The Missionby BluenessChaptersChapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 8EpiloguePrologueChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 2 It was Tuesday, my favorite day of the week. Don’t ask why, it just is. Before I left for school that morning, my Mom told me she was going over to her friend’s house to watch a movie, and that Dad was working. She would be back in time to grab the kids off the bus when they got home from school. That gave me a little time to myself, alone in the house. Enough time to execute my plan. I was walking home, listening to the radio on my phone. The house was in view. I just had to cross the street and get inside, when I got a strange text on my phone. It was a number I didn’t recognize, and no information was given in the text. It was just a question. Simple, but it seemed slightly creepy and threatening: “Are you prepared?” It snapped me to attention and put me on edge. It reminded me about my experiment I was going to try that day. Did this person know about it? And who was it, anyway? When the road was clear, I ran across, fumbled with my key as I unlocked the door, and slammed it shut behind me, locking it. I relaxed a little. My home was a place of safety, away from the world. I was in familiar surroundings. The same living room with an L-shaped couch in front of the T.V., same dark red-brown table surrounded by chairs, and a bench by the wall. Beside the table, a door to the kitchen, and beside that, a buffet cabinet filled with mementos and things, same color as the table. Everything I recognized, everything the same. I was home. But things were about to change. I went about my daily business I do after school. Hang up my coat, unpack my lunch bag. Then I have time to do things. I could play video games on the T.V., on the laptop, which was on the table in the living room, or I could go on the desktop in my parents’ room. That one has internet. But that wasn’t what I was going to do. Not today. I did stroll on down to my parents’ room, trying to make it look natural, like I knew nothing, I was unsuspicious. If that happened, the thing might make itself more visible. Then I could confront it. That was the plan: to talk to it. After that, I didn’t know. Great plan, right? I entered my parents’ room and scanned the area. Dresser, painted white, beside a bed with two night stands with lamps. There was also a dresser by the door, dark brown-red wood. At the end of the room, in a square, there was a carpet with a black chair on top of it beside a drawer for filing. To the left was where my Dad kept all his nice clothes and stuff. Shirts and suits on the hangars, other things underneath. To the right was the computer. Usually, it’s got papers and stuff on it, but it has enough room for the mouse. But now, there was one paper in particular that stood out to me. It was just there, perfectly placed, while other papers were a mess, and a strange hue, as well: Blue-purple. It was even glittery, weird. But what really struck me is what it said on it: Short, simple, but really scary, like the text message. In big bold letters, it said: GET READY All of the sudden, it looked like the paper exploded into a cloud of black-blue smoke, but it was still on the desk. It looked like it had more words on it now. The force of cloud of smoke threw me back and down on the floor. Then it began to spin, forming a tight ball of what looked like stars in the night sky, which would explain the color. Then, in a brilliant flash of white light, there stood the most amazing yet unnerving creature I’ve seen. She was tall, slender, and had an evil smirk across her face. Her skin was black as night, making her soft purple armor and helmet stand out from her. Let me just say now, she was a horse, so the rest of the description isn’t weird. Her mane and tail didn’t look like actual hair, more like a smoky part of space connected to her body. And, if you haven’t noticed yet, she wasn’t just any horse. She was a unicorn with wings. Then I noticed a theme as she approached me, dwarfing me to an ant with her looks. Her armor, colors, and mane, all put together made a creature representing all there was of her world, and it went with a strange crescent moon tattoo on her flank. I knew this creature. All Bronies did. She was Nightmare Moon. Author's Note Questions? Leave me a comment below, and stay tuned for the next chapter! Chapter 3Chapter 3 So far, I’d noticed a few things wrong with this picture. One, she was in the wrong world. As far as I know, alicorns don’t exist on planet Earth, just in mythology, and, of course, a certain T.V. show I knew. Second, Nightmare Moon was defeated in the very first two episodes of the first season. So what was she doing here, in my house, in my world? These questions must’ve shown on my face, because she laughed at me with a strange amusement. “What? Don’t you know who I am? I would’ve thought so from one with such intelligence. Maybe the things I’ve heard about you were wrong?” Confusion flowed through to embarrassment as the insult sank in. So, I got up, frowning, and said the only thing I could think of saying. “What do you want?” Her smug face got serious as she responded, but I could tell she still had the same attitude. “What I want? You know what I want. But maybe you still forget who I am. So I’ll remind you. I am Nightmare Moon, true ruler of the night. But my throne has been taken by someone else, and I cannot take back what is mine on my own. If my revenge is to be executed, I need more power. That’s why I’ve come to you, Zach.” How did she know my name? Did she know everyone I knew? Will she use them against me? She started laughing again, but maniacally. “Oh, yes, I know who you are, and I know about your family and how much they mean to you. If you refuse to help, you might not see them again. Oh, crap. Now she’s making it personal. Or was it just an empty threat? Let’s see. “I don’t think that’s going to happen.” Her eyes flashed in anger for a quick moment. Then they returned to the smug attitude from before. “Perhaps you do not understand the full extent of your situation. Let me enlighten you.” Then her eyes flashed white, engulfing all my vision. In her eyes, I saw what would happen: Mom would come home, get the kids, and then approach me. She would have a look of disappointment and disgust. She would say to me that I wasn’t supposed to be here. I wouldn’t know what she was talking about. Then she’d say I have to leave. “Where will I go?” would be my question. “Doesn’t matter,” would be her reply. Then she would usher me out the door, and shut me away from my family. She didn’t care about me. Why this, I would think. I could take it if they died, but this was worse. It was the most horrifying thing you could imagine. My own family didn’t want me, so they got rid of me. I had failed them, somehow. Now, I could not redeem myself. I failed. The light faded, and I realized that my face was covered in tears. The monster before me was willing to take away what I loved. I wouldn’t let her change what my family truly was. She continued to stare at me, even though the vision was over. “Well? Have you decided?” I took in a deep breath before I said anything, getting control of myself before I broke down. Her plan worked. I was her agent now. “Okay, okay…What do I have to do?” Author's Note Questions? Leave a comment below, and stay tuned for the next chapter! Chapter 4Chapter 4 Now satisfied, she explained my part of the job. I was to gather information on Celestia and Luna’s weaknesses, so she knew where to strike to overthrow them more easily. I also needed to find tactical advantages in case war broke out. Then I could be with my family, everything would go back to normal. “Really, you hold the balance of the whole plan. That’s a big responsibility; you must NOT fail. Can you handle that?” “I don’t really have any other choice.” She chuckled. “Good, now all we need is a disguise for you. Any suggestions?” I did, actually. Recently I had created what I wanted to look like in the world of Equestria So, I went and got my memory stick, where I had the picture saved, and brought it up on the computer. I couldn’t help but stare at the monitor’s background: a picture of me and my brother and sister. What I would lose. Then the picture loaded. There it was. The depiction of me as a horse. Pony, actually. This is who I would be. The stallion I created had a theme to it: blue. The body was one shade, a darker, more natural blue the main and tail slightly lighter. The mane was cut short and flipped up at the front, the tail was a slightly messy style. The hooves were defined, like the muzzle. Both were the same colour, a slight tint of purple in light blue. But what stood out most to me were the eyes. The way I set them in the pose, they were full of love and understanding; and they were a deep, dark brown, unlike the rest of the body. I looked up at the mare beside me. Even when I was standing full height, she was a lot taller. As she studied the picture, I expected her to dislike it, since it would be too “sun-loving.” However, she just smiled and said, “this will work perfectly. You’ll fit right in with the occupants. With a few adjustments of my own, you’ll be ready to begin your mission. Are you prepared?” Bells and whistles, right? Same question as the text. Now suspicious, I tensed up, then confirmed. “Then get ready.” Oh, crap. Then, her mane began to grow and envelope the two of us. All I could see was stars swirling around me, with Nightmare Moon in front of me. Again, her eyes flashed white as the spell took action. I closed my eyes, getting dizzy. Then I heard a giant whoosh. To an observer, you would see a huge orb spinning faster and faster. Then, in a brilliant flash of light, it would disappear, as if it was never there. Author's Note Questions? Leave me a comment below, and stay tuned for the next chapter! Chapter 5Chapter 5 When I opened my eyes, I wasn’t in the same room. Instead of a bedroom, I was in a giant room, from ruins of some sort. The ceiling was completely gone, revealing the stars in the night sky. Pillars led up to where it would’ve been. Some pillars didn’t even reach the ceiling height, because they were broken. In between pillars, huge windows took up the rest of the walls, all mostly shattered. But in the middle, there was a huge dais. It had six arms connected with holder platforms at the end. , and in the middle of that was a larger platform. This whole structure was white, like bones, and covered in plants. The room around us was a purple hue in the darkness of the night. To the far side of the room, there was a door. It was a dark wood-like red. That was where we appeared, except one thing was different. I wasn’t human. Now I was a pony, ready to perform my duty. Nightmare’s “modifications” weren’t that different from my original design. First, I was slightly bulkier, making my chest a bit bigger. Secondly, my hooves weren’t the same color. Instead of being the same color as my muzzle, they were a navy blue. “Do you like your new body? Not that you have any choice, but I thought I would ask. I’ve changed color to discreetly signify your loyalty to me. Your added strength will be necessary in case you should experience any…problems.” I knew what she meant. If someone got too curious and started asking questions, I had to silence them, and I had a feeling she didn’t care how. Also, earlier she mentioned war, so I guess I had to be prepared for that, too. She continued her briefing. “What we are now in is the ruins of the ancient castle used by the Royal Pony Sisters. I suppose you know who they are as well. While you obtain the information, my minions will reconstruct this place so it is fit to house me as the New Queen of Equestria! Now, be aware, we are in the middle of what is known as the Everfree Forest, so before you go, I will provide you with a map showing you the way in and out. The closest town from the forest is, as you know, Ponyville. You’ll start out there. I think I’ve covered everything. Any questions?” “I’m still confused about one thing.” While she had been speaking, she had strolled over to the center. Now, she turned back to me, her eyes flashing in annoyance, probably expecting a stupid question. “From what I know, you were defeated by the Elements of Harmony in this same place. How did you return?” She seemed shocked at such a question, but still amused at the same time. “It seems you’ve caught on faster than I thought. I’m impressed. Very well.” Her eyes flashed white and, again, I was sent into the state of watching. We were in a castle, but this one was more elegant, and white. In what looked to be a throne room, stood another mare. She looked like Nightmare Moon, only smaller. Her eyes were normal, unlike Nightmare’s, which were serpentine, and her coat was a dark purple-blue instead of night black. Her mane was flowing like a sea of stars. Her chest carried a piece of night black armor with a crescent moon, the same as the tattoo on her flank. She was also an alicorn. Princess Luna, who raises the moon and paints the night sky. This was her normal self, not being driven by anger and jealousy, which Nightmare Moon was. However, she seemed beside herself, as if something was troubling her, and she was trying to figure out what to do. She was also talking to herself, which was even more concerning. "Another day, everypony plays. Another night, everypony hides.” She sighed. All of the sudden Nightmare Moon spoke up in my head. “Although when defeated, I was separated from Luna’s body, I still have connections to her. Her jealousy and hatred were removed but not official. Emotions can be doused, but the chance for them to reignite is still there.” Luna, being oblivious to this, as it was a memory or vision of some sort, continued on talking. “It’s been a thousand years, and still nothing has changed. I raise and lower the moon, bringing night to the land, and nopony notices, despite the occasional stargazer.” She looked out the window, a hurt, lonely expression on her face. “And the only time anypony recognizes me is when I scare them out of their horseshoes at Nightmare Night! Is all this effort really worth it? Do I deserve this?” She looked up, now serious. “No, I do not deserve to be ignored and neither does my night! They’ll see!” All of the sudden, she rose up, jumping into the air, hovering with her wings, and shouted, her voice reverberating throughout the castle. In anger, she seemed to grow, becoming more menacing. “THEY WILL ALL RECOGNIZE MY POWER!” It seemed as if a lightning bolt struck down in the distance, from what I sawin the window, despite there being no storm clouds. As if recognizing this, Luna began to descend back to the ground, shocked as if she had done the unthinkable. When she touched down, she continued to speak: “What am I doing the only thing I’ll accomplish from this is another thousand years on the moon. Or worse. Besides, there are ponies that do appreciate my work. Like Celestia, the best older sister one could have. I don’t want to hurt her again.” With that, the vision faded, and the beautiful castle returned to the old ruins. Princess Luna was not there, just me and Nightmare Moon. Not exactly what one would expect. Despite the memory being over, the queen still looked out at something that was not there. Eventually, she remembered to come back, and continued the story. “That one outburst was all I needed. With that, the fire reignited, and power soon flowed through my veins, and I was reborn. Now, I will take my revenge. On the Princesses, and on the Elements of Harmony.” Each name she spat out like a rotten apple. “And I will rule Equestria in eternal night.” She stared off into the distance again, leaving me a moment of silence to think. Looking everything over, I was still confused. “But why me?” Coming back to reality again, she looked at me, no expression, just a look. So I elaborated the question: “I mean, why choose me to do this? There are hundreds, maybe thousands of other humans like me, who probably might do a better job.” She turned away before responding. “Because you’re not like those thousands of others. You have something they do not. I have not yet identified it, but it made you stand out against all odds. I have a feeling it will help you in your mission.” Author's Note Questions? Leave me a comment below, and stay tuned for the next chapter! Chapter 6Chapter 6 In the next few hours, Nightmare showed me how to walk like a pony. It became evident this was necessary after I fell flat on may face on the first attempt. She also went over a few different situations I might encounter so I would know how to evade them. She then supplied me with saddlebags, which contained my promised map to and from the castle. Now, after listening to a few complaints about wasting time, I was nearly out of the forest, close to morning. Despite what I learned from watching the show, I didn’t encounter any monsters along the way. They might’ve been sleeping, but I was thinking more that they were working as Nightmare Moon’s “minions.” As I came to the edge of the forest, I could see a village a while away. It seemed like a pleasant place, more simplistic than my home world. But I like simplicity. It looked like they wouldn’t have any modern technology, but then I heard engines running and beeping and shouting. That’s when I saw the giant construction machines off to the side, building something. So much for simplicity. As I entered the town, I reviewed my plan of action of how to execute my mission. I would go in, get to know and earn the trust of the natives, learn what I could, and make a report. If that wasn’t for Nightmare Moon, I would go to the next town and build on what I already knew. It seemed simple then, but it would get really complicated later. But I didn’t know that then. Right now, I was trying to figure out how I was going to earn ponies’ trust. I guess I had to walk up to somepony and act friendly. It didn’t take long for me to meet somepony, though they sort of met me out of nowhere. “Oh…my…GOSH!” Turning around, I saw a character I recognized. A light pink pony mare, with a darker pink mane and tail, both which were wavy and bouncy. Her eyes stood out, being a light grey-blue. She, like everypony else, had a tattoo on her flank. Hers was three balloons. She wore a shocked expression, while smiling at the same time. For some reason, I was confused with all these tattoo things. Then, I mentally slapped myself as I remembered where I was. They were cutie marks: symbols of pony’s talents and who they were. Duh. Then, I remembered I didn't have one. I'll have to find out what it is while I'm here. By now, the mare had bounced up to me, in the middle of the street. “Ohmygosh, omygosh, OHMYGOSH! New pony in town! This is huge! A brand new friend to grace our humble home!” All this came out a mile a minute. For a moment, I was dumbstruck. Then, I realized she was talking to me. I also recognized who she was, so I said, “you must be Pinkie Pie.” A long gasp. “Ohmigosh, he even knows my name! but where are my manners? You deserve a proper welcome to Ponyville.” She pulled out a cart from behind a house off to the side of the road. It was decorated the same as her cutie mark. She pushed a button on the side, and it opened up, revealing flags and instruments surrounding what looked like an oven. As the instruments began to play, she started dancing around, playing instruments and singing. Welcome, welcome, welcome, A fine welcome to you. Welcome, welcome, welcome, I say how do you do? Welcome, welcome, welcome, I say hip, hip, hooray. Welcome, welcome, welcome To Ponyville today! By now, she was on her knees on a rock star slide kind of pose, right in front of me. For a moment she just stood there, smiling as if life was bunnies and rainbows. “Wait for it…” Then, the oven-like thing dinged and out came a burst of confetti. Then, some tubes shot out some sort of goop. So not only did I get a tornado of confetti, nut also a tsunami of… Cake batter? “Oops! I put the confetti in the oven and the cake in the confetti cannons! AGAIN!” “Uh-huh.” If my face didn’t show my annoyance, it was either the cake batter, or my face was void of emotion. As I wiped myself off, I couldn’t help but notice who was watching. Surprisingly, everypony just glanced over, smiled to themselves, and continued like nothing happened. This must happen often. Eventually, I cleaned myself off, to find Pinkie Pie standing in front of me, looking like she didn’t suffer on spot of batter. “Uh…thanks for the…welcome.” “Oh, it’s no problem at all, sir! Heehee!” She started giggling to herself, confusing me. “Silly me, I forgot one VERY important thing! If we’re going to be friends, I need to know your name! Ooh. No! Let me guess! Uhh… Ocean Blue! No…Clear Skies! No? Ummm…Denim jeans? Uughh! She sat on her haunches like a pouting child would except she was thinking really hard, scrunching up her face. This was so amusing; anyone would’ve just fallen to the ground laughing. However, I didn’t want to embarrass myself, so I just chuckled. I then walked over to her, extending a hoof, as she looked up at me, still concentrating. “My name is True Blue.” Then, out of the blue…heh, heh…she was on her hooves again, with a happy, energetic face. “Of COURSE! Why didn’t I think of that? Well, True Blue, you’re still not properly welcomed until I throw you a “Welcome to Ponyville” party!” “Actually, I…” but then I realized the strategic advantage to this. “I would love it if you threw me a party. I really want to get to know everypony.” I could feel a grin spreading across my face. “EXCELLENT! That’s what parties are FOR: making friends, and having FUN! I’ll get started on the preparations right away!” Author's Note Questions? Leave me a comment below, and stay tuned for the next chapter! Songs: PInkie's welcome Song Chapter 7Chapter 7 Pinkie pie stated she would have the party ready for tonight, despite my assurances to take her time. In the meantime, she told me to familiarize myself with the town. I had no objection to that, since I would be in this town for a while, knowing the place would probably come along with knowing the ponies. In that time, I found the main landmarks of Ponyville: • Sweet Apple Acres, residence of Applejack and family. • Rarity’s Carousel Boutique, also her residence. • Sugarcube Corner, residence, again, of Pinkie Pie and the Cake family. • The library, Twilight Sparkle’s house. If she doesn’t mind, I might spend a lot of time there, gathering information. • Fluttershy’s cottage. • The spa. • Rainbow Dash’s house. • Oh, also the town hall, and the school, as well as the marketplace. A few problems came to mind as I wandered the streets. Where would I stay? How would I get information to Nightmare Moon without suspicion? And, of course, I had to eat, which means I needed to find a way of making money. Bits, I believe they were called here, right? Anyways, I figured I could find a place of residence at the party, and then everything else would happen on its own. Nothing else really happened that day, so I’ll skip to the party. I expected the party to be at Sugarcube Corner, or the library, but Pinkie Pie, it seems, decided to use the town hall. She found me wandering the town, calling to me that the party was starting, just as the sun began to go down. When we got there, I was slightly surprised about the town hall thing. Pinkie Pie said it was appropriate. “Since you wanted to get to know everypony, I thought that using somepony’s house would be too small for everypony, so I asked the mayor, and she said YES! Isn’t that awesome?” “Great” was my only response. To be honest, I was a little nervous. I had a feeling I was going to be put in the spotlight. As we entered, the first I noticed was ponies. Everywhere. Ponies playing games, ponies talking, ponies dancing. It was like a party on Earth. Except with ponies. I really need to get used to this. Beside me, Pinkie Pie seemed to day something I couldn’t hear over all the noise and music. She pointed her hoof forwards, and started walking in that direction, so I guess I was to follow her. So I did. It seemed we were moving closer to the other side of the hall. Where the stage was. Eventually, after weaving through the crowd some more, we reached the stage. As we got up, we were greeted by the mayor herself. She was a sandy tan color, but her grey mane and tail revealed some age. She also wore glasses covering purple eyes and a collar with a green ruffle tie. Her flank bore a scroll sealed with a blue ribbon. “You must be True Blue,” she began, “thank you for coming.” “Of course I would come. It is a party for me after all.” She chuckled, then walked up to a microphone at the front of the stage. She began to speak. “Attention, everypony!” The music stopped, and all faces turned in our direction. “I’m sure you all know why we’re here. Of you don’t, now you will. We are here to welcome a new friend to Ponyville. Fillies and gentlecolts, please welcome… True Blue!” A light shown down on me, causing me to squint. As my eyes readjusted, I could see everypony looking at me, smiling, cheering and stomping their hooves. So I waved and smiled. Act natural, right? Off to the side, the mayor ushered me to move up to the mike. She wanted me to say something. Oh, great. Well, no turning back now. I walked up to the mike. As I did, everypony quieted down so that they could hear me. I began my speech. “Uhh…” a wave of feedback caused everyone to cover their ears. I cleared my throat and continued. “Thanks for coming, everypony. I really appreciate it, and look forward to getting to know you all. So…yeah! Party on!” That was enough for them, as they continued their previous activities. The music resumed, and I noticed, finally, where it was coming from. A giant set of speakers, in between them, a white pony wearing sunglasses. The DJ. Vinyl Scratch. Sweet. As I stepped off the platform, the mayor and Pinkie Pie joined me, and the mayor spoke up. “Not bad, not bad. I, however, could’ve put something together for you to read.” I chuckled. “This is a party, not a sleep fest.” She chuckled as well. I turned to Pinkie Pie. “So, Pinkie Pie, why don’t you introduce me to some of your friends?” “Of course I will! Great idea!” As the night went on, I met a few interesting ponies. Vinyl Scratch was one, as well as her colleague Octavia. I complemented them both on their musical skills, which took to their liking. I also met Time Turner. He was very open, and told me to call him by his preferred nickname, Dr. Whooves. Pinkie also introduced me to Ditzy Doo, who was better known as Derpy Hooves. It was no wonder they were friends. “And last, but not least,” she began to conclude near the end of the party, “my very bestest of best friends!” We approached a group of ponies, who were talking and laughing, and having general fun. There were four in the group, and Pinkie and I made six. “True Blue, I would like you to meet Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, and rainbow Dash.” The four looked at me, smiling. They were everything I knew them to be. Applejack, about as orange as a pumpkin with a straw yellow mane and tail, donning a cowboy hat. Fluttershy, not as yellow as a chicken, but a soft yellow, with pink hair, acting invisible, as not to get noticed. Rarity, knowing a thing or two about fashion, keeping her white coat and purple man, as well as tail, in check, always looking her best. And sky blue Rainbow Dash, her mane and tail not letting her name down, acting tough, even though she was already. “Yes, I remember,” I said. “The bearers of the Elements of Harmony, who saved Equestria multiple times.” They all smiled like they were embarrassed. Fluttershy blushed. Rainbow Dash leaped into the air on her wings, shouting “yep, that’s us!” Applejack spoke next, in her southern drawl. “Thank you True Blue, yer awful kind.” That was another thing about Applejack: always modest. I continued, “Please, call me Blue. Anyways, I’m very happy to meet you all.” I looked around expectantly. “There’s only one I more haven’t met yet. I believe her name is Twilight Sparkle?” Everyone’s cheery mood in the group went straight to disappointment. Even Pinkie seemed bummed out. Rarity spoke up, in her English accent: “I’m afraid Twilight was unable to attend. She’s been absent on business.” Applejack spoke again. “Ever since she became an alicorn, she’s been up in Canterlot learning how to be a princess.” Right, I forgot. Now it was my turn to speak. “Then who’s running the library?” Rainbow answered. “Nobody. It’s just a tree full of books.” Applejack interrupted, preventing Rainbow from being anymore rude. “Anyway, we all miss her, and hope she comes back soon.” There was a small moment of sad silence, giving me time to think. “Well, I’m looking for a place to stay while I’m here. Do you think I could run the library?” They all looked at me for a moment, then at each other, their faces in question. Then a small, soft voice came from behind the mares. “That’s a good idea.” Fluttershy stepped forward from behind Rarity and Applejack, and continued. “Someone has to do it, and I can’t think of any other volunteers, so…would you like to do it?” Applejack looked at me, with some concern. “Do you think you can do it?” I smiled. “It can’t be too hard. All you need to do is sign books in, sign books out, and then back in, again, and charge for lates and damage, right?” Applejack smiled back. “Well, if you’re sure, then you’re sure. Try talking to the mayor, she’ll get you set up.” Author's Note Questions? Leave me a comment below, and stay tuned for the next chapter! Chapter 8Chapter 8 As it turns out, the mayor was more than happy to set me up in the library. She said I could get settled in whenever I felt like it. So after the party, that’s exactly what I did. I had just finished putting my few things in their appropriate places, and was checking out the place. Walking inside one would see the first circular room, which acted as the library part. The shelves were carved into the walls, interestingly. In the middle was a table with a wood statue of a horse head. Near the walls were book podiums in a few places, and a ladder to the side. On the far side was a staircase, leading up to the bedroom, which had a balcony. Behind it, a tunnel leading downstairs to where Twilight kept and stored technology needed for scientific study. But what made the place really cool was the fact that it was all built into a tree. Wow. I had never had a place all to myself. It was really cool. After exploring, I finally went upstairs to go to bed. There wasn’t much: a bed on one side, another bookshelf on the other. A rug in between completed the room. There was even a cuckoo clock. Neat. A window shaped like an eye looked out over Ponyville. Turning around would overlook the library. I hopped into the star-covered covers, and settled in for some sleep. As I drifted off, I had time to think. I now had a base of operations. I had gotten to know some of the locals. Now I could start getting information for Nightmare Moon. As I slept, I started dreaming about Earth. What was happening? Was my family doing okay without me? Were they trying to find me? I feared the worst, which took over my pleasant dreams and transformed them into anxious nightmares. Not needed… Not wanted… Leave now… I physically shouted, waking up in sweat, panting. It was a fresh new morning. The sun rose over the horizon to light the day. Time to start my mission. Author's Note Questions? Leave a comment below, and stay tuned for the next chapter! EpilogueEpilogue Joy Robinson, mother of three, began walking home with two of them. She had just picked them up from the bus stop. The third, her firstborn, was in high school, so he got home earlier. At this time, she guessed he was sitting at the computer, playing games on the internet, or something. As the three walked in the door, she began to relay orders to the children. “All right! Unpack your lunches before anything else. You guys have any homework?” Josh didn’t. The twelve year old Grade 6 kicked his shoes off, and then headed to the kitchen to follow instructions. Meagan, only five, in kindergarten, didn’t either. She did, however, wet one of the pairs of pants she had, and was wearing an extra pair, sent by the mom. Both were carefree, irresponsible, which could get on Joy’s nerves at times, but they would be nowhere without her, and she still loved them no matter what. She headed into the kitchen, already figuring out what to make for supper. She heard Josh shout to her from her room. "Hey, mom! Where's Zach?" Confused, she looked down the hallway, to where Josh was standing by the computer? She called back to him, "Is he in your room?" "No, I checked there, and everywhere else!" Joy was filled with worry, and did a quick check around the house for Zach. Living Room? No. Laundry room? No. Bathroom? No. He was not outside, or in Meagan's room, either. Panicking, she called back to Joshua: "You sure he's not in there?" "Yes! But there is this purple paper on the computer desk for you." She raced to the computer, snatched up the paper, and began to read: I have your son. Don't worry, I will return him when I'm finished with him. He is running some errands for me. Don't try to find us, we are not on this world. You will just have to wait for him to return. After she finished, she quickly snatched up the phone and began dialing the police. Author's Note Questions? Leave a comment below, and thanks for reading! ProloguePrologue Well, I should probably star with who I am. My name is Zach. I’m a teenager who just got into high school. They tell me Grade 9 is supposed to be the hardest, since you’re getting picked on because you’re fresh. So far, there isn’t much. I have a few friends at school, which I’ve known since Grade 5. But I have more friends outside of school. But the most important point you should know about me is my current interest. If you don’t know what that is, you have some research to do after you read this, because there are those who want a good story, and not a lesson. So that’s what I’m doing. I’m sitting myself down to tell you a story that happened to me that doesn’t happen to most people. That’s why I’m going to tell you, so you can share the experience. But now I’m going to stop blathering and start narrating. This is my story… Author's Note Questions? Leave a comment for me below, and stay tuned for the next chapter! Chapter 1Chapter 1 I suppose I could tell you my position in Brony fandom before we begin. Sorry. I’ve seen all the episodes and I’m currently waiting for Season 4. I’m not one to buy toys and merchandise just because they’re related to the show. I’ve never made a fan art before, mostly because I don’t know how. I think about it sometimes, but I don’t really do anything. Just think. I’m not against making couples, but using artwork to describe the relationship in a certain way is just weird to me. Hey, no offense, that’s just my opinion. Love and tolerance. I can’t think of anything else to say, so let’s begin for real. For me, life at the moment was to go to school, learn the stuff, get the grades, and pass. I’ve started to think about the future and what to do with my life, but I still, again, postpone it. I’m still blabbing, aren’t I? Anyway, that was my attitude, until recently. Lately I have been seeing glimpses of things out of the corner of my eye. Flashes of darkness, and then nothing. Everything goes back to normal. Still, I was suspicious. Was someone watching me? I left it off as fatigue at first and tried going to sleep earlier. I just woke up earlier and saw more of it. I began to grow concerned, and talked to my parents about it. They thought I should see an optometrist. They thought because I’m on the computer all the time my eyesight was deteriorating. The doctor proved no help. That was good, because I’m one of two people in my family that doesn’t wear glasses. There are five in my family: Mom, Dad, and my younger brother and little sister. My Mom doesn’t need them, so we’re on the same level. Man, I’m just a big chatterbox, aren’t I? Still, I started thinking I was being attacked by demons, or something. So I prayed to God and asked for protection. It felt good to tell the most understanding creature in the world, but I must not have been in real danger, because I still kept seeing things. God knows what he’s doing. Don’t judge me. But seriously. Was I going crazy? Eventually I decided to confront whatever it was myself. It was the only way I was going to stop myself from going winding up in a home. That’s when things started happening. Author's Note Questions? Leave me a comment below, and stay tuned for the next chapter!
Chapter 2Chapter 2 It was Tuesday, my favorite day of the week. Don’t ask why, it just is. Before I left for school that morning, my Mom told me she was going over to her friend’s house to watch a movie, and that Dad was working. She would be back in time to grab the kids off the bus when they got home from school. That gave me a little time to myself, alone in the house. Enough time to execute my plan. I was walking home, listening to the radio on my phone. The house was in view. I just had to cross the street and get inside, when I got a strange text on my phone. It was a number I didn’t recognize, and no information was given in the text. It was just a question. Simple, but it seemed slightly creepy and threatening: “Are you prepared?” It snapped me to attention and put me on edge. It reminded me about my experiment I was going to try that day. Did this person know about it? And who was it, anyway? When the road was clear, I ran across, fumbled with my key as I unlocked the door, and slammed it shut behind me, locking it. I relaxed a little. My home was a place of safety, away from the world. I was in familiar surroundings. The same living room with an L-shaped couch in front of the T.V., same dark red-brown table surrounded by chairs, and a bench by the wall. Beside the table, a door to the kitchen, and beside that, a buffet cabinet filled with mementos and things, same color as the table. Everything I recognized, everything the same. I was home. But things were about to change. I went about my daily business I do after school. Hang up my coat, unpack my lunch bag. Then I have time to do things. I could play video games on the T.V., on the laptop, which was on the table in the living room, or I could go on the desktop in my parents’ room. That one has internet. But that wasn’t what I was going to do. Not today. I did stroll on down to my parents’ room, trying to make it look natural, like I knew nothing, I was unsuspicious. If that happened, the thing might make itself more visible. Then I could confront it. That was the plan: to talk to it. After that, I didn’t know. Great plan, right? I entered my parents’ room and scanned the area. Dresser, painted white, beside a bed with two night stands with lamps. There was also a dresser by the door, dark brown-red wood. At the end of the room, in a square, there was a carpet with a black chair on top of it beside a drawer for filing. To the left was where my Dad kept all his nice clothes and stuff. Shirts and suits on the hangars, other things underneath. To the right was the computer. Usually, it’s got papers and stuff on it, but it has enough room for the mouse. But now, there was one paper in particular that stood out to me. It was just there, perfectly placed, while other papers were a mess, and a strange hue, as well: Blue-purple. It was even glittery, weird. But what really struck me is what it said on it: Short, simple, but really scary, like the text message. In big bold letters, it said: GET READY All of the sudden, it looked like the paper exploded into a cloud of black-blue smoke, but it was still on the desk. It looked like it had more words on it now. The force of cloud of smoke threw me back and down on the floor. Then it began to spin, forming a tight ball of what looked like stars in the night sky, which would explain the color. Then, in a brilliant flash of white light, there stood the most amazing yet unnerving creature I’ve seen. She was tall, slender, and had an evil smirk across her face. Her skin was black as night, making her soft purple armor and helmet stand out from her. Let me just say now, she was a horse, so the rest of the description isn’t weird. Her mane and tail didn’t look like actual hair, more like a smoky part of space connected to her body. And, if you haven’t noticed yet, she wasn’t just any horse. She was a unicorn with wings. Then I noticed a theme as she approached me, dwarfing me to an ant with her looks. Her armor, colors, and mane, all put together made a creature representing all there was of her world, and it went with a strange crescent moon tattoo on her flank. I knew this creature. All Bronies did. She was Nightmare Moon. Author's Note Questions? Leave me a comment below, and stay tuned for the next chapter!
Chapter 3Chapter 3 So far, I’d noticed a few things wrong with this picture. One, she was in the wrong world. As far as I know, alicorns don’t exist on planet Earth, just in mythology, and, of course, a certain T.V. show I knew. Second, Nightmare Moon was defeated in the very first two episodes of the first season. So what was she doing here, in my house, in my world? These questions must’ve shown on my face, because she laughed at me with a strange amusement. “What? Don’t you know who I am? I would’ve thought so from one with such intelligence. Maybe the things I’ve heard about you were wrong?” Confusion flowed through to embarrassment as the insult sank in. So, I got up, frowning, and said the only thing I could think of saying. “What do you want?” Her smug face got serious as she responded, but I could tell she still had the same attitude. “What I want? You know what I want. But maybe you still forget who I am. So I’ll remind you. I am Nightmare Moon, true ruler of the night. But my throne has been taken by someone else, and I cannot take back what is mine on my own. If my revenge is to be executed, I need more power. That’s why I’ve come to you, Zach.” How did she know my name? Did she know everyone I knew? Will she use them against me? She started laughing again, but maniacally. “Oh, yes, I know who you are, and I know about your family and how much they mean to you. If you refuse to help, you might not see them again. Oh, crap. Now she’s making it personal. Or was it just an empty threat? Let’s see. “I don’t think that’s going to happen.” Her eyes flashed in anger for a quick moment. Then they returned to the smug attitude from before. “Perhaps you do not understand the full extent of your situation. Let me enlighten you.” Then her eyes flashed white, engulfing all my vision. In her eyes, I saw what would happen: Mom would come home, get the kids, and then approach me. She would have a look of disappointment and disgust. She would say to me that I wasn’t supposed to be here. I wouldn’t know what she was talking about. Then she’d say I have to leave. “Where will I go?” would be my question. “Doesn’t matter,” would be her reply. Then she would usher me out the door, and shut me away from my family. She didn’t care about me. Why this, I would think. I could take it if they died, but this was worse. It was the most horrifying thing you could imagine. My own family didn’t want me, so they got rid of me. I had failed them, somehow. Now, I could not redeem myself. I failed. The light faded, and I realized that my face was covered in tears. The monster before me was willing to take away what I loved. I wouldn’t let her change what my family truly was. She continued to stare at me, even though the vision was over. “Well? Have you decided?” I took in a deep breath before I said anything, getting control of myself before I broke down. Her plan worked. I was her agent now. “Okay, okay…What do I have to do?” Author's Note Questions? Leave a comment below, and stay tuned for the next chapter!
Chapter 4Chapter 4 Now satisfied, she explained my part of the job. I was to gather information on Celestia and Luna’s weaknesses, so she knew where to strike to overthrow them more easily. I also needed to find tactical advantages in case war broke out. Then I could be with my family, everything would go back to normal. “Really, you hold the balance of the whole plan. That’s a big responsibility; you must NOT fail. Can you handle that?” “I don’t really have any other choice.” She chuckled. “Good, now all we need is a disguise for you. Any suggestions?” I did, actually. Recently I had created what I wanted to look like in the world of Equestria So, I went and got my memory stick, where I had the picture saved, and brought it up on the computer. I couldn’t help but stare at the monitor’s background: a picture of me and my brother and sister. What I would lose. Then the picture loaded. There it was. The depiction of me as a horse. Pony, actually. This is who I would be. The stallion I created had a theme to it: blue. The body was one shade, a darker, more natural blue the main and tail slightly lighter. The mane was cut short and flipped up at the front, the tail was a slightly messy style. The hooves were defined, like the muzzle. Both were the same colour, a slight tint of purple in light blue. But what stood out most to me were the eyes. The way I set them in the pose, they were full of love and understanding; and they were a deep, dark brown, unlike the rest of the body. I looked up at the mare beside me. Even when I was standing full height, she was a lot taller. As she studied the picture, I expected her to dislike it, since it would be too “sun-loving.” However, she just smiled and said, “this will work perfectly. You’ll fit right in with the occupants. With a few adjustments of my own, you’ll be ready to begin your mission. Are you prepared?” Bells and whistles, right? Same question as the text. Now suspicious, I tensed up, then confirmed. “Then get ready.” Oh, crap. Then, her mane began to grow and envelope the two of us. All I could see was stars swirling around me, with Nightmare Moon in front of me. Again, her eyes flashed white as the spell took action. I closed my eyes, getting dizzy. Then I heard a giant whoosh. To an observer, you would see a huge orb spinning faster and faster. Then, in a brilliant flash of light, it would disappear, as if it was never there. Author's Note Questions? Leave me a comment below, and stay tuned for the next chapter!
Chapter 5Chapter 5 When I opened my eyes, I wasn’t in the same room. Instead of a bedroom, I was in a giant room, from ruins of some sort. The ceiling was completely gone, revealing the stars in the night sky. Pillars led up to where it would’ve been. Some pillars didn’t even reach the ceiling height, because they were broken. In between pillars, huge windows took up the rest of the walls, all mostly shattered. But in the middle, there was a huge dais. It had six arms connected with holder platforms at the end. , and in the middle of that was a larger platform. This whole structure was white, like bones, and covered in plants. The room around us was a purple hue in the darkness of the night. To the far side of the room, there was a door. It was a dark wood-like red. That was where we appeared, except one thing was different. I wasn’t human. Now I was a pony, ready to perform my duty. Nightmare’s “modifications” weren’t that different from my original design. First, I was slightly bulkier, making my chest a bit bigger. Secondly, my hooves weren’t the same color. Instead of being the same color as my muzzle, they were a navy blue. “Do you like your new body? Not that you have any choice, but I thought I would ask. I’ve changed color to discreetly signify your loyalty to me. Your added strength will be necessary in case you should experience any…problems.” I knew what she meant. If someone got too curious and started asking questions, I had to silence them, and I had a feeling she didn’t care how. Also, earlier she mentioned war, so I guess I had to be prepared for that, too. She continued her briefing. “What we are now in is the ruins of the ancient castle used by the Royal Pony Sisters. I suppose you know who they are as well. While you obtain the information, my minions will reconstruct this place so it is fit to house me as the New Queen of Equestria! Now, be aware, we are in the middle of what is known as the Everfree Forest, so before you go, I will provide you with a map showing you the way in and out. The closest town from the forest is, as you know, Ponyville. You’ll start out there. I think I’ve covered everything. Any questions?” “I’m still confused about one thing.” While she had been speaking, she had strolled over to the center. Now, she turned back to me, her eyes flashing in annoyance, probably expecting a stupid question. “From what I know, you were defeated by the Elements of Harmony in this same place. How did you return?” She seemed shocked at such a question, but still amused at the same time. “It seems you’ve caught on faster than I thought. I’m impressed. Very well.” Her eyes flashed white and, again, I was sent into the state of watching. We were in a castle, but this one was more elegant, and white. In what looked to be a throne room, stood another mare. She looked like Nightmare Moon, only smaller. Her eyes were normal, unlike Nightmare’s, which were serpentine, and her coat was a dark purple-blue instead of night black. Her mane was flowing like a sea of stars. Her chest carried a piece of night black armor with a crescent moon, the same as the tattoo on her flank. She was also an alicorn. Princess Luna, who raises the moon and paints the night sky. This was her normal self, not being driven by anger and jealousy, which Nightmare Moon was. However, she seemed beside herself, as if something was troubling her, and she was trying to figure out what to do. She was also talking to herself, which was even more concerning. "Another day, everypony plays. Another night, everypony hides.” She sighed. All of the sudden Nightmare Moon spoke up in my head. “Although when defeated, I was separated from Luna’s body, I still have connections to her. Her jealousy and hatred were removed but not official. Emotions can be doused, but the chance for them to reignite is still there.” Luna, being oblivious to this, as it was a memory or vision of some sort, continued on talking. “It’s been a thousand years, and still nothing has changed. I raise and lower the moon, bringing night to the land, and nopony notices, despite the occasional stargazer.” She looked out the window, a hurt, lonely expression on her face. “And the only time anypony recognizes me is when I scare them out of their horseshoes at Nightmare Night! Is all this effort really worth it? Do I deserve this?” She looked up, now serious. “No, I do not deserve to be ignored and neither does my night! They’ll see!” All of the sudden, she rose up, jumping into the air, hovering with her wings, and shouted, her voice reverberating throughout the castle. In anger, she seemed to grow, becoming more menacing. “THEY WILL ALL RECOGNIZE MY POWER!” It seemed as if a lightning bolt struck down in the distance, from what I sawin the window, despite there being no storm clouds. As if recognizing this, Luna began to descend back to the ground, shocked as if she had done the unthinkable. When she touched down, she continued to speak: “What am I doing the only thing I’ll accomplish from this is another thousand years on the moon. Or worse. Besides, there are ponies that do appreciate my work. Like Celestia, the best older sister one could have. I don’t want to hurt her again.” With that, the vision faded, and the beautiful castle returned to the old ruins. Princess Luna was not there, just me and Nightmare Moon. Not exactly what one would expect. Despite the memory being over, the queen still looked out at something that was not there. Eventually, she remembered to come back, and continued the story. “That one outburst was all I needed. With that, the fire reignited, and power soon flowed through my veins, and I was reborn. Now, I will take my revenge. On the Princesses, and on the Elements of Harmony.” Each name she spat out like a rotten apple. “And I will rule Equestria in eternal night.” She stared off into the distance again, leaving me a moment of silence to think. Looking everything over, I was still confused. “But why me?” Coming back to reality again, she looked at me, no expression, just a look. So I elaborated the question: “I mean, why choose me to do this? There are hundreds, maybe thousands of other humans like me, who probably might do a better job.” She turned away before responding. “Because you’re not like those thousands of others. You have something they do not. I have not yet identified it, but it made you stand out against all odds. I have a feeling it will help you in your mission.” Author's Note Questions? Leave me a comment below, and stay tuned for the next chapter!
Chapter 6Chapter 6 In the next few hours, Nightmare showed me how to walk like a pony. It became evident this was necessary after I fell flat on may face on the first attempt. She also went over a few different situations I might encounter so I would know how to evade them. She then supplied me with saddlebags, which contained my promised map to and from the castle. Now, after listening to a few complaints about wasting time, I was nearly out of the forest, close to morning. Despite what I learned from watching the show, I didn’t encounter any monsters along the way. They might’ve been sleeping, but I was thinking more that they were working as Nightmare Moon’s “minions.” As I came to the edge of the forest, I could see a village a while away. It seemed like a pleasant place, more simplistic than my home world. But I like simplicity. It looked like they wouldn’t have any modern technology, but then I heard engines running and beeping and shouting. That’s when I saw the giant construction machines off to the side, building something. So much for simplicity. As I entered the town, I reviewed my plan of action of how to execute my mission. I would go in, get to know and earn the trust of the natives, learn what I could, and make a report. If that wasn’t for Nightmare Moon, I would go to the next town and build on what I already knew. It seemed simple then, but it would get really complicated later. But I didn’t know that then. Right now, I was trying to figure out how I was going to earn ponies’ trust. I guess I had to walk up to somepony and act friendly. It didn’t take long for me to meet somepony, though they sort of met me out of nowhere. “Oh…my…GOSH!” Turning around, I saw a character I recognized. A light pink pony mare, with a darker pink mane and tail, both which were wavy and bouncy. Her eyes stood out, being a light grey-blue. She, like everypony else, had a tattoo on her flank. Hers was three balloons. She wore a shocked expression, while smiling at the same time. For some reason, I was confused with all these tattoo things. Then, I mentally slapped myself as I remembered where I was. They were cutie marks: symbols of pony’s talents and who they were. Duh. Then, I remembered I didn't have one. I'll have to find out what it is while I'm here. By now, the mare had bounced up to me, in the middle of the street. “Ohmygosh, omygosh, OHMYGOSH! New pony in town! This is huge! A brand new friend to grace our humble home!” All this came out a mile a minute. For a moment, I was dumbstruck. Then, I realized she was talking to me. I also recognized who she was, so I said, “you must be Pinkie Pie.” A long gasp. “Ohmigosh, he even knows my name! but where are my manners? You deserve a proper welcome to Ponyville.” She pulled out a cart from behind a house off to the side of the road. It was decorated the same as her cutie mark. She pushed a button on the side, and it opened up, revealing flags and instruments surrounding what looked like an oven. As the instruments began to play, she started dancing around, playing instruments and singing. Welcome, welcome, welcome, A fine welcome to you. Welcome, welcome, welcome, I say how do you do? Welcome, welcome, welcome, I say hip, hip, hooray. Welcome, welcome, welcome To Ponyville today! By now, she was on her knees on a rock star slide kind of pose, right in front of me. For a moment she just stood there, smiling as if life was bunnies and rainbows. “Wait for it…” Then, the oven-like thing dinged and out came a burst of confetti. Then, some tubes shot out some sort of goop. So not only did I get a tornado of confetti, nut also a tsunami of… Cake batter? “Oops! I put the confetti in the oven and the cake in the confetti cannons! AGAIN!” “Uh-huh.” If my face didn’t show my annoyance, it was either the cake batter, or my face was void of emotion. As I wiped myself off, I couldn’t help but notice who was watching. Surprisingly, everypony just glanced over, smiled to themselves, and continued like nothing happened. This must happen often. Eventually, I cleaned myself off, to find Pinkie Pie standing in front of me, looking like she didn’t suffer on spot of batter. “Uh…thanks for the…welcome.” “Oh, it’s no problem at all, sir! Heehee!” She started giggling to herself, confusing me. “Silly me, I forgot one VERY important thing! If we’re going to be friends, I need to know your name! Ooh. No! Let me guess! Uhh… Ocean Blue! No…Clear Skies! No? Ummm…Denim jeans? Uughh! She sat on her haunches like a pouting child would except she was thinking really hard, scrunching up her face. This was so amusing; anyone would’ve just fallen to the ground laughing. However, I didn’t want to embarrass myself, so I just chuckled. I then walked over to her, extending a hoof, as she looked up at me, still concentrating. “My name is True Blue.” Then, out of the blue…heh, heh…she was on her hooves again, with a happy, energetic face. “Of COURSE! Why didn’t I think of that? Well, True Blue, you’re still not properly welcomed until I throw you a “Welcome to Ponyville” party!” “Actually, I…” but then I realized the strategic advantage to this. “I would love it if you threw me a party. I really want to get to know everypony.” I could feel a grin spreading across my face. “EXCELLENT! That’s what parties are FOR: making friends, and having FUN! I’ll get started on the preparations right away!” Author's Note Questions? Leave me a comment below, and stay tuned for the next chapter! Songs: PInkie's welcome Song
Chapter 7Chapter 7 Pinkie pie stated she would have the party ready for tonight, despite my assurances to take her time. In the meantime, she told me to familiarize myself with the town. I had no objection to that, since I would be in this town for a while, knowing the place would probably come along with knowing the ponies. In that time, I found the main landmarks of Ponyville: • Sweet Apple Acres, residence of Applejack and family. • Rarity’s Carousel Boutique, also her residence. • Sugarcube Corner, residence, again, of Pinkie Pie and the Cake family. • The library, Twilight Sparkle’s house. If she doesn’t mind, I might spend a lot of time there, gathering information. • Fluttershy’s cottage. • The spa. • Rainbow Dash’s house. • Oh, also the town hall, and the school, as well as the marketplace. A few problems came to mind as I wandered the streets. Where would I stay? How would I get information to Nightmare Moon without suspicion? And, of course, I had to eat, which means I needed to find a way of making money. Bits, I believe they were called here, right? Anyways, I figured I could find a place of residence at the party, and then everything else would happen on its own. Nothing else really happened that day, so I’ll skip to the party. I expected the party to be at Sugarcube Corner, or the library, but Pinkie Pie, it seems, decided to use the town hall. She found me wandering the town, calling to me that the party was starting, just as the sun began to go down. When we got there, I was slightly surprised about the town hall thing. Pinkie Pie said it was appropriate. “Since you wanted to get to know everypony, I thought that using somepony’s house would be too small for everypony, so I asked the mayor, and she said YES! Isn’t that awesome?” “Great” was my only response. To be honest, I was a little nervous. I had a feeling I was going to be put in the spotlight. As we entered, the first I noticed was ponies. Everywhere. Ponies playing games, ponies talking, ponies dancing. It was like a party on Earth. Except with ponies. I really need to get used to this. Beside me, Pinkie Pie seemed to day something I couldn’t hear over all the noise and music. She pointed her hoof forwards, and started walking in that direction, so I guess I was to follow her. So I did. It seemed we were moving closer to the other side of the hall. Where the stage was. Eventually, after weaving through the crowd some more, we reached the stage. As we got up, we were greeted by the mayor herself. She was a sandy tan color, but her grey mane and tail revealed some age. She also wore glasses covering purple eyes and a collar with a green ruffle tie. Her flank bore a scroll sealed with a blue ribbon. “You must be True Blue,” she began, “thank you for coming.” “Of course I would come. It is a party for me after all.” She chuckled, then walked up to a microphone at the front of the stage. She began to speak. “Attention, everypony!” The music stopped, and all faces turned in our direction. “I’m sure you all know why we’re here. Of you don’t, now you will. We are here to welcome a new friend to Ponyville. Fillies and gentlecolts, please welcome… True Blue!” A light shown down on me, causing me to squint. As my eyes readjusted, I could see everypony looking at me, smiling, cheering and stomping their hooves. So I waved and smiled. Act natural, right? Off to the side, the mayor ushered me to move up to the mike. She wanted me to say something. Oh, great. Well, no turning back now. I walked up to the mike. As I did, everypony quieted down so that they could hear me. I began my speech. “Uhh…” a wave of feedback caused everyone to cover their ears. I cleared my throat and continued. “Thanks for coming, everypony. I really appreciate it, and look forward to getting to know you all. So…yeah! Party on!” That was enough for them, as they continued their previous activities. The music resumed, and I noticed, finally, where it was coming from. A giant set of speakers, in between them, a white pony wearing sunglasses. The DJ. Vinyl Scratch. Sweet. As I stepped off the platform, the mayor and Pinkie Pie joined me, and the mayor spoke up. “Not bad, not bad. I, however, could’ve put something together for you to read.” I chuckled. “This is a party, not a sleep fest.” She chuckled as well. I turned to Pinkie Pie. “So, Pinkie Pie, why don’t you introduce me to some of your friends?” “Of course I will! Great idea!” As the night went on, I met a few interesting ponies. Vinyl Scratch was one, as well as her colleague Octavia. I complemented them both on their musical skills, which took to their liking. I also met Time Turner. He was very open, and told me to call him by his preferred nickname, Dr. Whooves. Pinkie also introduced me to Ditzy Doo, who was better known as Derpy Hooves. It was no wonder they were friends. “And last, but not least,” she began to conclude near the end of the party, “my very bestest of best friends!” We approached a group of ponies, who were talking and laughing, and having general fun. There were four in the group, and Pinkie and I made six. “True Blue, I would like you to meet Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, and rainbow Dash.” The four looked at me, smiling. They were everything I knew them to be. Applejack, about as orange as a pumpkin with a straw yellow mane and tail, donning a cowboy hat. Fluttershy, not as yellow as a chicken, but a soft yellow, with pink hair, acting invisible, as not to get noticed. Rarity, knowing a thing or two about fashion, keeping her white coat and purple man, as well as tail, in check, always looking her best. And sky blue Rainbow Dash, her mane and tail not letting her name down, acting tough, even though she was already. “Yes, I remember,” I said. “The bearers of the Elements of Harmony, who saved Equestria multiple times.” They all smiled like they were embarrassed. Fluttershy blushed. Rainbow Dash leaped into the air on her wings, shouting “yep, that’s us!” Applejack spoke next, in her southern drawl. “Thank you True Blue, yer awful kind.” That was another thing about Applejack: always modest. I continued, “Please, call me Blue. Anyways, I’m very happy to meet you all.” I looked around expectantly. “There’s only one I more haven’t met yet. I believe her name is Twilight Sparkle?” Everyone’s cheery mood in the group went straight to disappointment. Even Pinkie seemed bummed out. Rarity spoke up, in her English accent: “I’m afraid Twilight was unable to attend. She’s been absent on business.” Applejack spoke again. “Ever since she became an alicorn, she’s been up in Canterlot learning how to be a princess.” Right, I forgot. Now it was my turn to speak. “Then who’s running the library?” Rainbow answered. “Nobody. It’s just a tree full of books.” Applejack interrupted, preventing Rainbow from being anymore rude. “Anyway, we all miss her, and hope she comes back soon.” There was a small moment of sad silence, giving me time to think. “Well, I’m looking for a place to stay while I’m here. Do you think I could run the library?” They all looked at me for a moment, then at each other, their faces in question. Then a small, soft voice came from behind the mares. “That’s a good idea.” Fluttershy stepped forward from behind Rarity and Applejack, and continued. “Someone has to do it, and I can’t think of any other volunteers, so…would you like to do it?” Applejack looked at me, with some concern. “Do you think you can do it?” I smiled. “It can’t be too hard. All you need to do is sign books in, sign books out, and then back in, again, and charge for lates and damage, right?” Applejack smiled back. “Well, if you’re sure, then you’re sure. Try talking to the mayor, she’ll get you set up.” Author's Note Questions? Leave me a comment below, and stay tuned for the next chapter!
Chapter 8Chapter 8 As it turns out, the mayor was more than happy to set me up in the library. She said I could get settled in whenever I felt like it. So after the party, that’s exactly what I did. I had just finished putting my few things in their appropriate places, and was checking out the place. Walking inside one would see the first circular room, which acted as the library part. The shelves were carved into the walls, interestingly. In the middle was a table with a wood statue of a horse head. Near the walls were book podiums in a few places, and a ladder to the side. On the far side was a staircase, leading up to the bedroom, which had a balcony. Behind it, a tunnel leading downstairs to where Twilight kept and stored technology needed for scientific study. But what made the place really cool was the fact that it was all built into a tree. Wow. I had never had a place all to myself. It was really cool. After exploring, I finally went upstairs to go to bed. There wasn’t much: a bed on one side, another bookshelf on the other. A rug in between completed the room. There was even a cuckoo clock. Neat. A window shaped like an eye looked out over Ponyville. Turning around would overlook the library. I hopped into the star-covered covers, and settled in for some sleep. As I drifted off, I had time to think. I now had a base of operations. I had gotten to know some of the locals. Now I could start getting information for Nightmare Moon. As I slept, I started dreaming about Earth. What was happening? Was my family doing okay without me? Were they trying to find me? I feared the worst, which took over my pleasant dreams and transformed them into anxious nightmares. Not needed… Not wanted… Leave now… I physically shouted, waking up in sweat, panting. It was a fresh new morning. The sun rose over the horizon to light the day. Time to start my mission. Author's Note Questions? Leave a comment below, and stay tuned for the next chapter!
EpilogueEpilogue Joy Robinson, mother of three, began walking home with two of them. She had just picked them up from the bus stop. The third, her firstborn, was in high school, so he got home earlier. At this time, she guessed he was sitting at the computer, playing games on the internet, or something. As the three walked in the door, she began to relay orders to the children. “All right! Unpack your lunches before anything else. You guys have any homework?” Josh didn’t. The twelve year old Grade 6 kicked his shoes off, and then headed to the kitchen to follow instructions. Meagan, only five, in kindergarten, didn’t either. She did, however, wet one of the pairs of pants she had, and was wearing an extra pair, sent by the mom. Both were carefree, irresponsible, which could get on Joy’s nerves at times, but they would be nowhere without her, and she still loved them no matter what. She headed into the kitchen, already figuring out what to make for supper. She heard Josh shout to her from her room. "Hey, mom! Where's Zach?" Confused, she looked down the hallway, to where Josh was standing by the computer? She called back to him, "Is he in your room?" "No, I checked there, and everywhere else!" Joy was filled with worry, and did a quick check around the house for Zach. Living Room? No. Laundry room? No. Bathroom? No. He was not outside, or in Meagan's room, either. Panicking, she called back to Joshua: "You sure he's not in there?" "Yes! But there is this purple paper on the computer desk for you." She raced to the computer, snatched up the paper, and began to read: I have your son. Don't worry, I will return him when I'm finished with him. He is running some errands for me. Don't try to find us, we are not on this world. You will just have to wait for him to return. After she finished, she quickly snatched up the phone and began dialing the police. Author's Note Questions? Leave a comment below, and thanks for reading!
ProloguePrologue Well, I should probably star with who I am. My name is Zach. I’m a teenager who just got into high school. They tell me Grade 9 is supposed to be the hardest, since you’re getting picked on because you’re fresh. So far, there isn’t much. I have a few friends at school, which I’ve known since Grade 5. But I have more friends outside of school. But the most important point you should know about me is my current interest. If you don’t know what that is, you have some research to do after you read this, because there are those who want a good story, and not a lesson. So that’s what I’m doing. I’m sitting myself down to tell you a story that happened to me that doesn’t happen to most people. That’s why I’m going to tell you, so you can share the experience. But now I’m going to stop blathering and start narrating. This is my story… Author's Note Questions? Leave a comment for me below, and stay tuned for the next chapter!
Chapter 1Chapter 1 I suppose I could tell you my position in Brony fandom before we begin. Sorry. I’ve seen all the episodes and I’m currently waiting for Season 4. I’m not one to buy toys and merchandise just because they’re related to the show. I’ve never made a fan art before, mostly because I don’t know how. I think about it sometimes, but I don’t really do anything. Just think. I’m not against making couples, but using artwork to describe the relationship in a certain way is just weird to me. Hey, no offense, that’s just my opinion. Love and tolerance. I can’t think of anything else to say, so let’s begin for real. For me, life at the moment was to go to school, learn the stuff, get the grades, and pass. I’ve started to think about the future and what to do with my life, but I still, again, postpone it. I’m still blabbing, aren’t I? Anyway, that was my attitude, until recently. Lately I have been seeing glimpses of things out of the corner of my eye. Flashes of darkness, and then nothing. Everything goes back to normal. Still, I was suspicious. Was someone watching me? I left it off as fatigue at first and tried going to sleep earlier. I just woke up earlier and saw more of it. I began to grow concerned, and talked to my parents about it. They thought I should see an optometrist. They thought because I’m on the computer all the time my eyesight was deteriorating. The doctor proved no help. That was good, because I’m one of two people in my family that doesn’t wear glasses. There are five in my family: Mom, Dad, and my younger brother and little sister. My Mom doesn’t need them, so we’re on the same level. Man, I’m just a big chatterbox, aren’t I? Still, I started thinking I was being attacked by demons, or something. So I prayed to God and asked for protection. It felt good to tell the most understanding creature in the world, but I must not have been in real danger, because I still kept seeing things. God knows what he’s doing. Don’t judge me. But seriously. Was I going crazy? Eventually I decided to confront whatever it was myself. It was the only way I was going to stop myself from going winding up in a home. That’s when things started happening. Author's Note Questions? Leave me a comment below, and stay tuned for the next chapter!
