Decent Challenge

Chapters

Prelude to Mayhem
A Fallen Warrior
Arrival and the First Challenges
Recovery

Prelude to Mayhem

Somewhere in the far reaches of the Universal Nexus

Everything was burning. Grassy landscapes were consumed in red flames, towns were swallowed whole by seas of yellow, people once vibrant and colorful reduced to nothing but ashen husks, and the entire world was nothing but a burning ball of blaze. And at the very heart of it all rested a lone figure, sitting beneath a blackened dead tree, chewing on a slowly frying wheat stalk, the monster who did it all. He wore a colorful tailcoat suit, unstained by soot or flame, sported white gloves and a tall, yellow, high-silk hat that cast a long shadow, and had a haunting-looking white mask featuring a pointed red nose and a manic fanged smile. To make things even weirder, the guy had no corporeal physical body (literally looked like just a floating set of clothes on an invisible body) and was talking to a slightly burnt skull in his hands.

“Y’know, getting directly involved in causing mass destruction is fun and all, Adam,” The mysterious being said, his voice somewhat distorted and giving an echoing vibe. “But after a while, it gets a bit tedious for myself, the Magnificent Mister Mayhem, Chaos Entity extraordinaire, to deal with on a constant basis.” The masked being looked at the skull, the singed black bone only staring at him with hollow eyes. “Why did I repeat myself and give my identity, Adam? How else am I supposed to introduce myself to readers if they haven’t read the prequels?” Mayhem glared at the skull once more. “Right, forgive my outburst, Adam, I often forget you’re bit of a bonehead.” The masked being cackled loudly, tossing the burnt skull away as it rolled down the burning hill. Mayhem reached to his side and pulled out a (oh god, that’s nasty) small fleshy human eyeball with purple iris. “But as I was saying, Sebastian, I’m getting a bit bored. It’s not fun anymore, I mean,” He made a sweeping gesture towards the raging inferno. “These guys didn’t even put up an actual fight! One gust of my MAYHEM MIASMA,” He demonstrated his special attack by expelling a plume of black and purple smog from his sleeve at a nearby rock, causing it to corrode and turn to mush. “And their little brains were so warped, they started turning on each other like a bunch of rabid hyenas on a rotting carcass.” The eyeball offered little response. “I know, it was funny to watch, but it’s still boring.” Mayhem sighed, pocketing the eyeball and rising to his full eight feet in height, and began aimlessly drifting about the hell-scape he had so easily created.

“I think I should try something a bit new with my onslaught of bringing true chaos to everywhere in the Nexus.” Mayhem remarked, gliding aimlessly through the remains of a burnt town. He spotted a roasted broom laying on the ground, so the madman picked it up, slapped a pair of googly eyes on it and rested it on his shoulder. “But the thing is, Horace, what am I supposed to do? The Universal Powers declared me a menace to the Nexus after that unregistered fighting tournament, the other Chaos Beings think I’m too reckless and don’t give a toss about the balance of things, and my short attention span keeps me from thinking up really awesome plans.” He gave the broom a little jostle, the googly eyes bouncing about with reckless abandon. “Of course I’ve got confidence in my abilities, Horace! Don’t you judge me!” Mayhem removed his hat and stuffed the broom completely inside. Looking about, Mayhem entered a burned out home and found a rock that a child had pained with a clown face on it and a worn stone hammer. “Look, Evan, Mister Smashy, I need ideas here. Otherwise I’m going to go sane from boredom.” Mayhem gave the hammer a little shake, his eyes lighting up for a moment. “What you say?” He held up the hammer to his ‘ear’, while stuffing the rock in his pocket. “You want me to do… Oh, that sounds…” Mayhem gasped, pulling the hammer away. “Mister Smashy, that’s horrific! Think of the lives that will end and worlds that will be destroyed!” He brought the hammer to his chest, giving it a tight hug. “You’re my new favorite.” Mayhem stuffed the hammer into his hat and vanished in a puff of purple smoke. The masked menace reappeared in a completely blank white room, where naught but a small table and mug of steaming coffee rests. Mayhem drifted over to a wall, grabbed a marker, and drew a dartboard on the wall. Once his little drawing was complete, several small yellow dots appeared on the dartboard, and a bundle of purple darts appeared in Mayhem’s hand.

“Alright, let’s find a Cluster with the weakest walls.” Mayhem quipped. He carefully aimed the dart at the board, aligning it with a simple shot, before simply throwing it behind his back, the dart ricocheting off the walls of the room until impacting on the dartboard, pinning a rather bright dot near the rim. Mayhem walked over, plucked the dart off the wall and stuffed it into a small beaker. Mayhem breathed out a small puff of his miasma into the flask, the dart dissolving and mixing into a purplish-green mixture. Suddenly, the mixture exploded into a bright cloud, flashing a variety of bright and happy colors. Mayhem stuck his head into the cloud and gave a big whiff. “Hmm… I detect rainbows, smiles, friendship, harmony… and magic!” One wave of his hand and the cloud dispersed to part of the room, Mayhem now holding a small glowing orb of an earth-like planet. “Smells like Equus, the realm of magic and harmony…” Mayhem reached into his pocket and produced a small photo of a smiling goat-headed creature with a pair of mismatch antlers and big yellow eyes, Mayhem’s smile shifting to a frown. “And the home of that draconequus rat, Discord…” The photo burst into yellow-green flames, burning to ashes in seconds. “GAH! That no good orderly traitor! Turning the other Chaos Beings against me and preaching his goodie-goodie ‘friendship is magic’ CRAP! Oh, this just went from total destruction for funzies to revenge quest with a mix of overkill!” Mayhem snatched the flames of the photo midair, using his Chaos Magic to form the flames into a map of Equestria, the largest nation of Equus, and easily the most powerful. He had his target, now all he needed were the proper tools. As he pondered this, Mayhem’s recently acquired ‘friends’ tumbled out, propped up on seats and tables that materialized out of nowhere.

“Gentlemen, we need to brainstorm how I’m going to leave Equus as nothing but a simple memory in the Universal Community.” Mayhem explained. “Now, I said I wasn’t going to directly intervene, but I still need ideas on how I’m going to make this ruin. So… SUGGESTIONS!” He scanned his cohorts with curious intent, waiting for their reply. “Really, Adam? Just give the local villains super weapons and tell them to just blow everything up? How one track can you get, you bonehead?!” The skull said nothing in return. “Do a little dimensional displacement, you say? Well, Sebastian, if that were only so simple. I’d need to pick out just the right saps to toss into the heap, decide whether or not to brainwash them into helping or straight up trickery, and I’d also need to figure out how to cover up my tracks to keep them from getting revenge.” He shot a glance at the broom. “Nah, getting stupid ones is just a recipe for disaster, Horace, especially if they’re both stupid and powerful.” The broom shifted in its position. “Yes, the smart and powerful are problematic enough, but they’re probably a good bet.” Mayhem paced about the room, eventually coming across a bookshelf that materialized out of nowhere, plucking a large leather-bound book up and flipping through the pages. “Maybe there’s something in my scrap-book that can give me ideas.” The masked menace flipped through the aged pages, glancing at photos of himself at scenes of mass catastrophe, each and every single one of them a ‘selfie’. “Let’s see… Millennium Attack on London? Nah, vampires are overdone. Cataclysm of Orr? Too much magic and cleanup to deal with. The Blissification? No thank you, SIR! Burning of Rome? Fun afternoon, but no real stuff I could use there.” Mayhem slammed the book shut, groaning loudly. “UGH! Why can’t I find anything useful here?!” A creaking sound echoed throughout the room, as Mayhem saw the hammer resting atop an old history book, one written in foreign characters. Mayhem snatched the book up, flipped through it, and slowly began madly cackling to himself.

“Once again, Mister Smashy,” Mayhem giggled, slamming the book shut. “You are my favorite.” Purple smog filled the room as Mayhem cackled with the sheer insanity of a madman. “To the year 198! Location: China and the soon-to-be Kingdom of Wei!” And like that, he was gone, off to enact the first part of a long and terrific plan, leaving nothing but echoing laughter and a haunting message. “Soon, Equestria will crumble and it will be by the hand of MY pawns! Gyah hah ha hah ha!”

Meanwhile, in Equestria…

Twilight shot her head up from the book she was reading, an unnatural feeling running down her spine. She couldn’t place it, but there was something familiar about it, a feeling of dread of dark times to come.

“Something up, Twilight?” Asked Spike, the little dragon sitting next to a small red teapot with a lemon stamped on it. “You got that weird look on your face.” Twilight sighed, backing away from her book and facing her number one assistant.

“I don’t know, Spike.” Twilight admitted. “I just got this weird feeling like…” She paused, trying to find it on the tip of her tongue. “Something big is going to happen, and I don’t know what.” She sat down on her haunches, unsure about what to think. Seeing his big sister in distress, Spike walked over and placed his hand on her shoulders.

“Don’t worry, Twilight.” Spike reassured. “Whatever it is, you and the girls can handle it, no sweat!” Twilight smiled at the little dragon, wrapping a wing around him in a comforting embrace. The little fellow always knew what to say to cheer her up.

“Thank you, Spike.” She said. “Did you remember to feed Lemon-Head?” Almost on cue, the tea pot shook a little. Frowning, Spike walked over to the tea pot, pulled out a little bag of lemon squares they had purchased from Sugar Cube Corner, popped the lid, dropped a few lemon squares inside, and quickly shut the lid. The tea pot shook a little, then finally remained still.

“Thanks!” Squeaked a raspy voice inside. Both Spike and Twilight sighed, having grown used to dealing with yet another odd mouth to feed. But Twilight was still not at ease, with that feeling lingering on her mind. What could it mean? And could it spell danger out for herself and Equestria? These questions, she hoped, would never be answered….

Author's Note

It begins...

For those of you who didn't read "A Chaotic Little Party", Mister Mayhem is an IDA original character, a rogue chaos entity from a universe long since extinct who has made himself an enemy of everyone everywhere. Next chapter, we will introduce the main pawn of it all, a warrior of pure unbridled fury and... oh, who am I kidding? You probably know from the cover summary. Stay frosty, everyone.

~IDA Official, Head Writer Mask

A Fallen Warrior

Year of 197, a outside the Fortress of Xiapi

Cold winds of winter blew across the land, as snow drifted atop the formerly grassy path and blanketing the stains of red from a battle long since passed. Hundreds of men, garbed in blue and black armor, lay dead upon the ground, felled by blade or arrow, scattered apart in a morbid scene. The only life that walked amongst the corpses were crows ready to feast… and a menace in a mask. Mister Mayhem materialized in a puff of purple smoke, dusting himself off and examining the aftermath of the battle before him.

“Ah, Era of the Three Kingdoms…” Mayhem said, taking in the cold atmosphere. “The second bloodiest period in human history.” He inhaled deeply through his nonexistent nostrils, smelling the aroma of death around him. “Smells like ambition, aggression, and pointless conflict.” He turned his head to the sound of faint clanging metal at a nearby stone fortress off in the distance, dredged deep in water from a nearby broken dam. “Looks like I’m about ready to watch the final act of the show.” With a bounding skip, Mayhem leapt into the air and positioned himself atop a tall tree, getting a full view of the ongoing battle within the walls of the fortress stronghold of Xiapi. The walls within were flooded open, men grabbed in blue were pushing into the black garbed soldiers that fortified the city, felling many by the minute. Mayhem could see a man wearing a purple bandana cutting through dozens of men with a chain-scythe while being backed by a larger man swinging a massive club like it was nothing. Further in, he could see a young man wielding two swords and… freezing people solid with ice? Clearly, Mayhem had stumbled upon a goldmine. However, Mayhem’s real attention was at the center of the fortress, where several men in blue were gathered, and two imposing figures in black were brought before them. One of the men sat on his knees, adorned in black armor and sporting a tricorn hat with a large red plume sprouting out, looking calm yet defeated. The other man, an even larger menace in black armor wearing a small hat that displayed two long twin red feathers that drifted down to his waist, struggling against his captors like an animal in chains, with several blades pointed at his neck. That was the man Mayhem wanted. Lu Bu.

The man in chains struggled greatly against his binds, glaring at the soldiers who dare restrain him. “Loosen these ropes!” He bellowed, his voice deep and harsh with the ferocity of a dragon. One of the blue garbed men, an intimidating man sporting an eyepatch over his left eye, simply shoved the massive man forward.

“Hmph, they’re just right for a wild animal.” The man in the eyepatch scoffed. The kneeling man in the tricorn hat didn’t even turn to address his comrade in binds, simply keeping his eyes shut as the blades pointed at his neck, while the larger man was forced onto the ground before two men while eight blades gathered around his neck. One was a cunning-looking man with a pointed black beard and donning a purple bandana covering his hair, a chain scythe looped to his belt. He was Jia Xu, one of the smartest tacticians in the Three Kingdoms. And the other was an imposing man, sitting in a wooden chair, wearing a regal blue and purple garb, a small crown atop his head and a purple cape of an intricately designed bird flowing freely on his back. He was Cao Cao, a prominent general of the Kingdom of Wei with a heart strongly set in his ambitions. But now, he would serve as a judge for the two men.

“Xiahou Dun,” Cao Cao said, beckoning the eyepatch-wearing warrior to his side. “Fine work.” Xiahou Dun gave a short bow, taking his place by his lord’s side.

“Cao Cao!” Lu Bu called out. “I hear you make use of talented enemies.” Jia Xu turned to his lord, shrugging his shoulders in almost mocking tone. The warrior’s words were true, as reputation had passed to Cao Cao for being one to sense proper ambition and talent within his foes and inducting them into his ranks. His own personal bodyguards and the strategist were prime examples of such a case. “Then use me! The world will be yours!” Xiahou Dun stepped in front of Lu Bu, the blade of his sword mere inches away from the massive warrior’s neck. Such a cowardly act to demand alliance from your victor was not something Dun would tolerate, especially from the man with the blood of thousands on his hands.

“Show some dignity, Lu Bu.” The tricorn hat soldier said, his expression remaining neutral in the face of judgement. “Die like a man of courage and integrity.” Lu Bu turned to his former ally, the mighty twin axes Zhang Liao. His longtime ally in battle, whom he had fought for under the banner of Dong Zhuo, of Yuan Shao, and of himself, was questioning his dignity and power? How dare he?! Cao Cao glanced between the two warriors, the general heeding the words of the two warriors very carefully. The decision was painstakingly obvious, of who had true ambition to strive.

“Kill Lu Bu.” Cao Cao decreed, not even daring to look him in the eye. Lu Bu rose to his feet, growling and tugging at his chains.

“Cao Cao! Curse you!” Lu Bu roared, ready to tear the man apart with his own two hands, only to be dragged away by the soldiers of Wei. “Why?!” As Lu Bu was dragged off to his death, he overheard the words Cao Cao called him whilst discussing their battles with a fellow general. That animal, a beast, a monster. Was that what the Kingdoms viewed him? No, Lu Bu was a warrior, an ultimate weapon capable of shaping nations with the mere swing of his blade! To even greater disgust, Lu Bu saw his own ally, Zhang Liao, rise to his feet, with Cao Cao’s blessing as a new soldier to his cause! How was that possible? Lu Bu was the greater warrior! He who slew thousands of men a day by himself, with naught but a bundle of spears and a man to carry them! His mighty steed, Red Hare, ran through enemy lines atop the skulls of his foes, while Lu Bu himself slaughtered men by the score with one swing of his halberd! He who slew the tyrant warlord Dong Zhuo, the man who burn Loyang to the ground out of spite and cowardice, with but a simple blade! And yet it was his subordinate, who willingly prostrated himself for death and was a lesser to his own strength, that was given a chance to live and fight another day?!

“Stay yourself, beast!” A soldier shouted, tugging tightly on Lu Bu’s ropes. “You shall face the judgement of the spirits in a fortnight!” Lu Bu continued to struggle, to regain his freedom and draw a blade yet again, but it was hopeless. He was dragged back to the Wei Camp, placed in several chains and bindings, and was left heavily guarded in a tent by himself, with not even so much as a meat bun to nibble off of. Lu Bu stared at the walls of his tent in contemplation, having long since given up trying to break free of his chains.

Is this how I meet my fate? Lu Bu silently thought himself. At the hands of some damn executioner and not on the field of battle as a warrior of my might always dreamed? He sighed, lowering his head in resignation. Thoughts of battles past ran through his mind, each one of him riding atop his blazing steed into battle, halberd in hand, facing against weak vermin and equally strong foes alike. He recalled first seeing Cao Cao in the castle, how he referred to the soon-to-be general as ‘the fleeing rat’. He remembered his defense at Hulao Gate, where he clashed blades against the legendary Guan Yu himself, the only battle he recalled to have actually been a stalemate. Shame he would never be able to settle that battle any time soon. He remembered chasing after Xiahou Dun and his cousin, Xiahou Yuan, in an attempt to take the Emperor of China under his protection. All the power a warrior like him could command by having the Emperor on his thumb was worth the risk, but ultimately ended in failure. He thought back to the day’s events, while his armies fought back the combined forces of Cao Cao and Liu Bei from taking Xiapi, only to have that damned strategist Jia Xu breach the dams and flood the castle, freezing his soldiers and forcing the mighty warrior to take the field himself. Finally, his thoughts drifted to not war, but something more dear to him. A love… Diaochan.

“Diaochan…” Lu Bu muttered. The former concubine of his adoptive uncle, Dong Zhuo, was the only thing aside from battle Lu Bu truly yearned for. Diaochan was caring, she was considerate, she helped him dispose of Dong Zhuo, she was a skilled fighter with her deadly whip… He loved her… And now they would never see each other again. If Lu Bu had any regrets in his life… It would be not telling Diaochan goodbye. A faint conversation could be heard outside, as a third shadow appeared to be standing before the tent. Lu Bu couldn’t make out the words, but it seemed calm enough. The doors to the tent parted, and a face entered that Lu Bu could be more than less than pleased with: Zhang Liao.

“Come to gawk at the beast in the cage, Zhang Liao?” Lu Bu grunted, not even daring to look his captor in the eye. “Or have you come to give another lecture about honor and dignity in the face of battle?” No response from his former general. “Well, I do not care anymore. I have been bested in battle, and now I face the headsman’s judgement. I have no qualms about battles or the blood I have shed, but know this,” He lifted his head up and glared at Zhang Liao. “I will be remembered as the greatest warrior in the Three Kingdoms, and nothing will change that.”

“Jeez, how hammy could you get, Bu?” Zhang Liao said, in a voice very unlike his own. Lu Bu snapped to attention, noticing that Liao’s face had drastically changed, sporting a manic smile that was clearly not natural. “I mean, you’re acting all holier than thou when even you are aware all that you’ve got going for you is you like killing things.” Lu Bu was flabbergasted, this Liao impostor, his mannerisms and speech were unusual, and the fact he wore the skin of Liao was even more unnerving. The impostor must have realized, sporting a teasing pout. “You look confused. Maybe this’ll help shed some light.” The impostor removed his tricorn hat, only to have an even larger high-silk hat sprout out from beneath. Right before Lu Bu’s eyes, the impostor’s body began to be consumed by a cloud of purple smoke, obscuring the figure in a thick shadowy haze. In an instant, the smoke cleared, and in the impostor’s place was a tall, lanky figure with no discernable physical body, dressed in unusually colorful clothes, and sporting a haunting mask with a red nose and wide smile. The masked being leaned towards Lu Bu, the warrior staring eyes agape at this freakish creature. “Like the costume change?”

“What manner of creature are you?” Lu Bu demanded. The masked being placed a gloved finger on the chained warrior’s forehead.

“One that’s offering you a second chance.” The masked being said, his voice both chilling, yet oddly soothing at the same time. “POOF!” A bright light engulfed Lu Bu’s vision, blinding the warrior as he felt himself lifted from the ground. In a mere instant, Lu Bu’s vision returned, and he found that the scenery had changed drastically. No longer was he inside a frigid tent at a military camp, now he stood in a forest filled with cherry blossom trees, a babbling brook echoing in the area. What’s more, Lu Bu found his binds were missing!

“What sorcery?” Lu Bu muttered, examining the landscape all around.

“I figured the change in scenery for our meeting would be much more suiting than that drab tent.” The masked one said from behind, startling Lu Bu. “Wow, didn’t expect you to be a jumper, Bu.” He gestured to a nearby stone table occupied by a wicker basket and stools cushioned with red pillows, walking over and sitting himself down. “Come, take a seat.” Lu Bu warily glanced at the table, ultimately conceding and resting himself on the opposite stool. The masked one chuckled a bit, reaching into the wicker basket and pulling out two empty bowls, placing one before him and before Lu Bu. Before Lu Bu could ask any questions, the masked one cracked his knuckles loudly, shooting a pair of small lightning bolts into the bowls, with meat buns miraculously appearing within. “Here, have something to eat. No good to make deals on an empty stomach.” Lu Bu stared at his bowl in awe, even more so when he looked up and saw the mouth of the mask opening up and consuming the meat bun, even though the creature’s body could not be seen.

“You must be a spirit.” Lu Bu declared. “How else would you be able to perform such sorceries with ease?” The masked one laughed, putting down his food and rising from his seat.

“You are more clever than most let on, Fengxian.” The spirit said, referring to Lu Bu’s other name. “My name is Hun Luan, I am a spirit of Change and Chance. I find myself redirecting the spiritual flow of mortal rivers, hoping to influence them to actions better or worse.” Hun Luan flicked his wrist, a fully bloomed rose appearing between his figures. “Lately, I’ve been on a bit of a crusade to find suitable ones in aiding me in a quest to redirect the fates of others.”

“And you chose me?” Lu Bu asked, skeptically. “I am a warrior, spirit. I seek only to better my steel in battle, not better others.” Hun Luan chuckled, tossing the rose aside while it burst into flames midair.

“Precisely why I chose you, Lu Bu.” Hun Luan said. He reached behind his back and pulled out a small wooden box, reaching inside. “Care to play a game?” He produced a small stack of cards. “Gin Rummy?” He tossed the cards aside, pulling out a bundle of wooden figures. “Chess?” He stuffed the pieces in his pocket, now holding metal spikes and a rubber ball. “Jacks?” He tossed the spikes and ball aside, finally producing a large wooden board designed with a multi-colored star. “Not-intentionally-insensitive Checkers?” Annoyed with the spirit’s actions, Lu Bu lunged forward and swatted the board out of Hun Luan’s hands. “Not a board game fan?”

“I grow tired of your antics, spirit!” Lu Bu demanded. “Tell me why you summoned me from my imprisonment!” Finally getting to business, Hun Luan chuckled, leaning on the table and folding his fingers.

“You may not consider yourself a teacher, Lu Bu,” Hun Luan coldly said. “But you are the greatest instructor to those who know nothing of war.” A plume of purple mist shot from Hun Luan’s sleeve, the mist taking shape of figures fighting in battle, and amongst them a red eyed Lu Bu. “Your prowess in battle is like watching a teacher lecture his students on how to succeed by showing them what failure is. You cut through unworthy soldiers with tenacity and force, thinning the enemy army with but the simple strength of one man. You slaughter men by the dozens, teaching those foolish enough to cross your path what true power is. You left a bloody stain on China so great, everyone knows to never pursue you in armed conflict.” Hun Luan waved the smoke away, while Lu Bu looked on with an awe-struck expression. “Which is why you are perfect for this.”

“You speak of my actions,” Lu Bu said in amazement. “Yet you do not explain the duty itself.” Hun Luan tossed another plume of mist, molding it into a spherical form.

“There is a realm that I have seen,” Hun Luan said as his fingers molded the mist. “One far away and vastly different than the world you know. A world known for its practices of peace, where six aspects of harmony are a constant: Honesty,” The mist turned a bright orange, a scent of apples seemed oddly noticeable. “Kindness,” It became a faint pink, almost forming in the shape of a butterfly. “Generosity,” It turned a shadow of deep blue, and seemed to glisten like a diamond. “Laughter,” It became a bright blue, carrying an aura of happiness with it. “Loyalty,” It glowed a hot red, Lu Bu could’ve sworn he saw rainbows circling it briefly. “And the most potent of all…” It turned a solid shade of purple, forming into the shape of a six-pointed star. “The Magic of Friendship.” The mist dispersed, while Lu Bu looked on in confusion.

“The Magic of Friendship?” He asked, confused and irritated. “What idiocy is this? Childish dreams, I say.” Hun Luan nodded solemnly, almost saddened.

“An entire realm is succumbed to this naiveté,” Hun Luan said. “A blind belief that warm feelings and friendship can overcome any obstacle. This will ultimately be their downfall.” The masked spirit held both his hands up, two balls of mist forming in his hand, one white and pure as snow, the other black and harsh as coal. “A darkness will befall this realm, unlike any they have seen before, and their harmony will be powerless to stop it.” He slammed his hands together, molding the two into a grey orb, presenting it before Lu Bu. “Unless a proper warrior teaches them.” The grey orb stretched itself on two ends, taking the shape of a long object that seemed heavier on one end. The mist cleared away, and resting in Hun Luan’s hand was a long halberd black as night, trimmed with gold and lined with red. Lu Bu recognized the weapon anywhere, for it was his own. “Take up arms and teach this world the ways of war. Earn the chance Cao Cao never gave you.” Lu Bu looked at his blade and the spirit that held it, contemplating the words and quest presented before him. He’d be able to fight once more, but do so in an unknown realm filled with opponents who knew nothing of war.

“If I agree and take up arms again,” Lu Bu said, looking the spirit in the eye. “What becomes of me?”

“You will travel to the realm of harmony while a duplicate takes your place on the noose.” Hun Luan said.

“And if I refuse?” Lu Bu continued.

“You don’t.” The spirit made a valid point, but this was off. Something within Lu Bu’s mind didn’t sit right with this spirit. “Consider it… a challenge of sorts…” Lu Bu’s eyes widened while Hun Luan inwardly smirked. A challenge was the perfect thing to tide the warrior’s interest, the one thing he truly craved for in life. It was decided. Lu Bu reached forward and took his halberd in hand.

“I accept your challenge, spirit.” Lu Bu said, a look of sheer determination ever present on his face. Hun Luan laughed loudly, flipping in the air as cherry blossoms danced all around him. The spirit settled down, placing a hand on the mighty warrior’s shoulder.

“You go with my blessing, Fengxian.” Hun Luan said. Light consumed Lu Bu, and he was whisked off to complete the challenge set forth, leaving the so-called Spirit of Change and Chance alone in a forest of pink. “Granted, my blessings are more like curses…” Hun Luan raised a hand, snapped his fingers, and the entire forest was set ablaze. “GYAH HAH HA HAH HA HAH HA!!!”

Author's Note

The stage is set, now for the show to properly get started. Props to anyone who can get the hidden reference to Mayhem's faux name.
Oh, and for future reference, a link will appear in appropriate places where Lu Bu's theme will play. It'll look something like this: (*) Keep your eyes peeled and enjoy the updates as they come.
Also, for those of you wondering why we're referring to Lu Bu's weapon as a halberd instead of a spear (as most people do), all of Lu Bu's weapon iterations have had a pointed spear barb on the end, but ALSO an axe-like blade just below, which is what a halberd is.

~IDA Official, Head Writer Mask

Arrival and the First Challenges

Realm of Equus, the Nation of Equestria

Many species of Equus give Equestria a bad rap for not handling themselves properly in times of crisis. Whenever danger seemed to rear its ugly head, the ponies would tend to panic, rampage, and completely freak out while the national heroes took care of everything and the Royal Guard does diddly squat. However, when living in an almost completely peaceful and harmonious society, of course they would not be rightly prepared for when something does come along. Such is the case when strange purple clouds began swirling over the infamously renegade Everfree Forest. While most would simply attribute the strange clouds swirling in an unsual vortex of ominous indigo fluff just to be another factor of the unusual Forest’s behavior and weather patterns, some would note it extremely unusual with the fact it surged with bright red lightning. The clouds and lightning could be seen from miles around, blotting out Celestia’s Sun on a day where no one would expect so much as a dainty wisp, shrouding the area in a haunting mist. Pegasi who attempted to clear the clouds away found themselves struck by the red bolts, sending them to the ground oddly unharmed. The swirling clouds manifested themselves near the center of the Everfree Forest, the bolts of red growing faster and more violent as it all congregated in the center. Finally, in a large burst of raw energy, a gargantuan electric surge rocketed to the ground, striking the center of the Forest with a thunderous boom. As soon as it had arrived, the clouds were suddenly gone from the sky, as though none of it had even happened in the first place.

Observing it on high in her castle perched atop the great Canterlot Mountain, Princess Celestia, ruler of Equestria and matron of the Sun, sat in her room with her eye focused on the ground where the clouds had struck and swiftly balanced. It was an odd occurrence to be sure, one noteworthy of the untamed Everfree Forest, but no cloud in her years had she seen carry such an unusual magical flow with them. The instant the clouds had arrived, Celestia felt an unnatural disturbance in the flow of magic Equus strongly carried. Being an Alicorn, an amalgamation of the three pony tribes of Equestria, Celestia could tap into the natural river of magic all around them and sense disturbances. This odd rupture in the river of magic carried with it the ferocity and unforgiving wrath of a hurricane, and the clouds brought with it an unease of pure mayhem. And just like that, once the bolt struck and the clouds faded, it was gone. The disturbance had vanished altogether and the magical flow was at ease once more. Yet something still didn’t feel right. Celestia quickly took a parchment and ink quill, unrolling it and jotting down a message to the closest aid possible.

“Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle,” Celestia read as she wrote. “As you no doubt have felt, there was an unusual change in the natural magical order of Equestria when several strange purple clouds passed over the Everfree Forest. The change has seemingly vanished, but I cannot be too sure what could happen. Please, my dearest former student, keep a vigilant eye for anything could happen. This disruption seemed unlike any I had ever felt before, not since Sombra or even Tirek have I felt this much malice. Please be careful and report to me anything you can find. Sincerely, Princess Celestia.” The letter completed, Celestia cast a spell upon the parchment, bursting it into green flames and sending it off to the recipient posthaste. Once again looking to the Forest where the bolt struck, the Solar Diarch couldn’t help but feel at unease. What is this change, and what could it mean for her and her little ponies?

Deep within the untamed wilds that is the Everfree Forest, where animals fend for themselves, weather moves about on its own, and beasts of all sizes and strengths stalk within the underbrush, a deep crater had formed within the woodland ground, red smoke drifting from the edges of the impact. In the center of the crater, kneeling to the ground, encased in his traditional black armor and holding his halberd tight against his breast, was the unscathed mighty warrior of the Three Kingdoms. Lu Bu rubbed his head from the disorienting feeling of his incredibly taxing transport, his skull buzzed and stomach turned while his feet threatened to give out. Minor setbacks. Lu Bu thought to himself, straining to rise and overcome his taxation. Once Lu Bu stood to full height, the mighty warrior noticed that he held something other than his halberd in his hands: a parchment of sorts. Lu Bu opened his hand, unfolded the parchment, and saw that his unexpected savior had left him a letter.

‘Enjoy the ride, Fengxian?’ The letter said. ‘It’s hard to get used to for the first couple of times, but you get used to it. Alright, so you’ve set foot in the realm of Equus, more aptly the peaceful and ignorant nation of Equestria. This is where you will start with teaching the denizens of this realm how to handle a fierce opponent in real battle.’ Lu Bu inwardly grinned at the anticipation of being able to draw his blade once more and bring it upon vermin again. ‘There are a few obstacles, however. So, my first task for you is to eliminate the Elements of Harmony, six incredibly powerful folks who best represent those qualities I told you about earlier. Unfortunately for the both of us, I have no flipping idea who they are or what they look like. So good luck hunting! I’ll check on you in about a month! XOXO Hun Luan.’ Lu Bu took his eyes off the paper, a perplexed expression on his face.

“’XOXO? What the hell does that mean?” Lu Bu asked himself. Grunting a bit, he crumpled up the paper and tossed it aside, having little need for it anymore. “Well, no point in wasting time by standing around.” Lu Bu steadily pulled himself out of the crater and into the Forest proper, marveling at the rather sparse landscape he now stood in. Trees towered high above, obscuring the sky with a canopy of green, while various plants dotted the lush grass about, and the chitter and roars of unusual animals bounded off the forest walls. Lu Bu grumbled, grabbing the trunk of a rather thick tree. “Why didn’t Hun Luan bring me closer to civilization?” With a simple squeeze, Lu Bu tore a chunk of the tree out with a single hand and allowed it to topple aimlessly on the ground. A startled, animalistic yelp came on the other side of the fallen tree, directing Lu Bu’s attention to… possibly the strangest thing he had seen since encountering that Spirit of Change. While he had heard something akin to a dog yelping, Lu Bu was surprised to see that on the other side of the tree was a wolf-like creature completely comprised of timber and sticks, a glowing green core at the center and haunting yellow eyes. The wooden wolf snarled at Lu Bu, bearing its fangs and uttering a low growl as it stalked towards the strange two-legged creature that nearly crushed it with a tree. Lu Bu smirked, holding his halberd at full length.

“So, you wish to challenge a warrior?” Lu Bu asked. Spinning his halberd between his hands, Lu Bu swung it about several times in fashion to display his power, until finally swinging it at a nearby rock. While it had appeared he missed, three seconds passed and a cleanly cut slice of the rock fell to the ground with a thud. “THEN FACE ME! I RELISH A CHALLENGE!” Clearly, the wooden wolf was outmatched by this strange creature, so it recoiled slightly, and threw its head back in a loud howl. Soon, five more howls responded, and more wooden wolves joined the original. Now Lu Bu was outnumbered. This was definitely bad. For them. Bellowing a war cry, Lu Bu sprinted at the wooden wolves while his opponents bolted at him as well. Once the six wolves were in range, Lu Bu swung his halberd at full force, smashing three bounding wolves and sending them flying into a rock where they shattered into splinters. The other three wolves leapt at their attacker, hoping to overpower him, but Lu Bu was faster, having sheathed his halberd, grabbed two of the wolves by their necks while he simply bashed his head on the third wolf, sending it spiraling to the ground in pieces. Lu Bu roared once more, sprinting along the tree line with arms spread wide and hands tightly gripped on the wooden beast’s necks, he slammed them through several trees and stones, breaking cleanly though them and breaking the wolves bit by bit. By the time he stopped, Lu Bu looked at his hands and saw he held nothing but twigs and splinters in his hands.

“Pathetic vermin.” Lu Bu grunted, dropping the twigs. “That was pest control, not a challenge.” A thundering roar from a nearby brush reverberated off the trees, redirecting the battle-hungry warrior’s attention. Stalking from between the trees was a large lion-like creature, sporting bat wings on its back and a large scorpion-like stinger in place of its tail. The beast roared at Lu Bu, its fangs gleaming brightly and spit spattering the warrior’s armor. “This, however, may prove to be a challenge.” Widening his legs and spreading his arms, Lu Bu beckoned the beast to come for him, to which it promptly responded with a vicious charge. The instant the beast reached him, Lu Bu sidestepped and grabbed the beast’s stinger tail, and with a mighty tug, pulled it to the ground. Roaring louder than the beast, Lu Bu dodged the attempted stings and simply gave a tight squeeze. Once the beast fell limp, Lu Bu held the tail tightly as he slowly began to spin about, taking the beast with him. Eventually, Lu Bu had built up enough momentum to pull the beast off the ground and form a small whirlwind of black and orange. Eventually when the he became naught but a blur, Lu Bu pulled out his halberd, held it carefully against the stinger, and cut. The beast flew high into the air, yowling in pain as its tail writhed about in Lu Bu’s grasp before finally going limp in his hands.

“Not even so much as a sweat.” Lu Bu said, dropping the stringer onto the ground. Once again starting to find his way out of this forest of beasts, Lu Bu rounded a corner and accidentally set his foot in a thick muddy marsh. Grumbling at the thick coating of muck on his boot, Lu Bu propped his foot against a large rock in the center of the mud and began scraping. Much to his surprise, the large rock rumbled as a pair of reptilian eyes opened up. Lu Bu partially withdrew his foot as the rocks moved and revealed to be a massive craggy crocodile, bearing its sharp teeth and opening its jaws wide. Lu Bu simply rolled his eyes, pressed his foot down on the stone crocodile, shutting the beast up, before bringing his foot down hard. He withdrew his foot, and slammed it again. And again. And again. And again. And again. After a solid five minutes of gratuitous stomping, Lu Bu pulled his foot out of the mangled pile of rubble that once was a crocodile’s head and stormed off.

“Nothing but vermin in this damnable forest.” Lu Bu complains, wandering through the brush again. A loud squeal redirected Lu Bu’s attention, as an absurdly large boar charged through the clearing, eyes red and tusks ready to gore. Lu Bu idly rolled his eyes, held open his hands, grabbed the boar’s tusks the instant it was in range, and lazily snapped its neck. The boar fell dead upon the ground, while Lu Bu seemed hardly even exhausted. “A true disappointment.” Lu Bu kicked high off the ground, leaping into the air and landing atop the trees, overseeing the forest and all its grandeur and mystery. He could make out the rustling in the brush, no doubt other vermin who scurried away from him in fear of angering an even greater beast than they. This was not amusing in the slightest. “ISN’T THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN PROVIDE ME A DECENT CHALLENGE?!” As his call to battle echoed across the landscape, a loud rush of wind swept across the tree tops and picked up Lu Bu’s tassels. The mighty warrior braced himself from the sudden wind, when suddenly his sight was overtaken by a great shadow that seemed to blot out the sun. “What in the heavens?” The shadow moved on, and Lu Bu could see its master with shock and awe, a great beast only heard of in legends amongst his people. Wings spanning at hundreds of feet, a golden sheen of scales from snout to tail, fangs ridged and spines profound, horns curled like great rams, and a gaze that would freeze men in their tracks. Lu Bu had the honor, nay the privilege, of watching a dragon land before him.

“Who calls to battle?!” The dragon bellowed, smoke billowing from its nostrils as it reared its elongated neck about the forest. “Who carries the voice of a warrior of might to call upon the wrath of an Elder Dragon?” Lu Bu gaped at the great lizard before him. It was gigantic, easily larger than the Emperor’s palace or even Luoyang itself! Legends told of the might and wisdom dragons held, and how many valued them on par with the gods themselves. To actually defeat one in battle would bring about great honor to the victor, but it was a nigh impossible task. For anyone except Lu Bu, that is. The might warrior drew his halberd and with a steely look of determination bounded from the tree, several feet in the air, screaming war cry as he drew closer to the ultimate challenge. He would do the impossible, something not even the great warriors of legend could even draw a candle to, defeat a dragon in combat mortal! However, as Lu Bu drew close to the dragon, ready to strike, it reared its head around and swung a massive claw at him. “PEST!” Lu Bu wasn’t fast enough, and once the gigantic beast’s hand made contact, Lu Bu felt something he hadn’t felt in ages: broken. The impact alone shattered several bones in the mighty warrior’s body, his armor cracked in several small places, a gob of blood erupted from Lu Bu’s mouth, and most importantly, his pride was beaten down. The dragon paid no heed as Lu Bu sailed far away from the impact site, the mighty warrior coming to a final landing in a clearing near the edge of the Everfree. As the warrior lay on the ground, broken and bleeding, Lu Bu could barely keep himself awake as he saw a set of four black and white striped legs come towards him. And finally he allowed himself to be claimed by darkness…

Author's Note

You taunt the readers with a cliffhanger ending?!
Yes, I did, what of it? Keeps the suspense flowing. Now rest up, big guy, you've got recuperation for the next chapter. There's a meat bun in it for ya.

Any-Bun, this took a bit longer to write (due to computer technicalities and running out of ideas on what Lu Bu would fight in his first outing in Equestria), but hey, it's finally out. Keep in touch and enjoy future updates!

~IDA Official, Head Writer Mask

Recovery

Somewhere in the Everfree Forest

Everything hurt like hell. Lu Bu shifted in and out of the waking world at random, each time undergoing the full brunt of the pain from that single attack the dragon dealt. Between gazing into black nothingness and the blurred images of the world above, Lu Bu could barely comprehend what was going on around to him. At random points, he felt himself dragged along the ground, hoisted atop what he seemed to be a small horse, and was laid in something small. Whatever it was, it doesn’t matter to him. His bones may be broken, but his pride was ultimately shattered. Lu Bu had only lost (to him) a total of three fights in his entire life, one of them was a draw. To be defeated so easily by such a powerful opponent… Lu Bu wanted to curl up and die.

It was then the formerly mighty warrior found himself properly stirring out of sleep. Once he opened his eyes, he found he was laid atop a bed and he was inside a strange wooden hut. Several odd tribal masks adorned the walls, shelves were lined with various elixirs and potions of differing colors, and an empty cauldron rested in the center. As he attempted to sit up, pain surged through Lu Bu’s body, as he looked down to see his armor was off and most of his body was covered in bandages. Someone had saved him, possibly a dweller within the woods.

“Ah, it seems that the patient is awake.” Called out a melodious voice from outside. “Best to remain still, for your own life is at stake.” Lu Bu groggily turned his head to the speaker, only to see another odd creature before him. It appeared to be a small horse, decorated in black and white stripes and sporting a Mohawk mane, her green eyes accompanied by a gentle smile.

“A healer’s pet, are you?” Lu Bu muttered. To his surprise, the striped equine chuckled at him.

“I am no pet, I would say,” The striped horse said. “But I am a healer who has saved your life on this day.” Lu Bu blinked, trying to process the sudden change before him. Instead of trying to object, Lu Bu rolled back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling of the hut.

“I must have been hit harder than I though.” Lu Bu grumbled. “I’m seeing talking horses instead of people.” Suddenly, the horse stood above him, looking slightly bemused.

“It is best that you know, a hallucination I am not.” The horse said, a firm tone in her voice. “My name is a Zecora, I am a zebra. Now please do give that some thought.” The horse, no zebra, trotted off to the side, leaving Lu Bu to lay in thought.

Hun Luan said this truly was another world, Lu Bu thought to himself. But he failed to mention there would be creatures of fantasy and talking horses! Lu Bu once again turned to the zebra with a quizzical look. “You there, Zecora,” He said. “Are there others like you? Talking horses?”

“No zebras like myself are here,” Zecora said, tending to a shelf of potions. “But beyond the forest of Everfree, a village of ponies is near.” She returned to Lu Bu’s side, holding a bowl filled with green liquid in one of her hooves. “Drink.” Lu Bu obliged, taking the bowl and downing the elixir. It was bitter tasting and thick, but it went down easily with only a few coughs. “This brew will mend the bones and ease the bruise. It was foolish to take on a dragon, for all would know you’d lose.” Lu Bu’s eyes shot open, turning his gaze back to the zebra healer.

“You witnessed me face the dragon?” Lu Bu asked, Zecora responding with a curt nod.

“The sound of battle could be heard from all around,” Zecora said, nudging a cabinet open to retrieve fresh bandages. “And it was in front of my home you were struck down.” Lu Bu steadily pulled himself up to aid with the changing of his bandages, surprised to say in the least that most of his body was encased in wrappings, and several red stains bloomed like roses on the white rags. As Zecora got to unwrapping the infected bandages, Lu Bu scanned the room for his weapon and armor. Thankfully, they were resting comfortably on a nearby stool, the armor now sporting a dull red in some spots. “With names, I have told you mine. If you could return the favor, if you’d be so kind?”

“I am Lu Bu Fengxian.” Lu Bu introduced, wincing as the bandages were removed, exposing the broken skin and bones. “Proud warrior of the Xu Province of China.” Zecora looked at him with a slightly quizzical look.

“A warrior, I had assumed you to be,” Zecora said. “Based on the number of scars and the blade, I see.” She tossed the bloody bandages away and grabbed the new ones, applying a yellowish salve on them. “But these places you speak, China and Xu, are unknown to me. Would you happen to be from afar, or so I believe?” Lu Bu was about to speak the truth, but paused for a moment, recalling something Chen Gong had taught him a while back. Withholding the truth is a necessity when facing the unknown, especially if they prove to be an enemy. So he did not state the obvious that he was from another world entirely.

“Afar, yes. Very afar.” Lu Bu softly said. “Yet I have traveled so far, I am truly unaware of where I exactly am.” He turned to Zecora as she fastened the last of the bandages. “Aside from the name of the nation, I’m essentially lost.”

“As I said, there is a quaint town just beyond the brush.” Zecora said, but Lu Bu seemed a little too eager to leave, and was quickly held down by the zebra’s hoof. “But your injuries are too grave, there’s no time to rush.” Lu Bu grunted, pulling the zebra’s hoof off his chest.

“I have no time to waste, I must complete my task at hand!” Lu Bu proclaimed, rising from the bed at his towering seven feet in height… only to crumple on the ground, wracked with pain. Apparently the dragon had done a greater number on him than he realized. Once Zecora helped him back into bed, she dipped her hoof in a mason jar and rubbed a blue salve on Lu Bu’s bandages.

“The sap of the Reficientes plant will mend your wounds upon the fourth day.” She said, trotting over to her cabinet. “Until then, you will have to be content and stay.” Lu Bu huffed, laying on his back and folding his arms with a pout. A warrior need not be confined to a bed, especially one mighty as Lu Bu. He didn’t treat his wounds, he shrugged them off! These demands were absurd! The only ones to tell him to hold still whilst his wounds were treated was…

“Diaochan…” Lu Bu muttered to himself. “My Little Cicada…” He remembered the nights he returned from yet another battle, bleeding and broken after slaying scores of men, whence Diaochan would personally treat his wounds and reset his bones, scolding him for his idiocy in going into battle. She always knew best. Perhaps, then, this odd little horse creature knew the same. “Very well, I’ll remain in wait, but once my wounds heal, I must continue my journey.” Zecora tittered a chuckle to herself, walking back out her hut to gather more herbs, leaving the mighty warrior to lean back in his cot and stare at the thatch roof in boredom. This was going to be a long week…

Three days passed, and Lu Bu had already learned a fair bit of his location from his generous host, and even bit about Zecora herself. Fascinating things one can learn when you have nothing to do but rest about in bed and heal. So, according to the healer, Equestria was a peaceful nation of ponies, a notion that Lu Bu couldn’t help but chuckle at the sheer absurdity, which was ruled by a total of four Alicorn Princesses, who exhibit powers that, according to him, matched the gods themselves.

“You mean to say that not only are these ‘Princesses’ immortal,” Lu Bu said as he sat bowlegged at a small table while Zecora poured him a cup of herbal tea. “But two of them have dominion over the sun and moon itself?” The Zebra shaman simply nodded as she gripped the handle of the tea-kettle between her teeth. “Forgive my disbelief, but not even the most powerful of sorcerers have that kind of power.” Zecora set down the kettle and took her seat opposite of Lu Bu, resting on her haunches as she reached for her own cup.

“As inane and incredible as you may deem,” Zecora said. “The power of the princesses is exactly what it seems.” She paused to take a sip of her tea, as Lu Bu did the same. It was a sweet taste, like feeling the welcoming embrace of spring upon his tongue. “The sun and moon rise and fall by their command. I do not really see how that is hard to understand.” Lu Bu didn’t really have much to respond to that, given his own thoughts were preoccupied with concern that there were beings more powerful than him.

Surely they would prove a decent challenge for my skills. Lu Bu silently mused to himself. He took another sip and resumed his conversation. “Never mind that. You were explaining to me how one of these princesses was in the nearby town?”

“Yes, Twilight Sparkle.” Zecora clarified. “Princess of Friendship, would be.” Lu Bu inwardly scoffed at the ridiculous name. All these Equestrians with their bizarre naming after objects and verbs, and the irritating number of horse puns for terminology. It was too much for the warrior to handle. “Her kindness knows no bounds, and her prowess is magic is a sight to see.”

This Twilight Sparkle may be my key to finding my target, the Elements of Harmony. Lu Bu thought to himself. He hadn’t told Zecora of his reasons for being in Equestria, rather keeping to the illusion of him being a traveler from a distant land, seeking knowledge from other nations. No need for the one who saved his life to know he was going after what could essentially be considered national heroes. If anything, he would have left a long time ago, but his wounds and Zecora’s insistence on his stay kept him quarantined. However, much to the healer’s amazement, Lu Bu’s wounds had recovered faster than expected, and he’d be on his feet again in just a little while longer. But until then, the mighty warrior would sit and enjoy his tea. As much as he complained about having to stay with the healer, Lu Bu could not deny that she made a wonderful tea.

“Prices vendors place these days are just awful.” Zecora grumbled as she trotted into her hut, her saddlebacks bursting with various ingredients and herbal remedies. “But with these veggies and fruits, I can brew a stew that will be just wonderful!” The zebra chuckled to herself, but quickly noticed that her bedridden guest was nowhere to be seen. Not lying on his cot or resting in a chair, the hut was completely empty. Before Zecora could go into a worried fit about an injured creature like Lu Bu wandering about the Everfree in his condition, she realized that his armor and weapon were still there, so he hadn’t gone far. Once the ingredients were properly put away, Zecora exited her hut and searched for Lu Bu, picking up on the faint sound of grunting nearby. Rounding around her house, Zecora finally located Lu Bu, the intimidating man doing several sets of pushups. Zecora was a bit surprised to find Lu Bu up and about proper, let alone exerting himself in such a fashion, but the warrior had shown unusually fast signs of recovery. After Lu Bu finished his pushups, he rose to his full towering height and walked over to a tree, only noticing Zecora for a brief moment before grasping a thick tree limb and doing pull-ups.

“I see you’ve returned from your trip to the nearby town.” Lu Bu mused, performing his exercises so fast leaves are shaking off the tree. Zecora silently nodded, watching Lu Bu with what could only be described best as morbid fascination. “Hmmph, good. I believe one last drink of that elixir of yours, and I shall have fully recovered.” Once his pull-ups were finished, Lu Bu hopped down from the tree and walked over to a large boulder thrice his size. “One last test, and my exercises will be finished.” He walked over to the boulder and hugged it tightly. Zecora cautiously trotted over, expecting for Lu Bu to pick up the rock or something spectacular like that. That was when the cracks erupted from the areas where Lu Bu was gripping. In a matter of seconds, the boulder exploded into rubble, with Lu Bu holding chunks of rock between his fingers. “Damn boulder. This was a pointless challenge.” As Lu Bu walked back into the hut, Zecora gaped in shock at the pile of stones and gravel that once was a great boulder. She had known from Lu Bu’s vague explanations that he was strong, but she didn’t expect this. So, silently Zecora slinked back into her cottage, while Lu Bu sat himself down on a pillow. Zecora quickly did a check of all the ingredients for the healing elixir, but noticed that a single remedy was absent.

“Curses and hexes, this absent spot on the shelf!” Zecora spat, angrily. Lu Bu quirked an eyebrow in confusion and curiosity.

“Something amiss, healer?” Lu Bu asked.

“I forgot an ingredient vital to fully restoring your health!” Zecora explained, pointing a hoof at a vacant jar on her ingredients shelf. Lu Bu folded his arms in slight annoyance.

“It can’t be all that important, I can handle any minor effects of a missing ingredient.” Lu Bu huffed, only to quickly find himself face to face with the irritated zebra.

“A mighty one with strength to use mountains, I do not doubt,” Zecora retorted, pressing a hoof to his chest. “But if you can withstand an exploded heart, I do not think we should find out.” For once, Lu Bu was reluctant to prove someone wrong, as Zecora withdrew her hoof and moved to prepare her saddlebags. “I’ll have to return to Ponyville for the missing flower…” She sighed softly. “But I doubt I shall return within the hour.” Lu Bu recalled Zecora complaining about the many monsters that have shown up lately, and how they’ve impeded her progress to and from the Forest itself, while Lu Bu had been cooped up for ‘remedial’ reasons. However, with his recovery increasing of late, as shown by his intense training, Lu Bu felt himself ready for more physical adventures. So, the mighty warrior rose to his feet and proceeded to don his armor. Before Zecora could object, Lu Bu had already motioned for her silence.

“I have been sitting around for days doing absolutely nothing.” Lu Bu said, slipping his boots on. “And you have been complaining about the increase in monsters in the area. So, to satiate my boredom and aid you,” Lu Bu’s head popped from out of his armor, allowing his twin-feathered headwear to flow freely. “I will accompany you to this town, protect you from monsters, and finally restore my strength to continue my mission.” He grabbed his halberd and dug the sharpened spear end in the dirt floor, jabbing a finger at Zecora. “No objections. My mind is made up.” And without so much as another word, Lu Bu left the hut. Zecora sighed, already having dealt with Lu Bu’s stubborn attitude for the past couple of days, and left to chase after the warrior more out of worry he’d get himself lost in the Forest.

The Zebra and towering human took a relatively safe path through the forest, and surprisingly there were little signs of any wildlife on their path. The most that happened was Zecora catching a glimpse of a pack of Timber Wolves that appeared to be running away from something. While the shaman was clueless as to why, Lu Bu knew clearly, of course. They were respecting the true alpha of the Forest and keeping their distance from the real top predator. Himself. Finally, after a long while of walking, Lu Bu and Zecora finally exited the Everfree Forest, and into the wide open air of Equestria. This was the first of Equestria outside the Forest Lu Bu had actually seen. It was a beautiful sight, rolling green fields, clean and pristine trees unlike the gnarled and ugly ones within the Forest, and a lack of monsters that seemed to make things a little more difficult. And off in the distance, Lu Bu could see a small town, filled with various houses and such. No doubt this was the ‘Ponyville’ Zecora always rambled about, Lu Bu assumed. In his time staring, he noticed his traveling ward already making her way to the town. With renewed gusto, Lu Bu took after her, unaware that his sudden appearance hadn’t gone unnoticed.

Author's Note

Ugh... Writing in rhyming is so hard... I don't know how other people can do this... Oh well, this took longer than need be, but it's finally out! Now onto the pressing matter of finding a proper cover art... Eh, it'll come when it comes. Anyway, enjoy the story and keep an eye out for a new chapter down the line!

~IDA Official, Head Writer Mask