New Dawn

  I feel nothing but emptiness. Darkness surrounds me. Then I begin to dream, this is a new feeling to me. I started having these dreams of flying, I felt... free... I felt. Then I am blinded by the light of the rising sun. I slowly open my eyes and see through my visor, that I am in some sort of pod. I don't remember anything, all I remember was the screams of the people, and smell of ashes as the cities crumbled to the ground in flames. I place my hands on the glass of the pod and begin to push...

Chapter 1: Awakening

  I stood up from my original position and shielded my eyes from the sun. I finally adjusted to the light and glanced around my surroundings. Steam rises from where I have landed, I must've crash landed here. I am surrounded by trees, shrubs, grass and bushes. I don't see any sign of intelligent life around. I step down from my pod and walk forward, searching for an exit from the forest that I am currently in. The noises of a forest seem faint to me, like they're barely there.

  In my mind I struggle to remember where I cam from, who I am, and how I got here. The light of the entrance to the forest grows as I near it. I begin to remember... Earth, the Unknown began to attack... chaos and destruction surrounded me as I stood there and watched the blazes flare from the falling skyscrapers. My thoughts are interrupted by a sudden gasp. I turn towards the source of the noise to notice an odd looking creature.

  It had the body of a horse, but, more pastel and cartoonish with a bright yellow coat and bright pink mane. It's eyes were a bright blue and there was a symbol on It's flank. I turn my body towards the creature, making it jump back in fear. It began to whimper lightly while backing away slowly. I continued to examine the creature before slowly approaching it, making it move faster.

  I finally sped up and sprinted towards it making it squeal and run. I caught up quickly due to my training and grabbed it's leg bringing it to the ground. It wiggled and squirmed, trying to escape my grasp, but I pinned it down.

"RAINBOW DASH! HELP ME!" It shouted. She had a soft, feminine voice.

  I clasped my hand over her mouth, muffling her cries for help. Then I felt a sharp pain in my side that sent me flying. I crashed on my back and looked up to see yet another horse-like creature standing in a combat-ready position. Her mane was Striped with the colors of the rainbow and her coat was Cyan. Judging from her looks and what the yellow mare had yelled out, this must be the one she calls, "Rainbow Dash".

"What the hay are you?" She asked.

I slowly and calmly stood up and raised my hands, for I meant no harm to them.

"I, am a Forerunner." I replied.

"What is a Forerunner?"

"We are an intelligent group of human beings that are the guards of all that is good."

"Well you didn't look like you were guarding anything." She said looking over to the cowering mare behind her.

"My apologies. I did not mean to cause any harm, for you see I am new here. And I have yet to adjust."

"Well why don'tcha start by taking off your mask or whatever it is?" The Rainbow demanded.

  I grabbed the sides of my helmet and slowly twisted it, making a hissing noise before removing it from my head to show my face. My short black hair blew lightly in the wind as I squinted my grey eyes from the sun.

"Well, you look much more different from what you're wearing right now." Rainbow Dash stated.

"Us Forerunners are required to wear our suits at all time for protection from the Unknown."

"Who's the Unknown?" She asked.

"The Unknown is a dark form of matter that destroys everything it touches, and if it comes in contact with a source of life, it indoctrinates with them, leaving the life force defenseless against the matter as it slowly takes over their mind and uses their body as a host." I explained.

"So how did you end up here?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I..." My mind struggles to remember how I landed on this planet.

"I don't remember... all I remember was the screaming of the men and women desperately trying to escape the Unknown." I replied.

"Um..." The yellow mare began, "can we go somewhere else to talk? Maybe Twilight knows what to do." She said. Her voice was much softer and light than it was when she was screaming.

"Sure thing Fluttershy. Come on... whoever you are. What is your name?" Rainbow asked.

"My name... is..." My name... I begin to remember...

"My name is, Xavier." I replied.

"Well, come on Xavier." She said walking away.

  I quickly caught up and followed them to our next destination. The mare, known as Fluttershy, kept her distance from me. I don't think that will change anytime soon. We walked through the small village, all of the horse-like creatures gave me odd looks, glares, and sometimes, even a smile or two. But why? Why must they feel some sort of happiness when an odd creature like me who towers over them in a metal suit has appeared on their planet?

"Hey Xavier." Rainbow said.

  I looked forward to see a giant treehouse. We approached it and Rainbow Dash knocked on the door. A purple aura surrounded it and it opened. Yet another mare stuck her head out from the door and glance at Rainbow Dash.

"Rainbow Dash what're you-" She noticed me and her eyes widened.

"R-R-Rainbow, what is that?" She asked.

"This is Xavier. He's a Forerunner." Rainbow answered. The purple mare gasped.

"Wow! A Forerunner? I've read about them and studied them so much, but I never thought they'd look like that! I never thought I see one in my life!" She giddily pranced around me eyeing me up and down and sometimes poking at my armor.

"You must be quite interested in us." I said.

"Of course! You are one of the most intelligent source of life there is!" She replied.

"May I ask your name?" I said.

"Oh! Heh, where are my manners? I'm Twilight Sparkle. It's a pleasure to meet you, Xavier."

"Same to you, Twilight Sparkle." I replied.

"So are you two eggheads gonna stand out here all day or are we gonna go inside? He's freaking everypony out." Rainbow Dash stated.

Ponies... so the multiverse does exist. I thought.

"Oh of course! Come on Xavier." Twilight said.

  I followed her into her treehouse where she apparently lived. The shelves were stocked with books and other things that could be used for studying. The were a few candles around and a glass casing that had some type of jewelry inside. I examined it closely and reached out to touch it.

"Ah! Hey!" Twilight shouted.

My arm recoiled and I glance over to her.

"My apologies, I'm just curious." I replied.

"Oh, well let me educate you." Twilight said with a smile spread from ear to ear across her face.

"These here, are the Elements of Harmony. They were created by Princess Celestia, ruler of Eqeustria, and Goddess of the Sun. She used these to defeat her evil sister, Nightmare Moon, and banished her to the moon. Me, and my friends now control the Elements of Harmony, to keep the world at peace." Twilight explained.

"Hmm... highly fascinating, I must say." I said.

"I'm glad you think that." Twilight replied.

  She trotted over to one of the bookshelves and her horn glew. That familiar purple aura surrounded the books as she searched for the right one. A flow of books passed me by before I heard the mare exclaim.

"Aha!" She set the book down on the table in front of me.

  I pulled it closer and read the title.

History of Forerunners.

  I nodded slowly. "So this is obviously how you know of us?" I asked.

"Mm, hmm." Twilight replied.

"So, can you do something that could explain how I came here?" I asked.

"Well, I'm sure there is, but we'd have to go somewhere else to do this." She replied.

"Where to?" I asked.

"Princess Celestia." Twilight replied. "I bet she'll be happy to meet you." Twilight said with a grin on her face.