Three days after the party, with each morning waking up with me snuggling with Celly and Button, going flying with Celly while Button tried to catch either of us while using DragonFire, and me subsequently getting tackled the most out of the two of us. I figured I’d finally stop by the mage tower for my first lesson in portal magic. Oh yeah, mating season is a thing, me and Celly were doing plenty of ‘mating’ over the last three days. So after the fourth day’s morning flying lessons with Celly, I transitioned into a glide towards the Mage Tower. I was looking kinda excited to get started.
Before I left, Celly gave me a feather and tucked it behind my ear.
“This is so mares know that you’re mine,” she explained. “Nopony should try to take you from me, or make a move towards you since I know how you feel about herds.”
“Thanks, Celly.” I hummed, before plucking a feather from my own wings. “Here,” I tucked it behind her left ear and nuzzled her. “You’re mine,” I whispered into her ear.
“Oh ho ho! You’ve been having a lot more fire in your belly recently, Source. Perhaps the mating season is hitting you too?”
“No,” I chuckled. “I think I’m just becoming a bit more confident in myself.” I nuzzled her. ‘After all, you love me. Who could make me more confident in myself than you?”
Celly and I shared a nose nuzzle and then a kiss. “I shall see you when you return from your lessons, unless you go through a portal again?”
“Here’s to hoping,” I threw my hoof in the air, before using both hooves to grab Celly’s cheeks. Not her flank cheeks, you pervert, her face cheeks. I kissed her for a little longer this time, getting a nice, surprised ‘eep’ to a please ‘ooo’ from her. “I love you,” I said as I pulled back. Button watched us, his tail was wagging as he performed a skywalker spell to remain in place.
“Dad, Mom, you two are disgusting,” he groaned.
“You should be happy, y’know,” I chuckled. “You should be happy to see your mother and father getting along so well.”
“I am, but it’s disgusting. You two shouldn’t be kissing in front of your colt!”
“Now Button,” Celly hummed. “Perhaps it’s time that the two of your parents spend the night with you, and cuddle and snuggle and tickle you.” Button’s eyes widened, before Celly went in, swooped up our colt. “Well, your father has to go learn how to use portals, something about a personal project of his. Come along now, Button. You and I are going to sit through a bunch of nobles ranting about the geopolitical atmosphere in the residential disk of Canterlot!”
“Why do I have to come listen to that?” Button asked as the two flew away.
I could hear the long, winded, overly sarcastic answer from here. “Because some nobles have sticks up their butts, or ass if your father was explaining this, so suddenly it’s my problem. I want you to be prepared for dealing with that, should you ever take up an actual spot of political power.” While Celly started going through the importance of understanding political bullshit, as in random, petty shit that the rich assholes in Canterlot are doing.
After that, I flew straight to the Mage Tower and landed. As I stepped through the doors, after the guards gave me a free pass, I just sat in the lobby and waited for Exo to come down and meet me.
As I waited, I teleported a book to me and started reading it. Maybe at some point I should get Celly to show me that crater I was found in when I first came to Equestria. If the crater’s dirt is from Earth, there might be a way to use it to get back to Earth, grab my family, and come back home.
Just as soon as I cracked the book open, the sound of hoofsteps drew my attention away from the pages beneath my nose. “Howdy lass,” I waved at Exo. “I’m ready for my first lesson, if you don’t mind me asking for lessons now.”
The mare in question nuzzled my cheek. “I don’t mind,” she giggled. “Come along now.” She led me up to the elevator and soon, we were on the floor. Suddenly, we were in the portal room. Ponies ran to and fro, reading up on the new portal that I was now face to face with.
“Source,” Exo said. “Don’t. Last time you got close to a portal, you went missing for a month, and Princess Celestia came in, demanded what happened, and emptied bathtubs full of ice cream after it happened. Then Princess Luna came in and started demanding the pony that opened the portal so she could execute them. It took a solid hour to get Luna to just calm down, and then another to keep her from executing my interns.
“Y’all can keep portals open on the other side of where they end up, right?” I asked.
“...We can. Why do you ask?” Exo asked. “Because we can, doesn’t mean we should; we don’t have anypony in here that can handle whatever may pop out from the portal. It’s usually a one way thing.”
“Huh.” I hummed and started eying the portal. “Make it a two-way portal. If I see something on the other side, it’s getting fried to shit by yours truly. If I am not back in twenty seconds, get an adult because I spilled my juice box and need Mommy,” or Celly. “To save my ass.” Exo blinked.
“What about making portals?” Exo asked. “If we taught you how, you could easily do it, and then through random chance of making constant portals, find your way back.”
“I can probably run a diagnostic spell on you when you make a portal, and work together my own ways of using portals with Python.”
“...No diagnostic spell in existence can read spell runes or equations out to you.”
“Mine does. It’s how I cracked the code.” Thank you, I’ll be here all week. “To DragonFire.” I hummed. “Is it two way yet?”
“It should be,” one of the interns said. They looked sleep deprived and suicidal; like they’ll do basically anything you tell’em, no matter who you are. Exo shot that intern a glare and started telling me that I ‘better come home safe or I’ll kill you’ as I stepped into the portal.
I was greeted by the painted hills and colored skies of Equus again. I was still a horse. The sky was night, though. I felt a sudden surge in magic that simply didn’t make sense…
“Good morning!” Discord said, appearing beside me. Tucked under his left armpit was Fluttershy, the same duo I ran into during my trip to what was basically hell. “It is quite good to see you, my friend, Source Code. Granted, we cannot meet in your timeline lest we ruin it, but we can meet outside of it! How are you doing mi amigo?” Discord was wearing what could be considered stereotypical hispanic wear. I think it might be consider racist, but I don’t think hispanics really care about the stereotypical shit.
“Howdy howdy,” I waved. “So what do you want?”
“Believe it or not, but this,” Discord waved around. “Is another dimension, full of trials, adventures, and the time of your life! Trust me, you will enjoy it a lot…” He waved a hand. “By the way, don’t worry about time passing in your world while you’re here, I made sure that you will be home by dinner when you are done here. And also don’t worry about getting lost in dimensions. As my little chaos brewer from another world, it is my job to keep watch over you, and you can’t keep brewing chaos if you get depressed because you get stuck inside of another dimension. So don’t worry, as you go through these other dimensions I will be right here teaching you how to find the exact dimension you’re looking for; Earth. I will show you and tell you bits and pieces as long as you complete the tasks in each dimension…” Discord’s tail starts wagging.
“Why is your tail wagging? With literally any other creature, I’d assume they’re happy, unless they’re a cat. Fuck those things.”
“Oh nothing. Did you know that this dimension is ruled by dictators and there is a very strict curfew?”
The fuck is he on about?
“Well, ta-ta! These dictators might hurt Fluttershy if they see her. So good luck!”
“Good luck, Source. I’ll be rooting for you,” Discord’s Fluttershy said as the two of them disappeared into nothing.
Well then. With them gone, I started looking around, before making the portal back home invisible… It already is. I can feel it literally right there. Well, I know where this is, this is basically in an alleyway right across the street from the cafe where me and Celly had our first date. So I remember this place dearly. As I stepped out onto the alleyway… That’s Nightmare Moon. That’s Nightmare Moon walking down the street. Every corner, building, and sign was talking about worshiping Nightmare Moon, or somepony named Daybreaker. Whatever the fuck that was. When she found me, she tilted her head.
“Odd. Sister said that she had felt rather… powerful build up of magic this way. Instead, it’s…” She started eying me. “Oh my stars…” I do not like that look on her face. “A male alicorn? Hmm?” What are seriously the fucking chances that I find two dimensions with where there’s evil versions of the ponies I know. FIrst it was every alicorn alive, plus Twilight who was also an alicorn, and now it’s Nightmare Moon… Is Daybreaker her sister?
With Nightmare Moon was a small squad of guards. They were bat ponies, not really, but the armor made them appear as bat ponies.
“Your highness,” one of the guards spoke up. “What shall we do with him? He is out of curfew after all.”
“Leave him to me. He is another alicorn…” Nightmare Moon’s gaze never left where I was standing. “We do not know his capabilities. Find anypony out at night and kindly remind them that it is rather… dangerous to be out. Especially with a rogue alicorn that we know nothing of.” Nightmare Moon nodded to her guards, I’m assuming the one she just told that to was the captain; I’ve not interacted with the Night Guards to know enough of who is who. Nightmare Moon smiled at me, her razor sharp teeth did not look inviting.
“Why hello handsome little fellow.” What the fuck?
“Uh…”
“What? Even an alicorn stallion cannot fathom the beauty of the Night?” She asked as she started walking towards me. She was putting a lot of emphasis onto her hips as she walked. One forehoof in front of the other, one hind hoof in front of the other. That is exactly how Celly walks up to me while trying to seduce me… not to make me feel a new type of horny, but to try and steal some of my fucking potatoes during breakfast. Nightmare Moon stopped in front of me, since I was still a midget, she just towered over me.
“You smell of my sister, just a little less burnt… Did she somehow get to you first?” Nightmare Moon asked. “No matter; we can share consorts after all, and I think she will understand if we share you.”
I just remained quiet for the most part. Until now.
“Why are you trying to seduce me?” I asked.
“...I thought you were smitten. Most ponies would die just to have a glance of me doing what I just did; I do have the perfect body after all.” She stepped so she was facing me like a wolf would with its prey. I think it may be intimidation… No, this is what Celly and Lulu did when trying to show off their dresses if they wear them. Nightmare Moon was trying to show her flanks off to me. And her wings. Admittedly, Nightmare Moon was a good snuggle buddy; Luna turned into her alter ego once just to showcase the snuggle-abilitiness of Nightmare Moon. She was very good at cuddling.
However, this is Nightmare Moon. Not Luna.
“Hey, you’re a lovely sight, I won’t even lie. However, I am taken.” I tapped the horn on my head. “I’m married.”
“Herds are common practice. Who is this mare that married you? It cannot be my sister, since I would’ve known, by reading her diary, if she was seeing anypony.”
“I’m Source Code, a being not of this world. Consort to Princess Celestia,” I saluted. “That is who I am,” I answered.
“Your accent… is like nothing I’ve heard before and my sister and I… How do you know that name? ‘Celestia’? Nightmare Moon asked.
“As I said, not of this world. I’m married to your sister in another timeline.”
“What?” Nightmare Moon asked. She tilted her head. “We do have Mages in the Mage Tower trying to figure out the secrets of portal magic… another timeline would not be too far off, and would explain… The not burnt smell of my sister that you reek of.” She hummed. “Would you like to come to the castle? I am sure you would like to meet my sister.”
“Mmm. You are being rather peaceful. Back in my timeline, your… I guess other you? Luna? When she turned into Nightmare Moon, she tried causing eternal night and basically stuck Celly on the moon-”
“Oh my, you even know that nickname that my sister likes to go by?” Nightmare Moon giggled. “She will like you, you know.”
“Why are you talking like I’m gonna end up in one of your beds?”
“Or both.” Nightmare Moon hummed.
I’m in danger and I request the presence of an adult.
“Can I get an adult? I think it’s past my bedtime.”
“Of course, I can get my sister, and myself. We’ll be all the supervision you need!”
I'm gonna die.
Daybreaker… Daybreaker.
So that’s what Daybreaker looks like. You know, when Nightmare Moon referred to Daybreaker as her sister, I don’t know what I was expecting. I should’ve expected that Daybreaker looked basically like Celly, in that armor that’s more ‘appealing’ than ‘protective’, with fire for a mane and tail. She had blackened sclera and golden, dragon-like pupils that burnt with a passion. She was wearing four, golden, armored boots that went up her calves and ended at the… knees I guess. I don’t know what the buck they’re called on a horse. She sat like a cat, with her tail wrapped around her hooves as she regally stared down at me as Nightmare Moon filled her in on what I was.
Before we actually made it to the throne room, I took the time to regale the tale of my life up to this point. Me being human, how I met Celly, how I am somehow a somewhat competent mage, down to my experience in traveling to another world several times. Well, all of two. The first time was when I first woke up in the hospital in the castle infirmary after I was ‘recovered’ by Celly. Then the second time was with… that awful, just plainly awful. I simply sat there, staring up, until Daybreaker was right in my face.
“My my… What the buck was your Celestia thinking? Aside from you being an alicorn, and being somewhat muscly, you are somewhat plain looking…” Daybreaker started looking at me again. “Your mane is well kept, your wings are rather nice… Your tail is also well kept. That particular mixture of blue and yellow is rather pleasing on the eyes, though rather bright at that.” As she went she slowly started blushing. “Okay, I see what my ‘otherworldly’ self sees in you now. You are rather handsome despite how… unassuming you look.
“You’ve developed two spell systems?” She asked.
“I did. Though I have a question, it seems fair, right? A question for a question.”
“That it does.” Daybreaker nodded.
“So in my world, if you and your sister showed up, it means my Celly and my Luna went batshit crazy and are currently either freezing the globe over, burning it to the ground, or killing each other and burning and freezing Equus until everyone and everything dies. So what’s up with you two here?” I asked.
“Well,” Daybreaker was enveloped in a small, white light, and when it faded… she just looked like my Celly with Daybreaker’s armor. “My sister and I… As you probably know, we are mostly alter egos; we can easily switch to and fro. Even though both of our forms require us to embrace our negative emotions. However,” Celestia hummed. “I suppose my sister and I have ‘come to terms’ with our negative emotions. And as it turns out, my fire hurts more I take on my Daybreaker form, and Luna becomes much stronger as well as Nightmare Moon.” Nightmare Moon had reverted back to Luna, she looked more like an equal to her sister in this timeline.
They were the same height in this timeline.
“You two are twins?” I asked. “Because back home, Celly said that Lulu was… what? Five, ten years younger than her? Basically, she was just younger."
“We are ‘twins’. You see, Luna and I have the same sire, but different mothers.”
“Ah. But still basically siblings. Same shit happens back home all the time apparently. I think herds are weird, but I get why they’re a thing. So you both were born at the same time, from two different dams?”
“We are, though I am older by a few minutes,” Celestia giggled as she pulled her Luna in and under her wing. “I feel as though we may be closer to each other than your Celestia and Luna because of this.”
“Yeah… Maybe. I don’t know the full ins and outs of how they actually act around each other alone, but Luna did get banished to the Moon because Celly didn’t know what was going on with Luna. Keep in mind that Nightmare Moon and Daybreaker… Well, Luna can control Nightmare Moon, I think, and Celly likes pretending that Daybreaker doesn’t exist. That is kinda cute by the way.” The way that this world’s Luna immediately slotted her muzzle under her sister's chin for snuggles.
“Well, we are siblings. Is cuddling with your sibling an oddity in your timeline?” Nightmare Moon asked as both siblings retook their alter egos. They kept cuddling, though. Like back at home, this did not appear to be a common thing for them; both Celly and Lulu being awake at the same time is a rare thing across all timelines as it seems.
“No. It’s just cute. Well… start laying some questions on me. I just asked three in a row, and you answered all of them. It’s only fair if you ask some questions.”
“May we meet your world’s Celestia and Luna? Perhaps we can become inter-timeline allies. I’m certain either of our Equestrias could benefit from four alicorns.”
“...Uh funny that is. Our Equestria has four alicorns. We’ve got me, Celly, Luna, and Cadance.”
“Huh…” Daybreaker hummed, she wrapped her forelegs around Nightmare Moon’s neck. Moonie nuzzled deeper into her sister. “But that does not answer our question.”
“I’m sure we can set up a tea-time or something and just be pals. Being pals is the first step in becoming allies.” I pointed out.
“That is true. Though I don’t see you making any attempts at making us allies.”
“I’m a Grand Prince Consort by title alone. I can give orders out, Celly told me I can, but I’ve no training, nor do I have the experience to attempt negotiating with either of you. You both could play me like a fiddle and I wouldn’t even know it. So, I’ve been letting Celly and Lulu, and Snowdrop, my Luna’s adoptive daughter, take care of the smart people shit, and I do my own thing. I do want to learn how to negotiate, though.” I chuckled. “Aw feck. I may try and help Celly gain control over her Daybreaker form; it is rather pleasing on the eyes if I do say so myself.” Daybreaker giggled.
“Oh, you’re a smart little cookie and a charmer?” She asked. “I see how ‘Celly’ enjoys your company then.”
“Wut?”
“You let ponies more qualified than yourself to solve problems. That’s what a good leader should do. And then you probably shower your Celestia with more love and affection and compliments than any of her previous consorts could. I would know; I’ve taken many, and none could truly ever see past ‘Daybreaker’ or ‘Celestia’. Whichever. Some are… shallow and just wish to plow my fields… It makes sense, given my sister and I are ‘perfect’ physically.” Both sisters rolled their eyes at that. Despite Nightmare Moon flaunty her 'perfect body' earlier.
I think they got as many weird love letters in the mail as Celly and Lulu do.
“I would know that. My Celly’s hips and flanks are…” I chuckled. “Ah, I’m not gonna say how nice her ass is… I just did. Fuck me.”
“I would be willing to do that,” Nightmare Moon raised her hoof. Both Daybreaker and I gave her weird looks. “What? He’s a hunk and just asked to be bucked! You’re telling me you don’t want a bit of that male alicorn flank?” Nightmare Moon asked.
“It is tempting as a one night stand, but I don’t think he’d willingly ‘cheat’ on his Celestia with either of us, especially me. From what you told me, he is adamant on just his Celestia and no other mare.” Daybreaker hummed. “Well, we do have a problem that we’d like you to solve,” she looked at me. “Well, help. You see, there are… creatures running amok, namely Griffins since they declared war on Equestria; our country is not very big and those greedy birds want to take over our country.”
“...Equestria isn’t a global superpower like it is back home?”
Daybreaker shook her head. “We are, but purely because of my sister and I, but the griffins think they can tame the Sun and the Moon. We ponies also don't seek that much land; we've plenty to make food for ourselves. How much more do we need beyond that? We did have every town take shelter in the massive cave system under Canterlot. Nightmare Moon and I were going to go show the world that conquering the Sun and Moon doesn’t work.”
“...I can go talk them down. I can negotiate with birdcats, just not thousand year old alicorns," I rubbed the back of my neck.
Daybreaker and Moonie shared a look before Moonie answered for the two of them. “That may work. Come along now, we have an army to face down, and you’ve a general to negotiate with.”
We all flew down, well, Daybreaker and Nightmare Moon were too quick for me to keep up with.
So I used DragonFire to keep up with them. I held my wings out while doing it though, since it made me look like a phoenix, which is always a plus. It scared the fuck out of my new alicorn companions and it also scared the griffins we were now facing down. As I stepped forward from the group I started eying the general before me that was sitting on his rump, looking concerned. I have not had a good experience with griffins so far and this doesn’t make me feel any better. The griffin looked battle hardened and everything.
“So who here wants to get burnt to the ground?” I asked. I was completely bullshitting; I do not want to have to murder anypony.
“You… pony, are you part phoenix?”
“Maybe. I’m not a God, I’m just all knowing, and I know that you and your whole army is gonna die. I dunno if you’ve noticed, but these two behind me,” I pointed at Daybreaker and Nightmare Moon. “Control the Sun and Moon. Nightmare Moon is not an easy thing to tame, and Daybreaker can burn you fuckers to the ground. I’m just here to make sure nothing goes horribly wrong for either party; I’m not fighting anyone, I don’t wanna kill anyone.” I sat down. “So are we gonna chat and get along, as the harmony intended?”
“...Who the heck are you?” the general asked.
“God.” I said.
“Who the fuck is god?”
“Y’know, God.”
“Okay…” The griffin was probably still trying to get over the fact that I was just on fucking fire a moment ago.
Moments later, I was snuggled up under Daybreaker’s wing, while she, Nightmare Moon and the griffin general were discussing the terms and conditions of the griffins’ surrender. Mostly because it was geared towards ponykind surrendering… until Daybreaker made it clear that every griffin in Gryphus would be burnt to the ground by the time she’s done going on a rampage. Despite her tail being made out of fire, it still had a similar consistency to hair and was rather pleasant to lay under, since that was also draped over me.
“And any other griffin that attacks a pony in the future will get killed, sounds good?” Daybreaker asked. She just went off and expertly broke the poor dude’s brain even more. So far, she negotiated and got out of the following:
Some land, just double the size of land that Equestria took up in this timeline; Daybreaker just doubled her country’s size.
Nightmare Moon got her sister to score ten bits for the fun of it.
Also griffins were now illegal in Equestria.
And the Griffin goes back to his king, and has to ‘call him a bitch’, something I requested.
All of this was with a bunch of fancy word play, being smart, and overall, it was kinda hard not to start snickering at what had just gone down. Once that was said and done, the griffin general started marching his army back the way it came. Daybreaker had the treaty and the documents stating the peace between Equestrians and Griffins, Nightmare Moon was holding ten bits and giggling. As soon as the griffins were long out of sight, Daybreaker planted a kiss on her forehead.
“I suppose that is better than dealing with griffins for a while.” She mused.
"Hey, and now your Equestria is the size of my timeline’s Equestria.” I nuzzled into Daybreaker. “This is nice. Have any of your consorts mentioned just how good of a cuddle buddy you are because you’re slightly warmer than the average pony?” I asked.
“I have. Why do you ask?”
“I think, as Daybreaker, you’re comfortably toasty and it’s great. Granted, I do want to go home and snuggle with Celly, but hey. You ever want a snuggle buddy, I guess pass through the portal I came in from and we’ll snuggle up together. I’m sure Lulu and Celly wouldn’t mind a giant, cross-dimensional snuggle party.”
“That is a tempting offer,” Nightmare Moon started pouting. “I’d much rather have you as a consort, though.”
“Ah, ah, ah. Celly already owns my booty. You gotta ask her first. Even if I wouldn’t agree to it anyways.”
“...I suppose.” Nightmare Moon stood up. “Seeing as it is still my turn to rule the kingdom, I shall inform everypony in the caverns that the threat of war is over… for now. My sister and I may still have to burn Gryphus down at some point, just not in the near future.”
“I shall go as well,” Daybreaker planted another kiss on my forehead. “Once you return, tell your Celestia that you love her,” I nodded. “Well, it was a pleasure meeting you, Source. Even if we cannot meet again, or if we can. I wish you well in your future endeavors.” Unfortunately, my heated pillow of an alicorn gently moved me aside and set me down. She then flew off towards Canterlot.
As I stepped back into the alleyway where my portal was, I felt… some fucked up magic again.
“Discord,” I turned around.
“Salutations, my lovely little pony. You… didn’t make things as chaotic as I thought you would. But I suppose harmony is good every now and then.” He shook his head. “Anyways, here is a magical fun fact for you, my little pony.” He patted me on the head. For some fucking reason, my body started leaning in for more headpats on its own. Discord blinked a few times, before he laid down, pulled me on his lap and kept patting me on the head. This was rather pleasant, I’m not even gonna lie with you. I don’t know why I liked this so much.
“What’s the lesson tonight?” I asked.
“Simple. I couldn’t help but overhear how much you actually enjoyed this timeline’s diarchs. Wish you don’t have to fully say goodbye?” He asked. Discord didn't wait for me to answer. “Well, with your fancy, smancy diagnostic spell that only you seem to have… Run it. Notice a difference between this timeline and your own?” I hummed and did exactly that… Wow. There is actually a difference. It's hard to describe, but there is a difference. “Every timeline has its own ambient magic.”
“What about others… dimensions? Like where I came from?”
“Well, if you can get ahold of something from that dimension, run a diagnostic spell,” Discord moved his chicken hand under my chin. Oh… That feels good. “You should be able to pick up ambient magic, or the magical signature. So say you wish to come back here? Run the portal spell while trying to recreate this world’s ambient magic.” He snapped his fingers and a portal opened up. He tossed me in and I came right out of the portal I initially came through. Discord instantly caught me and started rubbing my head again. “Easy to understand.”
“It is. What happens if I go through the original portal?” I sighed in pure, relaxed bliss. Discord's talon is the perfect ear scratcher.
“Oh. You’ll see.” He snapped his fingers again and his portal disappeared. “Well, off you go. I’m sure you’ll enjoy your next adventure throughout the multiverse. Ta-ta!” He started rubbing my belly and my brain shut off… right as I got thrown through the portal. Reality began to fade into black as I traveled through space and time. I could see other worlds flashing by as I went. I was starting to get a little disorientated by the time I hit my apparent destination… Celly’s throne room.
Sitting on that throne was King Sombra. Though he looked… like a normal pony. He was quite handsome to say the least. His eyes were wide in surprise, and I heard six, familiar gasps of surprise. Behind me was… Twilight and her friends, staring at me as I spread my wings and quickly jumped to my hooves. I must’ve looked like an idiot because of the drunken bliss that came to me from Discord rubbing my belly. My horn lit up as soon as I surged to my hooves, casting several charms and enchantments on myself along with reactivating Light Shield since it shut itself off after Discord touched me in pleasurable ways.
I didn’t trust the Sombra in front of me right now and I don’t trust the ponies behind me either.
“...Where the hell am I?” I slowly asked as I got ready to flee at a moment’s notice.