My eyes opened.
The ground, so cold.
Wet.
I rose to my knees.
Hungry...
The need for food stimulated my mind. Small memories, coming back.
My head, it ached. Everything was blurry. I smelled...
Food.
I slowly dragged myself towards the bush. Every inch, a huge effort. I reached my destination.
My hand reached out, grasped my deliverance.
I bit in, the cool juice seeping into my dry mouth.
I gorged myself for half an hour.Slowly, my thoughts returned.
A light. A scream. A crash. Darkness.
I stood. My surroundings, a dead plain. Nothing. Barren hills for miles,
the occasional mangled tree, devoid of life. I walked.
I passed a solitary vulture. It hungrily eyed me, disappointed that I wasn't dead. I strode by, it watching. I came to a small spring. I drank. The water rejuvenated me, sating my intense thirst. Fatigue overcame me and I stopped to rest. I then realized the heavy gash in my thigh. I ripped a shred from my tattered shirt and bandaged the wound. On the horizon, I saw the silhouette of a building against the now setting sun. As I approached, the heavy clouds began to drizzle. I entered the single room.
The old place had been abandoned for years. It was dry, so I rest.
As I lay on the floor, I thought. Where was I? And, for that matter, who am I? I didn't know my name. Small pieces of my mind came back... something bad had happened. I didn't know what, but I felt it. The scream I remembered, I knew the voice. A relic from the past. Suddenly I felt very tired. So I slept.
Nightmares plagued me. Things I didn't understand, indescribable. I saw two men dragging strange body, slumped over. It was clearly nonhuman. Large, accusing, maddening eyes. Deep pits of evil, waiting to suck you in. The creature was spattered with a strange liquid. I assumed it was it's blood. It wasn't dead. It raised it's over sized head, painfully. It stared into my eyes. It frightened me. The eyes, oh god, the eyes were the worst part. Not the blood, not the long, slender fingers. Just the eyes. They devoured my sanity. I woke, laying in a pool of my own sweat. I stood up. Something wasn't right. I felt watched. Something told me was that thing that sent me here. I scanned the windows, looked outside. It was pitch black, but my eyes adjusted in a few seconds. Nothing, just the rolling hills. I turned back to the solitary room to go back to sleep. But standing where I was sleeping just a minute ago, it stood. It's eyes stared. Into my soul. I wanted to run, but couldn't. The large black orbs imprisoned me. It blinked, and the spell was broken. I sprinted like hell. Running for hours. I felt like I was going to collapse, but I kept going. Every single synapse in my whole damn brain was just shouting RUN. I had to get as far away from that thing as possible. After awhile I started to slow down. I was in a forest. As soon as I stopped, I blacked out.
All was well in Ponyville. The weather team had done a great job on the previous storm for the crops, and now the residents of the small town could enjoy then sun. Fluttershy was done with taking care of the animals, they were all fed and clean. Since she had some free time, she went to visit her dear friend Twilight Sparkle. When she got there, Rainbow was lying leisurely on the steps, reading Daring Do and the Temple of the Sacred Skull. As they were chatting, Fluttershy brought up a troubling topic.
"I'm telling you Twilight, I saw something in the forest. I was out visiting Mr Hoppington's family, when I heard something crashing through the woods. I only caught a glimpse of it, but it was unlike something I'd ever seen!" exclaimed Fluttershy.
"Well, what did it look like? Twilight replied.
"It was nearly taller than 2 stallions, and it seemed to be bipedal. I'm sure it wasn't just a Minotaur, they don't come out this far from their home across the Barrens. Plus, it didn't have horns."
"Well, Fluttershy, I wouldn't worry about it."
"Yeah Flutters, if it comes near you I'll beat it senseless!" Rainbow chimed in.
"I know girls, I'm not afraid of it. I don't think it wants to hurt anypony. It just looked really scared, like it was running from something. It also had a pretty bad cut on one of it's hind legs."
"Well, Fluttershy, if you see it again, you know where I am."
"Ok, thanks girls. By the way, would you two like to join me for lunch? I'm free till 2:30 and I need some company."
"Sure Fluttershy, I'm finished with my studying for today."
"I'd love to, the weather team's on break for now, and I'm a bit hungry myself."
The three girls trotted to a nearby restaurant, The Sugersnap Pea. Little did they know, that creature was running from something. Something more evil than even King Sombra or Discord ever were. Something that might just end Equestria.
My senses came to. I sat up stiffly, ever muscle in my body aching. I surveyed my surroundings. I was in a forest. As my brain started to work, I remembered last night. The eyes. The running. Everything. I still didn't know who I was, certain places of my memory inexplicably blank. Slowly, the warmth of the sun high in the sky seeped into my limbs, alleviating the pain. I stood up, breathing in the sweet air of the forest. Slowly, I trekked through the undergrowth. After a while of walking, I came to a river. The cool water put a spring in my step, much better than the muddy liquid of the spring back in the hills. Since I was covered in dirt (I'd been sleeping in the past two days) I hopped in the stream. The water washed off all the pain in my mistreated legs, and I breathed a sigh of relief. After a few minutes of paddling in the river, I climbed out and put my clothes back on. I continued along the river, eventually arriving at what seemed to be a sort of home. This one didn't look abandoned, though. Strange masks decorated the hollow oak, and bottles of unnamed liquid hung from each limb. Nobody was home. I walked in, marveling at the large collection of strange flora and items. Whatever lived here certainly did so using the forest. Outside the door, a path leading into the woods crossed over the stream and cut through the undergrowth. I turned back to the room. To the left sat a small bed, not nearly large enough to accommodate myself. The creature that lived here was either really small or had children. Hearing footsteps out side, I leaped out the window and peeked in. What trotted in surprised me. A small zebra of some kind, with a myriad or gold rings decorating it's body. Even more intriguing was that in grabbed a bottle of herbs in it's teeth and deposited a few shakes in the cauldron in the center of the room. I decided to leave it be, walking on down the trail.
A Lively Town on the Plain (plus Aliens)
The nameless human continued on along the path from the zebra house. He came across some bright blue flowers, but decided to leave them as the path seemed to give them a wide berth. As he cleared the forest, he came to a beautiful plain. A colonial-style village lay in the center of his view. Across the hills near it, trees spattered the heights, little pinpricks of red suggesting they were apple trees. Near the trees, a bright red barn surrounded by various pens, matching the color of the fruit. From the color of the trees, he could deduct it was Autumn (which he now remembered was his favorite season). He decided to go into town. Due to the strangeness of a nameless person, he decided to think of a name. He sat, surveying the beautiful landscape, looking for inspiration. The livelihood of the place soaked in to him. August. Perfect. August trekked across the plain through a path, that seemed to have some recent neglect. As he neared the town, no one seemed to be outside. Only quite a few of pastel horses. August rubbed his eyes. They were still here. and they were talking, operating stalls in what seemed to be a market, and eating at restaurants. Suddenly, one of them noticed August.
"One of those things! Run!" The brightly colored pony shouted.
"Oh Celestia, another one!" A second equine shouted.
"Wait, the eyes aren't the same!" Announced a third.
August's mind picked up on the shouting, but the only word he heard was eyes. As soon as he thought it, he heard something behind him. He shifted around, seeing one of them. This time, he wasn't as scared. He could move. August sprinted from the thing, grabbing a metal pipe from what seemed to be a plumber.
"Wait, no! He brought one with him! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!"
August ignored the shouting, and anger took over fear. Anger for stealing him from his home, putting him where he didn't belong, and frightening these strange, and seemingly hapless townsfolk. He ran at the creature, brandishing the pipe. He got in a few solid hits, breaking what he thought was a rib, and probably giving a pretty bad concussion. August was preparing for a second hit, when the thing grasped his neck, lifting him easily of the ground, despite its scrawny arms. It locked him in it's gaze once again. He could feel something slicing into his abdomen, causing an intense burning. The alien thing dropped him, and it was holding a gleaming, red hot blade. It disappeared, and August fell unconscious.
August awoke, surrounded by a host of shocked, puzzled, and scared ponies.
"What is it?"
"Where did it come from?"
"Is it hurt?"
As he opened his eyes, they all gasped.
"It looks like one of those scary, tall monsters."
"No, it's eyes aren't all dark."
"Yeah, and it doesn't have a giant head."
"What are these things?" A smaller one asked, picking up one of his hands.
"Sweetie, don't touch it!" Said another pony, probably her mother.
August sat up, but quickly regretted it. A sharp pain traveled through his lower torso, eliciting a quick yelp. A yellow pony stood out from the crowd.
"Are you hurt, big guy?" Her calm and quiet voice washed away his pain.
"Y-yes."
"It can talk!" A different pony said, a few quiet whispers coming from the crowd. Although, the yellow one wasn't shocked. Then, she produced what seemed to be a first aid kit, opening it up, and removing some stitches and a needle.
"Now, this might hurt, but only for a little." She dabbed the wound with a wet rag, and then started sewing the gash shut. August winced, but it didn't hurt too much. Once the pony finished stitching him up, she wrapped the cut up with bandages.
"Now, what are you, exactly?" She asked.
"I-I don't really know. Most of my memory is gone."
"Well, ok, but you seemed to know what that thing was."
"I don't know what they are, but they keep following me around." I replied. "I had an encounter with one a couple of days ago."
"Well, I guess you could talk to Twilight, she lives in that tree over there."
August wondered why this pony was talking to him as if he was simply an old friend. She seemed less afraid of him then anyone else.
"What is your name, exactly?" She asked.
"Uh... August."
"Well isn't that a pretty name. I'm Fluttershy." She glanced at the sky, taking note of the setting sun. "You could stay at my house, that's normally where I keep injured animals."
August decided to accept the offer, and followed Fluttershy to her house. It was a small cottage, surrounded by animal pens and a small stream. Inside was a fireplace, rug, and a couch. In the corner sat a small table, one chair next to it.
"You can sleep in the spare bedroom. It's right down here."
August followed her down a small hallway, coming to a room with a simple bed and bedside table. The bed was a bit small, but it was the most comfortable thing he'd slept on for as long as he could remember. Fluttershy brought him a glass of water and turned out the light.
"If you need me, my room is across the hall." She told him. Thankful for her hospitality, August promptly fell asleep.
Author's Note
Yay! Longest chapter so far! If you see any mistakes tell me and I'll fix them. I hope you like the story!