Prologue

The Land Before Them <- The first part.

Prologue

The air is heavy, saturated with the evaporated mists as the warm heat from the sun bakes at the waters held in every tree of the Everfree forest. These tall rigid branched trees stand as testament to the new land of Equestria, untamed, untouched, uninhabited. The sounds booming through these forest are played with the amplifier as each tree gives a crying howl to the booming bolts of magic clamming into them. But these thunderous claps pale in comparison to the two human men running for their lives, their minds are cumbersome with only the pulse that carries their legs forward; their hearts much like their breaths are rampant and sporadic as the two men call to each after every thunder, bark breaking bolt of screaming purple and blue magic slams around them.

"...Damien !...W-...What wa-s thAT!?" Preston the younger of the two men struggled to keep pace with his fit friend as the bushes around his barely tied shoes began to slow him down.

The dark haired man in the blue polo and tan baseball shorts turns his body with a slight hopping on his feet to keep his momentum and adrenaline pumping. His weary red teary eyes turn to his slow moving blonde haired friend, "Don't stop Preston! Don't stop! We need to keep moving!"

Preston’s nose is running from the overexertion of his body and even though his mind is screaming to run he can no longer achieve his goal as he leans himself to a mossy tree, "I-I can't I ca...-"

The young mans voice is cut off as he falls to the ground sheltering his head from the splinter pieces of wood as another bolt of light strikes into the tree only a foot from his resting head. His ears are ringing as the heat from his body is channelled through his face in fear, neither one of the two men know how or where or why they have been thrust into this forest nor do they know anything of the talking armor suited animals that they had just encountered.

Preston’s head shakes in fear as he tries to hold himself from vomiting, but his rest comes to an end as his old friend yanks him to his feet. Damien’s eyes are still teary as he shakes his younger friend, "We need to go!"

The younger blonde haired man shakes his in a absent mind agreement to the old mans strong voice.

Damien pulls on Preston’s shirt as he forcefully pulls his friend behind him.

"Wh-where are we!?" Preston stumbles himself to the souls of his shoes as he brings himself to a fear driven start up run.

Damien locks his jaw for a moment as he leads through the low lying tree branches; as the large branches move and the two men enter a clearing they come to a cliff like drop where they can see the lay of the unknown land.

The cracking sounds of the bolts behind them have dissipated and they stand looking over the lush grassy field lands in a tired heap of heavy breathing. This scene in front of them stuns the two men in silence as they try to take in the reds, oranges, yellows and greens of trees and grass lands that lay in front of them.

Damien is the first to bring his breathing to a steady pace as he stares wide eyed to the lavish area around them, "...I don't know..."

~ - - - ~

( Thirty minutes before)

"...Ya ya ya, you always have some bull shit story." Preston knocks his balled up fist to his friends baseball bat laying shoulder as they walk casually down the freshly rained on side street towards the abandoned field they have come to call a normal afternoon hangout. The two men have been friends ever since Preston's parents died when he was just a young kid. Damien’s parents, who were friends of the family took Preston in and they have been like brothers ever since; and growing up with Damien as his makeshift older brother Preston learned one thing...Damien likes to tell bull shit stories.

"...Naw man i'm serious the fucking fish was as long as this bat man." Damien holds the bat from his shoulder as he tries to hold his exaggerated story together to his wising up friend.

Preston no longer is buying into his friends story as he smacks the bat from his face with his unoccupied left hand.

The tall fit darker haired Damien gives a chuckling smirk as he moves his eyes back in front of him and sets their blue eyed gaze on the broken fence, "Well still was a big fish." He stops at the rusty old fence as he tosses the wooden baseball bat over it and prepares to hop over. He holds his muscular arm out to Preston as he gives him a cocky smile, "Don't drop those baseballs again, if they go into the storm drain again your fat ass is getting them you hear?"

Preston gives a sarcastic nod and roll of the eyes as he throws the three dirty clay stained balls over the fence, "Don't worry, they're in the mud now."

"Good." With a low hmmf Damien thrust himself over the fence and plants his new nikes into the slick mud of the old overgrown field.

"You know there's a gate right?" Preston shakes his head as he walks the extra two feet to the loose gate.

Damien nods his head as he pulls his gloves from his back pocket, "Ya, did you know that, that gate could give you tetanus?"

"HA, and jumping a rusty gate can't?" Preston follows his friends lead and pulls his gloves from his pocket.

His dark haired friend squints his eyes at him as he talks, "Bro, you don't get that stuff from rust."

Preston straightens up as he lets his unfaced hands drop to his sides to show a persona of seriousness, "Dude?"

Damien copies his motion as he talks, "I passed health class last year don't mess with me."

"Ya ya ya, I forgot star baseball player with a full scholarship and you want to be a nurse." Preston cocks a smile waiting for Damian's quick response.

"Theres nothing wrong with nursing, I at least I don't fondle animals." He drags the bat up to rest on his arm as he fixes his glove for the last time.

Preston squints at him as he laughs, "So what being a veterinarian is a lot better tha..-"

"Yo guys!"

The two men bring their heads around to the beckoning younger kids voice as they see the dark haired high school junior sporting his trademark dark jacket and blue jeans body running down the still slick street.

Damien gives a low chuckle as he bats at Preston's chest, "I told you telling Matt to get beer wouldn't keep him away." Damien calls out to his younger brother as he walks to the fence, "There you are! Thought you would had got arrested for sure."

The young kid pats at the blue cooler in his hold as he brings it to rest on the rusty fence, "N-naw they didn't ever card me."

Preston calls out from behind Damien as his dark brown eyes look to the cooler, "Good thing too, you know what they would do to sixteen year olds in jail?"

Matt slightly ignores Preston as he passes the cooler to his older brother, "They don't put you in jail for trying to buy the stuff."

Preston gives a little sigh as he notices the short guys change in tone, Matt has always had problems controlling his emotions, just the simplest things will send the young kid into a slight fit. Most of the time its harmless but it always sparks him to do something without thinking. With this in mind Preston calls back in a less jokey tone, "Hey just go through the gate."

.Matt ignores the suggestion as he struggles to hop his short body over the decently tall fence, with a little pull from Damien he makes it over and tries to play it off, "See nothing to it."

Damien gives a low chuckle as he points down the field, "Alright fuck stick go stand down there I need to get going, Sara wants to go to some new pizza place tonight and if i’m late again she’ll have my balls."

Before his voice comes to an end Preston throws his two cents into the conversation, "You wouldn't have to be worried about baseball if you didn't have a girlfriend."

Damien nods his head in a sarcastic fashion as he rubs the scruff on his face, "Ya ya, and you wouldn't have to feel up on cats if you had one either hu?"

Matt gives a overzealous laugh to the joke as he points his gloveless hand to Preston.

The blond haired guy shakes his head as he look over the short kid, "What are you laughing at Matt? Not like you can get a girl.”

Matt stops his laugh as the blonde haired guy continues, “...Its not like you do anything special and you're too short to take a chick to an amusement park.” He stops his comment as he cracks up at his own joke, “Unless you don’t mind not riding any rides.”

Preston's smile is cut short as the young kid tries to rush him, but his path is stopped as Damien wraps his arms around him, "Hey hey-A, go to the field you both can't get a better pussy then a cat now go."

Matt flaps his loose black jacket as he makes his way down the field he gives a low laugh as he nods and points to Preston, "I think you’ve been around those animals to much Press, your starting to sound like a bitch."

Preston gives a slight laugh as he turns back to Damian, "ya ya ya shrimp, take that jacket off, i'm not carrying your sorry ass back when you faint."

The two older men shake their heads as they take their normal positions. Damien pats his bat to the ground as he spits to the grass. Preston wipes some clay off of the first ball as he warms his arm up and Matt squats down ready to catch or at least attempt to catch any fly balls in his gloveless hands.

With a nod from Damien, Preston takes a deep breath and sends the first ball flying towards his friend. The ball strikes against the chain link fence behind Damien as it rushes past him, "Whoa! Throwing fire balls today huh?"
Preston smiles as he picks the next ball up.

"I got this one buddy." Damien squints his eyes as he works his hands around the shaft of the wooden bat.

With another nod Preston sends the ball flying towards him, this time Damien swings but misses the ball, "Ah! Ok ok this one for sure."

Preston now holds a cocky smile as he picks up the next ball. He doesn't wait for Damien's nod as he arches his body ready for another throw. As he exhales the ball is jerked forward as his arm and hand follow through the last two previous motions.

Clak! The white red clay ball is sent flying through the air as it leaves its smack from the bat,"Whoa!"

Matt watches the white orb fly through the air for a moment before it sails over the fenced in perimeter. Damien erupts in a yell as he pumps his arm, "Oh ya home run first hit!"

Preston gives a friendly laugh to his friend as he points to the two missed balls, "ya ya ya, now toss those back."

"Hey you want me to go get it?"

The two men look to Matt as they toss the baseballs back to their starting position. Damien nods his head as he calls back, "Ya sure go get it!"

The short dark haired kid nods his head as he runs to the gate and then down the street.

Preston drops the two balls as he nods to Damien, "Alright toss me a beer before he gets back."

"What you already thirsty man?" Damien shakes his head as he drops his ready stance and walks over to the cooler with his bat swaying, "I know the suns out but come on Preston you need to get out more."

They both give a stupid laugh as they both know that every day after their classes are over they come out here. Damien being as tone as he is always just likes to press fun at Preston which is not always the best thing but for today its all in good fun.

Damien tosses his friend a beer as he pops his and takes a quick drink, "Ah” He continues to look at the can as he talks in a low deeply grown up tone, “You know man after college i'm going to marry Sara."

Preston gives a nod and friendly smile as he pops the tab, he tries to lower his voice to make himself sound more distinguished as he talks, "All the luck to you man..."

The dark haired guy give a nod back as he studies the can in his grasp. But this moment of light hearted talk is just that...a moment as Damien brings his can up to his lips again a loud bang is heard from down the street that Matt ran.

Preston and Damien both turn there heads to the thundery clap in a slight stomach turning fear...they know the lower side of New York can be dangerous and they just sent their young friend and brother down a street in a very bad part of the city, and with Matt's attitude... In a blink of an eye Damien drops his can and clenches his bat as he runs to the gate, "Matt!" Preston quickly follows after him in the same hot faced fear as they run after the sound.