“Ow! Hey that kind of needs to stay attached to me you know!” A male voice called out at a gnashing monster that had tried biting off his arm, only for the young man to end up scared slightly. The young man grabbed the remained of his shirt’s sleeve that was hooked on the monster’s teeth and allowed himself to be swung slightly. “Fine just for that-”
The boy let go and was thrown in the air and brought up a sword with a skull instead of a hilt and smiled. “No burēdo o bunkatsu!” The sword grew and morphed into a larger and sharper form. He seemed to step against the air and slashed at the monster cleaving it in two. A small brown gray orb flew out of its body and the young man grabbed it as he fell. “Another case solved. Eh?”
The young man looked down to see a hole open up in the ground he was headed towards. “Already!? Alright fine!” He tossed the orb to the side. “Let’s go!”
The wind blew, the trees swayed. That was how Applejack was used to it. She had taken a moment from bucking apples to enjoy the soft wind that blew through her farm. She smiled and gave out a small yawn before catching herself. “Shoot! Ah can’ be tired now. Ah barely got any work done.” She looked over to a tree still full of apple and nodded; back to work for this mare.
However before she could jump back into her work she suddenly yawned again. She shook her head and blinked. The blonde mare blinked and went over a mental list. She had gotten plenty of sleep, she barely had started working; 27 trees was a warmup to her. So why was she so tired?
“Mus be something goin on round here. Ah bet Twilight’s noticed it. Ah better check up with her.” Before she could start running a tug could be felt at her hooves. She looked down to see she wasn’t moving towards town but instead into the woods just outside of her farm’s fence. “What in tarnation? Why am ah bein' pull towards the…well fine ah’ll just check an then tell Twi.” She let her hooves race her over the fence and into the forest.
As the young man flew through the strange portal space distorted constantly as always so he chose anything else to look at. “Ugh how long until we land?” He tried to keep his flying-like pose to keep him from feeling like his limbs were working against him.
“You always complain. Just sit tight and we’ll be there soon.” A raspy voice rang out.
“I know that. Do you think we’ll get a rest before the next fight? I still need to change my outfit.” The young man looked over his sleeve. He noticed the more he fought the more outfits he seemed to lose. “I really need to pack an extra shirt next time.”
“I’m already your carry on. I’m not eating another shirt so you don’t have to carry a backpack.” The voice cackled at the young man’s sighed of dejection.
“You know…I wonder if there’s a way to tell where we go. We always sort of land in the most random of places…” The young man rolled his words in his mouth and shook his head. “Nevermind, the less I think about that the better.”
“Look alive! We’re almost there!”
The young man focused his eyes ahead of him and saw an opening in the long tunnel of distorting colors. A large smile built on his face at the sight of lush looking trees. “Great! This time we’re not landing in a wasteland!” He stepped off the air once more and moved faster towards the opening. “Let’s see what’s in store!”
He shot straight through the opening and a gust of wild caught him as he fell. The young man turned and a large smile crept on his face as he looked at the clear sky and beautiful sight that was the sun. He closed his eyes and curled up slightly before throwing his arms and legs out and shouting out. “Yahoooooo! Bright skies! The sun! I love this world already!” The boy was so happy he didn’t seem to mind that he was falling out of the sky very quickly. In fact he didn’t notice until he had already hit the ground.
Applejack had gotten a bit into the forest when the tired feeling she kept getting vanished all at once, along with the pulling feeling at her hooves. She stopped and looked at her forehooves in confusion. “Wha-“ A loud thud make her jump and fall flat on her rump. She shook her head to realign herself and looked toward the sound of the crash and started running toward the impact zone.
The young man opened his eyes to find himself on the ground and in the shade of a few trees. He sat up and rolled his shoulders. “Well this has to be my best crash landing yet.” He stood up and served the area for a moment. Then it accord to him that he had forgotten his chest list.
He pulled out a piece of paper from his back pocket and flipped it open. The words ‘Test To See If I Am Still A Tall Drink Of Water’ in bold with a little skull head next to it. He walked over to a tree and rolled his finger in a circle on the bark and a mirror appeared where he drew the circle.
“I can still use magic. I still have my sturdy body. I’m still…human? Ugh I’ll never get that answer.” He looked himself over in the mirror carefully. Long dark brown dreadlocks tied in a low ponytail around his shoulder; check. Bright red left eye and brown left eye; check. Tribal tattoo that signified his contract with his friend; check. Dark brown skin and killer smile. He gave the mirror a bright smile and chuckled. “Double check.”
He gave his clothes a quick check. Long sleeve shirt missing most of its right sleeve; …check. Jeans and very bland shoes that he has fifteen pairs of; check.
“Looks like I’m still all here.” He looked to his side where a sword handle with a skull for its hilt was attached to his hip with a sword holder. The sword didn’t look like much of a sword since it lacked a blade though. “Yep still here.” He turned to the crash site and scratched his head. “I better pay attention next time though.”
As he was about to start exploring the feeling he was being watched caught him and he turned to see a pair of green eyes staring at him. He tilted his head and took a step back when four more pairs of eyes appeared right next to the first. “Why can’t I catch a break!?” The young man groaned as five large wolf-like wooden creatures jumped out at him. He crouched down and jumped clear over them and landed on the branch of a tree behind the wolf-like creatures. “Still agile. That’s good.”
He faced the wolf-like creatures and jumped out of the way of another set of gnashing teeth. “Déjà vu...” He landed on the ground one of the creatures was on him not giving him enough time to dodge. He stuck his arm to block the set of teeth, and bad breathe, bearing down on him. He closed his eyes and awaited the pain of being bitten…and nothing. He opened his eyes and looked at the wooden wolf biting his arm like it was trying to bite into steel and then he realized. “These…these things aren’t Oshoku. Huh…they must be natives.” He watched as the wooden wolf continue to bite into him without success. “Aggressive natives.”
The young man brought two finger to the creature’s snout and flicked it sending it rolling into a tree. “Bad wood wolf thing!” The other wooden wolves growled at him but the young man didn’t back down. He took in a huge breathe and roared out. “SIT!!!” The wooden wolves found their rumps on the grassy floor. “Good wooden wolf things. Now the leader of this pack come here, now!” The largest of the wolves stood and tutted over to the young man and whimpered. “Oh no you don’t! You guys tried to eat me! Bad! Promise you’ll be good and I’ll forgive you.” The wolf whimpered and pushed its wooden muzzle into the young man’s cheek. “…okay fine. I just can’t be mad at wolves can I?”
He rubbed the alpha’s head and sent the wolves off with the promise of stopping by the say hello. He waved at them as they vanished into the trees. “See you later!” He put his hands on his hip and smiled. “Okay let’s see to finding a place to rest.”
“…w-what…how…what is that thing?” Applejack questioned under her breathe. She had come across the scene when the Timberwolves had started attacking the strange creature and was worrying about whether she should help or not. Her heart nearly stopped when the creature was talking to itself as a Timberwolf was chewing on him. It happened a second time when the creature made the Timberwolves listen to him.
She was confused, worried and…intrigued. She had never seen Timberwolves listen to anypony. The idea that this creature was their leader went out the window when they tried to eat him. Applejack was very curious about what this thing was. But being the straight forward pony she was her first concern was Ponyville and if this thing would be a danger to her friends and family.
She closed her eyes and worked up the courage to confront the creature. After a moment of silence she opened her eyes ready for-
“Hello there.” A pair of bright red eyes met her own. A smiled from the creature brought her to the world. “Can I help you?”
“WAH!” Applejack tumbled back and found herself on her back slightly dizzy. She refocused her eyes on the creature and scooted back before getting back onto her hooves. “Wh-who are you!? Whater doin’ here and…jus what are ya!?”
The creature raised its claws and seemed to laugh. “Sorry, sorry. I forgot my manners. Right so uh…I should start with my name.” It cleared its throat and smiled. “My name is Xaios. Well technically my name is Aster Cresdin but Xaios is what I’ve always been known by.” It smiled and put its hands down. “I am whats called a human. I am the male of my particular species.”
Applejack blinked and tilted her head. “Human? Wait ain’t that what Twilight said we were called on the other side o’ that mirror?”
“Oh you know what a human is?” Xaios smiled and sat down to talk to Applejack better. Her head came up to the top of his stomach so it was easier than looking down. “That makes this very easy.”
Applejack loosened up a bit. She just couldn’t keep a tense mood around this human called Xaios. “Yeah that’s right. But what’re ya doin in the Everfree? Where’d ya come from?”
Xaios rubbed his chin and pointed at the sky. “I came from a portal in the sky. It’s like being teleported except it’s a bit boring and I never really know where I’m going.”
Applejack nodded. Honestly she expected to be confused but Xaios was explaining it rather simply. “Well why were ya in that portal is ya don know where it’ll take ya?”
“Simple. It’s my job. It takes me where I’m needed. Simple as that.” A loud roar made the two strangers jumped but Xaios covered his stomach. “Jumping through a portal also happens to make me very hungry…”
Applejack blinked at Xaios and started to tremble before bursting out into a fit of laughter. It took her a long moment to calm down and look Xaios in the eyes. She then burst out laughing again; he was pouting.
After Applejack had stopped laughing and caught her breathe she turned and started trotting off. “Well come on then. Ah feel bad about laughin at ya so I’ll give ya something to eat.” Applejack turned back to look at him and smiled.
Xaios smiled and stood up. “Thanks uh…sorry I didn’t catch your name.” He wasn’t exactly bothered by a walking, talking, candy colored pony; he’d seen much, much weirder.
“Ma name is Applejack. I run Sweet Apple Acres, home of the best apples your ever done tasted!” Applejack said with pride as usual.
Xaios blinked and thought about her words carefully as he followed her. “Huh…got any pears?”
The echoing of crickets in the dense forest of the Everfree was matched with the sound of groaning coming from a visitor of the their world. Said visitor being a human that was rubbing his side in pain. “Did you really have to kick me? I just think pears taste better, I’ve had really bad experiences with apples, its not like I hate them though.”
Applejack had her snout in the air, much like Rarity would do, and her cheeks puffed as she pouted angrily. Xaios was at a loss of what to say, horse, mermaid or celestial star thingy, he just always seemed the bad guy when it came to women.
“Applejack I’m sorry okay? If I had known you love apples so much I wouldn’t have said anything.” Xaios rubbed the back of his head and Applejack stopped midstep.
“Ah…shouldn’ have kicked ya…ah nevah met a pony, er person?” She looked to Xaios for confirmation and he nodded. “Person that don’ like apples. But I understand, however, I won’ let you go another day without tastin a good apple! When you’ve had our apples you’ll ferget all about yer bad experiences in a flash!” She tipped her Stetson and smiled widely.
Xaios himself was caught up in her smiled and chuckled lightly. “Well then I can’t wait. By the way what’s around here? I think I’ll be here for a while so getting some info together would be nice.” He looked around at the vivid colors of the forest and smiled.
“Ah’ll talk ta Twi fer ya. She can give ya a good idea of the area. Also right next to Apple Acres is Ponnyville. If there weren’ so many trees in the way you’d see Canterlot far off in the distance. That’s where Princess Celestia and Princess Luna live, they raise the sun and moon.” Applejack turned to Xaios and watched him stare at the trees. “Somethin wrong?”
“Its just…” Xaios looked at her with a sad look in his eyes. “I’ve been in really…desolate worlds for the past few months. I’d forgotten…” He walked over to a tree and rubbed it bark softly. “I’d forgotten what nature…smells like, feels like…”
Applejack tilted her head to the side and rubbed her chin. She tried imagining a world with no trees and came up blank. “Wow…ah don’ reckon ah could ever understand how that feels…”
Xaios walked over to her and leaned down. “Don’t. Its less depressing that way. Now come on, I’m starving and the flowers are starting to look tasty.”
Applejack giggled and began trotting ahead of Xaios. After a bit of walking they finally reached a clearing and a fence. “This is Sweet Apple Acres, where ah live an work.” She waited for a response before looking up at Xaios who had an…annoyed look on his face. “Ah know is an apple farm but-“
“That’s not it…I really can’t catch a break can I?” He dropped his knee slightly and lift Applejack into his arms. The next moment he was in the air and a shockwave of earth slammed into the fence and destroyed it.
Applejack, who was on the verge of giving Xaios a swift hit in the jaw, was now clinging to him and staring at the section of destroyed fence. “What in tarnation! What happened!?”
“Oshoku.” He saw Applejack raise an eyebrow and he chuckled. “Sorry I just got in the habit of calling them that. They’re called Corrupts, elemental spirits corrupted by madness. I’ll explain everything latter, here it comes.” He landed just in time to see the forming of the Corrupt.
The dirt of the Sweet Apple Acres gave way as a brownish grey stony hand reached. The Corrupt pulled its large rock body out of the ground leaving a large hole in the middle of the farm’s ground. It stood up on to legs and locked its glowing yellow eye on Xaios and Applejack. At its sides were two large arms that had its hands dragging on the ground. It stood on two legs with jagged rocks sticking out. Its body was a large boulder that had a rock the side of Applejack’s body with a single glowing yellow eye.
Applejack shivered, she could feel the pure malice that was coming off the creature. She then realized she was still being carried and began squirming. “L-let me go already!”
“Not yet!” Xaios shouted and jumped out of the way of a few flying rocks. He landed on top of a apple tree and watched the earth Corrupt piece its arm back together. He jumped down and put Applejack down and stood in front of her. “Run!”
“What! Ah ain’t goin anywhere! That thing’s destroyin mah farm!” Applejack shouted at Xaios and she watched him grabbed the strange object at his side and hold it out in front of him. “What’s that goin ta do?”
“Zordo! Let’s go!” He swung the bladeless sword to the side and a long black whip appeared and slapped the air. Despite the display of what Applejack could only call magic, Xaios looked displeased. “Zordo? What’s going on?”
A red light glowed in the left eye of the skull at the top of the handle Xaios was holding and its jaw began to chatter. “Sorry Xaios but it seems the trip knock more out of me than I thought.”
Now was the time for Applejack to freak out. “W-WH-WHA IN TARTAUS IS THAT!?”
The skull chatter more and a cackling laugh could be heard. “How rude can some-Xaios look alive!”
Xaios looked up to see the Corrupt was now in front of them and its arms were raised. “I’ll never get how they do that.” The Corrupt brought its arms down and Xaios brought his hands up.
Applejack looked away and waited for her end.
“Run already!” A hoarse voice shouted and Applejack looked up at Xaios who was holding up a pair of rock arms. “I said move!” The skull shouted at her and she ran faster than she ever had before. “Good grief.”
Xaios smiled and tossed the arms of the rock monster to the side and looked at the weapon in his hand. “Please tell me we have something we can beat this thing with.”
The red eye of the skull shined bright and it chattered its jaw quickly. “I’ve got just the thing!”
Xaios was already clear on what he meant. He grabbed an edge of the rock monsters leg as it swung at him and jumped over it. “Well then Zordo! What do we do to gaint rock monsters that ruin a perfectly good farm!”
A loud cackle sounded out from the skull and the eye glowed bright. “We smash em!”
The whip vanished and the handle of the weapon extended and the skull grew in side and out of both sides grew large hammer-like parts. Applejack stared in awe as the whip morphed into a double sided hammer. But as she watched she caught the look of pure joy that covered Xaios’ face in a large smile.
“Impact Hammer!” Xaios shouted and swung his hammer down on the rock monster’s body and completely obliterated it…along with the rest of the fence around them.
Applejack’s jaw seemed permanently unhinged and before she could open her mouth she heard a very loud. “THAT WAS AWESOME!” She looked up to see a blue Pegasus with rainbow colored hair holding her face with a huge smile across her mug.
That was when she realized her friend, Twilight, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie and Rainbow were all watching Xaios as he dug through the rubble of the rock monster for something. Behind them were Applebloom who had a sparkle in here eyes, Big Mac who seemed to have caught her unhinged jaw and a very mad Granny Smith.
“Got it!” She looked back over to see Xaios standing on top the rubble with something shining a very dark brown. “Phew. Sorry about the…damage…” He had turned to see the crowd his battle had drawn. After a moment of silence he blinked and sighed. “Balderdash…”
“An ya better fix mah fence even better than it already was!” Granny Smith shouted at Xaios who was sitting down on his legs and looking down in shame. “An that’s after ya fix that hole in the ground! An ah’ll come look fer ya if ya think o runnin!” She huffed and turned to Applejack. “He’s yer responsibility until he’s done.” She walked back into their house and slammed the door shut.
Xaios sighed and stood up with an exhausted look on his face. “No matter what world I get scolded for helping out...”
“That’s just a part of your charm. You give off a very immature aura.” The skull at his hip cackled aloud, scaring Fluttershy in the process. “But now that we’re all calm. Would someone please tell the purple gummi bear over there to stop trying to cast magic on me?” Xaios looked up at the only purple one he could see. A pony and wings jumped and looked away from Xaios’ line of sight.
“Uh…” Xaios rubbed the back of his head and sat down with his legs crossed. “How should I do this…”
Applejack trotted over and put her hoof on his shoulder. “Before that, ah wanna thank ya. While ya did sorta destroy mah fence, ya did save me.” She smiled at him and Xaios shook his head.
“Don’t, its my job to protect people.” He looked up at the group of ponies before him and cleared his throat. “I guess introducing myself should come first. My name is Xaios, I’m a human…uh…yeah human and I’m something of a traveling guardian.”
The first to say anything was the purple pony he’d seen casting some sort of magic on Zordo. “Welcome Xaios.” She trotted over just in front of him and smiled. “I am Twilight Sparkle, the princess of friendship. May I ask…how did you get here? Does it have something to do with that surge of magic a little while ago?”
Xaios nodded at Twilight. “That’s right. You seem a little more understanding of how magic works so I can get technical. The portal has a link to every world where magic exists and taps into the core of magic in said world. The portals appear when there is a clear fracture in the core. The portal rips at the fracture to create itself and after one long boring trip. Here I am.”
Twilight nodded and rubbed her chin. “That sounds about right…um do you mind if ask…what is that?” She pointed a hoof at Zordo.
“Oi! I’m no ‘that’ I am a man among skull head demon men.” Zordo cackles at Twilight and the red glow turned to face her, like she was being looked at. “I am Zordo of the Alter. I am Xaios’ partner and a perfectly sentient being, so if you would be so kind, stop calling me that!”
Twilight took a step back and cleared her throat. “R-right…anyway, I suppose you already know Applejack. Let me introduce you to the rest of my friends.” She trotted over to a white pony with a horn. “This is Rarity, she runs a boutique in town.”
Rarity, who had been very silent, made her way over to Xaios and looked him up and down with a pursed look on her face. “I must say….you have a rather…bold choice in clothes.”
Xaios looked at his rags of a shirt and pants and laughed. “Oh no, this is because I tend to end up in fights with things with sharp teeth and claws. I actually forgot I had to get a new set of clothes.”
Rarity’s eyes lit up at his words. “OH you must let me make something for you! I’ve always wanted to try my hand at ‘human’ clothes!”
Xaios shrugged. “Sure, why not. Just please make them look like something a casual male would wear please. I can’t stand stuffy formal clothes…except vests…vests are cool.”
Twilight giggled at Xaios and continued, she moved to the covering form of a yellow pony with wings and long pink hair. “This is Fluttershy. She’s…very timid. She takes care of all kinds of animals.”
Fluttershy peeked up from her hair waved quietly. Xaios waved back and smiled softly.
“Up there is Rainbow Dash. She’s on the weather team.” Twilight pointed up to above Xaios and at the blue pony with wings flapping just above him.
“How did you do that thing with Zordo? That thing where he turned from a whip into a hammer? That was so cool! Do you fight monsters a lot? Are they always that big or do they get bigger! Are-?”
Xaios raised a hand out to her and stopped his head from spinning. “Slow down please…anyway, trade secret, thanks, yes, they get much…much…much bigger.” He smirked at her and Rainbow’s eyes lit up.
Twilight blinked and rushed to a shivering pink pony’s side. “And last but not least we have-“
In a blur of pink Xaios rolled across the ground and found himself holding up as a pink pony with fluffy pink hair a smile so wide he was worried her face would fall of. “HimynameisPonkiePienicetomeetyou! Areyougoingtostayforawhile? Doyoulikeparties? Doyoulkecupcakes? Doyoulikecandy?”
Xaios blinked and laughed out loud and hugged the hyperactive pink pony. “Dear Fayt you are adorable! Nice to meet you Pinkie, yes I will be here for a while and I do like parties. And while I’m not all too fond of cupcakes…I do like muffins and candy.”
Pinkie Pie’s smiled grew and she hugged Xaios back. The two spun around laughing with one another and Twilight could only blink. “W-well Xaios…I’m glad you’re getting along with everypony so well.”
Xaios paused and turned to Twilight and nodded with Pinkie Pie on top of his head as he held her there. “I’m just glad I didn’t scare you guys off. That’s happened a few more times than I’d like to admit.”
Twilight was about to ask why when her eyes moved to the glowing light coming from his pocket. “What’s that?”
“Huh?” He looked at his pocket and blinked. “Oh yeah.” He put down Pinkie Pie and pulled out a dark brown shining ball. “This is the soul of a element.”
Rarity reached out to touch it and Xaios pulled it away. “Sorry but if one of you touched this you be corrupted by it madness.”
Applejack rubbed her chin. “By the way, why do you call em that?”
“Corruption, it’s a process all purely magical beings go through. Its not like they turn evil, but the anger, pain and sadness of the beings around them drown them and they go mad. This on here is still trying to clam down. Corrupt are call such because they become corrupt with negative emotions.” Xaios stuffed it back in his pocket.
“Wait if we can’t touch it…” Twilight asked with a worried look on her face. “Why are you able to?”
“That’d be me.” Zordo cackled and Fluttershy jumped behind Applejack. “I protect him from going mad. Course by now he probably don’t need it.”
Twilight took the answer at face value, mostly because watching Zordo talk creeped her out. “A-Anyway…does that mean that the corruption of these elements is becoming more of a problem?”
“Actually no. The only reason that element came out is because I’m here. See corruptions only react to abnormalities, like me. But they only attack if they become too corrupt so don’t worry. I just weed out the ones that need taking care of immediately. And lucky me there happens to be very little corruption around here. That guy was just having a bad day.” Xaios put his hands behind his head. “Oh right, could I have a chat with the other princesses? There’s a reason I’m here and I’ll need help if I’m going to find out.”
Twilight nodded with a smile. “I’ll let Celestia and Luna know. They’ll want to hear your story for sure.” She looked up at the sky. “Its getting late. Do you have a place to stay?”
“He can stay with me.” Applejack offered. “He does have to fix our fence and the yard. Not ta mention ah promised to give him some of Sweet Apple Acres home cookin.” She smiled at him and he nodded.
“I’ll take you up on that offer.” Xaios smiled back at her and then looked at Twilight and her friends. I’ll see you all tomorrow.”
Twilight and the others nodded and all left on their way. Pinkie of course got a ‘see you later’ hug in. Xaios turned to Applejack and stretched. “Well this will be interesting at the very least.”
To be continued.
