Dwindling Light

Dwindling Light

Chapter 1 - Of a Worried Mind

Date Unknown,  11:53 A.M.

Outskirts of Ponyville, Equestria

“When I woke up here, I couldn’t feel anything, see anything, hear anything, smell anything, or taste anything. When my senses returned to me fully I found that I had a cramp in my left leg like none I ever felt before. I crawled my way to a tree and decided to get some rest before exploring for some form of civilization. You know the rest from there.” I finished speaking finally, telling Dr. Hooves of the events that took place up to now.

We had stopped under the shade of a large oak tree that was on a hill that overlooked the small peaceful town below us. There was still quite a trek to the town that we had to complete but we decided that we should rest up before continuing. We both sat on the grass as I spoke.

Dr. Hooves held a hoof to his jaw while slowly nodding his head. “Well, that’s certainly a story to tell for years to come.” He said, trying to make it sound happy but ultimately failing to do so as I fell onto my back and rubbed my hands through my hair.

“Having something interesting to tell people is the least of my problems Doctor. Truth be told, my feelings are conflicting in many ways right now and I have no clue how to feel. Sad, angry, happy, scared, depressed, and alone. All of which could explain me right now.” I stated flatly.

I grabbed my dog-tag and held it above my face, running my thumb over the engraved name. The wind was light as it swept over the hilltop causing the grass to flow silently against my face. The sky was void of any clouds and the sun was high in the sky, shining its warm glow down upon the land. Occasionally it would pierce through the cover of the leaves above our heads.

“You would’ve wanted your ashes scattered here, wouldn’t you Zachary?” I said solemnly, forgetting the company I had sitting only a couple feet away. You always did love scenes like these, peaceful and serene. I thought to myself.

“Who’s Zachary?” I was brought out of my thoughts by Dr. Hooves asking me that question. I gave a small smile as I replaced my dog-tag inside of my shirt.

“An old friend.” I replied as I pushed myself to my feet. Steadying myself on the tree as the blood rushed from my head. I shook my head and blinked rapidly as the last of the dizziness rid itself from my body. “We should get going Dr. Hooves, from what I can tell we still have a couple kilometers to go till we reach the edge of Ponyville.”

“That we do Robert, but I’d like to discuss something first.” He stated as he stared at me blankly. I looked at him quizzically but saw that he wouldn’t be going anywhere until he said what he needed to say. A common look that I got from my family, despite my pleas for them to leave me alone.

I sighed as I sat against the tree and let myself fall into a sitting position at its base. “What would you like to discuss sir?” My demeanor and tone turning formal, as if I were going into an interview.

Dr. Hooves stood and made his way over to me and sat in front of me. “Robert, if what you say is true than your kind has not been seen in Equestria for several millennia. Your kind plays part in our myths and legends, while some myths are good there are others that would scare foals to stay in bed at night. You do not look like humans from those myths or legends.” I opened my mouth to protest as he lifted a hoof up to silence me.

“But! I cannot guarantee that somepony might recognize the similarities that you may share. If they do, I do not know how they may act towards you. One, I need you to keep the information about our kind being a show for your kind, and two I want you to stay here while I go get Twilight. Before you say no, think about it.”

“A 6 foot tall creature walking into the town that nopony has ever seen before. Put yourself into our hooves, what would be the first thing to come to your mind?” He asked. I thought it was a rhetorical question so I didn’t answer at first until he gestured his hoof in a circular motion.

“Oh umm, well personally I would be intrigued more than anything and try to figure out everything I could about…it…” The realization struck me like a truck hitting a motorcycle on the freeway.

“Exactly, and I don’t doubt there are some crazy ponies that would like to get their hooves on a specimen like you. So I’d like you to stay here while I go get Twilight. Also I implore you to take off the shirt that depicts Princess Luna as well as the socks you have of...me.” He visibly shuddered at his last words.

I gave a light chuckle at this, I can only imagine how it felt to have an alien creature know about you and not vice versa, let alone have accurate depictions of yourself on their garments. “I will stay here and take care of my clothes Doctor, but one last favor to ask of you please?” I asked with a smile.

“What do you need before I leave?” He replied.

“On your way back could you bring me something to eat? I haven’t eaten since breakfast yesterday, my stomach is starting to eat me from the inside out!” I complained.

“I don’t suppose I can let you starve just yet. What kind of food does your kind eat?”

“We’re omnivores, but please no hay. Anything else right about now would help me.”

His eyes widened after I said I was an omnivore, no doubt the first thought that came to his mind was me eating meat. “Before you get carried away in your imagination and start asking a million questions about my diet, no I have never eaten pony or horse before and I don’t plan to.” I assured him. He sighed.

“Alright, I’ll bring you a few apples. Is that okay?” He regained himself.

“That’s great! Thank you!” I replied enthusiastically as a loud grumble emitted from my stomach. I smiled sheepishly as I rubbed the back of my head.

“I’ll be off then, I will be back in a couple of hours. Until then try to stay put.” He stated as he turned towards the path that lead down the hill and towards the edge of Ponyville and started his long walk. Soon he was but an ant at the bottom of the large hill.

“You did not heed my warning young one, the fault be only yours.” A voice said from behind me. I quickly recognized it as the same voice I heard at the edge of the forest near the high school. I didn’t turn around to face where it came from as I continued to watch Dr. Hooves walk away.

“The fault may be mine to bear but it doesn’t mean that I regret not listening to you. I know the fault is my own and I accept that, but as I told my mother before all went to hell. Nothing fun is ever gained by standing by and just watching as the world passes on by.” I replied.

“But a dangerous path chosen to tread is one that is only filled with dread. You know this now, do you not?” I felt as the entity that contained the voice stood a mere inch behind me now.

I thought about it for a minute. “You say this is a path chosen that is filled with dread? That only implies that it is a path yet undiscovered by many, or very few have chosen to follow. Tell me, if you speak of this path being but one of dread than I must ask is this a path you have tread?” I probed, hoping for an answer that would help me out in some way.

I heard a quiet cough come from behind me. “So then, how do you know this path is one that will keep me misled? Especially if it’s a path you’ve yet to walk.” I finished. I felt the presence behind me fade and saw as small particles floated past my face. The cool wind accompanying the essence as it faded away into the breeze.

I had no inclination to see whom the voice was, or what it was. All I knew was that the voice belonged to something that was either benevolent or malevolent, whichever it may be it shall not cause me to waver.

I turned around to the tree and climbed into it’s highest branches as to get a good view of the land around me. As I pulled myself up to the perch and busted through the cover of the leaves my breath was taken away immediately. The land looked beautiful from the top of the hill already, but this was a whole new beauty.

I was looking towards the way I had come from with Dr. Hooves, staring in awe as I made out the rolling hills that eventually faded into the forest we had come from. At the horizon stood a giant mountain with a pristine castle built into the side of it, I immediately recognized this as Canterlot Castle.

Leading up to the castle I saw a railroad, more precisely I saw the billowing smoke of the train as it hastily made its way up the mountains towards Canterlot, ready to deliver whatever goods or ponies that it may of contained. I could hardly make out the details of the castle, but judging from its size from here I could tell it was a lot bigger than the show had portrayed it to be.

Turning to my left I saw the ever serene city of Cloudsdale. The city was one I’d never be able to see despite its majestic beauty, no doubt just as Earth ponies and Unicorns I was going to be stuck on the ground. I could see the occasional spec flying to and from the city, no doubt they were pegasi ponies.

I turned again and saw the entire Everfree forest splayed out in front of me. The Everfree seemed more like a jungle than an actual forest. The edges of the forest were foreboding as vines hung from the various trees that made up the forest. I couldn’t see that far into the forest as the sunlight was blocked out of it by the canopy of leaves.

“I can see how it’s not natural now.” I affirmed myself as I turned towards Ponyville. Near the center of the town I saw the town Library, more precisely Twilight’s home since she arrived in Ponyville. Not too far off from it was the Town Center where I saw ponies, that from where I see them looked like specs, walking to and fro as they went about their daily lives without a care in the world. The Town Hall was at one edge of the Town Center, a few meters in front of Town Hall stood a large fountain that had a statue of some sort present in its center.

My thoughts slowly drifted back to the image of my home, a gloomy one story house with a single garage on the right side of the house with a small front porch that barely had enough room to fit the bench we put on it. The stairs of the porch leading to the sidewalk that stopped abruptly and turned towards the driveway. In front of the sidewalk stood a lone tree with leaves stripped from its branches due to Fall coming and going with the bitter cold of Winter.

Despite the gloomy appearance of my home, it always made me happy when I would enter its threshold. Knowing I had a roof over my head, food to eat, somewhere safe to sleep, clothes on my back, and a family that loved me despite what others thought of me. I may never get to see that home again…my family…my friends. No one. I knew I was going to die alone.

I made my way down the branches of the tree and stopped in it’s lowest perch and made myself comfortable in it. I reached into my pockets and pulled out what I could from them. In my right pocket I had my cellphone, and my house key. My left pocket I had my knife that Michael had given me, and in my back right pocket I had my wallet containing all my ID’s and what little money I did have.

I laid each of the items on my lap and looked over them. My phone is pretty much useless other than for taking pictures. My wallet has my ID’s and whatnot so that’ll be helpful at least a little. My knife I need to keep out of sight unless I’m in a dire situation. My eyes stopped on the last item, my house key.

Despite it having no use to me now, it still held significant value to me. At least it does now. It may not seem like much but this is a reminder to me that I have a family that loves and cares for me, and now they will be spending the next few weeks mourning over me because I was careless and stupid.

I unhooked the chain necklace that was laced through my dog-tag and friendship bracelet and slipped the key onto the chain. I then hooked it again and placed it back on my neck, holding all three momentos in my right hand tightly.

I returned the knife and wallet back to my pockets while leaving my phone out. I unlocked the phone and went to my music app and scrolled down to Hurt by Johnny Cash and pressed play. The air was permeated by the mix of rustling leaves from the tree I was in and the sound of an acoustic guitar, starting the song.

I sung along with the song as it played, the phone at max volume. Music was my way of coping with problems I couldn’t deal with. It helped soothe my nerves and let me relax, to retreat into the recesses of my mind as I thought.

To lose oneself is not to die, but to give in and give up to that around them.

To let yourself fall means to sacrifice all that you’ve fought for.

To say it is all pointless is to say you’d rather let all fail instead of trying.

I have lost so much in the past day, yet I am still alive.

It means I still have something to keep trying for despite the obstacles before me.

My feelings may get to me, but they will never destroy me again.

I will continue, even if I can never get back.

I’ve always said that you’re never dead until you’re forgotten.

Until the blood in my body runs dry and my body turns to dust.

I will not die, nor will I give up.

I am Robert Kenneth Rucker, and I will NOT be forgotten.

I chanted over and over these same lines in my head like the verses of a song I was trying to learn. Being forgotten was my worst fear over anything else. The second was losing my family or friends, when that happened the first time I lost a friend who meant more to me than life itself and all I could do was sit by and watch it happen.

No one remembered him, only me, Jazmine, and his family remembered who he was. I remember the days after I lost him, I was torn up inside as I replayed the scene in my mind over and over and over again. I had been pushed aside before that bullet went through his forehead and his lifeless body fell to the ground. The person who shot him spent no time waiting and ran for it as fast as he could, they were apprehended and jailed. What happened afterwards I dared not look into.

I sat there in his pool of blood cradling his body in my arms as I cried into his bloodied hair screaming for him to wake up, even though I knew exactly what had happened. I was in 7th grade when it happened. Zachary was my best friend, more precisely my first friend. He was a brother to me and he was taken away from me in a cruel way that broke my mind in many ways.

That day not an hour before he died, he gave me his dog-tag as a gift because his family was moving back to the states in less than a month.

I broke from my thoughts as I realized I was starting to hold the dog-tag too tightly. I looked at the palm of my hand to find that it was bruised badly where the edges of the dog-tag were. Well that’s going to suck. I chuckled at the thought. Physical pain was more welcoming than the thoughts in my mind right about now.

The song that was playing was all too fitting as well. Pain by Three Days Grace. I smiled at the irony. I pressed pause on the music application and looked at the clock on the phone. It simply showed 00:00 A.M. instead of the normal time. What else did I expect.

I heard a loud ZAP below me, causing me to nearly fall out of the tree because of it. I looked towards the source of the sound to find a lavender alicorn along with a certain tan earth pony who was carrying saddlebags with him now.

“Where is this creature you spoke of Dr. Hooves?” Twilight’s voice drifted its way up to my ears. “You had better not be playing a prank on me.” She stated angrily.

“I told it to wait here! I swear! Robert?! Where are you?!” Dr. Hooves shouted trying to find me.

I hung from my legs and watched the two look in the opposite direction of me, silently laughing as Dr. Hooves called out my name. “I don’t have time for this Dr. Hooves, come get me when you have something real to show me.” Twilight stated with a tone of irritation heavy in her voice as she turned around.

She stopped a mere inch from my face. “Hello there.” I said calmly. She jumped backwards almost falling to the ground as she did so. Dr. Hooves spun around and glared at me as I kept dangling from the branch. “What? I didn’t leave the general vicinity Doctor. I was hanging right here from the moment you got here. Your fault for not looking hard enough.” I said with a grin present on my face.

“Get out of the tree Robert, and properly greet the Princess.” He replied angrily. I shrugged my shoulders and let myself drop to the ground, landing on my hands and falling backwards onto my knees then proceeding to stand.

Twilight by this time had regained her composure and stood in front of me. I held a hand out to her, “Hello Princess Twilight Sparkle, my name is Robert Kenneth Rucker. Tis a pleasure to meet you.” I said with a tone of formality. She simply eyed my hand suspiciously. She raised her hoof and placed it in my hand and I grasped it causing her to try and retract her hoof as I shook it and then let it go.

She started to beam happily as she started inspecting me, just as Dr. Hooves had done before but a little more in depth as she lifted my arms and legs up in various directions. I let her do as such with a calm expression, hoping that she wouldn’t go anymore in depth than this. “Extraordinary…” I heard her whisper to herself occasionally.

“Doctor, you said that you found him near the forest correct?” Twilight said as she started to hover in front of me inspecting my face.

“Yes Ma’am, he found me in front of the forest.” I replied before Dr. Hooves had the chance to say anything. Twilight raised an eyebrow.

“So where did you come from?” She asked hesitantly. I sighed and averted my gaze from her.

“Before I answer anything else Princess Twilight, I want you to know I have no reason to lie right now. Whether you believe me or not is up to you. Got it?” I stated wholeheartedly, and honestly I really did have no reason to lie right now. I’m in a land that’s completely foreign to me and I don’t have anything but the clothes on my back and the few personal mementos that mean more to me than anything else.

Twilight nodded her head to tell me she understood. “Where I come from is a place called Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. A state in the country of the United States of America on a planet called Earth.” I answered. Her gaze fell flat.

“Now I know that’s a lie.” Twilight stated, “Now tell me the truth.” She demanded.

“As I said Princess Twilight, I have no reason to lie to you. What I say is true, if you want proof,” I pulled out my wallet and pulled out my Military I.D. and my Drivers License, “here’s the proof.” I said as I held the two cards out to her as she took them in a field of shimmering purple magic.

She looked over them with prying eyes, trying to see if it was no doubt a fake. She turned the cards over at least 11 times before giving them back to me. “Okay I guess you’re not lying, but that doesn’t explain anything about you other than that your birthday is in a few days.” As she said this my eyes widened in surprise.

“In a few days?! That’s impossible! It’s January 25th, 2014! It’s a Saturday!” I protested. Both Dr. Hooves and Twilight looked at me as if I’d gone insane.

“No Mr. Robert, today is July 24th, 2014.” Twilight reassured. I felt my heart fall into the pit of my stomach as I fell to my knees. Half a year…for half a year…I’ve been dead…my…family…my…friends…everyone…I held my head in my hands as I bent over fully.

I felt as the tears started to stain my hands, “No…that can’t be…please tell me you’re joking…please…please…please tell me you’re joking…” I gasped between sobs. I felt a hoof being placed around my shoulder but I knocked it away. “You mean to tell me…I’ve been gone…for half a year?” I didn’t look up to them.

“Robert, we didn’t know.” Dr. Hooves said solemnly. I glared up at him, but quickly it dropped to a saddened look as I realized it really wasn’t his fault.

“I’m sorry…but…half a year, seriously? This is just… impossible…I…I can’t even begin to fathom the idea or the toll it’s taken not only on my family, but my friends as well. Many people don’t realize how much they miss someone until they are really gone.” I was holding my dog-tag again.

I looked up to Twilight and saw that she was looking at the ground. “Princess Twilight,” I started as I stood and made my way over to her and kneeled down in front of her. “ I will not say that the pain I face is worse than yours, as you’re an immortal. Without choice this fate was brought to you, just as this fate was brought to me. I may not have to watch as those around me fade forever as you will, but I know the pain of losing all. This is why I give you my word that all I say is true.” I nodded my head slightly and stood up.

She looked up at me and tried to smile the best she could as I wiped the tears from my face. We regained our composure after a couple of minutes and she proceeded to question me further. About where I was from, what it looked like, what others were like, and lastly how I had gotten here in the first place.

I was about to answer her last question when my stomach let out a loud growl of hunger. “Erm, Doctor, could I get those apples now? I was so caught up in talking that I forgot I was hungry.” I stated. He rolled his eyes as he put his saddlebag in front of me and undid the latch. I was met by a bag full of apples, my mouth was already watering just by looking at them.

I grabbed one and took a bite, letting the perfect mix of sour and sweet juices meet my taste buds. It didn’t take long for me to devour every last apple that was inside of the saddlebags. When I was finished both Twilight and Dr. Hooves were staring at me like I was demented. “What? I was hungry!” I announced.

“Kind of got that from how fast you ate them and how many you ate, can everypony in your world eat that many that fast?” Twilight inquired.

I shrugged my shoulders, “Don’t know, our appetites vary from person to person. Usually I wouldn’t be able to eat that many but I hadn’t eaten since yesterday morning. At least it was yesterday morning to me, to you all it’s 5 months and 29 days.” I replied.

Twilight nodded. “Alright, well back to my other question, how did you get here?” She asked.

“To be honest, it’s a long story Princess. So y’all might want to get comfortable.” I stated as I leaned forward and started telling them of the events that took place the days prior to when I had arrived here in Equestria.