A flame in the darkness

It's so warm here, so warm and comfortable. I really was tired last night you muse to yourself as you pull out of downy comfort and softness. Opening your eyes the events of last night are suddenly upon you, the sudden realization you are in red briefs and a non-removable watch in an area completely removed from where you went to sleep scares you deeply. Scouring the smooth stonework of the room your eyes fall on a dresser at the foot of the bed, suit neatly folded on top of it with a note on top of that. Reaching for it you scan it quickly

Marcus, Your presence has been requested by Princess Celestia at 9am sharp in the dining hall. The shower room is across the hall from yours and while you are free to roam until breakfast please refrain from causing anymore trouble such as the incident last night

Sincerely Mathidla M. Lockheart
Notary

Your watch beeps 7 o clock as you scour the contents of the dresser, finding your duffel bag you grab your canteen and drink deeply from it. The light pouring in the large ornate windows burns your sensitive eyes. Fishing the compression shorts out of your duffel bag you slip into them before stuffing everything into the bag. A few quick stretches later and you’re feeling good and ready to take on a new day...
In a new land...
That you know nothing of...

At this point all the oppressed emotion washes over you, your team was still dead, hell everyone on earth was still dead. You were the last human dragged off to another land for god knows what reason by a giant winged horse. But at least you were still alive unlike so many dead bastards back home, might as well make the best of a new chance at life right? Quickly squashing doubt and feelings you step out of the ornate wooden door, the hallway dashed down to the left and right ending in large windows, large red carpets ran the length of the hall with rows of unlit torches on either side.

Stepping across and opening the door to the shower room you blink as the steam hits your entire frame. She had neglected to mention it was actually a communal bathing room with a large rectangular pool of water and steps going down each end, the large chandelier hanging overhead gave nice contrast to the rather utilitarian look of the rest of the room, lockers and hangers lined the wall, armor hanging and laying all over the room. But what gave you the most pause was the 30 or so guards in states of bathing, every eye was focused on you this time, strolling casually to an open hangar and stripping ass naked got them to quit staring, pulling soap out of your little bag of wonders you slosh into the warm water enjoying it as it rolled over your muscles up to your midsection, making your way to the closest corner you set to work. Whistling lightly you notice a stallion making his way towards you. When hes about 5 feet away he starts in,

“So you're the big news going round this here castle eh, names Tracker and wouldn’t you believe it, I'm the best gall darned tracker in this place” A smug smile broke across his face with the last bit. Yeah I reckon me turning up here might cause a stir, I'm Marcus, Go by Marx.

“Is that so, well Marx let me know if you need anything, I gottsa feeling we'll be seeing more of each other, but I’ll let you be for now” Actually Tracker I need directions to breakfast, the princess summoned me down there but forgot to tell me where there was exactly.

After a short conversation with tracker and getting suited and booted you began walking down the stairs, after about 20 floors stepped into what looked like the main foyer, massive double doors easily 60 feet tall dominated the wall to the left while an identical staircase was directly across from you. To the right like tracker had said was a corridor and following it you found it led straight into a grand room, besides a delightful smell there was a long rectangular table dominating the center of the room that informed you this was the breakfast hall. At the head of the table sat Celestia with a smaller midnight blue pony to her side that sported the same wing horn combo. The first six seats to the left were taken by the same ponies from last night, as you walked up the right side you muffled your footsteps as best you could without breaking stride. When you get about ten feet away the princess takes notice of you and looks up with a kind smile.

“Marcus so glad you could join us, I was worried you might not wake up in time after last night but I see you're feeling good this morning” bowing her head to you, you bowed back out of respect if not appreciation for saving you. Following her elders voice and gaze the midnight blue pony looked up from what she was doing, noting you with a look of curiosity.

Across from you six heads swiveled and all at once the relative quiet was broken by Dash, bolting straight up from her seat with a powerful flap,

“Rainbow wait” The purple unicorn shouted. Dash was quicklyheaded for you and shouting “So you came looking for round two jerk?”

Dropping your bag and readying yourself you braced, as she impacted with your chest at an amazing speed with more mass than you thought possible you stood still, your breath escaped in a light huff as you wrestled to hold her pinned against you until a booming voice commanded the two of you “Rainbow Dash cease at once, Marcus, please release her, she means no harm” As she stopped struggling you let her go. but you instinctively jumped back a few feet anyway.

Now returned to a normal speaking volume the princess questioned us, “Rainbow Dash, Have I not informed you that Marcus is our honored guest, that you are to treat and respect him just as you would your closest friends? While I understand that your pride is hurt you must realize the gravity of the situation, your thoughts and actions must be brought to a hold and be made with a clear mind or Equestria may surely fall.” A deep blush broke across the blue pegasi's face, “But he came to the park last night and attacked us!”

I did no such thing, I was spying behind a tree when the Pinkie Pie compromised my cover and I made to disappear, if you had let me leave we wouldn’t have had to fight, you finished and felt heat rise within you, how dare she lie to the princess on you. "You both did wrong last night, the important thing is that you must both get along from here on out. Now if you too are done I would ask that you join us at breakfast Marcus.” You were hungry even if Dash was a cunt, sitting down 2 seats away from the princess you kept your head down avoiding eye contact.
But you knew it was coming,

As soon as you looked back up you were greeted by a sickly sweet scent and a face full of pink(NO I said no clop and I meant it), “Hey mister, I’m so glad you could make it today cause after you ran off last night I got super duper worried that you might be in trouble or something and we looked all over but couldn’t find you so then we all went to sleep then came here early this morning but I was still super worried about you" she said with a wink and a smile. You're Pinkie Pie right? you said with a returned wink and smile, well my name is Marcus and its a pleasure to meet you, holding out a hand towards her you realize she cant shake it, so you curl it into a fist and watch as a giant grin creeps across her face as she returns it. The same happy feeling spreads through you, its been a long time since you've made friends and for it to go this swimmingly is kind of surprising.
I mean yeah you got in a fight but thats all over now

No one else seemed to catch on to where you were last night, except whoever brought you here last night...
(Still needed to find that out)

With breakfast carted out shortly after you finished with introductions and an apology to Rainbow Dash (Not your nature but you may need a good ally like her, and she was your favorite virtue) you come to understand that you are HUNGRY AS FUCK. You're not sure what they've set in front of you, but that slows you down none as you dig in, tastes and smells like you've never encountered back home assault you. Devoid of meat (Eggs but I mean, wat?) you remember ponies are largely vegetarian. After you've all finished eating you reitire to the “Council chamber” which is the same thing just without food and silverware strewn across the table.

Full and ready to undertake more serious matters you take a seat at the new table. Waiting and watching all the other ponies you study them. Applejack, the orange pony with a flowing blonde mane walks with a rigid stride, back straight and strong with muscles rippling across her hind legs and chest.
Twilight sparkle walked with an ease that suggested she lived a mostly carefree life, no real struggles physically and her physique was just average. Pinkie pie was practically bouncing, scratch that was bouncing towards the table…
She does large amounts of coke
I’m sure of it
Rarity had an older more mature sway to her walk, it was rather enticing and looked practiced, and then there was Dash, the perfect example of an athlete that had dedicated to a lifetime of training, sinuous muscles rippled across her entire frame, respect to her.

After everyone was seated Celestia broke straight into conversation all traces of fun disappearing replaced by a serious face
“Now Marcus, we need to discuss grave matters today, any questions you have need to be addressed now”.

Staring back up at her it was easy enough to come up with questions, but hard to ask them, she was the ruling party here and if you had been taught anything in your last life it was respect.

Princess if I may talk freely, I would ask that you explain why you brought me here?

“You are the best of your kind, I watched for years as you were put through hellish tortures and medical experimentation. Your spirit is nigh unbreakable and your loyalty both to friend and state is unfaltering, you are the best of the best, and we need your help”.

So that was it then, you had suspected as much, you had a new country to serve and a new world to save. This revelation gave you purpose and a new excitement, another chance to be useful and prove yourself, the events leading up to now were pushed from your memory and replaced with true elatedness.
“Is that all my subject?”
Yes ma’am.
“Very well then, sit and listen with us”

_______________________________________________________

It was simple really, laying in your bed later that evening, mapping out a plan.
The comet was the size of a small moon, hurtling through space and ready to impact in less than a week, five days and seven hours exactly. Stripping down and crawling back into bed you thought about what the princess said, about the elements of harmony, they possessed the power to stop the comet but had to be taken up the mountain to the “highest spot in the land” and you were the one to escort them there, the royal bodyguard. Studying the maps provided you with no real reassurances as they took you through some shitty sounding places,
Goldeneye swamp, a small 3 mile trek through griffin territory and then straight up a mountain.

While the griffins shouldn't be a problem the swamp was a wild card, and while you were a damn good mountain climber it occurred to you that the girls wouldn't be. Plus the fact all this added up to roughly 50 miles in 4 days, something you could easily do in one but dragging a group of six whining girls behind you was going to be a pain in the ass.

A soft knock on the door brought your attention away from the maps and notes you had strewn across the bed, hold up I'll be right there, slipping on a shirt you walk across the room, Opening the door you found a midnight pony standing in your doorway, princess Luna looked up at you with those same cautious eyes but now they had a gentle kindness, she looked nervous "Hello Marcus, I apologize for visiting you this late at night, but my duties require an odd schedule, If I am interrupting I can go"

Not at all princess please come in, you usher her in as you step to the side, a soft smile graces her delicate face as she steps inside and walks over to dresser, you grab the stuff off of your cot and offer it to her but she insists on standing.

"Are you enjoying your stay in the castle so far?" She asks casually, her mane full of stars blowing with the soft breeze rolling through the window. Its been pleasant yes, but with due respect I wonder what brings royalty to the bed chambers of a simple human? "Oh you are anything but simple Marcus, please call me Luna. I have come merely to socialize, to be honest..." Her gaze shifts first out the window then down to the ground, her smile fading, "Truthfully I have come to be reminded, A long time ago another of your kind came here." (DA wait for it)
(FUCK)
So I'm not the first human to come here? "Oh no, there have been several, all of them triumphant men of valor." You listen intently as she tells of the rest of the men who have come before you.