Chapters Prologue: Dash's Gray World
"It's been two years since my best friend Twilight Sparkle was assimilated into The Order of Equestrian Rulers. The four princesses have worked unceasingly to keep our beautiful country safe. Yes, they have done an outstanding job, and I am glad that our lives aren't filled with chaos and despair...but something is not right."
"It all started two weeks ago. The ground shook with a mighty tremor. Very few were injured, thankfully. I flew up to the sky to get a better look at what was going on; this quake did not have a natural cause; I could feel it. Once in the air, I scanned the surface. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but when I looked to the Everfree Forest, I saw it. It was two large red eyes, staring up at me from the trees. I tried to get a closer look, but the figure vanished before I could get within twenty feet of it."
"I still can't get that image out of my head."
"I consulted Zecora. She assured me that everything was normal in the forest and that I should quit worrying. I took her word for it and went back to normal life."
"Since then, life has been very dull. I'm bored out of my mind. People say I just need to loosen up and have a good time...I have absolutely no idea what that means. I wish something cool would happen. I want something new and brilliant that would change my life forever, instead of constant suspicions of an eerie presence in the forest."
Rainbow Dash reached forward and hit the RECORD button to stop the video. She then attached the camera to her laptop computer, uploaded the video, and posted it on her video blog. She appreciated modern technology. Closing the computer, she walked to the window of her floating cloud house and peered outside at the gray world below. It was business as usual; ponies rushed to and fro, purchasing from various markets. Rarity was out enjoying the warm weather at an umbrella-clad picnic table; Spike was watching her from a tree, with an unnerving expression on his face. Dash laughed at the thought. Out at Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack was doing her usual routine: applebucking, plowing, milking, and so on. It was a normal (but cloudy) spring day at Ponyville. For once in a long time, Rainbow smiled, even though there was nothing to smile about. She opened her door and flew out to get some fresh air. The wind felt wonderful on her face; maybe she wasn't so depressed after all. She flew up, up, up and into the heavens.
Here begins the story...
The alicorn suddenly regained consciousness. He managed to open his eyes just a tad. Why was he still alive? He looked down. Stretched out before him like an endless scroll was a beautiful land. He saw rolling hills, plains, mountains ans forests. He concluded that he was dreaming and closed his eyes again, ready to die.
Rainbow Dash watched the sky in awe. A large red orb had appeared in the sky not a few moments ago, getting closer and closer. She figured every pony else had seen it and taken cover as well. The meteor grew closer and closer, until it was apparent that it would fall in the Everfree Forest. The time had come. Rainbow Dash sped from the window under her bed and braced herself. There was a deafening explosion...
"Meet me at the entrance to the Everfree Forest now!" Rainbow Dash hung up the phone and flew outside her house at top speed, heading for the enormous black apparatus which was the Everfree Forest. In seconds she was there, waiting for the other four.
They arrived 2 minutes, 43 seconds and 12 milliseconds after Rainbow Dash. "C'mon, let's go," said her, beckoning towards the forest. The other four reluctantly followed her.
It was deathly silent in the forest. Not a single animal or insect was in sight. It was so quiet they could hear their hearts beating. Every pony looked around cautiously every now and then, disturbed by the tranquility. Fluttershy remained behind the group, having taken shelter behind a large rock. She wouldn't budge. The group pressed on through the dark, Fluttershy still whimpering behind them.
Before they knew it, they were at the crash sight. Rainbow Dash was the first to eagerly cast her vision over the precipice and see what laid beneath. She gasped. "Guys, come see this." The other three stepped forward and took a peek. Their eyes widened with disbelief.
"That's impossible," said Applejack.
"I can't believe this," said Rarity.
Pinkie Pie was silent for reasons unknown. They all gazed in amazement at the still form that lay in the smoldering crater. It was an alicorn.
Rainbow Dash immediately jumped down into the pit.
"Wait, sugarcube! We don't know if it's safe!" cried Applejack.
But the pegasus paid her no mind and descended the steep decline. She neared the figure, growing a tiny bit more cautious every second. Finally, she was standing over the alicorn. His eyes were closed, his mouth agape, and his body was covered in strange-looking wounds. There was one particularly bad wound on his chest that bled freely. Another one like it was found on his flank. He had long, shaggy blue hair, and a tail much alike. His fur was brown, and a long yellow horn protruded from his head. He also had large wings that were folded at his sides. He seemed like a king.
"Quick, let's get him to the hospital!" declared Dash, who had already begun attempts to lift the large fellow.
"Are you sure we should though? We don't even know this feller," A.J. pointed out.
Rainbow Dash stopped and thought about this. She looked at the alicorn's face. Her eyes scanned his body up and down, observing the severity of his wounds.
"We can't just let him die here! That would be heartless!" she said angrily.
"But if we take him in, he could prove dangerous. It's your call sugarcube: heal a potential enemy, or let him die and possibly save our lives?"
Rainbow Dash thought it over again. She sat there staring at him for a long time. Finally...
"I'm taking him to the hospital. Anybody who feels like helping, feel free."
Rarity and Pinkie Pie jumped down to assist her, but Applejack did not move. She just watched as the three carried him away.
Much to the trio's surprise, the alicorn began moaning. They tried to make sense of his words, but he appeared to be talking in a strange tongue. His words sounded a bit like this:
"Cortuie saln trigorf hinuennis tainsid polnaskiy meniuoss kkalazhi touiis..."
The three looked to each other in confusion as the alicorn continued to moan his strange words. Suddenly, he began talking English.
"King.....king....ughh.....king. What...king.....w-why.....king."
Rainbow Dash tried frantically to communicate with him.
"We're getting you to a hospital. You'll be all right."
"Who.....who......are.....y-you?"
"I'll explain later! We're getting you to the hospital."
"You......f-friend......I.....thank y-you.....you...kind...ugghh."
This continued for quite a while, until the trio finally arrived at the hospital.
Rainbow Dash paced back and forth outside the operating room. Applejack and the others noticed her worried look. They tried to ignore her, but she seemed to grow more and more worried by the second. Finally, Applejack could take it no longer.
"Alright, sugarcube. What's gettin' to ya?"
"What do you think A.J.? I'm worried about this guy. Looking at his wounds, I don't think he'll make it."
Applejack smiled, amused.
"An alicorn falls from the sky. You find him, take him to the hospital, and yet you seem to have taken some sort of interest in him. You don't even know his name."
A look of anger briefly crossed the pegasus' face. She stared at Applejack in disbelief for a bit, then resumed pacing. Applejack spoke up again.
"Do ya think he's handsome?"
"No!! I..."
Rainbow Dash's face went pink. The other four laughed. Dash huffed in anger and kept right on pacing. The laughter died down and it was silent again.
The door opened, and a nurse came out. She had a look of excitement on her face.
"He is awake."
Rainbow Dash was the first to rush inside. The other four followed slowly and cautiously. There the alicorn was, propped up on a bed. His eyes were closed and his head was bowed, his hooves in his lap. Rainbow Dash did not hesitate to nudge him. Calmly he looked up, and his eyes opened. They were a beautiful emerald green. They stared at each other for a long time. Then he spoke.
"You are the one who came to my rescue?" he asked. Rainbow Dash nodded. He nodded back. "I thank you." He smiled. Rainbow Dash couldn't help but smile back. Applejack slowly stepped forward.
"So, uh...w-what's yer name?" The alicorn's smiling face turned to her.
"Arthur. I am known as Arthur."
They all had the same question on their minds, but Rarity was the first to ask.
"Where did you come from?" Arthur turned to her, still beaming.
"I come from the land of-"
He stopped. His smile faded away. He stared off into space, silent. The ponies leaned in expectantly, waiting for the answer. But instead, Arthur continued to stare at the wall, and eventually, tears formed in his eyes. He looked down.
"I...I can't remember. I can't remember anything."
All of a sudden, he leaped out of the bed and dashed out of the room. Rainbow Dash galloped after him.
"Arthur! Wait! You shouldn't be out of bed!" she called. But it was no use. Arthur ignored her and headed for the door. As he ran, his eyes began to prickle with tears. He tried to force them back. But they came nonetheless. With tears streaming down his face, he halted on a small hilltop. Rainbow Dash caught up with him.
"Arthur?"
Suddenly, Arthur let out an anguished sob. He fell onto the grass and sobbed into his hooves like an emotional child. Rainbow Dash nervously approached him.
"Arthur, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" He didn't answer.
She tentatively extended a foreleg to pat his back. Arthur's body tensed at the friendly gesture. But Rainbow Dash did not recoil.
"It's alright, Arthur."
He stopped sobbing. He slowly turned and looked at her, his eyes red and his face wet.
"I can't remember anything."
And he resumed sobbing.
"Please come on, Arthur. I know you're upset, but crying won't get you anywhere. Stand up. We can figure this out together if you like."
She reached out towards him with her hoof. He took it, and she pulled him to his feet.
"Look at me. Sometimes, it's important to forget the past. If we remain dwelling on the past, we can never discover what lies in the future. It's best to just go with the flow; accept what fate has given you. You don't have to grieve anymore, Arthur. You can live here...with us."
He looked at her.
"I know of a wonderful little house where you can-"
Arthur ran forward and threw his hooves around her, hugging her tightly. Rainbow Dash was petrified with surprise. But seeing that he would let go in no small amount of time, her eyes closed and she felt her own hooves inching upwards to rest on his back. The others finally found them, a stallion and a mare in each other's hooves in the golden evening glow.
"Would you look at that," murmured Rarity. Tears streamed from Arthur's face, but this time, they were tears of joy.
Arthur stood looking at the small but cozy house.
"For FREE?!"
"Yes, Arthur."
"No. I need to pay for it somehow."
"You have no money."
"I can get a job and pay it off!"
"Just take it for free."
"Come on Rainbow Dash, you're being too nice."
"Nope; I'm being a pain in the-"
"Fine. I'll take it."
"That's more like it."
Arthur slowly approached the door and opened it. It was a small, low-roofed but cozy house. It would do.
"The mayor's been trying to sell this place for months. It's a bit old, but still pretty nice. It's got one bedroom, one bathroom, kitchen, living room, blah blah blah."
Arthur grinned and watched Rainbow Dash as she flew past him to check out the house. As he walked, Applejack trotted up beside him.
"So...a bit of amnesia I guess?"
Arthur's face grew solemn.
"Yeah. All I can remember is my name. Also how to use magic, and fly...and talk and breathe."
Applejack smiled.
"Looks like the mayor got here before us; you've already got furniture!" Rainbow Dash said with excitement.
Joy swelled up in Arthur's chest.
"You pony folk are too kind."
Rainbow Dash returned from the other rooms of the house and smiled at Arthur.
"Well, I'm glad you found a place to stay so quickly."
Applejack threw the cyan pegasus a strange look that said she knew what Rainbow Dash was thinking. Rainbow Dash returned the gesture with a roll of the eyes and a scoff. Arthur didn't seem to notice. Instead, he walked past Rainbow into the house to see the rooms. Once he was out of earshot, Applejack snickered and spoke.
"You like him don't you?"
Rainbow Dash swung around, and her hoof came inches from Applejack's face. Her face boiled with anger, but the others laughed.
"What's wrong with you?! I only just met him!"
Applejack laughed. Arthur came flying back into the entrance hall.
"Well, I can't thank you girls enough."
Arthur locked Rainbow Dash in another tight embrace. Applejack watched with amusement as the pegasus' face reddened. However, she was too busy watching to notice Arthur coming towards her, and before she knew it, she too was hugged by the alicorn. He treated the others alike. After the round of hugs, there was a prolonged silence that held an air of awkwardness.
"Well, we better get going. It's getting late. Enjoy the house Arthur," said Rarity. Arthur nodded and smiled.
"Goodbye, and thanks again."
The girls walked out the door. As Rainbow Dash crossed the threshold, she threw a fleeting glance at Arthur. He didn't notice.
Our story begins with the stars. Out in space, among the majestic, burning spheres, is the alien dimension of Xenox.
The king gave him another stab to the chest; blood poured out. Arthur the alicorn cried with pain. But he did not give up. Preferring not to succumb to the pains of torture, he gave the king another twisted grin.
"I'll ask you again, alicorn. Where is the Stratogem?!" said the bone-chilling voice of the king. Arthur shook his head.
"I'm sorry, King Korus. I don't have it. I'm being honest," said he.
The king stabbed him again.
"I will NOT have your nonsense today, Arthur!! Where is it?!"
Arthur had decided previously to test the king's patience during this interrogation. It seemed that he had finally cracked. And that meant that Arthur had had enough. His horn lit up. There was a blinding flash of light, an explosion, and a cry of pain. When the smoke cleared, the king was on the ground. Arthur was freed from the ropes which bound him. But the spell was powerful, and had sapped up his last ounces of energy. The alicorn fell and went unconscious.
When he awoke, it was the same as before. He was bound by ropes. But this time, he was positioned over a black abyss.
"Once more. Where is it?"
Arthur was silent for a bit. Then he turned and looked the king straight in the eyes. The king's face boiled with rage as Arthur spoke the same as before: "I don't have it." With one swift movement, the king went to Arthur's back and gave him a rough shove.
"THEN FALL, ALICORN! FALL TO THE DARKNESS BELOW AND WASTE AWAY IN THE VACUUM!! WASTE AWAY IN EXILE!!!"
The alicorn fell through the void. He fell and fell and fell through the black emptiness. He prepared to fall unconscious again, the words of the wicked king reverberating in his head. As far as he knew, the king had intended to drop him into space. Yes, he was sure of that. This was it. These were his last moments in existence: letting the vacuum of space slowly siphon his life away. Arthur closed his eyes and fell through nothing.
But they were both wrong. There wasn't nothing below. There was light. There were fields and mountains and oceans. There were cities and towns and civilizations. There was peace and harmony and love.
There was Equestria.