Fading in and out, like pulses of a beating heart, Memories slowly started to play.

“Oh my I didn't think someone so short could jump so high” Shitty Celestia Giggled.

"[Hey shor- er... I mean Edward hehe, sorry I had you down as shorty because you know your kinda sh-]" Dumb Celestia Said.

"Hey your forgetting about me shorty" Pony Rainbow Dash said.

"But it's not okay, I thought that you were a weird looking girl because of how your face was but then I realized that you must have been a girl because of how short you were and then..... Edward?" Pony Derpy Said.

"Are all human's this short?" Another Said.

"Well that's to be expected with the girl missing and this short brat running around protecting her" Then Another.

"He's really short you can't-" Another.

"Oh yeah short stuff, and how do I use this free wish?" She's fine.

"Hey Elric" But this one?

Ed stirred, the last memory was different, it was trying to wake him from his slumber.

"Hey Edward Elric" The voice called out.

This voice was different, an unfamiliar voice, someone who he had no memory of was calling to him. He groaned softly in his sleep, wondering who was trying to wake him from his sleep.

"[Hey Short stuff! Wake the fuck up Samurai!]"

Ed's eyes snapped open with the veins on his face tightening as he growled angrily, he gritted his teeth as he went to get up quickly but was forced down by some unknown force. Instead he swung his arms madly, but only getting one of them to move. "What the fuck did you say about me! I'll kill you dammit! Come say that to my face and then we'll see who's calling who short when I drive you're face into the ground! Huh! Huh!!!"

He yelled out more profanity as he waved only one arm around. He did that for about a good minute before he started to get out of breath by whatever was pinning him down, not allowing him to get up. Feeling himself getting nowhere up or anywhere soon he eventually huffed loudly blowing some strands of hair out of his face. He went to sit up again but was held down again by the strange force. He looked to his free left arm he had been swinging and saw that was okay. He then turned his head slowly to his right side to see what else it could have been that was holding him down. It was the train.

He couldn't feel it of course, but the train had his right arm pinned down pretty good. It was tipped over on its side and a wheel was the part that was holding him down. Ed didn't know how well the blood circulation was getting through and through with his arm right now but he wasn't planning on laying there anymore. He looked up and down as best as he could while on his back and wondered how the hell he even managed to get stuck. The last he remembered...

"Derpy!?" His gasped, concerned elsewhere now he called out to the woman. "DERPY! ARE YOU OKAY!" He shouted... But no response. He waited a few more seconds but panic set in slowly, what if she was fully under the train he thought. Not wasting time he activated his unleashed mode.

But what followed next shocked his body. Pain flashed through his body like something smacked right into him. The immense pain quickly subsided but the headache he had going on now was much worse. Somebody must have been drilling into front of his head because unlike the flash of pain he felt through his body this headache was actually felt like it was killing him. He quickly grasped his head with his free arm and tucked in his body as he groaned loudly. He took deep breaths as he remembered this similar pain back on Equestria. He had knocked out prior as well if he remembered correctly and was punished for trying to use his normal abilities except for Body Magic he did when he clapped his hands.

Throwing the thoughts away he focused on the now as he steadied his breath, slowly lowering his erratic breathing and calming his headache. "Alright Ed, just calm down, focus on breathing, in... and out... in... and out..." He repeated this step to himself as he closed his eyes trying to relax. That didn't last long.

A digital sound pinged, making Ed slowly open his eyes as he saw a random woman on a floating screen hovering in front his face as he laid there. "[Edward Elric, I see that you are awake now, after my many attempts to wake you of course]" The lady said all mood like.

Ed huffed. "Are you the one who called me short?"

The woman smiled. "[Why yes it was-]" Ed cut the womans feed off as he swiped at the floating screen making it digitally poof. He snickered as the woman appeared again in a less than friendly face. She was frowning if anyone actually cared.

"[Listen Samurai, time is short], Miss Luna has instructed me to relay a message to you since you've been knocked out and couldn't receive it" Ed titled his head at the woman's words but was met with static as the woman disappeared and Luna suddenly popped up on the screen.

"[Hello all of me and my sister's employee's, since you've done so well so far in this battle royale, we've decided to give you you're enhanced weaponry, we'll be taking a 5 minute break as the simulator time will pause as the world around you will also pause as well, take this time and speak to one of the simulator handlers to get you're gear and then be on you're way as soon as the simulator resumes time!]"

With that the screen blinked showing the woman he was just talking to, the 'simulator handler' Ed guessed. With a sigh he ran a hand down his face, dragging his eyelids down a little before finally releasing some grip and letting go of his face. "How long have I been out" He asked deadpanned and monotone as he was annoyed that he got knocked out again during the time he's been in this simulator.

Clearing her throat with a generic fist in front of her mouth. She lowered her hand and pressed something on her keyboard showing the time. "[It's been about half an hour since that broad cast...]" She trailed off with the sentence, Ed noticed this and frowned. "What's wrong?"

A look of little concern spread out on her face as she began to type. Soon after another video appeared, but this time it was Celestia.

"[Hello wonderful battle royale attendees, now that you've adjusted to you're gear and have spent the time using them efficiently... I hope!]" Celestia added with a pause. "[Luna will now trigger an event, adding monsters into the fray, mostly one eyed monsters and such, but do be careful, were adding a fair amount of two eyes monsters, and a few three eyed as well, so do be careful now, wouldn't want to get eaten now]" She finished laughing the last part out. Ed shivered a little bit as he gulped and was afraid to ask... but.

"How long ago, was that message..." Ed trailed off, scared to know that even a slight change of time had passed. The simulator handler reappeared with a strained smile. "Uh... about 5 minutes ago..." Trailing off, Ed's eyes began to widen.

Ed felt the ground vibrate softly and heard a tree in the distance fall as it's branches could be heard breaking and tearing off. It wasn't but half a mile away as he heard it. A monster roaring, as if it had just found its prey or was making it's presence known. Ed was sure Derpy was smart and would hide, he wasn't gonna panic, he wasn't gonna panic, he was gonna find a way to free himself then he would-

DANGER

"Derpy..." He remembered this feeling, but it was different this time, he knew this was just a simulator, none of it was real, except the memory of something almost happening to his friends resurfaced and played through his eyes, he didn't wonder often what would have happened to the CMC if he hadn't rushed to the fire, to go and save them. But now he wondered what would happen to Derpy if this was a real situation and Derpy was actually in trouble, in... Danger.

He slammed his fist into the ground and took a deep breath, from his belly he yelled. "LUNA"

At once his human goddess replaced the woman he was talking to before as she was visibly seen standing up quickly, accidentally knocking her coffee over. "[What Ed!?]" She asked confused and shocked at her sudden name drop.

"Summon me my cane!" Ed yelled as Luna was taken back by the words he spoke. "[R-Right away Edward]" She stuttered while a smile slowly showed its way onto her face.

It took only a second to manifest but it appeared before him. His Trick Weapon...

"Thanks Luna! Now you might need to look away" He said as he reached forward to grab the Cane. It was heavy as he grabbed it, the amount of medal put into the Weapon really showed as Ed almost dropped it on his face as he lifted smoothly in front of him inspecting the outline of the Cane. There wasn't anytime to describe it, but Beauty was the first word to mind as he smiled at his handy work.

"[Wait why?]" Luna asked perplexed, as Ed lifted the cane through Luna's digital screen making the screen disappear and reappear by Ed's side. Not wanting to waste time he quickly tapped the end of the cane against the train on top of him as suddenly lines appeared throughout the cane, shifting the medal slightly apart until a paper could be slipped between the cracks in the Cane. But that wasn't all, the medal parts separated now suddenly snapped apart, making many mini blades along the center of the Cane. With a quick swing away from the Train Ed swung the Weapon out. The Blades suddenly expanded instantaneously and the metal extended outwards bending as it did. The Cane hit a tree, taking a good chunk with it as the some of the blades hit the base of the tree. With the Cane fully extended out to its max and having reached its peak of the momentum, it quickly snapped back, reeling all the blades back into position but not forming a proper cane, it remained in its sharp multi blade form.

Ed smiled as his Cane had effectively been turned into a Whip like he wanted. But no time to gaze at his accomplishment with Magic, he thanked Luna mentally for scanning his weapon and magic somehow allowing it to exist in the simulator. He wasn't gonna look a gift horse in the mouth as he brought the weapon to his stuck arm train side. He began to shift he whip around his right arm as he intended to go to insane lengths to free himself and seek out Derpy. It wasn't long till Luna butted in.

"[Ed No! There has to be another way! Can't you use you're, I don't know, abilities or something]" Luna pleaded as she hinted at his other worldly powers.

Ed shook his head as he did the first loop. "I tried Luna, anytime I hit my head hard I lose the functions of most of my abilities, some of them still work I think, but none of them can help out right now" "Without exposing my magical abilities I mean" He thought last as he got the second loop done.

"[Ed I restrict you to do this! We just got the pain inhibitors working! There's no telling what actual nerve damage this can do in the long run! Besides this is just a simulator, this isn't a real life scenario you don't have to go to such lengths to resuce one girl, who even isn't on you're own team]" Luna cried as she slammed her hands down on the desk.

Ed just smiled at her, causing her to flinch, he had finished wrapping the whip's blades around his trapped arm as best he could. He looked to the whip then back to Luna as he started. "Just because this is a simulator doesn't make the scariness anymore real, someone's in trouble and I know cuz I can feel it in my blood, I would cut my arm off for someone I've just met a million times over if it meant that they could live another day in this world, or any for that matter"

Ed winked, causing Luna to be taken back. "Beside I've just met you recently as well, I would do the same for you in a hear beat... and as for nerve damage" Ed wrapped up as he gripped the handle getting ready.

"I never could feel my right arm anyway, and also" He trailed off as he quickly released some pressure and then gripped the handle again reapplying pressure, making the blades retract into Ed's arm.

"I may be Short, But I'm not Out!" Ed finished as the sound of bone hitting made Ed wince and close his eyes. And as for Luna and the many, many, many viewers now watching, from the Company, to the Board that ran things. To the invisible leak that he World was now receiving. Many had turned away, but the mysterious forces from there and far, saw one's resolve, and would begin to question this Edward Elric, till they had there questions answered.

Derpy

Fear, was a single word that could drive someone to run, to scream, or to whimper and hide. And that was exactly what Derpy was doing. She was hiding behind a huge tree as one eyed monsters were in the area, searching for her now. She had just heard the announcement from Celestia as one eyed started spawning in around her. Just her luck. She had gotten a few with her enhanced gear but sadly lost it as she was over run and decided to do some running as she had popped a flash grenade that thankfully came with her set. Now she just waited, wondering if she should move, if she should stay and be quiet, if Edward was on his way, or if he was still stuck under the train and maybe going out to find her squad to come help was a bad idea.

*Snap*

A branch in front of her suddenly had snapped. She was so lost in thought that she didn't realize that something was in front of her, she couldn't she as the forest was thick in the part where she was at, she was mostly hoping that would actually allow her to hide better, but now that something was in front of her, she thought very differently now.

No weapons and no hand to hand combat experience, her only thought was to scream, and so she did, but not before whatever was in front of her pounced on her, and covered her mouth? "Hmf?" She said through the soft fingers of the one holding her mouth shut.

"Don't worry Derpy... it's me Vinyl" The sudden shades wearing enthusiast said as she made a digital screen appear next to them, giving them a soft light to look at each other with.

"Vinyl" Derpy said with glee still muffled by the hand on her mouth. "It's so good to see you Vinyl" The blonde hair woman expressed.

"Likewise Derpy, not lets get out of-" Vinyl stopped talking at once. She lifted her silenced pistol and struck her hand out sideways as she took a shot in the shaded dark.

It only hit medal as the bullet could be heard ricocheting off and into something else nearby. Vinyl aware that the sound of whatever the bullet actually hit was that of hitting flesh. Twisted her head to see what her bullet got, it was a monster, it was right behind her as well. She hadn't noticed as she had let her guard down after finding Derpy, something that she would be punished herself for later no doubt as soon as they got out of the Simulator.

"Sloppy" She told herself out loud as she looked down to the one eyed monster, it was a little light green goblin monster, they usually come in backs as they slash at there target till there dead and then they eat the corpse and get stronger. She couldn't believe it snuck up on them. But she didn't let the stranger get past of course as she pointed her gun back at whoever came from the shadows.

"Identify yourself with your hands ups, and drop the weapons you have" Vinyl demanded as a sudden cane had fallen to the ground in front of her. She eyed it suspiciously as she returned her strict attention to the person... holding just one hand up.

The man walked forward carefully. Getting on his knees as they stopped just a couple feet in front of her and Derpy. At closer inspection her eyes widened and she identified the man in front of them. Before saying anything the man chuckled.

"Don't worry Vinyl, it's just me, Edward Elric"

Author's Note

First actual chapter back, first things first, let me know what you think of the writing, it's been a while.

Also I need a editor, I don't have many brony friends since I started college, got a job, and a wife and such.

Thirdly I still need to re read all my writing, so far I'm wondering how well my writing will improve or how weird rereading my story will be now that I've matured a little more.

Either way, a pleasure to be back <3