I Survived

I stayed there for just a bit longer, taking in the view. But eventually decided to get up to see what Celestia was doing here.

I went into town and found Celestia talking to Twilight.

"Brendan." Celestia said.

"What's going on here?" I said.

"Brendan, I have come to tell you that we have found a way for you to return home." Celestia said.

My eyes grew wide. What? I could, go home? This was the best news I had ever heard in my time here, going home. I could finally get the answers to the questions that have plagued my mind for all this time.

"Alright, let's do it." I said.

Celestia nodded and said that we had to go to Canterlot straight away. I ran towards her chariot, I couldn't wait any longer.

When we all got onto the chariot we flew towards Canterlot, finally I would have my answers.

We had eventually arrived in Canterlot, which looked beautiful during this time of day. But I didn't have enough time to admire the beauty of the city right now.

I got out and ran ahead of them to the castle, I was about to get there when I noticed a large wagon in the corner of my eye. I looked at it and my suspicion was correct, it was Trixie's. I wanted to run ahead and get there now, but I also wanted to tell Trixie the good news. So I just stood there, tapping my feet, wondering what to do. I eventually just decided to tell Trixie the good news.

I ran to the wagon and knocked on the door.

"Yes?" Trixie said from inside.

"Trixie? It's me, Brendan." I said.

I heard her practically run to her door and open it.

"Y-your here?" She said. "N-not that Trixie cares. Trixie couldn't care less.....Why are you here?"

"Celestia told me that she found a way to get me back home. And I'm trying to get there as fast as I can." I said.

"Oh, well. Uh, good luck with that." She said, her ears drooping.

"You want to come?" I asked.

Her ears perked up and she nodded.

I ran and turned my head around, watching her struggling to keep up with me. I thought it was kind of cute how she kept tripping over her cape like that. Wait, cute? What?

I slowed down and we decided to walk to the castle instead, but speed walking though.

We arrived at the castle and we were about to go in when two royal guard stood in our way.

"Halt civilians. You may not pass through here." One of them said.

I was about to open my mouth to say something when Celestia said something from behind me. "It's alright, they can pass."

I would wonder how she got here so fast, but I was too excited about getting to see my home that I just didn't care.

I walked into the throne room and saw a small circular mat in the middle of the room, surrounded by a big pile of rope.

"What's all this?" I asked.

"That's how we get you home." Celestia said. "I will do the spell and the portal should appear above that mat, and you can go visit your world."

I walked over to the mat and told her to do it. She got the spell ready and the portal appeared over the mat. Questions that had plagued my mind were finally going to be answered, I couldn't wait any longer. I was about to step into the portal when Celestia wrapped the rope around me.

"What's this for?" I asked.

"So we can pull you back through." She said, tightening it.

I was about to step in again when Twilight stopped me. She dragged me away, saying she had to say something to me.

"What Twi? Why'd you do that?" I said. She had taken us out of the room and we were in the hallway.

"I just needed to ask you something." She said.

"Well what is it?"

"If your home is just how you want. If it's everything that you've ever wanted, and you want to stay. Would you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, would you leave? Forever?" She said.

Rainbow asked me this too, and I still didn't have the answer for it. I thought about it for a moment, would I? Would I just leave? No, of course not. I would at least come here and say my goodbyes. But what if the portal was only a one time thing? What if I only have one chance to do it? I didn't know.

"Well, I'd say my goodbyes if that was the case. I wouldn't just straight up leave you guys." I said.

"What if you couldn't go back when you re-entered here?" She said.

Was she reading my mind? I was about to say something when I felt somepony tugging at the rope, then I fell back as the rope dragged me back into the throne room.

"Okay, you've had your turn to talk. Now come on." Trixie said, dragging me back into the hallway, still on my butt. Twilight went back into the throne room and Trixie turned to me.

"So, it looks like your finally going back home, huh?" She said.

"Yeah, it's been so long. And I can't remember that much, I just hope it's as great as I'm imagining." I said.

"Well, I just wanted to say that, uh." She kicked the ground and sighed. "You're a good pony- er, person." She said.

"Thanks Trixie. And I know your a good pony." I said.

"Well, Trixie hopes that you find out who you are, and about your home." She said. "So, goodbye." Tears started to form around her eyes.

"Goodbye to you too, the Great and Powerful Trixie." I said, chuckling a bit.

She laughed a bit too and hugged me.

"Don't be gone for too long." She said.

"I'll try not to." I said, hugging back.

After a while I felt the rope tugging, and was dragged back into the throne room.

I said my goodbyes to the rest of them and walked up to the portal. From the looks on their faces, it seemed that they thought I would stay there forever, and they were in a hurry to say their goodbyes. I looked into the portal, it was a oval of white. I stepped into the portal and closed my eyes, imagining seeing bright colors, people walking around, all sorts of new things. I expected to be greeted with a beautiful view of a human city, maybe even being able to find my parents. I didn't remember much, but I knew I was an only child, no girlfriend, no children, so my parents were going to be a sight that I would love to see. When I stepped into the portal I opened my eyes and my heart fell. I was greeted with destruction.

I looked around at the wasteland that was in front of me, my smile was gone. My thoughts about what this place is like were gone, my dreams shattered as I stared at the ruined buildings that fell on top of one another, the houses that were mostly missing their walls and had their interiors exposed.

I walked to the scene in front of me, it was dark. The sky looked like it was nighttime, but it could be day, I don't know.

I looked at the skyscrapers that fell onto other smaller buildings, the scene looked like one straight out of an apocalyptic game that I thought I played once in this world.

I imagined all of the mental pictures I had about my home, how it would be as bright and colorful as Equestria, and watched them shatter and show me this nightmare. I walked until I found my self at a large building that looked like a giant bowl and walked in, empty and barren. I walked to the center of the building, which had a giant field in it, and sat on the stage that it had. I looked around, now with all of the questions that were answered, five new ones took their places.

"What happened?" I said.

I looked around at the stage and found a large device. I picked it up and found myself in that strange feeling of deja vu. I looked around at the scene around me. Yes. I have been here before. But why? How? When? I then had visions flash before my eyes. With each vision that passed through my head, the more I could remember. I fell to my knees, trying my hardest to remember.

I had all of the pieces to the puzzle, now I just had to put them together.

"BRENDAN!!" I heard a voice in my head say.

"WE WILL RISE AGAIN!!" The Russian man's voice in my head said. "THEY CANNOT KEEP US TRAPPED DOWN HERE FOREVER!!!"

I tried even harder, I was hearing the voices, but I couldn't get the picture.

I closed my eyes, then the memories all came flooding back to me.

I remembered who I was.

I remembered everything.

I was Brendan Smith. Charged with treason to my country, imprisoned and tortured, escaped, and the man who failed to stop the end of the world.