Project Monarch

Ryder ached. His brain wanted to escape his skull and his bones wanted to crumble to dust. These were the repercussions of a GARD system reboot.

When the entirety of your organs had synthetic nodes installed and electro-fluid tubes wrapped around your muscles, it was always gonna hurt when they had to activate, especially when the system wasn't supposed to actually turn off anyway. Ryder dared to open his eyes and when he did, it burned.

White blinding light soaked back into the surroundings. He turned his throbbing neck a slow one-eighty to understand the room he was in. Blue walls, tan flooring and hung around him was a white curtain.

On his right was a cart containing various medical instruments; scissors, scalpels, tongs. His left, a small bedside table topped with a lamp.

Next he looked down at his body and noticed he was lying on two, too small hospital beds. And he was shackled. He didn't mind his bloodstained clothing, consisting of a sand t-shirt and a pair of tan cargo shorts. But he was shackled.

Moving on, he looked down to his brown combat boots and shifting his gaze to the floor, seeing his brown leather flight jacket and his combat vest, riddled with holes.

He was shackled. Slowly, his mind inched itself toward a proper consciousness.

This was a normal part of the reboot. The brain node slowed recovery a little to prevent 'dump-shock'; basically being temporarily rendered a zombie after having your brain suddenly disconnected from anything that required your mind to be connected.

Ryder began to remember. Sand. Chinese. Explosions. Gunfire. Bullets. Pain. Lightning. Black.

Still shackled.

In the back of his mind, a small voice told him he could scream out later when his mind functioned properly. He was pleased by this.

When remembering having been using a rifle, he began to search for it amongst the items on the floor. Not there.

"Hello." He tested. Good, he could man

age normal speech now. Then his thoughts properly returned.

"Captain Ryder Black, First Battalion, Forward Recon, Team Spearhead."

He recounted to himself, to make sure he remembered.

"A soldier?" An inquisitive feminine voice floated from behind the curtain.

Finally, someone with answers to his questions.

The curtain glowed a shade of purple and a lavender horse stepped forward as the curtain closed behind her.

Still in a half-woozy state, Ryder wrote it off as an illusion. His mind softening reality.

"Okay. I don't know why my mind has substituted whoever you are for this form, but I sup-"

"What do you mean 'substituted'? You're saying I'm not real?" Mild annoyance spread across her face.

"Not saying you're a figment. Saying my mind is protecting me from reality right now." Ryder spoke slowly, making sure not to slip up in piecing his sentences together.

"Huh. The other five said this too." She spoke to herself.

"Well, my name is Twilight Sparkle. Welcome to Equestria."

"Pleasure to meet you. Just so you know, I'm probably going to start screaming about these shackles inna moment."

Visibly puzzled, she asked. "Why soon? Why not now? And why is your accent so... Strange?"

Ryder sighed.

"I can't explain to you why right now and it's because of why. And I'm Australian." He looked perplexed for a second.

"Wait... You don't know what Australia is? And, this just hit me now, why ask if I was a soldier. You've taken my weapons and equipment. It's visibly clear."

Twilight smiled as Ryder began to properly function and realise his reality.

Everything lost it's artificial glow. Things looked how they should. His voice lost its dreamy undertone and he shook his head.

"Okay. Okay, so you're a goddamn unicorn, that speaks, has a weirdass name, I'm now in the land of Equestria, wherever the hell that is, and that this is all real?!"

Ryder's breath rapidly decreased, become deep.

"Hey! My name is not weird... Whatever you said!" She pouted.

"And yes."

Ryder nodded. "Okay. Sorry about the name thing, but you do realise that this shouldn't really be happening?"

"I-I don't see why it shouldn't be happening. I mean, I've no clue what you are, but you have to be here for a reason. On that topic, what are you and where did you come from?"

She opened the curtain and walked over to the window, lifting it open. All without actually touching it. Outside the night sky was fading and brightness was rising.

"Ahhm... I'm a human. From Earth. Uhm, what time will the sun rise?"

"In about an hour our leader, Princess of the Sun, Celestia, will raise the sun into the sky."

"Tha-that's not how it works.

The planet revolves around the sun, and spins on an axis. The sun doesn't actually rise, the planet just moves around until the side we're on is in its light.

Then the other side sees the moon, which also rotates on an axis, allowing us to only see one side from down here.

The moon revolves around the planet."

Ryder finished the rant and flashed a small smile.

Frowning, Twilight turned.

"Uhh, no. Sorry. Luna, Princess of the Moon, controls the moon, obviously. Princess Celestia controls the sun. It's always been that way." How condescending.

"I don't see that happening. Even with the strange telekineses you possess, one could not simply move a celestial body by will. It's just not possible."

Ryder said, determined.

"Ryder, that's your name? That's how it works here. I've seen it. With my own eyes." She was beginning to let irritation seep into her voice.

Ryder wasn't exactly scared, but with its hands and feet bound, there was no way if fighting back if something line this could actually get violent.

"Fine. Agree to disagree. Change of subject. How about these shackles? Care to let me out?"

She backed out of the room slowly.

"I'll uh.. Be back, just a sec, heh."

The door slammed shut.

"Grahhh..."

Twenty minutes later, Twilight had returned, a pegasus and a normal horse in tow.

"Oh, hey again. Thoughts were starting to get homicidal. Good thing you came back."

Ryder said a little too cheerfully.

The trio stared at him uneasily.

"Yeeaahh. Sorry, sounded to happy 'bout that. Hey, listen. I didn't get to ask you, you said there were five others? Where are they and are they awake? If so, who are they and where are they from? Country, I mean."

Ryder wanted anything he could get from thee things.

The pegasus, blue and rainbow, hovered forward. "Listen, pal. I'm hear to make sure you don't make any trouble when we unlatch ya. You hear me?"

She sounded threatening. Sounded.

"I don't mean to brag, not that anyone should brag about the things I've done, but I've killed. I've killed thirty men. If you wanna threaten me and try to attack me, by all means, go ahead." Ryder said darkly.

Her glare disappeared and she backed up. The orange Stetson-wearing horse spoke up. "Ya don' kill anyone here, ya hear?"

"Hey, I wouldn't dream of it. But if I'm attacked, I'm programmed to retaliate. With force."

It was silent for a few seconds.

"I'll explain when I'm free. Please."

He rattled his restraints.

"Okay, but I'm standing back here." Twilight magically unlocked all four cuffs and Ryder stood, rubbing his wrists and stretching his legs. He grabbed his flight jacket from the floor and dusted it off, placing it on and zipping it up.

"Okay, lead me to the other ones."

Ryder walked fit the door as the pegasus blocked his way.

"You said you'd explain. So, explain." She growled.

"I said I'd explain when I'm free. I didn't say right away. I want to confirm my suspicions first Miss..."

"Rainbow Dash. Ryder."

Ryder glanced at Twilight.

"Thanks for telling them."

He sighed.

"No matter. Orange? What's your name?"

She spoke cautiously. "Applejack."

Ryder bowed. "Greetings, you two. Now, may I see the others?"