Destiny is a Fickle thing

“Guardian!  Guardian!  Wake up Guardian!” Ugh, my head.  I had a splitting headache, and whoever was trying to wake me was making worst.  I just wanted to swat it!

“Alright, alright!” I said.  I opened my eyes, staring at the night sky.  I have no idea how long I was out,  but it had to be at least 9:00pm.  I slowly got up, my armor feeling slightly heavier.  Huh, weird.  I looked around at my surroundings, trees and other vegetation were all around me.

Okay, if this was some kind of prank it wasn’t funny!  I was about to shout out to my friends, the obvious culprits of this shift in my surroundings.

“Good, your awake,” a static voice said behind me.  I turned around, and their facing the floating machine.  My mind tried to register what I was seeing.

In front of me floated a Ghost!

"What the," I shouted, "what the heck is going on!"  I wont lie, I started to panic a little bit.  Okay, I panicked a lot okay!  Why was there a Ghost floating in front of me, why was I in the woods?  I tried to speak, to say anything else, but I couldn't.  I looked at my hands, my gauntlets were no longer cheap plastic.  What the hell was going on?

"I'm just as confused as you," the Ghost replied, trying to calm me down , “but I'm reading that you're my Guardian, even if we are this far from the Traveler.”  Guardian?  Okay, I need to think of my situation.  This might be a dream, thought I doubted it.

“Look….I don't know what you're talking about,” I said, “Guardians, and Ghosts, don't exist.  You're just a video game character!”  The Ghost didn't seem affected by this, it just continued to stare at me.

“I know, I read your memories,” he answered back calmly, “But whatever happened to you, to us, created me and brought you here.”  I looked around and back at my hands.  I put my hand on my head.  Yup, this helmet was not plastic.  I started to remember buying those stuff, the creepy merchant.  He did this!  There was no way to explain it otherwise.

Okay, I have real armor and a real Ghost.  That means I also have real weapons!  Right?

“Um, Ghost,” I said, “can you pull up my inventory?”  I hoped this worked.  Where ever I was might have hostile animals.

“Yes Guardian, I can do that.”

Immediately my helmet pulled up a screen.  It seemed I had everything I brought at the convention as well as the stuff I bought from that merchant.  I'd say I looked badass.

This is good!  I'm decked out so I wont have to worry about anything out here, hopefully.  Now onto my main issues, my memories.  I don't know why, but they were the same as my character in the game!  I knew how to shoot, somewhat, and I knew how to fight.  Though how my mind will affect these skills I have no idea.

“Okay Sparky,” I said, “We've gotta...”

“Sparky,” he cut me off, “Really, that's what you're going for?”  Why that sarcastic little, no he's right.  It's his name after all.  “Well, what do you want to be named?”  I asked.

“I don't know...” he said, and then proceeded to scan my mind.  Whatever he did made me feel a little violated.  Like he was picking though certain parts and throwing back any of the ones he didn't need!  “I'll go with….Dinklebot!” He proclaimed, prideful aren't we?

“Dinklebot!  Really!  Whatever, let's just get a fire started,”  But then I heard something that made my skin crawl.  Something was screaming, but it wasn't  an animal scream. Some one was obvious screaming for help!

“Dinklebot, get me coordinates to that noise,” I shouted, already running towards where I heard the noise.

“Alright, I set a marker on you radar!  Just follow it and it should lead us to whatever is going on.” he said, an arrow appearing on my radar screen.

I continued on the path, blood rushing through my head.  All kinds of horrible thoughts of what could happen if I didn't reach whoever that was in time.  I've never been a hero, nor would I ever want to be.  But someone was in trouble, and I've got the arsenal to handle it.

Hopefully.

“I'm reading five life forms, three seemed to be huddled together while the other two are closer!”

Shit! The two were probably fighting while the others were staying back.  I pulled out my hand cannon, making sure it was loaded and ready to fire.  I'd gotten past the last tree and I emerged into a clearing.  What I saw next broke my mind.

There in the clearing, there was something that seemed to be a cartoon manticorn.  But it was what was standing in front of it that truly shocked me.  All hopes of being in my world vanished.

A pony.  A pony with draconic wings.  A pony with a red mane and charcoal furred pony.  A pony with a friggin long blade-tail.  A pastel cutesy pony that looked ready to kill.

Nathan.exe has crashed

My appearance was announced as soon as I crashed through the trees.  The other three were next to a tree behind the Draco-pony.  One was a female bat-like pony with a blue coat, blond mane, and a Jack-o'-lantern tattoo on her flank.  Another female had insect wings with little fangs, she had a white coat, and a mask tattoo on her flank.  The last one was male, he had a pony head but a griffon body.  He seemed to be the worst for wear, one of his hind legs seem twisted and his wing dislocated.

The Draco-pony's head snapped towards me, letting a growl, “Another one, back off or else!”

Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit she's looking at me!

The manticorn took her distraction as an opportunity.  He leaped at her, claws poised to strike.  Time to slow down for me, one shot was all I had before that pony became mince meat.

I raised my gun towards the manticorn, and I squeezed the trigger.

BANG!

The manticorn flew to the side, before it could even get up from the first shot I fired 3 more times.

The ponies just stared wide-eyed at me.  Now that the main threat was eliminated I had to take care of the injured one.  I holstered my pistol and walked over to the group, most of them cowering with fear.  The draco-pony jumped in front of my path towards them.

“St..stay back!” she shouted, why do they have to be stubborn.  It was clear I was trying to help them, if I really wanted them dead I would have shot them too.

“Don't be stupid,” I said, they were shocked I could speak, “Your friend is hurt, if I wanted to harm you I would have already.”  I continued to walk towards them, pushing past the her and walking up to her friends.  I picked up some sticks and handed one to the male.  “Your wing is dislocated, bit on the stick while I put it in place.”  He looked a me sceptically, he then took the stick and did what I instructed.  “You two,” I said, pointing towards the other two next to him, “Hold him down, this is gonna hurt.”  After the did what I told them to, I relocated the joint.

POP!

The griffon-hybrid nearly jumped up in pain.  After he calmed down I made a split for his leg and a sling for his arm.  I got up and looked around, my eyes laying on a cart.  I picked him up and carried him over to the back of the cart and sat him down.

“Why are you helping us?” I turned around to see the dragon-hybrid looking at me.  The way she asked me was like there was a reason not to help them.

“Because you were in trouble,” I answered, “should I assume there's a reason not, because I can't see why?”  All of them looked shocked at my answer.  “You might still need my help. I assume you need protection to get out of this forest, and in return all I ask is you help me get to the nearest town.”  The bat pony, a thestrals I believe, answered me.

“Oh, how rude of us,” she said happily, “My name is Spook, I'm a thestrals.  The angry and ungrateful one is Shadow Flight, a kirin.  The one cowering behind her is Mimic Wing, a ponyling.  Strong Bow is the hippogriff you just help.”  Shadow Flight just snorted and put the carts latch on her back.  Mimic Wing went to Strong Bow to check up on him, while Strong Bow just grunted towards me in gratitude.

“We'd be happy for you to accompany us, as for my friends question….well were different than most ponies, so usually were use to others bothering us or running in fear.”  Spook said the last bit sadly.

“It doesn't matter to me what or who you are, everyone deserves help and compassion,” I stated, “May I ask where you're going and why you're here to begin with, from what I've gathered these forest seems dangerous?”  I kind of made me mad to hear how others treated them.  As an outcast my self, I was often bullied for acting different.  To be honest, I was surprised I was so calm right now since I'm clearly not in my world.

Or I was high.

“I've managed to store any information we've gathered, juts in case we need to look at it latter.  I'd suggest we follow them and hopefully find some way of getting home.” Dinklebot said, he manged to get communications going on in my helmet, so we could converse more privately.  “These….ponies seem friendly, I would say we made some allies!”

As we sat in the cart, Shadow Flight pulling us, Spook started to tell me their story.  Turns out a couple years ago their princess sent a small group of hybrid-ponies to the Everfree, the forest were in, as a way to keep tensions low.  The deal was that the Crown would fund the commune so that they could set up, all and all it looked like a great deal.

But it wasn't.

They got shafted the moment they entered the forest.  Their supplies were low in quality as well as quantity and any protection they needed was denied.  Finally, after many petitions,  it seemed their princess heard their pleas.  She made a deal with some creatures know as Diamond dogs to provided protection, and all they need to do was pay the dogs.

Simple right?  Nope!

The Dogs basically enslaved them.  Making them work in mines in order to pay them, whatever good they had left would be used to pay a tax that the crown laid on them.  Plus, it turns out that they had to go and deliver what they owed to the nearest town since the ponies were to afraid to enter so deep into the forest.  When the did get to the town, the were sometimes stopped by the guards.  Thinking they were monsters the guards often jailed them, requiring them to pay a bail for "disturbing the peace".

So let's boil it down shall we?  They were pushed to leave their homes and go into the deadly forest.  Their forced to pay both their en-slavers, and also pay the crown and never receive any assistants from them.  Of course I was pissed off!  And the worst part of this whole ordeal was that they could never get an audience with he majesty because some noble had to complain about “this or “that”.  Bullshit governmental system fails to meet the needs of those who are poorly treated.

“While I appreciate your criticism, you must understand I have thousands of subjects to listen to.  Many towns have a certain tax they must meet, so that we may protect the nation as a whole!”  Celestia defended.

“Yeah, all the towns besides the one closest to the most dangerous forest in all of Equestria!”  I retorted, “The fact remains is that you failed them, you refused to listen to their pleas for help, and most importantly you ***Segregated* them from the rest of the world! I finished, “Now, if you don't mind I'd like to finish this.”**

“Fine.” Celestia seethed.

We were close to the town, I could see the quiet little town off in the distance.  I could see a couple of ponies in the market place up ahead.  I also saw a….house...in a tree?

“What's this place called? I asked.  My hopes of getting home fleeting.

“Oh, this is Ponyville.  Home to Princess Twilight Sparkle and one of the most prosperous multi-tribal areas in Equestria!”  Spook said, sounding like one of those hyped up tour guides.  Ponyville?  Ponyville!  How did it not click to me!  Magic talking ponies, dark creepy forest!  I was no oblivious to the internet, I've seen may MLP FIM memes and videos pop up on my many searches.

Oh for the love of God!  Of all the places I could have been dropped off at, it was here!

Don't get me wrong, the show wasn't bad.  Ross was a big fan, a brony if you will, and he'd often shown me and Sam the show.  It wasn't my cup of tea, but I understood and respected the fandom unlike others.  Of course I was lucky to get sent to a peaceful world, but no advanced technology.

For some reason I don't think they had a "teleport me to another universe" spell.  Dammit, why was my luck so bad?  I'd never see my friends, my family.  How could this get any worse?

“I'm...sorry Nathan,” Dinklebot said, “But we've got to think what our next step is if were going to survive.  Besides, in a world full of magic, maybe we can find a spell to fix this!” It was nice of him, maybe he was right.  Thanks Dinklebot.

Of course it did get worse.

As soon as we walked into town, ponies began to run and scream their little heads off the me and my companions were the Four horsemen of the Apocalypse.  The others seemed use to this, Spook told me that it was normal and to just ignore it.

Well I did! The locals didn't.

As we got to the library in a tree.  Yeah, whatever.  A speeding bullet crashed into me and tore me off the cart.  Spook let out a yelp, barley dodging the projectile.  Mimic kept Strong Bow down, he was still hurt after all, and Shadow got into an aggressive stance.

“Don't mess with Ponyville chump,” A scratchy voice said, I looked up to see a Pegasus with a rainbow mane flying a feet feet above me.  Rage immediately burned in me, who the fuck was this gay-pride mascot to just go and attack me.

“What's your problem,” I shouted, “I'm not messing with anyone!”  She just snorted and took on a battle pose.

“I'll be asking the questions here monster,” she retorted, “so beat it before I make you!”  That tears it, I could see Mimic crying in fear at what was happening.  While we'd just meet and barley spoken, it was only due to her shy nature and insecurity.  With determination I jumped back on my feet, making a dash for her.

She dodged and then taunted me.  “Nice try, but no one is faster then me!,” She cowed, “let me show you how out of your league your are!”  With that she speed towards me at an unbelievable rate.

Just when she was about to hit me, I sidestepped and gave a kick to where the join of her wing meet her body.  The force of the kick shot her through a house, leaving her under the rubble.  This of course did not help the panicking ponies clam down.  Whoops!

  I turned around and bolted towards the library.  Shadow and Spook right behind me.  I slammed open the door, a purple lizard stood off to the side, shocked by my sudden on my entrance.

“What are you doing,” Shadow shouted, 'We've got to go now!  She seemed worried, I knew time was of the essence but I had to get as may books as I could!

“I need your help, grab as many books as you can off the shelves!” I said, she looked at me like I was crazy.  “Please, somewhere here might be the answer to me getting home. I know we've only known each other for a short time, but you understand what it means to have a home where you're love!”  She looked at me with an understanding look and nodded, bolting off to the nearest shelf.

“Hey,” the purple lizard shouted while wielding a broom, “You can't take those!”  whatever he was going to do next was stopped short when I blew the head of the broom off with my hand cannon.  “Never mind,” he said with a terrified smile, “take what you want, it's a library after all.”  with that he bolted up the stair case.

We had finally gotten out, everyone getting onto the cart so we could take off.  Of course, I would be on there as well if it weren’t for the purple ray beam of death that blasted me in my chest!  I grumbled and got up to see six mares staring at me with anger.

There was Skittles from before, a pink earth pony with some messed up hair, an orange cowboy earth pony, a yellow Pegasus with long pink hair, a white unicorn, and a purple winged unicorn

“STOP RIGHT THEIR!” purple shouted, her horn glowing.  Probably to shoot off another magic laser.  Man, she looked pissed.  I don't know why, it was her friend that attacked me!  I remember my companions mentioning Princess Twilight Sparkle as an alicorn, so this must be her.

The orange one wearing the cowboy hat was standing on her hind legs, twirling a lasso over her head.  How did she do that with no hands?  Her neck must have some issues if she does that often.  “No listen here feller, we don't want to hurt ya so just stay down,” she said.  A southern accent?

“I don't know about that,” the rainbow one said pounding her house together, she was sporting a black eye.  HAH!

“Honestly, Rainbow darling you could be a tad less violent,” the white unicorn, with the really whiny accent, said, “Though I highly doubt the brute will go down quietly,”

I immediately drew my pistol, aiming it at the purple leader.  “Get out of my way, I don't want to get into anything we all might regret,” I said calmly.  My opponents saw my warning as an attack, clearly not listening to my words.

“It's attacking,” Rainbow shouted, “We gotta blast it now!”

“We were going to anyway, Rainbow!”  The purple menace replied, “Under the power the Princesses of Equestria entrusted to me, you are to be punished for you deeds!”

They then started floating, not good.  A white light coated them and their eyes started to glow, definitely not good!  I remembered seeing their orbital friendship laser before, turning someone to stone.  So yeah, I was scared shitless.

A giant rainbow shot out and towards me. I of course did the only thing logical, I screamed like a girl.

“FUUUUUUUUUUUU……….”