Outcasted Hero

Okay, so it's been about four months since I got here and my injuries had healed up awhile ago, and my birthday managed to pass without Pinkie figuring it out which is a good thing considering I don't like celebrating it. After that I've been exploring Ponyville and becoming acquainted with some of the other ponies that live here. All of them were wary of me at first but as time went on Ponyville got used to my presence and I became just another member of the community. A week after I was given a clean bill of health, mostly, I went around looking for job as I wanted to find something that would occupy my time other than reading. all. Damn. Day. I managed to snag one over at a mare's candy shop named BonBon and she has been a pretty great boss. I've been helping out around Ponyville more as I made things so much easier for everypony, and have adapted to using their vocabulary for things, like somebody or everybody, and started using somepony and everypony which was easier than I thought it would be.

These past few months have been relatively uneventful as nothing of interest really happened, which I was disappointed in, especially after hearing about the girls adventures'. Right now I am helping BonBon make some chocolate treats for the foals that were currently waiting behind the counter eagerly. "Are those chocolates done yet David?" BonBon asked as she walked up beside me. She was a cream colored earth pony with a two-toned mane and tail that consisted of a dark blue and pink, turquoise eyes, and a cutiemark of three wrapped pieces of candy.

"Almost, I just need to pour in the mix and wait for the current batch to finish." I replied while not taking my eyes off of the bowl currently within my grasp.

"Well you better hurry before those fillies and colts try to jump over the counter and attack you."She joked around. I really liked that about her. Just because we're at work it doesn't mean that we can't have a little fun to help the day better, and that was something BonBon seemed to understand.

"You say that like I can't handle them. Last I checked I-"

"David, we need your help!" Twilight shouted as she and Pinkie crashed through the door.

"What, what is it, what happened?" I was considering that something big must have happened if they were coming here to ask me for help while I'm working.

"It's the crusaders, they're surrounded by a pack of manticores and are stuck in tree. We went and told the others already but I think that we'll need you to find a way to save them." My eyes widen when I heard that. There is one thing that you don't want to do and that is mess with children, at least not in my presence. I find out that a child's life is at risk and I will make you pay for it one way or another.

"Then lets get going, we're wasting time standing here." I said as I jumped the counter and ran out the door of the shop, towards the Everfree, and ready for anything. It didn't take long for Twilight and Pinks to catch up with me as I ran through the forest, following the sounds of loud roars, and as we got closer we could hear voices as well. We reached the others as saw that Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash standing in front of one them. Flutter's was trying to talk to it, but judging the way it swiped at them before it rejoined its pack, they weren't going to listen.

"I knew that wouldn't work but nopony else had any other ideas, so what do we do?" Rainbow said as they came back to us.

"Wait a minute, you're telling me that none of done anything beside stand here and watch this take place!?" I asked as my anger was already building up. If they don't figure out something soon I'm taking matters into my own hands.

"No! We've been here trying to find a way to lure those the manticores away from here but nothing seems to work. For some reason they're fixated on getting the girls and we have no idea why." Applejack jumped in.

"Have you tried just forcing them to leave?" I asked and they all looked at me like I had suddenly sprouted a second head.

"Are you crazy? Facing one manticore when you have it outnumbered is one thing, but when they outnumber you it's a totally different story. Any one of us would gladly risk our lives if it meant they could escape but seeing how things are it would be a waste of time and effort that would end in failure." Rarity sobbed out as she thought about not being able to save her sister.

"Well then I guess it's up to me to bail them then isn't it?" I asked as I got their attention.

"Well you are the one from a world that seems to have no problem seeing each other die right in front of you." Twilight remarked.

"I never said that, I just said that I don't have a problem seeing it along with many others, but it doesn't mean that we wouldn't do anything to help if we can. Anyway, seeing as though none of you have no sort of combat training or have handle situations like this. I think it best if I go in there alone and fight them off until you girls can collect the crusaders and go." This obviously did not sit well with the girls.

"Again, are you Crazy? What makes you think you can last that long against twelve manticores that are only twice your size, but also just as strong, if not stronger, it's suicidal!" Rainbow jumped in again.

"Well there is one thing that I have up my sleeve. It's something I thought I would never have to use again but it would seem that I have no other choice and-" I was explaining to them before I heard something that struck fear into our hearts. The sound of a tree branch snapping and the screams of three fillies and that was it for me. Fueled by the protective instincts that come along with being the oldest of seven, I rushed into the pack of manticores with no regards of my own personal safety. I ran through them until I spotted Applebloom and ran even faster as I saw one of the beast about to pounce on her but before it could it could, I slammed the beast in its side and knocked it off balance. Now standing in between Applebloom, Sweetiebelle, and Scootaloo, and the pack of hungry manticores, I prepared myself for an intense fight the creatures. All was silent except for a breeze the blew through the forest before one of the manticores launched at me and preparing to skewer me with it scorpion tail. I waited until the last moment and managed to dodge its attack, and as a bonus redirect it towards one of its comrades, but was caught off guard as another tree me against a tree with a side swipe from its tail.

I got up off the ground and charged at one of the beast myself as another did the same. As I slid under it I kicked him in his family jewels and turned to where the fillies were. I saw that the girls had made their move and went to gather up the CMC but their cover was soon blown as Fluttershy screamed when she looked in my direction and caused all of the manticores to turn back to them. I was going to go guard them but I was everything went black as I felt something land on top of me. When I woke up I immediately noticed a heavy weight on my back as i was laying on my stomach and I couldn't move. I looked back to notice one the vile beast holding me down and as I tried to get up I found that I couldn't and I was in immense pain. Despite the pain I kept trying but stopped when I heard crying not to far from me. I looked towards to where it was coming from I found that the girls were still by the tree though that wasn't the thing I noticed. I also saw that there was a shimmering purple sphere around them as the manticores kept attacking it which meant that Twilight was using her magic to protect everypony.

I knew that it wouldn't hold for long and redoubled my efforts to get up but found it to be fruitless but being as stubborn as I was I was going to keep trying until there was nothing left within me. I was getting exhausted and was thinking of calling it quits but that was when I heard what sounded like glass breaking and looked to the girls to see that Twilight's shield was breaking as it had numerous cracks in it and they were getting bigger. I was too exhausted to move anymore but I tried anyway and after a few minutes the manticore on top of me seemed to be getting bored and wanted to join in on the fun, and so he started putting more weight down on that one paw; I could've sworn i was hearing bones starting to creak from the weight and I started to give up when I heard 'IT' talking to me.

"Come on David, I know that you don't want to use my power but are really going to let yourself die for these ponies without actually doing anything besides getting more of them killed?" IT stated as I continued to lie on the ground.

And what do you suppose I do? Let you loose and destroy all of my work? I know the situation was dire but it would be made even worse with IT out and about.

"I suggest we work together like we did five years ago. You have control while I lend you my strength." I was skeptical.

And you expect me to just assume that you have no ulterior motive behind this? I asked to see if he gave the answer.

"Seriously? The only motive I have is to make sure that I live as well. Remember if you die so do I and I'm not about let that happen." wasn't the answer I was looking for but it was good enough.

"Alright you damn thing, lets just get this over-" I was going to say I accept his terms when I heard Twilight's shield break and the girls' scream as the manticores rushed to them. "No, no no no no no, NO!" I growled as the feeling of helplessness came over me and I no longer gave a damn about controlling myself. And that was made imminent as my vision began to darken once again only this time it was being filled with blood as my thoughts were clouded by the thoughts of decimating in my path. . . .to kill all who oppose me. . . . . . . . . . . steal. . the. . souls. . .of. . . my. . . .enemies. . . . and. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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We thought we were doomed. My barrier had fell, David was pinned by one of the manticores that were trying to eat the Crusaders, and we were heavily outnumbered with nopony able to get help and find us. We tried to put up a brave front but it was useless. "Twilight what are we going to do now." Fluttershy asked from behind me.

"I don't know, the odds of any of us getting out have gone down substantially and I don't think there's anything that we can really do to get out of this mess." I replied fearfully as I was afraid that almost of hope was lost.

"Never thought I would go out like this. I was hoping that if I didn't live a long life then I would go down fighting." Rainbow Dash added in.

"I would say that we should at least try and everything will be alright but then would be lyin, though right now ah lie like that would be something we need." Applejack said sagely.

"Does this mean that we're all going to that place where everypony goes when they die,you know that good place where everything is suppose to be nice?" Scootaloo asked. It was saddening to hear a young filly, who had her whole life to look forward to, say that but there was no way that even the optimism of a foal could find a silver lining to our current predicament.

Nopony said anything as we all huddled together for our last group hug as the manticores decided to start closing further in on us. Everypony closed their eyes as we waited for the inevitable to happen as I heard the sound of multiple wing beats surround us and knew that the pack was about to attack. We waited and waited for the end to come but then a sound made us all snap open our eyes and look in front of us, as we had heard what sounded like one of the manticores roaring in pain, and what we saw shocked us all.

Standing right in front us, with one of his arms impaled within the creatures that we were sure would be our end, was David but his appearance seemed to have changed. His muscle mass appeared to have increased, though only slightly, his fingers changed into claws, and his hair grew to his waist and turned silver. I couldn't see his face as his back was turned to us, but I could hear him growling, and I knew it was him because the other manticores were back on the ground and whimpering in fear which must mean that his facial features must have changed as well.

He stood there, with his right arm still impaled within his unfortunate victim, for a couple of minutes before he lifted up his other arm and drove it through the same spot as the other and began to pull the manticore in half. We all watched with horror as he tore through it with ease and throwing both parts of the now dead manticore off to the side before he suddenly vanished for moment or two before appearing next to another one. We saw his face and saw, that instead of having his six canines and the rest of his flat teeth, his mouth was now filled elongated fangs that looked as though they could tear apart those manticores with ease. Couldn't much see his eyes all to well but I could have that they had slits instead of round pupils.

His new appearance mattered very little to us as his new strength and bloodlust caught us off guard. He seemed to be moving very, very fast as he would vanish one moment and reappear somewhere else the other. He was also slaying the pack of manticores like they nothing at all. Either dismembering them limb by limb, or going as far as devouring them, he was indeed a killing machine and it didn't look like he was stopping anytime soon.

"Wh- what's happened to him? He looks like a totally different creature out there." Rainbow Dash stammered out.

"I don't know, but I know that I don't like it." Pinkie Pie said with her mane deflated.

"What is this anyway? I've seen 'im get angry before, but this is something else." I had to agree with Applejack. This looks like anger but on a totally different level. Whatever this is it is something that he must have been hiding for a long time by the looks of it.

"I, I think I know wh- what it is."Fluttershy spoke up from behind the Crusaders as we turned to her.

"Really!? Well then spit it out then darling, we need to know what we need to do should he get out of hand with this." Rarity demanded as she was just as scared as the rest of us.

"W-well I don't think we can do anything but he did tell me one time that he doesn't like to get angry because he turns into a monster. . . .or a demon depending on how you look at it." Fluttershy started explaining.

"Wait a minute, when you say that he turns into 'demon' is it the same reason why he still wants to keep that nickname?" I asked, confused as to why he would want to be referred to something he obviously wants to nothing to do with.

"No not really. He calls himself a demon in that sense whenever he does anything terrible that doesn't revolve around him getting angry, like going around other humans for fun." Okay not that is just not right.

"So you're telling us that the term demon for himself for two different reasons?." Pinkie asked to which Fluttershy simply nodded. "But that doesn't make any sense!" This coming from the one who could just pop out of an ink well that she shouldn't be able to fit in any way.

"Well there is more that he told me that is related to why he doesn't like to be this way. He told that about five years ago from Hearts and Hooves day there was an incident with a girl he had loved. From what he told me about her, they had been friends since they were infants and were the bestest of friends, they were inseparable, but he wanted them to be more than that as they got older and so one day he asked her to be, what he called a girlfriend which is like a special somepony for us. When he asked she accepted and they remained that way until the day I mentioned earlier." So Fluttershy managed to get a story about his life in his world and by the sounds of it, it may just make up most of it if what she was told is true.

"Hold up a moment there Fluttershy. If these two were soooo inseparable as you say they were, then why does he keep telling us that he was alone back home?" Rainbow Dash asked, seemingly growing skeptical of the story.

"I'm about to get to that. You see on that they have a holiday like Hearts and Hooves day that is called Valentine's day that is about the same thing. The two of them had made plans for that day and David had gotten there early because he was excited for what they going to do. But when it came to the time they were supposed to meet; she showed up but with another guy and the only person he said that he hated from the deepest part of his heart." SHe went on but was interrupted by AppleJack this time.

"For some reason I can't believe that. I don't mean to be rude here but David seems like the fellow that would hate a lot of people no matter what age he is." Not sure if I could agree with that.

"But that is the thing that makes this all the more tragic, especially for him. He told me that before that day he was actually kind enough to where he could have been the me of his world, at least that's how he compared it. He would never think badly about anypony, he didn't like it when there was a fight, and he wanted to be a friends to everypony no matter how mean they were. Well everypony except that one guy he hated." Wow, if any of this is true then that would explain a lot about David but by the looks of it there is more to this story.

"But back to where I left off, when he saw that his girlfriend was with this guy he knew that something was up. He had asked her why this other man was here and that is when this girl told him that she breaking up with him but that she still wanted to be friends. He was sad but he was willing to accept her offer and they were going to part ways but then this guy, who was someone who liked to bully others, especially David, for his own amusement, started taunting him with something only David and her knew and it was there where everything went wrong." This......does not sound like this is going anywhere good.

"W-wh-what happened?" I asked nervously.

"It was the first time he's ever gotten angry, and it was also the first time he's lost control of that anger. He doesn't know what happened to his body but he felt that there were some changes to it. He remembers most of what happened that day as it still haunts him at night. He's been afraid of letting it out ever again until he could learn how to control it and that's why he never lets anything bother him as much as it should so that he could keep 'IT' down." Fluttershy seemed to have to finished and to say that we were scared would be an understatement. Whatever is inside of David has turned him into a true demon and I was afraid to turn back around to see the carnage that he's caused but we had no choice as we needed to know whether or not it's safe to make our escape.

All at once we slowly turned around to see to damage though I wish I had listened to my gut feeling because we when looked upon the once green grass now stained in a copper red from the blood of the slain manticores that now lay in the clearing. There were still a four of them left and fighting David for their survival though it seemed that he wasn't coming out of this without a scratch. There large gashes all around his body but they didn't seem to affect him at all as he still went at them with the same feracity he had when he became the creature we see now. He was playing with remaining manticores and letting get hits on him as David was sent flying and slammed through a cluster of trees. He was already upon them again as before the last tree he severed from its roots fell to the ground. Starting with the one in the back of the group, he first tore off its tail and ran it through its hind legs and making it impossible to move them individually. He went to the two in front of it and severed their winds and making them eat them. He got to the front of the group to rip off both of its front paws, through one through the chest of its owner, the other was used to replace the eyes of one of the wingless manticores. Lifting the first by its tail, David started using it as a living club and started crushing the others with his powerful swings. We cringed when we heard bone after bone break from each impact as the manticores were becoming nothing more than an indistinguishable pile of blood, flesh, and fur. When he finally stopped the only thing we could see of the manticores was the scorpion tail of the one he was using a club.

David unceremoniously threw it behind him before turning to face us and started walking. He still looked like a beast, in fact more so as he was now covered in blood, and didn't seem to have changed expressions. We coward as he was only a few feet away but seeing everypony else was I stood up and started charging up a spell. He stopped when my horn's glow grew in intensity. He did nothing but stand there and stare at us like he was expecting us to do something. After a while his features softened a bit before he started towards us again. "Stand back you monster or else I'll make you regret it." I threatened him. I don't know why but I suddenly felt both scared and angry at the being before me, plus I didn't want him to suddenly turn around and harm the others. The rest of the girls must have thought the same thing as they were standing beside me and glaring at him. Didn't this seem to faze him though as he just kept coming we warned him to get back but we quit after seeing that he was only two feet away and so I made good on my threat and blasted him with a powerful magical blast. He didn't even make an attempt to move out of the way and so the blast caused him to fly into another tree and leave an indent of his body within the bark.

Seeing as he was unconscious we gathered the CMC and left the Everfree Forest with David still there, unconscious and not caring what happens to him.