Beyond Limitsby InfernalLightChaptersPrologueChapter I Chapter IIChapter IIIPrologueBeyond Limits Never before have I been this... Alone. It's like... You're in a group, yet you are the only one who is different. And forever that's the way it shall be. Well, this life is not a first choice; and there never was one to begin with. As the first leaves fall in autumn, I run faster. It's these games of cat and mouse that I hate. And I have no clue why I, Marcus Johnson, am the prey in this maze. I can't believe my ears. He's really dead. I lie speechless on the old black couch in my families living room. My oldest and only brother. In my family, I'm the second son. Now the only son. As I silently weep over the loss, glimpses of his destroyed, pitiful form flash before me. And the last words were only fully understood after his passing. Forever will they be burned in my mind. As he, my beloved brother, lie dying, Andrew pulled me close for the final time. His blood soaked into my white shirt as I embrace him, and he makes me promise these few lines: "The greatest story ever made is only what you make it. Be an angel among demons; protect those who you care for to the end. " He murmured something about asking for forgiveness and repentance for his sins, then finally left. As I kneel beside his gory, bloody form I rise. I look to the dark skies and utter few words. "Dearest brother, I'm no saint. I'm no angel either." Three weeks later. "Depression hurts. We can help. Contact us at..." I shut the tv off before it can continue. "Depression hurts, hmm? You have no clue," I mutter. I rise from the couch and step towards the doorway. It's 8:30am on a crisp fall morning. As I hang my head low and walk, a fallen maple leaf flutters by. I watch as more float by in the same direction. I pay no attention to how fast they are moving. "Passing leaves," I mutter, "passing people. I don't see the difference everyone should move... on." Saying the last word hurts more than anything. Well, someone has it worse. Yup. Worse when your parents died in 9/11, worse when your 20 year old brother is dead. But, I can take care of myself. I quicken my pace as the hour arm on the analog clock on the lamp post moves ever so closer to 9:00. As I enter St.Luke's high school, the bell rings. I avoid crowds of people moving to and for from class to class, or people trying to get to their locker. I finally make it to my locker, number 279. I reach and grab my algebra and English language arts books.... .... Only to have them knocked out of my hands by James Bates, ( or as I "fondly" call him Master Bates...) and as he does that he shoves in to me on purpose. "Hey wise guy, just who do you think you are?" He demands in "rage." The inner kid in me had the extreme urge to say in a deep growling voice: IM BATMAN! But, when your in high school, it will just make you look like a retard. "I'm Marcus Johnson, you know, the kid you picked on for the last 4 years because you can't find anyone else to bother?" James was in the 11th grade as I was in the 9th. To me, he was pathetic because he was scared of the 12th graders, so he would stereotypically pick on kids younger than him. Mind you, never would he say that aloud. "Don't get smart with me, punk. You are just a twerp and I can and WILL squash you like a bug," he snarled in my face, "why you shoved me is unknown, but you should always apologize and make things as right as possible, right?" He said smugly. "Then, James, you have one hell to pay," I say as I walk towards my first class. Outside, dark clouds were gathering. A storm was brewing, and this one would differ from every other one before it. As I fall onto the couch in the living room, exhausted from the days tiring events, I open my book back to study for the upcoming tests. I know I am prepared; I study and review every week. Now, I know what you're thinking. NERD. Not really... But I do pretty well in school compared to James. You know, like 80s, 90s, and if I'm lucky, slightly higher. I open my science textbook and review on the lesson of "how an ecosystem works." Yay. After a dreadful two hours, ( well I may be over dramatizing it a bit but....) I attend to my daily chores. I go to fold the laundry, but I realize that it was still stormy outside. The rain pelted down like a symphony of bullets as they fell and make contact with the glass table that rested just outside the door. The wind blew so hard that the way the trees were moving, it looked like they were constantly being slapped back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth. I snap myself out of that daze and return to my work. After some time, I sit down to eat supper as the clock strikes 6. I dig into the lukewarm meal of spaghetti; I'm ravenous. I stop myself and listen. All I hear is the sound of my deep breathing, and the sound of the rain falling. I feel utterly alone. Which I am. I cannot contain myself from shedding a tear as I remember the days when we, my family, would sit together and talk about the day, the things bad and good that happened. But as long as we were together, everything was fine. As long as we were together.... ...together... "Move on," my thoughts whisper inside my head , "there is nothing you can do. They're gone. Dead." "No," I pant angrily, "no..NOO!" I scream as I rise, grab my plate and bash my on the floor. The sauce, a crimson red, splatters in every direction, bringing even more bad memories to mind. Innocent blood spilt... Mom, dad, the. Andrew... Gone... "NOOOOOO!" I cry in agony and grief. I lean against a wall and wearily slide down until I am in a sitting position. "Gone...." I croak in a hoarse, raspy voice. Tears spill down my cheeks like a waterfall; they never seem to end. I lay there until the clock struck midnight. "Gone.." I say before falling into the depths of sleep. "Gone.." And outside, the storm raged on. I awake to the steady beeping of my alarm clock. I can just hear it, even though I am a floor down from it. Sighing, I rise and attend to my morning routine. As I rinse myself off in the shower, I cast yet another glance outside. "Damn," I think to myself, "this must be a big storm." It seemed like the storm only intensified, like someone added fuel to the fire. And one thought kept bothering me. "Why are there faint swirls of colour in the clouds?" Setting that oddity aside, I get dressed in black jeans, a grey t-shirt and a blue Aeropostale sweater/hoodie. I tie my black shoes, (if you have not guessed already, my favourite colour is black. Thought others argued that black was a shade.. Which is partially true.) I open the door with my backpack and step outside. The chill hits me like a slap in the face. After locking the door, I set out to school. As I pace towards the school, I hear thunder. "Just my luck," I growled. The rain fell like bombs in World War Two; hard and fast. Now jogging, I feel wind flow through my hair, pushing me back. Yet I refused. Now soaked and running, the wind is howling like a pack of wolves, and I snap my head back to see.. ... A tornado. Panicked, I push harder and harder against the force of the wind. I don't stop until I'm securely behind a brick wall. Peeking around the corner, I saw the least strangest thing that day. Swirling and blending with the tornado were vibrant colours. Ducking as a mailbox flew over my head. I then saw what REALLY creeped me out. The colournado began to glow. That's right. Freaking. Glow. It grew brighter, almost as bright as the sun... well I wouldn't go that far. But is was still glowing very bright gold now. I said the most logical hong to say. "OH CRAP!" I ran like my life depended on it. Oh fuck it, it did. Then I ran from my spot and bolted. Directly behind me the tornado followed. "Nononononononononono!" I screamed. I ran with all my strength, but it was faster. I dove for cover in an abandoned building. The windows were shattered and it was very old. It was due for demolition a week later, but things could be rescheduled. I gazed around, looking at the wasteland I called home. Trees were uprooted, houses were demolished. A block or so away the tornado drew closer and then... Stopped moving. It started pulsing a golden light. Then it exploded. Then it imploded. Shielding my eyes, I look away. After a few seconds, a boom is heard, shattering windows everywhere. Pieces of glass fly by quickly. A small piece cuts deep into my forehead, diagonally across my face. Luckily, it misses my actual eye. But it still is a wound; it gushes blood onto my face and clothes. Pain ripples through my face, but I try to ignore it. There is a bigger task at hand. I rise above the table I was taking shelter from, and duck down again. To make sure that I'm not dreaming, I pinch myself. It's real. And no, I'm not on drugs. I rise again to hear the stomping of feet. I was wrong. Trying not to laugh, I look upon what was in the tornado. Ponies. Ridiculous, right? What appeared to be the guards were surrounding a golden carriage. In front were 6 or 7 brightly coloured ponies. The leading one, coloured lavender or very light purple with a dark purple tail, mane and... Wings? What the fuck? I then noticed a protrusion on its head. It was wearing what looked like a crown. The others were wearing things like that around their necks. They all had different marks on their flanks, which confused me. The orange one was wearing a straw hat. Her butt tattoo was a picture of three apples in the shape of a triangle. A blue.. Pegasus? Yes, that's it. the Pegasus had rainbow hair, and her tattoo was a rainbow lightning bolt. There was a pink one that was clearly happy considering the stupid grin on its face, and it was hopping. The others were walking... She must be crazy or something. The next one was yellow with a pink mane; it looked quite timid. It had pink butterflies for her tattoo. Next to her was a white pony with purple hair. By first looking at her you could tell you did not want to mess with her. And she looked snobby, too. They appeared to be looking for something. All of a sudden, I heard one of them say, "he must be here somewhere. We traced him to this spot." Not taking any chances, I decided to move. As I moved from my spot, I stepped on a few pieces of glass. As soon as it made that sound, I cringed and looked behind me. All 6 of them were staring me dead in the eyes. The purple one said these few words that made my choice to run brilliant. "Oh, there you are. Guards, SIEZE HIM!" Dammit. I ran towards the backdoor as hoofs stampeded in my direction. I flew out the back door, only to fall 6 feet to the ground. Great, more injuries. But I had to keep moving. A guard in golden armour yelled "HALT!" In my direction, but I ignored it and kept moving. I turned onto Winchester street, which was covered in garbage and fauna. I then make a left... ... To see those six ponies with necklaces/crowns staring at me with determined looks. I turned and ran in the other direction. Now I heard even more hoofs beating against the ground. As I snap my head back to see how far away they are, the purple one's horn lights up a bright purple... .. And she fires lasers at me. In fact, so many lasers that it looks kinda like when the Millennium Falcon goes into hyper speed. I duck into an alleyway and hide. I wait for the stampede to pass me by. It almost worked.. Until I moved at the very last second. The blue Pegasus flies toward me at incredible speed. It hits be square in the back, the impact causing me to go flying. Pain makes its way to my central back and hips. I crash into a black Lexus, and the front windows shatter. I barely manage to get up before they reach me. Why did they want me anyway? There was no time to think. The purple one was going to fire more lasers at me, this time with the help of the white one. I duck the wave of lasers and try to out run them. Clearly, I can't. So I make my way home, and hope they don't see me. It works. I am overjoyed that I can rest. As I lock the door, I sluggishly make my way back to the couch and fall down. My heart is pounding in my ears. One thought keeps pestering me as I fall asleep. "Why?" The ponies searched house after house, not knowing that the human they were looking for was already in the house they first checked; his current residence. The blue one asked the purple one a question. "Twilight, why haven't we found him yet?" The purple one, twilight, responded, "Because, Rainbow, he's hiding. If we knew where he was, then we would have found him already." The blue one, also called Rainbow pondered over this. "Weeellllllll...." "Well what, Rainbow?" "Could he be somewhere we already checked? I mean, if we are faster than him, he should be tired and he couldn't have gone far." Author's Note Sorry about my absence. Been quite busy... Anyway, here you go. Chapter I Author's Note Hello! Just wanted to thank you all for your patience. This chapter contains swearing frequently, so just a heads up. Like, comment, or follow! Thanks for your time and I hope you enjoy! Chapter I I awoke to the sound of my heartbeat pounding in my head. Covered in sweat, I rolled off the couch I was just sleeping on. I pull on a t-shirt and I hear a faint breeze coming from the kitchen. Curious like any other person would be, I crept towards the kitchen. I shivered as I felt the sensation of flesh on cold tiles as i stepped into the room. In here, it was noticeably colder, and I surveyed the area to see why. The back door was open, a faint breeze scurrying leaves into the house. I crept closer to see nothing but my backyard. I gaze upon the night sky to see the moon illuminated with thick black clouds lazily drifting by. Then, a gigantic cloud passed in front of the moon, sealing away any light that was there. Breaking my daze, I grasp the cold door handle and feel, yet again, the feeling of cold metal against flesh. I shiver every time that happens. I proceed to lock the door and return to my room. After getting dressed and blog through my usual routine, it slipped my mind that I forgot to check what time it was. I wipe myself off with a towel, which wasn't the greatest because with the tornado damaged a part of the electricity system running through the system. So, in short terms, no heat. But miraculously, citizens still had plumbing. So that was beneficial. I slipped on a light grey t-shirt, a black sweater with a blue eagle on the front of it and a pair of boot cut jeans. I didn't know if I would be running from... From them. Why was I their priority? Why was I the target? It made no sense to me whatsoever. I grab my bag which I had selected but had made a few minor changes and pace towards the mud room. I pull on a place wool hat as it is getting colder, and just for good measure, a thin but warm winter jacket. I open the front door and step outside, only to see the streets crawling with those guards. They all look at me as I close the door.... "Oh fuck." ______________________________________ "What," I screamed, "the fuck do you want?!" "Halt! Stand down!" "Stand down my ass!" Having been running for the past twenty minutes can really effect a guy in a positive way or negative depending on the surrounding environment. When you are being chased by fucking horses, it doesn't help. Crimson bolts of light fly past my head. "What the fuck do you want?!" I don't wait for an answer. Seeing a tall building on my left side, I jump for the windowsill and pull myself up. It is not very difficult to do so; I am used to climbing. I've been climbing things since I was a kid. I jump and grab the next windowsill and pull myself up again and again. I look down and see the guards patrolling the area beneath me. My only thought was: don't move. At a painfully slow pace, I finally reach the top of the building. Heavily breathing, I lie down and gaze upwards. The top isn't that comfortable so I shift my position... Knocking a pebble of the top of the building. Paralyzed in fear, I stand, yet again and bolt towards the doors to the entryway. As I shut the door, I hear the discourse of the winged horses as they pursuit me. I brace the door with a broom and run down the stairs. I realize that this is a sports department and I'm on the top floor. Could this mean what I think it means? No... Yeah it does. I dash towards the sports department and head towards the skydiving section. That's going to be my last resort. I grab a parachute and put it on my back. I also grab what I should use to defend myself, like a hockey stick. Then, the sound of hooves makes me realize my time is limited. I run towards the stairs and see that I'm on the 45th floor. I open the door to see even more guards. "God dammit you're like fucking telemarketers! You won't leave me alone!" The look in their face was priceless. Use in the time i had before they caught me, I find a window. I see the cars and surroundings below I hear them yell for me to stop, but all hesitation now is pointless. "Hells gonna have to freeze over first, mothafucka!" I scream as I jump out the window. Then I forgot that there were... Fuck I forget the plural form of Pegasus. Anyway, they started flying after me. I thought of a plan that was quite clever, if i do say so myself. I angled my body so I would make impact with another building parallel to me. I kept falling, though ready to deploy the parachute. I counted down from three. I could see the details of the buildings through the glass windows. Two. I could see the papers lying on the floor of the office. One. I yanked the cord, causing me to be flung back by the force of the wind. The winged horses looked back in shock, then crashed into the building. I grinned. Thought I did feel guilty. I glided to the ground then disposed of the parachute. Adrenaline was pumping through my veins. I knew in due time I would be to tired to run. I found an alley and leaned against a wall and sat down. I made sure I was hidden from anything passing by. After catching my breath, I stood up and looks around the corners. I sighed in relief as I pulled my hood up and started to walk around the corner. Now it was dark again. I swore it was only 5:00 when I was atop of the building. I turned the corner and bumped into something . I fell over but quickly picked myself up. I looked up and froze with fear. You guessed it, another fucking horse. Though this one was different. It had a crown along with regalia. It had a horn and wings.... Wait what? The horses coat was a bark blue and it had turquoise eyes. I turned and tried to run but I could not move. Helpless, I struggled but still could not move. Then I saw why. My body was covered in a blue outline. And it's horn was glowing. "Why run," it spoke in a feminine voice, "thou must be tired. Are thou afraid?" "No," I spat, "I value freedom over my life!" She disregarded the comment. "Why does thou resist? Why do thee not surrender?" "I just fucking TOLD YOU!" "Thou art stubborn." "No shit, Sherlock." She was obviously confused. But she ignored the comment. "Thou art tired. We can see it as clear as we can see through glass." "No." "Yes." "I deny it." "We know it." "I highly disapprove." "We highly think so." AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME AND A SHITLOAD OF SYNONYMS FOR YES AND NO LATER.... "Thou art tired." "WHY DOES IT FUCKING MATTER?!" "Thou are in need of sleep." "..." She then forced me to look into her eyes. They seemed so comforting and warm. And also familiar. That puzzled me. Her horn grew even brighter, suddenly causing me to feel all my muscles relax. "Sleep, young one." Unable to resist, my body overcame my commands and I fell into the abyss of sleep. Luna's POV He was asleep that quick. His body was so worn down by the stress and physical work of like that it shocked me. "Guards." "Yes, your Highness?" "Take the boy to the castle. The portal is over by the Mart of Walls." "Yes, your Highness." I just knew he would be enraged at sister and I when he awoke. Chapter IIChapter II Beyond Limits Waking as the morning dawn pierced my vision, I clumsily reach to rub my eyes only to find myself restrained. I peer around in the dim lighting of my current residence. The walls are blackened bricks, which is a sign that they have aged a lot, and I gaze upon my upper limbs and my heart sinks to my stomach. Rusted, worn out chains restrain my upper body, upper limbs, chest, lower body, and lower limbs. I lift my head up to see steel bars two feet in front of me. My head drops out of sadness and exhaustion. I am still in my clothing from earlier; though I do not have any of my belongings, my jacket, my sneakers, or any weapons. I look on my left side to see another person, thankfully, in the cell beside me. Urging myself to speak, I try to find the strength in my voice to speak but to no avail. A sharp pain reminds me of my situation. A tear rolls from my eye. And I laugh. I laugh like a madman. I laugh at all the things that have happened to me. The loss, the stress, the pain, the hurting, the loneliness, the depression... The fear. I laugh at it all. Thinking this is some sick joke, I keep laughing until my side hurts. Tears fall in a steady stream down my face, creating a trail across my cheek. "I'm going insane," I mutter underneath my breath, "I'm dreaming. This is a fucking nightmare. This is merely a dream. And I'll wake soon. And this will be over." I laugh more. I hear the screams of the people outside, I hear the screams of the dying and wounded. And I laugh. —()— I lift my head as I hear the sound of keys rattling. I can't see whom, or what, it is. I wait to see who has come to visit me. The sun has risen to its afternoon position and the room is now bright enough to see. It's her. The shadow one who, I am presuming, brought me. And behind the dark equine, another equine like her but taller. She had a snow-white coat and a rainbow like main. Her magenta coloured eyes scanned my pathetic form; she seemed worried, said, and... They look at me with anxiousness. Almost as anxious as I am to leave this place. Though they are both trying, and failing, to contain their excitement and happiness. I stir uncomfortably as they drew nearer. And closer. The taller one notices and says in a voice of silk, "Be at ease. We bear no ill will towards you." "Bullshit," I sneer, "If you didn't, then why the fuck am I here? Why do you all want me in chains? I have committed no foul crime against you or your people!" "That is not why you are here." "Then why am I here?!" "You see, we rule this land..." "Wait," I asked, " where are we?" "The answer you seek is not relevant," she said. "It mightn't be to you," I state dryly, "but it is quite important to me." "Moving on. Your world, as we came to know, hosts a powerful being on the edge of corruption, and we seek to find it. It looks like one of us, alicorns, but young. We cannot see or find it with the naked eye. So we must change all sentient beings into our form, ponies." The white one stated. "Sister," the dark one spoke, "we haven't formally introduced ourselves. "Oh," the white one spoke," pardon my informality. I am Princess Celestia. And this," she indicated the other one, "is my sister, Princess Luna." "Anyway, we sent a tracking spell to find this being. We searched and searched galaxies until we found your galaxy." "So," I sneered, "what the fuck does this have to do with me?!" "It is you." "I have no clue what you are talking about. I'm a fucking teenager, I am trying to start my life and find a job so I can actually survive in this world. And you are saying that I am, supposedly, this powerful being? More specifically a colt?" "..." "Well?" Both of them were silent. "Yes. More specifically, a foal," Celestia stated. I was confused. "A what?" "You would call it a child." "I see where this is going and I do not like it one bit. Say you were wrong," I implied," would you leave me be?" "Yes. Plus, we wouldn't disturb you any longer. But, if we are correct..." Celestia stated. "We have a new child." Luna finished. I shuddered at the thought. Me being an alien child... Nope. "Already, half of the population has been converted." States Luna. She holds up a purple solution in a beaker. "And you are next." I squirm in my restraints as they drew nearer and they both tipped the beaker with glee. But, an explosion behind me causes them to fly backwards, denting the steel behind them. I feel extreme heat behind me, and I feel bones break as bricks are flung in every direction. I fall to the ground, realizing that the restraints are gone. The guards have dragged away the princesses, but now they focus on me. "Not again, bitches!" I turn, limp, and jump off the edge, expecting soft ground underneath me. Only to find none and I'm falling a hundred feet of a mountain. Though all I see is water. Oh well, at least I have a safe landing. As I fall, I see tons of my people rushing towards the castle. And I mean a battalion of them. All were dressed in camo gear and they knew where I was. I wasn't paying attention to the quickly approaching body of water. On impact, I created a plume of water high into the sky. I held my breath as I took fast strokes with my legs in order to reach the top. Water moves around my body as I swam. Pain in my arms and legs slowed me down. Gasping as I reach the top, I hear a soldier yell, "He's over there!" I swan towards them. I reached dry ground and they helped me up. Soldiers covered us all around, protecting us from any attackers. I was thrown into a combat truck and I felt the engine roar as the tires kicked up dirt and pebbles. A medic beside me was applying bandages around my body as I was cut in various locations. The medic and others place me on my back and loaded me on a stretcher. I feel the energy leaving me, the pain killing me. I wait for death to take hold and end this, but I didn't know if I was dying. Dreaming of the way it used to be, I fall into the pit of slumber. I wake in a hospital room, decorated with paintings of meadows and seaside cities. Various sounds surround me, and as I turn my head;I see why. I am in the ICU. The sound of a door opening draws my attention away from the machinery. A doctor walks in and smiles at me. "Morning," says in a cheery tone," how are you feeling?" "Well," I state, "when I've been to hell and back, its all good. You?" He chuckles. "Doing fine. You know, you are extremely lucky to be alive." "How lucky?" My curiosity is killing me. "Well, lets see here.." He flips to a certain page." Aha. Marcus... because you were behind the explosion, you had a severely bruised back, a broken leg and arm, shrapnel injuries all over the sides of your face, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree burns." "Wow." "That's pretty lucky if you ask me," said the doctor. "I'm Dr. Thomas. Nice to meet you." Held out his hand and I painfully shook it. "Well, you must be tired. I'll leave you be. Goodnight." I fell asleep minutes later. It wasn't pleasant. I kept hearing Luna's voice. "Thou art our child...love thee...come to me.." "No!" I yelled. "Leave me be! I am not that creature or whatever you are talking about! Leave me be!" She laughed. "Thou shall see. We are coming for thou at this very moment. Thou shall be our colt." Suddenly, Celestia materialized beside Luna, smiling. Blood drained from my face. I turn and ran as I heard their melodious laughter. All I saw was black. Then, I heard nothing but my heat beating inside my head. Beads of sweat dripped off my brow. I wiped my forehead and looked around. Nothing that I could see. I turned around only to see a demonic smile in front of my face. I screamed like a girl, fell on my bottom and scurried back. "Soon," it said, "I will have control. We will meet again." Perplexed, I just nodded my head rapidly. Then everything below me fell under me and I fell in the black. Chapter IIISomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
PrologueBeyond Limits Never before have I been this... Alone. It's like... You're in a group, yet you are the only one who is different. And forever that's the way it shall be. Well, this life is not a first choice; and there never was one to begin with. As the first leaves fall in autumn, I run faster. It's these games of cat and mouse that I hate. And I have no clue why I, Marcus Johnson, am the prey in this maze. I can't believe my ears. He's really dead. I lie speechless on the old black couch in my families living room. My oldest and only brother. In my family, I'm the second son. Now the only son. As I silently weep over the loss, glimpses of his destroyed, pitiful form flash before me. And the last words were only fully understood after his passing. Forever will they be burned in my mind. As he, my beloved brother, lie dying, Andrew pulled me close for the final time. His blood soaked into my white shirt as I embrace him, and he makes me promise these few lines: "The greatest story ever made is only what you make it. Be an angel among demons; protect those who you care for to the end. " He murmured something about asking for forgiveness and repentance for his sins, then finally left. As I kneel beside his gory, bloody form I rise. I look to the dark skies and utter few words. "Dearest brother, I'm no saint. I'm no angel either." Three weeks later. "Depression hurts. We can help. Contact us at..." I shut the tv off before it can continue. "Depression hurts, hmm? You have no clue," I mutter. I rise from the couch and step towards the doorway. It's 8:30am on a crisp fall morning. As I hang my head low and walk, a fallen maple leaf flutters by. I watch as more float by in the same direction. I pay no attention to how fast they are moving. "Passing leaves," I mutter, "passing people. I don't see the difference everyone should move... on." Saying the last word hurts more than anything. Well, someone has it worse. Yup. Worse when your parents died in 9/11, worse when your 20 year old brother is dead. But, I can take care of myself. I quicken my pace as the hour arm on the analog clock on the lamp post moves ever so closer to 9:00. As I enter St.Luke's high school, the bell rings. I avoid crowds of people moving to and for from class to class, or people trying to get to their locker. I finally make it to my locker, number 279. I reach and grab my algebra and English language arts books.... .... Only to have them knocked out of my hands by James Bates, ( or as I "fondly" call him Master Bates...) and as he does that he shoves in to me on purpose. "Hey wise guy, just who do you think you are?" He demands in "rage." The inner kid in me had the extreme urge to say in a deep growling voice: IM BATMAN! But, when your in high school, it will just make you look like a retard. "I'm Marcus Johnson, you know, the kid you picked on for the last 4 years because you can't find anyone else to bother?" James was in the 11th grade as I was in the 9th. To me, he was pathetic because he was scared of the 12th graders, so he would stereotypically pick on kids younger than him. Mind you, never would he say that aloud. "Don't get smart with me, punk. You are just a twerp and I can and WILL squash you like a bug," he snarled in my face, "why you shoved me is unknown, but you should always apologize and make things as right as possible, right?" He said smugly. "Then, James, you have one hell to pay," I say as I walk towards my first class. Outside, dark clouds were gathering. A storm was brewing, and this one would differ from every other one before it. As I fall onto the couch in the living room, exhausted from the days tiring events, I open my book back to study for the upcoming tests. I know I am prepared; I study and review every week. Now, I know what you're thinking. NERD. Not really... But I do pretty well in school compared to James. You know, like 80s, 90s, and if I'm lucky, slightly higher. I open my science textbook and review on the lesson of "how an ecosystem works." Yay. After a dreadful two hours, ( well I may be over dramatizing it a bit but....) I attend to my daily chores. I go to fold the laundry, but I realize that it was still stormy outside. The rain pelted down like a symphony of bullets as they fell and make contact with the glass table that rested just outside the door. The wind blew so hard that the way the trees were moving, it looked like they were constantly being slapped back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth. I snap myself out of that daze and return to my work. After some time, I sit down to eat supper as the clock strikes 6. I dig into the lukewarm meal of spaghetti; I'm ravenous. I stop myself and listen. All I hear is the sound of my deep breathing, and the sound of the rain falling. I feel utterly alone. Which I am. I cannot contain myself from shedding a tear as I remember the days when we, my family, would sit together and talk about the day, the things bad and good that happened. But as long as we were together, everything was fine. As long as we were together.... ...together... "Move on," my thoughts whisper inside my head , "there is nothing you can do. They're gone. Dead." "No," I pant angrily, "no..NOO!" I scream as I rise, grab my plate and bash my on the floor. The sauce, a crimson red, splatters in every direction, bringing even more bad memories to mind. Innocent blood spilt... Mom, dad, the. Andrew... Gone... "NOOOOOO!" I cry in agony and grief. I lean against a wall and wearily slide down until I am in a sitting position. "Gone...." I croak in a hoarse, raspy voice. Tears spill down my cheeks like a waterfall; they never seem to end. I lay there until the clock struck midnight. "Gone.." I say before falling into the depths of sleep. "Gone.." And outside, the storm raged on. I awake to the steady beeping of my alarm clock. I can just hear it, even though I am a floor down from it. Sighing, I rise and attend to my morning routine. As I rinse myself off in the shower, I cast yet another glance outside. "Damn," I think to myself, "this must be a big storm." It seemed like the storm only intensified, like someone added fuel to the fire. And one thought kept bothering me. "Why are there faint swirls of colour in the clouds?" Setting that oddity aside, I get dressed in black jeans, a grey t-shirt and a blue Aeropostale sweater/hoodie. I tie my black shoes, (if you have not guessed already, my favourite colour is black. Thought others argued that black was a shade.. Which is partially true.) I open the door with my backpack and step outside. The chill hits me like a slap in the face. After locking the door, I set out to school. As I pace towards the school, I hear thunder. "Just my luck," I growled. The rain fell like bombs in World War Two; hard and fast. Now jogging, I feel wind flow through my hair, pushing me back. Yet I refused. Now soaked and running, the wind is howling like a pack of wolves, and I snap my head back to see.. ... A tornado. Panicked, I push harder and harder against the force of the wind. I don't stop until I'm securely behind a brick wall. Peeking around the corner, I saw the least strangest thing that day. Swirling and blending with the tornado were vibrant colours. Ducking as a mailbox flew over my head. I then saw what REALLY creeped me out. The colournado began to glow. That's right. Freaking. Glow. It grew brighter, almost as bright as the sun... well I wouldn't go that far. But is was still glowing very bright gold now. I said the most logical hong to say. "OH CRAP!" I ran like my life depended on it. Oh fuck it, it did. Then I ran from my spot and bolted. Directly behind me the tornado followed. "Nononononononononono!" I screamed. I ran with all my strength, but it was faster. I dove for cover in an abandoned building. The windows were shattered and it was very old. It was due for demolition a week later, but things could be rescheduled. I gazed around, looking at the wasteland I called home. Trees were uprooted, houses were demolished. A block or so away the tornado drew closer and then... Stopped moving. It started pulsing a golden light. Then it exploded. Then it imploded. Shielding my eyes, I look away. After a few seconds, a boom is heard, shattering windows everywhere. Pieces of glass fly by quickly. A small piece cuts deep into my forehead, diagonally across my face. Luckily, it misses my actual eye. But it still is a wound; it gushes blood onto my face and clothes. Pain ripples through my face, but I try to ignore it. There is a bigger task at hand. I rise above the table I was taking shelter from, and duck down again. To make sure that I'm not dreaming, I pinch myself. It's real. And no, I'm not on drugs. I rise again to hear the stomping of feet. I was wrong. Trying not to laugh, I look upon what was in the tornado. Ponies. Ridiculous, right? What appeared to be the guards were surrounding a golden carriage. In front were 6 or 7 brightly coloured ponies. The leading one, coloured lavender or very light purple with a dark purple tail, mane and... Wings? What the fuck? I then noticed a protrusion on its head. It was wearing what looked like a crown. The others were wearing things like that around their necks. They all had different marks on their flanks, which confused me. The orange one was wearing a straw hat. Her butt tattoo was a picture of three apples in the shape of a triangle. A blue.. Pegasus? Yes, that's it. the Pegasus had rainbow hair, and her tattoo was a rainbow lightning bolt. There was a pink one that was clearly happy considering the stupid grin on its face, and it was hopping. The others were walking... She must be crazy or something. The next one was yellow with a pink mane; it looked quite timid. It had pink butterflies for her tattoo. Next to her was a white pony with purple hair. By first looking at her you could tell you did not want to mess with her. And she looked snobby, too. They appeared to be looking for something. All of a sudden, I heard one of them say, "he must be here somewhere. We traced him to this spot." Not taking any chances, I decided to move. As I moved from my spot, I stepped on a few pieces of glass. As soon as it made that sound, I cringed and looked behind me. All 6 of them were staring me dead in the eyes. The purple one said these few words that made my choice to run brilliant. "Oh, there you are. Guards, SIEZE HIM!" Dammit. I ran towards the backdoor as hoofs stampeded in my direction. I flew out the back door, only to fall 6 feet to the ground. Great, more injuries. But I had to keep moving. A guard in golden armour yelled "HALT!" In my direction, but I ignored it and kept moving. I turned onto Winchester street, which was covered in garbage and fauna. I then make a left... ... To see those six ponies with necklaces/crowns staring at me with determined looks. I turned and ran in the other direction. Now I heard even more hoofs beating against the ground. As I snap my head back to see how far away they are, the purple one's horn lights up a bright purple... .. And she fires lasers at me. In fact, so many lasers that it looks kinda like when the Millennium Falcon goes into hyper speed. I duck into an alleyway and hide. I wait for the stampede to pass me by. It almost worked.. Until I moved at the very last second. The blue Pegasus flies toward me at incredible speed. It hits be square in the back, the impact causing me to go flying. Pain makes its way to my central back and hips. I crash into a black Lexus, and the front windows shatter. I barely manage to get up before they reach me. Why did they want me anyway? There was no time to think. The purple one was going to fire more lasers at me, this time with the help of the white one. I duck the wave of lasers and try to out run them. Clearly, I can't. So I make my way home, and hope they don't see me. It works. I am overjoyed that I can rest. As I lock the door, I sluggishly make my way back to the couch and fall down. My heart is pounding in my ears. One thought keeps pestering me as I fall asleep. "Why?" The ponies searched house after house, not knowing that the human they were looking for was already in the house they first checked; his current residence. The blue one asked the purple one a question. "Twilight, why haven't we found him yet?" The purple one, twilight, responded, "Because, Rainbow, he's hiding. If we knew where he was, then we would have found him already." The blue one, also called Rainbow pondered over this. "Weeellllllll...." "Well what, Rainbow?" "Could he be somewhere we already checked? I mean, if we are faster than him, he should be tired and he couldn't have gone far." Author's Note Sorry about my absence. Been quite busy... Anyway, here you go.
Chapter I Author's Note Hello! Just wanted to thank you all for your patience. This chapter contains swearing frequently, so just a heads up. Like, comment, or follow! Thanks for your time and I hope you enjoy! Chapter I I awoke to the sound of my heartbeat pounding in my head. Covered in sweat, I rolled off the couch I was just sleeping on. I pull on a t-shirt and I hear a faint breeze coming from the kitchen. Curious like any other person would be, I crept towards the kitchen. I shivered as I felt the sensation of flesh on cold tiles as i stepped into the room. In here, it was noticeably colder, and I surveyed the area to see why. The back door was open, a faint breeze scurrying leaves into the house. I crept closer to see nothing but my backyard. I gaze upon the night sky to see the moon illuminated with thick black clouds lazily drifting by. Then, a gigantic cloud passed in front of the moon, sealing away any light that was there. Breaking my daze, I grasp the cold door handle and feel, yet again, the feeling of cold metal against flesh. I shiver every time that happens. I proceed to lock the door and return to my room. After getting dressed and blog through my usual routine, it slipped my mind that I forgot to check what time it was. I wipe myself off with a towel, which wasn't the greatest because with the tornado damaged a part of the electricity system running through the system. So, in short terms, no heat. But miraculously, citizens still had plumbing. So that was beneficial. I slipped on a light grey t-shirt, a black sweater with a blue eagle on the front of it and a pair of boot cut jeans. I didn't know if I would be running from... From them. Why was I their priority? Why was I the target? It made no sense to me whatsoever. I grab my bag which I had selected but had made a few minor changes and pace towards the mud room. I pull on a place wool hat as it is getting colder, and just for good measure, a thin but warm winter jacket. I open the front door and step outside, only to see the streets crawling with those guards. They all look at me as I close the door.... "Oh fuck." ______________________________________ "What," I screamed, "the fuck do you want?!" "Halt! Stand down!" "Stand down my ass!" Having been running for the past twenty minutes can really effect a guy in a positive way or negative depending on the surrounding environment. When you are being chased by fucking horses, it doesn't help. Crimson bolts of light fly past my head. "What the fuck do you want?!" I don't wait for an answer. Seeing a tall building on my left side, I jump for the windowsill and pull myself up. It is not very difficult to do so; I am used to climbing. I've been climbing things since I was a kid. I jump and grab the next windowsill and pull myself up again and again. I look down and see the guards patrolling the area beneath me. My only thought was: don't move. At a painfully slow pace, I finally reach the top of the building. Heavily breathing, I lie down and gaze upwards. The top isn't that comfortable so I shift my position... Knocking a pebble of the top of the building. Paralyzed in fear, I stand, yet again and bolt towards the doors to the entryway. As I shut the door, I hear the discourse of the winged horses as they pursuit me. I brace the door with a broom and run down the stairs. I realize that this is a sports department and I'm on the top floor. Could this mean what I think it means? No... Yeah it does. I dash towards the sports department and head towards the skydiving section. That's going to be my last resort. I grab a parachute and put it on my back. I also grab what I should use to defend myself, like a hockey stick. Then, the sound of hooves makes me realize my time is limited. I run towards the stairs and see that I'm on the 45th floor. I open the door to see even more guards. "God dammit you're like fucking telemarketers! You won't leave me alone!" The look in their face was priceless. Use in the time i had before they caught me, I find a window. I see the cars and surroundings below I hear them yell for me to stop, but all hesitation now is pointless. "Hells gonna have to freeze over first, mothafucka!" I scream as I jump out the window. Then I forgot that there were... Fuck I forget the plural form of Pegasus. Anyway, they started flying after me. I thought of a plan that was quite clever, if i do say so myself. I angled my body so I would make impact with another building parallel to me. I kept falling, though ready to deploy the parachute. I counted down from three. I could see the details of the buildings through the glass windows. Two. I could see the papers lying on the floor of the office. One. I yanked the cord, causing me to be flung back by the force of the wind. The winged horses looked back in shock, then crashed into the building. I grinned. Thought I did feel guilty. I glided to the ground then disposed of the parachute. Adrenaline was pumping through my veins. I knew in due time I would be to tired to run. I found an alley and leaned against a wall and sat down. I made sure I was hidden from anything passing by. After catching my breath, I stood up and looks around the corners. I sighed in relief as I pulled my hood up and started to walk around the corner. Now it was dark again. I swore it was only 5:00 when I was atop of the building. I turned the corner and bumped into something . I fell over but quickly picked myself up. I looked up and froze with fear. You guessed it, another fucking horse. Though this one was different. It had a crown along with regalia. It had a horn and wings.... Wait what? The horses coat was a bark blue and it had turquoise eyes. I turned and tried to run but I could not move. Helpless, I struggled but still could not move. Then I saw why. My body was covered in a blue outline. And it's horn was glowing. "Why run," it spoke in a feminine voice, "thou must be tired. Are thou afraid?" "No," I spat, "I value freedom over my life!" She disregarded the comment. "Why does thou resist? Why do thee not surrender?" "I just fucking TOLD YOU!" "Thou art stubborn." "No shit, Sherlock." She was obviously confused. But she ignored the comment. "Thou art tired. We can see it as clear as we can see through glass." "No." "Yes." "I deny it." "We know it." "I highly disapprove." "We highly think so." AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME AND A SHITLOAD OF SYNONYMS FOR YES AND NO LATER.... "Thou art tired." "WHY DOES IT FUCKING MATTER?!" "Thou are in need of sleep." "..." She then forced me to look into her eyes. They seemed so comforting and warm. And also familiar. That puzzled me. Her horn grew even brighter, suddenly causing me to feel all my muscles relax. "Sleep, young one." Unable to resist, my body overcame my commands and I fell into the abyss of sleep. Luna's POV He was asleep that quick. His body was so worn down by the stress and physical work of like that it shocked me. "Guards." "Yes, your Highness?" "Take the boy to the castle. The portal is over by the Mart of Walls." "Yes, your Highness." I just knew he would be enraged at sister and I when he awoke.
Chapter IIChapter II Beyond Limits Waking as the morning dawn pierced my vision, I clumsily reach to rub my eyes only to find myself restrained. I peer around in the dim lighting of my current residence. The walls are blackened bricks, which is a sign that they have aged a lot, and I gaze upon my upper limbs and my heart sinks to my stomach. Rusted, worn out chains restrain my upper body, upper limbs, chest, lower body, and lower limbs. I lift my head up to see steel bars two feet in front of me. My head drops out of sadness and exhaustion. I am still in my clothing from earlier; though I do not have any of my belongings, my jacket, my sneakers, or any weapons. I look on my left side to see another person, thankfully, in the cell beside me. Urging myself to speak, I try to find the strength in my voice to speak but to no avail. A sharp pain reminds me of my situation. A tear rolls from my eye. And I laugh. I laugh like a madman. I laugh at all the things that have happened to me. The loss, the stress, the pain, the hurting, the loneliness, the depression... The fear. I laugh at it all. Thinking this is some sick joke, I keep laughing until my side hurts. Tears fall in a steady stream down my face, creating a trail across my cheek. "I'm going insane," I mutter underneath my breath, "I'm dreaming. This is a fucking nightmare. This is merely a dream. And I'll wake soon. And this will be over." I laugh more. I hear the screams of the people outside, I hear the screams of the dying and wounded. And I laugh. —()— I lift my head as I hear the sound of keys rattling. I can't see whom, or what, it is. I wait to see who has come to visit me. The sun has risen to its afternoon position and the room is now bright enough to see. It's her. The shadow one who, I am presuming, brought me. And behind the dark equine, another equine like her but taller. She had a snow-white coat and a rainbow like main. Her magenta coloured eyes scanned my pathetic form; she seemed worried, said, and... They look at me with anxiousness. Almost as anxious as I am to leave this place. Though they are both trying, and failing, to contain their excitement and happiness. I stir uncomfortably as they drew nearer. And closer. The taller one notices and says in a voice of silk, "Be at ease. We bear no ill will towards you." "Bullshit," I sneer, "If you didn't, then why the fuck am I here? Why do you all want me in chains? I have committed no foul crime against you or your people!" "That is not why you are here." "Then why am I here?!" "You see, we rule this land..." "Wait," I asked, " where are we?" "The answer you seek is not relevant," she said. "It mightn't be to you," I state dryly, "but it is quite important to me." "Moving on. Your world, as we came to know, hosts a powerful being on the edge of corruption, and we seek to find it. It looks like one of us, alicorns, but young. We cannot see or find it with the naked eye. So we must change all sentient beings into our form, ponies." The white one stated. "Sister," the dark one spoke, "we haven't formally introduced ourselves. "Oh," the white one spoke," pardon my informality. I am Princess Celestia. And this," she indicated the other one, "is my sister, Princess Luna." "Anyway, we sent a tracking spell to find this being. We searched and searched galaxies until we found your galaxy." "So," I sneered, "what the fuck does this have to do with me?!" "It is you." "I have no clue what you are talking about. I'm a fucking teenager, I am trying to start my life and find a job so I can actually survive in this world. And you are saying that I am, supposedly, this powerful being? More specifically a colt?" "..." "Well?" Both of them were silent. "Yes. More specifically, a foal," Celestia stated. I was confused. "A what?" "You would call it a child." "I see where this is going and I do not like it one bit. Say you were wrong," I implied," would you leave me be?" "Yes. Plus, we wouldn't disturb you any longer. But, if we are correct..." Celestia stated. "We have a new child." Luna finished. I shuddered at the thought. Me being an alien child... Nope. "Already, half of the population has been converted." States Luna. She holds up a purple solution in a beaker. "And you are next." I squirm in my restraints as they drew nearer and they both tipped the beaker with glee. But, an explosion behind me causes them to fly backwards, denting the steel behind them. I feel extreme heat behind me, and I feel bones break as bricks are flung in every direction. I fall to the ground, realizing that the restraints are gone. The guards have dragged away the princesses, but now they focus on me. "Not again, bitches!" I turn, limp, and jump off the edge, expecting soft ground underneath me. Only to find none and I'm falling a hundred feet of a mountain. Though all I see is water. Oh well, at least I have a safe landing. As I fall, I see tons of my people rushing towards the castle. And I mean a battalion of them. All were dressed in camo gear and they knew where I was. I wasn't paying attention to the quickly approaching body of water. On impact, I created a plume of water high into the sky. I held my breath as I took fast strokes with my legs in order to reach the top. Water moves around my body as I swam. Pain in my arms and legs slowed me down. Gasping as I reach the top, I hear a soldier yell, "He's over there!" I swan towards them. I reached dry ground and they helped me up. Soldiers covered us all around, protecting us from any attackers. I was thrown into a combat truck and I felt the engine roar as the tires kicked up dirt and pebbles. A medic beside me was applying bandages around my body as I was cut in various locations. The medic and others place me on my back and loaded me on a stretcher. I feel the energy leaving me, the pain killing me. I wait for death to take hold and end this, but I didn't know if I was dying. Dreaming of the way it used to be, I fall into the pit of slumber. I wake in a hospital room, decorated with paintings of meadows and seaside cities. Various sounds surround me, and as I turn my head;I see why. I am in the ICU. The sound of a door opening draws my attention away from the machinery. A doctor walks in and smiles at me. "Morning," says in a cheery tone," how are you feeling?" "Well," I state, "when I've been to hell and back, its all good. You?" He chuckles. "Doing fine. You know, you are extremely lucky to be alive." "How lucky?" My curiosity is killing me. "Well, lets see here.." He flips to a certain page." Aha. Marcus... because you were behind the explosion, you had a severely bruised back, a broken leg and arm, shrapnel injuries all over the sides of your face, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree burns." "Wow." "That's pretty lucky if you ask me," said the doctor. "I'm Dr. Thomas. Nice to meet you." Held out his hand and I painfully shook it. "Well, you must be tired. I'll leave you be. Goodnight." I fell asleep minutes later. It wasn't pleasant. I kept hearing Luna's voice. "Thou art our child...love thee...come to me.." "No!" I yelled. "Leave me be! I am not that creature or whatever you are talking about! Leave me be!" She laughed. "Thou shall see. We are coming for thou at this very moment. Thou shall be our colt." Suddenly, Celestia materialized beside Luna, smiling. Blood drained from my face. I turn and ran as I heard their melodious laughter. All I saw was black. Then, I heard nothing but my heat beating inside my head. Beads of sweat dripped off my brow. I wiped my forehead and looked around. Nothing that I could see. I turned around only to see a demonic smile in front of my face. I screamed like a girl, fell on my bottom and scurried back. "Soon," it said, "I will have control. We will meet again." Perplexed, I just nodded my head rapidly. Then everything below me fell under me and I fell in the black.
