will tell her soon, but I didn't want to spring it on her while she was in her date with Starling." she said honestly. Recently Winter was beginning to feel a little responsible for things and she felt as though allot of negative attention was being drawn to her one way or another. She had been keeping this secret for a while now and in truth apart of her keeping this from Twilight was her way of moving the focus away from her for a change. She wanted Twilight to be the one everyone was talking about, not her and how much grief she's suffered recently. She sighed as she looked down to Leafrun who was playing with his hind hooves silently. "Everything ok sweetie ?" she cooed, making Leafrun look up with a start but with a smile on his face. "Yeah I'm fine" he replied in the casual child's tone that Winter had come to expect. She smiled warmly before looking back to Nimbus. "So I guess the Emperor is pretty mad right about now ?" she asked wondering if there would be a confrontation back in Talonopolis.

[GalacticWar_Xavier]

Nimbus deflated her lungs and looked to Winter, "Well, there aren't many countries which have highly train Pegasus soldiers like us... And by not many, I mean only one. Chances are War is now on the horizon, but this incident will probably have bureaucrats in both nations screaming at eachother for probably another week or two before anything actually happens. The people of the Empire don't like the Sorcerers' Order, and won't be keen on going to war to avenge them. The Emperor's extra barrier of species between himself and the overwhelmingly human Imperial population make doing anything quickly that much harder for him as well." She gave Winter a grin though, "That would be in a normal situation, though, before some pony like Princess Luna made herself an asset of maintaining peace."

Twilight nodded happily, as did Airimus as the three went back into the restaurant. Twilight slipped back into the seat she had originally been occupying as did Amalthea and Airimus, "I'm sorry everyone. Apparently I thought that I would know more about friendship than an Element of Harmony. Twilight chuckled, "You'll learn more about friendship as you go, don't give up on anything." She then levitated her pastry, intent on actually getting to eat it after so many delays.

[Blue Fox]

Winter seemed satisfied with this answer as she nodded in reply to Nimbus. She didn't know a whole lot about the politics of this world but if it was anything like Princess Celestia and her occasional meetings then she kinda got a vague idea. She chose not to press for answers about it as it would likely only confuse her and get them nowhere. Winter was happy to see Twilight, Amalthea and finally Airimus had came back in, all looking fairly happy with whatever conversation they had outside. This was only confirmed when Airimus apologised after he took his seat and Winter smiled as Twilight told him not to give up on anything. "Friendships can teach you allot, I've learnt so much in so little time and I look back now and wonder how I ever managed without them. But that only makes me feel better knowing I no longer have too" she smiled warmly feeling her spirit lift. Starling had finished his pastry as he listened intently on what the others had to say, feeling he didn't need to contribute to the conversation and thought to happily listen. This way he could learn something about each of them. After all the worst thing would be to upset one of Twilights friends after only just meeting them. He noticed Twilight had began her pastry and after letting her get some way through it he decided to finally ask her what she thought about it. "Well. what do you think ?" he asked curious to how she found the snack.

[GalacticWar_Xavier]

Twilight had just finished munching her way through the pastry when she heard Starling ask how it was, "It's delicious!" Twilight said happily, "It's almost like something Mr. and Mrs. Cake would have made back in Equestria. Perhaps even Pinkie Pie." she said, knowing that Starling wouldn't get the reference, but hoped that it would be taken as a complement. She would have to admit that it was the most authentic snack she had eaten through her entire time here, "Well, i would have to admit that I'm surprised that you managed to find your way to the probably one and only pony you'd be compatible with in this time, Twilight." Airimus said, giving her a grin. Twilight nodded, "So am I." She looked to Starling, "I'm not quite sure what my future would have been like if I hadn't found him." She smiled to Starling gratefully, referencing his help in restoring her use of her magic, "So, should we go back to your place before we head out?" she asked, referring to that he was now coming with them.

[Blue Fox]

Starling shook his head. "Well let's not forgot it was you who finished the spell and made it possible" he said with a smile before responding to her most recent question. "Well yes, I will need to pick up a few things before we head out. Mainly books and some emergency bits, just in case" he said before he brought a hoof to his muzzle in thought. "Maybe I should make another list, just to be sure" he said trusting in his organizational OCD to secure him everything he might need. He remembered the amount of times he would receive odd looks for making a list and checking it twice before going anywhere with anything he intended to bring if he were to go away for a length of time. But it didn't bother him as he'd always theorised that a organized pony is a better prepared pony. Winter chuckled and shook her head seeing the to being alike in a few ways. Nimbus also shook her head before she added her own voice to something they all needed to here. "Well the Air Ship is out in Talonopolis. Like I said we cant fly until midnight tomorrow, So we need to find places to stay for the night" she added confidently. Starling's ears perked up at this as he decided he could offer his place for everyone. "Well you could all stay at my place for the night. It will be a little cramped but there's definitely room" he said with a smile, feeling some what useful in that moment. "That's great !" said Winter who in truth had been worrying about where they would stay the night, more so worried for Leafrun then herself. The little colt needed some good rest.

[GalacticWar_Xavier]

Twilight smiled to Starling and looked pleasantly surprised, "Thank you, Starling!" she said. She was overjoyed that the stallion was offering his home as a place for her and all her friends to stay for the night, "Sure beats the train." Rex said, referencing where they had originally intended to stay in for their time in the town. Airimus got up, "Well, you could all go and okay the place while I go back to the train and pick up all our stuff and Admiralty." Nimbus nodded, "Just make sure he doesn't complain about the place." she said, looking annoyed already, "If his complaining voice is relative to his normal voice, then I don't want to listen to it for a single second." Airimus laughed a bit, "He's from the Unicorn Forest, and used to sleeping under trees, I'm sure he won't complain about a house." Twilight blinked and then looked to Winter, "Oh yeah, Winter, Admiralty is that stallion who told us how to get to Canterlo-... High Azuras. You know, who told us to go through the tunnels."

[Blue Fox]

Starling nodded with a smile. "Think nothing of it" he said as he got to his hooves, promting the others to do the same as Airimus had said that they should see the place. He knew he had plenty of blankets and he would need to clean up a little, but other then that it should be fine. His friend would be home soon too but he knew he wouldn't mind, he never did. Starling nodded to the mare at the counter who replied with the same gesture as he left, returning to her work straight after. Winter followed as Leafrun took up his usual position beside her, Nimbus and the Wonderbolts were shortly behind, and behind them were Airimus and Amalthea with Rex. "I remember that stallion" replied Winter to Twilights comment about how they had met him during their first few hours here. "I kinda know what Nimbus means and I have to say I wasn't impressed by his attitude either" she said remembering how rude he had been to them. Winter valued respect and manners when it came down to it, and although this world hadn't shown much of that to her in terms of the people she met who weren't her friends, she still expected it. There was never a reason not to be polite, in her opinion. Starling led them out into the humid dry air and down the road to where he lived. Of course he didn't live far so it wouldn't take them all that long to reach it.

[GalacticWar_Xavier]

Twilight trotted beside Starling as Airimus broke off from the group to head back to the train. It looked as if the locomotive was being picked apart by people for spare mechanical parts, not many advanced pieces of machinery in such fine condition often came into the town, and since the Wonderbolts and their friends had pretty much abandoned it aside from their things, which Airimus was now fetching, every moving part between the engine and the caboose was fair game. A few of the people began bartering light-bulbs, barrels of spare oil and the tons of spare diesel fuel the train had. It was like Hearth's Warming Eve for technology scavengers. The main group came upon Starling's abode after a short walk, only just down a few streets. Rex noticed that the other members of the Wonderbolts had seemed to have vanished, "Where the others, Nimbus?" he asked, Nimbus looked out across the desert, "Watching the railroad and desert between here and the Imperial border. If anything starts coming our way, we'll have extra early warning. Wing Tear, Sunflower and I are the 'Guard you all' team." As they entered the house, Airimus looked impressed, "Swanky!" he said. Amalthea gave Airimus a weird look, "Airimus. You have no idea what swanky even means." Airimus shook his head, "I do too. And this place is definitely swanky."

[Blue Fox]

Starling chuckled. "Well, thanks...I think" he responded. He did feel a little embarrassed that they saw the place in the state it was and if he'd thought he might be bringing more company back he would have tidied up earlier today. His horn took on its blue aura as he made the place come alive with movement. Books began moving towards their slots in the library and his desk with papers began to neaten as they filed themselves before packing away into draws. His lab began to dissemble and quietly turn off as he thought it might be dangerous with children around, of course he would hate for there to be an accident. It took a few minutes but the place packed away neatly to reveal even more room then it previously advertised. Satisfied, Starling smiled, "Make yourselves at home, and feel free to pick out a book to read if you like" he added despite knowing there was likely only one other person in the room who might be interested in reading, and that was Twilight. "I'll just go get the blankets" he said as he approached the stairs. He would allow some of them to stay in the rooms above but in all honesty there really wasn't any room up there. It was all storage and since he was always working, he would normally fall asleep at his desk or wrap in a blanket on the couch. Winter ushered Leafrun to the couch to settle down as Starling went for the blankets, the young colt didn't argue as he began to feel a little tired anyway. Nimbus and the other two were looking around at all the fancy equipment unsure of what they were looking at.