Battleborne Heart

by The GateGuardian

Rating: mature
Tags:
Length: 9332

Princess Luna has forseen something disastrous coming to Equestria, and there is only one pony that can stop it. Did she mention he was a human from a dimension where ponies are unintelligent beasts? She can only see his dreams in his dimension. Why?

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2015-02-11 04:49:29 UTC

A new start

Chapter 1

A male of another world sat in front of a large television, thirty-two inches of high definition bliss, as his fingers moved deftly on a controller, making the character on screen easily dispatch around ten enemies in quick succession. "Oh come on...this is too damn easy...and they call this 'HELLISH'?" His voice was annoyed more than angered though he loved the game, it had become far too easy for him to complete.

A storm raged outside, though it never bothered the male playing the game, thunder struck and lightning flashed but it had never done anything before except make the lights flicker in this one bedroom house he had a friend build for him after a rough breakup left him discouraged about certain emotional concepts. He was alone, as was the usual for him, so he spent it playing games and surviving the best way he knew, without anyone and without help.

   The flash of a lightning strike hitting close startled him making him jump, his surprise happened to run his character right into a pit trap and he growled "OH COME ON! NO FUCKING WAY! YOU CHEAP PIECE OF SHIT GAME!!!" He tossed the controller down and stood his hands going to his mid-length shaggy deep brown hair as the game flickered for a moment and it looked as if an equine face had flashed for a split second in his image making him blink and calm down "Alright...come on Jon...It’s just a trick of the light...not to mention it was the lightning..." A resounding boom of thunder made him flinch, but he sighed once more and sat, switching the TV to its normal setting and began watching a recording he had, one he had seen often enough to memorize the dialogue but he just remained quiet and watched, visibly shaking for a few moments afterwards. It had seemed the little jump-scare he had been victim to had rattled him more than he realized. His anger as well was getting out of hand.

His phone rang just as it was getting to the good part of the episode, the phone belting out 'Death before Dishonor' before he picked it up and looked his eyes blinking and his demeanor changing to confusion as he looked at the number, it was one he had never seen before, and the first number he saw was recognized as out of the country. Curiosity got the better of him and he answered it "Uh...Hello?" His voice was deep and confused, his mind wondering who the hell in another country had his phone number "Yes! Finally! Girls I got an answer!!!!" The voice sounded familiar to him for an unknown reason as some sort of celebration started going on in the background before the voice spoke again "Alright... Are you Jon?" He took the phone from his ear and looked at it for a moment before he placed it back and answered "Uh… Yeah...that's my name, but....who are you? And how do you have my number?" The voice on the other in squealed before calming down though excitement was apparent "I can't tell you my name right now...but uh...we might be meeting soon...uh...very soon actually. Could you look at your...uhm…I think it's called a television?" He blinked at the confusion about the TV currently displaying a paused scene before it flickered and changed into a different recording, though the movement was all too real to be just a simple recording, it almost looked like it was live and that made him blink before the voice came out of the TV, and from a purple pony that was VERY familiar "Good! Uh....ok...this is strange...I've never seen something like you before.....but that's ok! My curiosity can wait until a more appropriate time. For some reason the Princess wants you here...something about emotional distress, an electrical storm providing the perfect opportunity for elongated contact, and that we apparently...need you for something that could prove fortuitous to us all...you included. Uhm...I'm supposed to ask-" She was interrupted by a cyan pony darting in front of her and raising an eyebrow "This joker? He doesn't look as awesome as the Princess said...he's awfully...weird looking....like some kind of monkey or something..." Jon shook his head and sighed "I'm NOT a monkey, this is strange, uhm...this can't be real…and best of all...I'm supposed to just...answer a summons for something I have no detail about for....things I don't know?" He shook his head again as the cyan one was pushed away and the purple pony spoke again “Rainbow! You can talk when he gets here! Ahem...as I was saying, I'm supposed to ask you how you feel about flying and protecting somepony you love more than anything else in the entire world." He raised a hand finger out and opened his mouth, though the only things out of his mouth were a stuttering of letter sounds.

   After a few moments of utter mental loss he regained himself and blinked his composure that of a relaxed male as he calmed himself down and began to speak "First off...Flight means freedom. Second off, I don't love anymore. And third, why?" The purple pony looked distressed and sad as he said he doesn't love anymore but she shook her head, her mane shaking before she sighed "Alright...so flight means freedom, good, that's enough to continue. Next I'm supposed to ask your favorite colors, hairstyle, and..." she blushed a little before going on "bedroom activities...." He raised a brow and lowered his head "Black, Red, blue, and Silver....swept back like the wind pushed it around and...Be more specific. I do a lot in my bedroom." The blush faded and she sighed "That's what she thought...ok…seems we confirmed who you are...for the most part, it's good enough for me to focus on getting you here." She closed her eyes and began to focus, an odd light enveloping her now seen horn making Jon blink and then his eyes widened in realization "No! Wait wait wait wait wai-" He never finished as his body blinked from existence, every light in his home blowing out, the TV trashed as sparks and smoke enveloped it shortly before a fire started and began to almost instantly rage out of control.

   Thrown through blackness Jon couldn't seem to scream or move, though it felt like he was being torn apart, and soon enough blacked out as the rest of a journey came to a close leaving his body in agony and writhing on a solid wooden floor. Six ponies were standing far from him, though one saw fit to edge closer and touch him, more of a poke, but it was enough to get his eyes to spring open and take heaving lungful’s of air "FUCK ME! DAMN IT!" His head rang with the pain of a headache while his body simply ached, pain quite apparent in his eyes before he passed out again, the only sight and sound he heard was that of a cyan winged pony with prismatic colors for hair blinking at him "Uh...Twilight...he looks better now...awesome job."

   He didn't know how much time had passed while he was unconscious though he did dream, the figures were foggy, like an out of focus movie was playing in front of him, blobs of color and motion, sounds were garbled, smells were out of place, everything seemed...wrong to him. "Wake up....come on...wake up..." There was gentle shaking but he rolled over trying to continue sleeping before something hard prodded him in his bladder "Wake up!" He oofed and his eyes opened his head darting about finding everything familiar and yet not about his surroundings, rows of books lined walls, there was a desk against a wall, a window above it, hardwood floors and walls, though it didn't look like normal walls, and as he went to stand the same hoof that poked his bladder held him down "It's nice to see you awake Jon...but uh...it's best not to move for now..." He blinked, and looked towards the voice, finding the purple pony standing just above him with a worried expression on her face "Ugh...I need to pee....let me up Twi...." As his mind registered what he said his eyes widened and he looked at her again "Twilight?! As in....oh great...don't tell me...." She nodded and then removed her hoof "Yes. It's as you think. I uh...had to make you like us...to better cope with...well...everypony else...." He rolled as he didn't need to know what happened, all he knew was he needed to pee and he had to go to a bathroom before his bladder decided to vacate its contents on the floor "Uh...that's not wise....I was told it would take time to..." He ignored her and stood, almost like he had been like this all his life and turned his head to assess what he already knew "Yep...I'm an equine....how wonderful....wish I had been warned....would have made this a lot more...enjoyable." Twilight gaped at him as he proceeded to take small steps to get used to a center of balance he didn't have before "But....how....how do you know how to..." He turned and looked at her, his bladder forgotten for the moment "My mother used to raise horses...back when I was a child...err...foal I guess now...the way they moved stayed with me, not to mention..." He raised a hoof and pointed "There were a few different programs I used to watch...so I guess it's only natural I know how to properly move and function...product of my upbringing and the knowledge of how the anatomy of an equine works. It's quite simple really, if you had asked me before you unceremoniously teleported me between dimensions...I would have answered though I would have felt like I was dreaming. Now...uh...where's the bathroom...I really can't ignore nature much longer..." She pointed though her jaw was still hanging open as he trotted towards where she had pointed.

Moments later and a sigh of relief, he trotted back to a still stunned but otherwise calm Twilight and sat "Ok...now explain. Why did...I'm guessing Princess Celestia...want me here?" Twilight shook her head before answering "Actually it was Princess Luna, and there is something that even I haven't been told about to happen and she said we needed outside help...way outside...your dimension outside, so I did some algorithms, measured the amount of magic I would need for contact and then multiplied that adding in the effects of teleportation and-" He sighed making her shake her head before he spoke "I get all that...multi-verse theorem dictates that transportation from one to another takes more power than just traversing one because you have to bend the effects of reality, break open a temporal-spacial rift and pull the subject wanted through it while seamlessly closing the rift and restoring reality to its proper medium so that nothing in either universe is affected with unwanted reality shifts...I get it...I was asking why me?" For the second time Twilight's jaw dropped leaving Jon to smirk "What? Opal got your tongue? Finally found someone that can understand your magical scientific jargon?" She stuttered a bit as he began to walk around, looking at all the books and everything, still getting used to the body he was in, even though his motions were natural, or seemed that way to anyone watching him. Laughter erupted from behind him though he ignored it for the moment "BAHAHAHAHA Jeez Twilight! You look like somepony just rocked your mind! Was somepony finally smarter than you?" He knew the voice and turned while raising a hoof "Uh yeah...that was me....you are right though...miss most Awesome flier in equestria." The now clearly surprised Rainbow Dash blinked a moment before darting to him "DUDE! You know me? Uh...Well of course you do! I'm Rainbow Dash! Everypony knows me! Even dudes from other dimensions now! So uh...why is Twi all stone statue like a cockatrice stared her down?" He chuckled and shook his body "Let's just say I surprised her with some knowledge she doesn't fully understand yet. Egghead stuff." Dash nodded and smiled poking him in the side "So ya got Twi...now...how about learning what those wings can do?" He smiled and simply flared them; again it was seemingly natural though he had only had them for a few hours "Probably good enough to keep up if that's what you're actually asking." He folded them back and trotted outside looking around at the surrounding area, he had known where he was almost by memory and looked up; there wasn't a single cloud to be seen.

Canterlot was calm as a royal blue alicorn watched over the night, her visage containing a small smile "He's arrived...this will prove a boon to the whole of equestria to have one such as he..." A shadowed figure stood behind her, nothing could be seen of his face as he nodded "Of course my princess. But how are you to know he won't try to harm any of your subjects?" The question was posed with curiosity in its speaker's voice "He is the only one that would not become distracted by the sights....or the abilities he does not know he now possesses. He is special...the only one of his world I could actually see the dreams of...everything is natural to him for very odd reasons...ones I do not fully comprehend myself, but I just know he can be trusted."

Unwanted Consequence

Chapter 2

   The few days he had been here now had been entertaining to say the least, the nights were strange as he kept seeing those fuzzy images he had the same day he had arrived and become unconscious. Currently he was doing a few aerial laps with a bright smile on his face, he had yet to see anyone this early after the sun had been risen, but he didn't truly care at the moment. All he cared about was the freedom he had been given. That is, until he spotted a few ponies, stallions from the looks, picking on a mare that had been seen a few times in a restaurant, she was cute enough to give more than a few looks, but looking was different than something else. He landed behind the group and started trotting past like it was nothing before he stopped and raised a hoof with a small chuckle. "You know...where I come from...treating a lady like this is....wrong...should at least take her on a date or three first..." His voice carried loud enough to be heard by the group of three who turned with raised brows all and the biggest, most likely the leader, spoke "Look colt...this is our business with this sweet thing. Be on your way or else...." He smiled at the or else part and turned, his tail thwapping against the leader's muzzle "Or else what? You'll say more idiotic things and kill more of my brain cells?" It was obvious he was being sarcastic, he could practically see the steam pouring from this ruffian's ears "What did you say punk???" Jon rolled his eyes and shook his head "What? You deaf too? I said..." His face got inches from the leader's, sky blue eyes calm crimson coat fully visible in the morning light, black and silver mane wafting in the slight breeze "Are. You. Going. To. Sa-" His head whipped to the side from a hoof to it causing him to turn and spit out some blood and he nodded "Alright..." He looked around as the three moved around and surrounded him "Don't say I didn't warn you." The three exchanged looks and began to close in as his wings flared, smacking one in the face hard enough to daze, the other ducked....right into his right hoof as he mocked a bow to the lady behind the leader "Excuse me a moment miss. This should be over quite soon." The female was scared stiff, literally. The next motions were the leader coming in with another hook for Jon's face that he ducked "Hmm...Thought I saw something shiny..." The hook missed pushing the leader off balance as Jon came back up quick enough to give a hard head butt and daze mister hook shot, something grabbed his flanks and instinctively he bucked backwards "Hey! Not nice to sneak up on a guy! Come on...didn't realize you were a coltcuddler....could have just asked." His rear legs connected to a chest sending the one that grabbed him flying into a wall, out cold easily. The next thing was a yawn and a sway as he ducked for a stretch causing the remaining two to collide above him before he walked forward those two unconscious from each other's hits. Looking behind him he shrugged "Hmmm....tsk tsk tsk...ponies really should watch where they are going....." He shook his head and extended a hoof to the now dumbstruck mare and smiled "You ok...Uhm....hello? Miss?" The next thing he knew was he had her forelegs around him in a death grip of sorts and sobbing thank you's in his ear "Don't worry about it...I'm Jo-......Star Saber. I noticed them giving you trouble...couldn't help it." He sighed softly as he removed her embrace and nodded "Go on home now. These three give you trouble again don't hesitate to call for help."

   He chuckled as he watched her scamper off and then sighed "Idiot....Why didn't you just leave it be...." He shrugged as something landed in front of him causing him to stumble backwards "That. Was. AWESOME! Dude...you took those thugs out like nothing! How did you do that?!" He sighed and shook off his surprise "I just did...couldn't tell you how...you watched the whole thing Rainbow?" He tilted his head a bit and watched her look away "Uh...yeah....a scuffle going on this early...kind of hard not to notice." He raised a brow and then chuckled and nodded "Yeah I guess so...just hate women....mares getting harassed..." He spoke casually but with a tint of amusement as he began to walk off past Rainbow Dash towards the market, he was stopped suddenly by something in golden armor pushing its hoof against him and he sighed "Alright...can I go do some shopping now please? Twilight asked me to run a few errands...Damn...." He looked up from the ground to a stern looking guard flanked by another and.....he gulped "Ah...I don't recognize you...I know every one of my little ponies....and yet...I don't know you...." He gulped again and tried backing up but he had already been enveloped in a golden light and raised to her eye level which he desperately kept trying to avoid "Uh...uhm...uh…you see...uh...I was just...uh..." There was a soft, almost motherly chuckle as the grand white alicorn forced his eyes to hers after she looked at the scene he just left, Rainbow Dash nowhere to be seen "Did you do this? Answer me honestly now my little unknown pony." He tried to shy away but couldn't as his eyes were bored into by her own "Uh...yeah...they were..." A look of curiosity crossed the alicorn's face "They were what?" He swallowed once more before continuing "They were harassing a mare....I couldn't stand by and let it happen but I swear they deserved it! And it's not like I actually hit them anyway..." Another soft chuckle as he was let down "Oh? And what did they hit?" He looked down immediately "They hit me...or...tried to...they wound up hitting each other mostly...except that one..." He pointed to the one crumpled against a wall "He kinda...grabbed my flanks and I bucked him...probably a little too hard...I'm still uh...." He blanched a bit before shaking his head "He just surprised me is all...." He hadn't noticed it but the guards had flanked him, when one touched his back he jerked and a leg went out sending that guard, armor and all to the ground and when he realized it he cringed "I'm so sorry! Uh...like...really sorry I didn't mean to! He just..." "Surprised you? There isn't a pony in equestria who can do that to a guard so quickly...." The other guard had spoken as he helped his comrade to his hooves as the alicorn nodded "Do you know who I am little pony?" He nodded "Princess Celestia, Goddess who raises the sun...." His voice was skittering, like he was afraid, which earned another chuckle "Indeed I am...but I am no goddess." She turned and started to walk away with a motion to follow "Where did you come from little pony?" He made a noise and quickly came up with a lie "I'm from Neigh Orleans..." She nodded and then shook her head "Not a good place to grow up...it’s rough and tumble in certain parts. The accent however is not from there...." He blanched "Where are you truly from?" He shook his head and sighed "I'm not sure you would believe me....even if it was the truth...."

   A shadow above was watching the pair closely, with a dagger filled smile and eyes of a malicious intent "Interesting....taking those three fools out like nothing...and then getting the curiosity of the Princess piqued....taking out a guard in a single hit....this could be interesting indeed...." It all but sneered the royal title in disgust as it slithered along watching the pair, unnoticed and quickly disappeared into the shadows of an alley in Ponyville.

"So you've come from far away then? A land unknown to most including me? Yet you speak the language easily, and without a true accent....I shall believe you...for now." A sigh escaped Jon as he became relieved, his story had been believed, if only for a little while, he realized that keeping himself from being discovered as from another dimension was going to be much harder now. "Uh… Princess?" She looked at him as they wandered the marketplace letting him buy what Twilight had asked for, mostly new books and quills and the like. "Yes Star Saber?" She used the name he had given her easily and he nodded "Is there any way I can go to Canterlot? I think I need to talk to someone as important as you...." She arched a brow and tilted her head "Oh? Who would this pony be that is as important as me?" He groaned knowing he had to make a choice here, he hated making choices, and especially if it was found out he was going to lie "Uh...you see...I uh...I want to talk to..." She was waiting patiently for him to finish though she just kept looking at him with a soft motherly smile. "I need to talk...to...uh...P-Princess..." Her look changed to amusement as she finished his sentence "Luna? What for? Oh...forgive me, if you do not wish to answer then that is fine. I will see what I can do, but you must understand that even I cannot get what I want.....sometimes anyway." He nodded as they had been alone for a time now. He fully understood given royalty from his own world. "I must be off now; I was just here to check a few things for the coming summer sun celebration in a few days." He nodded and sat, watching her walk away, it looked like she had an added sway that made him look away with a soft blush and sigh before he began to head back to the library in the center of town. "Damn it...she saw it too....why can't I leave well enough alone....I even LIED to her..." "Lied to who Jon?" He flinched and let out a groan as he heard Twilight, he hadn't even noticed her amongst talking to himself and setting her supplies down "Oh...nothing..." She approached him with a stern look "Lied to who Jon?" He averted his gaze and mumbled a little "What? Speak up." He mumbled again, only a little louder "Jon....who did you lie to?"  On a sigh he spoke up "Princess....Celestia...." Twilight's eyes widened in shock "YOU DID WHAT!" He flinched at her tone and walked to a shelf "I uh...lied to princess Celestia...." Twi walked up to him and placed a hoof over his shoulders as he pretended to look through the books "What about?" He sighed and shook his head "Where I'm from and kicking the snot out of a few stallions harassing a mare...." She shook her head "She's going to find out...and uh...good job?" He sighed and placed a hoof to his face "I should have left it alone because Rainbow Dash AND the Princess saw it...." Twi moved away and shook her head "Don't worry about it Jon...You were defending the honor of a mare..." He sighed and mumbled something else but it was clear as day to Twi who became shocked again "You....did what...to a....what?!" He nodded as he walked to the stairs "Almost knocked a guard out cold....with one kick....but he..." A sigh came from Twi as she followed him shaking her head "We really need to do something about that...." He looked at her as she passed him "Like what? I'm already probably going to Canterlot to see Luna....and knowing me I'll likely bumble around and screw that up too...." Twi ignored him for the moment as a knock sounded at the door and she answered. It was too far for him to hear the conversation but as soon as he heard the sound of armor he closed his eyes briefly and turned around to see three guards straight from Canterlot staring at him.

Internal Struggles

Chapter 3

   "Fuck....uh...hi guys....uh...what's...up?" His voice was not as confident as it should have been as he approached the trio of guards and Twilight to her rolling eyes "Jo...Star Saber...what did you do?" He shrugged "Uhm...." Before he could answer he was surrounded and being ushered out of the door "Come on. We heard about you assaulting those three stallions. Time to go punk." He sighed and went willingly though he flashed a smile at Twilight, nopony else had heard about what happened except Celestia and Rainbow Dash, so he had an idea of where he was going. As he was led out of the library and down the street towards a carriage led up by a pair of pegasi, something was off to Jon though as they walked ever closer to the carriage and he stopped "Uh...guys...as nice as this is, I can fly you know...no need to give me a lift...." He was pushed and it was then he noticed that the hoof that touched him was a bit slimy, and that there wasn't anyone to be seen around. Sighing he shook his head and began to play along "Alright...alright damn...no need to shove..." He let out a soft sigh as he was near forced onto the carriage and nodded "Alright...let's go. Fuck me...being kidnapped by whatever these things are..." The last sentence was muttered under his breath as the carriage lifted off into the sky.

   The castle was quiet as a pure white alicorn wandered the halls looking for her sister, normally there were only a few places she could be found so early, her quarters, the garden, or the royal library, yet it seemed none of these places had her sister in it "Luna...where did you go..." Suddenly as if by circumstance a pail of water dumped onto Celestia's head as a loud giggling was heard from behind "Sister! Thou art so easy this early in the morn!" Celestia turned as the bucket disappeared and stared her sister down before starting to laugh herself "Luna! When did you? Oh nevermind. You know this means war correct?" The giggling ceased as Luna nodded "Of course dear sister. Why were you looking for me?" The mood turned much more serious in the next moment as the two began walking together "I have found somepony very strange before I came home from checking for the summer sun celebration that is to be held in Ponyville this year." Luna blinked and then nodded keeping a straight face "Oh? Who is this strange somepony thou hast found?" Tia sighed "Really little sister? Not even you know who this stallion is? He managed to...forcibly stop a group of stallions from accosting a mare....and then nearly knocked one of my guards out with a single hoof." Luna blinked again as her face became confused "So he has more strength than I thought....hmmmm...." Tia smiled and chuckled at her sister's words "So you DO know him! Luna...who have you found? You haven't been dabbling with the mirror again have you?" Luna went rigid and started to stammer a little before being hushed by Tia "Explain yourself. You should know not to keep secrets from me." Luna sighed and looked away "I have seen something that threatens us....we need his help...he is an outsider that has been harmed in many ways yet keeps going....his heart is bigger than others, this stallion from another dimension...." Tia stopped in her tracks "Another...dimension? Luna...." A small squeak escaped the royal blue alicorn "Uh...yes...but...he is the only one from his home that I could see the dreams of...they are terrible and yet....he keeps going despite them...his help is needed, as is his...new....start..." A small sigh escaped Celestia as she shook her head "Then I had better agree to bring him here to...speak with you."

   Jon sighed as he was 'escorted' if you can call being voluntarily kidnapped by false guards that, he sat patiently, his right rear leg softly tapping the floor of the flying carriage as if impatient "Alright...so uh...where are we going? Canterlot is that way I thought?" He pointed in the opposite direction of where they were going as the ground below got more and more barren the further south they went "To ssssee our massster." He nodded "Alright then...hissing...yeah you aren't normal guards are you?" He kind of smiled as he looked down, measuring the distance it would be if he jumped "Of coursssse not pony. Sssshould have realisssed that before we left." He nodded and shrugged as the carriage began to get closer to the ground "Yeah I kind of did...when dumbass there pushed me...slimy hooves. Next time get that part right...if you're gonna disguise yourselves...do it right." There was slight confusion and that was when he acted, his rear hooves hit the nearest 'guard' as his wings flared and hit the other two "See ya! I have someplace else to be!" His voice echoed through the barren lands as his wings snapped closed letting him plummet towards the ground "Luna help me.....give my wings strength enough to escape." As he neared dangerously to the ground the carriage continuing on despite shouts to turn around his wings snapped open and he heard a sickening SNAP before he tumbled head over hoof on the ground and laid there screaming in pain as his left wing hung limp and at an angle most would never be able to keep their lunch upon seeing.

   An echoing scream through the badlands was heard by something, something close enough to track the sound to its source, massive and grey scaled, this being followed the echo, now silent, though the scent of pain kept its target's location fresh as it neared, it's vision caught the sight of a pony, a pegasus of crimson, black and silver, the thing neared the pony and lifted it, quite gently for something of its size and began to carry it towards another destination. What looked to be a boulder was the entrance to a cavern, old and worn; the pony thing had no idea where it was going as sometime earlier it had been rendered unconscious by the pain it had been in.

Days went by, the pony not waking up even though its wing had been reset and healed, still it did not awaken, as if it was in a sleep that only the dead had, it looked peaceful enough, still breathing and no longer in pain. "When will this odd pony wake up? Normally something so small would remain away from here..." The large grey scaled beast seemed to worry for it "It sleeps from something....pain is not it....it's as if the badlands have it in a spell....hmmm....perhaps I can find out more from its mark...." The grey beast sighed and walked away scratching its head in confusion and curiosity.

   Everything was in focus now for Jon, for some reason he could see everything he was dreaming crystal clear, the figures around him were no longer blobs of color, he recognized them as ponies, the buildings around were on fire, the flames black and reaching higher than any normal flame could, the sky was like pitch, starless as if it were day and yet black as if he was in a cave that light could not touch. The ponies around him were running away as he stood still, staring ahead at the scene, it had been this way for who knew how long he had been unconcious. "What...what the hell....this..." He looked around more "This is Ponyville...but...why is it...." He began trotting around, not hurriedly, but cautiously, trying to figure out what was going on. As he rounded a corner he saw a pony, royal blue, looking around with a saddened face "So terrible...why does he dream of this? And why for so long?" He heard the voice and it was so sad, yet concerned, as he approached her, he was certain it was a mare because of the voice and her body "Who? Why does who dream of this?" he figured the answer but he wanted to know. She turned to him with such sad eyes, tears were threatening to spill from them and it was all he could do not to wipe them away as she pointed "You...why do you dream of this Jon?" He sighed as he knew the answer and shook his head "I...I don't know why...it only just became clear...back in Ponyville...it was fuzzy...out of focus...." He approached her and looked at the scene around, too much destruction, so much gone to whatever this black fire was "Princess...don't cry...this is a dream after all..." He reached his hoof out to her as her eyes went wide "You...you know me? But...you are not from here...." He nodded as he unwittingly wiped a tear from her eyes "Yeah...just like you know me....I...I can't wake up...I've been here for I don't know how long....watching this over and over...the screams and pain...those flames...the running ponies....all of it, yet I don't know who caused this..." A cackle rose from the flames as another pony stepped from them, wreathed in the black flame before it dissipated, revealing a crimson pony with silver and black mane and tail "RUN YOU FOOLS! RUN, RUN AWAY LIKE THE COWARDS YOU ARE!" Both Luna and Jon looked and Jon recoiled at the sight of....himself "What?! N-no...." Luna too looked shocked at the sight of a second Jon and looked at them both "What is this?!" Her voice was raised and fearful as the second Jon looked at them both "Oh don't look so surprised.....you both should see your faces! Oh it's priceless!" He pointed to them both and laughed before Jon, the real one's face fell flat "This...this isn't me...there's no way..." The other one laughed louder and pointed "Oh come on...of course I'm you. Ugh...idiots...think about it! I'm you...I'm what you want to do...I'm why you can't wake up. I'm everything you WISH you could be!" With that the flames around reached higher and moved closer to both Jon's, engulfing them and leaving Luna to watch "Jon! Be cautious!" He barely heard her voice and shook his head "No! You aren't me! There's no way! I'm....I'm not like this...I don't want to be like this..." He closed his eyes and shook his head "I'M NOT LIKE YOU! YOU AREN'T ME!" The other laughed as his form began to shift into something grotesque, an amalgamation of shadows, pony parts, human parts, and…something else, something destructive. He shook his head and backed up to the edge of the circle of black flame and looked down "No...No…I'm...I'm not...." A third Jon exploded through the flames and slammed into the second making the flames around flicker and dance "RUN! RUN AWAY! PROTECT THAT WE LOVE!" He blinked at the words and appearance of the third him as the two fought "What?! No! I...I can't...I...I don't..." He stood there, stock still watching the battle between him...and him. The third looked and shook its head "GO! RUN!" He stood his ground and sighed "What am I doing...." He exhaled and then charged forward wishing to aid the third him "JON DON'T!" Luna's scream was apparent but he didn't stop his charge, instead her voice seemed to strengthen him as his speed increased in his charge, he didn't know what was going on, only this shadow him was threatening a place he enjoyed, a life he WANTED to live, in peace and happiness. An errant fireball, black as was all the flames here in this arena of sorts singed his left side as he moved out of its way giving a grimace of pain as he faltered before the good him flew past slamming and rolling along the ground with a scream of pain before it got up. Jon noticed something then; the good part of him seemed to be smaller than before as it charged back into the fray, human limbs from his shadow side growing longer along with a cackle "Yes! Give in to the anger and rage you feel! Turn into me! Become what I am!" The voice seemed deeper, darker, more demented and it made Jon stop and blink for a moment "Jon! Don't give in! Keep your light bright as it's the only thing that holds him back! It strengthens me and weakens him!" Again the good half of his mind made things clear, stubbornness winning out over rage as he backed away his mind reeling and his body hurting, it was as if this battle had been going on for years, it was then he remembered the names of his twin sides "Wulfrick! Keep going! Drive it back into its cage!" There was a smile and a flash of light as a wolven being replaced the small foal sized good side of his "About time you remembered my name! Go on Jon! Get out of here with the Princess; leave this joker to me..." A blade flashed arcing in a deadly trace and severing the human shaped limbs from the shadow as Jon nodded and turned, no longer afraid of the flames as he charged through them, tackling the Princess to the ground as a much larger fireball trailed after him "Luna! Take good care of him! Get out of here the both of you!" Luna blinked as the ball of black flame missed both her and Jon by inches leaving a smoldering crater in the ground behind them. Jon's eyes seemed to have changed color as he looked at the royal blue princess of the night and smiled, his eyes were now a bright gold and gunmetal grey, the eyes of a wolf, and yet gentle and patient as if he knew things would turn out alright. The whole sight of what just transpired left Luna in a confused state as Jon offered his hoof "Come on! We don't have time to waste, this dream is....I think it's about to start collapsing!" As Luna stood her eyes still confused she nodded and began to follow a bolting red Pegasus as he took corner after corner at blistering speeds, the likes of which were only known to be seen from a pony in this town. Jon smiled; he knew exactly where he was going, the one place others dare not tread, and the only place that he could foresee an exit to this nightmare, the Everfree Forest. Black flame trailed his hooves interlaced with white as he felt Luna catch up to him, both were silent, Jon had a mission, he had to listen to his better side, he had to protect the Princess.

A meeting of Fate?

Chapter 4

   The massive grey scaled beast had returned some hours ago to check on the pony only to see it thrashing and screaming out as if in pain, though no signs of injury were presenting themselves and it sighed "Another dreamer...seems like this one has it's hooves quite full....what?" There was a blinding flash that forced the beast to shield its eyes, once it dimmed the pony was gone, the only trace it had ever been there was a small mark in the shape of a blackened pentagram with a silver moon left smoldering on the stone slab that it had been resting on.

   Jon awakens not where he had been, in pain, and sweating like he had run a marathon that was three days long. Looking around he spots plush furniture, regal paintings, expensive desks and wardrobes, things that only the rich could afford, it was then he felt warmth next to him and extreme softness below him, taking stock of where he was he figured he was laying on a very large, very rare, and very expensive bed next to someone. Rolling over he saw the royal blue coat of a princess and blinked, the last he knew he was in the badlands, passed out from a broken wing and probably dying of dehydration, but here he was, in the bed of a princess who was huffing and puffing just as badly as he was. He knew nothing had happened between the two of them, yet he was respectful and moved from her bed, lest someone walk in and assume the worst. Sighing he sits at the foot of her bed and shakes his head as he becomes lost in thought 'What the hell is going on....first the weird things kidnap me, I'm in the bad lands with a busted wing....now I'm here in Princess Luna's private room?' He sighs again and then smiles as he looks at Luna in the morning light, her form is shivering as if cold, but it was actually quite warm in here, he lets out a soft chuckle as a voice in his head pipes up 'Give her a chance you idiot....just because that one woman broke you doesn't mean you should give up....' He shakes his head again and looks away as the mare moves to lean her body to look at him "Jon? How did you?" He shrugs as he hears her groggy voice "No idea..." She nods and sighs before getting out of her bed and onto shaky legs that Jon quickly notices and moves to support her, his frame smaller than hers but easily supporting the much larger alicorn as if she were a feather leaving her to smile softly as she gains her legs under her "Only a week and three days and yet you know your new body like you were born in it." He chuckles as he moves from her once she is stable "I just know equine anatomy Prince-" She stops him with a hoof and shakes her head "Please Jon...Call me by my name. You have been through too much in your life to be adhering to decorum." He nods and shrugs "Alright then....Luna." They share a smile before she accompanies him from her room only to find a bright white alicorn standing with a grin just outside "I see I have no need to summon....Star Saber from Ponyville." A blush coats Luna's face turning the blue to purple and Jon sighs "Princess Celestia. Uh...Certain circumstances led to my being here, please don't tease her like that right now, we've both been through a....." He searched his mind trying to find the right words to make this statement seem less dirty but he could find none and looked away "Rough night." A giggle escaped Celestia's lips as she shook her head "Well I can see that. Is he just a strong in bed as he is in a fight????" A deeper blush coated Luna's face "W-we have mu-much to...discuss my sister...." Jon shook his head once more to Celestia's errant teasing of her sister as the two began to walk towards what he could only assume to be a conference room, or the throne room, or maybe even the dining gallery to discuss what was happening.

   "So....a shadow of evil is making itself apparent in the dreams of ponies across Equestria?" Celestia had a look of disbelief on her face, her wings ruffled a bit as she placed a fork down with her golden magic as Luna nodded and Jon just sat there listening before he spoke "Yes Princess. I experienced it myself; after I had been kidnapped by something in the guise of a small squad of YOUR guards and brought to the badlands, knowing the history there I'm sure that something there is what is causing this." When he spoke of the Bad Lands both princesses looked at him with complete and utter shock "Something in those lands? There isn't any way possible! How did you yourself survive??? How did you...." He shook his head to Luna's words "I don't know, I got in a couple of blows and escaped, hit the ground and broke my left wing...." He flexed it though it was completely healed, there was no damage to be seen or heard of "But it doesn't look that way, I guess some life form out there decided to save and heal me before a nastier beast found me and decided I'd make a nice snack...." He spoke as if it was nothing he hadn't experienced before, his past was rough and tumble and he was a survivor, next to nothing could get to him, but something about his two sides being in his dream unnerved him though it wasn't shown. The Princesses nodded and sat in silence for a few moments until Celestia smiled "Well...since you have made yourself comfortable, why not stay here in the castle for a while? I'm sure Lulu would LOVE your company." Luna nodded and then her eyes widened when the words sunk in, her face becoming coated with another blush and her head being turned away "TIA! While I'm sure he would enjoy being here, it will NOT be in that way......unless he wants to...." Jon's ears perked a little and a small smile crossed his face having heard the words unheard by Celestia "Of course Celestia. However...I won't be able to stay long, if my own darkness is right, I need to be in Ponyville. I fear that while the light in me is strong enough to keep my own at bay, other ponies would fall into darkness...including the Elements....with everything light comes the darker sides, this includes those that wield power, especially the power of Harmony. Honesty becomes Deceit, Kindness becomes Wrath, Generosity is Greed, Loyalty is Betrayal....so on and so forth, and it’s a delicate balance." Celestia nodded at his words and smiled "Wise words for one so young, Jon." He shook his head at the name and then looked at a crest on the wall "No...That name is no longer fitting for me." Luna and Tia looked at him with curiosity "Then...what name do you wish?" He motioned for paper and something to draw with, it would be crude but when he received what he asked, he showed a black five pointed star with a crescent moon in the center and pair of crossed blades intersecting behind the star "I wish to be known as Star Saber. The name I gave when I first met you Princess Celestia." Raised eyebrows met his eyes "Star Saber? Are you sure? There are no records of you having a family here, no record of birth or life in general; you are a ghost in our world. With a name come questions, records needing to be found, if you wish to have a job...." Jon, or rather, Star Saber stops her with a hoof there "I don't have a need of a job, I believe I may have one already, IF my light side is right, I need to protect one I love....even if I don't love anymore. There is ONE that could....or does qualify as one I love....or potentially will...even I don't have an idea when Wulfrick is concerned....uh...my light side." Luna looked at him then as he revealed the name of his good side and then blinked at his words "Are you referring to that strange two legged wolf that was in your dream?" A nod and then he rose, his plate empty of the small meal that had included to the cook's horror, bacon and sausage among pancakes and eggs with a heavy drenching of syrup and ketchup. "Yes, I am, his name is Wulfrick and he has kept me on a....somewhat straight path despite idiotic mistakes my darker side tempted me to. A few of which I still do." He began to leave, however magic held him in place as Tia rose to meet him "You wish to....guard my sister? Based on the words of something in your mind? Based on an emotion you seem to no longer have? With what skill? What power? You have no magic, you are still new to this world, and you have wings but don't use them right. What makes you think I will allow a stranger to protect my sister?!" He cleared his throat and stared right into her eyes, his own changing to the gold and gunmetal grey that Luna had seen only once before, his body going completely calm in the span of a second "I advise you to let me go Celestia. I have spoken my piece, heard yours and Luna's, and now I wish to go. Unless...you want to see what I can do. It seems that way to me." Tia raised an eyebrow at his change in demeanor and smiled "So what if I am? You are held by my magic. How do you plan on showing me what you are capable of if you are bound like this?" A small chuckle escaped his lips "Tia....if you think I can be held like this, then you are sorely mistaken." His eyes closed for a minute his mouth moving silently in foreign words, like he was casting a spell, though there was no power to them before he let out a sigh and forced his wings open, moving despite the hold the grand alicorn had on him "You...can still move?!" His eyes opened and he smiled as he began to take steps towards her "Your magic works when one believes they cannot truly move. I know different. If I tell myself I can move, then I can. Now fully release me Celestia. Or I will break your magic." She stood fast, a smile to her face as she kept her magic going "Show me Star Saber. Show me this power of your mind." Her horn flared brighter, her spell strengthening around him, forcing him still. He sighed and openly grinned "Alright. You want to be shown then I can show you." He began to breath slower than before, his body relaxing momentarily as he let the spell strengthen until it was moderately powerful, then, when he breathed out he shook and cracked his neck rear legs kicking out, wings flapping hard, his body rising as he moved, not easily, but it became easier as he saw Celestia straining before a single hoof stopped a mere centimeter from her horn, his eyes cold, calm, calculating before he simply tapped her glowing horn and broke her spell dropping himself to the ground as he spun and tripped her by forcing her front legs out from under her and placed his own body under her, bouncing her into the air like a breeze blowing a feather, causing her to flare her wings in surprise as she looked down, only to find he wasn't below her before she felt a tap on her flanks "Don't....do that again." Luna looked shocked to find that he had so easily broken her sister's magic AND knocked her into the air like it was nothing, Tia simply looked at him in surprise before gently touching the ground "I see....So this is your strength...." He shook his head as he touched ground next to her "Only a fraction. Only a small fraction Celestia." She nodded and then sighed "Alright then. Hide what you wish, if you want to protect my sister then go ahead. BUT, I want you trained by my own elite." He shook his head at that as he neared Luna "No. I must refuse that. I am self-trained only, my body is mine, and I won't have it mastered by another." He walked past Luna, not making a single sound as he exited and wandered the halls, Luna left in shock and Celestia left wondering just how strong he is.

   Night fell quickly as Star Saber roamed, letting his mind calm and his eyes change back to his own. "Wulfrick...you know that wasn't right, I was content to let her believe I was powerless to her....Luna is the only one that needs to know, you didn't need to show off like that..." His words were to himself though they were heard by passing guards who stopped and began to follow him 'Yes I know Jon....but she ticked me off by not letting you leave.' He shook his head "Yeah I know...and now she wants me trained by her elite....but we aren't going to do that are we?" The guards had their interest piqued, and he was talking to himself, distracted from the fact he was being followed 'No...We aren't, our body is our own, and I told her as much. Your darkness is in its cage for now, by the way. Oh...we did shock Luna by doing what we did to her sister...it was funny as hell.' A smile crossed his face as he remembered and nodded "Yeah...it was funny showing Sun Butt up like that, so what did you use? Half? A quarter?" The guards following him stopped and shook their heads at his words; this was a crazy pony, talking to himself like this 'An eighth. Hell, she's so weak that she was barely able to restrain us...even after strengthening that little bind spell.' Star stopped and blinked "An EIGHTH?! Really?!?! That's all it took to break her bind spell? Damn...I thought you used more than that!" The guards behind blinked and then approached him; curiosity piqued beyond what was good for them "An eighth of what? And breaking a bind spell? Impossible! Especially for a pegasus!" Star turned around and shrugged "An eighth of my own power. It's not necessarily impossible if you know how to calm yourself." The first guard shook his head, an earth pony, and the second, a unicorn smiled "Your own power huh? Against Princess Celestia's? She had to have been taking it easy on you." A shrug from Star "I don't know...maybe she did...maybe not...wanna test your own luck?" An open challenge to the unicorn and he smiled as his horn began to glow "Ah...ah ah ah…not here. If anything I want this to be seen by all the guard. If I am to be tested so often, it will annoy me. I want it done once. At your strongest...or if you find a more powerful unicorn...their strongest. I want a duel, to show just how much I can do. Celestia and Luna need to see as well. So their fears about me can be laid to rest." The earth pony backed up a little and the unicorn backed down with a grin "Alright...you want an elite then...we'll set it up you cocky little bastard."